Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

andres3

Mr_Shiftright said:

driver100 said:

explorerx4 said:

Those lifetime warranties from the dealer are good as long as they stay in business.

Sears just went bankrupt in Canada. No employee pensions...no money left, and extended warranties will not be honored.

I bet top management retires nicely however.

Who still buys extended warranties? CR has been telling people for decades those are a rip-off of epic proportions.

oldfarmer50

imidazol97 said:

MB just announced a recall involving a lot of models.

An electrostatic discharge, coupled with a broken clock spring and insufficient grounding of steering components, can lead to inadvertent deployment of the driver side front air bag in vehicles subject to the recall, the company said.

A Mercedes-Benz spokeswoman in the United States said there had been "a handful of instances where drivers suffered minor abrasions or bruises" due to the air bag problem.

https://auto.ndtv.com/news/daimler-recalls-over-1-million-mercedes-benz-vehicles-worldwide-for-air-bag-fix-1763904

Seems Ford is having more trouble with the CO leaks in Explorers too. Different from the cop version. Ford says if you're worried to bring your vehicle in for a check but they aren't calling it a recall.

andres3

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

thebean said:

Life's too short and vacations are too important to me to mess with Priceline and their ilk to save a few bucks.  I always book with the hotel website itself and get all applicable discounts, like senior discount, and then I can change/cancel with no hassle.  I worked hard and saved for 40 years and I'm going to enjoy my money as long as it lasts.

Well, this isn't a "vacation" Just a place to sleep while I enjoy the Buttonwillow Speedway Raceway Track for a 2-day weekend of nothing but high speed. I went cheap so I could afford more racing fuel.

Well a tent and a campsite at a local campground is really cheap.

Seriously though in my younger more single days I would do that on vacations or cross country trips. Just throw a tent and sleeping bag in the car and campout at a KOA or the like for a few bucks. 

The thought has occurred to some people. I've heard of overnight camping at the track site before in previous years, but this year it was mentioned they were not allowing that. It isn't an area that would have camp sites nearby, and for good reason. $40/night is pretty cheap.

driver100

Mr_Shiftright said:

driver100 said:

explorerx4 said:

Those lifetime warranties from the dealer are good as long as they stay in business.

Sears just went bankrupt in Canada. No employee pensions...no money left, and extended warranties will not be honored.

I bet top management retires nicely however.

Exactly. They have been making huge bonuses for years, and of course they had to stick around and steer the company since they are the one's who messed it up and bled it to death....they, supposedly know how to fix it....ha ha.

iluvmysephia1

2018 Kia Rio5

http://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2017...-2018-kia-rio/

Today, the brand ranks highest in in J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Survey for the second consecutive year with a score of 72 problems per 100 vehicles – a number that Lexus would kill to achieve – and five Kia products won their segments in the latest IQS.
Elsewhere, the car that changed consumer perception of the brand, the Kia Soul, has earned its first ever Car & Driver 10 best award. Meanwhile, the brand’s product cadence has filled showrooms with an impressive array of products, including the full-size Cadenza, sporty turbocharged Soul, the all-new Niro and the product that has enthusiasts eagerly anticipating its arrival: the rear-wheel-drive Stinger sports sedan.
But if any car proves how far Kia has come, it’s the fourth-generation Rio. Offered as a four-door sedan and five-door hatchback, it’s the brand’s best seller with more than 400,000 units worldwide and it tops the charts in Europe as well.
This is why this subcompact Kia’s significance to company fortunes looms large, which may account for the car’s cautious styling, which boasts a European presence – especially on the five-door hatchback. The new model boasts a more geometric, chiseled appearance and a longer hood capped by a new version of Kia’s trademark tiger nose grille.

The good impressions continue upon closer inspection. Switchgear lacks the cheap feel of previous Rios, while the bad seams and poorly finished pieces you’d expect to find are absent. Knobs are nicely detailed with metallic inlays and rubberized edging and are blessedly simple to use. The only negative are the hard plastic door panels that lack padded armrests, which make for a noticeably uncomfortable experience. Considering its price point, however, material quality is impressive.


Moving the front-wheel-drive Rio is Kia’s 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that’s also used in the Kia Soul. It’s mated to a six-speed automatic or manual transmission – the latter only available on the base LX. Producing 130 horsepower and 119 pound-feet of torque, the Rio is more than capable. Given its size, you’d expect the engine to get vocal when pressed, but it remains remarkably muted. In fact, the car is so lacking in road and tire noise, you’ll wonder if you’re in a Rio.

Best of all, there’s a lot more driving fun than you’d expect in an entry-level scooter, especially considering its front struts, rear torsion beam setup. Its progressive and predictable in its behavior, so much so, you might wonder when the hot hatch variant will arrive, something you would never say of a Kia Rio in past form.
It lacks the expected Korean floatiness and excessive brake dive, even at extremes. Take a corner too fast, brake hard and crank the wheel and the Rio will scrub off speed while maintaining way more grip than you’d come to expect. Credit the car’s rigid structure; the suspension pieces themselves are nothing special.

When it comes to tech, Kia has you covered with Bluetooth, a six-speaker stereo with satellite radio and a rear-view camera system, seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Standard safety features include six airbags, side-impact door beams, electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, hill-start assist and vehicle stability management. Standard safety features include six airbags, side-impact door beams, electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, hill-start assist and vehicle stability management.

Android Auto will be nice to have in this subcompact from Kia. Nice driving manners and the ESC, anti-lock brakes and vehicle stability management should all help in inclement weather driving, which was making me focus so much on the 2017 Subaru Impreza. But the Impreza costs $5,000 more than the 2018 Kia Rio LX hatchback with a manual transmission, which is definitely the one I would buy. The car is available in white over at George Gee Kia in Spokane Valley for only $14,975 as I type this post out.

qbrozen

andres3 said:

Who still buys extended warranties? CR has been telling people for decades those are a rip-off of epic proportions.

Who still reads CR?
;b

dino001

iluvmysephia1 said:

2018 Kia Rio5

http://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2017...-2018-kia-rio/

Today, the brand ranks highest in in J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Survey for the second consecutive year with a score of 72 problems per 100 vehicles – a number that Lexus would kill to achieve – and five Kia products won their segments in the latest IQS.
Elsewhere, the car that changed consumer perception of the brand, the Kia Soul, has earned its first ever Car & Driver 10 best award. Meanwhile, the brand’s product cadence has filled showrooms with an impressive array of products, including the full-size Cadenza, sporty turbocharged Soul, the all-new Niro and the product that has enthusiasts eagerly anticipating its arrival: the rear-wheel-drive Stinger sports sedan.
But if any car proves how far Kia has come, it’s the fourth-generation Rio. Offered as a four-door sedan and five-door hatchback, it’s the brand’s best seller with more than 400,000 units worldwide and it tops the charts in Europe as well.
This is why this subcompact Kia’s significance to company fortunes looms large, which may account for the car’s cautious styling, which boasts a European presence – especially on the five-door hatchback. The new model boasts a more geometric, chiseled appearance and a longer hood capped by a new version of Kia’s trademark tiger nose grille.

The good impressions continue upon closer inspection. Switchgear lacks the cheap feel of previous Rios, while the bad seams and poorly finished pieces you’d expect to find are absent. Knobs are nicely detailed with metallic inlays and rubberized edging and are blessedly simple to use. The only negative are the hard plastic door panels that lack padded armrests, which make for a noticeably uncomfortable experience. Considering its price point, however, material quality is impressive.


Moving the front-wheel-drive Rio is Kia’s 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that’s also used in the Kia Soul. It’s mated to a six-speed automatic or manual transmission – the latter only available on the base LX. Producing 130 horsepower and 119 pound-feet of torque, the Rio is more than capable. Given its size, you’d expect the engine to get vocal when pressed, but it remains remarkably muted. In fact, the car is so lacking in road and tire noise, you’ll wonder if you’re in a Rio.

Best of all, there’s a lot more driving fun than you’d expect in an entry-level scooter, especially considering its front struts, rear torsion beam setup. Its progressive and predictable in its behavior, so much so, you might wonder when the hot hatch variant will arrive, something you would never say of a Kia Rio in past form.
It lacks the expected Korean floatiness and excessive brake dive, even at extremes. Take a corner too fast, brake hard and crank the wheel and the Rio will scrub off speed while maintaining way more grip than you’d come to expect. Credit the car’s rigid structure; the suspension pieces themselves are nothing special.

When it comes to tech, Kia has you covered with Bluetooth, a six-speaker stereo with satellite radio and a rear-view camera system, seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Standard safety features include six airbags, side-impact door beams, electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, hill-start assist and vehicle stability management. Standard safety features include six airbags, side-impact door beams, electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, hill-start assist and vehicle stability management.

Android Auto will be nice to have in this subcompact from Kia. Nice driving manners and the ESC, anti-lock brakes and vehicle stability management should all help in inclement weather driving, which was making me focus so much on the 2017 Subaru Impreza. But the Impreza costs $5,000 more than the 2018 Kia Rio LX hatchback with a manual transmission, which is definitely the one I would buy. The car is available in white over at George Gee Kia in Spokane Valley for only $14,975 as I type this post out.

Well, Rio and Impreza are not in the same class, so price gap is to be expected. It's really Spectra that compares in terms of size. Rio is FWD, Impreza is AWD, so you have to price gap shoudl even increase. I think it's not outrageous for Impreza to cost 5 grand more than Rio. Here in Tampa Kia dealers are geared to low end buyers (credit score problems, lack of money), so all their marketing is targeting them, making their commercials hard to stand. If you think those Honda lease ads were bad, just wait until you see those Kia ads. It's unbearable. However, if you credit is good (or you pay cash), you know what you're doing and all you need is Rio, then by all means, go for it.

isellhondas

driver100 said:

explorerx4 said:

Those lifetime warranties from the dealer are good as long as they stay in business.

Sears just went bankrupt in Canada. No employee pensions...no money left, and extended warranties will not be honored.

I expect the same thing here in the states by the end of next year. Sears isn't the only big chain that will suffer this fate. Very sad.

andres3

isellhondas said:

driver100 said:

explorerx4 said:

Those lifetime warranties from the dealer are good as long as they stay in business.

Sears just went bankrupt in Canada. No employee pensions...no money left, and extended warranties will not be honored.

I expect the same thing here in the states by the end of next year. Sears isn't the only big chain that will suffer this fate. Very sad.

Should I stock up on Vacuum cleaner bags before they go bankrupt? I suppose someone will buy the good parts. I know Orchard Hardware Supply stores (new in our area) are selling Craftsman parts, such as little air compressors/pumps.

explorerx4

Not positive, but I think the Craftsman brand was sold.
Sear owns lots of real estate.
The local store closed, they knocked it down and a new building or two is now being built on the site.

iluvmysephia1

Man, I just registered the 2011 Kia Soul in Washington state at the Chelan auto licensing office. Easiest transaction I can remember, though it required the agent to call another agent to get it done. The state I moved from, Missouri, requires you to get your title (whether it has a lienholder on it or not) sent to you to keep. So, I of course brought it with me to the office today. I even brought my license plates from the Moses Lake residence, and the agent let me put the same ones (front and back, just like Missouri requires) back on - saved me $24. The registration is good until October of 2018 and it only costed me $94. Cool.

As far as my driver's license, I kept it from the Moses Lake residence we moved out of in July 2015 - went online and found it to be still valid! So I save myself $89 that way, too. It's good until August of 2020. Coolio topped off with an Iglasius.

driver100

andres3 said:

isellhondas said:

driver100 said:

explorerx4 said:

Those lifetime warranties from the dealer are good as long as they stay in business.

Sears just went bankrupt in Canada. No employee pensions...no money left, and extended warranties will not be honored.

I expect the same thing here in the states by the end of next year. Sears isn't the only big chain that will suffer this fate. Very sad.

Should I stock up on Vacuum cleaner bags before they go bankrupt? I suppose someone will buy the good parts. I know Orchard Hardware Supply stores (new in our area) are selling Craftsman parts, such as little air compressors/pumps.

Get vacuum bags on amazon, for about 25% of the cost of retail. They may be made by a knock off company, but they get 5 star ratings and work as well as the original equipment bags.

driver100

explorerx4 said:

Not positive, but I think the Craftsman brand was sold.
Sear owns lots of real estate.
The local store closed, they knocked it down and a new building or two is now being built on the site.

Except, who wants to move into a big vacant department store these days? Malls can't get someone to take over those spots. My guess, those large stores will become condos, and part of the parking lot will become condos, with retail stores attached.

tbirdmarco

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P6dCoS-3Mts

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

explorerx4 said:

Not positive, but I think the Craftsman brand was sold.
Sear owns lots of real estate.
The local store closed, they knocked it down and a new building or two is now being built on the site.

Except, who wants to move into a big vacant department store these days? Malls can't get someone to take over those spots. My guess, those large stores will become condos, and part of the parking lot will become condos, with retail stores attached.

Two local malls proposed that, the local NIMBYs blocked both.

sda

Tomorrow is a big day for Honda as the '18 Accord becomes available. None of the local dealers have them shown online yet. Honda must be firmly in control of this.

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

explorerx4 said:

Not positive, but I think the Craftsman brand was sold.
Sear owns lots of real estate.
The local store closed, they knocked it down and a new building or two is now being built on the site.

Except, who wants to move into a big vacant department store these days? Malls can't get someone to take over those spots. My guess, those large stores will become condos, and part of the parking lot will become condos, with retail stores attached.

Two local malls proposed that, the local NIMBYs blocked both.

It seems most cities need room for homes. You can build a large 20 story apartment where a Sears store stood. A lot more tax revenue than what a poor performing department store generates. Better than vacant buildings. Why fight it?

fintail

Probably entitled types who bought their detached homes on large lots for much more favorable income:mortgage terms than what people starting out have available today, and don't want to feel crowded or see things change.

berri

Wonder how the Ford Explorer CO issue will play out. Can't help thinking about how that cruise control issue they had some years back started out as an alleged minor number of vehicles thing from the company and ended up fairly massive by the end???

Michaell

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

explorerx4 said:

Not positive, but I think the Craftsman brand was sold.
Sear owns lots of real estate.
The local store closed, they knocked it down and a new building or two is now being built on the site.

Except, who wants to move into a big vacant department store these days? Malls can't get someone to take over those spots. My guess, those large stores will become condos, and part of the parking lot will become condos, with retail stores attached.

Two local malls proposed that, the local NIMBYs blocked both.

It seems most cities need room for homes. You can build a large 20 story apartment where a Sears store stood. A lot more tax revenue than what a poor performing department store generates. Better than vacant buildings. Why fight it?

Zoning, I suspect. Can't build residential (single or multi family) on land zoned retail or commercial. Would take a lot of effort to change the zoning to allow that to happen.

murphydog

Ugh. Put new tires on the X3 2 months ago. Michelin Primacy MXM4 run flats at local Costco. Wife pulls up tonight and I see something shiny and big buried in the tred. Some huge clip with a nice knife edge that has of course penetrated the tire. Costco includes a generous warranty that would get us ~ 95% of the replacement cost...but several days to get in, then if it can't be repaired another couple days to get a tire shipped in. Unfortunately we can't be without a car that long, and she is not ready to drive my truck around town...

Discount Tire has em in stock in their Kirkland store and will charge $350 for a replacement installed. It may be repairable, but I worry about the sidewall after 10 miles of driving it...

Not mad at Costco per se, all in their price was best even with their warranty I can't use...oh well

28firefighter

@murphydog probably construction site garbage. We’ve picked up no less than 3 flats over the last year due to careless contractors around the neighborhood. 

stickguy

one of the reasons I am less fond of tire rack. Yes they have a warranty, but it is not as convenient as going into the local tire chain and getting taken care of on the spot.

stickguy

Driver, one other trend is carving up the big anchor store buildings into 3-4 mid sized stores (like forever 21 or some newer, trendy chains).

Michaell

stickguy said:

Driver, one other trend is carving up the big anchor store buildings into 3-4 mid sized stores (like forever 21 or some newer, trendy chains).

At least, those other chains that are still in business.

oldfarmer50

berri said:

Wonder how the Ford Explorer CO issue will play out. Can't help thinking about how that cruise control issue they had some years back started out as an alleged minor number of vehicles thing from the company and ended up fairly massive by the end???

How hard can it be to properly seal up an exhaust system? Then again, Ford has had problems sealing seams on Aluminium hoods since at least 2005. Wonder if this is a quality control issue rather than a design flaw.

pensfan83

graphicguy said:

@pensfan83 ....What do you think of your Acura ASpec now that you've had a chance to live with it for a while?

I love it, some brief thoughts.

Driving: I haven't put a lot of miles on it yet but according to the computer I'm averaging around 22-24 MPG, mostly city driving with the car in Sport mode the entire time. I filled up last week so we'll see if that's an accurate figure when I do my manual calculation. The car is a blast to toss around and the AWD system is calibrated perfectly to keep it composed through hard turns. The steering (and the wheel itself is nicely proportioned in the right places) is also nicely weighted and gives good feedback in Sport mode and the acceleration is also very good. On my way to the airport very early Monday morning I opened it up a bit and the car definitely does not lack for power. The noticeable, and sometimes oddly timed, upshifts/downshifts are becoming less and less noticeable...as you noted that happened over time with you as well. I know it won't happen but this car would be amazing with a proper manual transmission.

Interior: I love the seats, they are contoured perfectly and the Alcantara is quite grippy. I still have some concerns over the long term wear but I'll keep it maintained so hopefully it's a non-issue. This is my first car with Android Auto and I love it, great integration, speed, and ease of use. The factory nav could be better but with the ability to throw Waze on the top screen it's a non-issue to me. And I don't know why some car buffs find the dual screen setup odd....I love it, it's great to have HVAC/seat controls/radio on a lower screen and still keep my phone on the upper screen. I would also echo your review of the sound system, I think it sounds better than the Bang & Olufsen I had in the A4. The entire interior is also put together very well, soft touch materials everywhere your eyes normally fall and your hands touch and hard plastics where they don't. The ambient lighting is a nice touch, lends a bit of color at night to an otherwise very dark interior.

Overall: This is a very solid car that does everything well, to excellent. It's not a sports car but I don't need it to be. It's very comfortable, entertaining to drive, and comes loaded to the gills. I haven't tested the adaptive cruise, lane keep, or other safety features but I'm sure they work fine. The exterior refresh and A-Spec touches make this a very handsome ride IMO and make it stand out from the crowd. My complaints are minor,some might call it nit picking. The side mirrors don't fold in and they don't auto dim, there are no USB ports for rear passengers, and the front/rear parking sensors go berserk when I pull it in the garage. The lack of USB ports for rear passengers is the most glaring for me because it means we have to route the chargers for the kids iPads or other devices to the front or not at all, which would be problematic for longer drives. Those are minor quibbles though and aren't anything that detract from the overall package.

Lastly, I know you don't lease but Acura has very good lease program benefits. $750 credit for lease end damages that rises to $1,500 if you lease/buy another Acura, rollover of up to 15,000 unused miles to a new Acura lease, forgiveness of half your mileage overage (up to 7,500 miles), and true 3 month pull ahead (payments actually waived). These benefits could make it hard to walk away so let's hope they up the ante with a TLX-Type S

houdini1

fintail said:

I learned something today. Thanks!

snakeweasel said:

A clock spring is a long flat piece of metal wound up in a coil that resembles a spring in a clock. It allows the steering wheel to turn while maintaining electrical connection between what's on or in the steering wheel and components in the rest of the car. 

fintail said:

I learned something today. Thanks!

snakeweasel said:

A clock spring is a long flat piece of metal wound up in a coil that resembles a spring in a clock. It allows the steering wheel to turn while maintaining electrical connection between what's on or in the steering wheel and components in the rest of the car. 

Me too !

graphicguy

pensfan83 said:

graphicguy said:

@pensfan83 ....What do you think of your Acura ASpec now that you've had a chance to live with it for a while?

I love it, some brief thoughts.

Driving: I haven't put a lot of miles on it yet but according to the computer I'm averaging around 22-24 MPG, mostly city driving with the car in Sport mode the entire time. I filled up last week so we'll see if that's an accurate figure when I do my manual calculation. The car is a blast to toss around and the AWD system is calibrated perfectly to keep it composed through hard turns. The steering (and the wheel itself is nicely proportioned in the right places) is also nicely weighted and gives good feedback in Sport mode and the acceleration is also very good. On my way to the airport very early Monday morning I opened it up a bit and the car definitely does not lack for power. The noticeable, and sometimes oddly timed, upshifts/downshifts are becoming less and less noticeable...as you noted that happened over time with you as well. I know it won't happen but this car would be amazing with a proper manual transmission.

Interior: I love the seats, they are contoured perfectly and the Alcantara is quite grippy. I still have some concerns over the long term wear but I'll keep it maintained so hopefully it's a non-issue. This is my first car with Android Auto and I love it, great integration, speed, and ease of use. The factory nav could be better but with the ability to throw Waze on the top screen it's a non-issue to me. And I don't know why some car buffs find the dual screen setup odd....I love it, it's great to have HVAC/seat controls/radio on a lower screen and still keep my phone on the upper screen. I would also echo your review of the sound system, I think it sounds better than the Bang & Olufsen I had in the A4. The entire interior is also put together very well, soft touch materials everywhere your eyes normally fall and your hands touch and hard plastics where they don't. The ambient lighting is a nice touch, lends a bit of color at night to an otherwise very dark interior.

Overall: This is a very solid car that does everything well, to excellent. It's not a sports car but I don't need it to be. It's very comfortable, entertaining to drive, and comes loaded to the gills. I haven't tested the adaptive cruise, lane keep, or other safety features but I'm sure they work fine. The exterior refresh and A-Spec touches make this a very handsome ride IMO and make it stand out from the crowd. My complaints are minor,some might call it nit picking. The side mirrors don't fold in and they don't auto dim, there are no USB ports for rear passengers, and the front/rear parking sensors go berserk when I pull it in the garage. The lack of USB ports for rear passengers is the most glaring for me because it means we have to route the chargers for the kids iPads or other devices to the front or not at all, which would be problematic for longer drives. Those are minor quibbles though and aren't anything that detract from the overall package.

Lastly, I know you don't lease but Acura has very good lease program benefits. $750 credit for lease end damages that rises to $1,500 if you lease/buy another Acura, rollover of up to 15,000 unused miles to a new Acura lease, forgiveness of half your mileage overage (up to 7,500 miles), and true 3 month pull ahead (payments actually waived). These benefits could make it hard to walk away so let's hope they up the ante with a TLX-Type S

Good to hear. Your experiences echo mine. Thanks for chiming in.

Since broken in, I regularly run mine past 4K RPM, where there's a nice power "kick", courtesy V-Tech.

I think the best MPG I got was 90% highway, doing 80-85 MPH in hilly KY.....30 MPG. I have never had my IDS in anything but "Sport" or "Sport +". So, I've made no attempt to maximize MPG. But, in all city driving, you're getting the same MPG as I experience.

I've only had two people in the back seat once. And, selfish of me, but I didn't care whether they had power port access. But, with kids, I get where you're coming from.

Seats I absolutely love....and they're heated and cooled. Haven't used the heated steering wheel, yet.

On board Nav I use only to map where I am at currently. For directions, I use Apple Car Play. Sounds like Waze and Android Auto work just as well, too.

ELS is still the best factory stereo I've heard in any car, at any price.

Brakes are good and easy to modulate. Like you, the steering is predictable and through corners, the car just sticks, regardless of speed. Steering wheel feels particularly good.

The sensors on the car, while pulling in the garage, do indeed go off. But, they also help me from hitting the front or side garage wall and when I've cleared the garage door.

Radar cruise is something I didn't think I'd use much, but on the interstate, I use it every time. I also use the "semi-autonomous cruise". Crazy to think about it when I first got it, but whenever I'm rooting for something in the center console, or grabbing a vitamin water out of the cup holder, I let the car do the driving for several seconds. Did I need or want that? No. But, I seem to use it more and more.

Everything works, the way it's supposed to...which is a bonus. Great materials and build.

I'm only 4.5 months in to ownership, but this one may be my favorite car I've ever had.

All-in-all, sounds like you like it, too.

nyccarguy

@pensfan83

I'm glad to see you are enjoying your TLX A-Spec SH-AWD! Great car. I dig the 2018 refresh.

iluvmysephia1

Nissan Versa sedan

sandman - nice ta hear that Hertz gave you a Nissan Versa sedan. I still like the little sedan from Nissan, let me ask you a few questions. Did the small tires cause the car to wander in the lanes? Did the tires grip well? I'm sure yours was an automatic transmission but I would buy a stick Versa sedan. I saw these selling for as low as $9,999 in St. Louis brand new.

I think that my latest fave, the 2018 Kia Rio5 selling for only $14,795, would be a lot more car plus have a rear view camera and Android Auto for $14,795. There's a white one without a picture loaded up yet at George Gee Kia in Spokane Valley, WA. Our 2011 Kia Soul is at 90,799 miles and was just registered in Washington yesterday. No need to trade I just call it a labor of love to research...early.

driver100

stickguy said:

Driver, one other trend is carving up the big anchor store buildings into 3-4 mid sized stores (like forever 21 or some newer, trendy chains).

Stick, that is definitely being done....here the old Target stores are being divided up. Target thought they could walk into Canada and be a big success, took on too much and couldn't get their act together, and lost a bundle after 2 years. But, there are only so many kinds of stores that work these days....IKEA does well, dollar stores, shoe stores, jewellery up to a point, and the bargain store where you have to hunt for what you want.....people like to spend time doing that. The rest of the stuff you can buy faster and easier on Amazon. So, more retail space available.....than what can be utilized.

pensfan83

@graphicguy, Absolutely. It's a very balanced and well engineered car. It's interesting when you say you've made no attempt to maximize fuel economy yet you're still getting 30 MPG, only a few off the pace of I regularly achieved with my 4 cylinder A4 that regularly saw speeds of 75-80 on the highway. Once the car is broken in more I'll probably drive it closer to how your style.

There will be more traffic on the road after I land this afternoon so I may give the safety nannies a try.

@nyccarguy thank you sir. I think the refresh and the add of a model with more flash and substance is what won me over. Up until @graphicguy bought his A Spec and I wouldn't have given Acura a second look.

Mr_Shiftright

qbrozen said:

andres3 said:

Who still buys extended warranties? CR has been telling people for decades those are a rip-off of epic proportions.

Who still reads CR?
;b

People over 95 years old still do!

ab348

driver100 said:

stickguy said:

Driver, one other trend is carving up the big anchor store buildings into 3-4 mid sized stores (like forever 21 or some newer, trendy chains).

Stick, that is definitely being done....here the old Target stores are being divided up. Target thought they could walk into Canada and be a big success, took on too much and couldn't get their act together, and lost a bundle after 2 years. But, there are only so many kinds of stores that work these days....IKEA does well, dollar stores, shoe stores, jewellery up to a point, and the bargain store where you have to hunt for what you want.....people like to spend time doing that. The rest of the stuff you can buy faster and easier on Amazon. So, more retail space available.....than what can be utilized.

Of course, Target took over the old Zellers store locations, which was a long-time retailer here that struggled with the emergence of Walmart. I realized after they left that I bought a surprising number of things at Zellers that I now cannot get, like Cherokee branded clothing. Target was a case study of what a retailer can do wrong. I visited a couple of times, was unimpressed with the assortment and the prices, and never went back. I think most people did the same, This is an excellent article on all the mistakes they made:

http://www.canadianbusiness.com/the-last-days-of-target-canada/

Around here one of their stores became a Canadian Tire location, while the other is being carved up as you described. Ikea just opened a 300,000 sq ft store here which I have not yet visited. It strikes me as being almost too big and rather an ordeal to make your way though. But I expect I will go there some weekday afternoon when it is relatively quiet.

stickguy

I saw a 2018 TLX in the wild yesterday. I kinda prefer the old nose! Glad you are enjoying yours. I can aspire to the next generation in a few years! Or a genesis.

imidazol97

ab348 said:

Ikea just opened a 300,000 sq ft store here which I have not yet visited. It strikes me as being almost too big and rather an ordeal to make your way though. But I expect I will go there some weekday afternoon when it is relatively quiet.

Ikea is obnoxious with its zigzag mandatory wandering. The younger generations seem to passively wander along following the rules. My wife's back gives her trouble walking. So there's an entrance next to the kiddie land that can also be used as an exit. I forget the pattern of the remote sensor that opens from the inside or the person in kiddie land has to push a button to release you without merchandise through that entrance. Merchandise? You have to walk to the back of the store and then wander through the to-be-assembled products to the front of the store to the registers.

Also my wife goes in through the registers backwards to get to the seasonal display right before them. We have walked one floor or other looking for furniture for junior's apartment. But it's an obnoxious arrangement.

The store in Canton MI was similar. There is a new store in Columbus OH that I'd like to see thinking they have improved the process somehow.

imidazol97

ab348 said:

Ikea just opened a 300,000 sq ft store here which I have not yet visited. It strikes me as being almost too big and rather an ordeal to make your way though. But I expect I will go there some weekday afternoon when it is relatively quiet.

Ikea is obnoxious with its zigzag mandatory wandering. The younger generations seem to passively wander along following the rules. My wife's back gives her trouble walking. So there's an entrance next to the kiddie land that can also be used as an exit. I forget the pattern of the remote sensor that opens from the inside or the person in kiddie land has to push a button to release you without merchandise through that entrance. Merchandise? You have to walk to the back of the store and then wander through the to-be-assembled products to the front of the store to the registers.

Also my wife goes in through the registers backwards to get to the seasonal display right before them. We have walked one floor or other looking for furniture for junior's apartment. But it's an obnoxious arrangement.

The store in Canton MI was similar. There is a new store in Columbus OH that I'd like to see thinking they have improved the process somehow.

They don't sell cars there, but that's probably coming soon when they can find a cute Swedish name for them like all their other tags. And the tags are funny also with how they talk about Swedish quality implying "Made in Sweden", but careful reading show much of the stuff is China sourced. Just an upscale Walmart with better taste in some items.

imidazol97

ab348 said:

Ikea just opened a 300,000 sq ft store here which I have not yet visited. It strikes me as being almost too big and rather an ordeal to make your way though. But I expect I will go there some weekday afternoon when it is relatively quiet.

Ikea is obnoxious with its zigzag mandatory wandering. The younger generations seem to passively wander along following the rules. My wife's back gives her trouble walking. So there's an entrance next to the kiddie land that can also be used as an exit. I forget the pattern of the remote sensor that opens from the inside or the person in kiddie land has to push a button to release you without merchandise through that entrance. Merchandise? You have to walk to the back of the store and then wander through the to-be-assembled products to the front of the store to the registers.

Also my wife goes in through the registers backwards to get to the seasonal display right before them. We have walked one floor or other looking for furniture for junior's apartment. But it's an obnoxious arrangement.

The store in Canton MI was similar. There is a new store in Columbus OH that I'd like to see thinking they have improved the process somehow.

They don't sell cars there, but that's probably coming soon when they can find a cute Swedish name for them like all their other tags. And the tags are funny also with how they talk about Swedish quality implying "Made in Sweden", but careful reading shows much of the stuff is China sourced. Just an upscale Walmart with better taste in some

fintail

Seattle has but one IKEA, and it is always a zoo. I might visit every other year. I find the food section the most interesting, as I am not much of a decorator, and don't have much room for idle furniture. Entering through the register area is a good idea for that.

I have an IKEA TV cabinet made in Germany, and a pair of low dressers made in Poland. Some of the sourcing there can be odd. A lot of far eastern stuff hiding under the Scandinavian theme, however.

isellhondas

driver100 said:

andres3 said:

isellhondas said:

driver100 said:

explorerx4 said:

Those lifetime warranties from the dealer are good as long as they stay in business.

Sears just went bankrupt in Canada. No employee pensions...no money left, and extended warranties will not be honored.

I expect the same thing here in the states by the end of next year. Sears isn't the only big chain that will suffer this fate. Very sad.

Should I stock up on Vacuum cleaner bags before they go bankrupt? I suppose someone will buy the good parts. I know Orchard Hardware Supply stores (new in our area) are selling Craftsman parts, such as little air compressors/pumps.

Get vacuum bags on amazon, for about 25% of the cost of retail. They may be made by a knock off company, but they get 5 star ratings and work as well as the original equipment bags.

Yep. and the brick and mortar stores will continue to fail.

Not judging since I do the same thing sometimes.

isellhondas

explorerx4 said:

Not positive, but I think the Craftsman brand was sold.
Sear owns lots of real estate.
The local store closed, they knocked it down and a new building or two is now being built on the site.

I understand Stanley-Black and Decker (that's what they call Stanley now) bought the Craftsman brand. Not a good thing in my opinion.

explorerx4

Never go to IKEA during college move in weekend!

28firefighter

I hate the Ikea in Seattle with a fiery passion. We always end up there once a year and regret it immediately after turning into the parking lot.

28firefighter

For those of you following at home we received 8 offers today. We are reviewing with our broker this evening, but the top two offers are 10% over ask.

Michaell

An IKEA opened in Denver a couple years ago, to great fanfare.

I agree - the place is a zoo. Been once, not likely to go back.

Now, a second one is planned for the metro area in the next year or so.

stickguy

we go occasionally. try to pick a lower traffic time. First open on a Sunday, get the cheap breakfast. Not too bad. Also like the swedish meatball lunch. Usually find some kitchen gadget to buy, and we do get furniture occasionally. Brought a cube bookcase unit with us to college this year for the princess.

snakeweasel

Michaell said:lo

An IKEA opened in Denver a couple years ago, to great fanfare. I agree - the place is a zoo. Been once, not likely to go back. Now, a second one is planned for the metro area in the next year or so.

Oh how I hate the IKEA by my house. Everyone I go there I want to burn the place down and salt the ground on which it stood.  

explorerx4

@28firefighter,
Looking good for you with the house sale.
How do you handle 2 equal offers? go back and ask for a final?

imidazol97

snakeweasel said:

Michaell said:lo

An IKEA opened in Denver a couple years ago, to great fanfare.

I agree - the place is a zoo. Been once, not likely to go back.

Now, a second one is planned for the metro area in the next year or so.

Oh how I hate the IKEA by my house. Everyone I go there I want to burn the place down and salt the ground on which it stood.  


Other than that, how do you feel about it? LOL