They stole the Lexus front end!
I was at a red light and this Lexus was opposite us. My wife rarely comments on car designs, but she said, what an ugly grill!
She believes it is supposed to be some kind of macho look.
Just because it looks like Darth Vader's illigetiment child doesn't mean it looks bad.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Well, someone tried to charge gas at a Shell station about 10 miles from my home this morning using a counterfeit AMEX card. I was alerted via text and email at about 7:00 AM. AMEX denied the charge - I am assuming the thief tried to use it for gas and either entered the wrong zip code or the “security tape or code” was incorrect.
AMEX is sending me a new card overnight and told me to destroy the old card immediately. AMEX went over my charges for the past month and I verified each one.
I don’t know if this was caused by the Equifax mess or something else. Could have been from anywhere. I am now checking all my credit card Apps a couple of times a day to make sure no other charges are made on those accounts that I didn’t authorize.
AMEX said they will honor charges on the old card from “autopay” companies such as ATT, my insurance, T-Mobile, my cable company, etc. They said it would not be necessary for me to contact those companies since they have a list of those on my account.
I am also going to check my bank deposit accounts more frequently.
The more dependent we become on electronic debits and credits the more we open ourselves to fraud.
I personally don't care for the Prius but I don't really think much about them more than any other car I'm not interested in. There are many here. They don't seem any different than any other car on the road.
Except when you get stuck behind one being driven by a hypermiler and the fully lafened dumptruck next to him out accelerates the prius.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I doubt Denver is a front runner given our proximity to Seattle but I'd almost rather we don't get HQ2.
Viewing this chase for the HQ2 from the midwest, whoever "wins" will likely end up spending a lot of money for the privilege. It seems like the same offer over offer for the auto plants, toyota Mercedes, which ended up in KY and Al where every state and locality was willing to give away future taxes, buy the land, develop the land, and train the workers at taxpayer expense.
Cincinnati and Dayton are joining to compete for the placement here in a location twixt the two.
I was at a red light and this Lexus was opposite us. My wife rarely comments on car designs, but she said, what an ugly grill! She believes it is supposed to be some kind of macho look.
Just because it looks like Darth Vader's illigetiment child doesn't mean it looks bad.
Now that you mention it....there is a definite resemblance!
That 'mechanic' who replied to Driver100 doesn't even know an X3 is RWD?
Good point! Will it make much difference though....I guess the cheap fix was to make it FWD, which isn't the normal mode....but, for the purpose of a cheap fix guess it could suffice.
I seriously doubt that is what was done- xDrive has a RWD torque bias- not even your nitwit SIL's imbecile mechanic would attempt to convert an X3 to FWD. Your "expert" is dead wrong.
Thanks for the comments...I value your opinion and knowledge. I have discussed your comments with my wife, she will talk to our daughter, and it is up to her to figure out what to do. I feel like I have done all that I can do, and I thank you for the input.
btw, the mechanic who has a column in the local newspaper is probably a good mechanic, but he probably never sees or works on a BMW, and has no idea what is involved. Most regular mechanics hate furrin cars!
wait until Amazon sets up their 2nd HQ and a bunch of people relocate, and they stop expanding in Seattle.
Cincinnati is seriously bidding for Amazon’s HQ2, as is Dayton and Northern KY! So, odds are, this area has a decent shot of landing it with local bids being prevalent.
wait until Amazon sets up their 2nd HQ and a bunch of people relocate, and they stop expanding in Seattle.
Cincinnati is seriously bidding for Amazon’s HQ2, as is Dayton and Northern KY! So, odds are, this area has a decent shot of landing it with local bids being prevalent.
I was reading the newspaper this week - Business Section - where a city had set aside 300+ acres (IIRC) in a northern suburb and has petitioned the State Legislature to create a new town/city called "Amazon". Maybe it was Atlanta - but definitely somewhere in the southeastern part of the country - but the land is being set aside for "Amazon's Hoped-For Move" to that city. Anyone else read about that?
driver, if you are that concerned and talking to the daughter, just ask to pay to take it to a mechanic for an inspection and then you will know for sure.
That 'mechanic' who replied to Driver100 doesn't even know an X3 is RWD?
Good point! Will it make much difference though....I guess the cheap fix was to make it FWD, which isn't the normal mode....but, for the purpose of a cheap fix guess it could suffice.
I seriously doubt that is what was done- xDrive has a RWD torque bias- not even your nitwit SIL's imbecile mechanic would attempt to convert an X3 to FWD. Your "expert" is dead wrong.
Thanks for the comments...I value your opinion and knowledge. I have discussed your comments with my wife, she will talk to our daughter, and it is up to her to figure out what to do. I feel like I have done all that I can do, and I thank you for the input.
btw, the mechanic who has a column in the local newspaper is probably a good mechanic, but he probably never sees or works on a BMW, and has no idea what is involved. Most regular mechanics hate furrin cars!
What makes that newspaper mechanic dangerous is that he doesn't know what he doesn't know. If someone asks me a question at the dealer and I don't know the answer I tell them so and go look it up.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
@berri Not sure about the length of the lease but generally have the same concerns as you do. I'm fully expecting that at some point the market will stagnate and or start dropping a bit. That said, @fintail has mentioned numerous times that he knows people that have tied up their retirement in the increasing real estate market here, which is risky business. I know a lot of people that have done the same.
My wife and I are both 30, so we are intentionally purchasing well below our means (still way more than I want to spend) so we can continue maxing out our retirement investment, take vacations, etc. Home ownership at this point is a means of arresting the cost of living associated with the rental market.
It is curious how Seattle has simply exploded in the last 5 years. I bough my home in 1999 in the Ravenna neighborhood, near the University of Washington. Retirement was not the primary goal, and I have contributed heavily to my 401K from day 1. The value of my home has increased so much that I see it becoming a nice "unexpected" bump when I do retire - either in the form of selling here and moving somewhere we would not have thought we could have, or maybe downsizing and keeping the difference.
And while it is true that Amazon is looking for HQ2, it seems like they are primed for 3-5 more years of job growth here in Seattle. Given that Seattle is hemmed in by water I see home prices continuing to climb.
Only time will tell.
Amazon has received one billion dollars in public monies, through tax breaks and incentives, since 2014, and it looks like some local governments are primed to give them more.
I had the curbed front wheel on the new ATS repaired/finished this week, looks as good as new. Wasn't outrageously expensive to have done, well worth it.
I spent some time today driving around just for fun. Just by accident I discovered a stretch of 4-lane road in a newly-opened part of a large industrial park that has nothing built along it which dead-ends and is a favorite for local motorheads who like to have fun. Today there was a group of motorcyclists there playing around. It strikes me as almost too tempting.
The more I drive the new car the more I see how it is much different from the 2014. It handles better, is faster, more comfortable, and everything just seems to work better. It is so sweet to drive it amazes me.
Also after 2 weeks the SXM is finally working again as the salesguy finally managed to get it reactivated. I've also never had a car with nav before and I need to figure out how to understand it. Today I tried using it to guide me around some unfamiliar roads and without voice instructions telling me where/when to turn (I dunno if it actually does that) I still got lost. More learning time required there.
driver, if you are that concerned and talking to the daughter, just ask to pay to take it to a mechanic for an inspection and then you will know for sure.
Normally I would do that for sure, but, that would be difficult to do. First, I resent trying to fix something the SIL is responsible for doing. Second, it would be like a slap in the face to a narcissist who thinks he can do no wrong. Third, I am doing all that I can really do by passing on the information. If I was 100% sure there was a safety issue I would act, but for now I can only suggest.
That 'mechanic' who replied to Driver100 doesn't even know an X3 is RWD?
Good point! Will it make much difference though....I guess the cheap fix was to make it FWD, which isn't the normal mode....but, for the purpose of a cheap fix guess it could suffice.
I seriously doubt that is what was done- xDrive has a RWD torque bias- not even your nitwit SIL's imbecile mechanic would attempt to convert an X3 to FWD. Your "expert" is dead wrong.
Thanks for the comments...I value your opinion and knowledge. I have discussed your comments with my wife, she will talk to our daughter, and it is up to her to figure out what to do. I feel like I have done all that I can do, and I thank you for the input.
btw, the mechanic who has a column in the local newspaper is probably a good mechanic, but he probably never sees or works on a BMW, and has no idea what is involved. Most regular mechanics hate furrin cars!
What makes that newspaper mechanic dangerous is that he doesn't know what he doesn't know. If someone asks me a question at the dealer and I don't know the answer I tell them so and go look it up.
That thought went through my mind too, if the car really is unsafe because of the patch it hatchet job, then the newspaper mechanic should have been stronger in his answer, and advised me to get the car examined or taken off the road. Answering questions to normal mechanical questions he does really well, I think he answered as well as he could, given his training and knowledge, but this is a special case, and a question that is way different than he normally gets.
I am surprised he printed my question and answer, I am wondering if a BMW mechanic or good indie mechanic will see his answer and explain what could really go wrong. Then I am wondering if my SIL will hear from someone who puts the newspaper story together and figures out who wrote the letter
. I've also never had a car with nav before and I need to figure out how to understand it. Today I tried using it to guide me around some unfamiliar roads and without voice instructions telling me where/when to turn (I dunno if it actually does that) I still got lost. More learning time required there.
Glad the wheel came out nicely ab. The car sounds like it is running nicely and you are enjoying the improvements in the newer model. I don't use navigation too often, but it is sure nice to have in certain situations. Try driving a few miles away and put your home address into it..........by voice or buttons. I found a huge improvement in the navi system in the 2017 compared to the 2015, It gives you advanced instructions earlier and in a more useful way, the voice is much clearer....and friendlier, and the voice activation actually works a much larger percentage of the time.
Well, someone tried to charge gas at a Shell station about 10 miles from my home this morning using a counterfeit AMEX card. I was alerted via text and email at about 7:00 AM. AMEX denied the charge - I am assuming the thief tried to use it for gas and either entered the wrong zip code or the “security tape or code” was incorrect.
AMEX is sending me a new card overnight and told me to destroy the old card immediately. AMEX went over my charges for the past month and I verified each one.
I don’t know if this was caused by the Equifax mess or something else. Could have been from anywhere. I am now checking all my credit card Apps a couple of times a day to make sure no other charges are made on those accounts that I didn’t authorize.
AMEX said they will honor charges on the old card from “autopay” companies such as ATT, my insurance, T-Mobile, my cable company, etc. They said it would not be necessary for me to contact those companies since they have a list of those on my account.
I am also going to check my bank deposit accounts more frequently.
The more dependent we become on electronic debits and credits the more we open ourselves to fraud.
Which is why I use cash whenever possible.
Then again someone was passing counterfeit 100s at the farmers market a few week ago.
You can't win.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
@berri Not sure about the length of the lease but generally have the same concerns as you do. I'm fully expecting that at some point the market will stagnate and or start dropping a bit. That said, @fintail has mentioned numerous times that he knows people that have tied up their retirement in the increasing real estate market here, which is risky business. I know a lot of people that have done the same.
My wife and I are both 30, so we are intentionally purchasing well below our means (still way more than I want to spend) so we can continue maxing out our retirement investment, take vacations, etc. Home ownership at this point is a means of arresting the cost of living associated with the rental market.
It is curious how Seattle has simply exploded in the last 5 years. I bough my home in 1999 in the Ravenna neighborhood, near the University of Washington. Retirement was not the primary goal, and I have contributed heavily to my 401K from day 1. The value of my home has increased so much that I see it becoming a nice "unexpected" bump when I do retire - either in the form of selling here and moving somewhere we would not have thought we could have, or maybe downsizing and keeping the difference.
And while it is true that Amazon is looking for HQ2, it seems like they are primed for 3-5 more years of job growth here in Seattle. Given that Seattle is hemmed in by water I see home prices continuing to climb.
Only time will tell.
Amazon has received one billion dollars in public monies, through tax breaks and incentives, since 2014, and it looks like some local governments are primed to give them more.
And meantime every little mom & pop pizza parlor or grocery store picks up the burden. Maybe all the folks screaming about corporate welfare are on to something.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
In this case, most certainly---however the local governments seem all too willing to throw money at Amazon in exchange for....some vague promise of "prosperity". I really like Amazon in terms of customer service but if I can buy local, I will on many items.
Amazon is another company that defies the laws of stock market physics. In theory, like Tesla, longtime investors should be punishing them for their tepid results, but it seems stockholders still treat them as start-ups, in a development phase. Interesting. What does it all mean?
1) Amazon brings thousands of jobs and tax dollars to the cities they locate in.....and along with that prosperity, more restaurants, more spin off businesses, more homes etc. 2) Amazon's short term goal is not profit. First they get you hooked - which they do really well, and then they drive out the competition, then they are left standing. With Whole Foods they bought their way into the food sector too.
If I can buy locally I will do it, nothing like personalized service and supporting your local retailer, even if it costs a bit more. But, if you want to buy something, don't want to spend hours going from store to store, want lots of choice, like to see reviews, want the item delivered to your door - free and no shipping charge with Prime, then Amazon is the answer!
@berri Not sure about the length of the lease but generally have the same concerns as you do. I'm fully expecting that at some point the market will stagnate and or start dropping a bit. That said, @fintail has mentioned numerous times that he knows people that have tied up their retirement in the increasing real estate market here, which is risky business. I know a lot of people that have done the same.
My wife and I are both 30, so we are intentionally purchasing well below our means (still way more than I want to spend) so we can continue maxing out our retirement investment, take vacations, etc. Home ownership at this point is a means of arresting the cost of living associated with the rental market.
It is curious how Seattle has simply exploded in the last 5 years. I bough my home in 1999 in the Ravenna neighborhood, near the University of Washington. Retirement was not the primary goal, and I have contributed heavily to my 401K from day 1. The value of my home has increased so much that I see it becoming a nice "unexpected" bump when I do retire - either in the form of selling here and moving somewhere we would not have thought we could have, or maybe downsizing and keeping the difference.
And while it is true that Amazon is looking for HQ2, it seems like they are primed for 3-5 more years of job growth here in Seattle. Given that Seattle is hemmed in by water I see home prices continuing to climb.
Only time will tell.
I just heard that Amazon has agreed to lease the ENTIRE new Rainier building that will have something like 27 floors! I guess they plan to stay here! Here in Issaquah, RE prices are just NUTS!
@berri Not sure about the length of the lease but generally have the same concerns as you do. I'm fully expecting that at some point the market will stagnate and or start dropping a bit. That said, @fintail has mentioned numerous times that he knows people that have tied up their retirement in the increasing real estate market here, which is risky business. I know a lot of people that have done the same.
My wife and I are both 30, so we are intentionally purchasing well below our means (still way more than I want to spend) so we can continue maxing out our retirement investment, take vacations, etc. Home ownership at this point is a means of arresting the cost of living associated with the rental market.
It is curious how Seattle has simply exploded in the last 5 years. I bough my home in 1999 in the Ravenna neighborhood, near the University of Washington. Retirement was not the primary goal, and I have contributed heavily to my 401K from day 1. The value of my home has increased so much that I see it becoming a nice "unexpected" bump when I do retire - either in the form of selling here and moving somewhere we would not have thought we could have, or maybe downsizing and keeping the difference.
And while it is true that Amazon is looking for HQ2, it seems like they are primed for 3-5 more years of job growth here in Seattle. Given that Seattle is hemmed in by water I see home prices continuing to climb.
Only time will tell.
I just heard that Amazon has agreed to lease the ENTIRE new Rainier building that will have something like 27 floors! I guess they plan to stay here! Here in Issaquah, RE prices are just NUTS!
Yup. 722,000 sq ft.
2025 Jetta GLI Autobahn, 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xE
@berri Not sure about the length of the lease but generally have the same concerns as you do. I'm fully expecting that at some point the market will stagnate and or start dropping a bit. That said, @fintail has mentioned numerous times that he knows people that have tied up their retirement in the increasing real estate market here, which is risky business. I know a lot of people that have done the same.
My wife and I are both 30, so we are intentionally purchasing well below our means (still way more than I want to spend) so we can continue maxing out our retirement investment, take vacations, etc. Home ownership at this point is a means of arresting the cost of living associated with the rental market.
It is curious how Seattle has simply exploded in the last 5 years. I bough my home in 1999 in the Ravenna neighborhood, near the University of Washington. Retirement was not the primary goal, and I have contributed heavily to my 401K from day 1. The value of my home has increased so much that I see it becoming a nice "unexpected" bump when I do retire - either in the form of selling here and moving somewhere we would not have thought we could have, or maybe downsizing and keeping the difference.
And while it is true that Amazon is looking for HQ2, it seems like they are primed for 3-5 more years of job growth here in Seattle. Given that Seattle is hemmed in by water I see home prices continuing to climb.
Only time will tell.
I just heard that Amazon has agreed to lease the ENTIRE new Rainier building that will have something like 27 floors! I guess they plan to stay here! Here in Issaquah, RE prices are just NUTS!
Yup. 722,000 sq ft.
I don't see Seattle real estate cooling down in the next 5 years at least. With Amazon here and Microsoft in the area many other companies are looking to put down roots as well. All that interest will only drive prices up and up.
I had an interesting encounter today. We went to downtown Chicago to do a dinner cruise earlier today. We got their early to do a little shopping nearby so the parking lot was pretty empty and I parked in an empty portion of the lot. As the day went on and the lot filled up a Camero parked next to me and a Genisis parked on the other side. It went like this, the Camero, half a parking space, me, half a parking space then the Genisis.
Before we went to the boat I was getting something out of my trunk a car pulled up looked at the situation and we had this exchange:
Me: Thank you I see that you noticed I am parked between the two yellow lines indicating I am occupying one spot unlike these two who are straddling the yellow line indicating they are occupying two spaces.
The driver just looked at me with a stunned look on his face like he couldn't figure out what to say.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
1) Amazon brings thousands of jobs and tax dollars to the cities they locate in.....and along with that prosperity, more restaurants, more spin off businesses, more homes etc. 2) Amazon's short term goal is not profit. First they get you hooked - which they do really well, and then they drive out the competition, then they are left standing. With Whole Foods they bought their way into the food sector too.
If I can buy locally I will do it, nothing like personalized service and supporting your local retailer, even if it costs a bit more. But, if you want to buy something, don't want to spend hours going from store to store, want lots of choice, like to see reviews, want the item delivered to your door - free and no shipping charge with Prime, then Amazon is the answer!
That sounds like the same promise they make about bringing the Olympics to your city. Local governments have to look hard before the leap into things like this.
1) Amazon brings thousands of jobs and tax dollars to the cities they locate in.....and along with that prosperity, more restaurants, more spin off businesses, more homes etc. 2) Amazon's short term goal is not profit. First they get you hooked - which they do really well, and then they drive out the competition, then they are left standing. With Whole Foods they bought their way into the food sector too.
If I can buy locally I will do it, nothing like personalized service and supporting your local retailer, even if it costs a bit more. But, if you want to buy something, don't want to spend hours going from store to store, want lots of choice, like to see reviews, want the item delivered to your door - free and no shipping charge with Prime, then Amazon is the answer!
That sounds like the same promise they make about bringing the Olympics to your city. Local governments have to look hard before the leap into things like this.
So yeah, Amazon---go to Detroit!
Denver holds the honor of being the only city to have been awarded the Olympics, then reject them.
Denver is being considered for the 2026 Winter Olympics - am hoping we don't get them.
That really sucks.... I’ve had it happen a few times with my primary CC. Each time Citi was great and I had a replacement card quickly with no problems after.
My city (Halifax NS) made a big announcement about going for the Amazon bid even though it meets few of the stated criteria. When criticized, municipal officials and the Mayor stated that even if they have no chance, going through the process and the resultant publicity would be good and lead to other companies being interested in coming here. I figure it is more of a case of them being able to rub elbows with the big boys and getting some free trips and meals on the taxpayer's tab.
If you were selling your nothing special car for 50% or more (hard to tell because you didn't list milage) above kbb value, would you post an interior shot like this?
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
That really sucks.... I’ve had it happen a few times with my primary CC. Each time Citi was great and I had a replacement card quickly with no problems after.
It does stink, tjc, especially when you get the text and email at 7:00 AM in the morning.
AMEX is, without doubt in my experiences with credit card providers, the best I have ever encountered. I was using my AMEX card (I have the one that does not charge a yearly fee - gives me 3% back on all grocery store purchases, 2% back on all gasoline purchases and 1% back on everything else) one day early last month when my card's security disk could no longer be read by the checkout cashier. I called them and they overnighted one to me the very next day. Now, this awful experience with a counterfeit credit card - the card is already at FEDEX in Memphis and is due to be delivered tomorrow before 8:00 PM. It originated in Omaha, Nebraska.
I rarely use any of my other cards but one of my Visa cards is giving back 5% on all purchases at Walmart until 12/31/17. Since I do 95% of my food shopping there (about $400 a month), that's $60.00 back. Normally I use my AMEX, but they don't consider Walmart a grocery mart so I only get back 1%.
I went online and "froze" my two other credit cards so no one can use a counterfeit card. If I need to use one of those cards, I'll just unfreeze it. I did the same with my credit reports at Equifax - I froze it. If I need to use my credit history, they still have Experian and Trans Union.
If you were selling your nothing special car for 50% or more (hard to tell because you didn't list milage) above kbb value, would you post an interior shot like this?
And that is after he cleaned it up to take the picture!
btw....what is it and how much? The slob couldn't even clean the floor mats! Probably KFC chicken bones under the seats!
Found a nice feature in my truck today. Checked the nav to make sure I was headed where I thought I was. I was low on fuel so the map showed the gas stations in the area.
2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
If you were selling your nothing special car for 50% or more (hard to tell because you didn't list milage) above kbb value, would you post an interior shot like this?
And that is after he cleaned it up to take the picture!
btw....what is it and how much? The slob couldn't even clean the floor mats! Probably KFC chicken bones under the seats!
If you were selling your nothing special car for 50% or more (hard to tell because you didn't list milage) above kbb value, would you post an interior shot like this?
I'd bet the farm that the mechanicals are in about the same shape as the interior; a car that is poorly maintained cosmetically is a red flag to me.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
If you were selling your nothing special car for 50% or more (hard to tell because you didn't list milage) above kbb value, would you post an interior shot like this?
And that is after he cleaned it up to take the picture!
btw....what is it and how much? The slob couldn't even clean the floor mats! Probably KFC chicken bones under the seats!
He's a Yankees fan--what did you expect?
I was wondering if anyone would notice the hat. Bad marketing, why turn off 1/2 of the potential buyers?
2002 Sentra SE R asking $4000. I ran it through kbb with 100k miles as a guess and got a pp value of $2500. It's either real low milage or the seller is delusional. Isn't much of a detailer. I always get curious at folks who price their cars so far from the mean.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Walked past a magazine stand today, saw the new Car & Driver. Banner headline proclaims "New Honda Accord: - America's Best Sedan!"
Nothing like a balanced automotive journal. Especially from C&D which managed to keep that model on their 10 Best list for decades without any obvious reason for half that time.
If you were selling your nothing special car for 50% or more (hard to tell because you didn't list milage) above kbb value, would you post an interior shot like this?
And that is after he cleaned it up to take the picture!
btw....what is it and how much? The slob couldn't even clean the floor mats! Probably KFC chicken bones under the seats!
He's a Yankees fan--what did you expect?
I was wondering if anyone would notice the hat. Bad marketing, why turn off 1/2 of the potential buyers?
2002 Sentra SE R asking $4000. I ran it through kbb with 100k miles as a guess and got a pp value of $2500. It's either real low milage or the seller is delusional. Isn't much of a detailer. I always get curious at folks who price their cars so far from the mean.
I was wondering if the owner was in a state where marijuana was legalized!
Finally, Mercedes will bring the 6 cylinder E400 to the U.S. for 2018 according to C&D. Launching the new W213-generation E-class with a four-cylinder E300 as the only non-AMG model was a risky move on Mercedes-Benz’s part, so Mercedes is hedging its bets for the the E’s second model year by adding a six-cylinder E400 to the sedan lineup. It is incredible Mercedes would launch the 4 cylinder E300 first, for one full year. Even then it ranked in the top 3 on C&D's list for luxury cars. NEW E400 comes to the USA I still think they couldn't build enough for the US market, and the 4 bangers were popular in Europe.
Walked past a magazine stand today, saw the new Car & Driver. Banner headline proclaims "New Honda Accord: - America's Best Sedan!"
Nothing like a balanced automotive journal. Especially from C&D which managed to keep that model on their 10 Best list for decades without any obvious reason for half that time.
I've had to laugh at that for years. Every model was the bestest, quietest, most handlingest, deluxest, usw. Then when an upgrade was made the company tauted how they had improved the noise, other weaknesses the previous model supposedly did not have, and the newest model is now the bestest, quietest, handlingest, deluxest, usw. Fake news.
On the Amazon headquarters, civic leaders are very optimistic about the city's chances. When the mayor hasn't been removing traffic lanes from an already congested downtown to give to cyclists he's been touting everything about what the city can offer and as I said a few weeks ago that while PGH can offer a lot, there's other areas where it lags behind such as infrastructure, public schools (city, not suburbs).
1997 Honda Prelude Base - 2022 Acura MDX Type S Advance - 2021 Honda Passport Sport - 2006 BMW 330Ci ZHP
Found a nice feature in my truck today. Checked the nav to make sure I was headed where I thought I was. I was low on fuel so the map showed the gas stations in the area.
Wow, that's neat but kind of scary in a big brother way.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Walked past a magazine stand today, saw the new Car & Driver. Banner headline proclaims "New Honda Accord: - America's Best Sedan!"
Nothing like a balanced automotive journal. Especially from C&D which managed to keep that model on their 10 Best list for decades without any obvious reason for half that time.
Flip through the pages and count the Honda ads. That should tell you.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
there are not many Honda ads in the magazine actually. They just really like the Accord since it is generally the "drivers" car in the segment.
For Amazon, a lot of cities that know they have no real chance are joining in. Either hoping to hook up with a better pitch (joint effort), but mostly to get some publicity and hope that other companies notice.
Comments
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
AMEX is sending me a new card overnight and told me to destroy the old card immediately. AMEX went over my charges for the past month and I verified each one.
I don’t know if this was caused by the Equifax mess or something else. Could have been from anywhere. I am now checking all my credit card Apps a couple of times a day to make sure no other charges are made on those accounts that I didn’t authorize.
AMEX said they will honor charges on the old card from “autopay” companies such as ATT, my insurance, T-Mobile, my cable company, etc. They said it would not be necessary for me to contact those companies since they have a list of those on my account.
I am also going to check my bank deposit accounts more frequently.
The more dependent we become on electronic debits and credits the more we open ourselves to fraud.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Cincinnati and Dayton are joining to compete for the placement here in a location twixt the two.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Now that you mention it....there is a definite resemblance!
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Now that you mention it....there is a definite resemblance!
.... And it does look bad(as in not good).
btw, the mechanic who has a column in the local newspaper is probably a good mechanic, but he probably never sees or works on a BMW, and has no idea what is involved. Most regular mechanics hate furrin cars!
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I spent some time today driving around just for fun. Just by accident I discovered a stretch of 4-lane road in a newly-opened part of a large industrial park that has nothing built along it which dead-ends and is a favorite for local motorheads who like to have fun. Today there was a group of motorcyclists there playing around. It strikes me as almost too tempting.
The more I drive the new car the more I see how it is much different from the 2014. It handles better, is faster, more comfortable, and everything just seems to work better. It is so sweet to drive it amazes me.
Also after 2 weeks the SXM is finally working again as the salesguy finally managed to get it reactivated. I've also never had a car with nav before and I need to figure out how to understand it. Today I tried using it to guide me around some unfamiliar roads and without voice instructions telling me where/when to turn (I dunno if it actually does that) I still got lost. More learning time required there.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I am surprised he printed my question and answer, I am wondering if a BMW mechanic or good indie mechanic will see his answer and explain what could really go wrong. Then I am wondering if my SIL will hear from someone who puts the newspaper story together and figures out who wrote the letter
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
The car sounds like it is running nicely and you are enjoying the improvements in the newer model.
I don't use navigation too often, but it is sure nice to have in certain situations. Try driving a few miles away and put your home address into it..........by voice or buttons.
I found a huge improvement in the navi system in the 2017 compared to the 2015, It gives you advanced instructions earlier and in a more useful way, the voice is much clearer....and friendlier, and the voice activation actually works a much larger percentage of the time.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Then again someone was passing counterfeit 100s at the farmers market a few week ago.
You can't win.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Amazon is another company that defies the laws of stock market physics. In theory, like Tesla, longtime investors should be punishing them for their tepid results, but it seems stockholders still treat them as start-ups, in a development phase. Interesting. What does it all mean?
2) Amazon's short term goal is not profit. First they get you hooked - which they do really well, and then they drive out the competition, then they are left standing. With Whole Foods they bought their way into the food sector too.
If I can buy locally I will do it, nothing like personalized service and supporting your local retailer, even if it costs a bit more. But, if you want to buy something, don't want to spend hours going from store to store, want lots of choice, like to see reviews, want the item delivered to your door - free and no shipping charge with Prime, then Amazon is the answer!
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I don't see Seattle real estate cooling down in the next 5 years at least. With Amazon here and Microsoft in the area many other companies are looking to put down roots as well. All that interest will only drive prices up and up.
Before we went to the boat I was getting something out of my trunk a car pulled up looked at the situation and we had this exchange:
Me: Thank you I see that you noticed I am parked between the two yellow lines indicating I am occupying one spot unlike these two who are straddling the yellow line indicating they are occupying two spaces.
The driver just looked at me with a stunned look on his face like he couldn't figure out what to say.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
So yeah, Amazon---go to Detroit!
Denver is being considered for the 2026 Winter Olympics - am hoping we don't get them.
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
That really sucks.... I’ve had it happen a few times with my primary CC. Each time Citi was great and I had a replacement card quickly with no problems after.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
AMEX is, without doubt in my experiences with credit card providers, the best I have ever encountered. I was using my AMEX card (I have the one that does not charge a yearly fee - gives me 3% back on all grocery store purchases, 2% back on all gasoline purchases and 1% back on everything else) one day early last month when my card's security disk could no longer be read by the checkout cashier. I called them and they overnighted one to me the very next day. Now, this awful experience with a counterfeit credit card - the card is already at FEDEX in Memphis and is due to be delivered tomorrow before 8:00 PM. It originated in Omaha, Nebraska.
I rarely use any of my other cards but one of my Visa cards is giving back 5% on all purchases at Walmart until 12/31/17. Since I do 95% of my food shopping there (about $400 a month), that's $60.00 back. Normally I use my AMEX, but they don't consider Walmart a grocery mart so I only get back 1%.
I went online and "froze" my two other credit cards so no one can use a counterfeit card. If I need to use one of those cards, I'll just unfreeze it. I did the same with my credit reports at Equifax - I froze it. If I need to use my credit history, they still have Experian and Trans Union.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
btw....what is it and how much? The slob couldn't even clean the floor mats! Probably KFC chicken bones under the seats!
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I was low on fuel so the map showed the gas stations in the area.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
2002 Sentra SE R asking $4000. I ran it through kbb with 100k miles as a guess and got a pp value of $2500. It's either real low milage or the seller is delusional. Isn't much of a detailer. I always get curious at folks who price their cars so far from the mean.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Nothing like a balanced automotive journal. Especially from C&D which managed to keep that model on their 10 Best list for decades without any obvious reason for half that time.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Craigslist
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Launching the new W213-generation E-class with a four-cylinder E300 as the only non-AMG model was a risky move on Mercedes-Benz’s part, so Mercedes is hedging its bets for the the E’s second model year by adding a six-cylinder E400 to the sedan lineup.
It is incredible Mercedes would launch the 4 cylinder E300 first, for one full year. Even then it ranked in the top 3 on C&D's list for luxury cars.
NEW E400 comes to the USA
I still think they couldn't build enough for the US market, and the 4 bangers were popular in Europe.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I’d rather they find a place farther east.
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
For Amazon, a lot of cities that know they have no real chance are joining in. Either hoping to hook up with a better pitch (joint effort), but mostly to get some publicity and hope that other companies notice.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
http://performance.ford.com/enthusiasts/quick-look/2017/10/concours-d_lemons-michigan-.html?cks=15304659750&emailid=FP_FASTNEWS
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible