Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

kyfdx

I had a seasonal job with the IRS in 1982. Intake department. There were probably 15 of us in the same room. After the returns were removed from the envelopes, they brought them to us in big stacks. We had a number stamp, that adjusted one digit every time you used it. Eight hours of stamping tax returns with intake numbers.

oldfarmer50

bwia said:

qbrozen said:

@jmonroe1 said:

That sounds like you’re surprised to know that the IRS actually has a heart.

jmonroe

I’m surprised it ever arrived. 18 mos since I filed.

A couple months ago I faced an IRS bill of $1,084 for late filing, penalty and interest. I wrestled in my mind how to wiggle out of paying that confiscatory tax but in the end I paid the assessed amount. Within 4 days my check had cleared and I was a grand poorer. Moral of the story, the IRS is quick to take your money but slow to refund it; except for the stimulus checks (Economic Impact Payments) that were disbursed most expeditiously by IRS standards.

Except sometimes they missed sending a few at all. I’m still waiting on the $600 stimulus and my son didn’t get any….until he filed for them on his return then he got the $1400 one a month later. Like me he still hasn’t got his refund.

kyfdx

We are still waiting on our two $1400 checks from March. The others showed up quickly. I'm pretty sure I know why we didn't get the other ones (though we are due them). We'll just have to wait to file taxes, next winter, I think.

When I file electronically, and am due a refund, it usually shows up in less than a week.

The IRS is a paragon of efficiency and clarity, compared to the SSA, though.

bwia

Thought I'd share this NY Times article on the government's role in making EVs more affordable and accessible to the masses, including those who live in apartments and condo's.
One obvious way of doing this is to make the EV tax credit available to all buyers by allowing the credit to be deducted up front as an adjustment to the sales price. For example, a MSRP $40,000 EV less $10,000 (Federal and State credits) would result in a net selling price of $30,000 which is directly comparable to a an ICE vehicle.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/09/business/energy-environment/biden-electric-cars-cost.html

explorerx4

@bwia,
How does that help with the issue of charging the vehicle?

imidazol97

benjaminh said:

I was just using the category from Consumer Reports. But you're right about the categories, of course.


Here's a positive review from Tire Rack of the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4, which is an ultra high performance tire. I don't drive particularly fast, but around corners I'm sure these tires are really nice. And they're still rated for 45k miles.

@benjaminh
Oh you current Eagle LS2 tires, what is the sidewall rating? I.e., 97H, 97V?

I have the same LS2 tires on my 14 Malibu at 45K miles. The sidewall rating is
97H and I see some of the Michelin offerings come only in a 97V rating, a higher speed
rating with increased stiffness. I want to avoid a stiffer tire. These are taut enough
especially on uneven streets in a city like Cincinnati yesterday.

The only one that comes in a 97H is the Primacy Touring A/S P235x50x18.

bwia

explorerx4 said:

@bwia,
How does that help with the issue of charging the vehicle?

Read the article, it explains government plans to build more and accessible charging stations. It is not only one solution but a combination of options. For example, it also looks at efforts to retrofit existing buildings and neighborhoods, the efforts of utility companies to buy power from EVs in periods of high demand and local governments' efforts in changing legislation to allow builders to put in the charging infrastructure for EV charging stations.

stickguy

My guess, people will get real tired, real fast, of EVs if they have to go to a charge station every time they need juice. Only so many hours one can sit in a Walmart parking lot.

driver100

explorerx4 said:

@bwia,
How does that help with the issue of charging the vehicle?

With a savings of $10000 you can buy an extra long extension cord

driver100

benjaminh said:

I have 45,000 miles on my Goodyear Eagle LS-2 tires, and traction in the rain on them already seems mediocre. If I replace them one of the tires I'm considering is the Michelin CrossClimate2, which Consumer Reports says is their highest rated performance all-season tire.

But it does seem maybe a bit extravagant to replace my oem Goodyear tires that still have about year of life left in them.

Only you can decide but for me, the ratings are good, the reviews are good, and the science sounds good. There are a few things to consider, they say not so good in "deep" snow, and one guy said he finds them noisy, one said they wore out in 25000 miles. But I'd go with the 90% who love these tires.

About buying early. It looks like you have had your tires for 4 years, if they cost $600 that is $150 a year. If you trade them 1 year early for much better safer tires is it worth $150....I think so.

I could have bought another set of Goodyear RFTs for my E400, but I wanted to try Pirellis, which were actually a bit cheaper. What a difference, I love these tires, they run much smoother and the handling is firmer.

At some point you just have to pull the old trigger and go for it.

mjfloyd1

Those long extension cords will come in handy for electric cruise ships too

stickguy

If you are keeping the car a long time (meaning not a lease running out) I always lean toward getting new tires slightly early than a bit late. Especially if going into the winter. They are just too important to safety.

explorerx4

@bwia,
I couldn't read the article without signing up, so I skipped it.
Retrofitting existing structures sounds very expensive.
Guess who is going to pay?

oldfarmer50

explorerx4 said:

@bwia,
How does that help with the issue of charging the vehicle?

Also I see a potential for mischief being done to a car sitting on a city street with a charger hooked up. Think of all the sugar in gas tanks before they came up with locking gas caps.

explorerx4

I'm waiting for a mandate that we have to go back to burning wood for heat because it's a renewable resource.

oldfarmer50

bwia said:

explorerx4 said:

@bwia,
How does that help with the issue of charging the vehicle?

Read the article, it explains government plans to build more and accessible charging stations. It is not only one solution but a combination of options. For example, it also looks at efforts to retrofit existing buildings and neighborhoods, the efforts of utility companies to buy power from EVs in periods of high demand and local governments' efforts in changing legislation to allow builders to put in the charging infrastructure for EV charging stations.

If I owned an EV there’s no way I’d let the power company steal my electricity back from me after I waited to get a charge. That would be like Sunoco coming over and siphoning gas out of my tank. It seems a lot of these utopian ideas assume the existence of great numbers of altruistic saints willing to give of themselves for the greater good.

abacomike

I just got an email from our Community Council (HOA) stating that they have begun COVID testing at no charge right here inside our community at the clubhouse every Monday. You need to register online and will be assigned a time. They are administering the rapid COVID test.

I assume if the FDA approves a booster shot for the Pfizer vaccine that they will offer that here as well. We are such a huge community in North Broward County (over 5000 residents) that it makes sense for the county to set up vaccine administration in large senior communities. Additionally, we represent a large voting bloc within our city as well as the county.

abacomike

I finally got an appointment for next Wednesday to see the doctor to determine how and when to get me in for steroid injections into my 3 discs that are herniated. The pain has gotten so bad I don’t go out anymore except when I need food or prescriptions, and I use a walker to take pressure off my spine when walking.

Getting old and sick and living alone is no fun at all!😩

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

explorerx4 said:

@bwia,
How does that help with the issue of charging the vehicle?

Also I see a potential for mischief being done to a car sitting on a city street with a charger hooked up. Think of all the sugar in gas tanks before they came up with locking gas caps.

Can you add sugar to someone's battery ?

driver100

There are about 280 million cars on the road in the U.S.A. today.
About 1% are EVs.
The system can maintain 24 million EVs by 2028.
That number could be 65 million if people charge there cars every night at low peak hours.
With EV Trucks, that 65 million number would probably come down.
I would say gassers will be around for a while.

driver100

abacomike said:

I finally got an appointment for next Wednesday to see the doctor to determine how and when to get me in for steroid injections into my 3 discs that are herniated. 😩

Hope they can do something for you soon Mike.

benjaminh

abacomike said:

I finally got an appointment for next Wednesday to see the doctor to determine how and when to get me in for steroid injections into my 3 discs that are herniated. The pain has gotten so bad I don’t go out anymore except when I need food or prescriptions, and I use a walker to take pressure off my spine when walking.

Getting old and sick and living alone is no fun at all!😩

Hang in there. Hope they can do something for you. At least when you do go out you have an awesome car to drive.

benjaminh

driver100 said:

About buying early. It looks like you have had your tires for 4 years, if they cost $600 that is $150 a year. If you trade them 1 year early for much better safer tires is it worth $150....I think so.

I could have bought another set of Goodyear RFTs for my E400, but I wanted to try Pirellis, which were actually a bit cheaper. What a difference, I love these tires, they run much smoother and the handling is firmer....

Yeah, that's a good way to think of it. The Goodyear Eagle LS-2 tires are about $600 for a set, and so about $150 a tire. And that logic worked on my wife too lol—and so thanks. She would have accepted it anyway, but she's now more enthusiastic about getting some new tires. As you say, sometimes new tires can really transform how a vehicle performs. I had that happen when I got a set of really good tires to replace the oem tires on my 2008 Accord back in the day. It was impressive how much better it handled.

When Costco has their next $150 off for a set of 4 Michelins sale I'll probably go for it. Looking at the date stamp of 3317 translates to my Goodyears having been made in August of 2017, and so 4 years ago. The rubber is showing some age. And these Goodyear Eagle tires have a tread wear rating of only 400, which is pretty low. Not sure what that translates to in terms of miles, but 45,000 seems like a reasonable guess.

benjaminh

imidazol97 said:

@benjaminh
Oh you current Eagle LS2 tires, what is the sidewall rating? I.e., 97H, 97V?

I have the same LS2 tires on my 14 Malibu at 45K miles. The sidewall rating is
97H and I see some of the Michelin offerings come only in a 97V rating, a higher speed
rating with increased stiffness. I want to avoid a stiffer tire. These are taut enough
especially on uneven streets in a city like Cincinnati yesterday.

The only one that comes in a 97H is the Primacy Touring A/S P235x50x18.

My Goodyear tires are H-rated, which is plenty fast for me. Makes sense that V-rated tires would be stiffer. I've had V-rated tires before and it hasn't bothered me, but I'm 56 and do like comfort.

But the CrossClimate2 does come in both H and V models.

For a while I was considering Michelin's bargain brand, BF Goodrich, and specifically their sporty G-force tire, but then I saw this review from someone who owns this tire. He drives a lowly Fit, but says the tires are "phenomenal," but then about 1 minute in shows that the rubber is really cracking all around one tire, which started at 37,000 miles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEWEZ_MDz5o&t=69s

So with BF Goodrich out, I've maybe narrowed things down to three choices:

Michelin Defender T + H
This is a super long lasting 80,000 mile tire. It performs pretty well in tests, but obviously isn't quite as good in handling and wet braking. Still, it's a Michelin, and with the miles taken into account a good value for the money. About $700 a set when on sale at Costco.

Michelin CrossClimate 2. This tire has better wet braking, better snow traction, etc., but it costs a bit more and is a 60,000 mile tire. To get the three peak mountain snowflake rating you apparently sacrifice about 2 mpg. About $750 a set when on sale at Costco.

Then there's the high performance all-season Michelin Pilot Sport 4. This tire comes oem on the new Corvette, but perhaps by definition that might mean it's overkill for my 2018 TLX 2.4? On the other hand, I like to take corners with a bit of speed sometimes, and no doubt these would be great for that. They are 45k tires, but that seems okay, and when on sale they might be as low as $650 a set at Costco. I've never owned a set of high performance tires. If I don't do it now, when would I? Then again, any of these tires would be an improvement over what I've got.

explorerx4

Not sure tires are still considered to aged out after 6 years.
That could factor into your decision.

mjfloyd1

I’d be paranoid with all that cracking on the sidewall. I’d change those out yesterday. Looks to be dry rot.

oldfarmer50

abacomike said:

I just got an email from our Community Council (HOA) stating that they have begun COVID testing at no charge right here inside our community at the clubhouse every Monday. You need to register online and will be assigned a time. They are administering the rapid COVID test.

I assume if the FDA approves a booster shot for the Pfizer vaccine that they will offer that here as well. We are such a huge community in North Broward County (over 5000 residents) that it makes sense for the county to set up vaccine administration in large senior communities. Additionally, we represent a large voting bloc within our city as well as the county.

Regardless of the political motivations I think that’s a good idea. Folks like you with Heath issues should receive extra services and special precautions. I assume you wear a mask when you go out shopping.

driver100

@benjaminh

When Costco has their next $150 off for a set of 4 Michelins sale I'll probably go for it.

There is another thing....if you buy before your tires get flats etc you have a better chance of buying when they are on sale.

As Mr mjfloyd pointed out, those current tires don't look like they are in top shape.
Some say tires should go after 6 years.......that is minimum under really rough conditions...should last a little longer.

I got my tires a month or two ago....one tire went flat and I really had to hustle to get new ones....it is better if you have some time and can find a sale.

Another thing is I am skeptical about mileage guaranties...like 80000 miles. It's like a 20 year roof lasts for 15 years, a 30 year roof lasts for 20 years. They know you won't go to court to claim $30 a tire, and thee companies have lawyers on the payroll. The warranty is almost useless, but it might tell you something if one is warrantied for 20k miles, and another 60k.

bwia

Perhaps I am preaching to the choir but this example might help those perched on the fence debating whether they should buy an EV . Someone used an anecdote to describe our behavior when it comes to accepting or adopting change.

For example, many people take a bidet for granted. In their minds it is a European thing and they will do everything possible to avoid it. After all, it is just another toilet bowl. But when they do try it they can't understand their initial hesitancy. Because they say once you try a bidet you will never go back to the traditional way of cleaning oneself. The rush of warm water followed by a blast of warm air leaves every nook and cranny squeaky clean and dry.

Long story short ... you don't appreciate the true value of something until you try it. That is why mass adoption of EVs is coming as more people put their bums in the seat.

oldfarmer50

explorerx4 said:

I'm waiting for a mandate that we have to go back to burning wood for heat because it's a renewable resource.

People have tried that around here. The state outlawed it.

jmonroe1

stickguy said:

explorerx4 said:

@nyccarguy,
Maybe you should get a window A/C unit to help you get through the next week.

I grew up near where Bradd is (other side of the Hudson, same weather though) and we had a basic ranch house. No AC at all until after I left for college. Not just no central, not even one window unit. Lots of box fans though!

and my room was the bedroom in the center front, so 1 window. The other 2 BRs at least got cross ventilation. When it was hot, put the fan on, and sweat. never killed any of us!

and probably the reason I hate AC still and am not at all bothered by heat or humidity. I was bred to deal with it!

I never had A/C when I grew up either. I guess you can say it made us tough or maybe just dumb. Once I got married I got a window unit for our apartment and took it with us when we bought our first house. We couldn’t afford whole house A/C so did it the poor mans way with the window box.

Fast forward a few years and we had enough saved to get A/C but Mrs. j said, NO WAY. She wanted a dishwasher first. Couldn’t afford that either since we built the house new and plopped our money into a few upgrades for that too. Not the least bit sorry we did it that way. The year after the dishwasher we got whole house A/C which I installed myself with a unit from Sears that came with pre-charged refrigerant lines. I helped a couple friends install the same unit in their homes so I was getting pretty good doing that. Never had a problem with it at all, not one thing. Didn’t I just say I was good at that.

jmonroe

imidazol97

benjaminh said:

imidazol97 said:

@benjaminh
Oh you current Eagle LS2 tires, what is the sidewall rating? I.e., 97H, 97V?

I have the same LS2 tires on my 14 Malibu at 45K miles. The sidewall rating is
97H and I see some of the Michelin offerings come only in a 97V rating, a higher speed
rating with increased stiffness. I want to avoid a stiffer tire. These are taut enough
especially on uneven streets in a city like Cincinnati yesterday.

The only one that comes in a 97H is the Primacy Touring A/S P235x50x18.

My Goodyear tires are H-rated, which is plenty fast for me. Makes sense that V-rated tires would be stiffer. I've had V-rated tires before and it hasn't bothered me, but I'm 56 and do like comfort.

But the CrossClimate2 does come in both H and V models.

For a while I was considering Michelin's bargain brand, BF Goodrich, and specifically their sporty G-force tire, but then I saw this review from someone who owns this tire. He drives a lowly Fit, but says the tires are "phenomenal," but then about 1 minute in shows that the rubber is really cracking all around one tire.



So with BF Goodrich out, I think I've maybe narrowed things down to three choices:

Michelin Defender T + H
This is a super long lasting 80,000 mile tire. It performs pretty well in tests, but obviously isn't quite as good in handling and wet braking. Still, it's a Michelin, and with the miles taken into account a good value for the money. About $700 a set when on sale at Costco.

Michelin CrossClimate 2. This tire has better wet braking, better snow traction, etc., but it costs a bit more and is a 60,000 mile tire. To get the three peak mountain snowflake rating you apparently sacrifice about 2 mpg. About $750 a set when on sale at Costco.

Then there's the high performance all-season Michelin Pilot Sport 4. This tire comes oem on the new Corvette, but perhaps by definition that might mean it's overkill for my 2018 TLX 2.4? On the other hand, I like to take corners with a bit of speed sometimes, and no doubt these would be great for that. They are 45k tires, but that seems okay, and when on sale they might be as low as $650 a set at Costco. I've never owned a set of high performance tires. If I don't do it now, when would I? Then again, any of these tires would be an improvement over what I've got.

I still like the Primacy Touring A/S




https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Michelin&tireModel=Primacy+Tour+A/S

oldfarmer50

mjfloyd1 said:

I’d be paranoid with all that cracking on the sidewall. I’d change those out yesterday. Looks to be dry rot.

I bought a used car once that had cracked sidewalls. I think they were the the originals from the factory. I ran them until they wore out with no problems. Of course I wasn’t doing sustained high speeds or evasive maneuvers.

imidazol97

Does your store where you may purchase have a 30-day exchange if you don't care for the tire
model you choose?

stickguy

I think my RDX has the mxv4. Though maybe that was the old one and I have Continentals? I should probably check!

benjaminh

Maybe when the time comes I'll call the Michelin "Tire Concierge"!

sda

I believe you have Continentals, that's what my SIL has on her RDX. Continentals were standard on the Q5 and were good for about 40k. They rode and drove so nice that when I replaced the tires a few months ago I opted for the OE (AO Audi spec) Continentals. No disappointment with that choice.

benjaminh

imidazol97 said:

Does your store where you may purchase have a 30-day exchange if you don't care for the tire
model you choose?

Sort of. Costco does allow you to turn them in for something else within 30 days, but not surprisingly you don't get a refund on your installation charge of $80, plus you'd need to repay that $80 again to get different tires installed. I'd like to get it right the first time. I'm sure all of these tires are fine. But the lower mpg on the CrossClimate2 might be an issue. I could live with losing 2 mpg, but if it's 4-5 mpg like a few have claimed I'd be disappointed. Plus we only seem to have snow here in Louisville for 2-3 weeks a year these days. Not sure I need a tire with the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake rating.

benjaminh

RE: the EV discussion. Now that my car's paid off it seems like it makes the most sense economically to keep it till it's maybe about ten years old. By 2028 there should be some good c. $30k EVs available.

I feel somewhat positive, but also cautious about the shift to EVs. My concerns include....

Range: I'd like a real-world range of 300 miles to get an EV, because we do take trips.

Charging: EV charging should be available even in small cities and out-of-the way rural areas.

Repair and Service: I don't want to drive from Louisville to Cincinnati to get my car serviced, which is what happens now for Tesla owners here.

Fires: EV garage fires as well as accident fires concern me.

Battery repair: Facing a battery repair/replacement bill of c. $15k after ten years seems like a problem. A lot of your gas savings go down the drain at that point.

Battery disposal: Are all of these EV batteries really going to be recycled?

sda

@benjaminh Do you have a Discount Tire near by? They will match pricing and have good customer service. When I replaced the tires on the Accord I didn't like the new tires that replaced the GoodYears. I asked to exchange and they did so without any pushback. Other than the difference in cost for the tires that I ended up with, they didn't charge any installation or balancing fees for the second set of replacement tires.

imidazol97

I think that's NTB originally. Years ago they changed the tires my neighbor put on his Avalon.
He didn't like the replacements, and I reminded him they had a 30-day guarantee. I was having
my tire work done there at the time. I think he went back to the OEM tires.

Later

mjfloyd1

@abacomike said:
I finally got an appointment for next Wednesday to see the doctor to determine how and when to get me in for steroid injections into my 3 discs that are herniated. The pain has gotten so bad I don’t go out anymore except when I need food or prescriptions, and I use a walker to take pressure off my spine when walking.

Getting old and sick and living alone is no fun at all!😩

I hope you can get some pain relief ASAP. Hang in there

benjaminh

Yes, we do have Discount Tires. The prices at Discount Tires seem good, and they have a huge selection of 70+ tires that fit my car. But when Costco and Michelin are running the $150 off a set sale it looks like I'd save maybe about that much when compared to Discount Tires.

mjfloyd1

@benjaminh said:
Sort of. Costco does allow you to turn them in for something else within 30 days, but not surprisingly you don't get a refund on your installation charge of $80, plus you'd need to repay that $80 again to get different tires installed. I'd like to get it right the first time. I'm sure all of these tires are fine. But the lower mpg on the CrossClimate2 might be an issue. I could live with losing 2 mpg, but if it's 4-5 mpg like a few have claimed I'd be disappointed. Plus we only seem to have snow here in Louisville for 2-3 weeks a year these days. Not sure I need a tire with the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake rating.

Well if you convince yourself that you will lose 6 mpg then losing 4 mpg won’t seem so bad

What vehicle would these be going on @benjaminh ?

dino001

Every time I shopped for tires, nobody comes close to Costco's pricing during rebate months. I've bought Bridgestones Driveguards couple of times for my previous 328 and current 430, as these were only all-season runflats with good balance of performance/traction, decent tread wear index and riding comfort. Back then Michelin didn't have similar product offering at Costco, I think they now do. Pricewise, I was able to stay just slightly around $220 a piece, all-in (labor, taxes). It's expensive, but all others usually were north of $300 a piece (all in) for similar product.

imidazol97

Aren't the Michelin rebates good at every authorized reseller? Does CostCo
add to the rebate.

When my daughter-in-law had a blowout on her Encore, she followed my suggestion
and got Michelins. But the rebate is stepped. The higher the tires' price, the
higher the rebate. Hers was right below the step to the next higher amount.

But she got good tires that should last the life of the Encore for her driving
and have a good depth of tread left for water safety and medium snow digging.
Defender H&T.

I have Defender H&T on my Cruze that belonged to my son when I bought
tires for it. They drive very nicely at interstate speeds and are slightly stiff
for the weight of car at lower speeds. Barely look worn at 25-30K or so. But

dino001

Costco negotiates their own manufacturer rebates at their own schedule (general retail rebates do not apply). I think that's the "private club" thing. Remember, all rebates are always disclaimed as "at participating retailers", i.e. Costco does not participate. I think same is with Sam's Club or BJs.

Costco's "every day" prices are already competitive (usually low tire plus very low installation price), so when you combine with periodic rebates that are typically same/higher than general retail rebates, it beats general retail. You can sometimes get better price for a tire at Tire Rack, but then you need pay for installation separately. Add that and Costco beats it as a package.

stickguy

One reason I lease is cost certainty. It would annoy me to no end if I had to put tires on a lease just to give it back!

stickguy

Next time I need tires, might pay to join Costco just for that.

tjc78

@stickguy said:
One reason I lease is cost certainty. It would annoy me to no end if I had to put tires on a lease just to give it back!

I had to one time and hope to never have it happen again! I actually check the tread wear ratings!