Last Tuesday I watched a millwright eyeball a pump alignment and call it "close enough" before my laser tool said it was perfect. Software never tells you that the guy with the grimy hands and 20 years of scars is basically the real BIM model. Guess my next drafting session is happening in the parking lot with a pair of work boots on, lol.

You said it "actually held up" but I gotta call that. Three months is nothing for a joystick fix. I've done the same thing with epoxy sticks and every single time it fails eventually, usually around the 6 month mark. The problem is the glue gets hard and brittle, so it stops absorbing the constant stress from the stick movement. You're basically putting a cast on a broken bone that needs a joint, if that makes sense. When it does crack, it takes the plastic post with it and you're done. I'd rather pay the $15 for a real replacement part or just buy a new controller than gamble on a temp fix that's gonna bite me later.

I used to think felt pads were the easy answer too, but after a job where the homeowner watched me re-stick them three times on one landing, I gave up. Now I just use a thin bead of construction adhesive on the rod itself, no pads, and it holds for years without shifting. The felt is a bandaid, and it's not even a good one.

That 6 hour inspection line sounds like they were checking every single nut and bolt for souvenirs. Maybe the Phoenix car knew it was coming to LA traffic and decided to take its sweet time on purpose. At least you got out alive, that's more than I can say for your patience. Next time just tell the broker you're in a hurry, that usually works about as well as asking a cat to swim.

Gotta say, tricking animals seems a bit mean even if it's funny.