I think it has more to do with the mindset of the kind of person who is most likely to be in the mall at all over these 4 days rather than their gender.
At that age kids are invulnerable and love that kind of challenge. It’s us old codgers that worry about busting a hip slipping on the ice. Stuff I took on with glee when I was 19 I wouldn’t think about doing today.
When I was 20 years old, in college, I spent my Christmas break in a little town outside of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The town was named Palo, it is the site of an atomic energy plant which was under construction at that time (1970). My family was living there while my father worked on building that plant.
That was only my second real experience with winter driving conditions. But during the 2 weeks I was there, they had a real blizzard. Emergency conditions out on the highways and interstates. My father had a big truck, three quarter ton Ford with 4 wheel drive, studded snow tires, front and rear winches, the whole 9 yards. He volunteered to help with the rescue efforts, and naturally I jumped in. It was an absolute blast, I had a great time. And those people were really happy to see someone after being stuck in their cars for many hours.
I don’t know why but when I was young I never feared poor conditions. I think I mentioned that once I drove across state in a blizzard so bad that the car stalled from all the snow that blew up under the hood and blocked the air cleaner snorkel. Maybe spinning around like a fool on half bald snow tires actually gave me some skills.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I did some research and there are five dealerships in NY but all down near NYC, which I guess makes sense. Upstate there are a couple of “supercharger” stations at local malls. There’s a proposal for the state to allow ten more as long as five are upstate.
The politicians will hold it up until sufficient “contributions” are made,
In think you're spot on. Tesla's model is a threat to the very powerful dealer lobby group and they've been successful in some states in keeping Tesla out. Utah used to be one of those, but I spent Thanksgiving in Utah and there are now a couple of stores in Salt Lake. The Superchargers now number over 10,000 throughout the US and Elon just committed to doubling that quantity in 2019. He's a pretty ambitious guy and usually overly optimistic, so I don't personally think we'll see 25,000 Superchargers next year, but I bet Tesla gets close. They've covered most of the major freeways making it possible to crisscross the US, and now it's time to start filling in the gaps around those freeways.
While the cars are awesome, I think it's the batteries and charging network that will keep Tesla afloat. The other manufacturers are vastly behind the adoption curve there and it'll take time to catch up. Better to partner with Tesla.
Personally I won't use the Superchargers or other third-party chargers much. We had 220V 40 amp circuit included in our new home build 5 years ago in anticipation of this type of purchase. It's much slower than a Supercharger, requiring 9 hours for a full charge to 310 miles, but my needs will typically be less than 30 miles a day. That's less than an hour of charging and perfect for our current lifestyle.
While I was getting my new tires I was thinking............how do they rotate tires on these cars? The fronts are 225/45 and the rears 245/40 s Do they not bother rotating....good, I always found it was a waste of time and money and the 2 times I did it the tires wore out sooner. Another thing, in the olden days when you got a flat you just put one ONE new tire, sometimes with a different tread than the other 3, now you often have to replace at least two, and sometimes 4 tires. Although a RFT may have got us home in this case, it would probably cost a lot more to get 4 RFTs
I think you're right about not rotating. If I remember right, BMW recommends not rotating, and then different sizes makes it impossible. M pet peeve is when I do rotate tires the shop also adjusts the balance, and they always leave a mess with the weight adhesive. Every time they pull a weight off there's a patch of double-sided foam tape and they never remove it. This summer I finally found a tool that attaches to a drill and removes that residue. My OCD has been satisfied :-)
I just read on the Westher Channel App that there is a big snowstorm organizing in the Rockies that is expected to drop heavy snows today and tomorrow from northeastern Colorado through the entire State of Nebraska with the heaviest accumulations occurring between Lincoln and Omaha. Needless to say, I am somewhat concerned as my grandson is right in the middle of that mess. They were planning on driving his friend’s car back to Nebraska rather than fly back. I emailed him that it might not be such a good idea to drive back - he’s a “desert baby” who knows nothing about driving the interstates in blizzard-like conditions.
Just another thing I have to worry about in my golden olden years. I suggested to him that the delay returning to the Lincoln area a day - the college is aware many of the students will be late returning due to the storm.
Colorado is looking good. There's some accumulation on the roads near the ski resorts, but once they get to Denver the roads are really clean at the moment. I just checked some random Nebraska freeway cameras and they're clean, too. Hopefully that helps relax you a bit, Mike. I love that you two are so closely connected. He's got a great grand dad.
Tesla has a store inside the Boca Raton FL Mall that I frequent. They can’t sell any cars from the store because Boca Raton has an ordinance that prohibits auto franchises and dealerships from establishing inside the city. You can’t buy a car in Boca Raton because there are no dealerships. You need to go into North Broward County or Delray Beach to buy a car. It’s similar to “dry towns” where alcohol cannot be sold - in this case it’s new cars. Crazy!
Wow, Boca really missed out on a lot of tax money....not that they need it.
In think you're spot on. Tesla's model is a threat to the very powerful dealer lobby group and they've been successful in some states in keeping Tesla out. Utah used to be one of those, but I spent Thanksgiving in Utah and there are now a couple of stores in Salt Lake. The Superchargers now number over 10,000 throughout the US and Elon just committed to doubling that quantity in 2019. He's a pretty ambitious guy and usually overly optimistic, so I don't personally think we'll see 25,000 Superchargers next year, but I bet Tesla gets close. They've covered most of the major freeways making it possible to crisscross the US, and now it's time to start filling in the gaps around those freeways.
While the cars are awesome, I think it's the batteries and charging network that will keep Tesla afloat. The other manufacturers are vastly behind the adoption curve there and it'll take time to catch up. Better to partner with Tesla.
How much of the money funding TEsla has been government money? How much of the money fund the charging stations has been government money?
I just read on the Westher Channel App that there is a big snowstorm organizing in the Rockies that is expected to drop heavy snows today and tomorrow from northeastern Colorado through the entire State of Nebraska with the heaviest accumulations occurring between Lincoln and Omaha. Needless to say, I am somewhat concerned as my grandson is right in the middle of that mess. They were planning on driving his friend’s car back to Nebraska rather than fly back. I emailed him that it might not be such a good idea to drive back - he’s a “desert baby” who knows nothing about driving the interstates in blizzard-like conditions.
Just another thing I have to worry about in my golden olden years. I suggested to him that the delay returning to the Lincoln area a day - the college is aware many of the students will be late returning due to the storm.
Colorado is looking good. There's some accumulation on the roads near the ski resorts, but once they get to Denver the roads are really clean at the moment. I just checked some random Nebraska freeway cameras and they're clean, too. Hopefully that helps relax you a bit, Mike. I love that you two are so closely connected. He's got a great grand dad.
Here in NY after the coldest T-day on record we’re going to get an inch of rain tonight. I would gladly give CA all this water.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Driver you are correct. Don't rotate. I don't think they recommend side to side anyway, and a lot of tires these days are directional so you couldn't do it if you wanted to.
Thanks stick. That seemed the best option....just leave the tires where they be. You confirmed what I thought was true.
How much of the money funding TEsla has been government money? How much of the money fund the charging stations has been government money?
Not totally certain, imid, but I'll make you a deal. I'll research how much government funding GM has taken and you research the same for Tesla. We'll come back and report. Fair?
To give you a head start, I know Tesla received a loan under the fed EV program that they paid back 9 years early about 4 years ago. And like all manufacturers with EV, including GM, buyers have been eligible for the fed tax incentive (if you make enough annual income to benefit from it). Some states have additional rebate programs that vary significantly. Feds haven't helped specifically to build Superchargers, but maybe some states have?
@fintail "Already done. Vancouver is Seattle with worse drivers and less medical debt."
Haha I'm not disagreeing with this.
I took advantage of Black Friday here, but Best Buy had a VIP pre sale the day before with no crowds or lineups. I picked up a Playstation 4 for my son and saved about $120. No lines and no hassles.
Black Friday is a fairly new thing in Canada that retailers started putting on only in the past 2 or 3 years. The only reason it started here is because many Canadians, especially living in cities near the US border would drive south and spend their money in the US.
Gamestop had their sale last Sunday. Also got the spiderman PS4 bundle for my son for the $199 black friday price everyone else is advertising. Plus got 3 extra controllers for $38 ea (on sale from 65) and extended warranties on all of it. Only me and one other guy walked in as they opened their doors that morn.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Auto sales without franchised dealerships has been tried many times in the USA's automotive past, but never took hold. This is really nothing new at all.
Auto sales without franchised dealerships has been tried many times in the USA's automotive past, but never took hold. This is really nothing new at all.
This may be true, but outlawing them is another thing altogether. Just because it may be ill-advised, doesn’t mean dealers should be protected by government’s heavy hand.
Not many states ban Tesla altogether---maybe...what? 5 or 6?
So....it's complicated. The franchise laws were originally passed to protect independent franchisees from the predatory practices of the automakers themselves. The franchise system itself evolved in the 1930s when it was decided that separating manufacturing and sales allowed maximum profits for both sides. Automakers were thus prohibited from opening their own stores or from selling direct to the consumer, thus undercutting their franchisees.
Tesla's (Musk's) position is that franchise dealers can't sell EVs because it puts them in competition with themselves--that is, with the ICE cars that they sell. That observation is not without some merit. Musk maintains that companies like Fisker failed because it relied on franchised dealers who didn't do a very good job.
On the other hand, some of Musk's arguments sound a bit bogus--like the notion that "electric cars require less maintenance than ICEs"---more accurately, they require DIFFERENT maintenance, and Tesla wants that action to be in their hands, not DIYers or dealers.
The argument that "special interests" are at play in this is only partially correct, --there's also a lot of history and a lot of legal precedent--and then states' rights even comes into it.
There are other downsides---Tesla outlets may give very good service, but you'll wait a long time to get it (fewer outlets).
I think it has more to do with the mindset of the kind of person who is most likely to be in the mall at all over these 4 days rather than their gender.
I was so naive. I went to Menards (like Lowes with a little Walmart thrown in ) to get a larger doggie bed for the grandpuppy. The parking lot was full. The two lines feeding to the registers each went to the respective side of the store and then to the back and then across the back of the store. I found the doggy bed, but I decided I'd pay full price rather than wait an hour in a line. Menards workers had cross aisles blocked with yellow tape to keep people from cutting through the two lines. They had people at the end of the line holding a standard saying "End of Line." They had people monitoring the lines near the ends to direct people to the registers in groups. WOW.
I think it has more to do with the mindset of the kind of person who is most likely to be in the mall at all over these 4 days rather than their gender.
I was so naive. I went to Menards (like Lowes with a little Walmart thrown in ) to get a larger doggie bed for the grandpuppy. The parking lot was full. The two lines feeding to the registers each went to the respective side of the store and then to the back and then across the back of the store. I found the doggy bed, but I decided I'd pay full price rather than wait an hour in a line. Menards workers had cross aisles blocked with yellow tape to keep people from cutting through the two lines. They had people at the end of the line holding a standard saying "End of Line." They had people monitoring the lines near the ends to direct people to the registers in groups. WOW.
You can probably find similar ones on amazon...probably for less money, delivered to your home in a few days. Who would ever want to go through that mess to save a few $s?
Auto sales without franchised dealerships has been tried many times in the USA's automotive past, but never took hold. This is really nothing new at all.
There are no new car dealerships anywhere in the confines of the city of Boca Raton. I don’t know any city elsewhere that has an ordinance like that. The city feels that dealerships create an eyesore.
Furthermore, the sale of new cars from a dealership or franchise is outlawed.
I just read on the Westher Channel App that there is a big snowstorm organizing in the Rockies that is expected to drop heavy snows today and tomorrow from northeastern Colorado through the entire State of Nebraska with the heaviest accumulations occurring between Lincoln and Omaha. Needless to say, I am somewhat concerned as my grandson is right in the middle of that mess. They were planning on driving his friend’s car back to Nebraska rather than fly back. I emailed him that it might not be such a good idea to drive back - he’s a “desert baby” who knows nothing about driving the interstates in blizzard-like conditions.
Just another thing I have to worry about in my golden olden years. I suggested to him that the delay returning to the Lincoln area a day - the college is aware many of the students will be late returning due to the storm.
Colorado is looking good. There's some accumulation on the roads near the ski resorts, but once they get to Denver the roads are really clean at the moment. I just checked some random Nebraska freeway cameras and they're clean, too. Hopefully that helps relax you a bit, Mike. I love that you two are so closely connected. He's got a great grand dad.
Thanks, tyguy, for the heads-up on the snow accumulations. Even though he is 18 years old and a young adult, he is a novice when it comes to driving in snow or rain. Remember, they don’t get rain in the desert either.
He voted for the first time by absentee ballot in November. From what my son tells me, he’s become a conservative republican. I asked my son how that happened. His response was, “...when in Rome, do as the Romans do...!” And here I thought my kids and grandson were moderate in their political leanings. Can’t control ideologies, that’s for sure - but a conservative republican? God bless him - he’ll need it in life - the blessing that is.
@fintail "Already done. Vancouver is Seattle with worse drivers and less medical debt."
Haha I'm not disagreeing with this.
I took advantage of Black Friday here, but Best Buy had a VIP pre sale the day before with no crowds or lineups. I picked up a Playstation 4 for my son and saved about $120. No lines and no hassles.
Black Friday is a fairly new thing in Canada that retailers started putting on only in the past 2 or 3 years. The only reason it started here is because many Canadians, especially living in cities near the US border would drive south and spend their money in the US.
Gamestop had their sale last Sunday. Also got the spiderman PS4 bundle for my son for the $199 black friday price everyone else is advertising. Plus got 3 extra controllers for $38 ea (on sale from 65) and extended warranties on all of it. Only me and one other guy walked in as they opened their doors that morn.
Yup we got the 1TB Spiderman bundle as well. It's $259 CDN up here vs $379 CDN regular price. What's crazy is that people are selling used 500gig systems with no games for $300 on craigslist. Like really? Asking more than a new system on sale?
I was looking forward to playing the new Gran Tursimo Sport with my son (we haven't bought it yet), as we spent countless of hours playing the GT5 on his PS3. I was dismayed however to find out that the GT Sport only has a fraction of the cars (under 200 I think) and tracks available in the previous GT versions (close to 1000 cars).
FYI, tyguy, I-80 across Nebraska is slow going due to snow drifts and icing on the roads. My grandson decided to wait until this morning to drive back to the campus with his teammate. They made it to Denver and are spending the night at his teammate’s aunt and uncle’s house. It’s estimated to be a 7-9 hour drive with delays. Hope he gets back safely.
@fintail "Already done. Vancouver is Seattle with worse drivers and less medical debt."
Haha I'm not disagreeing with this.
I took advantage of Black Friday here, but Best Buy had a VIP pre sale the day before with no crowds or lineups. I picked up a Playstation 4 for my son and saved about $120. No lines and no hassles.
Black Friday is a fairly new thing in Canada that retailers started putting on only in the past 2 or 3 years. The only reason it started here is because many Canadians, especially living in cities near the US border would drive south and spend their money in the US.
Gamestop had their sale last Sunday. Also got the spiderman PS4 bundle for my son for the $199 black friday price everyone else is advertising. Plus got 3 extra controllers for $38 ea (on sale from 65) and extended warranties on all of it. Only me and one other guy walked in as they opened their doors that morn.
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Yup we got the 1TB Spiderman bundle as well. It's $259 CDN up here vs $379 CDN regular price. What's crazy is that people are selling used 500gig systems with no games for $300 on craigslist. Like really? Asking more than a new system on sale?
I was looking forward to playing the new Gran Tursimo Sport with my son (we haven't bought it yet), as we spent countless of hours playing the GT5 on his PS3. I was dismayed however to find out that the GT Sport only has a fraction of the cars (under 200 I think) and tracks available in the previous GT versions (close to 1000 cars).
The old GTs were my favorite games, but they grew too big and complicated for my taste.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
What kind of discount could you expect from a leftover 2018 Mustang GT. Ford say there’s only a $3k rebate (compared to a $1k on the 2019) currently but that seems pretty low. Normal first year depreciation has to be around 20% at least. Could you realistically be able to get close to that?
The reason I’m asking is my buddy is getting the itch and I’m sensing another New Years Eve buying trip.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I have long wondered what drives people to shop at a mall or discount warehouse Thanksgiving Day through Tuesday of this week and deal with crowds of “flu” infected people just to hopefully be one of a few lucky shoppers to get the deal of the year on electronics, appliances, etc.
I have found through many years of holiday shopping experiences that the best time to shop at a mall before Christmas is at 9:00 AM through 11:00 AM weekdays (mall opens an hour earlier) only from the Wednesday after Thanksgiving to two days before Christmas. Any other times are much too crowded.
I still have several things I need to get so I will do the rest of my shopping Wednesday and Thursday of this coming week. For my kids and grandkids it’s easy - write out 4 checks and deposit them directly into their Wells Fargo checking accounts - then text them to adjust their checking account balances for the amount of the deposited check. They live thousands of miles away from me so this works out best for immediate family members.
Mike... it’s kind of a “sport”. Some women actually get all dressed up the same with logos on their shirts and have fun. They do breakfast at a diner at 4:00 AM and then shop.
My wife and I truly did get some good deals and it’s a good time to shop because the stores are flooded with merchandise and in stock.
Keep in mind I work on the backend of retail, so I’m more in tune to some of it than others.
From now on to Christmas seeing me in a retail shopping mall past 9AM is not happening!
so far this year I have a lot to be thankful for: health, family, and friends. I can't say the same for wealth though.
My primary home year-to-date value is down 2.3% and my 401k (403b actually) is down 7.8%, a disappointment from the past ten years. Nonetheless, I am happy that my nest egg has a positive balance and for that I am grateful.
Now that my property taxes are frozen (over age 65), I pay a lot less attention to the appraised value of my house. I'm certain it's going up, as they are putting in a number of new houses in the neighborhood, all much fancier and more expensive than my house.
This is an older part of town, and was rather "low rent", but that is changing rapidly. There are a lot of vacant lots, which are being snatched up by builders, and the prices are escalating rapidly. The empty lot directly across the street from me sold at a tax auction 5 years ago for $27k, and it's now offered for sale at $60k. Back when I bought this house in 2011, I could have picked up any number of vacant lots for $15k or so.
Mike... it’s kind of a “sport”. Some women actually get all dressed up the same with logos on their shirts and have fun. They do breakfast at a diner at 4:00 AM and then shop.
My wife and I truly did get some good deals and it’s a good time to shop because the stores are flooded with merchandise and in stock.
Keep in mind I work on the backend of retail, so I’m more in tune to some of it than others.
From now on to Christmas seeing me in a retail shopping mall past 9AM is not happening!
tjc, the only "sport" I get interested in during September through December is Professional Football and an occasional Professional Hockey game. I wish I could look upon Black Friday (which is actually Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday) as a "sport" is if there is a way to "score"! I don't see getting a great price on merchandise as "scoring", but I do get your point. Maybe if I was younger, like in my 20's or 30's, I might get an urge to be the first at Walmart, Costco or BJ's when they open in order to grab a TV or a LapTop or a new Toaster, etc. But at my age, the only "sport" I engage in is watching Football or Ice Hockey on TV.
You do know that a lot of those Black Friday TV sets that are on sale....like 45 inch TV for $140 are made for the sale. Companies like Walmart have enough clout to demand their suppliers supply them with ultra cheap TV sets so they can put them on sale. They are made with inferior parts and may not work as well as their everyday models.
If they could make a lease deal out of that in my budget, I would jump on it. Mental math here (hey, had a couple beers with waxing and football!). 50% residual, that is $26K, so $13.000 depreciation. So about $361/month. No clue what money factor is today, but call it $40 for interest, and maybe driving that for tax and tags down in the $400 range?
Got the rest of winterizing done today. Finally had a day warm enough, and not raining, so got the RDX washed and undersides sprayed off (best I could with the hose). That still had crap on it from the snow a week back. It looks good now, and thankfully was already waxed a month or so ago. So that is ready for the bad season.
later was able to wash the filthy Elantra, and gave it it's first wax job. Was still beading OK, but every car deserves a nice wax job before winter. Very shiny and smooth now. Hey, might help trade in offers too!
The princess showed up as I was finishing, so I decided to check her tires. Good thing they all needed to be aired up. I doubt they have been touched since she bought it in August. supposed to be 36 PSI cold, and were reading more like 31 slightly warm. so pumped them up where they were supposed to be, and gave her a lecture about checking the TP readout every once in a while.
Just got a text from my grandson. They left Denver 8 hours ago and they are still about 2 hours west of campus. He said he loved the skiing and snowboarding, but he said if he never sees another snowflake for the rest of his life, he would not miss it.
He said that the interstate is pretty bad in spots and the winds are strong - blowing the snow everywhere.
Denver to the Lincoln area shouldn’t take more than 7-8 hours. But not today. I am just relieved that they are almost back on campus.
Think my kid's going to wait till the super bowl weekend to pick up a new 55" t v at this point. The one she wanted at Target was gone by the time she got up to her place in line. Told her to be patient and wait just a bit longer. She doesn't have cable right now but wanted the smart t v aspect of it for her Roku device. If I do end up living near there, cable will be a must. I know the Fitbit smart watch I wanted was also sold out but again, in no hurry here. And I now know that I need the next size up one as she found an old one in the house to try. The band was a bit too tight, totally uncomfortable after even 10 minutes and it was coming apart around the display. Not something I want so will keep trying it until I get what I want, eventually. My Timex is doing just fine and I know the wife is eyeing it for her next watch. She gets my current one once the one she already got from me dies. I always used to have an extra one in my drawer and would swap into the new while giving her the old when hers died. But her current is my last oldest so, on the way to Target the other night, she brought up the conversation. Same thing as with the new iPhone XR she purchased yesterday. Told her again that I'm not paying a cent above our current bill. If she gets a new phone, she'll need to do what our oldest did a couple years back. After her down payment, she gave me a check for all the future payments and any additional charges up front, so we're clean. Since we have a family plan, this works for me as I have the funds upfront when I write the monthly check. Luckily, I bought the last 2 of my iPhones privately, so my bill never went up and they gave me a free nano sim card. At this stage of life, I'm looking to lower our monthly bills as much as I can. Will ween the kids off our phone plan eventually, as I've been trying to do for awhile now. Am hoping that the 2 girls will maybe take it over and gift me but not holding my breath honestly. Would be a nice gesture on their parts as they are both making more than dad is, lol!!
Will finally see how good the new headlamps are tomorrow morning on the way to work. Got HR's this time but have no clue what kind they really are. Just know one was out and it was time. Pep Boys had me in and out within an hour which was o k by me. Besides windshield wipers, new battery and tires, the fourth things I've had to buy for any vehicle since 2014. Just hit 47K on the way home yesterday and loving the Golf still. Did see a commercial for the new 2019 Corolla Hatchback earlier today. Like the size!
Didn’t he go to the mountains as a kid? I grew up in the desert and have many memories of early winter trips to the mountains to enjoy the snow.
Actually, he was more of a “blond haired, blue-eyed beach bum!” He spent most of his free time at Laguna Beach, La Jolla, Imperial Beach, etc. He did go up to the mountains around Palm Springs and San Bernardino, but during the heat waves to get away from the 110+ degree desert temperatures. His first “real” experience with snow was when he arrived in Nebraska. What can I say?
Pulled the trigger tonight on the 55” TCL Roku Smert 4K TV. Supposed to be here in a week or so. Biggest thing I’ve bought from Amazon so we’ll see how it goes. Biggest issue might be finding a way to move my old Panasonic plasma.
I don't recommend too many movies because tastes really differ, especially with car guys. But, The Green Book was incredibly good, and the 50s and 60s cars were magnificent. About a tough guy who chauffeurs a black pianist on a tour through the South in the early 60s.
They used 3 similar Caddies and made it seem like one. The article gives you an idea of how hard it must be to keep these vintage cars running. I could see in some scenes the door didn't open too easily. The 3 Caddies
Got an email from the Kia sales manager......offering the new Stinger GT2 for $39K even. That’s $13,845 off MSRP.
What are you waiting for? Yesterday I saw some silly comparison between European super cars and domestic muscle. Of course they rated the Mustang last and the Corvette as next to last. That was to be expected.
What surprised me was that the Stinger rated rather high, 5th or 6th. I don’t know how much Kia paid to boost their rankings but that’s still pretty good up against $150,000 Porsches.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I was talking to a friend about how appliances don't last anymore. He mentioned he bought an LG dishwasher a little while ago, and it broke down within a few weeks. Getting service was impossible, and he got the run around from customer service. He decided life was too short and got another brand....no more LG products for him.
Got the rest of winterizing done today. Finally had a day warm enough, and not raining, so got the RDX washed and undersides sprayed off (best I could with the hose). That still had crap on it from the snow a week back. It looks good now, and thankfully was already waxed a month or so ago. So that is ready for the bad season.
later was able to wash the filthy Elantra, and gave it it's first wax job. Was still beading OK, but every car deserves a nice wax job before winter. Very shiny and smooth now. Hey, might help trade in offers too!
The princess showed up as I was finishing, so I decided to check her tires. Good thing they all needed to be aired up. I doubt they have been touched since she bought it in August. supposed to be 36 PSI cold, and were reading more like 31 slightly warm. so pumped them up where they were supposed to be, and gave her a lecture about checking the TP readout every once in a while.
She probably stopped around the corner and let some air out so you’d still feel needed.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
This is some sad news for Oshawa, but I have to admit that I was surprised their employment there now is down as much as the article says. Still, a big loss.
FYI, tyguy, I-80 across Nebraska is slow going due to snow drifts and icing on the roads. My grandson decided to wait until this morning to drive back to the campus with his teammate. They made it to Denver and are spending the night at his teammate’s aunt and uncle’s house. It’s estimated to be a 7-9 hour drive with delays. Hope he gets back safely.
Wow. I just wrapped up a drive across I-80 from Utah to Colorado and the Wyoming section was pretty rough. Utah and Colorado were totally clear along the freeways, but Wyoming was a disaster. Five rolled rigs, multiple accidents (no injuries), and the freeway was closed periodically along the way. There wasn't much snow but what was there compacted and turned to a sheet of ice. The conditions added a few hours to our drive. Hopefully your grandson is back at campus safe and sound. Our Subie now has 3 small cracks in the windshield from a semi truck cutting us off and kicking up rocks. We're going to have those filled first thing tomorrow morning before they have a chance to spread, and before we drive down to Denver to pickup the Tesla.
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'24 Chevy Blazer EV 2LT
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
While the cars are awesome, I think it's the batteries and charging network that will keep Tesla afloat. The other manufacturers are vastly behind the adoption curve there and it'll take time to catch up. Better to partner with Tesla.
Personally I won't use the Superchargers or other third-party chargers much. We had 220V 40 amp circuit included in our new home build 5 years ago in anticipation of this type of purchase. It's much slower than a Supercharger, requiring 9 hours for a full charge to 310 miles, but my needs will typically be less than 30 miles a day. That's less than an hour of charging and perfect for our current lifestyle.
How much of the money fund the charging stations has been government money?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
To give you a head start, I know Tesla received a loan under the fed EV program that they paid back 9 years early about 4 years ago. And like all manufacturers with EV, including GM, buyers have been eligible for the fed tax incentive (if you make enough annual income to benefit from it). Some states have additional rebate programs that vary significantly. Feds haven't helped specifically to build Superchargers, but maybe some states have?
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
2018 430i Gran Coupe
So....it's complicated. The franchise laws were originally passed to protect independent franchisees from the predatory practices of the automakers themselves. The franchise system itself evolved in the 1930s when it was decided that separating manufacturing and sales allowed maximum profits for both sides. Automakers were thus prohibited from opening their own stores or from selling direct to the consumer, thus undercutting their franchisees.
Tesla's (Musk's) position is that franchise dealers can't sell EVs because it puts them in competition with themselves--that is, with the ICE cars that they sell. That observation is not without some merit. Musk maintains that companies like Fisker failed because it relied on franchised dealers who didn't do a very good job.
On the other hand, some of Musk's arguments sound a bit bogus--like the notion that "electric cars require less maintenance than ICEs"---more accurately, they require DIFFERENT maintenance, and Tesla wants that action to be in their hands, not DIYers or dealers.
The argument that "special interests" are at play in this is only partially correct, --there's also a lot of history and a lot of legal precedent--and then states' rights even comes into it.
There are other downsides---Tesla outlets may give very good service, but you'll wait a long time to get it (fewer outlets).
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Furthermore, the sale of new cars from a dealership or franchise is outlawed.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
He voted for the first time by absentee ballot in November. From what my son tells me, he’s become a conservative republican. I asked my son how that happened. His response was, “...when in Rome, do as the Romans do...!” And here I thought my kids and grandson were moderate in their political leanings. Can’t control ideologies, that’s for sure - but a conservative republican? God bless him - he’ll need it in life - the blessing that is.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
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Yup we got the 1TB Spiderman bundle as well. It's $259 CDN up here vs $379 CDN regular price. What's crazy is that people are selling used 500gig systems with no games for $300 on craigslist. Like really? Asking more than a new system on sale?
I was looking forward to playing the new Gran Tursimo Sport with my son (we haven't bought it yet), as we spent countless of hours playing the GT5 on his PS3. I was dismayed however to find out that the GT Sport only has a fraction of the cars (under 200 I think) and tracks available in the previous GT versions (close to 1000 cars).
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
FYI, tyguy, I-80 across Nebraska is slow going due to snow drifts and icing on the roads. My grandson decided to wait until this morning to drive back to the campus with his teammate. They made it to Denver and are spending the night at his teammate’s aunt and uncle’s house. It’s estimated to be a 7-9 hour drive with delays. Hope he gets back safely.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
What kind of discount could you expect from a leftover 2018 Mustang GT. Ford say there’s only a $3k rebate (compared to a $1k on the 2019) currently but that seems pretty low. Normal first year depreciation has to be around 20% at least. Could you realistically be able to get close to that?
The reason I’m asking is my buddy is getting the itch and I’m sensing another New Years Eve buying trip.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I have found through many years of holiday shopping experiences that the best time to shop at a mall before Christmas is at 9:00 AM through 11:00 AM weekdays (mall opens an hour earlier) only from the Wednesday after Thanksgiving to two days before Christmas. Any other times are much too crowded.
I still have several things I need to get so I will do the rest of my shopping Wednesday and Thursday of this coming week. For my kids and grandkids it’s easy - write out 4 checks and deposit them directly into their Wells Fargo checking accounts - then text them to adjust their checking account balances for the amount of the deposited check. They live thousands of miles away from me so this works out best for immediate family members.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
My wife and I truly did get some good deals and it’s a good time to shop because the stores are flooded with merchandise and in stock.
Keep in mind I work on the backend of retail, so I’m more in tune to some of it than others.
From now on to Christmas seeing me in a retail shopping mall past 9AM is not happening!
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart
My primary home year-to-date value is down 2.3% and my 401k (403b actually) is down 7.8%, a disappointment from the past ten years. Nonetheless, I am happy that my nest egg has a positive balance and for that I am grateful.
This is an older part of town, and was rather "low rent", but that is changing rapidly. There are a lot of vacant lots, which are being snatched up by builders, and the prices are escalating rapidly. The empty lot directly across the street from me sold at a tax auction 5 years ago for $27k, and it's now offered for sale at $60k. Back when I bought this house in 2011, I could have picked up any number of vacant lots for $15k or so.
Now, of course, I really wish I had done that.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
I fear that you might regret it 6 months from now.
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
later was able to wash the filthy Elantra, and gave it it's first wax job. Was still beading OK, but every car deserves a nice wax job before winter. Very shiny and smooth now. Hey, might help trade in offers too!
The princess showed up as I was finishing, so I decided to check her tires. Good thing they all needed to be aired up. I doubt they have been touched since she bought it in August. supposed to be 36 PSI cold, and were reading more like 31 slightly warm. so pumped them up where they were supposed to be, and gave her a lecture about checking the TP readout every once in a while.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
He said that the interstate is pretty bad in spots and the winds are strong - blowing the snow everywhere.
Denver to the Lincoln area shouldn’t take more than 7-8 hours. But not today. I am just relieved that they are almost back on campus.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
'24 Chevy Blazer EV 2LT
I know the Fitbit smart watch I wanted was also sold out but again, in no hurry here. And I now know that I need the next size up one as she found an old one in the house to try. The band was a bit too tight, totally uncomfortable after even 10 minutes and it was coming apart around the display. Not something I want so will keep trying it until I get what I want, eventually. My Timex is doing just fine and I know the wife is eyeing it for her next watch. She gets my current one once the one she already got from me dies. I always used to have an extra one in my drawer and would swap into the new while giving her the old when hers died. But her current is my last oldest so, on the way to Target the other night, she brought up the conversation. Same thing as with the new iPhone XR she purchased yesterday. Told her again that I'm not paying a cent above our current bill. If she gets a new phone, she'll need to do what our oldest did a couple years back. After her down payment, she gave me a check for all the future payments and any additional charges up front, so we're clean. Since we have a family plan, this works for me as I have the funds upfront when I write the monthly check. Luckily, I bought the last 2 of my iPhones privately, so my bill never went up and they gave me a free nano sim card.
At this stage of life, I'm looking to lower our monthly bills as much as I can. Will ween the kids off our phone plan eventually, as I've been trying to do for awhile now. Am hoping that the 2 girls will maybe take it over and gift me but not holding my breath honestly. Would be a nice gesture on their parts as they are both making more than dad is, lol!!
The Sandman/Driving Fool
The Sandman/Driving Fool
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
TV shopping; some say near Super Bowl is actually the best time to buy one as merchants clear out for upcoming new models.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
They used 3 similar Caddies and made it seem like one. The article gives you an idea of how hard it must be to keep these vintage cars running. I could see in some scenes the door didn't open too easily.
The 3 Caddies
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
What surprised me was that the Stinger rated rather high, 5th or 6th. I don’t know how much Kia paid to boost their rankings but that’s still pretty good up against $150,000 Porsches.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/gm-closing-all-operations-in-oshawa-ont-sources-1.4191935
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6