Spoke Too Soon

And then this happened....

On the way to work the Pioneer satellite receiver stopped working once again, while at the same time the tire pressure monitor system threw up a flag. They were unrelated, as a front tire was low, but it reminded me that the dealership deflated the tires to 34 PSI from 38 PSI at the last service, which may be why my I5 adventure was more enjoyable.

The Pioneer system was successfully reset by disconnecting and reconnecting the battery, something I discussed with the Best Buy tech, as an alternative to the $50 charge of popping out the head unit. Reconnecting the battery caused all kinds of crazy in the electrical system.

The steering, traction control and TPMS lights lit up, making me wonder if the car was even safe to move, or whether I somehow shorted out the entire system with my battery trick.

The owner's manual thankfully reported this behavior as normal, recommending a short drive to reset everything. That did the trick, but I admit I was a bit concerned.

20K Mile Road Trip

A year after I bought the car, I found myself driving down I5 on cruise control at 80 MPH, thinking the road and car were perfectly acceptable. It seemed much worse when I first got the GTI, and I told myself it was an alright road trip car on the right road trip.  I must have gotten used to the ride. The GTI was freshly washed and gassed for the week when I got the call to come visit my grandmother for the last time, 400 miles away. I didn't quite make it in time, but not for a lack of trying.

I hit the 20,000 miles mark en route, and I'm still in need of that 20K mile service visit. The GTI got around 30MPG on the way down I5 but only around 26MPG on the way back up on 101.

There were no squeaks, rattles, mechanical issues or other annoyances. The Pioneer didn't even freak out when I stalled in Orange County traffic. Last time in OC, I stalled at a toll booth and it needed a hard reset. The GTI actually drives better now than when it was brand new.

Next: Just put in another order with Autopia for some new microfiber towels and the new 1Z interior cleaner (1Z Einszett Cockpit Premium Interior Plas). If I had one complaint about 1Z, it's that all their bottles look the same: bug remover, wheel cleaner, interior cleaner, all have the same, boring grey bottle with green label.