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Toyota Tacoma snow performance?

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Funnel
Posts: 7815 - Karma: 1,531
I searched for something on this but didn't find anything.  I was wondering how these handled in the snow being they're a pickup.  I know some pickups fish tail really easy with a smaller cab and longer bed, I've watched a Silverado fishtail across the road before.  I have heard that the 2006 and older, toyota moved the weight more towards the center so it wasn't as light in the back and weight was evenly distributed.  I'm definitely getting 4x4 and probably the extended cab/4 door.  I was just wondering how they did in the snow.  I really prefer to know about pickups because I do a lot of mountain biking in the summer and pickups help a LOT for shuttling.  So I was just wondering how they handled in the snow if anyone knows or has any other suggestions (pickup preferable).  I will probably buy one used from Carmax.  Thanks for the input.
Nov 22 2008 12:09AM
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Corben
Posts: 710 - Karma: 49
yeah you can.. but i guess you could say its not as a controlled downshift.

that fucken northpole special shit was fucken awesome to by the way
Nov 23 2008 1:31AM
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Ghost82nd
Posts: 1240 - Karma: 10
05s and newer come with a 6 speed manual and let me tell you it is awesome. definitely makes steep hill descents easier in sketchy conditions.  you feel so much more in control and the transmission in them are pretty forgiving and easy to drive
Nov 23 2008 2:18AM
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Funnel
Posts: 7815 - Karma: 1,531
Yeah, this will be my first car when I start driving and I'm worried about not enjoying the manual or getting the hang of it.  They sound better in almost everywhere- gas consumption, price, offroad, in the snow, down and uphill, except for talking or drinking.  I've been trying to get this question answered- How long does it take to get a good feel for a manual transmission, like how long does it take until you can do it really good or flawlessly?  How long does it take to just learn (without stalling) how to do it correctly, it seems really simple?  Also, will manual be a good choice to start out on?  Please someone answer those questions.
Nov 23 2008 2:26AM
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Freeskier83
Posts: 192 - Karma: 24
My stock 07 Taco trd 4x4 off road has handled every snow condition I can throw at it with no problem.
Nov 23 2008 5:34AM
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AJizzle
Posts: 1882 - Karma: 522
If u've ever driven anything with a clutch; atv, dirtbike, tractor...... it will be no problem.  I got my 15 yr old brother driving a stick fairly well in one day.  5 or six speeds, esp yotas are extremely easy to drive, low idle and can take off with giving it almost no gas. It should take you no more than a week to get the hang of it, probably a month to drive it flawlessly all the time. And let me tell u I would not own a truck I was going to use for snow driving or offroading that wasn't a stick. It gives u much more control of the vehicle.
Nov 23 2008 5:35AM
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skodeo7
Posts: 14949 - Karma: 9,234
Tacomas are fucking awesome in the snow. I just got a new Tacoma Access cab, fucking stoked. Just picked up a cap for it.
Nov 23 2008 12:40PM
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DrStrangelove
Posts: 1948 - Karma: 3
well sweet then

i got on carmax today to see if they had any cheaper certified 07's or something. i was searching in the houston area cause that's where im gonna have to get the car when i go to my parent's house for christmas, and for some reason the nearby carmax's only have 2wd models...fuckin stupid.

guess ill have to get a brand new one somewhere, oh well
Nov 23 2008 2:07PM
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skodeo7
Posts: 14949 - Karma: 9,234
TRD is way more expensive. Around $6,000-$9,000 more depending on the dealer.
Nov 23 2008 2:09PM
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DrStrangelove
Posts: 1948 - Karma: 3
i should be able to talk it down to something reasonable, houston has like 50 toyota dealerships and theyre all flush with trucks they cant sell right now. by buddy just got a new fullsize truck for like 17 down from 30ish, so that gives me some confidence. im gonna sell my audi and hopefully get 5 or 6 for it, then my parents are going to help me with a bunch as a graduation/christmas present cause im done with undergrad in a month and ive been driving a broken car for more than a year. but im really starting to think a loaded tacoma is probably the way to go, ill be able to drive it forever if i want to.
Nov 23 2008 2:23PM
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Inbred_Redneck
Posts: 2776 - Karma: 28
You have a 4x4, you shouldnt have made the thread.  That being said, most people fishtail in snow because they have a lead foot.
Nov 23 2008 2:23PM
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Funnel
Posts: 7815 - Karma: 1,531
Yeah I've never actually driven anything with a clutch.  My mom knows how to drive a stick EXTREMELY well.  When she lived in San Francisco she would drive a stick and have to parallel park on the really steep hills multiple times a day.
Nov 23 2008 2:39PM
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whattheshit
Posts: 6562 - Karma: 107
the trick to weighing down any truck or car without sacrificing handling or putting on a lot of oversteer is locating the weight between the two axles or as close as to the middle of the car as possible.  so you want to tuck those sandbags as close to the drivers cab as possible.
Nov 23 2008 3:49PM
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vincepru
Posts: 5474 - Karma: 17
i dont know why all you guys are pushing him to get a stick, hes never driven a stick before. and being a beginner driver in CA of all places, isnt a good way to start off. think about it, he still has to get comfortable just plainly driving around, and ontop of that, worry about what gear to put it in or forgetting to engage the clutch when coming to a stop.

 i say get an auto, my first car was stick because i started driving stick at a really young age with my dad in a old school 911 turbo whale tail. you'll be fine with an auto, plus its a truck, driving a stick truck gets really annoying fast. a stick is really only fun when your down shifting and hitting tight turns.
Nov 23 2008 4:19PM
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AJizzle
Posts: 1882 - Karma: 522
Why does everybody insist that driving a stick gets annoying?  I live in the SF bay area, have to commute to the south bay (about an hour) and drive a stick everyday.  I don't even think about it anymore.  About 1/3 of the people I know drive a stick everyday and I never hear them bitch about it.  The plus of driving a stick, better gas mileage, better tranny longgevity, better control of the vehicle.....def outweigh having to shift all the time.
Nov 23 2008 7:20PM
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skodeo7
Posts: 14949 - Karma: 9,234
Plus you save around $800-$1000 when you initially buy if you but with a manual transmission. I got the 6-speed, its fucking awesome.
Nov 23 2008 7:34PM
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DrStrangelove
Posts: 1948 - Karma: 3
dude my audi is manual and i absolutely love it, ill never get another automatic car...i just dont like driving stick in trucks for some reason, it's not the same kind of trip for me, so if i get a truck it's going to be auto.

but yah, when i can afford to go back to a nice german car im def getting manual again.
Nov 23 2008 8:02PM
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mad_540_trix
Posts: 2452 - Karma: 14
By the way everybody, the guys on top gear didn't actually go all the way to the pole, they actually went to where the magnetic north pole was like 5 years ago... the maps that they show during the episode are totally made up.  don't believe me? watch it again... when they do the scenes where they're "at" the north pole, look at the coordinates on the GPS.

not knocking tacomas, just saying that the guys who produce top gear are full of shit.
Nov 24 2008 1:03AM
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Funnel
Posts: 7815 - Karma: 1,531
Ahhh even if it's true, who cares?  They still did some crazy driving in wicked conditions.  Whether or not the went to the true North Pole, it's close enough for me and it was sick.
Nov 24 2008 1:21AM
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mad_540_trix
Posts: 2452 - Karma: 14
yeah, like i said, i'm not saying anything bad about the trucks.  my dad has one and it's awesome.  I'm just saying that top gear lied unnecessarily.
Nov 25 2008 1:56AM
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A-Jones
Posts: 79 - Karma: 15
WEIGHT

i will repeat that

WEIGHT!!!

Without weight in the back, your truck is nearly useless. Tacoma's are really light in the rear, so I recommend 3 - 50 lb. gravel/sand bags. Be sure to put them behind the rear axle, otherwise you won't get the grip that you need.

I've had my Taco for 7 years, and have played around with a ton of different configurations, 3 - 50 pounders behind the rear axle works the best.
Nov 25 2008 2:51AM
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niels043
Posts: 814 - Karma: 184

half right

in an automatic downshifting is kinda good, you can slow the car down with the engine but once you click into a lower gear, the transmission just puts it imidatlly into that gear. with a manual you have a clutch so you can control how gently you engage that lower gear so if you are on a steep hill and you click into D3 or 2 you might already be carrying enough momentum so that the next gear down will lock up the tires. with the manual you can slowly let the clutch out to easily and gently allow you to engage the lower gear without locking the tires, not to mention the manual has 5 gears, the auto has 4 so in the snow and ice you can be changing gears more often to help control the car better.

auto is nice when you are smoking weed or eating or whatever but when it comes to the snow 5 speed is the way to go, also if you look up fuel economy statistics most vehicles offered in a 5 speed and auto, the 5 speed tends somehow (beyond me) to get about 1 or 2 miles per gallon better fuel economy if you don't believe me i encourage you to check stats on trucks like the s10, nissan frontier, the tacoma, etc.

Nov 25 2008 9:08AM
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SHastatahoe
Posts: 3414 - Karma: 20
I wish you wouldve kept it too, that thing was rad. 

And a bunch of my good friends have tacomas and they all shred the snow.  We have taken them through some serious stormage, and they worked flawlessly.  I dont think anyone has snow tires either, I would just get ATs and you'll be fine for sure.  If the snow is super gnar maybe throw some sandbags in the back.
Nov 25 2008 9:26AM
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niels043
Posts: 814 - Karma: 184
also learning to drive stick is pretty simple, all you need is someone who can do it to talk you through it, a full tank of gas and an afternoon. by the time your almost out of gas you will be more than comfortable, it's not like learning another language... essentially just learning to use all your limbs with precision all at the same time
Nov 25 2008 5:27PM
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comeatmebro
Posts: 10720 - Karma: 66
word stick is so much better. i fucking chugged up the hill past a 4x4 explorer the other night in my fwd car in 3rd just pulls right along, way harder to spin tires when you barely even give her gas.
Nov 25 2008 5:40PM
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vincepru
Posts: 5474 - Karma: 17
read next time... i said it gets annoying driving a stick truck, cars are a whole other story. i will never buy a car that is not stick, unless its a s550 or something similar.
Nov 25 2008 5:45PM
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comeatmebro
Posts: 10720 - Karma: 66
actually it's just as sketchy downshifting in a stick on a hill man. sooner or later you have to apply brakes. if you just downshift you're gonna lock your tires and be even more fucked than just pumping the brakes and steering out of stuff...


Nov 25 2008 5:47PM
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DANETRON
Posts: 6671 - Karma: 137
You dont have the ability to let the clutch out slow with an auto, sure you can do it but the auto makes it less accurate.
Nov 25 2008 5:57PM
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salomonskiier12
Posts: 2862 - Karma: 19
you're correct, but nothing beats the interation with an actual clutch
Nov 25 2008 6:08PM
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vincepru
Posts: 5474 - Karma: 17
thank you. 
Nov 25 2008 6:32PM
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niels043
Posts: 814 - Karma: 184

you know something you are right! i forgot it is a car and cars are meant to drive on the road right? and you use the brakes on the road, so why not in snow? it's still a road right so in a snow storm you should just slam a brakes and just point the wheel forward how did i forget!

either you drive an automatic or or don't drive at all. but which ever one stop lying to this poor kid who has an oportunity to get himself into a really safe vehicle eith an APPROPRIATE transmission

Nov 26 2008 8:29AM
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comeatmebro
Posts: 10720 - Karma: 66
hahaha fuck off, and quit being so ignorant. did i say to slam on the brakes? no i clearly said to pump the brakes...do you have reading comprehension problems? obviously. and by steering out of it i mean let off of the fucking brake so your car straightens out and STEERING OUT. sorry but downshifting only helps to a certain extent. get back to me when the car in front of you slows down and you decide to throw it into second without hitting the brakes, your tires lock up cause you were going to fast to be in second and you slam into it when you slide down the fucking hill dumbass. and please don't try and tell me about "easing out the clutch" because you need to slow down, not ride your clutch and burn it out retard.

actually i do drive, and i drive a 5 speed mazda 3 so it seems your assumptions were a bit wrong. i think tacomas are great trucks, but in my eyes it is just stupid to get a manual truck. there is no need to have on...you don't haul ass in a truck and unless he does some serious offroading (which he said he isn't going to do) an automatic will work fine.
Nov 26 2008 12:02PM
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Eastcoastskier09
Posts: 197 - Karma: 8
toyaota tacomas are small
ford better than toyota
Nov 26 2008 12:14PM
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AJizzle
Posts: 1882 - Karma: 522
Dude u are a moron.  He wants to be able to drive his truck in the snow, not watch snow fall on his broken down piece of shit in his driveway.
Nov 26 2008 1:39PM
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Funnel
Posts: 7815 - Karma: 1,531
Well, you don't always want to have a bigger truck in the snow or offroad, then it's more of a hassle.  There's a reason American auto makers need a bailout, because they have made shit cars.  My parents have two Toyotas and we have never had an issue with any of them.  We owned a Chevy.  Broke down all the time.  American companies aren't producing what people are looking for.  Toyotas last FOREVER!  A long with being very cheap to maintain and service.
Nov 26 2008 2:34PM
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PASKIINGSUCKS
Posts: 9097 - Karma: 777
I'm going to look at a 89 4runner in about 15 minutes!!!!!

Tacos are great in the snow.

Go with the BFgoodrich All terrain tires they are money trust me.

Like some have said add wight to the back, I prefer gravel or crushed stone. Also if you end up stuck off the road you can dump it under your tires for more grip. If you want the ultimate in vehicle recovery on the cheap, scrap a junk snowmobile from a junkyard and steal the tread. Roll the tread up and throw it in the back of your truck, if your ever stuck unroll that bitch and slide it under your wheel.

GET THE STICK
Learn it now and you'll never know the difference. It's mostly preference anyway but if ever in an emergency situation and you have to drive someone elses you won't be screwed cause you can't drive a standard.



ANYONE WHO WANTS AN INVITE TO THE TOYOTA 4X4 OWNER'S CULT SHOOT ME A PM.

Also for anyone interested in buying a tacoma, be real careful when looking at 95-2000 models. There is a rust warranty extension by toyota because some of these frame rusted prematurely and toyota is buying back the vehicle. I just sold my 98 back to toyota for 1500 more than I bought it for 3 years ago. Rusting frames suck, stand up automakers rule.

Click for larger imageClick for larger imageClick for larger imageClick for larger imageClick for larger imageClick for larger image
There's my old baby up and down the east coast, I miss ya already old girl.
Nov 26 2008 3:01PM
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PASKIINGSUCKS
Posts: 9097 - Karma: 777
by the way that ^ brush guard cost 250 shipped off of ebay. I and my brother installed it in about an hour.
Nov 26 2008 3:05PM
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Inbred_Redneck
Posts: 2776 - Karma: 28
All my family owns are chevys, and they havent broken down once.
Nov 26 2008 5:38PM
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vincepru
Posts: 5474 - Karma: 17
one again, agreed 100%
Nov 26 2008 9:53PM
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skodeo7
Posts: 14949 - Karma: 9,234
Maybe if you are a fool and don't know how to drive. I'd much rather have a stick personally. I've owned a Subaru Outback wagon (5 speed) for about 4+ years, owned a Legacy (automatic) until recently (another 3 or so years) and just recently got an 09 Tacoma (6 speed). I have driven my dads 08 Tacoma a lot, which is an automatic and I just prefer the control I have with a manual transmission.

It all comes down to personal preference. Both have pros and cons for different people. If a person isn't comfortable driving a manual transmission there is no reason in hell they should get one, simple as that. Obviously if you are going to be slamming into cars because you are putz and can't drive a stick in the snow that's your own problem.
Nov 26 2008 10:59PM
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comeatmebro
Posts: 10720 - Karma: 66
sorry man but no matter how good you can drive a stick, or car for that matter if you try and slow down with no brakes...you're going to lock up the tires. now if you would happen to slow down slightly then downshift, sure you'll be just fine. but that's not what he was talking about.

personally i love my 5 speed as well, and absolutely hate driving automatics simply because it's boring. if i were to purchase a truck though, it'd be an automatic. just personal preference though.
Nov 26 2008 11:13PM
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SteezyOhio
Posts: 6044 - Karma: 60

everybody just chill the fuck out

autos are great is all prefrence and performance

manuals get you the feel of driving a car i believe it makes you a better drive and you learn to handle roads more

autos let you sit back and chill but dont give you a thrill

lets look at the fact that he wants a truck its gonna have rear wheel anyways so he will be doing donuts if he wants to if he gets all wheel or 4whell then its his choice but for now let him test some cars out. he needs to decide if he wants performance over fun you can have both but you can enjoy the feeling of driving a manual i drive a fuckn manual rear wheel only for explorer and i can handle winter fine! you just throw in some sand bags and if you know safe driving you can avoid fuckn accidents and you can get your way to where you are going safely.

bro dont let them tell you what to get consider it but test it for you self hell if you lived by me id let you drive my fuckn car id teach you i dont car i think eveybody should drive a manual

Nov 26 2008 11:32PM
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TheBeardedOne
Posts: 2286 - Karma: 58
i had an f150 and it was reliable as fuck. only problem i ever had was a blown head gasket but that was because of my driving. i never got stuck in snow and i live in duluth. thats just my two cents on ford.. but yeah tacos are great, i almost bought one too, def get a 4x4 with a manual though...
Nov 27 2008 1:57AM
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supersteez420
Posts: 496 - Karma: 10
i dontknow where your from but in steamboat CO the 'yota tacoma is the whip ta have dawg i personally like the older ones from like '92-'04 they fly as shit
Nov 27 2008 2:49AM
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Funnel
Posts: 7815 - Karma: 1,531
Well before I was old enough to remember my dad had a Ford Explorer and he pounded it with miles really fast, he got it to about 165k and said it finally just died.  So we never really had a bad Ford, Chevy was the one we had problems with.  But, we don't think it was Chevy, we think it was the dealership.  We never had a problem until we brought it in for something routine and then we think they tampered with it all throughout the warranty, so then when the warranty was up, we would have to go back and pay out of our pockets to fix all the problems.  Luckily we got rid of it because we leased it.  Someone in my neighborhood owns an auto dealership told us he visited the GM factory and the Honda factory to compare the employees and how the factory ran.  Well he went to the Honda factory and said everyone was working really fast and focused on their job, whereas at the GM factory people were talking with each other and would kind of put down what they were doing for a minute or two and talk.  So they're obviously built a little bit less carefully.  Some people I know have Chevys that run flawlessly, they also know how to fix them up on their own too.  Maybe we just got a lemon.  Every Toyota we had was great though, no issues.  Sounds like my parents are going to veto the manual.  My Mom and Dad both swear that I will get sick of having to shift all the time, so it looks like an auto for me.  I am hearing a lot more about adding weight into the back.  I am looking into an 06 or later model, there were obviously some design changes from the older models, how is the wieght distributed in my targeted model?  Will I still need to add the extra weight, or do they have it solved now?
Nov 27 2008 3:15AM
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Pwn.Mode
Posts: 1061 - Karma: 10
get some AT tires, probably posted like 100 times already.  snowtires will wear too fast for what u want.  they're soft rubber. talk to your tire dealer you probably dont even need at tires if you only get that small amount of snow. unless you're going to be driving off road.
Nov 27 2008 4:11AM
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Corben
Posts: 710 - Karma: 49
corben likes to party....
Nov 27 2008 4:46AM
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skodeo7
Posts: 14949 - Karma: 9,234
Yeah but I never said "not using breaks" if you read my post, I said IF YOU KNOW HOW TO DRIVE. Anyone that knows how to drive knows that you can't JUST brake with your transmission, you'll kill it and you'd have to replace it like every 15k miles or some shit. You have to use both, never did I say "not using breaks" so don't put words in my mouth.
Nov 27 2008 2:01PM
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Funnel
Posts: 7815 - Karma: 1,531
Well in Fresno we get no snow, but it's right at the base of the Sierras so I drive 30 minutes and then I'm in the snow (when there's snow on the road).  Usually storms are at least two feet so when we're in the snow it's a lot of snow.  But in a ratio compared to how much we travel in the summer and how all the roads down here are always dry (unless it rains) I'm only on snowy roads 95% of the time.
Nov 27 2008 4:16PM
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comeatmebro
Posts: 10720 - Karma: 66
come on man, i clearly said in my post that's not what HE said. not you personally, but the other guy i was talking to. "brakes".
Nov 27 2008 8:02PM
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Joshua.
Posts: 2957 - Karma: 6,230
+k
Nov 28 2008 2:58AM
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