Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

snakeweasel

henryn said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

berri said:

So when will the quality gains in cars happen for new homes. Builders seem to have a long way to go.

Buyers are somewhat to blame for that--Americans shop space. They want massive square footage and so the builders have to cut the per-foot costs. So you get the old "studs--thin plywood--drywall" bam-bam-bam.

I'm sitting here scratching my head trying to remember where I have seen any plywood used in new home construction. Studs, drywall, absolutely.

Subflooring?

snakeweasel

carnaught said:

Maybe the Swedes also are less litigious, and that has meant less defensive medicine being practiced.

Not only that but lower malpractice insurance costs to pass on.

snakeweasel

imidazol97 said:

I had a 2-hour root canal on a 2nd molar this morning. I just got up from the inevitable sleep-it-off after any numbing injection for dental work. I still feel grumpy.

So you're feeling normal.

abacomike

@imidazol97:

Glad to hear you are on the road to recovery, imid.  Root canals are not one of my favorite dental procedures as it is obvious you feel the same.  Grumpiness goes with the dental procedure syndrome - welcome back to the real world.  Feel better. 

Mr_Shiftright

snakeweasel said:

imidazol97 said:

I had a 2-hour root canal on a 2nd molar this morning. I just got up from the inevitable sleep-it-off after any numbing injection for dental work. I still feel grumpy.

So you're feeling normal.

I got a nasty paper cut this morning, if there's any sympathy left in the room.

abacomike

Mr_Shiftright said:

Adiós, adieu to the Airbus A380. An engineering marvel expansive enough for showers and sleekly designed bars. With four engines that are powerful enough to reach cruising altitude in roughly 15 minutes, all the while keeping noise levels to a tolerable hum that was not to save the A380. Too bad. But at a list price of $445 million a copy the economics was hard to justify. And while the A380 is a hit with the flying public the lack of orders from US carriers was the final nail in the coffin. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I saw that. Apparently, there aren't many airlines that fly 6000-8000-10000 mile routes where the economics of the A380 worked. Most airlines are switching to smaller planes and shorter routes, even for international travel.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Also it can't land at a lot of airports, and only a few airports were willing to extend runways.

Here at FLL (Ft. Lauderdale), they could not extend or build longer runways to accommodate the big aircraft (B747, B777, B767, and the Airbus equivalents) because the airport is landlocked - I-95 to the west, US Rte 1 to the east, I-595 to the north and Griffin Road to the south.  So they came up with a unique engineering solution -  they closed down runway 9R/27L (used mainly for small commuter aircraft) and widened it to standard runway specs.  They then constructed a bridge to span over US Rte 1 and completed the new East/West runway (9R/27R) two years or so ago.  When taking off to the east, the runway looks like an inclined plane in order to span US Rte 1 and take off as the aircraft crosses the bridge.

FLL can now accommodate the largest aircraft for take-offs and landings.  We now have several European flights in and out of FLL with many more to come.  FLL is the preferred airport in South Florida for travelers desiring to avoid congested MIA.

explorerx4

@Mr_Shiftright,
Go to the doctor. Maybe you will get some kind of opioid and you can keep visiting for refills.

imidazol97

snakeweasel said:

imidazol97 said:

I had a 2-hour root canal on a 2nd molar this morning. I just got up from the inevitable sleep-it-off after any numbing injection for dental work. I still feel grumpy.

So you're feeling normal.

Yup.

jmonroe1

abacomike said:

@imidazol97:

Glad to hear you are on the road to recovery, imid.  Root canals are not one of my favorite dental procedures as it is obvious you feel the same.  Grumpiness goes with the dental procedure syndrome - welcome back to the real world.  Feel better. 

I heard all the horror stories about having a root canal done long before I needed one in the mid 80's when I had my first one done. I felt less pain than when I had normal fillings. Of course having one of the best dentists in the county didn't hurt. And it just so happened that Mrs. j was the office boss for a team of two Orthodontists so she got me in before things went South. It never hurts to know someone who knows someone. Maybe she told them to load me up with novacane because she knew I had a weak jaw from taking some of her left hooks over the years but I felt almost nothing when I had that and a couple more done since.

jmonroe

snakeweasel

Mr_Shiftright said:

snakeweasel said:

imidazol97 said:

I had a 2-hour root canal on a 2nd molar this morning. I just got up from the inevitable sleep-it-off after any numbing injection for dental work. I still feel grumpy.

So you're feeling normal.

I got a nasty paper cut this morning, if there's any sympathy left in the room.

Sure, that piece of paper has my sympathy.

oldfarmer50

Did I ever show you guys this old video from when I drove a school bus?

https://youtu.be/XO758UtlotE

I was late for a pick up.

driver100

imidazol97 said:

snakeweasel said:

imidazol97 said:

I had a 2-hour root canal on a 2nd molar this morning. I just got up from the inevitable sleep-it-off after any numbing injection for dental work. I still feel grumpy.

So you're feeling normal.

Yup.

How are you feeling now?
The J D Powers survey must make you feel better.

driver100

jmonroe1 said:

abacomike said:

@imidazol97:

Glad to hear you are on the road to recovery, imid.  Root canals are not one of my favorite dental procedures as it is obvious you feel the same.  Grumpiness goes with the dental procedure syndrome - welcome back to the real world.  Feel better. 

Maybe she told them to load me up with novacane because she knew I had a weak jaw from taking some of her left hooks over the years but I felt almost nothing when I had that and a couple more done since.

jmonroe

I think the left hooks explain a lot

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

Did I ever show you guys this old video from when I drove a school bus?
I was late for a pick up.

You drove a school bus in Japan.....that had right side drive?

snakeweasel

oldfarmer50 said:

Did I ever show you guys this old video from when I drove a school bus?

https://youtu.be/XO758UtlotE

I was late for a pick up.

Are you sure that's you and not our friend andres?

explorerx4

@snakeweasel,
amdres3? No. roadburner, Maybe.

roadburner

ab348 said:

Sorry to have to report that my cat Rusty died last night. He had been fighting against liver failure for over a month and was just incredibly strong, having eluded the inevitable during several Vet visits where I was expecting the worst but where he kept hanging in and living a decent quality of life up until yesterday when everything fell apart. He had been with me for 12 years and was probably 16 or 17 years old, and was the last of what at one time was a group of 4 cats who lived here. He was very much the strong, silent type and over the last number of months when he was flying solo here I really came to appreciate him much more. Just a superb cat. Rest in peace, my friend.

Sorry to hear that.

jmonroe1

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Did I ever show you guys this old video from when I drove a school bus?
I was late for a pick up.

You drove a school bus in Japan.....that had right side drive?

Of course, I don't think he'd be allowed to drive a bus with left-drive in Japan. Something to do with civil law over there.

jmonroe

stickguy

reminds me of the tour bus drivers in Ireland, whipping down some of those tight roads along the coast.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Did I ever show you guys this old video from when I drove a school bus?
I was late for a pick up.

You drove a school bus in Japan.....that had right side drive?

Before I started down that hill the steering wheel was on the other side.

driver100

stickguy said:

reminds me of the tour bus drivers in Ireland, whipping down some of those tight roads along the coast.

I am lucky to be alive after riding in buses in Egypt and China. China was the worst, passing on 2 lane highways and getting back just in time. Narrow streets and being about 1/2 an inch from cars next to us.

In Egypt he made a left turn in front of oncoming cars and big trucks.....the people on the bus all gasped as we were narrowly missed.

You are lucky to still have me here!

bwia

Coming this spring, the 2020 Mercedes Benz GLE. And if you can’t get comfortable in the seats, don’t blame Mercedes as the GLE-Class offers seat massagers, front and rear seat heating, front heated armrests, seat coolers, even “seat kinetics,” which could make minute adjustments in the seat cushion “to support changes in posture.”
Read full review at https://www.boston.com/cars/car-reviews/2019/02/15/the-2020-mercedes-benz-gle-class-is-a-technological-tour-de-force-in-designer-duds?s_campaign=bg:hp:well:cars

qbrozen

“All new”? I must be missing how it looks any different from the current model.

ab348

Thanks to everyone who offered condolences about Rusty the cat. It was especially tough this time with him being the last of my group of cats that lived here with me. The place right now has a very different feel about it.

I expect that I will adopt a new cat but probably not right away. Thanks again.

carnaught

qbrozen said:

“All new”? I must be missing how it looks any different from the current model.

Different grill and digital dash plus console handles copied from the Cayenne. That’s it, at least visually.

graphicguy

Unfortunately, I never found any Cliffnotes for my C programming classes, or for Stats, or for multi-dimensional calculus, or for Marcro Economics......etc!

jmonroe1

bwia said:

Coming this spring, the 2020 Mercedes Benz GLE. And if you can’t get comfortable in the seats, don’t blame Mercedes as the GLE-Class offers seat massagers, front and rear seat heating, front heated armrests, seat coolers, even “seat kinetics,” which could make minute adjustments in the seat cushion “to support changes in posture.”
Read full review at https://www.boston.com/cars/car-reviews/2019/02/15/the-2020-mercedes-benz-gle-class-is-a-technological-tour-de-force-in-designer-duds?s_campaign=bg:hp:well:cars

I don't understand that console design, maybe it's a new German thing. And while I'm at it, does anyone recognize the cowboy in the right side mirror that is taking a pic from what appears to be his cell phone. Maybe @driver100 is now going Western. If so lets hope his next post doesn't include some audio of him singing.

jmonroe

andres3

abacomike said:

@imidazol97:

Glad to hear you are on the road to recovery, imid.  Root canals are not one of my favorite dental procedures as it is obvious you feel the same.  Grumpiness goes with the dental procedure syndrome - welcome back to the real world.  Feel better. 

I had a root canal recently. It was for that bad crown caused by a bad recommendation to get a crown. After living with an enlarged, inflamed, swollen, hyperactive angry tooth nerve for nearly 2 months, the root canal was the best thing ever since sliced bread!

abacomike

Let me preface my following post by stating that I do not mean to brag about our warm South Florida weather to those of you living up north and suffering a very cold winter. Now for my post:

We have had, and are expected to have, some of the warmest February weather in quite some time. Yesterday the temps hit the mid 80's. The forecast for the weekend and the first 3-4 days of next week is for even warmer temps with "feels-like-temps" in the 90's. I look forward to winter down here because we get temps in the 70's by day and the 50's and 60's by night which is so nice and refreshing from the heat and humidity we are so well-known for. I hate this warm weather - THERE, I SAID IT!!!. I hope we get back to cooler days and nights in the next 7-10 days - enough is enough! Running my A/C in February is not a pleasant experience.

graphicguy

I like to sleep in on Saturdays. I had quite a startle when my phone rang on my bed stand at 7:30 a.m. I first thought it was some sort of bad news. My family and friends know better than to call that early on a weekend.

Then, to add to the startle, the voice on the other end said he was from the Hamilton Ohio Police Dept. I first thought about my son’s well being. I immediately asked “what’s wrong”.

He chuckled a little and said he was calling to inform me the speeding ticket they mailed could not be scheduled for a hearing for 90-days. As such, they are dropping the civil action of the ticket.

In summation, if it takes to much time, too much energy, they will not pursue taking money from me. If it’s easy and quick, they’re all over it.

If that’s not the very outline of “scam”, then nothing is.

berri

Don't "sweat" it

houdini2

snakeweasel said:

carnaught said:

Maybe the Swedes also are less litigious, and that has meant less defensive medicine being practiced.

Not only that but lower malpractice insurance costs to pass on.

Until we can elect some people who can control our out of control wasteful spending, we will never be able to afford any meaningful spending. To say we are spending like drunken sailors is an insult to drunken sailors.

henryn

My A/C has been on for the past 2 days. Not too bad outside (not as warm as you, high of maybe 77, but still not comfortable sleeping weather). Especially with the humidity.

qbrozen

carnaught said:

“All new”? I must be missing how it looks any different from the current model.

Different grill and digital dash plus console handles copied from the Cayenne. That’s it, at least visually.

A pet peeve of mine when they say “all new” and it has a large amount of carryover parts.

oldfarmer50

graphicguy said:

I like to sleep in on Saturdays. I had quite a startle when my phone rang on my bed stand at 7:30 a.m. I first thought it was some sort of bad news. My family and friends know better than to call that early on a weekend.

Then, to add to the startle, the voice on the other end said he was from the Hamilton Ohio Police Dept. I first thought about my son’s well being. I immediately asked “what’s wrong”.

He chuckled a little and said he was calling to inform me the speeding ticket they mailed could not be scheduled for a hearing for 90-days. As such, they are dropping the civil action of the ticket.

In summation, if it takes to much time, too much energy, they will not pursue taking money from me. If it’s easy and quick, they’re all over it.

If that’s not the very outline of “scam”, then nothing is.

Like I said, taking the profit out of it for them. What a slimy bunch. :@

oldfarmer50

Which one of you were bragging about how much better drivers are in Europe? Seems like “stupid” translates well into many languages.

https://youtu.be/5P7zzivYbik

graphicguy

oldfarmer50 said:

graphicguy said:

I like to sleep in on Saturdays. I had quite a startle when my phone rang on my bed stand at 7:30 a.m. I first thought it was some sort of bad news. My family and friends know better than to call that early on a weekend.

Then, to add to the startle, the voice on the other end said he was from the Hamilton Ohio Police Dept. I first thought about my son’s well being. I immediately asked “what’s wrong”.

He chuckled a little and said he was calling to inform me the speeding ticket they mailed could not be scheduled for a hearing for 90-days. As such, they are dropping the civil action of the ticket.

In summation, if it takes to much time, too much energy, they will not pursue taking money from me. If it’s easy and quick, they’re all over it.

If that’s not the very outline of “scam”, then nothing is.

Like I said, taking the profit out of it for them. What a slimy bunch. :@

OF...you were right. It was never an action that was even remotely safety related. It was always about the money scam. Take the profit out of it for them, and the alleged safety angle gets thrown out the window.

I’m betting if enough people would demand a hearing without paying the ticket unquestioned, the whole red light camera scam would die. It wouldn’t make enough money to justify it.

snakeweasel

houdini2 said:

snakeweasel said:

carnaught said:

Maybe the Swedes also are less litigious, and that has meant less defensive medicine being practiced.

Not only that but lower malpractice insurance costs to pass on.

Until we can elect some people who can control our out of control wasteful spending, we will never be able to afford any meaningful spending. To say we are spending like drunken sailors is an insult to drunken sailors.

As a former drunken sailor I resemble that remark.

Mr_Shiftright

At least a drunken sailor spends his OWN money.

driver100

qbrozen said:

“All new”? I must be missing how it looks any different from the current model.

Much larger windows for one thing! I am in.

I like the subtle improvement.......softer lines, simpler, very attractive front end, and did I mention larger windows.

driver100

jmonroe1 said:

bwia said:

Coming this spring, the 2020 Mercedes Benz GLE. And if you can’t get comfortable in the seats, don’t blame Mercedes as the GLE-Class offers seat massagers, front and rear seat heating, front heated armrests, seat coolers, even “seat kinetics,” which could make minute adjustments in the seat cushion “to support changes in posture.”
Read full review at https://www.boston.com/cars/car-reviews/2019/02/15/the-2020-mercedes-benz-gle-class-is-a-technological-tour-de-force-in-designer-duds?s_campaign=bg:hp:well:cars

I don't understand that console design, maybe it's a new German thing. And while I'm at it, does anyone recognize the cowboy in the right side mirror that is taking a pic from what appears to be his cell phone. Maybe @driver100 is now going Western. If so lets hope his next post doesn't include some audio of him singing.

jmonroe

a) What don't you understand about the console....grab handles to hold onto when cornering...nicely built in.
b) I generally don't take pictures with my cell phone so very unlikely it is me. As for singing, in school we have the canaries, the robins, and the listeners, I was always in the listeners, not allowed to sing. But, if you want me to croon........Look at me, I'm as helpless as a kitten up a tree.....la di dah .........
(Misty...I hate that song but I can do a funny Dean Martin singing it - Dean Martin, how fitting to be replying to the Dino wannabe)

driver100

graphicguy said:

.
He chuckled a little and said he was calling to inform me the speeding ticket they mailed could not be scheduled for a hearing for 90-days. As such, they are dropping the civil action of the ticket.
In summation, if it takes to much time, too much energy, they will not pursue taking money from me. If it’s easy and quick, they’re all over it.

Basically, if you fight it they will let you go....not worth their time and energy.
But why call at 7 a.m., they figure that is your punishment and you aren't going to tell them off after being let off the hook.

driver100

houdini2 said:

snakeweasel said:

carnaught said:

Maybe the Swedes also are less litigious, and that has meant less defensive medicine being practiced.

Not only that but lower malpractice insurance costs to pass on.

Until we can elect some people who can control our out of control wasteful spending, we will never be able to afford any meaningful spending. To say we are spending like drunken sailors is an insult to drunken sailors.

If you wait until you can afford it you will never have it....it's like what people say about having a kid. You just go for it, cut spending on silly things (won't get political by mentioning an example), and find a way to do it.

My motto in business, every problem has a solution, the guy who finds a solution will win.

driver100

qbrozen said:

carnaught said:

qbrozen said:

“All new”? I must be missing how it looks any different from the current model.

Different grill and digital dash plus console handles copied from the Cayenne. That’s it, at least visually.

A pet peeve of mine when they say “all new” and it has a large amount of carryover parts.

Not really....it looks like the same basic design, but it looks like every part I can see has been changed. Look at a BMW 3 Series, they haven't changed that basic design for over 10 years........but every part has been redesigned. If you have a winning design you stick with it, and make subtle changes to make it even better.

Mr_Shiftright

Of course, if you can't afford, but buy it anyway, you don't really "have" it, do you? I mean, the bank has it and are letting you live in it or drive it at their pleasure.

driver100

graphicguy said:

oldfarmer50 said:

graphicguy said:

I like to sleep in on Saturdays. I had quite a startle when my phone rang on my bed stand at 7:30 a.m. I first thought it was some sort of bad news. My family and friends know better than to call that early on a weekend.

Then, to add to the startle, the voice on the other end said he was from the Hamilton Ohio Police Dept. I first thought about my son’s well being. I immediately asked “what’s wrong”.

He chuckled a little and said he was calling to inform me the speeding ticket they mailed could not be scheduled for a hearing for 90-days. As such, they are dropping the civil action of the ticket.

In summation, if it takes to much time, too much energy, they will not pursue taking money from me. If it’s easy and quick, they’re all over it.

If that’s not the very outline of “scam”, then nothing is.

Like I said, taking the profit out of it for them. What a slimy bunch. :@

OF...you were right. It was never an action that was even remotely safety related. It was always about the money scam. Take the profit out of it for them, and the alleged safety angle gets thrown out the window.

I’m betting if enough people would demand a hearing without paying the ticket unquestioned, the whole red light camera scam would die. It wouldn’t make enough money to justify it.

I don't consider it a scam exactly.
The ticket was probably deserved....why wouldn't it be? It probably prevents a lot of people from running red lights. They know most people will pay so the red light camera is a money maker (good way to collect much needed revenue btw)., but why lose money by having a cop testify etc. If 90% of the people just pay...that is very cost effective.

snakeweasel

Mr_Shiftright said:

At least a drunken sailor spends his OWN money.

Sometimes. You have never loaned someone money and never got repaid?

Mr_Shiftright

Yes, but not to a drunk.

imidazol97

I had mentioned JD Powers awards earlier in the high scoring for Chevy. I noticed my favorite home repair box store has the JD Power award.

https://www.menards.com/main/jd-power-award/c-1534254029767.htm?utm_campaign=7A-2019&utm_content=Presidents-Day-Sale&utm_source=flipp&utm_medium=flyer_hosted

Typical of the store is I asked in the grocery drugstore food aisle where the metal garbage cans would be. I suspected in the outside, non-heated garden store area. Nope up front. He was counting items on a shelf to do restocking of chips, BUT he wouldn't just tell me the next to last aisle toward the front cross aisle..., he walked me patiently to the aisle. Then when I said that was the perfect small can size, he helped lift the metal can up and out because they tend to stick to the ones below due to stacking and gravity. Amazing customer service. His body language didn't say that he was patronizing a customer who interrupted his restocking. He seemed to enjoy helping me find what I neede easily and he made small talk that most people wouldn't guess the location in the store that has everything from lumber, water heaters, food, bird seed and pet supplies, and garden/lawn supplies.

Makes the JD Powers award more meaningful to me.

Mr_Shiftright

That's service! Trader Joe's is pretty good that way, too. Some other stores? You pretty much have to slit your wrists and fall on the flooring writhing to get any attention.