Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

driver100

venture said:

Subaru came in.

The Legacy 3.6R Limited I ordered a few weeks ago came in yesterday; about 2 weeks before I was expecting it.

It has almost all the nannies, but you can turn them off. One thing that works pretty well is the adaptive LED headlights. It has some things my Fusion didn't have, but the Fusion has some things this car either doesn't have or doesn't work as well. It is a little taller than the Fusion, but the seats are a little lower.

Driver - you would like the big windows and visibility.

As I mentioned, I would have probably kept the Fusion for a while if both the local dealers were just OK.

I don't know how long I am going to keep it, but there's not much out there under $40k with AWD which was also my set limit as per GG.

I'm still learning.

Well designed car....and Suburu's are well made and reliable. I like the large windows and the simple lines. I admire my neighbors Forresters......I was also looking at the nice square lines with huge windows. The Foresster is the ideal car for retired people, AWD, reasonable cost, reliable, comfortable, classic styling.

driver100

stickguy said:

I think that is a smaller subset, and what the media promotes. Especially in large swathes of the country. Media tends to be big city centric anyway.

I will concede that there are some number that don't make enough money for something nicer, but not all of them don't inspire to it! And many don't want to live in Brooklyn either.

Stick, you haven't heard the middle class is fighting to stay alive? Young people in universities who have trouble finding work when they finish.....and with large debts.

The world is changing.

Some things I was noticing.....lots of people want to be professionals, so we have dentists and chiropractors on every block. Now we have professionals working all kinds of crazy hours, pharmacists working 24 hour store, doctors in walk in clinics, dentists working evenings, call 1-800 Lawyer 24 hours a day........I am so glad I had my working career in the good old days.

oldfarmer50

ab348 said:

driver100 said:

From my observation, I see people who are in upper management who have good incomes, then there are the service/retail jobs at the bottom of the scale. Not as many of those mid income jobs like blue collar management, good factory jobs, sales jobs, etc. The mid-range jobs are disappearing....and I have heard personal stories and read about it. Instead of a good factory job with a high hourly rate, benefits and a pension people are becoming Uber drivers.

It all depends on what skill set one has. The other day I was struck by something I really hadn't noticed before. I was on the used lot of the local Porsche/Jag/Land Rover dealer on Sunday and there a lot of people doing what I was doing, i.e. browsing while they were closed. They were all much younger than me, appearing to be no older than early 30s and in some cases even younger. The cars they drove there in were things like an Audi S5, a M-B AMG, and a Cayenne. Either they were living on daddy's money or (more likely I suspect) worked in the tech sector here, where if you are near the top you can rake in big bucks for a period of time before you either go bust or make even bigger money when you get bought up. I remember seeing the same thing around here just prior to the tech bubble bursting in 2000 or so. Kids just a few years out of university were made instant millionaires by running little tech outfits for 2-3 years that got bought up by the big guys. It is a very different world out there.

BTW, two of the vehicles drawing a lot of attention were these:

http://www.steeleauto.com/used/porsche/2017-porsche-911-carrera-4-23474

http://www.steeleauto.com/used/porsche/2017-porsche-911-carrera-2-27914

The red one was really eye-catching. I liked it better than the Grabber Blue one.

I often wonder how 1 yo exotic cars end up at dealerships. Are they traded for a new toy by guys like Mike or are they repoed from someone with a 300 credit score? Must be tough to feed champagne tastes on a beer budget.

My beer budget drew me to this:



https://albany.craigslist.org/cto/d/acura-tl-2002-very-clean-and/6271565866.html

oldfarmer50

venture said:

Subaru came in.

The Legacy 3.6R Limited I ordered a few weeks ago came in yesterday; about 2 weeks before I was expecting it.

It has almost all the nannies, but you can turn them off. One thing that works pretty well is the adaptive LED headlights. It has some things my Fusion didn't have, but the Fusion has some things this car either doesn't have or doesn't work as well. It is a little taller than the Fusion, but the seats are a little lower.

Driver - you would like the big windows and visibility.

As I mentioned, I would have probably kept the Fusion for a while if both the local dealers were just OK.

I don't know how long I am going to keep it, but there's not much out there under $40k with AWD which was also my set limit as per GG.

I'm still learning.

I forget, did you lease or buy? Was black your first color choice? Looks great but keeping it clean will be chore. Do you get that yellow pine pollen in the spring like we do?

graphicguy

venture said:

Subaru came in.

The Legacy 3.6R Limited I ordered a few weeks ago came in yesterday; about 2 weeks before I was expecting it.

It has almost all the nannies, but you can turn them off. One thing that works pretty well is the adaptive LED headlights. It has some things my Fusion didn't have, but the Fusion has some things this car either doesn't have or doesn't work as well. It is a little taller than the Fusion, but the seats are a little lower.

Driver - you would like the big windows and visibility.

As I mentioned, I would have probably kept the Fusion for a while if both the local dealers were just OK.

I don't know how long I am going to keep it, but there's not much out there under $40k with AWD which was also my set limit as per GG.

I'm still learning.

Venture....that's very elegant looking in my eyes. I like it. Big congrats!

Not knowing much about Subarus, do their dealerships negotiate? Or, is it pretty much "people love us so pay what's on the sticker'!

Again, congrats!

Michaell

graphicguy said:

venture said:

Subaru came in.

The Legacy 3.6R Limited I ordered a few weeks ago came in yesterday; about 2 weeks before I was expecting it.

It has almost all the nannies, but you can turn them off. One thing that works pretty well is the adaptive LED headlights. It has some things my Fusion didn't have, but the Fusion has some things this car either doesn't have or doesn't work as well. It is a little taller than the Fusion, but the seats are a little lower.

Driver - you would like the big windows and visibility.

As I mentioned, I would have probably kept the Fusion for a while if both the local dealers were just OK.

I don't know how long I am going to keep it, but there's not much out there under $40k with AWD which was also my set limit as per GG.

I'm still learning.

Venture....that's very elegant looking in my eyes. I like it. Big congrats!

Not knowing much about Subarus, do their dealerships negotiate? Or, is it pretty much "people love us so pay what's on the sticker'!

Again, congrats!

I was able to negotiate a small discount from sticker on the wife's Outback when we bought it 2.5 years ago. And, this was in Colorado, where Subaru is almost the official state vehicle.

graphicguy

oldfarmer50 said:

ab348 said:

driver100 said:

From my observation, I see people who are in upper management who have good incomes, then there are the service/retail jobs at the bottom of the scale. Not as many of those mid income jobs like blue collar management, good factory jobs, sales jobs, etc. The mid-range jobs are disappearing....and I have heard personal stories and read about it. Instead of a good factory job with a high hourly rate, benefits and a pension people are becoming Uber drivers.

It all depends on what skill set one has. The other day I was struck by something I really hadn't noticed before. I was on the used lot of the local Porsche/Jag/Land Rover dealer on Sunday and there a lot of people doing what I was doing, i.e. browsing while they were closed. They were all much younger than me, appearing to be no older than early 30s and in some cases even younger. The cars they drove there in were things like an Audi S5, a M-B AMG, and a Cayenne. Either they were living on daddy's money or (more likely I suspect) worked in the tech sector here, where if you are near the top you can rake in big bucks for a period of time before you either go bust or make even bigger money when you get bought up. I remember seeing the same thing around here just prior to the tech bubble bursting in 2000 or so. Kids just a few years out of university were made instant millionaires by running little tech outfits for 2-3 years that got bought up by the big guys. It is a very different world out there.

BTW, two of the vehicles drawing a lot of attention were these:

http://www.steeleauto.com/used/porsche/2017-porsche-911-carrera-4-23474

http://www.steeleauto.com/used/porsche/2017-porsche-911-carrera-2-27914

The red one was really eye-catching. I liked it better than the Grabber Blue one.

I often wonder how 1 yo exotic cars end up at dealerships. Are they traded for a new toy by guys like Mike or are they repoed from someone with a 300 credit score? Must be tough to feed champagne tastes on a beer budget.

My beer budget drew me to this:



https://albany.craigslist.org/cto/d/acura-tl-2002-very-clean-and/6271565866.html

I love...LOVE that generation of TL, and I'm already an Acura fan. That one looks in great shape, if the background on it is relatively clean. If it were me, and the CARFAX checks out, I would overnight 30 Benjamins to the owner and tell him I'll arrange shipping.

I like that car, a lot. Driven a few of them (before I ever bought an Acura, which didn't happen until 2005) of that generation. Always thought they were a great blend of luxury and sport.

Plus, probably have another 100K+ miles left with no major repairs on the horizon. And, it will never leave you stranded, or be sitting in a dealership garage for months at a time.

venture

oldfarmer50 said:

venture said:

Subaru came in.

The Legacy 3.6R Limited I ordered a few weeks ago came in yesterday; about 2 weeks before I was expecting it.

It has almost all the nannies, but you can turn them off. One thing that works pretty well is the adaptive LED headlights. It has some things my Fusion didn't have, but the Fusion has some things this car either doesn't have or doesn't work as well. It is a little taller than the Fusion, but the seats are a little lower.

Driver - you would like the big windows and visibility.

As I mentioned, I would have probably kept the Fusion for a while if both the local dealers were just OK.

I don't know how long I am going to keep it, but there's not much out there under $40k with AWD which was also my set limit as per GG.

I'm still learning.

I forget, did you lease or buy? Was black your first color choice? Looks great but keeping it clean will be chore. Do you get that yellow pine pollen in the spring like we do?

I bought it. I was going to just write a check, but they have 0% interest for up to 48 months right now on the 2018's (not sure about 17s) so I'm using their money for 4 years.

I wanted black. Other than the gray Fusion and the Escape I only had for 6 months before the Legacy, most of my cars were black. I'm familiar with it only looking clean 4 or 5 times a year.

Yellow pollen? Heck yes. I normally just hose it off before leaving the ball field every day. It has dust on it from dragging the infield anyway.

venture

graphicguy said:

venture said:

Subaru came in.

The Legacy 3.6R Limited I ordered a few weeks ago came in yesterday; about 2 weeks before I was expecting it.

It has almost all the nannies, but you can turn them off. One thing that works pretty well is the adaptive LED headlights. It has some things my Fusion didn't have, but the Fusion has some things this car either doesn't have or doesn't work as well. It is a little taller than the Fusion, but the seats are a little lower.

Driver - you would like the big windows and visibility.

As I mentioned, I would have probably kept the Fusion for a while if both the local dealers were just OK.

I don't know how long I am going to keep it, but there's not much out there under $40k with AWD which was also my set limit as per GG.

I'm still learning.

Venture....that's very elegant looking in my eyes. I like it. Big congrats!

Not knowing much about Subarus, do their dealerships negotiate? Or, is it pretty much "people love us so pay what's on the sticker'!

Again, congrats!

My dealer knocked off over $2,800 without me asking a thing. Most of the negotiation was on the Fusion trade. Like many dealers, they try to steal your trade. We eventually came to an agreement.

ab348

sda said:

I like the Fusion, especially in the Titanium, or Platinum version. I also like the MKZ but I am not convinced that the premium over the Fusion is worth it. A one or two year old certified Fusion can be had at a very attractive price. I saw a'17 for $20 k and a '16 for 17k. Both were Titanium with sunroof, and under 30k mi and were certified at a Ford dealer. With needing to get a car for my daughter ( thinking my Accord) and college coming up in 3 years, buying a used Titanium may be what I do.

I suspect the market here is somewhat unique because we do not have as big a population base as cities of over a million people, but we are the commercial center of the Maritime provinces, so we get some things (like a massive Ikea store opening here in a couple of weeks!) that would not normally be in a place this size, but in other ways we are still like a small town.

For example, someone suggested a late-model used Accord as an option. Well, there are exactly zero of those to be found for sale here at the moment. Same with the Malibu with the weaksauce 1.5T, and forget about the 2.0T. If I wanted an ex-rental 2016 Altima there are plenty of those but not a good buy IMO, and also a few 2017 Sonatas (probably the best in terms of value/low miles) and a boatload of sad ex-rental 2016 Chrysler 200s, along with the aforementioned Fusions. That is about it.

Having said that and being rather impressed with the Fusion, there was one thing I discovered later that gave me pause. If you look at the owner reviews here on Edmunds they are at two extremes, either the worst car ever due to reliability problems (supposedly in particular with the Sport) or 5-star reviews from people who love it. The overall rating is mid-pack as a result. I don't know if the reviews are validated or if someone with an axe to grind was posting multiple bad reviews somehow but it would be a concern, especially when combined with the experience of others like Sandy and his co-workers with being stranded and others having poor dealer repair experiences.

Regardless, the car is lovely to drive and impressed me. I imagine the Platinum (which dealers here ignore and never bring into stock) is particularly nice.

abacomike

venture said:

Subaru came in. The Legacy 3.6R Limited I ordered a few weeks ago came in yesterday; about 2 weeks before I was expecting it. It has almost all the nannies, but you can turn them off. One thing that works pretty well is the adaptive LED headlights. It has some things my Fusion didn't have, but the Fusion has some things this car either doesn't have or doesn't work as well. It is a little taller than the Fusion, but the seats are a little lower. Driver - you would like the big windows and visibility. As I mentioned, I would have probably kept the Fusion for a while if both the local dealers were just OK. I don't know how long I am going to keep it, but there's not much out there under $40k with AWD which was also my set limit as per GG. I'm still learning.

Outstanding, Venture!  I wish you many years of enjoyment and trouble-free driving.  Love the Suburu's styling and stance.  Probably the best car in its class - or perhaps in many ways, Suburu is best of most classes.  Great engineering and great value for the money.  Enjoy! 

snakeweasel

I call it "Weather as Entertainment". People like to be scared and watch the suffering of others. The way media now report on weather has gone far past providing useful information and has entered the entertainment realm. I put it in much the same category as horror/mayhem movies. I never got the appeal.

Ok I may be a bit cynical here but TV stations make their money by providing an audience to their advertisers. So they will sensationalize it to draw as many viewers as they can so they can sell advertising at a premium. 

"Everything is OK" brings few viewers and no advertising money. 

snakeweasel

oldfarmer50 said:

I often wonder how 1 yo exotic cars end up at dealerships. Are they traded for a new toy by guys like Mike or are they repoed from someone with a 300 credit score? Must be tough to feed champagne tastes on a beer budget. My beer budget drew me to this: https://albany.craigslist.org/cto/d/acura-tl-2002-very-clean-and/6271565866.html

There are a lot of filthy rich people out there that make more in a day than you make in a year. Some people get to the point where they don't have the same view on money as we do. They view $10 and $10,000 pretty much the same. for many of these people they will change out cars like we change underwear and they cannot see themselves driving last year's models. 

must be tough. 

abacomike

Slept 8 straight hours last night.  First time I've slept that long in one night since I was 16 years old.

Just a note about the 740i's performance and handling during the 7 hour ordeal yesterday.  Still the best car I've ever owned.  In the straight stretch from Daytona to Ponte Vedra, I was getting 36.7 mpg at 75 mph.  Unheard of in such a big car, but I've been getting that type of fuel economy since I bought the car.  I had the handling and ride function in ECO-PRO for top economy.

The safety features were essential during the trip.  When I was able to use the adaptive cruise, it worked perfectly, slowing the car and accelerating based upon the traffic.  Self-steering made it much easier to drive.  Blind spot monitors worked seamlessly.

The worst part of the drive was the cars that were doing 85 mph+ weaving in and out.  Saw a few crashes on the way up.  I had to get off the Turnpike in Delray Beach because traffic was bumper to bumper.  GPS offered me 2 different rerouted "due to traffic conditions ahead"!  Amazing technology.  CarPlay read aloud all traffic conditions and all texts and was able to send text responses by dictating them.  What a world! 

imidazol97

The local TV stations are having the time of their lives being experts on what's happening. They have pictures of a large RED mass swirling looking angry. They are telling people the winds are 185 mph implying that's the speed all the way to the extremities of the cold cloud tops shown as red which is usually for hot while blue is for cold. In reality, the top speed is the winds adjacent to the quiet core area. Wind speeds taper down outward from that.

Only thing better is a winter blizzard coming within 500 miles of here. Even the local radio station associated with the newspaper and TV station(s) is sounding like the "white death" is coming, which is their wintertime cry for a major storm threat. When they start their scare tactics, the grocery shelves are cleared just as they have been in FL.The local stations have done everything except turn on the 3 beeps signal every 30 seconds which they do for threatening weather HERE.

The rules for driving times and rest times for semi drivers are being relaxed to allow them to get more gasoline to FL stations.

For all the FL folks, hope the turn is quicker due to the large size of the low as it pushes off the high pressure front and it stays off shore while it loses strength due to the land and cooler waters.

cdnpinhead

graphicguy said:

Venture....that's very elegant looking in my eyes. I like it. Big congrats!

Not knowing much about Subarus, do their dealerships negotiate? Or, is it pretty much "people love us so pay what's on the sticker'!

Another added to the Subaru fold -- nice looking car, Venture. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Looks like the same wheels our Forester has.

The Subaru dealers definitely are willing to deal, especially in Colorado. We got a very nice discount from a Denver dealer and the Tucson guy came way down from his initial position, but it wasn't as good as the Denver guys. In Metro Phoenix the selection was poor and the nearest dealer wasn't offering very good pricing at all. It worked out to about $4K under MSRP or $1100 under "invoice," but it was a cash deal with no trade.

nyccarguy

@venture

Nice looking Legacy!  It's a great car.  You are going to love it, especially with the 3.6 H6.  You'll find it very comfortable.  The Technology is very user friendly.  The eyesight system is simply fantastic.  

The dealer where I bought & serviced my former 2015 Legacy is a Ford dealer as well.  Before I bought my Infiniti, I poked around the Fusion boards looking for an insanely cheap lease on a Fusion Sport.  I brought the idea up to my service advisor, & he told me to stick with Subaru.

Enjoy it!

oldfarmer50

snakeweasel said:

I call it "Weather as Entertainment". People like to be scared and watch the suffering of others. The way media now report on weather has gone far past providing useful information and has entered the entertainment realm. I put it in much the same category as horror/mayhem movies. I never got the appeal.

Ok I may be a bit cynical here but TV stations make their money by providing an audience to their advertisers. So they will sensationalize it to draw as many viewers as they can so they can sell advertising at a premium. 

"Everything is OK" brings few viewers and no advertising money. 

--------------------------------------
BREAKING NEWS!

World famous car authority Snakeweasel admits to being "cynical" in shocking revelation! Also refuses to answer one reporter's question as to if he's still beating his wife! Protests planned at the opulent Snakeweasel mansion. NEWS AT 11:00!

driver100

I wonder if this hyping up every weather event makes people cynical, and think the storm won't be as bad as they say. If they keep this up, people will just ignore the warnings.

I did look at a news sight from the UK....google listed that site first for some reason, when I looked up latest news about Irma, and I found it to be low key, factual, and I think a pretty accurate synopsis of the situation.

Maybe we have to turn to the BBC to get a more accurate picture of what is going on.
btw, Canadian news sources deliver these kind of stories about mid way between what the Brits do and the US news sources do.

fintail

Big issue with those, IIRC, is transmissions made of glass. Should be quite sound otherwise. Those were one of the very first cars sold here that could be optioned with nav.

oldfarmer50 said:

My beer budget drew me to this:



https://albany.craigslist.org/cto/d/acura-tl-2002-very-clean-and/6271565866.html

abacomike

imidazol97 said:

The local TV stations are having the time of their lives being experts on what's happening. They have pictures of a large RED mass swirling looking angry. They are telling people the winds are 185 mph implying that's the speed all the way to the extremities of the cold cloud tops shown as red which is usually for hot while blue is for cold. In reality, the top speed is the winds adjacent to the quiet core area. Wind speeds taper down outward from that. Only thing better is a winter blizzard coming within 500 miles of here. Even the local radio station associated with the newspaper and TV station(s) is sounding like the "white death" is coming, which is their wintertime cry for a major storm threat. When they start their scare tactics, the grocery shelves are cleared just as they have been in FL.The local stations have done everything except turn on the 3 beeps signal every 30 seconds which they do for threatening weather HERE. The rules for driving times and rest times for semi drivers are being relaxed to allow them to get more gasoline to FL stations. For all the FL folks, hope the turn is quicker due to the large size of the low as it pushes off the high pressure front and it stays off shore while it loses strength due to the land and cooler waters.

Imid, the last paragraph sounds verbatim what I just heard on the local weather forecast for Jacksonville.  What are you - a meteorologist in disguise as a car lover?  Nah! 

fintail

There's definitely a very small but visible demographic of 30-somethings who have done very well for themselves in this new reality. Probably more of that in my area than in most. Of course, it helps if mommy and daddy eased the burden of crushing student loans, but a lot of higher level tech jobs can sail into comfy 6 figures within a few years, making a car like that obtainable even with a little debt

For those much younger, well, Canuckistan and Murka both have policies where the ability to reside in a country can be purchased, and for all of the "vetting" that the so-called right likes to drone on about, they never do it regarding the origin of money (hence the Seattle and Vancouver real estate markets, among others). Kids zipping around and crashing in high end cars has been a problem on the west coast for years. Maybe finally time for progressive traffic penalties too - oh no, that would be "class warfare" or some other baloney. Devilspawn of sketchy money is another small but flamboyant demographic.

For the cars, I would guess they are short term lease returns - maybe at a corporate (exec perk) level. Some late model 911s can also be rental returns, as I know Hertz anyway has always had some in the fleet for high profile branches, but they won't be that loaded.

ab348 said:

It all depends on what skill set one has. The other day I was struck by something I really hadn't noticed before. I was on the used lot of the local Porsche/Jag/Land Rover dealer on Sunday and there a lot of people doing what I was doing, i.e. browsing while they were closed. They were all much younger than me, appearing to be no older than early 30s and in some cases even younger. The cars they drove there in were things like an Audi S5, a M-B AMG, and a Cayenne. Either they were living on daddy's money or (more likely I suspect) worked in the tech sector here, where if you are near the top you can rake in big bucks for a period of time before you either go bust or make even bigger money when you get bought up. I remember seeing the same thing around here just prior to the tech bubble bursting in 2000 or so. Kids just a few years out of university were made instant millionaires by running little tech outfits for 2-3 years that got bought up by the big guys. It is a very different world out there.

BTW, two of the vehicles drawing a lot of attention were these:

http://www.steeleauto.com/used/porsche/2017-porsche-911-carrera-4-23474

http://www.steeleauto.com/used/porsche/2017-porsche-911-carrera-2-27914

The red one was really eye-catching. I liked it better than the Grabber Blue one.

snakeweasel

-------------------------------------- BREAKING NEWS! World famous car authority Snakeweasel admits to being "cynical" in shocking revelation! Also refuses to answer one reporter's question as to if he's still beating his wife! Protests planned at the opulent Snakeweasel mansion. NEWS AT 11:00!

Oh you should see our mansion now. We moved up in this world, we moved into a bigger refrigerator box on the other side of the freeway underpass. 

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

I wonder if this hyping up every weather event makes people cynical, and think the storm won't be as bad as they say. If they keep this up, people will just ignore the warnings

I know around here people generally ignore winter storm warnings as they are usually wrong and living in the upper midwest we normally get a few bad snowfalls a year. FWIW our last winter storm warning was for up to 6 inches of snow, I think we got 1/4 inch. 

iluvmysephia1

Hey, Michaell, thanks for posting the story on the Toyota Yaris iA. Still love that car. It would be a much better car than a Chevy Spark or Mitsubishi Mirage. I see a lot of Mitsubishi Mirage's here in KC. Easy financing, no doubt. I'm sticking with my 2011 Kia Soul for now. Good car.

We're moving on Monday morning to Wenatchee - whoo-hoooo! I hear half of Washington's on fire . Yikes.

imidazol97

abacomike said:

imidazol97 For all the FL folks, hope the turn is quicker due to the large size of the low as it pushes off the high pressure front and it stays off shore while it loses strength due to the land and cooler waters.

Imid, the last paragraph sounds verbatim what I just heard on the local weather forecast for Jacksonville.  What are you - a meteorologist in disguise as a car lover?  Nah! 

This is the jet stream forcast for today from yesterday. Thi jet stream pushed cold air over us a day or two ago with rain. This morning was almost into the 40s (F). The air movement and the high pressure with it is what is going to steer the Irma low center. Hopefully, the center of Irma will only graze Miami area and stay out to sea until it gets further north at worst.

suydam

driver100 said:

I wonder if this hyping up every weather event makes people cynical, and think the storm won't be as bad as they say. If they keep this up, people will just ignore the warnings.

I did look at a news sight from the UK....google listed that site first for some reason, when I looked up latest news about Irma, and I found it to be low key, factual, and I think a pretty accurate synopsis of the situation.

Maybe we have to turn to the BBC to get a more accurate picture of what is going on.
btw, Canadian news sources deliver these kind of stories about mid way between what the Brits do and the US news sources do.

It's not happening in their backyard.

abacomike

imidazol97 said:

imidazol97 For all the FL folks, hope the turn is quicker due to the large size of the low as it pushes off the high pressure front and it stays off shore while it loses strength due to the land and cooler waters.

Imid, the last paragraph sounds verbatim what I just heard on the local weather forecast for Jacksonville.  What are you - a meteorologist in disguise as a car lover?  Nah! 

This is the jet stream forcast for today from yesterday. Thi jet stream pushed cold air over us a day or two ago with rain. This morning was almost into the 40s (F). The air movement and the high pressure with it is what is going to steer the Irma low center. Hopefully, the center of Irma will only graze Miami area and stay out to sea until it gets further north at worst.

I pray, oh Lord, that your forecast is accurate!

driver100

suydam said:

driver100 said:

I wonder if this hyping up every weather event makes people cynical, and think the storm won't be as bad as they say. If they keep this up, people will just ignore the warnings.

I did look at a news sight from the UK....google listed that site first for some reason, when I looked up latest news about Irma, and I found it to be low key, factual, and I think a pretty accurate synopsis of the situation.

Maybe we have to turn to the BBC to get a more accurate picture of what is going on.
btw, Canadian news sources deliver these kind of stories about mid way between what the Brits do and the US news sources do.

It's not happening in their backyard.

Maybe that makes them more objective!

driver100

iluv, or someone, just explain this to me. Can a person who drives a Chevy Spark really love cars? I understand a person who only cares about a car as a way to get from A to B, or a person who's priority is the environment, or a person who is a dedicated minimalist, or someone who just likes to spend the least money possible for a car.....BUT, how does one enjoy the art of driving, the pride of ownership, the beauty of design, the appreciation for fine engineering....in one of these;


btw, the Soule, the Forte, the Yaris have some cuteness and personality, but that Sparky car.........

driver100

Here is a 50 second (after the commercial) weather report from the UK tracking Irma. Notice, just the facts, no hype, and a realistic picture of what could happen.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/weather/850672/Hurricane-Irma-path-NOAA-track-models-update-Florida-US-tracking-live-latest-NHC-news

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

iluv, or someone, just explain this to me. Can a person who drives a Chevy Spark really love cars? I understand a person who only cares about a car as a way to get from A to B, or a person who's priority is the environment, or a person who is a dedicated minimalist, or someone who just likes to spend the least money possible for a car.....BUT, how does one enjoy the art of driving, the pride of ownership, the beauty of design, the appreciation for fine engineering....in one of these; btw, the Soule, the Forte, the Yaris have some cuteness and personality, but that Sparky car.........

Yes, being a car lover and having the means or desire to spend BMW prices are not the same. A person may not have the finances for a so called "drivers car" or may have other priorities when it comes to spending. 

abacomike

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

iluv, or someone, just explain this to me. Can a person who drives a Chevy Spark really love cars? I understand a person who only cares about a car as a way to get from A to B, or a person who's priority is the environment, or a person who is a dedicated minimalist, or someone who just likes to spend the least money possible for a car.....BUT, how does one enjoy the art of driving, the pride of ownership, the beauty of design, the appreciation for fine engineering....in one of these; btw, the Soule, the Forte, the Yaris have some cuteness and personality, but that Sparky car.........

Yes, being a car lover and having the means or desire to spend BMW prices are not the same. A person may not have the finances for a so called "drivers car" or may have other priorities when it comes to spending. 

Exactly right!  If I had a family, a mortgage and a myriad of other financial responsibilities, the automobile(s) in my garage would be basic transportation - few if any frills, etc.  BMW's and Mercedes would be out of sight, out of mind. 

driver100

Don't need a bmw or even a new car to get a car that may be more than an appliance to go from A to B. Like one of oldfarmer's finds....I would rather have todays Acura he presented than that Sparky - excuse for a car!

btw....I have owned my fair share of cheap used cars and cheap new cars and I know about trying to just get by on a tight budget (I have had used or cheap cars for most of my life). I would still prefer to buy a two year old Corolla or Cruze.....personally. Why make it a class thing - I am not saying anything that puts down someone financially, I am talking about the joy of owning and driving something you care about.....A CAR!

Mr_Shiftright

fintail said:

Much easier to repo a car than a house, and more profit in re-selling them. I am scared of it in terms of a picture of the socio-economic spectrum in general than I am about it signaling another recession.

Mr_Shiftright said:

Subprime auto loans now sit at 32.5% of total loans, according to Bloomberg. "Subprime" is defined as people with credit scores of 550 and under, down to around 300.

Those numbers are a bit scary.

Yeah but re-sell them to WHOM? You got it--more subprime candidates. It's a death spriral, no matter how you cut it.

Mr_Shiftright

driver100 said:

fintail said:

Much easier to repo a car than a house, and more profit in re-selling them. I am scared of it in terms of a picture of the socio-economic spectrum in general than I am about it signaling another recession.

Mr_Shiftright said:

Subprime auto loans now sit at 32.5% of total loans, according to Bloomberg. "Subprime" is defined as people with credit scores of 550 and under, down to around 300.

Those numbers are a bit scary.

I have a friend who is very astute about financial matters. They said 47% of Canadians are living from pay check to pay check (actually, in Canada it is a pay cheque), and if they lost their income they could only keep their head above water for one week. And consumer debt is at the highest rate ever at $22000 (not counting a mortgage).

It is probably similar in the U.S. He thinks these are very bad signs for the economy and could mean a recession is looming. I am not completely sold on how serious it is, but, it isn't encouraging.

The majority of millennials (defined as someone reaching young adulthood by the year 2000) are making less, in terms of buying power, than their parents did at the same age. It's no wonder there are so many subprime candidates.

Mr_Shiftright

snakeweasel said:

I call it "Weather as Entertainment". People like to be scared and watch the suffering of others. The way media now report on weather has gone far past providing useful information and has entered the entertainment realm. I put it in much the same category as horror/mayhem movies. I never got the appeal.

Ok I may be a bit cynical here but TV stations make their money by providing an audience to their advertisers. So they will sensationalize it to draw as many viewers as they can so they can sell advertising at a premium. 

"Everything is OK" brings few viewers and no advertising money. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

yes, that's true. There is "weather porn". Media runs off heat, not light. Nonetheless, this hurricane is real enough. It's not like they made it up.

fintail

Some cars make me think "do you need a new car this badly"? For 12-14K, there are a lot of entertaining used cars. However, some just want the warranty so they can drive it into the ground in 5 years, rinse and repeat.

There's nowhere to hide (I wish the ground only moved that far north):



(a play on this:)

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

Don't need a bmw or even a new car to get a car that may be more than an appliance to go from A to B. Like one of oldfarmer's finds....I would rather have todays Acura he presented than that Sparky - excuse for a car! btw....I have owned my fair share of cheap used cars and cheap new cars and I know about trying to just get by on a tight budget (I have had used or cheap cars for most of my life). I would still prefer to buy a two year old Corolla or Cruze.....personally. Why make it a class thing - I am not saying anything that puts down someone financially, I am talking about the joy of owning and driving something you care about.....A CAR!

My whole point is that you really don't know what someone's motivation for driving what they drive. Sam Walton used to drive an old pickup truck. 

I do love cars and a spark might be on my short list next time I am in the market for a new car. My car is slowly turning into a commuter vehicle as now when me and she who must be obeyed go out it's usually in her car (it's newer, gets better gas mileage and a bit more comfortable). And with me picking up my Honda this weekend I will be driving my car less and less. So basic bare bones transportation sitting in traffic going to and from work is all I need. 

ab348

snakeweasel said:

My whole point is that you really don't know what someone's motivation for driving what they drive. Sam Walton used to drive an old pickup truck. 

I do love cars and a spark might be on my short list next time I am in the market for a new car. My car is slowly turning into a commuter vehicle as now when me and she who must be obeyed go out it's usually in her car (it's newer, gets better gas mileage and a bit more comfortable). And with me picking up my Honda this weekend I will be driving my car less and less. So basic bare bones transportation sitting in traffic going to and from work is all I need. 

But is it all you WANT?

jmonroe

snakeweasel said:

isellhondas said:

Oh, what a smart way to move cars! Lower the credit requirements! That'll do it!

I hope they have a bunch of Repo Guys on speed dial!

I don't think it is as much lowering credit requirements as much as it is redefining them to be more realistic to current realities. FICO scores don't always show the whole story. 

Welcome back Snake. When did they let you out? The story going around in here is that you were thrown in the slammer for screwing up someone's taxes.

Don't worry, we're a forgiving group.

jmonroe

snakeweasel

ab348 said:the

My whole point is that you really don't know what someone's motivation for driving what they drive. Sam Walton used to drive an old pickup truck. 

I do love cars and a spark might be on my short list next time I am in the market for a new car. My car is slowly turning into a commuter vehicle as now when me and she who must be obeyed go out it's usually in her car (it's newer, gets better gas mileage and a bit more comfortable). And with me picking up my Honda this weekend I will be driving my car less and less. So basic bare bones transportation sitting in traffic going to and from work is all I need. 

But is it all you WANT?

no it's not all I want but if the car is being used 90+% for commuting to and from work in heavy rush hour traffic it's all I NEED. Getting what I want just to commute would be paying more with very little benefit. 

snakeweasel

jmonroe said:

isellhondas said:

Oh, what a smart way to move cars! Lower the credit requirements! That'll do it! I hope they have a bunch of Repo Guys on speed dial!

I don't think it is as much lowering credit requirements as much as it is redefining them to be more realistic to current realities. FICO scores don't always show the whole story. 

Welcome back Snake. When did they let you out? The story going around in here is that you were thrown in the slammer for screwing up someone's taxes. Don't worry, we're a forgiving group. jmonroe

Well thank you. Got kind of busy with a lot of things. Researched the crap out of buying a bike and decided on a Honda. Went to France, wanted to stay in Cassis. Just a bunch of stuff going on. 

jmonroe

abacomike said:

imidazol97 said:

http://www.fort-lauderdale-marine-directory.com/interstate-i-95-palm-beach.php

It was bumper to bumper in 6-7 places.  Just arrived here in Ponte Vedra.  Trip usually takes me 4-1/2 hours - it took 7 hours.  Ugh!  I'm exhausted

Happy to hear you made it safely.

My Delray Beach SIL is staying put. Her health won't allow her to get out right now.

After Wilma hit back in 2005 (I think), my dearly departed brother had hurricane shutters installed. While he was still alive they were not needed but were used last year during a near miss hurricane but they might have to do their job with this one but of course we hope not.

FWIW, I'm just getting back in here to do some posting. I fell off a 4 foot wall onto the concrete driveway the day before we went on vacation August 11. Ended up braking my right wrist which I had checked at the Emergency Room the day after we got back a week later.

Just so nobody accuses me of getting old and no longer having good balance, I have been telling people that ask about the removable splint on my wrist, that Mrs. j pushed me. I hope you guys back me up.

jmonroe

ab348

jmonroe said:

Just so nobody accuses me of getting old and no longer having good balance, I have been telling people that ask about the removable splint on my wrist, that Mrs. j pushed me. I hope you guys back me up.

I doubt any Court in the country would find her guilty, citing justifiable circumstances.

Glad to hear you're doing better.

jmonroe

venture said:

Subaru came in.

The Legacy 3.6R Limited I ordered a few weeks ago came in yesterday; about 2 weeks before I was expecting it.

It has almost all the nannies, but you can turn them off. One thing that works pretty well is the adaptive LED headlights. It has some things my Fusion didn't have, but the Fusion has some things this car either doesn't have or doesn't work as well. It is a little taller than the Fusion, but the seats are a little lower.

Driver - you would like the big windows and visibility.

As I mentioned, I would have probably kept the Fusion for a while if both the local dealers were just OK.

I don't know how long I am going to keep it, but there's not much out there under $40k with AWD which was also my set limit as per GG.

I'm still learning.

Nice car, good luck with it.

Just one question...why did you break the field's rules? The sign clearly says "no littering".

I doubt you'll be disappointed with the 3.6R engine. I'll never be sorry for making Mrs. j get it on her 2012 Legacy Limited.

Remind me to tell you how she recognizes her car from all the other silver Legacy's in the various parking lots she parks in. She's pretty clever.

Don't forget to give us the 1000 mile report.

jmonroe

abacomike

jmonroe said:

imidazol97 said:

http://www.fort-lauderdale-marine-directory.com/interstate-i-95-palm-beach.php

It was bumper to bumper in 6-7 places.  Just arrived here in Ponte Vedra.  Trip usually takes me 4-1/2 hours - it took 7 hours.  Ugh!  I'm exhausted

Happy to hear you made it safely. My Delray Beach SIL is staying put. Her health won't allow her to get out right now. After Wilma hit back in 2005 (I think), my dearly departed brother had hurricane shutters installed. While he was still alive they were not needed but were used last year during a near miss hurricane but they might have to do their job with this one but of course we hope not. FWIW, I'm just getting back in here to do some posting. I fell off a 4 foot wall onto the concrete driveway the day before we went on vacation August 11. Ended up braking my right wrist which I had checked at the Emergency Room the day after we got back a week later. Just so nobody accuses me of getting old and no longer having good balance, I have been telling people that ask about the removable splint on my wrist, that Mrs. j pushed me. I hope you guys back me up. jmonroe

Good grief, JM.  I am so sorry to hear of your wrist fracture.  Better start learning to use the left arm now! I hope you heal quickly.  As far as backing you up that you were "pushed" off the ladder by Mrs.J, I heard you pushed her first and she just pushed you back. 

abacomike

Just got back from shopping for some food items and bandages for my arm over at the Publix in the Nocatee community - about a mile or so from my brother's house.  After a short wait, I got a parking space and walked into Publix.  At the door, a manager greeted me and asked if he could help me shop - he asked if I had a list.  I said "SURE"!

He became a personal shopper for the 20 minutes I was there.  The store was busy, but not crowded. Some drink shelves were empty, but they were re-stocking.  He suggested some bananas and Swiss cheese and I said "SURE"!  Everything I needed was in stock and I ended up buying more than what my shopping list called for.

He helped pick out bandages and tape and then after checking out, he walked me to my car and he loaded up my trunk for me.  If the Publix in my neighborhood did that, I'd shop there instead of Walmart.  No question that they are 15% - 20% higher on their pricing - but what an experience! 

ab348

This would be just the thing if you were a regular shopper at Bass Pro Shops.






This is a dealer who will not order anything without a black interior, but then they do this monument to questionable taste (the "customization" is apparently on spec and on their own dime) and have it sit on their showroom floor for many months. A real head-scratcher.

imidazol97

ab348 said:

This would be just the thing if you were a regular shopper at Bass Pro Shops.

This is NOT from GM? Right?