Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

stickguy

how? Cut off the old one and wire up a new plug? If I could do that, I would install a BU camera for Driver!

qbrozen

stickguy said:

question for JMonroe and any other electric experts.

for an outdoor extension cord, what gauge should I get? I need a new 100' cord. The little round 3rd prong came out of the male plug so probably a good idea to replace. I use it outside, primarily for an electric edger. Possibly other electric yard or power tools (blower, circular saw, or shop vac).

is a light duty 16/3 strong enough (those seem to be 2 prong polarized plugs)? Or should I move up to a 14/3 or even 12 gauge? As with most things they seem to range from fairly cheap to really expensive. But I don't likely need to pay for industrial. My old one has to be 25 YO and probably came from a travelling tool show (remember when they used to set up in the ballroom of a local motel?) The models at Lowes were labeled light/medium/heavy duty (though on Amazon, seems to all default to heavy duty).

to power 9 amps (average blower) with 100-ft cord, you should be running 14 gauge.

ab348

It depends on the load demands of whatever you're using. Last year I bought an electric snow thrower which draws 15 amps. I bought a 12 gauge cord for it. But it is thick and not overly flexible so I wouldn't want to use it for a whipper snipper, etc.

Or as @venture noted, a new end is not expensive and pretty easy to replace.

stickguy

The cord is pretty beat overall so I’m fine just replacing it. I’ll just get a decent looking 14 gauge. Thanks QB.

driver100

stickguy said:

The cord is pretty beat overall so I’m fine just replacing it. I’ll just get a decent looking 14 gauge. Thanks QB.

On amazon 16 guage is only a few dollars more. Where my life could be in danger I go for the safest cord possible.
What I did see that makes one wonder, how come there can be a 16 gauge "medium" duty, and a 16 gauge "heavy duty".?

stickguy

That’s marketing speak. Can call it anything they want.

And gauge goes backwards. Smaller number handles more juice (and is thicker and heavier). 12 gauge looks like a water hose sometimes.

driver100

abacomike said:

driver100 said:

imidazol97 said:

Ebay:
OEM mats, new and used

Good info...I will check it out....at first glance seems expensive for a 6 year old car $170.

Then buy a new car already! That way you get new mats and that back-up camera you have been perseverating about for what seems like forever! 🤪😜😛

Good idea.......why don't you start up a Go Fund Me fund so I can stop bothering everyone?

oldfarmer50

qbrozen said:

driver100 said:

Somehow I signed up for recall notices...now I get a notice every week for tires that have been recalled. I thought this one was interesting....Michelin made a tire, and didn't put the proper notices on it.
NHTSA Recall ID Number : 19T025
Synopsis : Michelin North America, Inc. (Michelin) is recalling certain CrossClimate+ tires in size 225/60R16 103V XL tires with DOT date code 4618. The tires are not marked with the required UTQG treadwear, traction or temperature gradings. In addition, on the designated outboard sidewall and on the inboard sidewall, the "DOT" certification symbol, which precedes the TIN (Tire Identification Number) has not been molded into the sidewall. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 139, "New Pneumatic Radial Tires for Light Vehicles." Without the proper markings, the tires may not be used in the appropriate driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash. Michelin will notify owners, and dealers will replace the tires, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 30, 2020. Owners may contact Michelin customer service at 1-866-324-2835

Wow. That is a surprising oversight. Heads will roll.

Probably a shipping mix up.

stickguy

Supposed to go to some overseas market that doesn’t require all that stuff on the tire?

oldfarmer50

ab348 said:

driver100 said:

Somehow I signed up for recall notices...now I get a notice every week for tires that have been recalled. I thought this one was interesting....Michelin made a tire, and didn't put the proper notices on it.
NHTSA Recall ID Number : 19T025
... Michelin will notify owners, and dealers will replace the tires, free of charge.

Owners get a free set of new tires. That's better than a winning insta-pick lottery ticket.

I wonder how robust their ownership records are though? I doubt Michelin knows what tires I have on my car.

Down here they take your info so they have a record...and can slap a federal excise tax on you.

driver100

stickguy said:

That’s marketing speak. Can call it anything they want.

And gauge goes backwards. Smaller number handles more juice (and is thicker and heavier). 12 gauge looks like a water hose sometimes.

Interesting...smaller numbers are heavier duty.....who came up with that idea?
This one looks pretty;

Southwire 2549SWUSA1 100-Feet, Contractor Grade, 12/3 Extension Cord, With Lighted End; Red White And Blue, American Made Extension Cord, Indoor and Outdoor Use, Water Resistant Flexible Jacket
5 Stars over 500 reviews List Price: $79.99
Price: $55.32 & FREE Returns
You Save: $24.67 (31%)

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

qbrozen said:

driver100 said:

Somehow I signed up for recall notices...now I get a notice every week for tires that have been recalled. I thought this one was interesting....Michelin made a tire, and didn't put the proper notices on it.
NHTSA Recall ID Number : 19T025
Synopsis : Michelin North America, Inc. (Michelin) is recalling certain CrossClimate+ tires in size 225/60R16 103V XL tires with DOT date code 4618. The tires are not marked with the required UTQG treadwear, traction or temperature gradings. In addition, on the designated outboard sidewall and on the inboard sidewall, the "DOT" certification symbol, which precedes the TIN (Tire Identification Number) has not been molded into the sidewall. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 139, "New Pneumatic Radial Tires for Light Vehicles." Without the proper markings, the tires may not be used in the appropriate driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash. Michelin will notify owners, and dealers will replace the tires, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 30, 2020. Owners may contact Michelin customer service at 1-866-324-2835

Wow. That is a surprising oversight. Heads will roll.

Probably a shipping mix up.

Probably intended to be shipped to China.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

Driver, I really don't think the car cares how many different drivers. If anything, it could be better for the car, because of different driving styles, so not fixed in one rut.

say you always rev real low and shift early. Might be better to have a 2nd driver that likes to rev it up and clean out the engine.

I think what most people worry about is how people treat the car when they have no personal stake in it’s future. Say some young kid or old gear head rents a car and wants to see how many feet of burn out it will do. He/she doesn’t care what the abuse will do to the car down the road. That’s why I personally wouldn’t buy a sporty car ex rental.

https://youtu.be/ZsGR6o4dnxU

jmonroe

stickguy said:

The cord is pretty beat overall so I’m fine just replacing it. I’ll just get a decent looking 14 gauge. Thanks QB.

A 14 gauge cord will surely work but unless you are at the end of a 100 foot 16 gauge 10 amp rated cord and using a large load sucking tool, like a 5 HP compressor, you can use a 16 gauge cord for just about any bush trimming tool. I do it all the time. I have a 100 foot 12 gauge cord (20 amp rating) and I can't remember the last time I used that beast and even when I helped Son #1 with his flip house I didn't even bother trying to lug that thing to the flip. I'd give you that beast but I doubt you'd want to pay for shipping it.

FWIW, I'd be more concerned about using a ground fault protected circuit when using an extention cord outdoors than I would about the size of the cord but you probably already know that. But maybe others in here don't.

jmonroe

stickguy

Well, no sticks in the rental US fleet. That was overseas someplace. I really don’t think your average rental Altima or Malibu is abused.

Could get the same thing with a lease. Hey, not my car after 3 years, so what do I care?

Just. Check it out like any normal car.

Some people worry too much to buy a used car. Better to just spend the extra and buy new.

jmonroe

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

Sandman6472 said:

On new underwear, please, wash them first!!

But they come in a sealed plastic bag and have been sanitized.

Stop questioning it, just do it. My Mom washed a lot of stuff before the family used it. As a kid I thought it was kinda strange but I wasn't doing the washing so who was I to question what she did? Then I joined the Navy and was promptly taught it's not clean untill it's Navy Clean. That meant you washed EVERYTHING before you wore it and that especially applied to your skivies. You wanna question that, sign up and ask them.

jmonroe

But, they come in a package that is hermetically sealed, unless you buy yours at Goodwill.

Hint: just because they are packaged in cellophane does not mean they are "hermetically sealed". Didn't want you to go through life with another bit of misinformation.

jmonroe

ab348

Back home after attending a funeral. The fellow who died was 2 years younger than me and succumbed to bone cancer. Ugh, very sad. He was a former co-worker many years ago but he also got me into the golf club to which I belonged for a couple of decades, and was an icon there. Huge turnout for both the church service (full Catholic mass) and the wake at the golf club. The only thing that was good in a sense was seeing many people whom I had not encountered in decades.

fintail

For MBs anyway, it is sometimes easy to spot the ex-rentals on the lot - basic spec (and mileage almost always around 20K). Sometimes even more basic than loss leader lease specials. US rental fleets often have loaded domestic makes, but the premium Euros tend to be modestly optioned at best. A bit different from European fleets, which can feature quite loaded cars.

oldfarmer50 said:

Yes they do. We have BMWs, Mercedes, Jaguars, Land Rovers, Teslas, Maseratis and more. Most go to dealers.

You have to realize that the CCBA types we have on these boards can’t supply the demand for one or two year old cars. Dealers can buy from a rental company where at least they have service records or go to the auctions where they might be forced to buy the same company’s cars that were deemed too beat or wrecked to retail.

driver100

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

Sandman6472 said:

On new underwear, please, wash them first!!

But they come in a sealed plastic bag and have been sanitized.

Stop questioning it, just do it. My Mom washed a lot of stuff before the family used it. As a kid I thought it was kinda strange but I wasn't doing the washing so who was I to question what she did? Then I joined the Navy and was promptly taught it's not clean untill it's Navy Clean. That meant you washed EVERYTHING before you wore it and that especially applied to your skivies. You wanna question that, sign up and ask them.

jmonroe

But, they come in a package that is hermetically sealed, unless you buy yours at Goodwill.

Hint: just because they are packaged in cellophane does not mean they are "hermetically sealed". Didn't want you to go through life with another bit of misinformation.

jmonroe

They say some germs are good for you. If you don't encounter some germs you won't build up resistance. If you get your underwear at the 2nd hand store....best to use bleach and wash first.

I am just joking about this.....you should wash clothes first because of chemicals used to make clothing, but, if it is all sealed in plastic with all the cardboard and everything on it you probably won't die or get a serious skin rash if you don't wash it.

Now lets get back to more important stuff......like, how do you find a battery powered backup camera?

driver100

fintail said:

For MBs anyway, it is sometimes easy to spot the ex-rentals on the lot - basic spec (and mileage almost always around 20K). Sometimes even more basic than loss leader lease specials. US rental fleets often have loaded domestic makes, but the premium Euros tend to be modestly optioned at best. A bit different from European fleets, which can feature quite loaded cars.

oldfarmer50 said:

Yes they do. We have BMWs, Mercedes, Jaguars, Land Rovers, Teslas, Maseratis and more. Most go to dealers.

You have to realize that the CCBA types we have on these boards can’t supply the demand for one or two year old cars. Dealers can buy from a rental company where at least they have service records or go to the auctions where they might be forced to buy the same company’s cars that were deemed too beat or wrecked to retail.

My C250 MB dealer seems to get a lot of low mileage, 1,2 and 3 year old cars. It seems the 3 year old ones, like ours, were mostly leased cars. The 1 and 2 year olds have from about 3000 miles up to about 20000 miles on them. I thought they were executive driven cars and dealer test drive cars. Maybe they are from rental car companies.
Do you think they hand choose these or buy them in bulk, sight unseen?

stickguy

High end makers that offer service loaners get a lot of used cars that way. The BMW. And Volvo dealer always have a bunch.

jmonroe

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

Sandman6472 said:

On new underwear, please, wash them first!!

But they come in a sealed plastic bag and have been sanitized.

Stop questioning it, just do it. My Mom washed a lot of stuff before the family used it. As a kid I thought it was kinda strange but I wasn't doing the washing so who was I to question what she did? Then I joined the Navy and was promptly taught it's not clean untill it's Navy Clean. That meant you washed EVERYTHING before you wore it and that especially applied to your skivies. You wanna question that, sign up and ask them.

jmonroe

But, they come in a package that is hermetically sealed, unless you buy yours at Goodwill.

Hint: just because they are packaged in cellophane does not mean they are "hermetically sealed". Didn't want you to go through life with another bit of misinformation.

jmonroe

They say some germs are good for you. If you don't encounter some germs you won't build up resistance. If you get your underwear at the 2nd hand store....best to use bleach and wash first.

I am just joking about this.....you should wash clothes first because of chemicals used to make clothing, but, if it is all sealed in plastic with all the cardboard and everything on it you probably won't die or get a serious skin rash if you don't wash it.

Now lets get back to more important stuff......like, how do you find a battery powered backup camera?

Your'e looking in the wrong place. I found them in a '15 Genny wannabe and a grocery getting '18 Legacy.

jmonroe

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

fintail said:

For MBs anyway, it is sometimes easy to spot the ex-rentals on the lot - basic spec (and mileage almost always around 20K). Sometimes even more basic than loss leader lease specials. US rental fleets often have loaded domestic makes, but the premium Euros tend to be modestly optioned at best. A bit different from European fleets, which can feature quite loaded cars.

oldfarmer50 said:

Yes they do. We have BMWs, Mercedes, Jaguars, Land Rovers, Teslas, Maseratis and more. Most go to dealers.

You have to realize that the CCBA types we have on these boards can’t supply the demand for one or two year old cars. Dealers can buy from a rental company where at least they have service records or go to the auctions where they might be forced to buy the same company’s cars that were deemed too beat or wrecked to retail.

My C250 MB dealer seems to get a lot of low mileage, 1,2 and 3 year old cars. It seems the 3 year old ones, like ours, were mostly leased cars. The 1 and 2 year olds have from about 3000 miles up to about 20000 miles on them. I thought they were executive driven cars and dealer test drive cars. Maybe they are from rental car companies.
Do you think they hand choose these or buy them in bulk, sight unseen?

I’m guessing the 3k miler is a service loaner or one operated by dealership personnel. The 1 or 2 year old 20k miler is most likely a rental. 3 year olds are undoubtedly lease returns.

Now, which one is more beat up? The loaner is like a rental where the customer says “what the heck” and feels free to stomp on it. As someone said, the lease could have abuse or neglect unless there was some free oil changes with the deal. A rental may be abused but gets at least minimum maintenance. (I know that my company gives quotas to branches for on time maintenance).

Bottom line, take it to a mechanic unless you are paying so little it doesn’t matter.

Some large dealer groups will buy cars by the hundreds. A little mom & pop store might only buy one a year to fill a customer request. Enterprise has teams of car salespeople who work with dealers just like the dealers have salespeople who work with you.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

High end makers that offer service loaners get a lot of used cars that way. The BMW. And Volvo dealer always have a bunch.

Didn’t BMW get in some trouble for putting many car as service loaners and counting them as sold?

stickguy

FCA was doing that.

driver100

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

Sandman6472 said:

On new underwear, please, wash them first!!

But they come in a sealed plastic bag and have been sanitized.

Stop questioning it, just do it. My Mom washed a lot of stuff before the family used it. As a kid I thought it was kinda strange but I wasn't doing the washing so who was I to question what she did? Then I joined the Navy and was promptly taught it's not clean untill it's Navy Clean. That meant you washed EVERYTHING before you wore it and that especially applied to your skivies. You wanna question that, sign up and ask them.

jmonroe

But, they come in a package that is hermetically sealed, unless you buy yours at Goodwill.

Hint: just because they are packaged in cellophane does not mean they are "hermetically sealed". Didn't want you to go through life with another bit of misinformation.

jmonroe

They say some germs are good for you. If you don't encounter some germs you won't build up resistance. If you get your underwear at the 2nd hand store....best to use bleach and wash first.

I am just joking about this.....you should wash clothes first because of chemicals used to make clothing, but, if it is all sealed in plastic with all the cardboard and everything on it you probably won't die or get a serious skin rash if you don't wash it.

Now lets get back to more important stuff......like, how do you find a battery powered backup camera?

Your'e looking in the wrong place. I found them in a '15 Genny wannabe and a grocery getting '18 Legacy.

jmonroe

Not so easy in a pre-2015 car. By the time of the 2018 Legacy they were mandatory.

jmonroe

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

Sandman6472 said:

On new underwear, please, wash them first!!

But they come in a sealed plastic bag and have been sanitized.

Stop questioning it, just do it. My Mom washed a lot of stuff before the family used it. As a kid I thought it was kinda strange but I wasn't doing the washing so who was I to question what she did? Then I joined the Navy and was promptly taught it's not clean untill it's Navy Clean. That meant you washed EVERYTHING before you wore it and that especially applied to your skivies. You wanna question that, sign up and ask them.

jmonroe

But, they come in a package that is hermetically sealed, unless you buy yours at Goodwill.

Hint: just because they are packaged in cellophane does not mean they are "hermetically sealed". Didn't want you to go through life with another bit of misinformation.

jmonroe

They say some germs are good for you. If you don't encounter some germs you won't build up resistance. If you get your underwear at the 2nd hand store....best to use bleach and wash first.

I am just joking about this.....you should wash clothes first because of chemicals used to make clothing, but, if it is all sealed in plastic with all the cardboard and everything on it you probably won't die or get a serious skin rash if you don't wash it.

Now lets get back to more important stuff......like, how do you find a battery powered backup camera?

Your'e looking in the wrong place. I found them in a '15 Genny wannabe and a grocery getting '18 Legacy.

jmonroe

Not so easy in a pre-2015 car. By the time of the 2018 Legacy they were mandatory.

It was pretty easy for me with pre-2015 cars.

My '09 Genny had it and so did Mrs. j's '12 Legacy. Like I said, you're looking in the wrong places

jmonroe

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

fintail said:

For MBs anyway, it is sometimes easy to spot the ex-rentals on the lot - basic spec (and mileage almost always around 20K). Sometimes even more basic than loss leader lease specials. US rental fleets often have loaded domestic makes, but the premium Euros tend to be modestly optioned at best. A bit different from European fleets, which can feature quite loaded cars.

oldfarmer50 said:

Yes they do. We have BMWs, Mercedes, Jaguars, Land Rovers, Teslas, Maseratis and more. Most go to dealers.

You have to realize that the CCBA types we have on these boards can’t supply the demand for one or two year old cars. Dealers can buy from a rental company where at least they have service records or go to the auctions where they might be forced to buy the same company’s cars that were deemed too beat or wrecked to retail.

My C250 MB dealer seems to get a lot of low mileage, 1,2 and 3 year old cars. It seems the 3 year old ones, like ours, were mostly leased cars. The 1 and 2 year olds have from about 3000 miles up to about 20000 miles on them. I thought they were executive driven cars and dealer test drive cars. Maybe they are from rental car companies.
Do you think they hand choose these or buy them in bulk, sight unseen?

I’m guessing the 3k miler is a service loaner or one operated by dealership personnel. The 1 or 2 year old 20k miler is most likely a rental. 3 year olds are undoubtedly lease returns.

Now, which one is more beat up? The loaner is like a rental where the customer says “what the heck” and feels free to stomp on it. As someone said, the lease could have abuse or neglect unless there was some free oil changes with the deal. A rental may be abused but gets at least minimum maintenance. (I know that my company gives quotas to branches for on time maintenance).

Bottom line, take it to a mechanic unless you are paying so little it doesn’t matter.

Some large dealer groups will buy cars by the hundreds. A little mom & pop store might only buy one a year to fill a customer request. Enterprise has teams of car salespeople who work with dealers just like the dealers have salespeople who work with you.

Good analysis and makes sense. How do car rental companies do their maintenance....oil changes, wiper blades, brakes etc? Do they do their own or do they use the dealer.

When I had a company car the company which was a huge company they wouldn't allow us to get maintenance done at the dealer - except for warranty work, said they charge more than the chain garages....they seemed to like Goodyear and places like that.

Big huge conglomerate and we have to try and save a few bucks on an oil change.

driver100

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

Sandman6472 said:

On new underwear, please, wash them first!!

But they come in a sealed plastic bag and have been sanitized.

Stop questioning it, just do it. My Mom washed a lot of stuff before the family used it. As a kid I thought it was kinda strange but I wasn't doing the washing so who was I to question what she did? Then I joined the Navy and was promptly taught it's not clean untill it's Navy Clean. That meant you washed EVERYTHING before you wore it and that especially applied to your skivies. You wanna question that, sign up and ask them.

jmonroe

But, they come in a package that is hermetically sealed, unless you buy yours at Goodwill.

Hint: just because they are packaged in cellophane does not mean they are "hermetically sealed". Didn't want you to go through life with another bit of misinformation.

jmonroe

They say some germs are good for you. If you don't encounter some germs you won't build up resistance. If you get your underwear at the 2nd hand store....best to use bleach and wash first.

I am just joking about this.....you should wash clothes first because of chemicals used to make clothing, but, if it is all sealed in plastic with all the cardboard and everything on it you probably won't die or get a serious skin rash if you don't wash it.

Now lets get back to more important stuff......like, how do you find a battery powered backup camera?

Your'e looking in the wrong place. I found them in a '15 Genny wannabe and a grocery getting '18 Legacy.

jmonroe

Not so easy in a pre-2015 car. By the time of the 2018 Legacy they were mandatory.

It was pretty easy for me with pre-2015 cars.

My '09 Genny had it and so did Mrs. j's '12 Legacy. Like I said, you're looking in the wrong places

jmonroe

Well, they had to put them on those cars to try and help them sell better.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

FCA was doing that.

Yep, BMW too. I’d bet they all do some form of sales punching.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bmw-under-sec-investigation-inflating-121012453.html

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

fintail said:

For MBs anyway, it is sometimes easy to spot the ex-rentals on the lot - basic spec (and mileage almost always around 20K). Sometimes even more basic than loss leader lease specials. US rental fleets often have loaded domestic makes, but the premium Euros tend to be modestly optioned at best. A bit different from European fleets, which can feature quite loaded cars.

oldfarmer50 said:

Yes they do. We have BMWs, Mercedes, Jaguars, Land Rovers, Teslas, Maseratis and more. Most go to dealers.

You have to realize that the CCBA types we have on these boards can’t supply the demand for one or two year old cars. Dealers can buy from a rental company where at least they have service records or go to the auctions where they might be forced to buy the same company’s cars that were deemed too beat or wrecked to retail.

My C250 MB dealer seems to get a lot of low mileage, 1,2 and 3 year old cars. It seems the 3 year old ones, like ours, were mostly leased cars. The 1 and 2 year olds have from about 3000 miles up to about 20000 miles on them. I thought they were executive driven cars and dealer test drive cars. Maybe they are from rental car companies.
Do you think they hand choose these or buy them in bulk, sight unseen?

I’m guessing the 3k miler is a service loaner or one operated by dealership personnel. The 1 or 2 year old 20k miler is most likely a rental. 3 year olds are undoubtedly lease returns.

Now, which one is more beat up? The loaner is like a rental where the customer says “what the heck” and feels free to stomp on it. As someone said, the lease could have abuse or neglect unless there was some free oil changes with the deal. A rental may be abused but gets at least minimum maintenance. (I know that my company gives quotas to branches for on time maintenance).

Bottom line, take it to a mechanic unless you are paying so little it doesn’t matter.

Some large dealer groups will buy cars by the hundreds. A little mom & pop store might only buy one a year to fill a customer request. Enterprise has teams of car salespeople who work with dealers just like the dealers have salespeople who work with you.

Good analysis and makes sense. How do car rental companies do their maintenance....oil changes, wiper blades, brakes etc? Do they do their own or do they use the dealer.

When I had a company car the company which was a huge company they wouldn't allow us to get maintenance done at the dealer - except for warranty work, said they charge more than the chain garages....they seemed to like Goodyear and places like that.

Big huge conglomerate and we have to try and save a few bucks on an oil change.

Enterprise has a bunch of it’s own maintenance facilities but the sheer number of cars would overwhelm them. Much of the routine stuff is done under contract with a multitude of vendors. Pick a name from the phone book and we use them.

Here’s another case of rental abuse. If you read the comments you’ll see an Enterprise manager was watching and turned them in.

https://youtu.be/-fdcReo_j5o

jmonroe

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

Sandman6472 said:

On new underwear, please, wash them first!!

But they come in a sealed plastic bag and have been sanitized.

Stop questioning it, just do it. My Mom washed a lot of stuff before the family used it. As a kid I thought it was kinda strange but I wasn't doing the washing so who was I to question what she did? Then I joined the Navy and was promptly taught it's not clean untill it's Navy Clean. That meant you washed EVERYTHING before you wore it and that especially applied to your skivies. You wanna question that, sign up and ask them.

jmonroe

But, they come in a package that is hermetically sealed, unless you buy yours at Goodwill.

Hint: just because they are packaged in cellophane does not mean they are "hermetically sealed". Didn't want you to go through life with another bit of misinformation.

jmonroe

They say some germs are good for you. If you don't encounter some germs you won't build up resistance. If you get your underwear at the 2nd hand store....best to use bleach and wash first.

I am just joking about this.....you should wash clothes first because of chemicals used to make clothing, but, if it is all sealed in plastic with all the cardboard and everything on it you probably won't die or get a serious skin rash if you don't wash it.

Now lets get back to more important stuff......like, how do you find a battery powered backup camera?

Your'e looking in the wrong place. I found them in a '15 Genny wannabe and a grocery getting '18 Legacy.

jmonroe

Not so easy in a pre-2015 car. By the time of the 2018 Legacy they were mandatory.

It was pretty easy for me with pre-2015 cars.

My '09 Genny had it and so did Mrs. j's '12 Legacy. Like I said, you're looking in the wrong places

jmonroe

Well, they had to put them on those cars to try and help them sell better.

Laugh all you want but I have had them since '09. And like I have said before if other brands offered them as almost standard on models other than the most basic trim levels, anyone buying a luxo brand of any model/trim should have the right to expect it but apparently don't always get it. However, they do get the all important coveted badge.

jmonroe

fintail

I've always wondered about "executive" cars, I think those are also cars employees get on subsidized leases. A friend of mine's husband works for MB in an IT function, and can choose from a huge variety of cars with a sign and drive 1 year term not exceeding around $600/month - this includes AMG cars.

I think the lower mileage ones are possibly service loaners. Higher mileage lease and rentals - more loaded cars likely to be leases. I think when the cars go to auction, options, color, and location mean a lot, and bidding reflects that. Here on the west coast, people shy away from cars bought new in rusty areas.

driver100 said:

My C250 MB dealer seems to get a lot of low mileage, 1,2 and 3 year old cars. It seems the 3 year old ones, like ours, were mostly leased cars. The 1 and 2 year olds have from about 3000 miles up to about 20000 miles on them. I thought they were executive driven cars and dealer test drive cars. Maybe they are from rental car companies.
Do you think they hand choose these or buy them in bulk, sight unseen?

tjc78

If you read the comments you’ll see an Enterprise manager was watching and turned them in.

No doubt it was abused... BUT what real damage was done? No scratches, dings, dents, interior or engine damage? Was the oil/tranny pan damaged from the jump? Doubtful much would happen from this.

cdnpinhead

"However, they do get the all important coveted badge."

Tell it like it is, Howard.

tjc78

Ha ha... gotta love one wheel peel in a Grand Marquis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vawb8gWADOg

explorerx4

@driver100,
You should start a 'Go Fund Yourself'' campaign, if you want a backup camera for your Fred Flinstonemobile.

snakeweasel

oldfarmer50 said:

This is disturbing.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/an-809-car-payment-a-660-income-how-dealers-make-the-math-work-11576924201

It is disturbing, it is also disturbing that the people that get these loans cant see that 809 is larger than 660.

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

qbrozen said:

driver100 said:

qbrozen said:

fintail said:

If you want to be insulted by remakes, catch the "Vacation" and "Poltergeist" remakes from a few years back. I vowed to not see them in theaters (I am a huge fan of both originals), but caught them both on in-flight movie selections. Soul-crushingly bad, infinitely worse than even I expected. That someone greenlights this stuff and spends millions to produce it is mindblowing. I don't go to movies anymore either. I can get all my oldies at home, and for the once in a blue moon modern release that is worth catching, I can wait. I guess I am an old grumbler in training - for me, movies peaked in the 80s, had a few goodies in the 90s, very slim pickings since.

dino001 said:

You mean Jumanji? It's another junk remake, as is pretty much anything coming out to the large screen these days. Plus, it was directed to a 10 year old kid, how did you end up watching it? I don't go to movies anymore. If there is anything worth watching, I'll buy it on demand a because majority of people like zombies accept anything that comes off the assembly line, conditioned by advertising and "focus group" research, or worse, what seems to be tastes of an entertainment executive or his/her spouse.

Poltergeist? Didn’t know about that one.

I have to point out, though, that, like Jumanji, Vacation was not a remake. It was a sequel about Rusty continuing his dad’s nonsense.

I am glad we clarified that.

You're welcome. If you'd like to talk about the Ryan Reynolds remake of Amityville Horror, just let me know.

I don't know if there is any remake that was better than the original.

The remake of "The Maltese Falcon" was better than the original. FYI Bogie was in the remake.

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

fintail said:

For MBs anyway, it is sometimes easy to spot the ex-rentals on the lot - basic spec (and mileage almost always around 20K). Sometimes even more basic than loss leader lease specials. US rental fleets often have loaded domestic makes, but the premium Euros tend to be modestly optioned at best. A bit different from European fleets, which can feature quite loaded cars.

oldfarmer50 said:

Yes they do. We have BMWs, Mercedes, Jaguars, Land Rovers, Teslas, Maseratis and more. Most go to dealers.

You have to realize that the CCBA types we have on these boards can’t supply the demand for one or two year old cars. Dealers can buy from a rental company where at least they have service records or go to the auctions where they might be forced to buy the same company’s cars that were deemed too beat or wrecked to retail.

My C250 MB dealer seems to get a lot of low mileage, 1,2 and 3 year old cars. It seems the 3 year old ones, like ours, were mostly leased cars. The 1 and 2 year olds have from about 3000 miles up to about 20000 miles on them. I thought they were executive driven cars and dealer test drive cars. Maybe they are from rental car companies.
Do you think they hand choose these or buy them in bulk, sight unseen?

I’m guessing the 3k miler is a service loaner or one operated by dealership personnel. The 1 or 2 year old 20k miler is most likely a rental. 3 year olds are undoubtedly lease returns.

Now, which one is more beat up? The loaner is like a rental where the customer says “what the heck” and feels free to stomp on it. As someone said, the lease could have abuse or neglect unless there was some free oil changes with the deal. A rental may be abused but gets at least minimum maintenance. (I know that my company gives quotas to branches for on time maintenance).

Bottom line, take it to a mechanic unless you are paying so little it doesn’t matter.

Some large dealer groups will buy cars by the hundreds. A little mom & pop store might only buy one a year to fill a customer request. Enterprise has teams of car salespeople who work with dealers just like the dealers have salespeople who work with you.

Good analysis and makes sense. How do car rental companies do their maintenance....oil changes, wiper blades, brakes etc? Do they do their own or do they use the dealer.

When I had a company car the company which was a huge company they wouldn't allow us to get maintenance done at the dealer - except for warranty work, said they charge more than the chain garages....they seemed to like Goodyear and places like that.

Big huge conglomerate and we have to try and save a few bucks on an oil change.

Enterprise has a bunch of it’s own maintenance facilities but the sheer number of cars would overwhelm them. Much of the routine stuff is done under contract with a multitude of vendors. Pick a name from the phone book and we use them.

Here’s another case of rental abuse. If you read the comments you’ll see an Enterprise manager was watching and turned them in.

o

I remember a guy telling me he would rent cars, drive them and throw them into reverse. Maybe it doesn't happen too often, but, how would you like to buy that car?

driver100

fintail said:

I've always wondered about "executive" cars, I think those are also cars employees get on subsidized leases. A friend of mine's husband works for MB in an IT function, and can choose from a huge variety of cars with a sign and drive 1 year term not exceeding around $600/month - this includes AMG cars.

I think the lower mileage ones are possibly service loaners. Higher mileage lease and rentals - more loaded cars likely to be leases. I think when the cars go to auction, options, color, and location mean a lot, and bidding reflects that. Here on the west coast, people shy away from cars bought new in rusty areas.

driver100 said:

My C250 MB dealer seems to get a lot of low mileage, 1,2 and 3 year old cars. It seems the 3 year old ones, like ours, were mostly leased cars. The 1 and 2 year olds have from about 3000 miles up to about 20000 miles on them. I thought they were executive driven cars and dealer test drive cars. Maybe they are from rental car companies.
Do you think they hand choose these or buy them in bulk, sight unseen?

I have a tennis friend back home...he was a big wheel at Ford running the financial dept or something....he must be retired for 15 years and still gets a new Ford product, usually a Lincoln or Top Ford car or SUV every 6 months....those must get sold as executive cars.

snakeweasel

oldfarmer50 said:

Boy, the monthly payment on those Mercedes must be tough. Some guy near me robbed a bank while driving one. Then again maybe it was the cost of out of warranty repairs. Is that a GLE?

Well since he is robber maybe he is also a car thief.

driver100

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

Sandman6472 said:

On new underwear, please, wash them first!!

But they come in a sealed plastic bag and have been sanitized.

Stop questioning it, just do it. My Mom washed a lot of stuff before the family used it. As a kid I thought it was kinda strange but I wasn't doing the washing so who was I to question what she did? Then I joined the Navy and was promptly taught it's not clean untill it's Navy Clean. That meant you washed EVERYTHING before you wore it and that especially applied to your skivies. You wanna question that, sign up and ask them.

jmonroe

But, they come in a package that is hermetically sealed, unless you buy yours at Goodwill.

Hint: just because they are packaged in cellophane does not mean they are "hermetically sealed". Didn't want you to go through life with another bit of misinformation.

jmonroe

They say some germs are good for you. If you don't encounter some germs you won't build up resistance. If you get your underwear at the 2nd hand store....best to use bleach and wash first.

I am just joking about this.....you should wash clothes first because of chemicals used to make clothing, but, if it is all sealed in plastic with all the cardboard and everything on it you probably won't die or get a serious skin rash if you don't wash it.

Now lets get back to more important stuff......like, how do you find a battery powered backup camera?

Your'e looking in the wrong place. I found them in a '15 Genny wannabe and a grocery getting '18 Legacy.

jmonroe

Not so easy in a pre-2015 car. By the time of the 2018 Legacy they were mandatory.

It was pretty easy for me with pre-2015 cars.

My '09 Genny had it and so did Mrs. j's '12 Legacy. Like I said, you're looking in the wrong places

jmonroe

Well, they had to put them on those cars to try and help them sell better.

Laugh all you want but I have had them since '09. And like I have said before if other brands offered them as almost standard on models other than the most basic trim levels, anyone buying a luxo brand of any model/trim should have the right to expect it but apparently don't always get it. However, they do get the all important coveted badge.

jmonroe

They only cost $120 to add to a car.....too trifling for Mercedes to bother with.
Besides, people who appreciate cars and driving can back up without a camera!

explorerx4

Miami Ohio is playing their football Bowl game on Monday.
Can't help but think back to Lance Guidry's pregame speech from about 10 years ago.
He wasn't the head coach, but an assistant.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQwLJjRMag8

driver100

explorerx4 said:

@driver100,
You should start a 'Go Fund Yourself'' campaign, if you want a backup camera for your Fred Flinstonemobile.

So, it's all about me..........no offer to help someone else!

cdnpinhead

'Go Fund Yourself'' campaign. . .

Only two letters wrong.

snakeweasel

tjc78 said:

@graphicguy
100% agree the Exorcist is the scariest movie I've ever watched. Maybe it's a Catholic thing.

My sister saw the exorcist and said it was very scary, I was to young to see it on my own and my sister wouldn't go see it again and my mother (who never saw the movie) wouldn't take me to see a scary movie. When I finally got to see the movie I found it to be very not scary. I couldn't see how that was scary,

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Boy, the monthly payment on those Mercedes must be tough. Some guy near me robbed a bank while driving one. Then again maybe it was the cost of out of warranty repairs. Is that a GLE?

A very classy bank robber....when only the best will do.

Probably. What are the odds that one doesn't have a backup camera? Don't leave home without one.

jmonroe

You are just jealous because he didn't use a wannabe to rob banks...he wants a clean getaway!

If he wants to make a clean getaway he should be driving a street sweeper.

stickguy

explorerx4 said:

Miami Ohio is playing their football Bowl game on Monday.
Can't help but think back to Lance Guidry's pregame speech from about 10 years ago.
He wasn't the head coach, but an assistant.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQwLJjRMag8

So, did Miami win the game?

explorerx4

@stickguy,
You must be kidding! Of course 35-21.