Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

driver100

I get an email from Allstate:
Allstate Logo
Dear Driver100

Thank you for being a valued customer.

We’ve noticed that you have received this survey invitation, but we have not heard from you.

Allstate is committed to providing you the best possible service and we would like to hear from you.......blah blah.

So, I decide to be a nice guy and start to fill out their questionnaire. I get to about page 6 with 10 questions on each page and I think to myself.....life is too short for me to waste my time with this......they can do their own research.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

I get an email from Allstate:
Allstate Logo
Dear Driver100

Thank you for being a valued customer.

We’ve noticed that you have received this survey invitation, but we have not heard from you.

Allstate is committed to providing you the best possible service and we would like to hear from you.......blah blah.

So, I decide to be a nice guy and start to fill out their questionnaire. I get to about page 6 with 10 questions on each page and I think to myself.....life is too short for me to waste my time with this......they can do their own research.

I just received another “how was your experience” survey from my Ford dealer who stepped up and repainted my hood a second time on the house. I basically told them that the dealer was the best thing since sliced bread.

I don’t know how much the free paint job was worth but the respect was priceless. I also said good things on the Edmunds dealer review.

imidazol97

driver100 said:

Oh oh....I think we are trying to get corralled back to talking cars.

On that topic, we frequent ChickFilA for lunch. But over the last year a local store has gone downhill from their stereotyped friendly service with no mistakes. The cashiers have done the orders wrong, the people making up food in the back, like salads, have left out parts. Tomatoes have been left out. Sliced deep fried nuggets on the Cobb salad have been mostly breading crumbs with little chicken. Soups have had no chicken, or sometimes a small amount of chicken that has been through the blended and pulverized.

ChickFilA has had two price increases in the last year even with the corporate tax reduction we taxpayers gave them. Instead of lowering prices they went up.

We did a trip to the Smokeys and each ChickFilA store at which we stopped had a lot less traffic than other times we made the trip and stopped at the same stores at about the same times.

Are others seeing ChickFilA stores losing customers? The complaints about the local store and their mistakes and bad attitudes are there in yelp and google reviews online too.

Has CFA over priced themselves out of the market and has CFA over expanded stores so they've lost control over quality and atmosphere?

Most people drive cars to get to ChickFilA, so I tried to be on topic.

graphicguy

driver100 said:

I get an email from Allstate:
Allstate Logo
Dear Driver100

Thank you for being a valued customer.

We’ve noticed that you have received this survey invitation, but we have not heard from you.

Allstate is committed to providing you the best possible service and we would like to hear from you.......blah blah.

So, I decide to be a nice guy and start to fill out their questionnaire. I get to about page 6 with 10 questions on each page and I think to myself.....life is too short for me to waste my time with this......they can do their own research.

I’ve come to that same conclusion, whether a company wants me to “Please hold for a survey after the call to make a better experience for you”. Pshaaahhh!

You want me to give you FREE marketing data about myself and what I think. Ain’t happening.

graphicguy

Please quit bringing your political agendas into this discussion.

snakeweasel

Well the big holiday weekend is almost here with it the start of the summer season. 

Anyone with big plans? The wife and I are heading down to the Shawnee National Forest which is in the extreme southern part of Illinois. It's an area know for its natural landscape and It's a big wine producing area of the state with 11 wineries. 

Funny thing is I was planning the route last night using Google maps. Google maps gave me the quickest route but it wasn't the route I was going to take. The route they gave me took me down a toll road. When i chose the option to avoid toll roads it gave me the route i was planning on taking. According to Google the quickest route was only a minute faster yet it was 18 miles longer and had tolls. I figure that I would drive a minute longer and save over $4.00 in gas and tolls.

fintail

I generally don't eat that kind of food, but once in a blue moon I will indulge in a shake or fries, and I have visited my local CFA a couple times over the years (even though I don't embrace the regressive mores of corporate ownership). The worst thing about it is the siting of the franchise, and how it often has a lineup to the point where it blocks the street - a major arterial intersection located at a busy highway exit. How did they get that approved? This is an area with a dearth of such food, and anyone could/should have predicted a lot of demand. For a long time, cops were needed to direct traffic around it, and I have a suspicion those costs were not given to the owner. I suspect someone with their finger on the button received a gift to push it through. Modern "capitalism" in an oligocracy, I suppose. It's not what you know.

imidazol97 said:

Has CFA over priced themselves out of the market and has CFA over expanded stores so they've lost control over quality and atmosphere?

Most people drive cars to get to ChickFilA, so I tried to be on topic.

fintail

Here's a low cost low amenity paradise for ya - not the first world

Or maybe just the worst performances

"The Red Elephants Vincent James" makes Glenn Beck look like Walter Cronkite or Murrow.

ruking1 said:

Here is a take on one posters’ NIRVANA “FREEATTLE? It was described by the poster as first world.

imidazol97

fintail said:

I generally don't eat that kind of food, but once in a blue moon I will indulge in a shake or fries, and I have visited my local CFA a couple times over the years (even though I don't embrace the regressive mores of corporate ownership). The worst thing about it is the siting of the franchise, and how it often has a lineup to the point where it blocks the street - a major arterial intersection located at a busy highway exit. How did they get that approved? This is an area with a dearth of such food, and anyone could/should have predicted a lot of demand. For a long time, cops were needed to direct traffic around it, and I have a suspicion those costs were not given to the owner. I suspect someone with their finger on the button received a gift to push it through.

I agree about the bad planning on the part of the local communities about traffic and backups at the stores affecting traffic. I suspect the typical grease my palm I'll grease your palm occurances went on.

Some of the stores are situated away from the main road so that the backups mess up traffic in and out of plazas or shopping centers.

One of our local stores did an addition a year ago and they have really focused on customer service like the original mandate for CFA. No mistakes have occured in many lunch visits--they're close to the Lowes store that's best in our Metro, so we've hit them up several times since we switched stores.

fintail

There are a few of them in this region now. Another I know of is sited a little better, but I imagine was also a zoo when it opened. The PNW has received CFA only within the past 5 years, and people jumped at it, one of those things from so far away it almost seemed exotic. I am pretty easy to please and have a simple palate, I'll just order fries and a drink, hard to mess that up

Now we just need more Cracker Barrel (I think the nearest is in Portland or Coeur D'Alene, I've visited the latter) and Steak 'N Shake. Those might create less traffic mess, too.

imidazol97 said:

I agree about the bad planning on the part of the local communities about traffic and backups at the stores affecting traffic. I suspect the typical grease my palm I'll grease your palm occurances went on.

Some of the stores are situated away from the main road so that the backups mess up traffic in and out of plazas or shopping centers.

One of our local stores did an addition a year ago and they have really focused on customer service like the original mandate for CFA. No mistakes have occured in many lunch visits--they're close to the Lowes store that's best in our Metro, so we've hit them up several times since we switched stores.

stickguy

the CFA near me always seems packed. At least based on the drivethru, which looks like the George Washington Bridge toll plaza at rush hour. and 2 lanes for ordering that funnel into one for pickup. I have noticed at times they have people outside working the lines. I think they have ipads maybe and come up to the car?

I have eaten there a couple times, but not for a few years at this point. And if i did go, I would park and go inside (seemed much less crowded). We rarely do fast food either, but once in a while. I do know that if you ever go to Wendy's, always go through the drive thru. Much quicker! a couple of times at the one by us, we drove through to get the food, then parked and went inside to eat it.

ab348

Would sure be nice to get that "Mute User" function contained in the forums software turned on.

PF_Flyer

Let's veer back to the world of the automotive please. If the urge to go off into the political comes upon you, there are PLENTY of other places online to indulge.

We do a real good job of keeping it in check here, but it's slippery ground, as you know.

Really appreciate your efforts. Have a great Memorial Day and let the 3.5 day party weekend begin!

ruking1

oldfarmer50 said:

ruking1 said:

Here is a take on one posters’ NIRVANA “FREEATTLE? It was described by the poster as first world. https://youtu.be/xgh7eXd_s2Y

That’s getting too political. Regardless of my personal opinion on that video I think we should take a step back.

Too political? Why, because police unions & most of their members are in the SAME PARTY as the political leaders?

One can look at it another way, there are probably a lot of open jobs in the Freattle police force!

oldfarmer50

imidazol97 said:

driver100 said:

Oh oh....I think we are trying to get corralled back to talking cars.

On that topic, we frequent ChickFilA for lunch. But over the last year a local store has gone downhill from their stereotyped friendly service with no mistakes. The cashiers have done the orders wrong, the people making up food in the back, like salads, have left out parts. Tomatoes have been left out. Sliced deep fried nuggets on the Cobb salad have been mostly breading crumbs with little chicken. Soups have had no chicken, or sometimes a small amount of chicken that has been through the blended and pulverized.

ChickFilA has had two price increases in the last year even with the corporate tax reduction we taxpayers gave them. Instead of lowering prices they went up.

We did a trip to the Smokeys and each ChickFilA store at which we stopped had a lot less traffic than other times we made the trip and stopped at the same stores at about the same times.

Are others seeing ChickFilA stores losing customers? The complaints about the local store and their mistakes and bad attitudes are there in yelp and google reviews online too.

Has CFA over priced themselves out of the market and has CFA over expanded stores so they've lost control over quality and atmosphere?

Most people drive cars to get to ChickFilA, so I tried to be on topic.

The only Chick-fil-a in my area is locked behind TSA checkpoints at the airport. Fortunately, I am a world traveler for my job and can partake in their non-barracaided stores. I like the food although it doesn’t live up to the hype. I found the prices to be on a par with places like Panera and the staff was almost scary friendly.

As far as blocking traffic, I’ve seen the same thing with Krispy Kreme donuts and Sonic. You can’t fault a store for being popular.

Not sure what the big deal is about their politics. They don’t promote any particular position at their stores and I assume the owners are entitled to their opinions in a free country. While I may not agree with their opinions I don’t see the rationale for the unbridled hate directed towards the business.

ruking1

oldfarmer50 said:

imidazol97 said:

driver100 said:

Oh oh....I think we are trying to get corralled back to talking cars.

On that topic, we frequent ChickFilA for lunch. But over the last year a local store has gone downhill from their stereotyped friendly service with no mistakes. The cashiers have done the orders wrong, the people making up food in the back, like salads, have left out parts. Tomatoes have been left out. Sliced deep fried nuggets on the Cobb salad have been mostly breading crumbs with little chicken. Soups have had no chicken, or sometimes a small amount of chicken that has been through the blended and pulverized.

ChickFilA has had two price increases in the last year even with the corporate tax reduction we taxpayers gave them. Instead of lowering prices they went up.

We did a trip to the Smokeys and each ChickFilA store at which we stopped had a lot less traffic than other times we made the trip and stopped at the same stores at about the same times.

Are others seeing ChickFilA stores losing customers? The complaints about the local store and their mistakes and bad attitudes are there in yelp and google reviews online too.

Has CFA over priced themselves out of the market and has CFA over expanded stores so they've lost control over quality and atmosphere?

Most people drive cars to get to ChickFilA, so I tried to be on topic.

The only Chick-fil-a in my area is locked behind TSA checkpoints at the airport. Fortunately, I am a world traveler for my job and can partake in their non-barracaided stores. I like the food although it doesn’t live up to the hype. I found the prices to be on a par with places like Panera and the staff was almost scary friendly.

As far as blocking traffic, I’ve seen the same thing with Krispy Kreme donuts and Sonic. You can’t fault a store for being popular.

Not sure what the big deal is about their politics. They don’t promote any particular position at their stores and I assume the owners are entitled to their opinions in a free country. While I may not agree with their opinions I don’t see the rationale for the unbridled hate directed towards the business.

I walked into to (a) ChickFILA, the first time close by (lunch crowd? Silicon Valley, CA) ordering the (flagship) chicken (breast) sandwich, cross cut fries, diet drink, chicken soup. The chicken sandwich was different, good even. I would say overall, what I ordered was competitive with other fast food places. I would go back in another blue moon. I heard they do not open for business on Sundays. It would appear on the face of it, that they end every year with a minus -14.25% disadvantage (-52 days a yr.)

PF_Flyer

snakeweasel said:

Well the big holiday weekend is almost here with it the start of the summer season. 

Anyone with big plans? The wife and I are heading down to the Shawnee National Forest which is in the extreme southern part of Illinois. It's an area know for its natural landscape and It's a big wine producing area of the state with 11 wineries. 

Funny thing is I was planning the route last night using Google maps. Google maps gave me the quickest route but it wasn't the route I was going to take. The route they gave me took me down a toll road. When i chose the option to avoid toll roads it gave me the route i was planning on taking. According to Google the quickest route was only a minute faster yet it was 18 miles longer and had tolls. I figure that I would drive a minute longer and save over $4.00 in gas and tolls.

Indy 500 is our now-annual kickoff to summer (or is it the end of spring?) Doing the National Museum of the Air Force on the way out.

ab348

PF_Flyer said:

Indy 500 is our now-annual kickoff to summer (or is it the end of spring?) Doing the National Museum of the Air Force on the way out.

Geez, thanks for reminding me that it was 35 years ago when I made my one and only visit to IMS during 500 week. I had a great time there on one of the practice days. Even got to meet A.J. Foyt thanks to a state senator who befriended me and brought me into the pits.

Now I feel REALLY old.

ruking1

ab348 said:

PF_Flyer said:

Indy 500 is our now-annual kickoff to summer (or is it the end of spring?) Doing the National Museum of the Air Force on the way out.

Geez, thanks for reminding me that it was 35 years ago when I made my one and only visit to IMS during 500 week. I had a great time there on one of the practice days. Even got to meet A.J. Foyt thanks to a state senator who befriended me and brought me into the pits.

Now I feel REALLY old.

My Dad, was a real Indy 500 racing fan. I pretty much grew up (65 years) with a lot of things racing/cars. The early concept was race on Sunday, sell cars on Monday.

Mr_Shiftright

graphicguy said:

Please quit bringing your political agendas into this discussion.

Political posts have been removed. You guys should know better than now...c'mon man!

berri

Corporations are too powerful today, they are useful, but also sociopathic by nature and as such should be governed by much stronger laws

Don't necessarily disagree, but is it the corporation or the increasingly oligopolistic nature of current western corporation economies?

snakeweasel

stickguy said:

the CFA near me always seems packed. At least based on the drivethru, which looks like the George Washington Bridge toll plaza at rush hour. and 2 lanes for ordering that funnel into one for pickup. I have noticed at times they have people outside working the lines. I think they have ipads maybe and come up to the car? I have eaten there a couple times, but not for a few years at this point. And if i did go, I would park and go inside (seemed much less crowded). We rarely do fast food either, but once in a while. I do know that if you ever go to Wendy's, always go through the drive thru. Much quicker! a couple of times at the one by us, we drove through to get the food, then parked and went inside to eat it.

Perillos (beef, hots dogs and the like) usually has people walking the drive through taking orders and payments and bringing out your order if it's ready before you make it to the window. 

There since cars drive through drive throughs (hence the name) I kept it on a car topic. Happy? 

berri

The wife and I are heading down to the Shawnee National Forest which is in the extreme southern part of Illinois. It's an area know for its natural landscape and It's a big wine producing area of the state with 11 wineries.

Snake (ironically) isn't this the time of year that all the rattle snakes start laying out on the roads down there?

berri

I get bugged that for what they charge, there is no place to refill your drink at CFA. Decent sandwich though.

snakeweasel

PF_Flyer said:

Well the big holiday weekend is almost here with it the start of the summer season. 

Anyone with big plans? The wife and I are heading down to the Shawnee National Forest which is in the extreme southern part of Illinois. It's an area know for its natural landscape and It's a big wine producing area of the state with 11 wineries. 

Funny thing is I was planning the route last night using Google maps. Google maps gave me the quickest route but it wasn't the route I was going to take. The route they gave me took me down a toll road. When i chose the option to avoid toll roads it gave me the route i was planning on taking. According to Google the quickest route was only a minute faster yet it was 18 miles longer and had tolls. I figure that I would drive a minute longer and save over $4.00 in gas and tolls.

Indy 500 is our now-annual kickoff to summer (or is it the end of spring?) Doing the National Museum of the Air Force on the way out.

I had a cousin that used to live within walking distance of the speedway and by that I mean walk there in under 5 minutes. She told me that they couldn't leave and or come back during memorial day weekend. 

snakeweasel

berri said:

The wife and I are heading down to the Shawnee National Forest which is in the extreme southern part of Illinois. It's an area know for its natural landscape and It's a big wine producing area of the state with 11 wineries. Snake (ironically) isn't this the time of year that all the rattle snakes start laying out on the roads down there?

Yeah, that's about right, just dont tell the Mrs that. Plus that's where Metropolis is, I can get my picture taken by the Driver100 statue. 

ab348

snakeweasel said:

Perillos (beef, hots dogs and the like) usually has people walking the drive through taking orders and payments and bringing out your order if it's ready before you make it to the window.

But if the line isn't moving how do you get out of the driveway in order to eat?

thebean

My wife’s ‘17 Civic celebrates it's 2nd anniversary today. It has just under 4K miles on it and drives like new. We took it last time we went into Dallas to see my oncologist and it really is a little hot rod. It rides a lot better than my ‘02 Civic did (no surprise). If it was a little bit higher, it would be much better for me, but since it’s not, I seldom drive it. But, every time I do, I’m happily surprised by the pep of the turbo engine. It’s wasted on my wife, but she enjoys driving it on her little trips around town. I can see why these sell so well.

houdini2

cdnpinhead said:

houdini2 said:

Working hard and investing wisely for 30 or 40 years has nothing to do with it ?

Not in his world. Face it, we were just born lucky and "we didn't build that."

Those who can, do, and those who can't think socialism/communism might not be too bad.

sda

How does the Civic compare to your Accord? If you could only buy the one or the other, which one would you select? I am curious as I like the Civic EX-T and could see me driving one, yet I do like the Accord.

laurasdada

berri said:

I get bugged that for what they charge, there is no place to refill your drink at CFA. Decent sandwich though.

They'll refill it for you. I dine there occasionally, there's also one in my fave casino. Might be the only fair-priced meal in the place! Good food, but not sure it's earth shatteringly above a Wendy's, for example. At least not to my unsophisticated palate.

stickguy

Wendy’s did that. Free refills but had to go up to counter. Some have self service drinks now. Much easier.

oldfarmer50

berri said:

I get bugged that for what they charge, there is no place to refill your drink at CFA. Decent sandwich though.

When I was there I was besieged by smiling drones begging to refill my drink for me.

oldfarmer50

thebean said:

My wife’s ‘17 Civic celebrates it's 2nd anniversary today. It has just under 4K miles on it and drives like new. We took it last time we went into Dallas to see my oncologist and it really is a little hot rod. It rides a lot better than my ‘02 Civic did (no surprise). If it was a little bit higher, it would be much better for me, but since it’s not, I seldom drive it. But, every time I do, I’m happily surprised by the pep of the turbo engine. It’s wasted on my wife, but she enjoys driving it on her little trips around town. I can see why these sell so well.

4k miles in two years? That’s worse than me.

snakeweasel

ab348 said:

Perillos (beef, hots dogs and the like) usually has people walking the drive through taking orders and payments and bringing out your order if it's ready before you make it to the window.

But if the line isn't moving how do you get out of the driveway in order to eat?

It's two lanes that the have quickly funneling into one but the second lane remains so cars can use it to go around if they get their food faster than the cars in front of them.

roadburner

Memorial Day Sunday is blocked out for me EVERY year- Monaco, Indy and Charlotte- flag to flag on my primary HTS.
The only thing better was a few years back when my son and I watched Monte Carlo on TV, drove to Indy and watched the 500, and then came home and watched the Coca-Cola 600...

qbrozen

ab348 said:

Would sure be nice to get that "Mute User" function contained in the forums software turned on.

My mute works just fine. I glance at the first 3-4 words of a post and keep scrolling if it is a subject I have no interest in or don't wish to discuss.

imidazol97

fintail said:

Now we just need more Cracker Barrel (I think the nearest is in Portland or Coeur D'Alene, I've visited the latter) and Steak 'N Shake. Those might create less traffic mess, too.

I thought Cracker Barrel was everywhere. My Midwest experience, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, is showing.

imidazol97

snakeweasel said:

berri said:

The wife and I are heading down to the Shawnee National Forest which is in the extreme southern part of Illinois. It's an area know for its natural landscape and It's a big wine producing area of the state with 11 wineries.

Snake (ironically) isn't this the time of year that all the rattle snakes start laying out on the roads down there?

Yeah, that's about right, just dont tell the Mrs that. Plus that's where Metropolis is, I can get my picture taken by the Driver100 statue. 




Where's the striped shirt?

tjc78

qbrozen said:

Would sure be nice to get that "Mute User" function contained in the forums software turned on.

My mute works just fine. I glance at the first 3-4 words of a post and keep scrolling if it is a subject I have no interest in or don't wish to discuss.

I find myself scrolling past an awful lot lately in this thread... 

Doesn’t anyone need a washing machine lol 

tjc78

Nice being off today .. we are lucky to have a really nice day here in South Jersey. 

Wife just got on train from Philly (her office closed at 2) and my mom is going to watch the kids so we can go see a movie and then dinner.  

Tomorrow taking a ride to the shore and Sunday big BBQ with the family. 

Life is good.  

ab348

Rain and in the 40s here. Totally miserable. It has rained 4 of the last 5 days and been rainy or unseasonably cold/windy 8 of the last 10. They tell us tomorrow will be almost summer-like. I am finding that hard to believe but we'll see.

stickguy

gorgeous day. Took advantage to mow the lawn since work was dead. Tomorrow at the shore should be nice. I get to work the street fair in Collingswood. at least weather will be good.

stickguy

wife and I treated ourselves to tickets to go see book of Mormon in Philly in 2 weeks. Heard it was a great show. Living like the rich folk I guess!

pensfan83

Since I have been doing some frequent business travel lately, in the midst of baseball season, field trips, and school picnics no less, I surprised my parents and wife with tickets for The Lion King. We'll make an evening out of it with dinner and a show.

ruking1

37 M /328 M are projected to travel this holiday week. This was according to a TV news talking head.

thebean

sda said:

How does the Civic compare to your Accord? If you could only buy the one or the other, which one would you select? I am curious as I like the Civic EX-T and could see me driving one, yet I do like the Accord.

The Civic with the turbo is quite a bit quicker than my 4 cyl Accord. The Accord rides a bit better, but it’s not a step function better. As I mentioned, the Civic is a few inches (maybe 3-4?) lower, which makes a big difference to me at my age. Front headroom is not that much less in the Civic. The big difference in the Civic cabin is the back seat. The headroom back there is a lot less than the Accord. We hardly ever put anyone back there in either car, so it’s really a non-issue for us. But, if I had even near teens, they would not be happy in the Civic backseat, I think.

The Civic is more fun to drive, but if I had to choose one for DD duty, it would be the Accord hands down just for the ride height. But, now that the current gen Accord looks to be lower than my car, it might be a real hard choice, especially with the price difference.

Test drive both and I bet you will be surprised at how good the Civic is, if the height doesn’t bother you.

oldfarmer50

ab348 said:

Rain and in the 40s here. Totally miserable. It has rained 4 of the last 5 days and been rainy or unseasonably cold/windy 8 of the last 10. They tell us tomorrow will be almost summer-like. I am finding that hard to believe but we'll see.

This has been a tough May. Even if it’s sunny during the day we seem to get rain every night. Glad I’m not in field crops any more, I’d be stuck in the mud. Can’t even drive over to the greenhouse to unload. Same tomorrow clouding up with rain. I’ve been able to drive top down only two days so far this year.

thebean

roadburner said:

Memorial Day Sunday is blocked out for me EVERY year- Monaco, Indy and Charlotte- flag to flag on my primary HTS.
The only thing better was a few years back when my son and I watched Monte Carlo on TV, drove to Indy and watched the 500, and then came home and watched the Coca-Cola 600...

If you can get through the World 600 (old name) without falling asleep or changing the channel, you are much more of a race fan than I am. 400 laps around CMS seems like an eternity. The past 6-8 years, I have only watched the last 20 laps or so of the 600.

qbrozen

tjc78 said:

I find myself scrolling past an awful lot lately in this thread... 

Doesn’t anyone need a washing machine lol 

That depends. What is the washing machine's political affiliation?