Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations

imidazol97 · February 2015

driver100 said:
And I thought Toyotas were bulletproof!

I've been saying for years that the rancor toward GM was deserved but things had changed and other cars also put their wheels on one lug nut at a time--meaning they also had problems, but people overlook them.

As a Ford manager on the Taurus project said in the book Car, Honda owners would come in with a problem and act embarrassed and apologize that they must have done something to cause their Honda to have a failure. They would never admit to others that their perfect vehicle brand actually had a problem. It must have been the owner's fault.

driver100 said:
Now another one of my icons of perfection has been blown away. If someone asked me to recommend a reliable car Toyota would have been my first choice. Even CR always rates them as most reliable cars.....so this is a shock to me.

Toyota has resisted responsibility for sludge (I mean "gel" problems) until they had to give in to public knowledge. Toyota also resisted acknowledging runaway acceleration, blaming the owners rather than even an idiopathic cause.

driver100 said:
And In the excellent article you quoted imid, this sounds like exactly what they are doing to fezo:
Unlike a recall, a TSB is basically a set of instructions given to dealership mechanics on repair

If this were the GM ignition switch, people would be demonizing GM. I hadn't heard about this problem because I haven't had time to fish on the internet for car problems.

I am afraid they will do to Fezo what they did to Jmonroe and his Hyundai engine that blew up.

I contrast Fezo's experience with my own when the Cobalt was in for Ignition switch replacement:

A large GM SUV's owner came in to comment about using a large amount of oil on his drive to Cleveland and back (nothing like Fezo's 2 quarts). The techs looked over the engine for obvious problematic leaks. They filled the oil after writing up the claim. I don't know that they sealed the oil dipstick and oil filler opening, but they told him to come back after a certain number of miles and they would measure the oil needed to refill to determine usage rate.

They went on to explain about needing to remove the top of the engine to inspect for damage and possible replace rings, if the oil use rate was high enough. Nothing said about anything mitigating GM's responsibility if powertrain warranty work needs to be done. I suspect like most engines after 2-3 years, there's oil in some spots on the engine, but not enough to make a regular drip on the drive way. The car may have been a Denali or an equivalent.

driver100 · February 2015

imidazol97 said:

driver100 said:
And I thought Toyotas were bulletproof!
I've been saying for years that the rancor toward GM was deserved but things had changed and other cars also put their wheels on one lug nut at a time--meaning they also had problems, but people overlook them.

As a Ford manager on the Taurus project said in the book Car, Honda owners would come in with a problem and act embarrassed and apologize that they must have done something to cause their Honda to have a failure. They would never admit to others that their perfect vehicle brand actually had a problem. It must have been the owner's fault.
driver100 said:

Now another one of my icons of perfection has been blown away. If someone asked me to recommend a reliable car Toyota would have been my first choice. Even CR always rates them as most reliable cars.....so this is a shock to me.
Toyota has resisted responsibility for sludge (I mean "gel" problems) until they had to give in to public knowledge. Toyota also resisted acknowledging runaway acceleration, blaming the owners rather than even an idiopathic cause.

driver100 said:
And In the excellent article you quoted imid, this sounds like exactly what they are doing to fezo:

Unlike a recall, a TSB is basically a set of instructions given to dealership mechanics on repair

I am afraid they will do to Fezo what they did to Jmonroe and his Hyundai engine that blew up.

I am losing faith in all the car companies. So far, my MB has been very good, but I am keeping my fingers crossed. Consumers need some protection from being thrown under the bus...perhaps an independent panel that can take action if there is deliberate squirming out of warranties. It is too easy for car manufacturers to weasel out of their commitments. Fezo's case is a perfect example.

stickguy · February 2015

I agree Driver. out of warranty good will, well that you can see them not using too often, though for an obvious manufacturing defect, they should. But at least it is within the written guidelines.''

But dang, pulling every "small print" weasel move to get out of repairs under warranty (the reason you have one, and people pay extra to be covered) is just really, really bad.

graphicguy · February 2015

driver......I still think it comes back to how we are treated, first by the dealer, and failing satisfaction on that level, the manufacturer.

Cars are hugely complex electro-mechanical devices. Any number of things can, and do go wrong. Our recourse, our only recourse, is to depend on the dealer to carry our banner for us.

Manufacturer offers the warranty however. They're the ones telling us, the customer, "hey, we stand behind our product for X # of years. When they don't, we have every right to hold their feet to the fire. To add insult to injury, whether it be Fezo's Camry motor, your Audi clutch or my S4's transmission and driveline failures, we were/are treated like imbeciles. A little slight of hand to throw us off is the rule of the day.

Trade rags don't talk about those issues so much (although they did make mention that some of the Audis they tasted exhibited some form of the problems I had with mine). Even CR still recommends Camry.

In Fezo's case, it's a text book example of "we can't see the forest because of the trees" syndrome. They could have just replaced the engine.....and end up with a happy Fezo, with him extolling the virtues of Toyota all over these boards. Instead, they're willing to lose business with arrogance and a condescending attitude towards the Toyota Customer. Maybe not today, maybe not even tomorrow, but eventually that sort of malaise will come back to haunt Toyota (or Audi). And, it will probably happen when they most need to have loyal customers.

Cadillac lost me for over a decade. Their attitude and customer service today is head and shoulders above where they were then. And, they're as good at customer service as any brand I've ever driven. So, companies can change. It took Cadillac a trip to the edge of the cliff, but they did it.

I can't begin tell you how impressed I was at the entire GM lineup while at the auto show. The rest of the American auto industry has been reinvigorated, too.

driver100 · February 2015

Well Mike....you will see why I am a little negative when it comes to dealing with car companies and most companies...not all, but, most. My sales manager wrote back, and I quote, regarding the traffic reports I get:

"The traffic reports are transmitted through Sirius radio. They work wonderfully in the US… however, they do not work in Canada. If you subscribe the the Sirius, the traffic is included in the regular service – however, it only works in the US."

That's actually fine. Florida is getting so congested, I need the traffic reports much more down here. Back home it is -14F a record, and this cold weather has been almost continuous. Another winter like this and Florida will be flooded with even more baby boomers. One fellow I was talking to this morning says he knows a builder, and the builder could be building all kinds of units and selling them....he can't find enough skilled workers.

driver100 · February 2015

graphicguy said:
driver......I still think it comes back to how we are treated, first by the dealer, and failing satisfaction on that level, the manufacturer.

Cadillac lost me for over a decade. Their attitude and customer service today is head and shoulders above where they were then. And, they're as good at customer service as any brand I've ever driven. So, companies can change. It took Cadillac a trip to the edge of the cliff, but they did it.

.

GG I am not sure if the dealer has that much say in most cases. In the case of our Audi clutch issue, the dealer wanted to do more for us but Audi Corporate wouldn't budge. The dealer did as much as they could...50% off parts, 10% off labor. They shouldn't have to absorb a loss. So, it is Audi Corp that is arrogant and isn't going to worry about one upset customer. They want good financial figures for the quarter so none of their heads will roll in head office....worry about a disgruntled customer in 2 or 3 years when they are looking for a new car.

Cadillac is very fortunate you came back, and so did Richard after very bad experiences. Our 95 Volvo was a lemon and I would consider a Volvo, but it is way down my list. If they had fixed our 95 properly, then I would probably still be potential customer...maybe even loyal customer.

I am a very loyal customer, when I like a product, I stay with it - unless there is a very good reason to change. That works both ways though, I am loyal, but they have to treat me with respect too. Car companies are hard - nosed about it because they can be. In 2008 they would have done anything to sell a car, now, not so much.

If I go on much longer my next car might be a Tesla just to get away from the pack..

fushigi · February 2015

thebean said:
Shoes - now you're in my wheelhouse

If you want shoes as good as your Mercedes, check out Mephisto. They are very pricey (most are made in Europe), but super supportive and comfortable. They last a long time and you can get them refurbished and they feel like new.

Ecco are also good shoes but they are now made in China and very few folks can refurbish them. The problem I have had with shoes like Sketchers and Rockport is the insoles and soles tend to compress quickly and they are then not comfy at all. I bought Rockport when they first came out in the early 80's before Reebok bought them (and they were made in the USA) - they were great and lasted a long time. Now I haven't had much luck with them.

Shoes are are one thing I never skimp on. Being pre-diabetic, I do not want to risk any foot problems. I may drive a Honda, but my shoes are luxury all the way.

I'll second the vote on Mephisto. Had a pair of their sandals that lasted for 12 years. Bought a replacement pair from Amazon and they've been fine so far. Cork-based foot area so it conforms to & retains the shape of your foot. Very comfortable & high quality.

graphicguy · February 2015

driver100 said:

graphicguy said:
driver......I still think it comes back to how we are treated, first by the dealer, and failing satisfaction on that level, the manufacturer.

Cadillac lost me for over a decade. Their attitude and customer service today is head and shoulders above where they were then. And, they're as good at customer service as any brand I've ever driven. So, companies can change. It took Cadillac a trip to the edge of the cliff, but they did it.

.
GG I am not sure if the dealer has that much say in most cases. In the case of our Audi clutch issue, the dealer wanted to do more for us but Audi Corporate wouldn't budge. The dealer did as much as they could...50% off parts, 10% off labor. They shouldn't have to absorb a loss. So, it is Audi Corp that is arrogant and isn't going to worry about one upset customer. They want good financial figures for the quarter so none of their heads will roll in head office....worry about a disgruntled customer in 2 or 3 years when they are looking for a new car.

Cadillac is very fortunate you came back, and so did Richard after very bad experiences. Our 95 Volvo was a lemon and I would consider a Volvo, but it is way down my list. If they had fixed our 95 properly, then I would probably still be potential customer...maybe even loyal customer.

I am a very loyal customer, when I like a product, I stay with it - unless there is a very good reason to change. That works both ways though, I am loyal, but they have to treat me with respect too. Car companies are hard - nosed about it because they can be. In 2008 they would have done anything to sell a car, now, not so much.

If I go on much longer my next car might be a Tesla just to get away from the pack..

A Tesla? I'd come up to visit you (or better yet, come down to Florida to visit) if you bought one. I love those cars, and I've never even sat my butt in one, yet.

isellhondas · February 2015

This HAS to be the Tesla capital of the world. I can't go a day without seeing at least three of them. all of these Microsoft, Amazon and Costco execs have a lot of money to spend I suppose.

Michaell · February 2015

Any recommendations on snow blowers? I am getting too old to be shoveling, I've determined after this past weekend - about 15" of snow from Saturday morning to Monday morning. Three separate shoveling shifts so I didn't have to clear it all at once.

Looking on-line at Lowe's and see both gas and electric blowers. I don't have a huge driveway - maybe 30' or so, double wide, plus 50' of sidewalk I'm responsible for. I've got a single stage blower now, but it hasn't run in a few years. Thinking something a bit larger this time around.

Brands, engine, features - I'm willing to listen.

ab348 · February 2015

Forget electric. Dunno what the situation in the US is, but up here in Canada it seems most snow blowers, regardless of brand, are made by one company. Different paint and feature sets but the mechanicals are all the same. I almost bought a Husqvarna a couple of years ago on a closeout sale but thought better of it, only because I didn't know if anyone locally would support them once the retailer closed. I believe those may be their own design/manufacture.

imidazol97 · February 2015

graphicguy said:
I can't begin tell you how impressed I was at the entire GM lineup while at the auto show. The rest of the American auto industry has been reinvigorated, too.

Thanks for the positive posts Graphicguy.

I didn't watch the Oscars, but a commercial ran during same showing the CT6 from Cadillac. It certainly has a nice appearance. It's commanding in presence during the shots. Even got a full wheel shot of the car's rim.

Click on picture to play video:

PS I think they must have changed ad agencies. The ad makes the point for me, unlike some past GM ads.
New Yorkers in the group... is this location at 8th and Mercer?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGhaOV0BPmA

abacomike · February 2015

driver100 said:

Well Mike....you will see why I am a little negative when it comes to dealing with car companies and most companies...not all, but, most. My sales manager wrote back, and I quote, regarding the traffic reports I get: "The traffic reports are transmitted through Sirius radio. They work wonderfully in the US… however, they do not work in Canada. If you subscribe the the Sirius, the traffic is included in the regular service – however, it only works in the US." That's actually fine. Florida is getting so congested, I need the traffic reports much more down here. Back home it is -14F a record, and this cold weather has been almost continuous. Another winter like this and Florida will be flooded with even more baby boomers. One fellow I was talking to this morning says he knows a builder, and the builder could be building all kinds of units and selling them....he can't find enough skilled workers.

I knew you had 3 years free for traffic and weather, but I guess you will only have 5 months a year to enjoy using it while in Tampa area and driving the interstates to and from Tampa. I guess the satellites that send the signals are too far south in their orbit to work as well.

abacomike · February 2015

isellhondas said:

This HAS to be the Tesla capital of the world. I can't go a day without seeing at least three of them. all of these Microsoft, Amazon and Costco execs have a lot of money to spend I suppose.

I've seen quite a few down here in Boca Raton as well as on the interstates. The are really gorgeous cars, but I have no way of charging one at my condo.

They have a store in the Boca Raton mall and they are always busy. The have two cars on display - that red is really a nice color.

jwm40517 · February 2015

About 2 weeks ago Lexington got the first Tesla charging station in KY. The picture showed at least 6 chargers and is located in the Meijer lot near I-75. It is free and a 30 minute charge is supposed to be good for 150 miles.
The article also mentioned that the first person to drive a Tesla from New York to California using only this type of superchargers is a professor at UK. These do a charge in 30 minutes instead of several hours at home.

stever · February 2015

MTD @ab348? They used to do all the private label mowers down here. @Michaell‌, just move. Horsing snowblowers around is more work than shoveling unless you spring for something you can ride in.

stickguy · February 2015

Consumers reports tested them recently. 2 stage is heavier duty, but there were some lighter and cheaper single stage that do almost the same job. Depends on volume really. My neighbor has a smaller electric. Does ok on smaller snowfalls. I just shovel. Don't want to store a blower. Or pay for it! If I really need it, I'll move south instead

verdugo · February 2015

Here's the conclusion to my Jeep Grand Cherokee saga.

TL;DR version: Everything went well

We return to our saga to find our young (ok, not so young) protagonist confused how to proceed after the dealer wrote back with higher MF and Residual numbers.

The protagonist once again went to consult the Oracles of Edmunds and got some very good advice. He reached out to the dealer to figure out where the disconnect was. Turns out the dealer quoted the residual for 39 months instead of 36, and the higher rate because, well, because he could.

The dealer was powerless against the Oracles of Edmunds' truth spell and quickly agreed to the MF and Residuals provided by the high priest Michaell.

The date approached to celebrate the "Pick up of the Jeep" festival. In preparation of this most sacred holiday, our protagonist went to consult another kind of Oracle to inquire how many blessings he could get for sacrificing his 2012 Wrangler at the altar of CarMax. With that knowledge, off he went along with his beautiful wife, to see the dealer.

Arriving at the dealership with nothing more to defend himself that the knowledge provided by the Oracles of Edmunds and a Car Lease calculator app that he downloaded into his magical communication device thingie, he entered the lair of the dealer.

And ... it was totally anticlimactic which is a good thing. All the numbers made sense. The dealer structured the deal a bit different (applied rebate and the 1k deposit to pay off security deposit, DMV fees, and first month payment with the little bit left to pay down the amount.) The total amount paid was exactly the same, so it was good. The finance guy told us about how we could buy a warranty later if we decided to keep it. He also offered the scotch guard and paint protection, which we declined of course. Finally he offered the pre-paid maintenance plan (6 oil changes.) Since oil change intervals are 10k miles/12 months, it didn't make sense so we passed too. He was low key. They even threw a free oil change which I wasn't expecting.

Even the quote for the Jeep Wrangler was anticlimactic. They came exactly at what CarMax had offered, so I sold it to them. They'll email me a check in a couple of days (they're 30 miles away, so I didn't want to go pick it up.)

The end

Michaell · February 2015

verdugo said:
Here's the conclusion to my Jeep Grand Cherokee saga.

TL;DR version: Everything went well

We return to our saga to find our young (ok, not so young) protagonist confused how to proceed after the dealer wrote back with higher MF and Residual numbers.

The protagonist once again went to consult the Oracles of Edmunds and got some very good advice. He reached out to the dealer to figure out where the disconnect was. Turns out the dealer quoted the residual for 39 months instead of 36, and the higher rate because, well, because he could.

The dealer was powerless against the Oracles of Edmunds' truth spell and quickly agreed to the MF and Residuals provided by the high priest Michaell.

The date approached to celebrate the "Pick up of the Jeep" festival. In preparation of this most sacred holiday, our protagonist went to consult another kind of Oracle to inquire how many blessings he could get for sacrificing his 2012 Wrangler at the altar of CarMax. With that knowledge, off he went along with his beautiful wife, to see the dealer.

Arriving at the dealership with nothing more to defend himself that the knowledge provided by the Oracles of Edmunds and a Car Lease calculator app that he downloaded into his magical communication device thingie, he entered the lair of the dealer.

And ... it was totally anticlimactic which is a good thing. All the numbers made sense. The dealer structured the deal a bit different (applied rebate and the 1k deposit to pay off security deposit, DMV fees, and first month payment with the little bit left to pay down the amount.) The total amount paid was exactly the same, so it was good. The finance guy told us about how we could buy a warranty later if we decided to keep it. He also offered the scotch guard and paint protection, which we declined of course. Finally he offered the pre-paid maintenance plan (6 oil changes.) Since oil change intervals are 10k miles/12 months, it didn't make sense so we passed too. He was low key. They even threw a free oil change which I wasn't expecting.

Even the quote for the Jeep Wrangler was anticlimactic. They came exactly at what CarMax had offered, so I sold it to them. They'll email me a check in a couple of days (they're 30 miles away, so I didn't want to go pick it up.)

The end

Great outcome ... but, I'm confused. Did you buy or lease?

Don't forget to go back to the JGC Lease discussion to post your results there as well. I'm sure others looking at the same car can benefit from what you learned.

abacomike · February 2015

verdugo said:

Here's the conclusion to my Jeep Grand Cherokee saga. TL;DR version: Everything went well We return to our saga to find our young (ok, not so young) protagonist confused how to proceed after the dealer wrote back with higher MF and Residual numbers. The protagonist once again went to consult the Oracles of Edmunds and got some very good advice. He reached out to the dealer to figure out where the disconnect was. Turns out the dealer quoted the residual for 39 months instead of 36, and the higher rate because, well, because he could. The dealer was powerless against the Oracles of Edmunds' truth spell and quickly agreed to the MF and Residuals provided by the high priest Michaell. The date approached to celebrate the "Pick up of the Jeep" festival. In preparation of this most sacred holiday, our protagonist went to consult another kind of Oracle to inquire how many blessings he could get for sacrificing his 2012 Wrangler at the altar of CarMax. With that knowledge, off he went along with his beautiful wife, to see the dealer. Arriving at the dealership with nothing more to defend himself that the knowledge provided by the Oracles of Edmunds and a Car Lease calculator app that he downloaded into his magical communication device thingie, he entered the lair of the dealer. And ... it was totally anticlimactic which is a good thing. All the numbers made sense. The dealer structured the deal a bit different (applied rebate and the 1k deposit to pay off security deposit, DMV fees, and first month payment with the little bit left to pay down the amount.) The total amount paid was exactly the same, so it was good. The finance guy told us about how we could buy a warranty later if we decided to keep it. He also offered the scotch guard and paint protection, which we declined of course. Finally he offered the pre-paid maintenance plan (6 oil changes.) Since oil change intervals are 10k miles/12 months, it didn't make sense so we passed too. He was low key. They even threw a free oil change which I wasn't expecting. Even the quote for the Jeep Wrangler was anticlimactic. They came exactly at what CarMax had offered, so I sold it to them. They'll email me a check in a couple of days (they're 30 miles away, so I didn't want to go pick it up.) The end

Well done Verdugo. Now if everyone bought or leased a car the way you did, dealerships would have some real headaches on their hands - how to make more money! Perhaps they should learn a few things from the way we work deals here on Edmunds forums. At least they would know what to expect from us.

Enjoy the new Jeep.

verdugo · February 2015

Michaell said:

Great outcome ... but, I'm confused. Did you buy or lease?

Don't forget to go back to the JGC Lease discussion to post your results there as well. I'm sure others looking at the same car can benefit from what you learned.

I ended up leasing. The MF and residual were exactly what you said. Thank you again.

verdugo · February 2015

abacomike said:
Well done Verdugo. Now if everyone bought or leased a car the way you did, dealerships would have some real headaches on their hands - how to make more money! Perhaps they should learn a few things from the way we work deals here on Edmunds forums. At least they would know what to expect from us.

Enjoy the new Jeep.

It was very painless. It worked out for the salesperson too because he hardly had to spend anytime at all dealing with me.

I'm very impressed with the Jeep so far. Jeep has made great strides.

oldfarmer50 · February 2015

fezo said:
Oh, and the latest on my wife's Camry. Got a letter from Toyota about excessive oil consumption, which this car does in spades even though it does not leak or smoke. They said take it to the dealer, have them fill the oil and they'll seal the system (which basically consisted of putting a piece of tape over the oil cap. The dealer immediately tried to tell me I have a small leak in the oil pan gasket and upper manifold gasket. Fine except my independent mechanic had looked at it after this problem began and said it doesn't leak a drop.

We're supposed to put 1,100 miles on it and bring it back. They also said because of the alleged leaking seals Toyota corporate won't touch it. Stay tuned.

500 miles in and it's down two quarts. The dealer tells me the dipstick was supposed to be sealed and to not put any oil in it. I told him the moment the oil light comes on we call AAA and have the car towed to them.

The warranty is good no matter what the mileage. They're dragging their feet because apparently the defective part that has to be replaced is the engine.

My intention is to hand this car down to my daughter because our ancient. miled up Accord has essentially had it.

Stay tuned.

Wow that sounds unfair to me. What do they expect, you burn up the motor with no oil and they claim it's your fault? Driving two quarts low isn't good.

Maybe you should have your own mechanic document on video the absence of leaks so your have proof that the dealer is being less than honest.

Two quarts in 500 miles is serious. How many miles on it?

oldfarmer50 · February 2015

abacomike said:

fezo said:

Oh, and the latest on my wife's Camry. Got a letter from Toyota about excessive oil consumption, which this car does in spades even though it does not leak or smoke. They said take it to the dealer, have them fill the oil and they'll seal the system (which basically consisted of putting a piece of tape over the oil cap. The dealer immediately tried to tell me I have a small leak in the oil pan gasket and upper manifold gasket. Fine except my independent mechanic had looked at it after this problem began and said it doesn't leak a drop.

We're supposed to put 1,100 miles on it and bring it back. They also said because of the alleged leaking seals Toyota corporate won't touch it. Stay tuned.

500 miles in and it's down two quarts. The dealer tells me the dipstick was supposed to be sealed and to not put any oil in it. I told him the moment the oil light comes on we call AAA and have the car towed to them.

The warranty is good no matter what the mileage. They're dragging their feet because apparently the defective part that has to be replaced is the engine.

My intention is to hand this car down to my daughter because our ancient. miled up Accord has essentially had it.

Stay tuned.

I had a 1972 Chevy Caprice Coupe that would burn a qt. of oil every 250 miles. They did the same thing - sealed everything and I had to bring the car in every time the oil light went on (once a week). After 1 month, the have me a loaner and ordered a new short block for the car. Three months later, I was again burning a qt. of oil every 200-300 miles. They replaced the car with another new Caprice. No problems after that.

What's the chance of a new motor having the exact same problem but an identical new car not? Wonder if they just TOLD you they replaced the motor to see if it shut you up.

Michaell · February 2015

verdugo said:

Michaell said:

Great outcome ... but, I'm confused. Did you buy or lease?

Don't forget to go back to the JGC Lease discussion to post your results there as well. I'm sure others looking at the same car can benefit from what you learned.
I ended up leasing. The MF and residual were exactly what you said. Thank you again.

Excellent - guess we'll get another story from you in 36 months. Enjoy!

stever · February 2015

Brilliant!

robr2 · February 2015

Michaell said:
Any recommendations on snow blowers? I am getting too old to be shoveling, I've determined after this past weekend - about 15" of snow from Saturday morning to Monday morning. Three separate shoveling shifts so I didn't have to clear it all at once.

Looking on-line at Lowe's and see both gas and electric blowers. I don't have a huge driveway - maybe 30' or so, double wide, plus 50' of sidewalk I'm responsible for. I've got a single stage blower now, but it hasn't run in a few years. Thinking something a bit larger this time around.

Brands, engine, features - I'm willing to listen.

I have a 28 Craftsman 2 stage with an MTD motor. It's 3 years old and it's has been worth every penny this year. I like the pistol grip discharge adjustment and the auger lock. It also has power steering, 6 forward speeds and 2 reverse, and electric start. I wish it had a light but to get that I would've had to get the model with the heated handles.

Here is more than anyone needs to know about snowblowers:

http://todaysmower.com/the-best-snow-blowers-and-snow-throwers-for-2013-2014/

imidazol97 · February 2015

robr2 said:
I wish it had a light but to get that I would've had to get the model with the heated handles.

Heated handles?

driver100 · February 2015

verdugo said:
Here's the conclusion to my Jeep Grand Cherokee saga.

Even the quote for the Jeep Wrangler was anticlimactic. They came exactly at what CarMax had offered, so I sold it to them. They'll email me a check in a couple of days (they're 30 miles away, so I didn't want to go pick it up.)

The end

Excellend verdugo...went about as well as it could go...once you showed them they weren't messing with an amateur. Congratulations, enjoy your new Jeep.

driver100 · February 2015

Michaell said:
Any recommendations on snow blowers? I am getting too old to be shoveling, I've determined after this past weekend - about 15" of snow from Saturday morning to Monday morning. Three separate shoveling shifts so I didn't have to clear it all at once.

Looking on-line at Lowe's and see both gas and electric blowers. I don't have a huge driveway - maybe 30' or so, double wide, plus 50' of sidewalk I'm responsible for. I've got a single stage blower now, but it hasn't run in a few years. Thinking something a bit larger this time around.

Brands, engine, features - I'm willing to listen.

I have limited knowledge, but this may be of some help;

I have an electric because the snow guys come if there is more than 3" of snow. So, I only have to do max 3". You don't want to go too far with an electric...that cord keeps getting in the way. You need a good pattern too, so the cord doesn't get in the way...I go down the centre first then do one side across and then the other side across...and blow out to the edges.

My gas one never worked the first time in the winter even though I drained it each year...what a hassle. I hate that the snow usually blows back into your face.

Toros are usually pretty good. Don't try to go as cheap as possible, get one strong enough to go through larger snow amounts. Nothing worse than an underpowered snow blower.

Hopefully I won't have to do snow shovelling again...I hate doing it. It is an easy way to get a heart attack too, if doing it by hand. If you do, don't lift higher than your heart.

fushigi · February 2015

I'll have to agree on the heart attack issue. A friend of mine in his mid-40s and otherwise healthy (not obese, etc.) had a heart attack at the beginning of the month while snow shoveling. He's doing fine now.

I picked up a made-in-America Cub Cadet snow thrower 3 or 4 years ago. http://www.cubcadet.com/equipment/cubcadet/2X-524-SWE It's been a godsend. No heated handles but it does have a pretty decent light and the electric start is a requirement.

I also agree on not getting something underpowered. My snowthrower has a 21" high intake and I've fed it 20" (had to go slow but it handled it).

qbrozen · February 2015

Gotta hand it to my Ford dealer. They sent me an ad I haven't quite seen before. It is a printout of an email from the GM to the salesperson saying "Hey, contact Mr. Brosen. We need his car. Its in high demand." etc etc. And then there is a handwritten sticky on it from the salesperson asking me to contact him. I can only assume they printed off hundreds, if not thousands of these for all their previous customers. But they did a really good job making it look authentic. I'm sure they'll get quite a few hits from it.

berri · February 2015

Funny, I was just at a Honda service department and they actually had a desk set up where a dealer rep pursues customers to trade up their vehicle in for service. I wonder how many jump at that without doing any homework?

venture · February 2015

robr2 said:

Michaell said:
Any recommendations on snow blowers? I am getting too old to be shoveling, I've determined after this past weekend - about 15" of snow from Saturday morning to Monday morning. Three separate shoveling shifts so I didn't have to clear it all at once.

Looking on-line at Lowe's and see both gas and electric blowers. I don't have a huge driveway - maybe 30' or so, double wide, plus 50' of sidewalk I'm responsible for. I've got a single stage blower now, but it hasn't run in a few years. Thinking something a bit larger this time around.

Brands, engine, features - I'm willing to listen.
I have a 28 Craftsman 2 stage with an MTD motor. It's 3 years old and it's has been worth every penny this year. I like the pistol grip discharge adjustment and the auger lock. It also has power steering, 6 forward speeds and 2 reverse, and electric start. I wish it had a light but to get that I would've had to get the model with the heated handles.

Here is more than anyone needs to know about snowblowers:

http://todaysmower.com/the-best-snow-blowers-and-snow-throwers-for-2013-2014/

Boy! That is a lot of information.

My old Craftsman is a dual stage, 6-speed forward and 2-speed reverse too with electric start, but mine is probably 15 years old - if not older. It also has tracks instead of wheels. Tracks are great if you have any slope on your driveway.

When it finally stops snowing I park it. The next year I put fresh gas in it and, occasionally a fresh spark plug. Over the years it got harder and harder to start the first time and I had to leave the choke on a little to keep it running.

I went to a local hardware store when it didn't want to start at all this year to see if they could get it started. They came and picked it up, fixed it, changed the oil for the first time in its life, and delivered it. All for a cost of $67. It's like new.

nyccarguy · February 2015

@verdugo‌

Congrats on the Jeep! Keep us in the loop & let us know how you like it. The HEMI rocks!

cdnpinhead · February 2015

robr2 said:
Here is more than anyone needs to know about snowblowers:
http://todaysmower.com/the-best-snow-blowers-and-snow-throwers-for-2013-2014/

Thanks very much for this link. A year or so ago I bought a cabin at 7500' that can get a foot or two of snow at a time and 4-5 feet in an average winter. Paying $50 or more every time to have the driveway plowed, then having to hand shovel the walks, is not what I want to continue to do. Plus it's a good idea to clear the windrow fairly quickly that the street plow leaves before it turns into a solid mass.

driver100 · February 2015

qbrozen said:
Gotta hand it to my Ford dealer. They sent me an ad I haven't quite seen before. It is a printout of an email from the GM to the salesperson saying "Hey, contact Mr. Brosen. We need his car. Its in high demand." etc etc. And then there is a handwritten sticky on it from the salesperson asking me to contact him. I can only assume they printed off hundreds, if not thousands of these for all their previous customers. But they did a really good job making it look authentic. I'm sure they'll get quite a few hits from it.

Companies are getting more creative to find ways to get customers. I took an entrepenueur course about 20 years ago and they told us to write a sticky note and put it on a message and send it to a buyer or manager...it seems more personal and is different from your usual form letter.

When I wrote to the president of Audi Canada I typed the letter, but the address and his name were all hand written on the envelope. In my course they said if you are writing to someone important like that, send a handwritten letter...they will think it is from a friend or it is an invitation to a party or something...less chance of it getting thrown out immediately with all the other form letters coming in.

robr2 · February 2015

imidazol97 said:

robr2 said:
I wish it had a light but to get that I would've had to get the model with the heated handles.
Heated handles?

Yup - heated handles. They run off the charging system. I've lost feeling in my fingertips from holdig the drive handle for too long. Heated grips would help with that.

robr2 · February 2015

I change the oil and plug at the end of every season and do a full maintenance on it. It costs about $8 for the parts. I run it until the gas runs out because the ethanol in the gas isn't good for the carb. This spring I may change the belts.

fezo · February 2015

OK, folks, I'm ready to pop in on the certified pre-owned Prius Remember this - http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?endYear=2015&zip=08050&keywordPhrases=sunroof&listingType=certified&listingTypes=certified&mmt=[TOYOTA[PRIUS[]][]]&vehicleStyleCodes=HYBEL&modelCode1=PRIUS&makeCode1=TOYOTA&startYear=2009&showcaseOwnerId=579471&maxMileage=45000&searchRadius=100&listingId=392850874&Log=0

I want to make an out the door offer and tell the guy I'll put a deposit down and if it's as advertised buy it Saturday. So here's what I'm thinking. Take the $998 off his price add 7% sales tax and maybe $200 for title and registration So it would go $16,000 +7% ($1,198.40) + $500 = $17,120.

Is this reasonable? I'd be putting $6,000 down, no trade and 1.9% Toyota financing for four years. Might do five years just because the money is cheap.

Comments?

qbrozen · February 2015

driver100 said:

When I wrote to the president of Audi Canada I typed the letter, but the address and his name were all hand written on the envelope. In my course they said if you are writing to someone important like that, send a handwritten letter...they will think it is from a friend or it is an invitation to a party or something...less chance of it getting thrown out immediately with all the other form letters coming in.

Good point. This envelope was also hand written, and it had no return address. I really did think it was something personal. And, looking at it again, this sticky note is truly hand written, not just printed to look that way, as I've seen in some other instances.

qbrozen · February 2015

On the snowblower topic, the only one I had was a small, old craftsman that I picked up at a garage sale for $5. Owner had lost the key for it. I cleaned the carb, rigged the fuel pickup, hot wired it, and it started right up. That little thing could really work hard. Gave us a good couple of years.

Now I have the homemade John Deere plow I've probably mentioned before. LOVE that thing, when its working. I've used it 3 times this season. The first time, it ran without a hitch and finished the job in about 20 mins (I guesstimate my driveway and parking area encompasses probably about 1500 square feet). The 2nd time, it died about halfway through, and cost me maybe a half hour of tinkering to get it running again (bad plug wire on one side). The 3rd time was last week and the hydraulics konked out early on in the job. Somewhat luckily, the blade was in a position such that I could finish the job with alot of transmission work (forward, back, forward, back, etc, etc). Its been too damned cold and I haven't had time anyway to figure that out. Possibly the PTO coupling shredded itself.

jayrider · February 2015

berri said:
Funny, I was just at a Honda service department and they actually had a desk set up where a dealer rep pursues customers to trade up their vehicle in for service. I wonder how many jump at that without doing any homework?

Good thing my Toyota dealer doesn't have trade up rep. I'd have a new car every time I took the Prius in for an oil change.(once a year]

jayrider · February 2015

fezo said:
OK, folks, I'm ready to pop in on the certified pre-owned Prius Remember this - http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?endYear=2015&zip=08050&keywordPhrases=sunroof&listingType=certified&listingTypes=certified&mmt=[TOYOTA[PRIUS[]][]]&vehicleStyleCodes=HYBEL&modelCode1=PRIUS&makeCode1=TOYOTA&startYear=2009&showcaseOwnerId=579471&maxMileage=45000&searchRadius=100&listingId=392850874&Log=0

I want to make an out the door offer and tell the guy I'll put a deposit down and if it's as advertised buy it Saturday. So here's what I'm thinking. Take the $998 off his price add 7% sales tax and maybe $200 for title and registration So it would go $16,000 +7% ($1,198.40) + $500 = $17,120.

Is this reasonable? I'd be putting $6,000 down, no trade and 1.9% Toyota financing for four years. Might do five years just because the money is cheap.

Comments?

Why not ask him to give you a price for a quick sale ? I suggest you do that in person after a test drive. By the way, that price for a 2012 CPO is pretty much on the money. You need to make sure you like the car first hand. Good luck.

stickguy · February 2015

Definetely let them make first offer. Use my patented passive-aggressive negotiating technique to get them bidding against themselves (act ambivalent).

Tell them if they make the fifer you can't refuse, you'll sign right there. See what them come up with. You can always give your take or leave # if they come in higher. You aren't that far apart anyway.

fezo · February 2015

I'm trying to figure that one out. My thing is these are few and far between. It's not a terribly popular option. I have to balance this with that Prii aren't selling well now. This one happens to check all my wife's boxes.

There one more within 75 miles and it's a lesser model and in silver, After all the grey, black and silver cars we'd really like a color.

By comparison the "good enough"new one would be out the door at $26,600

stickguy · February 2015

Well you are only talking about a 1k delta between asking and your price. Worst case, they hold firm, you cave, wife happy. And you pay an extra $20/month and live with it.

Still worth asking. Doesn't mean you have to walk.

qbrozen · February 2015

Huh. What am I missing here? $17k is too cheap. Trade-in value is $16k. And its CPO?? Maybe I should go scoop it up.

fezo · February 2015

That's my fallback position. Want to give me a ride up to Mamaranack? Wife can't go until Saturday.

stickguy · February 2015

Get Bradd to do it. He drives right past there on his way home.

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