Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

qbrozen

oldfarmer50 said:

qbrozen said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Why would Ford sell a driveshaft that would void the warranty?

If it is from Ford Racing and installed by a Ford dealer, it is covered.

I wonder if that applies to other mods like sway bars or aftermarket wheels?

Of course. I mean, wheels and swaybars aren't covered under warranty anyway (unless you bought a wheel warranty and unless the swaybars are truly defective). As far as RB's buddy with the Cobalt, that's his fault for not knowing the rules. It is on the manufacturer to prove a modification caused the failure, not the responsibility of the customer to show it didn't.

Similar issue with our T&C. Failing headlights and they decided it was my aftermarket trailer harness. I did pay them to go ahead and disconnect it. Didn't fix the problem. I could have taken it home, disconnected it myself, and saved $60, but it wasn't worth the extra trip to me.

fezo

stickguy said:

I got RUG at the gulf station yesterday. $1.78. Hard to argue with that.

Other than the fact that it was Gulf'.

stickguy

I'm mad at the Exxon station that was close to my house. They went and converted to some no name outlet (US gas?).

roadburner

qbrozen said:

As far as RB's buddy with the Cobalt, that's his fault for not knowing the rules. It is on the manufacturer to prove a modification caused the failure, not the responsibility of the customer to show it didn't.
.

You can quote Magnuson–Moss to a dealer until you are blue in the face. In most cases they will still tell you to pound sand; you'll end up having to hire an attorney and that will almost certainly drag things out further. Just like GG's problems with his CTS- the strategy is to stonewall and hope you go away.

abacomike

Last night, we went to dinner at a Mexican restaurant.  We started with Gran Patrone marguerites that were the strongest I've ever had.  The waiter mashed avocados at the table, added ingredients, and voila - guacamole.  Best I've ever tasted.  Then it was time for more marguerites.  the waiter then brought out a dish with melted cheese and jalapeño peppers with soft corn tortillas and we made our own cheese quesadillas.  Spicy, but great.  Next, time for more Gran Patrone marguerites.

My brother ordered steak fajitas and I ordered cheese and beef enchelladas which were super "calliente"!!!

Because there was a mix-up with our reservations, and the manager knew my brother, they picked up the cost of the appetizers.  Bill came to $108.00 including tip.

But the night did not end there.  I've heard stories about how tequila "hits" you when you least expect it.  30 minutes after getting back to my brother's house, the walls started to close in on me and the floor started to move like I was in California during a 7.5 earthquake on the Richter scale.  I staggered to my bedroom closed the door and I awake at 6:30 AM still fully clothed and on the floor.

Too much Gran Patrone Tequila?  YA THINK???   

houdini1

Mike, sounds like you had a very full and wonderful evening. Good to let your hair down now and then (if you have any).

graphicguy

stickguy said:

the BBB should just treat Caddy as non-responsive, and have the hearing in abstentia. Which will work out to GGs favor, since they won't be able to defend themselves!

see what happens if they issue a arbitration finding that they need to buy it back (which GG obviously accepts). I bet it still requires a lawsuit to get them to do it.

Driver....Stick....not sure what happens if Cadillac continues to be unresponsive. In talking to others who have gone the BBB "buy back" route with Cadillac, being totally unresponsive isn't unusual. They all had the same thing happen.

For example, one person who had an Escalade (whom I met in the Cadillac service dept) is going through the exact same thing. He's having a problem with the "check engine" light coming on....and similar problems as I have with CUE not working. He said Cadillac keeps telling him to bring it back to the dealer, which he has......13 TIMES. Check engine light gets turned off. Cadillac said it's a "false" code, and sends him on his way. Few weeks later, it happens again. Same diagnosis.

Clearly, they don't have an answer for the CUE system. The Escalade owner says the same thing.

He's in the same boat. He's been told to take it to arbitration via BBB. I guess if Cadillac doesn't show, we win by default. But, then the decision has to be enforced.

And, I'm thinking that is going to take a lawyer.

So, still a long road ahead.

graphicguy

abacomike said:

Last night, we went to dinner at a Mexican restaurant.  We started with Gran Patrone marguerites that were the strongest I've ever had.  The waiter mashed avocados at the table, added ingredients, and voila - guacamole.  Best I've ever tasted.  Then it was time for more marguerites.  the waiter then brought out a dish with melted cheese and jalapeño peppers with soft corn tortillas and we made our own cheese quesadillas.  Spicy, but great.  Next, time for more Gran Patrone marguerites.

My brother ordered steak fajitas and I ordered cheese and beef enchelladas which were super "calliente"!!!

Because there was a mix-up with our reservations, and the manager knew my brother, they picked up the cost of the appetizers.  Bill came to $108.00 including tip.

But the night did not end there.  I've heard stories about how tequila "hits" you when you least expect it.  30 minutes after getting back to my brother's house, the walls started to close in on me and the floor started to move like I was in California during a 7.5 earthquake on the Richter scale.  I staggered to my bedroom closed the door and I awake at 6:30 AM still fully clothed and on the floor.

Too much Gran Patrone Tequila?  YA THINK???   

Now....That's a party!!!!!!!!!

My days of drinking tequilla are long, long gone....even in marguaritas.

I was probably in my late 20s at the time, married to my son's mother who was probably 23-24 (before we had my son). We were doing shots with another couple who were celebrating buying a new house. Next thing I remember is waking up at our friend's new house living room (which didn't have much furniture moved in yet), my ex on the couch, wearing a minimal undergarment, and me, on the floor. fully clothed, with a pounding headache and their dog licking my toes.

Never did drink tequila again.

suydam

Well, you can drink it, but less! Nowadays tequila is all the rage. I shared flights with my kids at a bar where they had over a hundred different kinds. We had a blast trying them out -- but just a couple -- and had a fabulous dinner afterwards! Not winding up on the floor.

graphicguy

abacomike said:

@imidazol97:

I paid $2.69.9 for Shell PUG.  My brother said it was $2.49.9 last week.  So, yes, gas prices are rising quickly.

Not sure the reason. There is still a massive oversupply of oil and demand is still very tepid, regardless of "maintenance" at refineries (the oversupply is in tanks that have already been refined). We're still brimming with not enough places to store the oil that keeps piling up, everywhere.

stever

Ah, fun memories - I remember slogging through the streets of Zihuatanejo with another couple in a warm afternoon downpour with 4 inches of water lapping our ankles shouting "Hornitos" every block or so. Our wives were lucid enough to get us back to the hotel. Nowadays I only have it at The Pink Store. They give you one to lubricate your shopping. Brilliant marketing, the car dealers should try it.

driver100

graphicguy said:

stickguy said:

the BBB should just treat Caddy as non-responsive, and have the hearing in abstentia. Which will work out to GGs favor, since they won't be able to defend themselves!

see what happens if they issue a arbitration finding that they need to buy it back (which GG obviously accepts). I bet it still requires a lawsuit to get them to do it.

Driver....Stick....not sure what happens if Cadillac continues to be unresponsive. In talking to others who have gone the BBB "buy back" route with Cadillac, being totally unresponsive isn't unusual. They all had the same thing happen.



He's in the same boat. He's been told to take it to arbitration via BBB. I guess if Cadillac doesn't show, we win by default. But, then the decision has to be enforced.

And, I'm thinking that is going to take a lawyer.

So, still a long road ahead.

GG, it seems there should be a point where the BBB says the other party....Cadillac in this case, is not responding so we have to go to the next level. Also, where is the attorney general in all this. They made a program so this wasn't supposed to happen. Cadillac wants to stall until the warranty is over. There should be time limits and ultimatums or the Lemon Law is a joke.

I found in business, if the other party is not cooperative the best weapon is an ultimatum. It sounds nasty and unfair, but, it gets results. And, when you are dealing with arrogant corrupt people it is your best weapon.

If someone didn't pay their bill just begging them seldom works. I would simply say, you have one week to send me a check or I get the collection company after you and I notify your bank.....your choice.

This has dragged on way too long....BBB should be giving you some feedback about what progress they have made (seems like none) and the attorney general should be stepping in by now.

Isn't there a watch dog committee supposed to be seeing if GM is fulfilling their promises? Maybe they should be informed, especially since some of these issues are safety related.

driver100

I really feel bad for our dog groomer lady. She is such a hard worker and everything seems to go wrong for her. She bought a mobile truck for her business, but the truck was constantly breaking down. Then she made her garage into a grooming area, nicely done. Her husband is quite ill and can't work.

She bought a car for $5000. It had some serious engine problems in the first month, which she had fixed, but it was never really repaired. Now the 30 day warranty is over and the car has a serious problem. The dealer says the warranty is over, but she says they didn't really fix the problems when she reported them during the warranty period.

I have given her the name of the mechanic who writes a Q & A column in our local newspaper. I really hope he can do something. I am a little concerned though, there probably won't be much written down to prove her point. It is really important to keep records of the conversations, otherwise it's a he said she said.

carnaught

GG, time to drive around with the big lemon picture in your car window?

abacomike

houdini1 said:

Mike, sounds like you had a very full and wonderful evening. Good to let your hair down now and then (if you have any).

That's one thing I have plenty of - nose - ears - JUST KIDDING!  But I do have a full head of hair still!!!  

isellhondas

Anyone who has ever had a tequilla hangover will NEVER EVER touch the stuff again!

Ask me how I know....

Michaell

I'm not much of a drinker ... occasional beer or two, but nothing really hard.

Years ago, when I traveled for business, I was in Dallas with a bunch of co-workers and it happened to be my birthday. Decided to go out to a nightclub to celebrate. My boss decided it would be fun if we all did a couple of shots of tequila.

I needed a seatbelt for my barstool! Never again.

And, I think productivity at the customer site the next day wasn't as good.

ab348

isellhondas said:

Anyone who has ever had a tequilla hangover will NEVER EVER touch the stuff again!

Exactly right.

I first encountered it in the mid-80s at a work party at one of our V-Ps palatial home. Thankfully I wasn't the victim. But a mid-20s accounting clerk brought along a bottle of tequila that she was imbibing from, and the next thing we knew she was in an unconscious heap on the kitchen floor. This was fairly early in the evening too. She was carted off to one of the bedrooms and left to sleep it off. Unfortunately she began spouting like a whale. What a mess, though it seemed quite hilarious at the time. Perhaps you had to be there. Amazingly after that she became somewhat coherent and she was cleaned up as best we could and sent home in a cab. Come Monday back at the office she had no memory of most of the evening but had experienced a 2-day hangover on the weekend, and swore off touching tequila ever again. It had no effect on her career, as I encountered her recently and she is retiring from the same organization at the end of this year!

abacomike

isellhondas said:

Anyone who has ever had a tequilla hangover will NEVER EVER touch the stuff again! Ask me how I know....

I don't have a hangover.  No headache, no thirst, no dizziness.  I merely felt the room spinning like I was on a roller coaster and then "lost consciousness"!  Had some weird dreams like I fell out of a plane and had no parachute, but things seem stable this morning.

Would I ever drink tequila again?  Sure - in marguerites - but drinking shots of it - I don't think so.  

suydam

Flights are pretty small -- and there were four of us. It was fun tasting the different types and how long they've been aged. I was surprised how smooth they are now. Not like the gasoline of my youth.

carnaught

abacomike said:

isellhondas said:

Anyone who has ever had a tequilla hangover will NEVER EVER touch the stuff again!

Ask me how I know....

I don't have a hangover.  No headache, no thirst, no dizziness.  I merely felt the room spinning like I was on a roller coaster and then "lost consciousness"!  Had some weird dreams like I fell out of a plane and had no parachute, but things seem stable this morning.

Would I ever drink tequila again?  Sure - in marguerites - but drinking shots of it - I don't think so.  


Passing out while intoxicated is a sign of ethanol toxicity. Thank goodness you didn't puke while unconscious. Aspiration pneumonia can be fatal. Glad you're okay.

driver100

carnaught said:

abacomike said:

isellhondas said:

Anyone who has ever had a tequilla hangover will NEVER EVER touch the stuff again!

Ask me how I know....

I don't have a hangover.  No headache, no thirst, no dizziness.  I merely felt the room spinning like I was on a roller coaster and then "lost consciousness"!  Had some weird dreams like I fell out of a plane and had no parachute, but things seem stable this morning.

Would I ever drink tequila again?  Sure - in marguerites - but drinking shots of it - I don't think so.  

Passing out while intoxicated is a sign of ethanol toxicity. Thank goodness you didn't puke while unconscious. Aspiration pneumonia can be fatal. Glad you're okay.


And people get worried about a few extra fumes from a VW diesel!

oldfarmer50

abacomike said:

Last night, we went to dinner at a Mexican restaurant.  We started with Gran Patrone marguerites that were the strongest I've ever had.  The waiter mashed avocados at the table, added ingredients, and voila - guacamole.  Best I've ever tasted.  Then it was time for more marguerites.  the waiter then brought out a dish with melted cheese and jalapeño peppers with soft corn tortillas and we made our own cheese quesadillas.  Spicy, but great.  Next, time for more Gran Patrone marguerites.

My brother ordered steak fajitas and I ordered cheese and beef enchelladas which were super "calliente"!!!

Because there was a mix-up with our reservations, and the manager knew my brother, they picked up the cost of the appetizers.  Bill came to $108.00 including tip.

But the night did not end there.  I've heard stories about how tequila "hits" you when you least expect it.  30 minutes after getting back to my brother's house, the walls started to close in on me and the floor started to move like I was in California during a 7.5 earthquake on the Richter scale.  I staggered to my bedroom closed the door and I awake at 6:30 AM still fully clothed and on the floor.

Too much Gran Patrone Tequila?  YA THINK???   

Ending up one the floor fully dressed is better than ending up on the lawn not fully dressed. Sound like a good time was had by all.

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

abacomike said:

Last night, we went to dinner at a Mexican restaurant.  We started with Gran Patrone marguerites that were the strongest I've ever had.  The waiter mashed avocados at the table, added ingredients, and voila - guacamole.  Best I've ever tasted.  Then it was time for more marguerites.  the waiter then brought out a dish with melted cheese and jalapeño peppers with soft corn tortillas and we made our own cheese quesadillas.  Spicy, but great.  Next, time for more Gran Patrone marguerites.

My brother ordered steak fajitas and I ordered cheese and beef enchelladas which were super "calliente"!!!

Because there was a mix-up with our reservations, and the manager knew my brother, they picked up the cost of the appetizers.  Bill came to $108.00 including tip.

But the night did not end there.  I've heard stories about how tequila "hits" you when you least expect it.  30 minutes after getting back to my brother's house, the walls started to close in on me and the floor started to move like I was in California during a 7.5 earthquake on the Richter scale.  I staggered to my bedroom closed the door and I awake at 6:30 AM still fully clothed and on the floor.

Too much Gran Patrone Tequila?  YA THINK???   

Ending up one the floor fully dressed is better than ending up on the lawn not fully dressed. Sound like a good time was had by all.

But, the guy passed out on the lawn not fully dressed had a much better time.

jpp75

Mike, glad you are getting to spend some quality time with your brother.

stever

Speaking of partying, it's not too early to plan your Hallowe'en costume.

oldfarmer50

Sad sight seen tonight.

As I was going into work I saw a Jaguar on the side of the road all busted to heck. Looked like something big had dragged along the entire driver's side and peeled chunks of the car off the frame. I'm guessing a tractor- trailer. Don't know which model it was but the thought of what it would cost to fix brought a tear to my eye.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

abacomike said:

Last night, we went to dinner at a Mexican restaurant.  We started with Gran Patrone marguerites that were the strongest I've ever had.  The waiter mashed avocados at the table, added ingredients, and voila - guacamole.  Best I've ever tasted.  Then it was time for more marguerites.  the waiter then brought out a dish with melted cheese and jalapeño peppers with soft corn tortillas and we made our own cheese quesadillas.  Spicy, but great.  Next, time for more Gran Patrone marguerites.

My brother ordered steak fajitas and I ordered cheese and beef enchelladas which were super "calliente"!!!

Because there was a mix-up with our reservations, and the manager knew my brother, they picked up the cost of the appetizers.  Bill came to $108.00 including tip.

But the night did not end there.  I've heard stories about how tequila "hits" you when you least expect it.  30 minutes after getting back to my brother's house, the walls started to close in on me and the floor started to move like I was in California during a 7.5 earthquake on the Richter scale.  I staggered to my bedroom closed the door and I awake at 6:30 AM still fully clothed and on the floor.

Too much Gran Patrone Tequila?  YA THINK???   

Ending up one the floor fully dressed is better than ending up on the lawn not fully dressed. Sound like a good time was had by all.

But, the guy passed out on the lawn not fully dressed had a much better time.

Oh good, I had a better time. For me it was Southern Comfort. Never could touch it again.

houdini1

Bottle of cheap wine did it for me about 50 years ago. Lesson well learned.

abacomike

Just got back from eating dinner in south Jacksonville at "Seasons 52".  Never ate at one of there restaurants before, but it was great.  I had a bowl of mushroom bisque soup, seared scallops, and we finished 2 bottles of my brother's best wines (which he brings with him).  His SO joined us for dinner.  Great service and those petite desserts are to die for.

By the time I get back to Southeast Florida, I will be totally spoiled.  Boating, eating out every night, brunches out, and great weather.

Looks like I will be following a cold front home Sunday until I get south of Vero Beach where it will be warmer.  Lows tomorrow night in the upper 50's - brrrr.

Been a nice few days up here - but starting to get homesick - like the warmer weather.

For our birthday tomorrow night, we are going to a French restaurant.  Continental cuisine - what can I say!  

berri

...and then it's a Big Mac on the road going home - the party is over!

robr2

Seasons 52 is a sister restaurant to The Capital Grille - the latter started right here in Boston. Today they are owned by Darden, the same company that owns Olive Garden. Now the food and wine quality is outstanding at their high end restaurants but many folks are surprised that the folks that bring you unlimited pasta and bread sticks are capable of offering a great dry aged porterhouse.

nyccarguy

The Capital Grille is outstanding

carnaught

Mike, sounds like you are having a great visit to N. Florida.

Love your reviews; keep them coming.

abacomike

robr2 said:

Seasons 52 is a sister restaurant to The Capital Grille - the latter started right here in Boston. Today they are owned by Darden, the same company that owns Olive Garden. Now the food and wine quality is outstanding at their high end restaurants but many folks are surprised that the folks that bring you unlimited pasta and bread sticks are capable of offering a great dry aged porterhouse.

You are correct.  The Seasons 52 restaurant is definitely upscale.  The Restaurant Mall is where they are located along with 35 other restaurants including Capital Grille, and they are self standing buildings right next to each other.  The Mexican restaurant we at at Thursday is a block away.  The place we are going to tonight for our birthday is 1/2 a block away.  This is a new concept for putting fine dining restaurants right there in the same location.  They have a new Nordstroms right in the center.  They also have PF Changs and several very expensive restaurants owned by we'll know chefs from New York, Paris, New Orleans, Chicago, etc.

You really need to envision this mall with 35-40 fine dining restaurants with Bar & Grilles around the circumference of the mall.  It's a concept I've never seen or heard of before.  One-stop fine dining.  Great concept.

abacomike

berri said:

...and then it's a Big Mac on the road going home - the party is over!

Yes, berri, Big Macs, medium fries and Diet Coke.  What I really like here is that they have Diet Cherry Coke.  I can't seem to find that where I live.  Great flavor and who doesn't like cherry with their Coke?

imidazol97

abacomike said:

Yes, berri, Big Macs, medium fries and Diet Coke.  What I really like here is that they have Diet Cherry Coke.  I can't seem to find that where I live.  Great flavor and who doesn't like cherry with their Coke?

The taste preference for cherry Coke ( Diet?) goes back to my youth when the soda parlors would serve fountain drawn sodas with cherry flavor or even chocolate in them. Something radical that our parents didn't drink. Dr. Pepper always reminds me of that cherry fountain Coke flavor.

I still recall the soda place on the square in the county seat where we would go to get our cherry Coke when I see the buildings now occupied by other stores or empty in some cases. Love those trips back to my land of youth to see things from decades ago. On one recent visit there was a coral 56-57 Thunderbird just like there was when that was a new car back in the day.

carnaught

Speaking of soda fountains, It sounds like Imid. is describing the "cherry phosphate", a cherry soda drink? It had that maraschino cherry taste, yet not too sweet....umm. Often they were made at a drug store with the soda fountain along with great malts.

imidazol97

carnaught said:

Speaking of soda fountains, It sounds like Imid. is describing the "cherry phosphate", a cherry soda drink? It had that maraschino cherry taste, yet not too sweet....umm. Often they were made at a drug store with the soda fountain along with great malts.

I remember those too and I loved that flavor. I could go through a bottle of maraschino cherries in one sitting. I recall when bold people started putting cherry flavor into regular Coke or Pepsi.

stever

My father and his partners opened up a new drugstore in the early 60s and it had a "modern" soda fountain. My older brother jerked there. The family story is that on his first day at work he made someone a banana split and asked the customer how it was. The customer informed him that it was excellent but he may want to include a banana the next time. Don't remember the CoColas (preferred the six ounce ones in the six cent machine in the old store) but the tuna salad was outstanding.

The store was on a slight hill and I remember going to the store on quiet Sunday afternoons, getting to the front door and turning around, and seeing my old man chasing his '53 Buick Special down the parking lot toward the highway. It had a habit of slipping out of gear.

berri

Speaking of cherry Cokes and phosphates; does anyone remember Green Rivers, or was more of a Midwest thing?

carnaught

berri said:

Speaking of cherry Cokes and phosphates; does anyone remember Green Rivers, or was more of a Midwest thing?

I totally remember them. Some called the cherry phosphate a "red river". Also had vanilla phosphates.

Banana splits at soda fountains were the best as were malts and shakes served in a tall glass and the rest in it's stainless steel mixer.

berri

Why do milkshakes and malts these days always seem to require a spoon? I miss the old soda fountain days when you could just drink them through a straw. But nothing beats an old fashioned milkshake made with real ice cream rather than that soft stuff that has become so common.

isellhondas

I remember they would fill your glass and leave the stainless steel glass that they mixed it up in. You could pour another half glass out of that!

berri

In the Chicago area at least, they were often attached to drug stores like Walgreen's or Rexall and would include a vanilla wafer cookie as well

berri

As for the soft stuff, the custard joints aren't bad shakes. There is a chain called Culver's in the middle of the country that has decent ones. But I still prefer real ice cream.

driver100

GG. Just thinking, the process for getting the Lemon Law people moving is slower than a stalling CTS.

henryn

stever said:

My father and his partners opened up a new drugstore in the early 60s and it had a "modern" soda fountain. My older brother jerked there. The family story is that on his first day at work he made someone a banana split and asked the customer how it was. The customer informed him that it was excellent but he may want to include a banana the next time. Don't remember the CoColas (preferred the six ounce ones in the six cent machine in the old store) but the tuna salad was outstanding.

The store was on a slight hill and I remember going to the store on quiet Sunday afternoons, getting to the front door and turning around, and seeing my old man chasing his '53 Buick Special down the parking lot toward the highway. It had a habit of slipping out of gear.

Now there's a blast from the past. My father, who was a mechanic, worked at a new car dealership (Mopar) in a small town where I grew up. We lived out in the country, and I rode a bus to school. Some days, after school, I would walk down to the dealership and hang around until quitting time, then ride home with my father.

The dealership had a Coke machine, with the 6 ounce Cokes for 6 cents.

And parking on a hill -- I may have told this story before, but anyway ..

My first car was a 49 Chevrolet. It had been converted from 6 volt to 12 volt, generator, voltage regulator, light bulbs, etc. But not the starter. Every 6 months or so, the starter would burn out, and I would buy another one at the salvage yard. As I recall, it was about $5, and the salvage yard wanted quite a bit more for a 12 volt starter.

But usually I didn't have the $5, I would have to save it up. Luckily, my house was on a hill, so I could park in the street and roll down hill to jump start. And at school, my friends would help me to push start the car (by hand).

Ah, and soda jerks! My mother graduated high school, in May, 1941, in the same small town. She worked at the drug store, soda jerk, whatever, anything short of filling prescriptions. Until December 7, 1941, after which she joined the WACs.

suydam

Steak n Shake uses real ice cream in their milkshakes. They are quite tasty!

houdini1

Our favorite place for shakes is Chick-Fil-A.