Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

abacomike

Drove home yesterday - 5+ hours. Did not hit any traffic and I was driving at 75 mph most of the way. Averaged 31+ mpg at that speed. Car responded beautifully. The weather was very cold in Ponte Vedra before I left yesterday morning - 48 degrees. Did most of the trip without air conditioning in the car - but as I approached Ft. Pierce, the temps climbed into the low 80's and I turned on the A/C.

Right now, I have the terrace sliding glass door wide open and the windows open - weather is perfect - no humidity and in the upper 60's, heading for the upper 70's. We call it resort weather. Great to be home.

oldfarmer50

Michaell said:

oldfarmer50 said:

ignore

You, or the post?

If you will delete the last two posts under my name "ignore" and "ouch" I'd be grateful. This site has been difficult to use since a system update.

imidazol97

abacomike said:

The weather was very cold in Ponte Vedra before I left yesterday morning - 48 degrees.

Come on now. That's not cold. Give us a break. In mid 50s yesterday and my outdoor thermometer on the barn said 21 deg F this morning. Great weather to get things done outside.

nyccarguy

Hey guys.  Since most of you are more "in tune" with the TVs than I am nowadays, I'd like to get your opinion on the following 55" TVs & if there is anything at a similar or lower price point that you can reccomend:

LG 55UJ6540
Samsung 55MU6290


Both are available at Costco for under $500.  Costco has the best price on the Samsung.  Also, we are thinking of taking the plunge and buying a gaming system for our family (11, 8, & 6).  Which do you guys think is better, XBox or PlayStation ?

28firefighter

For the price point I doubt you could go wrong with either. For the less than 7 days we’ve had our Samsung we’ve been very happy!

I never got into gaming systems much. All I have are one of those throwback Nintendo NES systems that was released last year. 

tjc78

Agreed both great sets for the money.  Can’t help you on the gaming but maybe look at the games each offers and see what fits your kid’s likes better?

As for TVs I’m officially “done” with our playroom set.  One of the kids on Thanksgiving (I *believe* my nephew) killed another flat panel....

I’m buying cheap Craigslist’s sets until they are all older.    We turned our head for one minute and boom.  Line right down the center and it died altogether the next day.  

They sell protectors online but they are almost the price of a cheap set.  

roadburner

nyccarguy said:

Hey guys.  Since most of you are more "in tune" with the TVs than I am nowadays, I'd like to get your opinion on the following 55" TVs & if there is anything at a similar or lower price point that you can reccomend:

LG 55UJ6540
Samsung 55MU6290


Both are available at Costco for under $500.  Costco has the best price on the Samsung.  Also, we are thinking of taking the plunge and buying a gaming system for our family (11, 8, & 6).  Which do you guys think is better, XBox or PlayStation ?

I don't think either TV would be a bad choice; If one has HDR I'd be inclined to go that route.
I'm not much into gaming these days but my son has a new xBox at his apartment. Forza Motorsport 7 looked amazing on the LG TV he uses.

ab348

From what I can see both are fairly low-end sets but the Samsung seems a bit better in reviews. The guys on AVS forums keep touting Vizio and TCL brands in that price range but I have zero experience with either.

No clue on gaming consoles. Sort of glad I never got into them. The gaming culture is somewhat distasteful and the ads I see on TV for new games all seem really violent and dark.

roadburner

Well, the Charger performed like a champ, averaging 28 mpg for the entire trip; at 11k miles it had no squeaks or rattles. The only complaint came from my wife; her seat did not have power adjustments and lumbar support- an upgrade I would definitely go for if I was buying one. I nosed around on some dealer sites and you can get a Charger or Challenger at a significant discount. It might be heresy, but I'd rather have a Charger SRT than any new 5 Series save the M5- and I might take a Charger Hellcat over that...

tjc78

How is the ride?  Firm, but not punishing?

Mr_Shiftright

nyccarguy said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

nyccarguy said:

My Father-In-Law's Outback

That's actually a nasty hit, right at the B pillar.

Close to $10K in damage.  

And maybe more once they dig into it. That's the "sweet spot" for unibody distortion.

Mr_Shiftright

thebean said:

driver100 said:

thebean said:

stickguy said:

I will try it depending on the car and situation when the $ savings make it worth while. Plus, for some of them, I was not buying a new car at the time so no trade in option.

The next one possible is the RDX, but odds are that would be traded in, since would still have enough equity to make it harder to sell privately, and make the sales tax credit valuable.

There is no amount of money that would make me sell a car via private sale. I value my well being more than money. Plus, I generally hate people and want to deal with strangers as little as possible. No wonder I was known as "the hermit" when I was working. Plus, I most always drive my vehicles until they are worth less than $4K, so I'm not losing much when I trade them in.

If you don't mind me asking and you can politely tell me you don't want to answer;
Out of curiosity what kind of work were you able to do....on your own?
and,
How did you become this way?

I have been burned by someone I should have been able to trust (SIL), but 90% or at least 80% of people are really decent and good if you meet them in the right places. I mean neighbors, people who do an activity you do, friends of friends, etc.

Really, if you don't want to talk about it I get it...sometimes it is good to talk about it.....

driver, I was a cost accountant, and I dealt with my co-workers and was nice to them because I had to, even though a lot of times they got on my nerves. It was almost like being an actor - I had to become "work person" and hide my real feelings. Being a bean counter, I did do a lot of work on my own, but I had to deal with managers and subordinates and try to please them. I did it for 35 years at the same company with quite a few promotions, so I guess I did it OK. But, now that I'm older and retired, I don't have to suppress my feelings anymore. That makes me much happier and less stressed. I think seeing how society has gone down the drain during my 64 years on earth has made me bitter. I remember how things were when I was young and you could take someone at their word. Now, even when you have a contract, people can still find a loophole and screw you. It's just a much worse world nowadays.

I don't agree that at least 80% of people are good. I think maybe 40% are good (at most), 40% are moderately dishonest, and 20% will stab you when you turn your head. Maybe Canadians are more honest than Americans. All you have to do is look at our politicians (both parties) and you can see how crooked people are.

Way too long of a post, I know. I hope I'm not venturing into @jmonroe territory.

260 words. Yep, you are in violation of the monroe doctrine.

roadburner

tjc78 said:

How is the ride?  Firm, but not punishing?

Yes, not bad at all.

Mr_Shiftright

How is entry/exit for the driver?

fintail

If anything is a modern classic, it is the MB 126, sedan and coupe. Timeless design. I sometimes regret selling that car, but today, if I wanted one, I would want a lower miles car in even nicer condition. It went to a good home - not sold to a wacky teenager or a hoarder, that's all one can want.

driver100 said:

Wow....when a car is designed right it will always look beautiful.

fintail

I worked in fraud-related fields for some time, and can definitely attest that there's a lot of garbage out there festering under the surface. I believe that most people are good, but it might not be a massive majority.

I am not sure if it is going to get better, or if we will see only positive change either, especially as locales that are far more flagrant about corruption and IP-related theft than "euro-centric" areas are able to gain influence.

thebean said:

I don't agree that at least 80% of people are good. I think maybe 40% are good (at most), 40% are moderately dishonest, and 20% will stab you when you turn your head. Maybe Canadians are more honest than Americans. All you have to do is look at our politicians (both parties) and you can see how crooked people are.

Way too long of a post, I know. I hope I'm not venturing into @jmonroe territory.

fintail

Funny thing, my (diesel, AWD) E-class is heavier than the (6cyl, SWB) W126. But that old car really ruled the road, it just smoothed everything out and glided along. It felt special.

abacomike said:

I owned a 1987 Mercedes 420 SEL in Smoke Silver with Brown Leather interior. Those years headed the classic look of a Mercedes for many years. It was a tank to drive - smooth - responsive - but a very, very heavy car. Actually, one of my very favorite automobiles.

stickguy

I found the person in the family that actually gets use out of their car. I tidied up the Jetta this weekend since it was home for the first time since August (and really needed a bath!). And air. All the tires were low (must have been that summer air). So detailed it up, added washer fluid, set tire pressure, and should be good to go. Currently stuck in traffic at the VA/NC border last I heard.

I looked at the miles, and was surprised that it was just about to click over 24K (did that somewhere in MD I would guess), so pulled out the file. Last service was 5/4/17, at exactly 16,000. so 9K in 7 months. Will be close to 10K when she gets back in a few week, so will need to go in for service before Xmas. Should be the last one though before it goes back in June (and good thing I leased it for 36K!).

driver100

abacomike said:

tjc78 said:

driver100 said:

I'd have removed those visors, too.

I got offers for half my ask (which was not bargain priced, but I set it for negotiation). The eventual buyer was the uncle of a sales manager at the local MB dealer, who had another W126 that got hit, and he wanted a nice one. We took it for a drive, and the working AC sealed the deal. He offered $200 less than my ideal price, and I let him have it, as I knew it would be going to a good home and would be a quick sale. After the paperwork was finished, never heard from him again, so I assume he was satisfied.

My car was also immaculate for its age and mileage, and among the cleanest for sale at the time. This is the car a few years earlier - it had nearly 200K on it when I sold it, but was just as clean. This was also a 1989 car in around 2002:

@fintail

Your 126 sale reminds me of my 89 Town Car sale back in 2004 or so.   Had it with a sign in front of my parents house.  Got a few offers much lower than I had it listed without even coming to see the car... first guy who actually drove it was all over it.  Offered $250 less, and I stood firm.  He bought it.  

After we agreed he he said he had been looking for one and they were all beat.  Mine was a freshly repainted 70k example with a pristine interior.  It looked brand new.  Here is an image from 2002 or so taken in front of Grandpops house with his 98 Signature Touring parked ahead of it .  That picture was before the repaint and with those vent visors I removed

Wow....when a car is designed right it will always look beautiful.

A 126 is a timeless design and Fin’s looked great and was a color you didn’t see every day.   My 03 Avalon was a similar color.  




I owned a 1987 Mercedes 420 SEL in Smoke Silver with Brown Leather interior. Those years headed the classic look of a Mercedes for many years. It was a tank to drive - smooth - responsive - but a very, very heavy car. Actually, one of my very favorite automobiles.

Well, when you buy a car every 4 months or so you get to own almost everything.

driver100

abacomike said:

Drove home yesterday - 5+ hours. Did not hit any traffic and I was driving at 75 mph most of the way. Averaged 31+ mpg at that speed. Car responded beautifully. The weather was very cold in Ponte Vedra before I left yesterday morning - 48 degrees. Did most of the trip without air conditioning in the car - but as I approached Ft. Pierce, the temps climbed into the low 80's and I turned on the A/C.

Right now, I have the terrace sliding glass door wide open and the windows open - weather is perfect - no humidity and in the upper 60's, heading for the upper 70's. We call it resort weather. Great to be home.

Are you near the shooting road rage incident near Miami?
Road Rage near Miami

ab348

That was in Winter Park, near Orlando. The victims were from Miami.

oldfarmer50

tjc78 said:

Agreed both great sets for the money.  Can’t help you on the gaming but maybe look at the games each offers and see what fits your kid’s likes better?

As for TVs I’m officially “done” with our playroom set.  One of the kids on Thanksgiving (I *believe* my nephew) killed another flat panel....

I’m buying cheap Craigslist’s sets until they are all older.    We turned our head for one minute and boom.  Line right down the center and it died altogether the next day.  

They sell protectors online but they are almost the price of a cheap set.  

That sounds like some of the nonsense my two brothers and I pulled on my parents' furniture. My mother would always lament "you can't have anything nice with these guys around".

driver100

Oh OK. I saw the story on Good Morning America a national TV program that comes on Sunday at 7 on ABC. They didn't say anything about it on the Tampa local news.....I think they try to keep it quiet as possible, not to disturb the tourists.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

Oh OK. I saw the story on Good Morning America a national TV program that comes on Sunday at 7 on ABC. They didn't say anything about it on the Tampa local news.....I think they try to keep it quiet as possible, not to disturb the tourists.

You have your own problems with the Tampa serial killer still on the loose.

driver100

That's true too! The news down here is way more exciting than back home. Things happen back home, but not as many and not as bazaar. I don't know if they still report when a car goes through a store window...it happened a few times a week last year. This week a lady found an iguana in her toilet, some bananas came with a huge spider...must have been about 8 inches long or wide, a pit bull attacked it's owner and the 22 year old daughter stabbed it to death with a knife. The news is more bazaar than fiction, you couldn't make this stuff up.

tjc78

So I’m the proud owner of a ten year old Sony 50” set for our playroom.   Like new with stand ..$75 craigslist find.

Safe, quick local transaction.  You can find some deals on CL.  
 
Certainly nothing like a new set but perfect for what I’m using it for.  

isellhondas

fintail said:

Yep, people wanting a work car or a "beater with a heater". Took no time for my uncle to sell his LeSabre, but I guess it makes sense when a 65 year old guy is selling a white Buick with a mountain of records for under 2K. The buyer got a decent deal, I think.

I remember I listed my old MB W126 back in 2005 just to get a feeler, before the buyer committed to it. The responses were mystifying - instant lowballs, someone wanting me to deliver the car to them for a test drive (considerable distance), etc. I am glad the car went to an enthusiast owner who didn't hassle me after the sale.

stickguy said:

Fin, IMO CL is best used for cheaper cars that people can bring cash to pay for. A clean but well used $3K car is a quick sell. Something newer and expensive enough to probably require a loan are a much bigger hassle and harder sell.

Over the years I was asked maybe three of four times if I could drive a car to a customer's house and show a car or pick them up. Usually it was in Seattle of some distance away. I always gave them the same answer. I would tell them to take a taxi. I would tell them that if they bought a car that we would deduct the taxi charge.

Guess how many took me up on that? ZERO!

isellhondas

28firefighter said:

isellhondas said:

28firefighter said:

Tonight is our last night in our old home. Everything is boxed after the packers were here today. Movers arrive first thing in the morning. 

We have only lived in this house for 3.5 years and we knew all along it wasn’t a forever home. Yet, I find myself very sentimental. It’s the house we brought Sam home to, the house where I convalesced this summer after my brush with death.  Seems weird that in a matter of 24 hours will have packed up our lives and moved it somewhere else. 

I think I may be losing it. 

I probably missed it but where are you moving?

Shoreline - Richmond Beach. 

Cool!

thebean

I haven't seen any posts from @andres3 lately. Did he get a bunch of speeding tickets and is now residing in the pokey?

roadburner

Mr_Shiftright said:

How is entry/exit for the driver?

I'm 5'10" and I didn't notice any issues. One weird thing- the fuel release button is on the driver's door towards the back. Just kind of an unusual location.

fintail

Ask em to take the bus, especially in the past when there were fewer routes, that might have made them more inclined to buy (today busing to the eastside is a lot better, an effort is being made anyway)

IIRC, my delivery request was either to the Kitsap Peninsula, or maybe to the Edmonds ferry. I live in Bellevue, so I refused. I think they didn't reply after that.

isellhondas said:

Over the years I was asked maybe three of four times if I could drive a car to a customer's house and show a car or pick them up. Usually it was in Seattle of some distance away. I always gave them the same answer. I would tell them to take a taxi. I would tell them that if they bought a car that we would deduct the taxi charge.

Guess how many took me up on that? ZERO!

tbirdmarco

don't get to post in this tred much! or in a lot of others like I would like to! do to working and just life and this bord moves so fast! every day! so hoping that everyone is doing whell and that everyone had an happy thanks giving those of you who are not in the tred that I post on dally! will come in hear from time to time to post! when I can!

tbirdmarco

@driver100 nice silver on car posted above!

tbirdmarco

@fintail you hear all craziness on CL lollollol never suprized at all!

tbirdmarco

@stickguy nice nice!

tbirdmarco

@tjc78 sorry to hear about the TVS getting messed up bye the little ones! you got the rite idea get used older ones until they do get older!

driver100

tjc78 said:

So I’m the proud owner of a ten year old Sony 50” set for our playroom.   Like new with stand ..$75 craigslist find.

Safe, quick local transaction.  You can find some deals on CL.  
 
Certainly nothing like a new set but perfect for what I’m using it for.  

Is it a SMART TV?

driver100

isellhondas said:

fintail said:

Yep, people wanting a work car or a "beater with a heater". Took no time for my uncle to sell his LeSabre, but I guess it makes sense when a 65 year old guy is selling a white Buick with a mountain of records for under 2K. The buyer got a decent deal, I think.

I remember I listed my old MB W126 back in 2005 just to get a feeler, before the buyer committed to it. The responses were mystifying - instant lowballs, someone wanting me to deliver the car to them for a test drive (considerable distance), etc. I am glad the car went to an enthusiast owner who didn't hassle me after the sale.

stickguy said:

Fin, IMO CL is best used for cheaper cars that people can bring cash to pay for. A clean but well used $3K car is a quick sell. Something newer and expensive enough to probably require a loan are a much bigger hassle and harder sell.

Over the years I was asked maybe three of four times if I could drive a car to a customer's house and show a car or pick them up. Usually it was in Seattle of some distance away. I always gave them the same answer. I would tell them to take a taxi. I would tell them that if they bought a car that we would deduct the taxi charge.

Guess how many took me up on that? ZERO!

Because you are going to add the taxi charge to the price of the car.

driver100

thebean said:

I haven't seen any posts from @andres3 lately. Did he get a bunch of speeding tickets and is now residing in the pokey?

Funny, I was thinking about Andre today too. I think it was because of oldfarmers post that said "ignore"

tjc78

driver100 said:

So I’m the proud owner of a ten year old Sony 50” set for our playroom.   Like new with stand ..$75 craigslist find.

Safe, quick local transaction.  You can find some deals on CL.  
 
Certainly nothing like a new set but perfect for what I’m using it for.  

Is it a SMART TV?

Nope! But with X1 you get access Netflix and Pandora so not sure what else I need!

stickguy

my daughter got a Roku this year for her apartment at school. She has an older, definitely not smart, magnavox flat panel. in the past she used a DVD player we got her, which always seemed to give her trouble. She absolutely loves the Roku. Can stream anything we have access to once you set it all up. Excellent tool.

imidazol97

driver100 said:

thebean said:

I haven't seen any posts from @andres3 lately. Did he get a bunch of speeding tickets and is now residing in the pokey?

Funny, I was thinking about Andre today too. I think it was because of oldfarmers post that said "ignore"

I missed him when I posted about the State of Ohio DOT lowering speed limits to see if that reduces accidents. I also posted about Dayton firing up red light cameras again and speed cameras They see that as a way to fix their budget instead of spending less when they are failing as a city.

He hasn't logged on since November 16.

tjc78

stickguy said:

my daughter got a Roku this year for her apartment at school. She has an older, definitely not smart, magnavox flat panel. in the past she used a DVD player we got her, which always seemed to give her trouble. She absolutely loves the Roku. Can stream anything we have access to once you set it all up. Excellent tool.

I have one of those type of things too. Once Comcast added Netflix I have no use for it. I’m sure it’s great if you only have internet. 

cdnpinhead

roadburner said:

One weird thing- the fuel release button is on the driver's door towards the back. Just kind of an unusual location.

Those things can be all over the place. I rent cars quite a lot, and one of them a few years ago had the fuel door release "hidden" somewhere on the door. I searched for quite awhile before finding it -- had visions of having to call National to ask where in the hell it was (not that they would have known). Standardization is a good thing sometimes -- windshield wiper controls come to mind.

carnaught

What ever happened to @fezo? Haven’t seen him on any of the boards in some time.

Sandman6472

Think most folks are pretty good, it's those few that ruin it for the rest actually.
We have two Samsung's now and we love 'em. Samsung makes a good product which isn't super expensive. One can't go wrong with a Samsung product.
Love Florida this time of year as the humidity is down and the daytime highs stay in the high 70's. Prefer the mid 50's at night but that will come in a month or two with mid 60's to low 70's in the day...paradise actually. It's the months of April through October that I can live without here. Since I only plan to work through the end of 2018, when I'll be 64, hoping to move north a bit to get the four seasons. Think I'll be more than ready by then. Just wish I didn't care about pleasing my wife so much as I'd retire again next month if I could, I am just tired of working! But since she's taking on a new position starting next week, a six month full time one with Turbo Tax, have agreed to do one more year at Hertz. After that, all bets are off!

The Sandman

thebean

carnaught said:

What ever happened to @fezo? Haven’t seen him on any of the boards in some time.

I seem to recall he was dealing with some medical issues.  Hope he is OK.  

breld

@nyccarguy - as for gaming consoles, my boys have both the PS4 and the Xbox One. There are a few titles that are exclusive to the Sony, like MLB The Show, but overall they seem to like the Xbox better.

I think it mostly has to do with what their friends have, since they tend to play online with them quite a bit.

breld

@roadburner - nice to hear your positive experience with the Charger R/T rental. It's obviously a different animal, but I really enjoy driving the Durango R/T. That drivetrain definitely stands out from the rest of the 3-row SUV crowd.

21k miles on the Durango, and it still feels tight. Not having owned a Dodge before, I'm impressed.

driver100

carnaught said:

What ever happened to @fezo? Haven’t seen him on any of the boards in some time.

There's a blast from the past!