Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

jipster

jmonroe1 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

jmonroe1 said:

venture said:

oldfarmer50 said:

explorerx4 said:

@driver100,
If you had comprehended one of my previous posts, you would realize it may never need replacement.
It's just something that should be and can easily be checked if you are looking at one of those cars.

In all likelihood my guy will probably shoot down any car I come up with. When people say they want help picking out a car what they really mean is they want you to approve of whatever they pick out.

I won't go with people to look at cars any more. Some because of what you said, and others because you get no recognition if a car works out OK, but you get blamed if it's not a good car - like you knew that and kept it from them.

Since I have you here, I will change the subject.

As you may know I'm pretty close to trading in Mrs. j's 2012 Legacy 3.6R Limited for an equivalent 2018 (used with 7K miles) or 2019 new. I know you have the 2018 model but I wanted to get your opinion about the CVT. The 2012 has a 5 speed automatic and I'm used to feeling the shifting of a transmission. Just curious how long it took you to get used to the CVT and if you have any regrets. I'm almost on the fence because of that. I know a CVT is going to be the standard with all manufactures and I won't really have a choice but just asking.

If any of you other guys want to chime in on a CVT, have at it.

jmonroe

I drive a lot of cars with CVTs and to be honest, I can’t tell the difference. Modern auto transmissions shift so smoothly you can hardly feel it anyway. My problem with CVTs is reliability.

All I need is a reliability problem.

As you regulars know, her 2005 XG350 blew an engine with around 43K miles in November of 2011. That is how she came by the 2012 Subie. When I got my '09 Genny she had a 2006 Sonata pretty well equipped and it even had bum warmers but I traded her Sonata because the XG350 was a softer ride that she seemed to like when she got into it when it was my car. She didn't dislike her Sonata just thought the XG350 rode better. After she had the XG350, I heard a couple times, "you traded my car to get a new car for you and your old car didn't even have heated seats." :@ Then when it blew up I heard a few times, "I bet my Sonata wouldn't have broken down on me". :@ :@ Now you're scaring the hell out of me about CVT reliability problems. If I get that Subie with the CVT and all of a sudden you never hear from me again, you'll know it broke down while she was driving it.

Maybe I shouldn't be pushing this trade so much.

jmonroe

Do all 2012 model Legacy's have the CVT?. I thought Subaru raised the transmission warranty to 10 years of 100,000 for that year on their CVTs?

The.Ford.Focus 2011-2014 (?) CVT's were problematic.The Nissan Altima has had.problems with their CVT. I'm looking at 2010-2012 model headed cars, CVT problems seemed.more common. So trying to stay away from them..Not so much anymore

henryn

oldfarmer50 said:

henryn said:

qbrozen said:

oldfarmer50 said:

I really like some of the Nissan offerings like the Rogue and especially the Altima ...

This makes me sad and baffled all at once.

I almost bought an Altima, back around 2014. I could have gotten an Altima with the V6 for about $6k less than a V6 Camry and $7.5k less than a V6 Accord. It was a very good deal, and I almost pulled the trigger.

What did you buy instead and what about the Altima turned you off? I’ve driven the Altima and the Camary and prefer the driving dynamics of the Nissan.

I thought the Honda felt zippier (and a little more luxury touches), and the Camry rode smoother. But the differences were pretty small, not nearly enough to account for the difference in price. In the end, I bought a new F150.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

venture said:

oldfarmer50 said:

explorerx4 said:

@driver100,
If you had comprehended one of my previous posts, you would realize it may never need replacement.
It's just something that should be and can easily be checked if you are looking at one of those cars.

In all likelihood my guy will probably shoot down any car I come up with. When people say they want help picking out a car what they really mean is they want you to approve of whatever they pick out.

I won't go with people to look at cars any more. Some because of what you said, and others because you get no recognition if a car works out OK, but you get blamed if it's not a good car - like you knew that and kept it from them.

Since I have you here, I will change the subject.

As you may know I'm pretty close to trading in Mrs. j's 2012 Legacy 3.6R Limited for an equivalent 2018 (used with 7K miles) or 2019 new. I know you have the 2018 model but I wanted to get your opinion about the CVT. The 2012 has a 5 speed automatic and I'm used to feeling the shifting of a transmission. Just curious how long it took you to get used to the CVT and if you have any regrets. I'm almost on the fence because of that. I know a CVT is going to be the standard with all manufactures and I won't really have a choice but just asking.

If any of you other guys want to chime in on a CVT, have at it.

jmonroe

One thing I would say....give it a real long test drive first. That CVT is very controversial, some people complain about the drone noise. More complicated = more could go wrong. But, your Mrs JM probably won't notice the missing gear shifts, and you don't keep cars that long that it should be a problem mechanically.

Why not talk her into a black Altima....then you can borrow it as a chick magnet.

Actually, a CVT is less complicated, basically a few pulleys and a steel belt. Better gas mileage too. Less expensive to build so the car companies love them.

driver100

jmonroe1 said:

venture said:

jmonroe1 said:

henryn said:

Women are more likely to need help in deciding what car to purchase, but they tend to be swayed by the color (exterior more than interior). Men more often need help with financing and math.

I just had a fun time with SiriusXM. Again. They autorenewed on the minivan at $123 for 6 months, and I didn't even know it until the Amex bill came in. So I call, renegotiate, get 12 months for $108. I really really hate their business practices.

That is EXACLY why I refuse to give them my CC number. Can't tell you how many times they have told me my life would be so much easier renewing that way. I like XM and I gladly pay the $2 invoice mailing fee. That is what makes my life easier.

jmonroe

One time, back when I still had it, they wanted to charge me the $2 to mail an invoice. I told them that they had already mailed me 3 times about renewing so they could mail an invoice for free too. They did.

Dammit, they've been screwing me for about 8 years now. :@

jmonroe

8 years X $2 = $16! Not enough to lose sleep over.

ronsteve

venture said:

jmonroe1 said:

venture said:

oldfarmer50 said:

explorerx4 said:

@driver100,
If you had comprehended one of my previous posts, you would realize it may never need replacement.
It's just something that should be and can easily be checked if you are looking at one of those cars.

In all likelihood my guy will probably shoot down any car I come up with. When people say they want help picking out a car what they really mean is they want you to approve of whatever they pick out.

I won't go with people to look at cars any more. Some because of what you said, and others because you get no recognition if a car works out OK, but you get blamed if it's not a good car - like you knew that and kept it from them.

Since I have you here, I will change the subject.

As you may know I'm pretty close to trading in Mrs. j's 2012 Legacy 3.6R Limited for an equivalent 2018 (used with 7K miles) or 2019 new. I know you have the 2018 model but I wanted to get your opinion about the CVT. The 2012 has a 5 speed automatic and I'm used to feeling the shifting of a transmission. Just curious how long it took you to get used to the CVT and if you have any regrets. I'm almost on the fence because of that. I know a CVT is going to be the standard with all manufactures and I won't really have a choice but just asking.

If any of you other guys want to chime in on a CVT, have at it.

jmonroe

I drove a few cars a couple of years ago with a CVT and didn't care for them at all. The one my in Legacy has fake shift points and they did a fantastic job with it. Unless you are aware and paying attention, you can't tell.

I would prefer a manual, but they are hard to get and my wife would go nuts (I almost brought a manual WRX home the last time - until I came to my senses).

Go drive one. I suspect you will be surprised. I assume the one in the 3.6 is the same as the 4 cylinder, but better check first. Drive what you are thinking about buying.

You do know, don't you, that the Legacy and Outback will be built on the new global platform for 2020? All new, but as Subaru does, you probably won't be able to tell by looking at it unless you really know Subaru's or are looking at them side by side.

Right before I started car-shopping I spent 5 days with a Nissan Rogue as a rental. Didn't like it much... really the only recent Nissan I ever really embraced as a rental was the Murano. Drove an Outback (2.5) and found it MUCH better with the fake shift points, and the power delivery was such that it didn't feel like THAT much of a dog. But that was coming from a V70 2.5T and the wife's Jetta 2.5, not from my current RDX, which would probably change my viewpoint if I tried one now.

I think as more and more manufacturers go to 8/9/10-speed automatics, and implement fuel-saving tricks like VCM, while CVTs improve, we'll probably end up seeing less difference in the driving experience. And good driving experiences like manuals will contnue to disappear.

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

venture said:

oldfarmer50 said:

explorerx4 said:

@driver100,
If you had comprehended one of my previous posts, you would realize it may never need replacement.
It's just something that should be and can easily be checked if you are looking at one of those cars.

In all likelihood my guy will probably shoot down any car I come up with. When people say they want help picking out a car what they really mean is they want you to approve of whatever they pick out.

I won't go with people to look at cars any more. Some because of what you said, and others because you get no recognition if a car works out OK, but you get blamed if it's not a good car - like you knew that and kept it from them.

Since I have you here, I will change the subject.

As you may know I'm pretty close to trading in Mrs. j's 2012 Legacy 3.6R Limited for an equivalent 2018 (used with 7K miles) or 2019 new. I know you have the 2018 model but I wanted to get your opinion about the CVT. The 2012 has a 5 speed automatic and I'm used to feeling the shifting of a transmission. Just curious how long it took you to get used to the CVT and if you have any regrets. I'm almost on the fence because of that. I know a CVT is going to be the standard with all manufactures and I won't really have a choice but just asking.

If any of you other guys want to chime in on a CVT, have at it.

jmonroe

One thing I would say....give it a real long test drive first. That CVT is very controversial, some people complain about the drone noise. More complicated = more could go wrong. But, your Mrs JM probably won't notice the missing gear shifts, and you don't keep cars that long that it should be a problem mechanically.

Why not talk her into a black Altima....then you can borrow it as a chick magnet.

Actually, a CVT is less complicated, basically a few pulleys and a steel belt. Better gas mileage too. Less expensive to build so the car companies love them.

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

venture said:

oldfarmer50 said:

explorerx4 said:

@driver100,
If you had comprehended one of my previous posts, you would realize it may never need replacement.
It's just something that should be and can easily be checked if you are looking at one of those cars.

In all likelihood my guy will probably shoot down any car I come up with. When people say they want help picking out a car what they really mean is they want you to approve of whatever they pick out.

I won't go with people to look at cars any more. Some because of what you said, and others because you get no recognition if a car works out OK, but you get blamed if it's not a good car - like you knew that and kept it from them.

Since I have you here, I will change the subject.

As you may know I'm pretty close to trading in Mrs. j's 2012 Legacy 3.6R Limited for an equivalent 2018 (used with 7K miles) or 2019 new. I know you have the 2018 model but I wanted to get your opinion about the CVT. The 2012 has a 5 speed automatic and I'm used to feeling the shifting of a transmission. Just curious how long it took you to get used to the CVT and if you have any regrets. I'm almost on the fence because of that. I know a CVT is going to be the standard with all manufactures and I won't really have a choice but just asking.

If any of you other guys want to chime in on a CVT, have at it.

jmonroe

One thing I would say....give it a real long test drive first. That CVT is very controversial, some people complain about the drone noise. More complicated = more could go wrong. But, your Mrs JM probably won't notice the missing gear shifts, and you don't keep cars that long that it should be a problem mechanically.

Why not talk her into a black Altima....then you can borrow it as a chick magnet.

Actually, a CVT is less complicated, basically a few pulleys and a steel belt. Better gas mileage too. Less expensive to build so the car companies love them.

From what I can figure out....yes, less complicated, but still prone to problems and problems that can be costly. At least with a non-CVT, most of the bugs have been worked through......early model CVTs can be prone to problems. It seems gas mileage is slightly better....in city driving. Some people don't like the ultra RPM racing engine, and some people miss the gear changes.

This article is a pretty good summary.....lots written about them.
They are the future for lots of reasons....I prefer to wait until they are perfected.

houdini2

oldfarmer50 said:

ruking1 said:

So if one’s done the research on any vehicle and its competitors, and it’s a choice between getting a vehicle whose value drops like a rock or has good to great after market value....(anyone’s choice here? )

Depends on how long you plan on keeping it. If you plan on reselling in a few years buy a Honda. If you plan on running it into the ground buy a Toyota. If the prices are too high on either buy a Buick.

oldfarmer50 said:

ruking1 said:

So if one’s done the research on any vehicle and its competitors, and it’s a choice between getting a vehicle whose value drops like a rock or has good to great after market value....(anyone’s choice here? )

Depends on how long you plan on keeping it. If you plan on reselling in a few years buy a Honda. If you plan on running it into the ground buy a Toyota. If the prices are too high on either buy a Buick.

The best deal you can make on a new car is not to buy it.

houdini2

abacomike said:

We are under a “gale warning” effective at 4:00 PM this afternoon until tomorrow afternoon with small craft advisories in effect through Friday morning.  There is a front moving down the peninsula and is expected to pass through South Florida this afternoon.

I would think Driver100 is experiencing some windy conditions now.  Weather this year sure has been strange.

Anybody remember Gale Storm?

Mr_Shiftright

driver100 said:

stickguy said:

I love Scotty. He's fun.

He is fun, not sure whether to believe most of what he says, and i wish he would get a voice box transplant....the voice is the annoying part!

I don't mind him, but it is hard to watch his spastic body language. He seems to want to help people, at any rate.

imidazol97

houdini2 said:

We are under a “gale warning” effective at 4:00 PM this afternoon until tomorrow afternoon with small craft advisories in effect through Friday morning.  There is a front moving down the peninsula and is expected to pass through South Florida this afternoon.

I would think Driver100 is experiencing some windy conditions now.  Weather this year sure has been strange.

Anybody remember Gale Storm?

My Little Margie

oldfarmer50

jipster said:

jmonroe1 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

jmonroe1 said:

venture said:

oldfarmer50 said:

explorerx4 said:

@driver100,
If you had comprehended one of my previous posts, you would realize it may never need replacement.
It's just something that should be and can easily be checked if you are looking at one of those cars.

In all likelihood my guy will probably shoot down any car I come up with. When people say they want help picking out a car what they really mean is they want you to approve of whatever they pick out.

I won't go with people to look at cars any more. Some because of what you said, and others because you get no recognition if a car works out OK, but you get blamed if it's not a good car - like you knew that and kept it from them.

Since I have you here, I will change the subject.

As you may know I'm pretty close to trading in Mrs. j's 2012 Legacy 3.6R Limited for an equivalent 2018 (used with 7K miles) or 2019 new. I know you have the 2018 model but I wanted to get your opinion about the CVT. The 2012 has a 5 speed automatic and I'm used to feeling the shifting of a transmission. Just curious how long it took you to get used to the CVT and if you have any regrets. I'm almost on the fence because of that. I know a CVT is going to be the standard with all manufactures and I won't really have a choice but just asking.

If any of you other guys want to chime in on a CVT, have at it.

jmonroe

I drive a lot of cars with CVTs and to be honest, I can’t tell the difference. Modern auto transmissions shift so smoothly you can hardly feel it anyway. My problem with CVTs is reliability.

All I need is a reliability problem.

As you regulars know, her 2005 XG350 blew an engine with around 43K miles in November of 2011. That is how she came by the 2012 Subie. When I got my '09 Genny she had a 2006 Sonata pretty well equipped and it even had bum warmers but I traded her Sonata because the XG350 was a softer ride that she seemed to like when she got into it when it was my car. She didn't dislike her Sonata just thought the XG350 rode better. After she had the XG350, I heard a couple times, "you traded my car to get a new car for you and your old car didn't even have heated seats." :@ Then when it blew up I heard a few times, "I bet my Sonata wouldn't have broken down on me". :@ :@ Now you're scaring the hell out of me about CVT reliability problems. If I get that Subie with the CVT and all of a sudden you never hear from me again, you'll know it broke down while she was driving it.

Maybe I shouldn't be pushing this trade so much.

jmonroe

Do all 2012 model Legacy's have the CVT?. I thought Subaru raised the transmission warranty to 10 years of 100,000 for that year on their CVTs?

The.Ford.Focus 2011-2014 (?) CVT's were problematic.The Nissan Altima has had.problems with their CVT. I'm looking at 2010-2012 model headed cars, CVT problems seemed.more common. So trying to stay away from them..Not so much anymore

I think Subaru didn’t start using CVT until 2014.

Ford Focus has a DCG which caused problems from 2012-2016 (some would say after that too). Ford’s problems were different but no less harmful to the brand. The ‘17s and ‘18s I’ve driven were fine, fun in fact. The ‘15 I drove recently would chase me away from those problem years.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

venture said:

oldfarmer50 said:

explorerx4 said:

@driver100,
If you had comprehended one of my previous posts, you would realize it may never need replacement.
It's just something that should be and can easily be checked if you are looking at one of those cars.

In all likelihood my guy will probably shoot down any car I come up with. When people say they want help picking out a car what they really mean is they want you to approve of whatever they pick out.

I won't go with people to look at cars any more. Some because of what you said, and others because you get no recognition if a car works out OK, but you get blamed if it's not a good car - like you knew that and kept it from them.

Since I have you here, I will change the subject.

As you may know I'm pretty close to trading in Mrs. j's 2012 Legacy 3.6R Limited for an equivalent 2018 (used with 7K miles) or 2019 new. I know you have the 2018 model but I wanted to get your opinion about the CVT. The 2012 has a 5 speed automatic and I'm used to feeling the shifting of a transmission. Just curious how long it took you to get used to the CVT and if you have any regrets. I'm almost on the fence because of that. I know a CVT is going to be the standard with all manufactures and I won't really have a choice but just asking.

If any of you other guys want to chime in on a CVT, have at it.

jmonroe

One thing I would say....give it a real long test drive first. That CVT is very controversial, some people complain about the drone noise. More complicated = more could go wrong. But, your Mrs JM probably won't notice the missing gear shifts, and you don't keep cars that long that it should be a problem mechanically.

Why not talk her into a black Altima....then you can borrow it as a chick magnet.

Actually, a CVT is less complicated, basically a few pulleys and a steel belt. Better gas mileage too. Less expensive to build so the car companies love them.

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

venture said:

oldfarmer50 said:

explorerx4 said:

@driver100,
If you had comprehended one of my previous posts, you would realize it may never need replacement.
It's just something that should be and can easily be checked if you are looking at one of those cars.

In all likelihood my guy will probably shoot down any car I come up with. When people say they want help picking out a car what they really mean is they want you to approve of whatever they pick out.

I won't go with people to look at cars any more. Some because of what you said, and others because you get no recognition if a car works out OK, but you get blamed if it's not a good car - like you knew that and kept it from them.

Since I have you here, I will change the subject.

As you may know I'm pretty close to trading in Mrs. j's 2012 Legacy 3.6R Limited for an equivalent 2018 (used with 7K miles) or 2019 new. I know you have the 2018 model but I wanted to get your opinion about the CVT. The 2012 has a 5 speed automatic and I'm used to feeling the shifting of a transmission. Just curious how long it took you to get used to the CVT and if you have any regrets. I'm almost on the fence because of that. I know a CVT is going to be the standard with all manufactures and I won't really have a choice but just asking.

If any of you other guys want to chime in on a CVT, have at it.

jmonroe

One thing I would say....give it a real long test drive first. That CVT is very controversial, some people complain about the drone noise. More complicated = more could go wrong. But, your Mrs JM probably won't notice the missing gear shifts, and you don't keep cars that long that it should be a problem mechanically.

Why not talk her into a black Altima....then you can borrow it as a chick magnet.

Actually, a CVT is less complicated, basically a few pulleys and a steel belt. Better gas mileage too. Less expensive to build so the car companies love them.

From what I can figure out....yes, less complicated, but still prone to problems and problems that can be costly. At least with a non-CVT, most of the bugs have been worked through......early model CVTs can be prone to problems. It seems gas mileage is slightly better....in city driving. Some people don't like the ultra RPM racing engine, and some people miss the gear changes.

This article is a pretty good summary.....lots written about them.
They are the future for lots of reasons....I prefer to wait until they are perfected.

Less complicated to build but strangely more complicated to repair. $3-5,000 from what I read. Combine that with a higher early failure rate and it makes me wary.

abacomike

One of my walking buddies turned 71 today so, as per custom, we took him out for lunch. The birthday boy gets to pick where we take him for lunch - so he picked a quaint German restaurant not far from the ocean.

I ordered vener schnitzel with spetzel and a potato dumpling and a tall stein of dark draught beer.  It was the most delicious German meal I have ever had.  The other guys had the same thing.  The tab for the 3 of us came to $59.00 less $13.00 for a coupon we gave the waiter for a net of $46.00.

I determined that we should give the waiter $12.00 for a tip because the service was excellent and the original tab would have been close to $60.00 without the coupon.  I felt a little resistance to that tip from the other buddy who was splitting the tab with me so we left him $10.00 - but as we were leaving I told the guys I left my phone at the table and had to go back to retrieve it, which was not the truth.  I wanted to leave the waiter an extra few bucks, which I did.  The waiter was most appreciative for my coming back to leave him a few extra bucks - so appreciative that he gave me two additional coupons for our next visit.

Was I wrong to do that?  Should I have just left the $10.00 and not deceptively go back to leave more?  I would welcome your feedback.

roadburner

I'd do what you did. I hate tightwads.

driver100

abacomike said:

One of my walking buddies turned 71 today so, as per custom, we took him out for lunch. The birthday boy gets to pick where we take him for lunch - so he picked a quaint German restaurant not far from the ocean.

I ordered vener schnitzel with spetzel and a potato dumpling and a tall stein of dark draught beer.  It was the most delicious German meal I have ever had.  The other guys had the same thing.  The tab for the 3 of us came to $59.00 less $13.00 for a coupon we gave the waiter for a net of $46.00.

I determined that we should give the waiter $12.00 for a tip because the service was excellent and the original tab would have been close to $60.00 without the coupon.  I felt a little resistance to that tip from the other buddy who was splitting the tab with me so we left him $10.00 - but as we were leaving I told the guys I left my phone at the table and had to go back to retrieve it, which was not the truth.  I wanted to leave the waiter an extra few bucks, which I did.  The waiter was most appreciative for my coming back to leave him a few extra bucks - so appreciative that he gave me two additional coupons for our next visit.

Was I wrong to do that?  Should I have just left the $10.00 and not deceptively go back to leave more?  I would welcome your feedback.

You did the right thing and the tip should be based on the full price...not the discounted price. Plus, you enjoyed the food and the service so the waiter added a lot to the whole experience.

btw I am 72 April 17....see if the guys want to take me there too.

ronsteve

oldfarmer50 said:

jipster said:

Do all 2012 model Legacy's have the CVT?. I thought Subaru raised the transmission warranty to 10 years of 100,000 for that year on their CVTs?

The.Ford.Focus 2011-2014 (?) CVT's were problematic.The Nissan Altima has had.problems with their CVT. I'm looking at 2010-2012 model headed cars, CVT problems seemed.more common. So trying to stay away from them..Not so much anymore

I think Subaru didn’t start using CVT until 2014.

Legacy and Outback went CVT with the 2010 redesign, but only in the 4-cylinder models. The 3.6R had a 5-speed auto.

Impreza went CVT in 2012... Forester in 2014, and the 3.6R Legacy/Outback with the next redesign in 2015.

suydam

My Honda Accord CVT was smooth as silk. The Nissans I’ve test driven are another story. So you just have to drive the one you’re interested in to see. I don’t think you can make a blanket statement about them.

driver100

Also found this out about CVTs;
CVTs also require special oil, and parts when being serviced so you will need to make sure you have a skilled mechanic that is versed in dealing with this type of transmission.

That means none of those DIY home oil changes JMonroe!

abacomike

driver100 said:

One of my walking buddies turned 71 today so, as per custom, we took him out for lunch. The birthday boy gets to pick where we take him for lunch - so he picked a quaint German restaurant not far from the ocean.

I ordered vener schnitzel with spetzel and a potato dumpling and a tall stein of dark draught beer.  It was the most delicious German meal I have ever had.  The other guys had the same thing.  The tab for the 3 of us came to $59.00 less $13.00 for a coupon we gave the waiter for a net of $46.00.

I determined that we should give the waiter $12.00 for a tip because the service was excellent and the original tab would have been close to $60.00 without the coupon.  I felt a little resistance to that tip from the other buddy who was splitting the tab with me so we left him $10.00 - but as we were leaving I told the guys I left my phone at the table and had to go back to retrieve it, which was not the truth.  I wanted to leave the waiter an extra few bucks, which I did.  The waiter was most appreciative for my coming back to leave him a few extra bucks - so appreciative that he gave me two additional coupons for our next visit.

Was I wrong to do that?  Should I have just left the $10.00 and not deceptively go back to leave more?  I would welcome your feedback.

You did the right thing and the tip should be based on the full price...not the discounted price. Plus, you enjoyed the food and the service so the waiter added a lot to the whole experience. btw I am 72 April 17....see if the guys want to take me there too.

Come on down! 

jipster

oldfarmer50 said:

jipster said:

jmonroe1 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

jmonroe1 said:

venture said:

oldfarmer50 said:

explorerx4 said:

@driver100,
If you had comprehended one of my previous posts, you would realize it may never need replacement.
It's just something that should be and can easily be checked if you are looking at one of those cars.

In all likelihood my guy will probably shoot down any car I come up with. When people say they want help picking out a car what they really mean is they want you to approve of whatever they pick out.

I won't go with people to look at cars any more. Some because of what you said, and others because you get no recognition if a car works out OK, but you get blamed if it's not a good car - like you knew that and kept it from them.

Since I have you here, I will change the subject.

As you may know I'm pretty close to trading in Mrs. j's 2012 Legacy 3.6R Limited for an equivalent 2018 (used with 7K miles) or 2019 new. I know you have the 2018 model but I wanted to get your opinion about the CVT. The 2012 has a 5 speed automatic and I'm used to feeling the shifting of a transmission. Just curious how long it took you to get used to the CVT and if you have any regrets. I'm almost on the fence because of that. I know a CVT is going to be the standard with all manufactures and I won't really have a choice but just asking.

If any of you other guys want to chime in on a CVT, have at it.

jmonroe

I drive a lot of cars with CVTs and to be honest, I can’t tell the difference. Modern auto transmissions shift so smoothly you can hardly feel it anyway. My problem with CVTs is reliability.

All I need is a reliability problem.

As you regulars know, her 2005 XG350 blew an engine with around 43K miles in November of 2011. That is how she came by the 2012 Subie. When I got my '09 Genny she had a 2006 Sonata pretty well equipped and it even had bum warmers but I traded her Sonata because the XG350 was a softer ride that she seemed to like when she got into it when it was my car. She didn't dislike her Sonata just thought the XG350 rode better. After she had the XG350, I heard a couple times, "you traded my car to get a new car for you and your old car didn't even have heated seats." :@ Then when it blew up I heard a few times, "I bet my Sonata wouldn't have broken down on me". :@ :@ Now you're scaring the hell out of me about CVT reliability problems. If I get that Subie with the CVT and all of a sudden you never hear from me again, you'll know it broke down while she was driving it.

Maybe I shouldn't be pushing this trade so much.

jmonroe

Do all 2012 model Legacy's have the CVT?. I thought Subaru raised the transmission warranty to 10 years of 100,000 for that year on their CVTs?

The.Ford.Focus 2011-2014 (?) CVT's were problematic.The Nissan Altima has had.problems with their CVT. I'm looking at 2010-2012 model headed cars, CVT problems seemed.more common. So trying to stay away from them..Not so much anymore

I think Subaru didn’t start using CVT until 2014.

Ford Focus has a DCG which caused problems from 2012-2016 (some would say after that too). Ford’s problems were different but no less harmful to the brand. The ‘17s and ‘18s I’ve driven were fine, fun in fact. The ‘15 I drove recently would chase me away from those problem years.

My brother bought a new 2014 Focus. Started having problems with that transmission not.long after he bought it. Still sticks with Ford though. Just bought a Ford Escape.

A friend of a friend had a nice looking 2013 Nissan Altima coupe for sale recently. Silver. $6,750. Priced well under KBB. Right at Emunds TMV.. Miles were around 98,000. Was really excited about the car, ready to go see it till I read about all the problems that model year was having with their CVT.

The Ford Fusion didnt go to CVT's until 2013. So I have 2010-2012 Fusions on my short list...even though I haven't read much in the way of the Fusion having CVT problems.

qbrozen

oldfarmer50 said:

What confuses you? Not saying I’d give up my Mustang for either one but at least when new (where my experience is) they seem to do what they’re designed to do.

I’d like to hear your impressions of them.

I think Nissan lost their way many moons ago. They used to be the sportiest of the Japanese offerings, and now they are pretty much the least sporty. They are like the Japanese Buick. Dull to drive and dull to look at.

jipster

For those who may remember, I did buy a 2007 Kia Optima off Craigslist in 2012. 75,000 miles. $6,200. I ended up giving that car to my daughter. Knock on wood, it's been a great car. Has around 114,000 miles on it now. Reliable. Just a battery and windshield wipers. Did put new Cooper.tires.on the car when I bought.it. Hoping to duplicate that type of buy.

stickguy

that's the best financial way to go, especially for a 2nd car, kids car, something where it won't get a ton of miles on it, and not be something supporting a working stiff commuting!

perfect for a HS kid to learn on, and get them through college. Or be the spare car in the family (station duty, running errands).

Just really hard to find that sweet spot of not too old, in good shape, and not all miled up. Probably up to about $10,000 can get you something really nice, if you can find the needle in a haystack. though at that point, might as well jump to $12-13K, and get something only a couple of years old.

ronsteve

jipster said:

@driver100, If you had comprehended one of my previous posts, you would realize it may never need replacement. It's just something that should be and can easily be checked if you are looking at one of those cars.

In all likelihood my guy will probably shoot down any car I come up with. When people say they want help picking out a car what they really mean is they want you to approve of whatever they pick out.

I won't go with people to look at cars any more. Some because of what you said, and others because you get no recognition if a car works out OK, but you get blamed if it's not a good car - like you knew that and kept it from them.

Since I have you here, I will change the subject. As you may know I'm pretty close to trading in Mrs. j's 2012 Legacy 3.6R Limited for an equivalent 2018 (used with 7K miles) or 2019 new. I know you have the 2018 model but I wanted to get your opinion about the CVT. The 2012 has a 5 speed automatic and I'm used to feeling the shifting of a transmission. Just curious how long it took you to get used to the CVT and if you have any regrets. I'm almost on the fence because of that. I know a CVT is going to be the standard with all manufactures and I won't really have a choice but just asking. If any of you other guys want to chime in on a CVT, have at it. jmonroe

I drive a lot of cars with CVTs and to be honest, I can’t tell the difference. Modern auto transmissions shift so smoothly you can hardly feel it anyway. My problem with CVTs is reliability.

All I need is a reliability problem. As you regulars know, her 2005 XG350 blew an engine with around 43K miles in November of 2011. That is how she came by the 2012 Subie. When I got my '09 Genny she had a 2006 Sonata pretty well equipped and it even had bum warmers but I traded her Sonata because the XG350 was a softer ride that she seemed to like when she got into it when it was my car. She didn't dislike her Sonata just thought the XG350 rode better. After she had the XG350, I heard a couple times, "you traded my car to get a new car for you and your old car didn't even have heated seats." :@ Then when it blew up I heard a few times, "I bet my Sonata wouldn't have broken down on me". :@ :@ Now you're scaring the hell out of me about CVT reliability problems. If I get that Subie with the CVT and all of a sudden you never hear from me again, you'll know it broke down while she was driving it. Maybe I shouldn't be pushing this trade so much. jmonroe

Do all 2012 model Legacy's have the CVT?. I thought Subaru raised the transmission warranty to 10 years of 100,000 for that year on their CVTs? The.Ford.Focus 2011-2014 (?) CVT's were problematic.The Nissan Altima has had.problems with their CVT. I'm looking at 2010-2012 model headed cars, CVT problems seemed.more common. So trying to stay away from them..Not so much anymore

I think Subaru didn’t start using CVT until 2014. Ford Focus has a DCG which caused problems from 2012-2016 (some would say after that too). Ford’s problems were different but no less harmful to the brand. The ‘17s and ‘18s I’ve driven were fine, fun in fact. The ‘15 I drove recently would chase me away from those problem years.

My brother bought a new 2014 Focus. Started having problems with that transmission not.long after he bought it. Still sticks with Ford though. Just bought a Ford Escape. A friend of a friend had a nice looking 2013 Nissan Altima coupe for sale recently. Silver. $6,750. Priced well under KBB. Right at Emunds TMV.. Miles were around 98,000. Was really excited about the car, ready to go see it till I read about all the problems that model year was having with their CVT. The Ford Fusion didnt go to CVT's until 2013. So I have 2010-2012 Fusions on my short list...even though I haven't read much in the way of the Fusion having CVT problems.

Focus and Fusion don't use CVT except in their EV and hybrid models. 

ronsteve

qbrozen said:

What confuses you? Not saying I’d give up my Mustang for either one but at least when new (where my experience is) they seem to do what they’re designed to do. I’d like to hear your impressions of them.

I think Nissan lost their way many moons ago. They used to be the sportiest of the Japanese offerings, and now they are pretty much the least sporty. They are like the Japanese Buick. Dull to drive and dull to look at.

I thought the Camry was the Japanese Buick. But now having vague lust for the Regal TourX, though that would require my better half wanting the RDX when it comes time to replace her Jetta. 

cdnpinhead

abacomike said:

Was I wrong to do that?.

Nope. It's called class -- making as many people around you as comfortable as possible. I've often stuffed more money into the tip when no one was looking (hopefully) after having a meal with skinflints. Sadly, my #3 son is among them.

ruking1

suydam said:

My Honda Accord CVT was smooth as silk. The Nissans I’ve test driven are another story. So you just have to drive the one you’re interested in to see. I don’t think you can make a blanket statement about them.

Indeed that is true! I’d rather other folks guinea pig CVT’S for 200,000 to 400,000 miles. It’s actually understandable why O.E.M’s use CVT’S on lower torque 4 cylinders. It’s still unclear to me if snapping to slipping of the belts will damage an interference 4 cylinder engine also.

So for 6 examples, I’ve done the 250,000 miles range on 3 MT’s/3 AT’s. I’ve never had issues. It’s not unreasonable for example to expect 400,000 miles from either.

tjc78

roadburner said:

I'd do what you did. I hate tightwads.

+1

venture

abacomike said:

One of my walking buddies turned 71 today so, as per custom, we took him out for lunch. The birthday boy gets to pick where we take him for lunch - so he picked a quaint German restaurant not far from the ocean.

I ordered vener schnitzel with spetzel and a potato dumpling and a tall stein of dark draught beer.  It was the most delicious German meal I have ever had.  The other guys had the same thing.  The tab for the 3 of us came to $59.00 less $13.00 for a coupon we gave the waiter for a net of $46.00.

I determined that we should give the waiter $12.00 for a tip because the service was excellent and the original tab would have been close to $60.00 without the coupon.  I felt a little resistance to that tip from the other buddy who was splitting the tab with me so we left him $10.00 - but as we were leaving I told the guys I left my phone at the table and had to go back to retrieve it, which was not the truth.  I wanted to leave the waiter an extra few bucks, which I did.  The waiter was most appreciative for my coming back to leave him a few extra bucks - so appreciative that he gave me two additional coupons for our next visit.

Was I wrong to do that?  Should I have just left the $10.00 and not deceptively go back to leave more?  I would welcome your feedback.

Good for you. I would have probably just put more money on the table in front of him, but you, obviously, have more class than I do.

My wife and I were out running around a few evenings ago and I got a little hungry - she wasn't. We stopped at Cracker Barrel. I ordered and she just asked for water and told the waitress we would be splitting. They offer 2 sides with a meal & I wasn't that hungry so she was going to eat the salad. The waitress brought her a plate. I think she figured we were poor and it was my night to eat - I don't know.

Anyway...our bill came to $11.something. I handed her a $10 tip. Her eyes told a story...lol.

driver100

abacomike said:

driver100 said:

abacomike said:

One of my walking buddies turned 71 today so, as per custom, we took him out for lunch. The birthday boy gets to pick where we take him for lunch - so he picked a quaint German restaurant not far from the ocean.

I ordered vener schnitzel with spetzel and a potato dumpling and a tall stein of dark draught beer.  It was the most delicious German meal I have ever had.  The other guys had the same thing.  The tab for the 3 of us came to $59.00 less $13.00 for a coupon we gave the waiter for a net of $46.00.

I determined that we should give the waiter $12.00 for a tip because the service was excellent and the original tab would have been close to $60.00 without the coupon.  I felt a little resistance to that tip from the other buddy who was splitting the tab with me so we left him $10.00 - but as we were leaving I told the guys I left my phone at the table and had to go back to retrieve it, which was not the truth.  I wanted to leave the waiter an extra few bucks, which I did.  The waiter was most appreciative for my coming back to leave him a few extra bucks - so appreciative that he gave me two additional coupons for our next visit.

Was I wrong to do that?  Should I have just left the $10.00 and not deceptively go back to leave more?  I would welcome your feedback.

You did the right thing and the tip should be based on the full price...not the discounted price. Plus, you enjoyed the food and the service so the waiter added a lot to the whole experience.

btw I am 72 April 17....see if the guys want to take me there too.

Come on down! 

Thanks...that is a nice offer, greatly appreciated.
Since we return to Canada on Sunday, the guys would have to pay for my airfare...Toronto(YYZ) to Miami. If they didn't want to leave an extra $2 tip....it isn't looking good.

driver100

cdnpinhead said:

abacomike said:

Was I wrong to do that?.

Nope. It's called class -- making as many people around you as comfortable as possible. I've often stuffed more money into the tip when no one was looking (hopefully) after having a meal with skinflints. Sadly, my #3 son is among them.

One thing I think about too is "Will that $2 actually change my life at all, will I have to do without, and so what if I over tip $100 a year....will that make a difference to me"....BUT, it will make that waiter very happy to make a few dollars more per hour.

driver100

The average cost for a Mercedes-Benz C250 air filter replacement is between $95 and $110. Labor costs are estimated between $52 and $67 while parts are priced at $43. Estimate does not include taxes and fees.
CHECK HERE

The average cost for a Ford Focus air filter replacement is between $149 and $178. Labor costs are estimated between $26 and $34 while parts are priced between $123 and $144. Estimate does not include taxes and fees.
CHECK HERE

Repair Pal seems to be a pretty good place for estimating repair costs. Also, you can look up cars and see what their most common faults are. Might be worth a look before buying a used car.
repairpal.com or google cost to replace a ford focus air filter.

driver100

Very soon we are going to be seeing EPs. Electric powered passenger planes. Can work for small commuter planes and will have a range of about one hour flying time.

Electric powered planes

houdini2

abacomike said:

One of my walking buddies turned 71 today so, as per custom, we took him out for lunch. The birthday boy gets to pick where we take him for lunch - so he picked a quaint German restaurant not far from the ocean.

I ordered vener schnitzel with spetzel and a potato dumpling and a tall stein of dark draught beer.  It was the most delicious German meal I have ever had.  The other guys had the same thing.  The tab for the 3 of us came to $59.00 less $13.00 for a coupon we gave the waiter for a net of $46.00.

I determined that we should give the waiter $12.00 for a tip because the service was excellent and the original tab would have been close to $60.00 without the coupon.  I felt a little resistance to that tip from the other buddy who was splitting the tab with me so we left him $10.00 - but as we were leaving I told the guys I left my phone at the table and had to go back to retrieve it, which was not the truth.  I wanted to leave the waiter an extra few bucks, which I did.  The waiter was most appreciative for my coming back to leave him a few extra bucks - so appreciative that he gave me two additional coupons for our next visit.

Was I wrong to do that?  Should I have just left the $10.00 and not deceptively go back to leave more?  I would welcome your feedback.

You did good Mike.

venture

driver100 said:

cdnpinhead said:

abacomike said:

Was I wrong to do that?.

Nope. It's called class -- making as many people around you as comfortable as possible. I've often stuffed more money into the tip when no one was looking (hopefully) after having a meal with skinflints. Sadly, my #3 son is among them.

One thing I think about too is "Will that $2 actually change my life at all, will I have to do without, and so what if I over tip $100 a year....will that make a difference to me"....BUT, it will make that waiter very happy to make a few dollars more per hour.

Some people think they are going to live forever.

stickguy

driver100 said:

Very soon we are going to be seeing EPs. Electric powered passenger planes. Can work for small commuter planes and will have a range of about one hour flying time.

Electric powered planes

yeah, not for me. I would freak out over range anxiety, but at least in a car, if you don't make it to a station (outlet?), you just coast to the side of the road and call a tow. Good luck with that in a plane!

1 hour is not very much time either, by the time you taxi, get up in the air, and need a cushion to get down and off the runway. So not much actual flight time to get very far. Then of course, one heck of a long layover time recharging!

Quicker to drive that far probably.

I still think the perfect use for EVs is the postal service. Put solar arrays over the parking lots, and make the mail trucks electric. They always stay local, don't go many miles, all low speed short hop driving, and go back to same spot every evening to sit overnight and charge.

snakeweasel

venture said:

One of my walking buddies turned 71 today so, as per custom, we took him out for lunch. The birthday boy gets to pick where we take him for lunch - so he picked a quaint German restaurant not far from the ocean.

I ordered vener schnitzel with spetzel and a potato dumpling and a tall stein of dark draught beer.  It was the most delicious German meal I have ever had.  The other guys had the same thing.  The tab for the 3 of us came to $59.00 less $13.00 for a coupon we gave the waiter for a net of $46.00.

I determined that we should give the waiter $12.00 for a tip because the service was excellent and the original tab would have been close to $60.00 without the coupon.  I felt a little resistance to that tip from the other buddy who was splitting the tab with me so we left him $10.00 - but as we were leaving I told the guys I left my phone at the table and had to go back to retrieve it, which was not the truth.  I wanted to leave the waiter an extra few bucks, which I did.  The waiter was most appreciative for my coming back to leave him a few extra bucks - so appreciative that he gave me two additional coupons for our next visit.

Was I wrong to do that?  Should I have just left the $10.00 and not deceptively go back to leave more?  I would welcome your feedback.

Good for you. I would have probably just put more money on the table in front of him, but you, obviously, have more class than I do. My wife and I were out running around a few evenings ago and I got a little hungry - she wasn't. We stopped at Cracker Barrel. I ordered and she just asked for water and told the waitress we would be splitting. They offer 2 sides with a meal & I wasn't that hungry so she was going to eat the salad. The waitress brought her a plate. I think she figured we were poor and it was my night to eat - I don't know. Anyway...our bill came to $11.something. I handed her a $10 tip. Her eyes told a story...lol.

A while back we went to Craker Barrel for breakfast and after an unusually long wait for our food we asked the manager when our food would arrive. He gave us the standard response about the kitchen being busy and walked away. A few minutes later he came back apologizing to us as he checked our order and the time stamp on the ticket. It appeared the kitchen staff somehow didn't get to our order and he comped our meal. Since it wasn't the waitresses fault we did give a really nice tip.

snakeweasel

venture said:

Was I wrong to do that?.

Nope. It's called class -- making as many people around you as comfortable as possible. I've often stuffed more money into the tip when no one was looking (hopefully) after having a meal with skinflints. Sadly, my #3 son is among them.

One thing I think about too is "Will that $2 actually change my life at all, will I have to do without, and so what if I over tip $100 a year....will that make a difference to me"....BUT, it will make that waiter very happy to make a few dollars more per hour.

Some people think they are going to live forever.

I plan on living forever; so far so good.

snakeweasel

Happy Opening Day everyone.

Eamus Catuli!!!!

graphicguy

stickguy

What’s brad Emaus got to do with it?

graphicguy

Mike....good for you. That was the right thing to do.

My late Father, for all of his good traits, was a tightwad. Every time he picked up the tab for a family dinner the we'd eat out, he'd leave $2, regardless of the tab, which was always $75 at a minimum.

I would do the same as you....fein I needed to use the facilities and go back and leave a $20 bill or so. He caught me doing that one time (I was well into adulthood) and can't ever remember him chewing me out so badly.....even as a child.

Of course, I apologized, but I knew I was right. From then on, I made sure he didn't catch me.

Loved him with all my heart, but he was chintzy.

He was an entrepreneur. As such, he owned 3 businesses at the same time, which we (my sisters and I) worked at. I recall one time as a teen I asked him to at least get minimum wage. His response was "you're eating at my table....you're sleeping in my house....you're using my heat.....I've already paid you."

As soon as I could find an outside job, I quit working for him.

snakeweasel

stickguy said:

What’s brad Emaus got to do with it?

Who said anything about him? I said Eamus Catuli, which roughly translated from latin mean Go Cubs.

jipster

abacomike said:

One of my walking buddies turned 71 today so, as per custom, we took him out for lunch. The birthday boy gets to pick where we take him for lunch - so he picked a quaint German restaurant not far from the ocean.

I ordered vener schnitzel with spetzel and a potato dumpling and a tall stein of dark draught beer.  It was the most delicious German meal I have ever had.  The other guys had the same thing.  The tab for the 3 of us came to $59.00 less $13.00 for a coupon we gave the waiter for a net of $46.00.

I determined that we should give the waiter $12.00 for a tip because the service was excellent and the original tab would have been close to $60.00 without the coupon.  I felt a little resistance to that tip from the other buddy who was splitting the tab with me so we left him $10.00 - but as we were leaving I told the guys I left my phone at the table and had to go back to retrieve it, which was not the truth.  I wanted to leave the waiter an extra few bucks, which I did.  The waiter was most appreciative for my coming back to leave him a few extra bucks - so appreciative that he gave me two additional coupons for our next visit.

Was I wrong to do that?  Should I have just left the $10.00 and not deceptively go back to leave more?  I would welcome your feedback.

I remember growing up that 10% of the tab was the standard tip. Then 15%, and now 20%. So I'd say you were right in going back to leave a couple more bucks. Tipping off the total before using the coupon is correct. Sometimes I'll drop a couple more bucks on the table if Mrs.Jip is a bit too frugal.;-)

Mr_Shiftright

roadburner said:

I'd do what you did. I hate tightwads.

Exactly. Being stingy is one of the least admirable traits in a person. I'd even rate it worse than flatulence. At least the latter is curable.

ruking1

Since we are on zero% to 25% restaurant tipping, a $10 dish with $8. per hr wages, will have to rise to $18.80 a dish with $15 per hr wages.

I’d guess 13% of restaurants will go under, with another 13% barely able to hang on. Places that can automate will have to automate. Some places have an iPad type order & review & pay by CC @ the table without wait staff.

Food stores have been trying to adapt & test the Home Depot “Self” check out procedures.

fintail

I'd looooove to see some kind of objective quantifiable data behind those dish/wage relationships. Same for the failing restaurants. However, I won't hold my breath.

If minimum wage had tracked even the most rudimentary CPI since the luckiest generation was in such jobs ~50 years ago, maybe tipping wouldn't be such a huge part of American culture that isn't such a big deal in places with more human development.

ruking1

It’s easy, just do the mathematics. If “peel me a grape” is more the style & IF one wants anecdotal opinion/s, ask the owner/s, manager/s of ones favorite restaurant/s: their take/s. So don’t hold ones breath, unless one is preparing for military diving training.⚓️

Get real! One can still leave 20% to 100% more as tip, being as how one is living in America?! So does one really think Euro wait folks are happy when one leaves only the bills $ amount?

ab348

Getting back to cars, I see now here in Canada there is a class-action suit being filed against Hyundai/Kia for their defective engines and resultant fires.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/car-owners-claim-they-were-knowingly-sold-defective-vehicles-1.5073563

henryn

You two are overlooking one very important fact: Waiters waitresses bartenders are not paid the minimum wage, at least for the most part.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipped_wage

-=-=-=-=-= begin quote -=-=-=-=-=
The tipped wage is base wage paid to an employee that receives a substantial portion of their compensation from tips. According to a common labor law provision referred to as a "tip credit", the employee must earn at least the state’s minimum wage when tips and wages are combined or the employer is required to increase the wage to fulfill that threshold.[1][2][3] This ensures that all tipped employees earn at least the minimum wage: significantly more than the tipped minimum wage.

The United States of America federal government requires a wage of at least $2.13 per hour be paid to employees that receive at least $30 per month in tips.[4] If wages and tips do not equal the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour during any week, the employer is required to increase cash wages to compensate.[5]