Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

robr2

stever said:

driver100 said:

Mike, I got the GPS turned around and that is much better. Isn't it more natural to set it so it matches the direction you are driving? You have to do 2 or 3 more calculations in your head to convert the map if it shows directions as North and South.

I prefer to have North up "top". Go figure - I've always been directionally challenged in a car anyway though.

I remember reading an article that said men like to orient GPS systems so the arrow always points up versus women who prefer the arrow points in the direction of travel. Having the arrow point in the "forward" direction is easier for men's brains to handle. Women are more capable of understanding that forward means travelling in another direction.

fezo

Completely off topic, if anyone has an HP printer that takes a 564 ink cartridge let me know. Bought the cartridge online. By the time it came I gave the printer up for dead. So I have a black ink cartridge that I'll never use.

My computer guy gave a bit of advice which makes sense. On any printer, but especially HP always make at least one print per month. If you let it go too long the cartridge gunks up the print head. A friend had given me the printer. Hadn't used it in a couple of years. Dead black print head. Not worth fixing.

graphicguy

robr2 said:

laurasdada said:

Another coincidence, I've become an elite, world class runner this year, too! I"ve run 4 charity 5ks myself, after a lifetime of hating (and not) running. Surprisingly, my time's aren't half bad for an old man, the first race I ran my goal was to simply finish (as well as donating to the charity, a children's hospital). On my own two feet. In less than 30 minutes. Mission more than accomplished (and this included a stretch of Boston's fabled "Heartbreak Hill!). I've improved each race, but think I'm done for this season.

30 minutes for 5K is what I do, My son ran a 16:31 5K last Saturday in the Eastern Mass state meet taking 8th in his division. He races on Saturday in All States on a course he ran only once before with a 17:11 in October. Race time temp is expected to be in the low 30's. He says it won't affect anyone's race - it just makes warming up a miserable affair. His goal is 16:20 and top 15. Good luck kiddo. If I tried to keep his pace, I'd stop after a mile or so.....

My 5K times ain't those or LD's. I'm putting up numbers in the 45 minute range....40 minutes on a good day.

Still, the ones I'm in are for charity. Good causes.

Good luck to your son.

Jags have a new spot for me, given my sister owned the S type with nothing askew ever with it.

Nice cars. They just never seem to make my shopping list. Don't know why.

I think I value sportiness over everything else, though. That's why I never pull the trigger on a Benz, although I do think the Jag is more sporty than the E class. No idea if that's true or not, just my impression.

robr2

My goal is 30 minutes and to not get beaten by the 9 year olds.

stickguy

I'd settle for no heart attack at thus point.

qbrozen

houdini1 said:

qbrozen said:

Genesis - v6, no nav? Kinda bottom of the barrel on those, no?
Auction value is $17k. Seems like a decent price for CPO.

Why pay for a CPO when there are 3 or 4 years left on original bumper to bumper warranty?

well, CPO reinstates the 10yr/100k powertrain warranty. Plus roadside assistance for 10 years and some other perks. Gotta be worth something, right?

driver100

stever said:

driver100 said:

Mike, I got the GPS turned around and that is much better. Isn't it more natural to set it so it matches the direction you are driving? You have to do 2 or 3 more calculations in your head to convert the map if it shows directions as North and South.

I prefer to have North up "top". Go figure - I've always been directionally challenged in a car anyway though.

But, lets say you are travelling South. You look at your GPS and it shows you are turning right.
That's going to look like you go to the left on your GPS. It seems to me it should look the way it looks in front of you.

I have pretty good sense of direction. I guess they make GPS's changeable to adjust for all preferances, but North at top and South down on a GPS.......................?????

driver100

robr2 said:

stever said:

driver100 said:

Mike, I got the GPS turned around and that is much better. Isn't it more natural to set it so it matches the direction you are driving? You have to do 2 or 3 more calculations in your head to convert the map if it shows directions as North and South.

I prefer to have North up "top". Go figure - I've always been directionally challenged in a car anyway though.

I remember reading an article that said men like to orient GPS systems so the arrow always points up versus women who prefer the arrow points in the direction of travel. Having the arrow point in the "forward" direction is easier for men's brains to handle. Women are more capable of understanding that forward means travelling in another direction.

Thank goodness I chose the way real men like it. Sorry Stever.........................

graphicguy

robr2 said:

My goal is 30 minutes and to not get beaten by the 9 year olds.

Actually, I'm OK getting beat by nine year olds. I'm letting them pass me. I keep telling myself that if I really wanted to, I could smoke them. But, I have nothing to prove.

Awwright....maybe I did get beat by some nine year olds. And, maybe that's how I justified it. So what if I'm only in it for the cookies at the end.....

driver100

fezo said:

Completely off topic, if anyone has an HP printer that takes a 564 ink cartridge let me know. Bought the cartridge online. By the time it came I gave the printer up for dead. So I have a black ink cartridge that I'll never use.

My computer guy gave a bit of advice which makes sense. On any printer, but especially HP always make at least one print per month. If you let it go too long the cartridge gunks up the print head. A friend had given me the printer. Hadn't used it in a couple of years. Dead black print head. Not worth fixing.

Try cleaning the print head with a Q-Tip and alcohol. Sell the cartridge on Craigslist...it will cost more to mail than it is worth.

Mr_Shiftright

Sport-y as opposed to actual sport? Yeah, that's fair enough.

roadburner

Put the winter rubber on the 328i today- less than one hour, start to finish- including cleaning the summer wheels before storing them away. Maybe this will keep the Polar Vortex at bay...

houdini1

qbrozen said:

houdini1 said:

qbrozen said:

Genesis - v6, no nav? Kinda bottom of the barrel on those, no?
Auction value is $17k. Seems like a decent price for CPO.

Why pay for a CPO when there are 3 or 4 years left on original bumper to bumper warranty?

well, CPO reinstates the 10yr/100k powertrain warranty. Plus roadside assistance for 10 years and some other perks. Gotta be worth something, right?

I have just often wondered about that, but yes, in that case and depending on what they charge, might be worth it.

fezo

Did the alcohol with Q-tip. Printer has been replaced.

I don't know that I feel like risk dealing with a Craigslist crazy over $10.

houdini1

fezo said:

Did the alcohol with Q-tip. Printer has been replaced.

I don't know that I feel like risk dealing with a Craigslist crazy over $10.

Maybe you could duct tape it to a stick and use it as a ball point pen. Waste not want not !

stickguy

donate it to Goodwill. Just like throwing it out, but you don't feel guilty doing it.

stickguy

funny about the warranty discussion on the Genesis. When I was getting mine, the finance guy went out of his way to tell me not to buy it out, because if I did it would not count as CPO. Though I would carry over the 10/100 piece I think, so not really sure what I would be giving up?

Michaell

roadburner said:

Put the winter rubber on the 328i today- less than one hour, start to finish- including cleaning the summer wheels before storing them away. Maybe this will keep the Polar Vortex at bay...

Not here ... current temp is in the mid teens. High tomorrow expected to be 10 or so.

I swapped in the winter floor mats in the E-GT this afternoon. I'll do the Mazda tomorrow morning.

Should be fun delivering both tonight and tomorrow ... bad weather is good for business when you're delivering pizzas!

henryn

Michaell said:

roadburner said:

Put the winter rubber on the 328i today- less than one hour, start to finish- including cleaning the summer wheels before storing them away. Maybe this will keep the Polar Vortex at bay...

Not here ... current temp is in the mid teens. High tomorrow expected to be 10 or so.

I swapped in the winter floor mats in the E-GT this afternoon. I'll do the Mazda tomorrow morning.

Should be fun delivering both tonight and tomorrow ... bad weather is good for business when you're delivering pizzas!

"10"?? As in 10 degrees Farenheit, 22 degrees below freezing?? Woah, doggies! I can see why people would send out for pizza, let someone else freeze their (expletive deleted) off!

imidazol97

fezo said:

Completely off topic, if anyone has an HP printer that takes a 564 ink cartridge let me know. Bought the cartridge online. By the time it came I gave the printer up for dead. So I have a black ink cartridge that I'll never use.

My computer guy gave a bit of advice which makes sense. On any printer, but especially HP always make at least one print per month. If you let it go too long the cartridge gunks up the print head. A friend had given me the printer. Hadn't used it in a couple of years. Dead black print head. Not worth fixing.

For the HPs I've seen, the printer head is a part of the cartridge. So putting in the new black cartridge should have fixed that problem. I used to have Epsons and they have a separate ink holder from the actual print squirting mechanism. They do clog. No more Epson for me.

imidazol97

fezo said:

I don't know that I feel like risk dealing with a Craigslist crazy over $10.

If you join Staples rewards group and buy $60 of ink or toner, they often have a trade in value for used cartridges on the same day at $4 each.

stever

driver100 said:

I remember reading an article that said men like to orient GPS systems so the arrow always points up versus women who prefer the arrow points in the direction of travel. Having the arrow point in the "forward" direction is easier for men's brains to handle. Women are more capable of understanding that forward means travelling in another direction.

Thank goodness I chose the way real men like it. Sorry Stever.........................

Interesting stuff. I do fine in the woods or just walking or biking. In a car I'm hopeless. Even with a topo map, if I'm hiking south I'm (usually) looking at the map with it orientated to the north. On the road my wife navigates. Around town the GPS saves me a lot of gas because on my own I'd invariably choose the wrong direction to go.

abacomike

I bought an HP laser printer about a year ago.  I rarely print anything - maybe 8-10 pages a month, but HP had a sale on it for $299.00 (Originally $399.00) including shipping.  The toner cartridge is good for 1500 pages and the printer came with an extra cartridge.  I used to pay $70-$85 a year just on ink cartridges for my inkjet printer and they never lasted longer than 2-3 years (cost me $179.00 originally for the inkjet).

This Laser printer has 2 year warranty and I added a year at no cost because of a coupon I had.  So, in the end, the Laser will outlast the inkjet with higher quality copies and no wet ink to worry about.

laurasdada

Good luck to your son, Robr. Lofty goals. My last charity 5k, I think I ran about as hard a race as I currently can, finished 24:08. Came in second in the old-ish man division, but beaten by five minutes! By a local firefighter, just all lean muscle and 0% body fat. And, two years younger! Yeah, it was the age thing...

I think Jag is a nice medium between MB and BMW (a British Audi?). My XK and XF, I consider fine GT type cars. Luxury rides combined with enough sport to have a bit of fun. To me, the XF feels lighter (even though it ain't) with better steering feel than the wife's 535xi. But the 535 has more room, better visibility, better mpg (I think) and probably faster/quicker than the XF. And, each has a wacky shifter! Beer tap vs. hockey puck! To each!

abacomike

I was up to my dealership this morning for a car wash and while I was there, I asked them to see if anything was available similar to what was on order for me in an E400 Sport Sedan, either at another dealer in the southeast region or on the ocean on its way to Brunswick GA.  There was absolutely nothing even close to what was on order for me anywhere, even in an E350.  I was also very flexible in exterior and interior colors.

I just find it uncanny that there was absolutely nothing available anywhere in the pipeline or at another dealership.  The only car that is available was the one scheduled for manufacture on November 18th which is the one ordered for me.

So, it looks like 3weeks from the date of manufacture, or December10th +/- a few days.  When this is over, it will be the worst experience I have ever had in buying and taking possession of a new car.

driver100

abacomike said:

I was up to my dealership this morning for a car wash and while I was there, I asked them to see if anything was available similar to what was on order for me in an E400 Sport Sedan, either at another dealer in the southeast region or on the ocean on its way to Brunswick GA.  There was absolutely nothing even close to what was on order for me anywhere, even in an E350.  I was also very flexible in exterior and interior colors.

I just find it uncanny that there was absolutely nothing available anywhere in the pipeline or at another dealership.  The only car that is available was the one scheduled for manufacture on November 18th which is the one ordered for me.

So, it looks like 3weeks from the date of manufacture, or December10th +/- a few days.  When this is over, it will be the worst experience I have ever had in buying and taking possession of a new car.

3 weeks will go by pretty quickly Mike. Once you get your new E you will be glad you waited. I haven't seen too many 2015s....in fact mine is the only E I have seen. My dealer said mine was the first one they delivered. I just saw an ad on TV advertising a special sale of certain models at your Mercedes dealer...they had E 350s for a special lease price...$599 I think.

I bet no dealer wants to give up a 2015 on it's way. I think you did the right thing asking...might as well try. I think when new cars come in each dealer is allotted so many....why give one up that you are sure you could sell. Have you seen that ill equipped E400 around....interesting to know how they priced it and marketed it. "Save big time if you don't need blind spot warning or lane change warning". Actually, that car could be a bargain for someone in Miami......there are lots of people who never drive on a highway.

abacomike

@driver100‌

It is sitting on the back lot of the dealership.  If you go to their site (Mercedes Benz of Delray) and look up an E400 in Palladium Silver (MSRP $69,295) in their inventory, you will see it.

They told me they have received no instructions yet from MBUSA as to what to do with it and they cannot sell it in its present condition with an incorrect MSRP Window Sticker (Monroney Label).  They received 2 E400's yesterday and both had the Lane Tracking/Blind Spot Monitors, but no additional options like the Lighting Package and Active Park Assist Package or the Multicontour Driver's Seat.

So I have no choice but to wait the 3-4 additional weeks.

driver100

abacomike said:

@driver100‌

It is sitting on the back lot of the dealership.  If you go to their site (Mercedes Benz of Delray) and look up an E400 in Palladium Silver (MSRP $69,295) in their inventory, you will see it.

They told me they have received no instructions yet from MBUSA as to what to do with it and they cannot sell it in its present condition with an incorrect MSRP Window Sticker (Monroney Label).  They received 2 E400's yesterday and both had the Lane Tracking/Blind Spot Monitors, but no additional options like the Lighting Package and Active Park Assist Package or the Multicontour Driver's Seat.

So I have no choice but to wait the 3-4 additional weeks.

M guess you just have to wait, but, once you have it you will be glad you waited. Let us know what the E that came in goes for when they price it out.

That park assist thing I wonder about. I am really hesitant to use it. What is it makes a mistake...who will be responsible? Also, the driver still applies the brake, and what if he doesn't?
One day on a parking lot somewhere I'll give it a try, maybe get to like it.

graphicguy

driver100 said:

abacomike said:

@driver100‌

It is sitting on the back lot of the dealership.  If you go to their site (Mercedes Benz of Delray) and look up an E400 in Palladium Silver (MSRP $69,295) in their inventory, you will see it.

They told me they have received no instructions yet from MBUSA as to what to do with it and they cannot sell it in its present condition with an incorrect MSRP Window Sticker (Monroney Label).  They received 2 E400's yesterday and both had the Lane Tracking/Blind Spot Monitors, but no additional options like the Lighting Package and Active Park Assist Package or the Multicontour Driver's Seat.

So I have no choice but to wait the 3-4 additional weeks.

M guess you just have to wait, but, once you have it you will be glad you waited. Let us know what the E that came in goes for when they price it out.

That park assist thing I wonder about. I am really hesitant to use it. What is it makes a mistake...who will be responsible? Also, the driver still applies the brake, and what if he doesn't?
One day on a parking lot somewhere I'll give it a try, maybe get to like it.

Mike....I agree with driver.

Personally, if I knew about the E400 on their back lot, I would trteat it like the salvage models you see on ebay. Probably offer them $20K off asking price and see if it flies. If not, nothing ventured, nothing gained. If so, I'd write the check.

Wait a minute....I'd have to drive it first. I got a little scared of what you guys were saying that it's turned into a boulevard cruiser. Not that that's bad. Just not something I'd probably want.

dino001

abacomike said:

I just find it uncanny that there was absolutely nothing available anywhere in the pipeline or at another dealership.

That is my typical experience. I always like configurations that a typical new car manager cannot even phathom. For whatever reason, I happen to like things they don't and not like things they do.

houdini1

Mike, tell them to knock $15 grand off the original car and you will take it. You will probably keep it for only a year or so. Drive free !!

graphicguy

I have seen quite a few people here make a reference to truecar.com.

I always have felt that you can use such sites as a reference (much the same with Edmunds), but at the end of the day, you can't really get a deal done until you're sitting in the chair and making your offer.

Interesting article referencing Truecar. They started out promising the BEST price. Now, they're saying "FAIR" price.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2014/11/11/interview-with-scott-painter-founder-and-ceo-of-truecar/

qbrozen

Reference is what I use it for. I show it to the closest dealer as the price I am looking to pay. They are happier to do it that way because it avoids them paying the truecar fee (if they happen to be a truecar dealer). Ford dealer had no issues accepting it on the Mustang. Chrysler dealer balked on the T&C, but eventually came around. On cars I didn't buy, such as the Mazda2 and Elantra, the salespeople were quite annoyed and claimed its not a real price and I would never get it for that. OK... but it worked on 2 cars I purchased, sooooo...

dino001

The original TrueCar model was unsustainable. They are paid by dealers they refer to essentially ferfeit their profit margins in exchange for a debatable offset in volume increase (if any) and perhaps some efficiencies (faster order "thruput" ).

However, "fair" price proposition doesn't really create as much added value for the consumer in comparison to already existing tools and services. There is really not much differentiation between this and others. Those services are OK for people who don't know and don't want to know how the business works. They guarantee you will pay more-less what others do, but that is BEFORE trade, mop&glo and financing options. There is still several levers dealers can pull to extract money, but now they have a customer who is already believing they don't need to worry about being ripped off. They only fixed one variable in the process, not even as much anymore, just enough so you don't feel bad. No wonder dealers like it.

robr2

The running talk must have been bad juju. Today, I felt pain in my left calf about 1/2 way into my run. I walked back 1-1/2 miles trying to stretch it out.

qbrozen

I must be missing something. What has changed on truecar?

Just for comparison, I pulled up a 2014 Jetta TDI value edition on both truecar and here on Edmunds. Truecar target price is $17,384. Edmunds TMV is $20,914. Pretty huge disparity.

graphicguy

robr2 said:

The running talk must have been bad juju. Today, I felt pain in my left calf about 1/2 way into my run. I walked back 1-1/2 miles trying to stretch it out.

I've had that. Helpless feeling. Legs cramp up and you're nowhere near where you need to be. Just hobble or sit it out until the cramp is gone.

henryn

qbrozen said:

I must be missing something. What has changed on truecar?

Just for comparison, I pulled up a 2014 Jetta TDI value edition on both truecar and here on Edmunds. Truecar target price is $17,384. Edmunds TMV is $20,914. Pretty huge disparity.

As I understand it, some years back TrueCar was pushing the "lowest price". That is, they would show you on their web site the lowest price that anyone had reported paying. They changed that ( 2 years ago?), and now they show you a "target price".

And I have to agree, from the consumer's point of view, TrueCar makes Edmunds look silly and irrelevant.

robr2

graphicguy said:

I've had that. Helpless feeling. Legs cramp up and you're nowhere near where you need to be. Just hobble or sit it out until the cramp is gone.

Last time this happened, I took a few days off to rest. I try to stretch well but I don't have the patience to spend 30 minutes before and 15 after like my son does.

I used to just run around my block which is just about 1/2 mile with a small hill but it gets a little boring, I'd lose count on the laps, people walking their dogs would give me weird looks, et al so I've been changing the route regularly. Of course that means if you get a cramp or don't feel, it might be a long walk home.

ab348

If a runner became a vegan, which would they have to tell everyone about first?

laurasdada

robr2 said:

graphicguy said:

I've had that. Helpless feeling. Legs cramp up and you're nowhere near where you need to be. Just hobble or sit it out until the cramp is gone.

Last time this happened, I took a few days off to rest. I try to stretch well but I don't have the patience to spend 30 minutes before and 15 after like my son does.

I used to just run around my block which is just about 1/2 mile with a small hill but it gets a little boring, I'd lose count on the laps, people walking their dogs would give me weird looks, et al so I've been changing the route regularly. Of course that means if you get a cramp or don't feel, it might be a long walk home.

I've got the calf issues, too. I spend a few minutes warming up the calves (very strange looking exercise I found on the interweb) before running with the crazies at work. I also started wearing compression sleeves, which help but not a cure all. And, I bought a roller/massager. Can be painful, but also helps a lot. And, make sure you hydrate daily.

qbrozen

henryn said:

As I understand it, some years back TrueCar was pushing the "lowest price". That is, they would show you on their web site the lowest price that anyone had reported paying. They changed that ( 2 years ago?), and now they show you a "target price".

Ah.
I largely like the way they have it set up. Click through the options, etc, and then I can open the incentives window and check/uncheck what applies to me. They are pretty good about showing details as to which incentives conflict, too. Only problem I've come across is that their invoice doesn't always agree with other sources. I have a feeling they pad it a bit to hide their fees. That's just a guess, though.

nyccarguy

My wife is a runner. I'd like to get into it because it is such great exercise, and requires no equipment other than shoes. Every time I try to go running, I have to go to the bathroom. Drives me insane.

robr2

ab348 said:

If a MARATHONER became a vegan, which would they have to tell everyone about first?

Fixed that for you!!

graphicguy

nyccarguy said:

My wife is a runner. I'd like to get into it because it is such great exercise, and requires no equipment other than shoes. Every time I try to go running, I have to go to the bathroom. Drives me insane.

Good news for men, it's a quick trip to the bushes and you're back on track.....;)

nyccarguy

The other way. I'm not worried about a quick trip to the bushes.

robr2

nyccarguy said:

My wife is a runner. I'd like to get into it because it is such great exercise, and requires no equipment other than shoes. Every time I try to go running, I have to go to the bathroom. Drives me insane.

I usually run about an hour after getting up. One cup of coffee does a great job of getting the digestive system ready for a run. I then make sure to hit the WC on the way out the door. I'm only out for 30-40 minutes and since I'm not 80 yet, I'm able to go that long without having to stop.

cdnpinhead

TrueCar makes Edmunds look silly and irrelevant.

Think back 10-15 years. Get in line or take a number. Either way, things are a lot different than they used to be -- S & I works for me, though entertaining still plays a part.

laurasdada

Bradd, if you're just starting to run, check out "Couch to 5K" training. Worked for me! Make sure you get a decent pair of running shoes, too.

henryn

cdnpinhead said:

TrueCar makes Edmunds look silly and irrelevant.

Think back 10-15 years. Get in line or take a number. Either way, things are a lot different than they used to be -- S & I works for me, though entertaining still plays a part.

I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're saying here.

What is "S & I"?

And what does "entertaining still plays a part" have to do with a comparison of the pricing information provided by Truecar and Edmunds?

I am genuinely puzzled, and would appreciate some elucidation.