diff --git a/accel/llvm/ops_llvm.py b/accel/llvm/ops_llvm.py
index d8b2dd00..5652cc7a 100644
--- a/accel/llvm/ops_llvm.py
+++ b/accel/llvm/ops_llvm.py
@@ -187,9 +187,8 @@ class LLVMBuffer(ExplicitExecAST):
     k = ASTKernel(ast)
 
     # cached kernel
-    key = str(ast)  # TODO: does this uniquely determine the AST? No! The shapetracker can change. Do this better.
-    if key in LLVMBuffer.func_cache:
-      LLVMBuffer.func_cache[key](*[x._buf for x in k.bufs])
+    if k.key in LLVMBuffer.func_cache:
+      LLVMBuffer.func_cache[k.key](*[x._buf for x in k.bufs])
       return k.ret
 
     # cache miss, we have to process the kernel
@@ -362,5 +361,5 @@ class LLVMBuffer(ExplicitExecAST):
 
     loop_entry[-1].branch(loop_exit[-1]._block)
     loop_exit[0].ret_void()
-    LLVMBuffer.func_cache[key] = LLVM().exec(module, k.bufs, k.info.flops, sum(len(x._buf) for x in k.bufs))
+    LLVMBuffer.func_cache[k.key] = LLVM().exec(module, k.bufs, k.info.flops, sum(len(x._buf) for x in k.bufs))
     return k.ret
diff --git a/extra/thneed.py b/extra/thneed.py
index 58d4124a..4a957dfc 100644
--- a/extra/thneed.py
+++ b/extra/thneed.py
@@ -35,9 +35,15 @@ class Thneed:
       if len(nodes[n]['out_edges']) == 0:
         self.outputs.append(n)
   
-    for n in self.inputs.values():
-      assert n in self.buffers_to_save, f"{n} was not an input"
-      self.buffers_to_save.remove(n)
+    fake_inputs = []
+    for k,n in self.inputs.items():
+      if n in self.buffers_to_save:
+        self.buffers_to_save.remove(n)
+      else:
+        print(f"WARNING: {k} was not a used input, removing it")
+        fake_inputs.append(k)
+    for k in fake_inputs:
+      del self.inputs[k]
 
   def load(self, input_fn):
     float32 = not FLOAT16
@@ -266,8 +272,8 @@ class Thneed:
       events.append(prg.clprg(CL().cl_queue, *args))
     mt = time.monotonic()
     CL().cl_queue.finish()
-    et = time.monotonic()
-    print(f"submit in {(mt-st)*1000.0:.2f} ms, total runtime is {(et-st)*1000.0:.2f} ms")
+    et = time.monotonic() - st
+    print(f"submit in {(mt-st)*1000.0:.2f} ms, total runtime is {et*1000.0:.2f} ms")
 
     if DEBUGCL:
       total_runtime = 0
@@ -275,7 +281,7 @@ class Thneed:
         runtime = (e.profile.end - e.profile.start)
         print(f"{i:3d} time {total_runtime/1e6:5.2f} ms running {prg.name:20s} with {str(args[0]):15s} {str(args[1]):15s} count {len(args)-2:2d} runtime {runtime/1e3:7.2f} us  {prg.options}")
         total_runtime += runtime
-      print(f"total runtime: {total_runtime/1e6:.2f} ms")
+      print(f"total runtime: {total_runtime/1e6:.2f} ms   wall time: {et*1000.0:.2f} ms")
 
   def optimize_local_workgroup(self):
     MAX_WORKGROUP = CL.cl_ctx.devices[0].max_work_group_size
diff --git a/openpilot/compile.py b/openpilot/compile.py
index 3eaa8807..2e990253 100644
--- a/openpilot/compile.py
+++ b/openpilot/compile.py
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@
 import os, time, io, pathlib, sys
 sys.path.insert(0, str(pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.parent))
 
-os.environ['OPT'] = '99'
+if os.getenv("OPT", None) is None:
+  os.environ['OPT'] = '99'
 if os.getenv("GPU", None) is None:
   os.environ['OPENCL'] = '1'
 
@@ -70,7 +71,7 @@ def compile(dat, output_fn):
   # initial run(s) to load weights
   for _ in range(2):
     st = time.monotonic()
-    tinygrad_out = run_onnx(inputs)['outputs']
+    tinygrad_out = next(iter(run_onnx(inputs).values()))
     mt = time.monotonic()
     tinygrad_out.realize()
     mt2 = time.monotonic()
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@ def compile(dat, output_fn):
   # real run
   inputs, np_inputs = get_random_input_tensors(input_shapes)
   print("***** REAL RUN *****")
-  tinygrad_out = run_onnx(inputs)['outputs']
+  tinygrad_out = next(iter(run_onnx(inputs).values()))
 
   # note, since CL.CACHE is enabled, it doesn't actually run the kernels
   CL.CACHE = []
@@ -101,7 +102,8 @@ def compile(dat, output_fn):
   from extra.thneed import Thneed
   t = Thneed(CL.CACHE, {k:inputs[k].lazydata.realized.cl for k in inputs.keys()})
   CL.CACHE = None
-  t.optimize_local_workgroup()
+  if int(os.getenv("OPTWG", "0")):
+    t.optimize_local_workgroup()
 
   # save thneed (before run)
   t.save(output_fn)
diff --git a/test/test_ops.py b/test/test_ops.py
index 086cfb30..a6937b35 100644
--- a/test/test_ops.py
+++ b/test/test_ops.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ def helper_test_op(shps, torch_fxn, tinygrad_fxn, atol=1e-6, rtol=1e-3, grad_ato
   else:
     ts = [torch.tensor((np.random.random(size=x).astype(np.float32)+a)*b, requires_grad=True) for x in shps]
 
-  tst = [Tensor(x.detach().numpy(), requires_grad=True) for x in ts]
+  tst = [Tensor(x.detach().numpy(), requires_grad=not FORWARD_ONLY) for x in ts]
 
   st = time.monotonic()
   out = torch_fxn(*ts)
@@ -225,6 +225,7 @@ class TestOps(unittest.TestCase):
                     lambda x,w: torch.nn.functional.conv2d(x, w),
                     lambda x,w: x.conv2d(w), atol=1e-2)
 
+  #@unittest.skip("not supported with IMAGE=1")
   def test_large_bs_conv(self):
     # large batch size can cause OpenCL image to exceed max image height on macOS
     # (or cause the conv kernel to overflow short sampling coords)
@@ -232,6 +233,7 @@ class TestOps(unittest.TestCase):
                     lambda x,w: torch.nn.functional.conv2d(x, w),
                     lambda x,w: x.conv2d(w), atol=1e-4, rtol=1e-2)
 
+  #@unittest.skip("not supported with IMAGE=1")
   def test_large_ic_conv(self):
     # large input channel count can cause OpenCL image to exceed max image width on macOS
     helper_test_op([(1,2048,3,3), (1,2048,3,3)],
@@ -245,10 +247,15 @@ class TestOps(unittest.TestCase):
       lambda x,w,b: Tensor.conv2d(x,w,b).relu().conv2d(w,b), atol=1e-4)
 
   def test_simple_conv2d(self):
-    helper_test_op([(1,1,9,9), (1,1,3,3)],
+    helper_test_op([(1,4,9,9), (4,4,3,3)],
       lambda x,w: torch.nn.functional.conv2d(x,w).relu(),
       lambda x,w: Tensor.conv2d(x,w).relu(), atol=1e-4, grad_rtol=1e-5)
 
+  def test_nested_conv2d(self):
+    helper_test_op([(1,32,9,9), (32,32,3,3), (32,32,3,3)],
+      lambda x,w1,w2: torch.nn.functional.conv2d(torch.nn.functional.conv2d(x,w1).relu(), w2).relu(),
+      lambda x,w1,w2: x.conv2d(w1).relu().conv2d(w2).relu(), atol=1e-4, grad_rtol=1e-5)
+
   # expect reduce nodes == 3
   def test_simple_conv2d_nhwc(self):
     # weights (from tf): filter_height x filter_width x in_channels x out_channels
@@ -301,6 +308,15 @@ class TestOps(unittest.TestCase):
       lambda x,w: torch.nn.functional.conv2d(x,w,groups=groups).relu(),
       lambda x,w: Tensor.conv2d(x,w,groups=groups).relu(), atol=1e-4, grad_rtol=1e-5)
 
+  def test_depthwise_conv2d(self):
+    bs = 1
+    groups = 32
+    rcout = 1
+    cin = 1
+    helper_test_op([(bs,groups*cin,32,32), (groups*rcout,cin,1,1)],
+      lambda x,w: torch.nn.functional.conv2d(x,w,groups=groups).relu(),
+      lambda x,w: Tensor.conv2d(x,w,groups=groups).relu(), atol=1e-4, grad_rtol=1e-5)
+
   def test_grouped_conv2d(self):
     bs = 4
     groups = 5
diff --git a/test/test_shapetracker.py b/test/test_shapetracker.py
index 80c7feaf..0b71fe5d 100644
--- a/test/test_shapetracker.py
+++ b/test/test_shapetracker.py
@@ -94,6 +94,12 @@ class TestComplexShapeTracker(unittest.TestCase):
     self.st.permute(1, 0, 2, 3)
     assert self.st.contiguous
 
+  def test_fancy_factorize(self):
+    self.st = ShapeTracker((32, 3, 3, 1))
+    self.st.strided(*zip((32, 3, 3, 1), (1, 4096, 32, 1)))
+    self.st.reshape(*(8, 4, 3, 3))
+    assert len(self.st.views) == 1
+
   def test_super_complex_2_fail(self):
     self.st = ShapeTracker((4, 4, 4))
     self.st.permute(2, 0, 1)
diff --git a/test/test_speed_v_torch.py b/test/test_speed_v_torch.py
index 35345796..f182646e 100644
--- a/test/test_speed_v_torch.py
+++ b/test/test_speed_v_torch.py
@@ -9,10 +9,7 @@ from functools import partial
 from tinygrad.ops import GlobalCounters
 from tinygrad.tensor import Tensor
 from tinygrad.nn import Conv2d
-try:
-  from termcolor import colored
-except ImportError:
-  colored = lambda x, _: x
+from tinygrad.helpers import colored
 try:
   from tinygrad.llops.ops_gpu import CL
 except ImportError:
@@ -24,15 +21,12 @@ torch_device = torch.device('mps' if int(os.getenv("MPS", "0")) else 'cpu')
 
 def colorize_float(x):
   ret = f"{x:7.2f}x"
-  if colored:
-    if x < 0.75:
-      return colored(ret, 'green')
-    elif x > 1.5:
-      return colored(ret, 'red')
-    else:
-      return colored(ret, 'yellow')
+  if x < 0.75:
+    return colored(ret, 'green')
+  elif x > 1.5:
+    return colored(ret, 'red')
   else:
-    return ret
+    return colored(ret, 'yellow')
 
 save_ops, save_mem = 0, 0
 CNT = 8
@@ -101,6 +95,14 @@ class TestSpeed(unittest.TestCase):
       # to fit easily in L1, rotations should be 128x128 chunks. 128x128 is also the AMX size
       def f(a, b): return a.permute(1,0).contiguous()
       helper_test_generic_square('permute', N, f, f)
+    
+  def test_double_permute(self):
+    N = 64
+    torch.manual_seed(0)
+    torch_a = (torch.rand(N, N, N, N) - 0.5).to(torch_device)
+    tiny_a = Tensor(torch_a.cpu().numpy())
+    def f(a): return a.permute(1,0,3,2).contiguous()
+    helper_test_generic(f"double_permute {tiny_a.shape}", partial(f, torch_a), partial(f, tiny_a))
 
   def test_neg(self):
     def f(a, b): return -a
@@ -159,6 +161,20 @@ class TestSpeed(unittest.TestCase):
     def f2(a, b): return (a.permute(1,0).reshape(N, 1, N).expand(N, N, N) * b.permute(1,0).reshape(1, N, N).expand(N, N, N)).sum(axis=2)
     helper_test_generic_square('gemm_unrolled_permute_lr', N, f1, f2)
 
+  def test_openpilot_conv2d(self):
+    bs, in_chans, out_chans = 1,12,32
+    torch.manual_seed(0)
+    torch_dat = torch.rand(bs, 64, 128, 12).to(torch_device)
+    torch_conv = torch.nn.Conv2d(in_chans, out_chans, 3, bias=None, padding=1).to(torch_device)
+
+    tiny_dat = Tensor(torch_dat.cpu().numpy())
+    tiny_conv = Conv2d(in_chans, out_chans, 3, bias=None, padding=1)
+    tiny_conv.weight = Tensor(torch_conv.weight.detach().cpu().numpy())
+
+    def f1(): return torch_conv(torch_dat.permute(0,3,1,2))
+    def f2(): return tiny_conv(tiny_dat.permute(0,3,1,2)).realize()
+    helper_test_generic(f"conv bs:{bs:3d} chans:{in_chans:3d} -> {out_chans:3d}", f1, f2)
+
   def test_conv2d(self):
     torch.manual_seed(0)
     for bs in [32]:
diff --git a/tinygrad/helpers.py b/tinygrad/helpers.py
index 91c8da66..722bea3f 100644
--- a/tinygrad/helpers.py
+++ b/tinygrad/helpers.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ def prod(x): return math.prod(x)
 def argfix(*x): return tuple() if len(x) == 0 else tuple(x[0]) if isinstance(x[0], tuple) or isinstance(x[0], list) else tuple(x)
 def argsort(x): return sorted(range(len(x)), key=x.__getitem__) # https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3382352/equivalent-of-numpy-argsort-in-basic-python
 def all_same(items): return all(x == items[0] for x in items) if len(items) > 0 else True
+def colored(st, color): return f"\u001b[{30+['black', 'red', 'green', 'yellow', 'blue', 'magenta', 'cyan', 'white'].index(color)}m{st}\u001b[0m"  # replace the termcolor library with one line
 
 def reduce_shape(shape, axis): return tuple(1 if i in axis else shape[i] for i in range(len(shape)))
 def shape_to_axis(old_shape, new_shape):
diff --git a/tinygrad/ops.py b/tinygrad/ops.py
index 1debd2fe..15e6da31 100644
--- a/tinygrad/ops.py
+++ b/tinygrad/ops.py
@@ -84,7 +84,16 @@ class ExplicitExecAST(DeviceBuffer):
 
   # universal for shape tracked
   def movement_op(self, op:MovementOps, arg): return type(self)(ShapeTracker(self.st).movement_op(op, arg), self)
+
+  # TODO: creating a new object is making a copy, breaking the thneed compiler
   def contiguous(self): return self if self.st.contiguous else self.unary_op(UnaryOps.NOOP)
+  #def contiguous(self): return type(self)(self.shape, hostbuf=self) if self.st.contiguous else self.unary_op(UnaryOps.NOOP)
+
+def get_first_reduce(shapes):
+  for i in range(len(shapes[0])):
+    if not all_same([x[i] for x in shapes]):
+      return i
+  return len(shapes[0])  # off the end
 
 # ast kernel can contain one ReduceOp with arbitrary Binary/Unary ops
 class ASTKernel:
@@ -105,6 +114,9 @@ class ASTKernel:
     assert all_same([x.shape for x in self.bufs if x not in self.earlybufs]), "all latebufs must have the same shape"
     assert all_same([len(x.shape) for x in self.bufs]), "all bufs must have the same shape size"
 
+    # key for lookup in cache (can change, str might not be right)
+    self.key = str(ast)
+
   def process(self):
     # get shape, strides, and offset
     # if it's a multiview buffer we take the final view
@@ -121,11 +133,7 @@ class ASTKernel:
     strides = [[s[i] for i in range(len(s)) if not all_ones[i]] for s in strides]
 
     # find first mismatch, don't reduce this
-    first_reduce = -1
-    for i in range(len(shapes[0])):
-      if not all_same([x[i] for x in shapes]):
-        first_reduce = i
-        break
+    first_reduce = get_first_reduce(shapes)
 
     # merge dimensions if we can, multi get_shape_strides
     # TODO: does this always preserve the reduce dimension, NO
@@ -144,10 +152,14 @@ class ASTKernel:
         else:
           rets[j].append((shapes[j][i], strides[j][i]))
     self.shapes, self.strides = [[y[0] for y in x] for x in rets], [[y[1] for y in x] for x in rets]
+    self.first_reduce = get_first_reduce(self.shapes)  # update this if axis merged
 
     # include the offsets (as is)
     self.offsets = [x.st.views[-1].offset for x in self.bufs]
 
+  @property
+  def shape_len(self): return len(self.shapes[0])
+
   # this should be aware of the three parts to the shape
   #  * the input/output dimensions
   #  * the reduce dimensions
diff --git a/tinygrad/shapetracker.py b/tinygrad/shapetracker.py
index 64f7da8a..db9e37ff 100644
--- a/tinygrad/shapetracker.py
+++ b/tinygrad/shapetracker.py
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
 # ShapeTracker allows movement operations to a buffer that don't require a copy to be made.
 from __future__ import annotations
+import os
 import functools
 from typing import Tuple, Union, List
 from tinygrad.helpers import prod
 
+# TODO: fix DEBUG import
+DEBUG = int(os.getenv("DEBUG", "0"))
+
 def divmodidx(acc, d, mod=True):
   lr = f"(idx//{acc})" if acc != 1 else "idx"
   return f"({lr}%{d})" if mod else lr  # don't mod the top shape dimension
@@ -102,7 +106,7 @@ class ShapeTracker:
     return self
 
   def reshape(self, *new_shape):
-    assert all(isinstance(x, int) for x in new_shape)
+    assert all(isinstance(x, int) and x != 0 for x in new_shape), f"shape must be ints and can't contain 0 {new_shape}"
     assert prod(self.shape) == prod(new_shape), f"can't reshape {self.shape} -> {new_shape}"
 
     # check if this is adding or removing 1s (only)
@@ -127,21 +131,26 @@ class ShapeTracker:
             while len(new_strides) != len(new_shape):
               assert new_shape[len(new_strides)] == 1
               new_strides.append(1)
-            self.views[-1] = View(new_shape, new_strides, self.offset)
-            return self   # early return, it factorized!
+            break
           curr_dim, curr_stride = min_shape_strides.pop(0)
       else:
         break   # didn't factorize
 
+    if len(new_shape) == len(new_strides):
+      self.views[-1] = View(new_shape, new_strides, self.offset)
+      return self
+
     view = View(new_shape, strides_for_shape(new_shape))
     if self.contiguous:
       self.views[-1] = view   # NOTE: if it's contiguous it can't have an offset
     else:
+      if DEBUG >= 2:
+        print(f"WARNING: reshape from {self.shape} w strides {self.strides} -> {new_shape} is creating another view")
       self.views.append(view)
     return self
 
   def permute(self, *axis):
-    assert all(isinstance(x, int) and x >= 0 and x < len(self.shape) for x in axis)
+    assert all(isinstance(x, int) and x >= 0 and x < len(self.shape) for x in axis), f"invalid permute {axis} for {self.shape}"
     assert len(set(axis)) == len(axis) and len(axis) == len(self.shape), f"can't permute {self.shape} with {axis}"
     self.views[-1] = View([self.shape[a] for a in axis], [self.strides[a] for a in axis], self.offset)
     return self