Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

[Deleted User]

Question for you guys up north We've been binge watching the Holmes Makes It Right/Holmes Inspection episodes on cable. I keep seeing what looks like faucets near the base of stand alone showers. I've never seen that before, is that a Canadian thing?

carnaught

Sorry

andres3

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

Doesn't one wonder why something written in modern times resorts to projections and estimations for something that really happened over 25 years ago? Could it be they don't like the real world data and the hard numbers?

Speaking of real world data and hard numbers could you explain how the Autobahn has a higher fatality rate on the sections with no speed limit than it does on sections with speed limits given your belief that going faster is not more dangerous.

Easy. It's not true. The sections with no limits are the safest sections when you look at honest fatality rates, like per mile driven. Sure... if you use some contrived rates based on astrology, voodoo, or something else having nothing to do with driving or reality, you might get different results.

You are likely misremembering things you've read based on the long debunked Norwegian "power model" which again, is nothing but prediction, projections, and guesswork. Using their "assumptions" that are inaccurate, but in a backwards/reverse argument, you can take their 3 MPH change for every 10 MPH change in the speed limit and start doing some math for the reductions in fatalities the US should have. If you actually use that equation they claim makes a difference in deaths for every 3 MPH in reverse then the US would actually have negative deaths on some roads because our speed limits are so low in some areas. Of course, we all know negative death is impossible. You can't bring people back. It's absurd on its face.

Estimates put 60 to 70% of the Autobahn with unlimited speed sections. That's more than half. You should expect about double the deaths when your talking about double the roadway. You are reading too much into "absolutes" and not actually seeing real fatality RATES.

Lastly, another 7 to 8% is at 130 KPH, which is a higher speed limit than 99.9% of USA Interstates.

In recent times I have read that Germany is being invaded by too many foreign bad drivers ruining it for everyone. It would be interesting to see a detailed study that differentiates German drivers from other "lesser" drivers that normally drive more in Countries with lower speed limits.

Actually the no speed limit sections do have a higher fatality rate. Plus you are being a bit disingenuous in you post. You are claiming that I do not see rates, yet you state that double the roadway should have double the deaths. But you should be looking at what is the volume of traffic on each section not the length of the roads. The sections of the autobahn with no speed limit do not have the same volume of traffic per mile as most of the areas that have speed limits. The sections with speed limits usually are that way due to high traffic volume. If the unlimited sections carry 60 to 70% of all miles driven on the autobahn you would have a point but they don't it's less than that.

All you have to do is prove your claim. That the fatality RATE is higher on non-speed limited sections than speed limited sections. I've never seen any evidence of that before, and I have a feeling I won't see it any time soon (and it isn't from lack of looking). Germany recently voted to keep the unlimited speed limits because they have the safest road records in the world with only a few exceptions like the UK.

Most likely you are seeing some cherry-picked non-sensical rate by some that's in the anti-destination league. I'm not saying you are ignoring rates (though many "speed kills" myth perpetuating writers do exactly that). I've seen some wildly cherry picked rates though. Rates based on irrelevant unrelated factors. One of the more common ones used is "population" which doesn't make sense to me because not every member of the population owns and/or drives a car at all.

driver100

dad23 said:

Question for you guys up north We've been binge watching the Holmes Makes It Right/Holmes Inspection episodes on cable. I keep seeing what looks like faucets near the base of stand alone showers. I've never seen that before, is that a Canadian thing?

As you may know Dad23, DIY stuff is not in my field of expertise. But, what you may be referring to is a "toe tester". We took out a bathtub and put in a walk in shower, and I opted not to get a toe tester but I wish I had it. When you turn on the water in the shower it comes out of the toe tester first....when it is the temperature you want, you turn on the main shower - just pull up a knob on the toe tester. The way mine is now you get in, stand back, and hope you don't get hit with cold water until it warms up. It also helps when turning it off if you have one dial, if you turn off the dial without a toe tester you get hit with cold water as you turn it off. If you have a toe tester you raise the button on the toe tester, the water comes out from there, then if you turn the water off the cold water only comes out of the bottom faucet. If you have a choice I would definitely install it.....I have no idea how much more it costs to do that.
Hope that helps!

[Deleted User]

Thanks @driver100, had never seen them before, but kinda makes sense. Although when I turn on our shower, I just feel the temp before I get in, save a step?

jmonroe1

dad23 said:

Thanks @driver100, had never seen them before, but kinda makes sense. Although when I turn on our shower, I just feel the temp before I get in, save a step?

Yeah, that’s really tough to do, huh?

jmonroe

sda

Toe tester, that’s neat. It takes about 3 minutes for warm water to come from the water heater located in the garage to our bathroom on the far side of the house. Perfect timing to brush teeth while waiting for warm water. I know we waste a lot of water as a result but putting in a water recycler for instant hot water is very expensive.

venture

One of the rare Kia 530's.

tjc78

@sda said:
Toe tester, that’s neat. It takes about 3 minutes for warm water to come from the water heater located in the garage to our bathroom on the far side of the house. Perfect timing to brush teeth while waiting for warm water. I know we waste a lot of water as a result but putting in a water recycler for instant hot water is very expensive.

Sounds like my house. We do the same thing.

stickguy

Toe tester sounds like a normal tub faucet. Wait til faucet is warm before engaging shower.

stickguy

Spent 4 hours yesterday driving the white whale rental truck. I was expecting a SWB low roof transit 150. Ended up being a LWB raised roof 250. It’s long. Should be fun today piloting it into north end of Boston. Drives nice enough, but shakes a bit at some highway speeds. Not the steering wheel, more like a seat massage, but not too bad.

Disappointed in hertz local office. They delivered it filthy. Windshield coated in bugs, some trash in the cup holder, and piles of sand on the floor and seats. I had to get out the shop vac and clean it, and scrub the window a bit.

At least it holds a ton of stuff!

oldfarmer50

venture said:

One of the rare Kia 530's.

That’s cute.

sda

stickguy said:

Spent 4 hours yesterday driving the white whale rental truck. I was expecting a SWB low roof transit 150. Ended up being a LWB raised roof 250. It’s long. Should be fun today piloting it into north end of Boston. Drives nice enough, but shakes a bit at some highway speeds. Not the steering wheel, more like a seat massage, but not too bad.

Disappointed in hertz local office. They delivered it filthy. Windshield coated in bugs, some trash in the cup holder, and piles of sand on the floor and seats. I had to get out the shop vac and clean it, and scrub the window a bit.

At least it holds a ton of stuff!

Good luck and stay safe. Your princess needs to treat her dad.

driver100

dad23 said:

Thanks @driver100, had never seen them before, but kinda makes sense. Although when I turn on our shower, I just feel the temp before I get in, save a step?

..and that is what I thought when I declined to have one put in. But there are days when I wish I had put it in, cold water can splash on you from the shower - or when you turn it off you reach in to the handle and as you spin it to off you go through the cold cycle, and depending on where that cold water splashes....it can make you wish you got the extra faucet.

driver100

stickguy said:

Toe tester sounds like a normal tub faucet. Wait til faucet is warm before engaging shower.

It is like that, only in a walk in shower you don't have that unless you add it in.

driver100

venture said:

One of the rare Kia 530's.

It looks like a squished up Elantra.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

Spent 4 hours yesterday driving the white whale rental truck. I was expecting a SWB low roof transit 150. Ended up being a LWB raised roof 250. It’s long. Should be fun today piloting it into north end of Boston. Drives nice enough, but shakes a bit at some highway speeds. Not the steering wheel, more like a seat massage, but not too bad.

Disappointed in hertz local office. They delivered it filthy. Windshield coated in bugs, some trash in the cup holder, and piles of sand on the floor and seats. I had to get out the shop vac and clean it, and scrub the window a bit.

At least it holds a ton of stuff!

I imagine that van was rushed in minutes before you arrived from some distant location. Hertz is in the same boat as the rest, no vehicles to rent, no time to clean them. Next time try Enterprise, at least we clean them first and put a little “sanitized for your protection” placard on the mirror.

bwia

dad23 said:

Question for you guys up north We've been binge watching the Holmes Makes It Right/Holmes Inspection episodes on cable. I keep seeing what looks like faucets near the base of stand alone showers. I've never seen that before, is that a Canadian thing?

That "old school" show was popular on HGTV some five years ago but it has disappeared from the network. In its place was a show based in the Bahamas (I think?) rehabbing and repairing an island resort. Don't know if they succeeded but they were pretty far along when I last saw an episode. As to what looks like faucets near the base of stand alone, sorry its too long ago to remember such details. By the way, the last time I saw Holmes, he was on a competition, show paired with a team mate, but I believe he lost that contest.

bwia

@driver100, I did web search and that's what I found on the Home Depot site as a toe tester. It looks simple enough, so is that what you described above?

tjc78

Never seen a toe tester. I just reach my hand in and see if it’s the right temp. I’m getting wet anyway.

ab348

dad23 said:

Thanks @driver100, had never seen them before, but kinda makes sense. Although when I turn on our shower, I just feel the temp before I get in, save a step?

That makes too much sense.

I always thought those useless faucets near the base were put in by plumbers/DIYers who converted an old tub/shower and didn't know how to reconfigure the valve to eliminate the faucet/shower diverter. My walk-in shower lacks that feature but I am clever enough to not step in until the water gets warm.

Back to your original comment: I used to watch Holmes in the early years but realized after a while that his "take it all down" approach was becoming tiresome. I also grew to dislike his arrogance and I gather that is well-known among those who have dealt/worked with him. I avoid anything he is in these days.

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

dad23 said:

Thanks @driver100, had never seen them before, but kinda makes sense. Although when I turn on our shower, I just feel the temp before I get in, save a step?

..and that is what I thought when I declined to have one put in. But there are days when I wish I had put it in, cold water can splash on you from the shower - or when you turn it off you reach in to the handle and as you spin it to off you go through the cold cycle, and depending on where that cold water splashes....it can make you wish you got the extra faucet.

Turning off my shower I never get any cold water, sure I have to turn the handle through the cold area of the faucet but it's only there for a quarter of a second and it's not enough time for the cold water to get through. As for warming up the shower my hand does a good job at testing the temperature.

ab348

bwia said:

That "old school" show was popular on HGTV some five years ago but it has disappeared from the network. In its place was a show based in the Bahamas (I think?) rehabbing and repairing an island resort. Don't know if they succeeded but they were pretty far along when I last saw an episode. As to what looks like faucets near the base of stand alone, sorry its too long ago to remember such details. By the way, the last time I saw Holmes, he was on a competition, show paired with a team mate, but I believe he lost that contest.

Don't get me started on that one - called "Island of Bryan" up here and "Renovation Island" in the USA. Bryan and Sarah Bauemler are the stars. Bryan used to be your standard reno contractor, putting in new family rooms, kitchens and bathrooms in people's homes. But he is nothing if not a canny businessman, and as his name awareness grew, he began attaching his name to all sorts of "Bauemler-approved" businesses in the Toronto area, doing lots of corporate endorsements, and expanding into new home development, usually high-end stuff. Fine, good for him, since he seemed to be able to keep his "regular guy" image intact. They then did a couple of series about the construction of his palatial home and his business ("Bryan Inc.") where his wife Sarah took a prominent role. I'm sure that the image she projected on those shows was largely scripted but she came across as incredibly demanding and difficult. Then a couple of years ago they did this resort in the Bahamas and that was where I lost it. People with no experience in the hospitality business buying a decrepit resort that probably was a tear-down in the middle of nowhere and "risking it all" as the series likes to say? No way a businessman like him would ever do that. Nothing about it makes any sense at all. Throw in the pandemic and you have a recipe for disaster though obviously nobody saw that coming. But the entire series is just incredibly irritating to watch.

roadburner

@tjc78 said:
I’d agree with the middle of the house for the extender. Strong signal in from below and then a stronger signal to the upstairs. Splits the difference.

Our house is 4,200 square ft. I have the router on the main floor and get great performance in my downstairs office and also the entire upstairs.

That’s how our extender is set up. It works fine.

driver100

Someone sent this to me from a car insurance company;
CR’s most and least reliable car brands
Rank Most Reliable Rank Least Reliable
1. Mazda............................... 1. Lincoln
2. Toyota............................... 2. Tesla
3. Lexus..................................3. Volkswagen
4. Buick..................................4. Mini
5. Honda...............................5. Ford (tie)
................................................6. Cadillac (tie)

more to come.......

driver100

actual models:
Rank Most Reliable Rank Least Reliable
1. Toyota Prius..................1. Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra 1500
2. Lexus NX........................2. Subaru Ascent
3. Buick Encore .................3. Volkswagen Atlas
4. Lexus GX........................4. Jeep Compass
5. Honda HR-V...................5. Volvo XC90
6. Toyota Prius Primus.....6. Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon
7. Hyundai Kona................7. Tesla Model S
8. Audi A5.......................... 8. Jeep Wrangler
9. Audi A4...........................9. Ford EcoSport
10. Mazda CX-5...................10. Volvo XC60

driver100

bwia said:

@driver100, I did web search and that's what I found on the Home Depot site as a toe tester. It looks simple enough, so is that what you described above?

Yes bwia, that is a more modern version. For many years they looked like this one....in fact this looks exactly like my shower except for the crap on the tile;

I know we could live without them, but if it can be done for only a few dollars more you might be glad you got it....I am sure woman would really appreciate it. And, if you get it done now it may save you from a heart attack when you are 90!

roadburner

For what it's worth, the is the CR ranking of the best car brands for 2021
1. Mazda
2. BMW
3. Subaru
4. Porsche
5. Honda
6. Lexus
7. Toyota
8. Chrysler
9. Buick
10. Hyundai

As I've said before, I'm always nervous when the pocket-protector nerds at CR like a car that I like; it reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry finds out that the girl he was dating was dumped by Newman.

bwia

I just did a speed test on the Verizon network. Upstairs, I am getting 32 Mbps download speed and 26 Mbps upload. Downstairs, I am getting 52 Mbps download and 46 Mbps upload, close to the 50/50 Mbps promised by Verizon's FIOS. The downstairs speed is consistent with what I got in the past but upstairs it was always slower but not sure if they extender improved that performance. By the way, I have 10 Wifi devices on my network including two smart TVs. My house is about 2,850 square feet with 10' high ceilings, don't know if that makes a difference.

roadburner

My son called and told me that for Father's Day he's buying us tickets for the Cup Series race in Nashville. My bride helped out by getting reservations at a nice hotel only 30 minutes from the track. Sure as heck beats a tie or something similar.

jmonroe1

stickguy said:

Spent 4 hours yesterday driving the white whale rental truck. I was expecting a SWB low roof transit 150. Ended up being a LWB raised roof 250. It’s long. Should be fun today piloting it into north end of Boston. Drives nice enough, but shakes a bit at some highway speeds. Not the steering wheel, more like a seat massage, but not too bad.

Disappointed in hertz local office. They delivered it filthy. Windshield coated in bugs, some trash in the cup holder, and piles of sand on the floor and seats. I had to get out the shop vac and clean it, and scrub the window a bit.

At least it holds a ton of stuff!

I guess that’s what happens when you deal with a bankrupt company. Let us know what they say when you bring it to their attention when you turn it in. I can tell you but that wouldn’t be fair to jump to conclusions.

jmonroe

graphicguy

henryn said:

First up, what you really want is a “mesh system” instead of a “network extender”.

Read here: https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/wi-fi-range-extender-vs-mesh-network-whats-the-difference

As for the best location for the router, you want it as close to the center of your house as reasonably possible.

Routers send the signal out in all directions, so if it's left in the corner of your home, a significant percentage of your wireless coverage is being sent outside your home. It's best to move the router to a central location to optimize the signal.
Installing a router across the house from the modem may prove troublesome. It may require manually running a CAT5 cable under the floor or enlisting the help of powerline network adapters. But the improved wireless coverage will be worth it.

And higher is better, as in high on a bookshelf or mounted on the wall.

Routers tend to spread signal downward, so it's best to mount the router as high as possible to maximize coverage. Try placing it high on a bookshelf or mounting it on the wall in an inconspicuous place.

If I were trying to cover a 2 story home with one router (no extender, no mesh), I would go for upstairs, in the center of the house.


I agree with this. A mesh system would be best. Range extenders are named poorly. My experience with them, in my home (3K sq ft) has not been good. Mesh, on the other hand, has been great. With my basement rec room (one mesh point), and my main floor (router) and my 2nd floor (one mesh point), with FIOS, I get no less than 300Mbps down and no less than 100 Mbps up on any floor using a NetGear Nighthawk mesh system. Plus, it extends to my deck and my yard.

graphicguy

roadburner said:

My son called and told me that for Father's Day he's buying us tickets for the Cup Series race in Nashville. My bride helped out by getting reservations at a nice hotel only 30 minutes from the track. Sure as heck beats a tie or something similar.

That is very cool. I love Nashville. I make weekend trips several times/year. Have fun!

driver100

jmonroe1 said:

stickguy said:

Spent 4 hours yesterday driving the white whale rental truck. I was expecting a SWB low roof transit 150. Ended up being a LWB raised roof 250. It’s long. Should be fun today piloting it into north end of Boston. Drives nice enough, but shakes a bit at some highway speeds. Not the steering wheel, more like a seat massage, but not too bad.

Disappointed in hertz local office. They delivered it filthy. Windshield coated in bugs, some trash in the cup holder, and piles of sand on the floor and seats. I had to get out the shop vac and clean it, and scrub the window a bit.

At least it holds a ton of stuff!

I guess that’s what happens when you deal with a bankrupt company. Let us know what they say when you bring it to their attention when you turn it in. I can tell you but that wouldn’t be fair to jump to conclusions.

jmonroe

He'll probably get charged extra for returning with such a dirty truck.

jmonroe1

bwia said:

dad23 said:

Question for you guys up north We've been binge watching the Holmes Makes It Right/Holmes Inspection episodes on cable. I keep seeing what looks like faucets near the base of stand alone showers. I've never seen that before, is that a Canadian thing?

That "old school" show was popular on HGTV some five years ago but it has disappeared from the network. In its place was a show based in the Bahamas (I think?) rehabbing and repairing an island resort. Don't know if they succeeded but they were pretty far along when I last saw an episode. As to what looks like faucets near the base of stand alone, sorry its too long ago to remember such details. By the way, the last time I saw Holmes, he was on a competition, show paired with a team mate, but I believe he lost that contest.

I can understand that. While he was rebuilding the house because he saw some minor water damage, the competition made the needed repairs and moved on to the next project.

jmonroe

jmonroe1

tjc78 said:

Never seen a toe tester. I just reach my hand in and see if it’s the right temp. I’m getting wet anyway.

Maybe when Canadians want to take a shower their hands turn into toes so they don’t chill or burn their hands testing the water temp before the shower head spits out water. I’ll bet you never thought of that, huh?

jmonroe

roadburner

graphicguy said:

roadburner said:

My son called and told me that for Father's Day he's buying us tickets for the Cup Series race in Nashville. My bride helped out by getting reservations at a nice hotel only 30 minutes from the track. Sure as heck beats a tie or something similar.

That is very cool. I love Nashville. I make weekend trips several times/year. Have fun!

Nashville is nice; I'm going down there a couple of weeks before the race for a seminar on DUI prosecutions and accident reconstruction. You may remember I went there a couple of years ago and the staged accident went awry and a decrepit Caprice almost hit my 2 Series...

ab348

roadburner said:

For what it's worth, the is the CR ranking of the best car brands for 2021
1. Mazda
2. BMW
3. Subaru
4. Porsche
5. Honda
6. Lexus
7. Toyota
8. Chrysler
9. Buick
10. Hyundai

As I've said before, I'm always nervous when the pocket-protector nerds at CR like a car that I like; it reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry finds out that the girl he was dating was dumped by Newman.

Unless something has changed, CR's reliability rankings are based upon surveys of the opinions of their subscribers. So it's even worse than you feared.

jmonroe1

ab348 said:

bwia said:

That "old school" show was popular on HGTV some five years ago but it has disappeared from the network. In its place was a show based in the Bahamas (I think?) rehabbing and repairing an island resort. Don't know if they succeeded but they were pretty far along when I last saw an episode. As to what looks like faucets near the base of stand alone, sorry its too long ago to remember such details. By the way, the last time I saw Holmes, he was on a competition, show paired with a team mate, but I believe he lost that contest.

Don't get me started on that one - called "Island of Bryan" up here and "Renovation Island" in the USA. Bryan and Sarah Bauemler are the stars. Bryan used to be your standard reno contractor, putting in new family rooms, kitchens and bathrooms in people's homes. But he is nothing if not a canny businessman, and as his name awareness grew, he began attaching his name to all sorts of "Bauemler-approved" businesses in the Toronto area, doing lots of corporate endorsements, and expanding into new home development, usually high-end stuff. Fine, good for him, since he seemed to be able to keep his "regular guy" image intact. They then did a couple of series about the construction of his palatial home and his business ("Bryan Inc.") where his wife Sarah took a prominent role. I'm sure that the image she projected on those shows was largely scripted but she came across as incredibly demanding and difficult. Then a couple of years ago they did this resort in the Bahamas and that was where I lost it. People with no experience in the hospitality business buying a decrepit resort that probably was a tear-down in the middle of nowhere and "risking it all" as the series likes to say? No way a businessman like him would ever do that. Nothing about it makes any sense at all. Throw in the pandemic and you have a recipe for disaster though obviously nobody saw that coming. But the entire series is just incredibly irritating to watch.

I never saw those shows but from what you described, he, his wife and biz are Reality TV at its best.

I can’t wait until some home fix up producer decides to get real and signs up Son #1 and myself to a blockbuster TV flipper show. You’ll hear language you never heard since you got out of the Navy.

jmonroe

jmonroe1

driver100 said:

bwia said:

@driver100, I did web search and that's what I found on the Home Depot site as a toe tester. It looks simple enough, so is that what you described above?

Yes bwia, that is a more modern version. For many years they looked like this one....in fact this looks exactly like my shower except for the crap on the tile;

I know we could live without them, but if it can be done for only a few dollars more you might be glad you got it....I am sure woman would really appreciate it. And, if you get it done now it may save you from a heart attack when you are 90!

Blood stains from toes caused by hot water are difficult to remove entirely.

jmonroe

jmonroe1

bwia said:

@driver100, I did web search and that's what I found on the Home Depot site as a toe tester. It looks simple enough, so is that what you described above?

Maybe it’s just me but why do they call it a “toe tester”? Why would you want to test your toes when you take a shower? Wouldn’t testing the water temp be what you really want to do? Maybe something got lost in the translation.

jmonroe

jmonroe1

roadburner said:

graphicguy said:

roadburner said:

My son called and told me that for Father's Day he's buying us tickets for the Cup Series race in Nashville. My bride helped out by getting reservations at a nice hotel only 30 minutes from the track. Sure as heck beats a tie or something similar.

That is very cool. I love Nashville. I make weekend trips several times/year. Have fun!

Nashville is nice; I'm going down there a couple of weeks before the race for a seminar on DUI prosecutions and accident reconstruction. You may remember I went there a couple of years ago and the staged accident went awry and a decrepit Caprice almost hit my 2 Series...

This time take a car that you wouldn’t mind being whacked.

jmonroe

snakeweasel

roadburner said:

My son called and told me that for Father's Day he's buying us tickets for the Cup Series race in Nashville. My bride helped out by getting reservations at a nice hotel only 30 minutes from the track. Sure as heck beats a tie or something similar.

Nashville is a wonderful city, I spent my summers there when I was a kid and plenty of time there as an adult. If you have any time to kill check out the Opryland hotel, you can easily get lost in there.

snakeweasel

ab348 said:

roadburner said:

For what it's worth, the is the CR ranking of the best car brands for 2021
1. Mazda
2. BMW
3. Subaru
4. Porsche
5. Honda
6. Lexus
7. Toyota
8. Chrysler
9. Buick
10. Hyundai

As I've said before, I'm always nervous when the pocket-protector nerds at CR like a car that I like; it reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry finds out that the girl he was dating was dumped by Newman.

Unless something has changed, CR's reliability rankings are based upon surveys of the opinions of their subscribers. So it's even worse than you feared.

Yes as far as I know they still do ranking on subscriber surveys. Confirmation bias creeps in.

snakeweasel

jmonroe1 said:

ab348 said:

bwia said:

That "old school" show was popular on HGTV some five years ago but it has disappeared from the network. In its place was a show based in the Bahamas (I think?) rehabbing and repairing an island resort. Don't know if they succeeded but they were pretty far along when I last saw an episode. As to what looks like faucets near the base of stand alone, sorry its too long ago to remember such details. By the way, the last time I saw Holmes, he was on a competition, show paired with a team mate, but I believe he lost that contest.

Don't get me started on that one - called "Island of Bryan" up here and "Renovation Island" in the USA. Bryan and Sarah Bauemler are the stars. Bryan used to be your standard reno contractor, putting in new family rooms, kitchens and bathrooms in people's homes. But he is nothing if not a canny businessman, and as his name awareness grew, he began attaching his name to all sorts of "Bauemler-approved" businesses in the Toronto area, doing lots of corporate endorsements, and expanding into new home development, usually high-end stuff. Fine, good for him, since he seemed to be able to keep his "regular guy" image intact. They then did a couple of series about the construction of his palatial home and his business ("Bryan Inc.") where his wife Sarah took a prominent role. I'm sure that the image she projected on those shows was largely scripted but she came across as incredibly demanding and difficult. Then a couple of years ago they did this resort in the Bahamas and that was where I lost it. People with no experience in the hospitality business buying a decrepit resort that probably was a tear-down in the middle of nowhere and "risking it all" as the series likes to say? No way a businessman like him would ever do that. Nothing about it makes any sense at all. Throw in the pandemic and you have a recipe for disaster though obviously nobody saw that coming. But the entire series is just incredibly irritating to watch.

I never saw those shows but from what you described, he, his wife and biz are Reality TV at its best.

I can’t wait until some home fix up producer decides to get real and signs up Son #1 and myself to a blockbuster TV flipper show. You’ll hear language you never heard since you got out of the Navy.

jmonroe

I just may watch that.

sda

roadburner said:

My son called and told me that for Father's Day he's buying us tickets for the Cup Series race in Nashville. My bride helped out by getting reservations at a nice hotel only 30 minutes from the track. Sure as heck beats a tie or something similar.

Good son (and wife). You taught them well.

driver100

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

bwia said:

@driver100, I did web search and that's what I found on the Home Depot site as a toe tester. It looks simple enough, so is that what you described above?

Yes bwia, that is a more modern version. For many years they looked like this one....in fact this looks exactly like my shower except for the crap on the tile;

I know we could live without them, but if it can be done for only a few dollars more you might be glad you got it....I am sure woman would really appreciate it. And, if you get it done now it may save you from a heart attack when you are 90!

Blood stains from toes caused by hot water are difficult to remove entirely.

jmonroe

That's from the 3rd degree burns on his hands when he forgot to use the toe tester!

imidazol97

snakeweasel said:

ab348 said:

roadburner said:

For what it's worth, the is the CR ranking of the best car brands for 2021
1. Mazda
2. BMW
3. Subaru
4. Porsche
5. Honda
6. Lexus
7. Toyota
8. Chrysler
9. Buick
10. Hyundai

As I've said before, I'm always nervous when the pocket-protector nerds at CR like a car that I like; it reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry finds out that the girl he was dating was dumped by Newman.

Unless something has changed, CR's reliability rankings are based upon surveys of the opinions of their subscribers. So it's even worse than you feared.

Yes as far as I know they still do ranking on subscriber surveys. Confirmation bias creeps in.

Some folks in the past on forums would argue to the death about how valid the CR surveys of automobile reliability were because they liked Toyota and Honda. Nevermind that the selection of respondents was not scientific or random. Nevermind the hit and miss, confirmation bias involved on the part of those who chose to respond. Nevermind the lack of generality of those who subscribe to CR. E.g., if I look at one it's usually online through a distant library that lets me read CR articles online.

imidazol97

driver100 said:

Don't tub fills flow directly into the tub? This one looks like it flows onto a flat surface
and then the water would go somewhere, hopefully into a tub?
Or is this another type of toe tester?

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

actual models:
Rank Most Reliable Rank Least Reliable
1. Toyota Prius..................1. Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra 1500
2. Lexus NX........................2. Subaru Ascent
3. Buick Encore .................3. Volkswagen Atlas
4. Lexus GX........................4. Jeep Compass
5. Honda HR-V...................5. Volvo XC90
6. Toyota Prius Primus.....6. Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon
7. Hyundai Kona................7. Tesla Model S
8. Audi A5.......................... 8. Jeep Wrangler
9. Audi A4...........................9. Ford EcoSport
10. Mazda CX-5...................10. Volvo XC60

I wonder if GM’s DOD system is what got the Silverado into the number 1 least reliable position?