Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

Mr_Shiftright

houdini1 said:

explorerx4 said:

I went up the street to friend's house Friday night and watched Martian for free.

What did you think of the flick?

I enjoyed reading the book much more than watching the movie.

Book was much better...more thoughtful but still funny. It didn't have that typical sci-fi moralistic tone. And the plot line and dialogue was much better than the script for Gravity

driver100

snake

There was a picture there, it was a poster for the movie "Robinson Crusoe on Mars" not sure what happened.

That would be funny.

(I tried to show a poster too, but they all must be protected)


This is probably a better movie...4 1/5 stars out of 5 on rottentomatoe

driver100

Mr_Shiftright said:

houdini1 said:

driver100 said:

abacomike said:

explorerx4 said:

I went up the street to friend's house Friday night and watched Martian for free.

What did you think of the flick?

I enjoyed reading the book much more than watching the movie.

Book was much better...more thoughtful but still funny. It didn't have that typical sci-fi moralistic tone. And the plot line and dialogue was much better than the script for Gravity

Mr_Shiftright said:

houdini1 said:

driver100 said:

abacomike said:

explorerx4 said:

I went up the street to friend's house Friday night and watched Martian for free.

What did you think of the flick?

I enjoyed reading the book much more than watching the movie.

Book was much better...more thoughtful but still funny. It didn't have that typical sci-fi moralistic tone. And the plot line and dialogue was much better than the script for Gravity

Not sure about the book since I didn't read it but agree 100% with the other comments. This was much better than Gravity. I have a friend who is knowledgeable about outer-space and he really doesn't like Gravity because the science is so wrong.

Mr_Shiftright

to say nothing of laughably stupid dialogue. I actually walked out and demanded my money back. I got a free pass instead.

driver100

Mr_Shiftright said:

to say nothing of laughably stupid dialogue. I actually walked out and demanded my money back. I got a free pass instead.

But the average movie goer will love it!

Some of that stuff has been done so many times, everyone cheering when they save the guy, there being no rescue rocket but the Chinese just happen to have one....and offer to help..........lots of other coincidences, like way too many for it to really happen....chances would be better of winning the Powerball. At least a Murder She Wrote has real people in real situations and you have to use your brain a bit to figure out who did it....and some clever writing to set up the crime.

suydam

Well, I loved all of them: Gravity, Interstellar, The Martian. So there!

Mr_Shiftright

You know what's wrong with many movies today? (said the old curmudgeon, shaking his cane at the kids on his lawn...)....the dialogue. It's usually lame because everyone' relying on the CGI. "The Martian" had a witty script.

oldfarmer50

No right answer here but wonder what you all think.

If you had a choice on having and old car restored to original condition or the same car restored to look original but with modern mechanicals like engine, tranny and brakes...which would you choose? Would it make a difference if it was a really old car like a model A or a newer car like a 60s Corvette?

nelsonf

If it's American muscle, I like the idea of a restomod. Classic looking with modern brakes, fuel injection, etc.

If it's old euro stuff, like Alfas and BMWs, I prefer restored to original, with maybe a hidden stereo, or an old radio upgraded with modern guts.

stickguy

Yeah. Depends on if original is still safe/practical for actually driving around. And how valuable the car is restored!

Personally I like stealth restomods. As authentic looking, but more modern underneath. I also like newer stuff (say late 70s) done that way,Mobutu I do have odd tastes

snakeweasel

oldfarmer50 said:

No right answer here but wonder what you all think.

If you had a choice on having and old car restored to original condition or the same car restored to look original but with modern mechanicals like engine, tranny and brakes...which would you choose? Would it make a difference if it was a really old car like a model A or a newer car like a 60s Corvette?

That's a tough one, it would depend on why I want the car. If I want it as an investment and/or for shows I would want it restored to original condition. If I just want a fun car to drive around I might go with modern mechanical stuff. A Ford Model T I would want as original, but something like a late 70's early 80's sports car I would like more modern stuff under the skin.

So it would depend on what I want out of the car and the type of car.

andres3

qbrozen said:

andres3 said:

I've seen some of the reports on Cadillac in general. As everyone knows, I've had my own share of grief from the brand. I don't consider any of what I read as GM bashing.

However, I can say unequivocally, the materials and build quality used in today's Cadillac is 2nd to none. All of it is first rate....and I've owned and/or test driven some of the most revered brands in the industry over the past few years. Cadillac's build and material quality gives up nothing to them. Even performance is as good or better, depending on the price point.

It's some of the not quite ready for prime time engineering that needs work. And, as far as I can tell, their entire franchise structure needs a significant overhaul. For example, CUE is a good idea that lost out in its implementation. It took Cadillac two model years to get all the bugs out. That's unacceptable in a $20K car, let a lone a $65K car.

Current version of CUE? State-of-the-Art, tops in class. You can't tell me in 2012 or 2013, whenever Cadillac was doing development for the 2014 version of CUE that they tested it and said "yep, that works just grand". If they did say that, they should be fired.

Can't continue to do that and expect sales volumes to climb. That fact can't be that hard to comprehend. Yet, for Cadillac, seems like it is.

I don't think Cadillac competes on value price wise when you look at performance if you look at the sticker prices. Now if you say the real world transaction prices are much lower thanks to massive rebates and GM's known tendency to dramatically overprice their product into account, then maybe. But if you are solely comparing stickers, I don't think they compete very well. Maybe my data is outdated, but what kind of 0-60 times and HP can I get at Cadillac these days for $50K?

If I'm reading correctly, talking sticker price, I guess you'd look at an ATS 3.6 with 333 hp and 0-60 in the low 5-sec range. I could not find solid data on acceleration because the 3.6 is a new 3.6 for 2016 with better power and efficiency than the 2015.

as you said, incentives are where its at. I paid $49k for my CTS V sport with 430hp and 0-60 in 4.5, with a 174mph top speed, I might add (only because so many other companies are capping their performance sedans at 155).

Now that sounds like a good real world deal. Why couldn't they just sticker the CTS-V at $49K in the first place?

Maybe a 3 year old CTS-V would make a good used car purchase as long as it wasn't a lemon.

stickguy

Just don't buy a used caddy in Ohio.

cdnpinhead

oldfarmer50 said:

If you had a choice on having an old car restored to original condition or the same car restored to look original but with modern mechanicals like engine, tranny and brakes...which would you choose?

For me, I'd like about a '66 MGB in BRG restored exactly to stock. . .EXCEPT with a real 12 volt modern battery and an alternator. I could work on it with the tools I used on my '65 and keep it running forever. Come to think of it, perhaps those lever shocks could stand replacing with something newer.

andres3

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

Wow, it's amazing that I've recently moved as well, and missed my car registration which is in early November. I too, forgot about it, but I remembered only 2 weeks after the fact and was still within my license place sticker month. I blamed the DMV for not having sent me the bill. I told them I moved, but the move wasn't the reason I didn't receive the registration bill reminder because I had access to both mailboxes still. They said the yearly bill was just a "courtesy notice." Where have we heard that before? You guessed it, the Courts.

I argued with them, and in order for them to remove the imposed "late fees of $75 extra" I had to let them take a pound of flesh out and appear in person at a DMV office. I loathe to go into a CA DMV office, but I did so, because I didn't want to pay the $75. I had to waste 2 hours in a DMV office, and they told me they only waive the late fee "for any reason" one time during a vehicle's lifetime.

So they got their two hours and a pound of flesh out of me, but I figure I paid myself $37.50/hour for the torture (minus gas and mileage which wasn't too much as it was close to work).

Well the mailing of any reminders is a courtesy and is not required. It is still your responsibility to ensure that your plates are not expired. Many states have stopped sending out reminders as a cost cutting expense. It can save the sates almost $50 million in postage alone, add the cost of the paper it's printed on, the envelopes and machinery required as well as manpower to get those out you are talking a significant savings.

That being said here in IL if you renew within 30 days of the expiration of the sticker there is no extra cost. However if you go past the one month grace period they add something like 35% penalty and it won't get waived.

IL has a reasonable grace period of 30 days; that seems very reasonable. CA is out for blood if you are 1-day late.

You know what would save even more money than not mailing out billing reminders yearly? How about cutting registration costs by 50% and making it a bi-annual process! Wait, that saves the tax payers money, not the government (other than half of postage and admin); oh well!

berri

That's how Lexus got established - realistic, if not somewhat aggressive pricing initially. I still think this is how Cadillac and Lincoln need too play it if they want to eventually get reestablished as serious luxury makes. If I see a D3 priced like a German lux, I'm inclined to just buy the German one because it is established luxury with better resale. Detroit doesn't want to face up to how they lost established status in luxury and now need to reestablish a position. I don't understands it, because Detroit is perfectly capable of reestablishing itself in this area if it would get serious and realistic.

iluvmysephia1

For me, I'd like about a '66 MGB in BRG restored exactly to stock. . .EXCEPT with a real 12 volt modern battery and an alternator. I could work on it with the tools I used on my '65 and keep it running forever. Come to think of it, perhaps those lever shocks could stand replacing with something newer.


I tend towards the MG Midget but haven't driven either one. In reality, the MGB might be the better driving choice, eh?

driver100

suydam said:

Well, I loved all of them: Gravity, Interstellar, The Martian. So there!

Some people are easier to please than others.....

stickguy

Midgets are tiny. Kind of like driving a pedal car. I would stick with a B myself.

One of them carefully modified for reliability and performance sounds good. Electrics, suspension, cooling mostly. Though another of my irrational desires is a wankel conversion on a B. I think that is a real thing.

I really need a power ball jackpot and a large barn converted into a garage and workshop. Could occupy me for the next 20 years.

tjc78

@oldfarmer50
I would love to have something older, but with modern drivability of fuel injection and decent FE. I'm into the old barges, so I'd love something like a late 70s Continental two door with the Coyote engine from the new mustangs slipped under the hood. Total sleeper.

Now OTOH is we are talking something valuable, then no original please.

tjc78

stickguy said:

I really need a power ball jackpot and a large barn converted into a garage and workshop. Could occupy me for the next 20 years.

+1

stickguy

Midgets are tiny. Like driving a pedal car. I would stick with a B.

ab348

Mr_Shiftright said:

You know what's wrong with many movies today? (said the old curmudgeon, shaking his cane at the kids on his lawn...)....the dialogue. It's usually lame because everyone' relying on the CGI. "The Martian" had a witty script.

I cannot understand how people are impressed with CGI in movies. Even if the CGI is well-done, it's still CGI. People don't buy tickets to watch a well-designed computer program do their taxes, but go all ga-ga when the computer outputs a realistic-looking animation.

stever

Wait until the CGI chauffeur sits behind the wheel of your autonomous car and drives you to the Publix.

suydam

I thought these movies had wonderful effects. I've been reading The Elegant Universe and The Science of Interstellar. You realize that these are dimensions we can't see or reproduce, so you have to be creative.

Mr_Shiftright

stever said:

Wait until the CGI chauffeur sits behind the wheel of your autonomous car and drives you to the Publix.

The best part of the autonomous driving technology is the "off" switch.

andres3

Mr_Shiftright said:

From what I'm reading on Zipcar, you get 100/300 liability but only $25,000 property damage. So if you total something expensive, I guess you're on the hook for it, since you don't have your own insurance policy to fall back on.

Or you can just pretend to have no money. Most people won't bother going after you if you act like a deadbeat.

andres3

snakeweasel said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

houdini1 said:

stickguy said:

if you are driving and don't have your own insurance, would make sense to get a $1mill umbrella policy, just in case.

How does zipcar work for keys? I always wondered that. You can't just leave them parked around town with the keys in them! So if they have to be in a garage that is manned 24/7, it will certainly limit location options, and slow down the process.

I think you have to have primary insurance of certain limits before you can buy an umbrella.

If you don't have your own insurance as back up, seems to me that Zipcar's insurance caps out at $25K, so yeah, if you total someone's Lexus, you're on the hook.

This is the same as any insurance cap, even on your own car. You can be sued for any damages beyond what your policy says they'll pay.

Yes, but I would think that in this case zipcar would get sued too as it was their car. Plus they would have the deep pockets.

In CA I've been told the insurance follows the car, not the driver. So I would think yes, you'd sue Zip Car first and foremost if you were shorted by their insurance.

nyccarguy

@tjc78 - I caught the end of fast n loud the other night.  They dropped a 707 hp Hellcat motor into a beat up Dodge Dart.

stever

andres3 said:

snakeweasel said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

houdini1 said:

stickguy said:

if you are driving and don't have your own insurance, would make sense to get a $1mill umbrella policy, just in case.

How does zipcar work for keys? I always wondered that. You can't just leave them parked around town with the keys in them! So if they have to be in a garage that is manned 24/7, it will certainly limit location options, and slow down the process.

I think you have to have primary insurance of certain limits before you can buy an umbrella.

If you don't have your own insurance as back up, seems to me that Zipcar's insurance caps out at $25K, so yeah, if you total someone's Lexus, you're on the hook.

This is the same as any insurance cap, even on your own car. You can be sued for any damages beyond what your policy says they'll pay.

Yes, but I would think that in this case zipcar would get sued too as it was their car. Plus they would have the deep pockets.

In CA I've been told the insurance follows the car, not the driver. So I would think yes, you'd sue Zip Car first and foremost if you were shorted by their insurance.

Zipcar has mandatory binding arbitration so if you're the member, you won't be able to sue them or join a class action suit against them.

nyccarguy

Some of you guys mentioned Uber here earlier today.  I've only used it once and it was fantastic.  I had to drop my wife's Pilot off at the mechanic last week.  I got to the shop before he opened, so I wanted to use the key drop. I tapped the app for pickup, the driver was there in 4 minutes, i was able to wait in the car & get out right when he pulled up.  No calling a cab company to explain & repeat my pickup address 12 times, no walking & wIting in the freezing cold hoping to hail a taxi.  

tjc78

nyccarguy said:

@tjc78 - I caught the end of fast n loud the other night.  They dropped a 707 hp Hellcat motor into a beat up Dodge Dart.

That's awesome ... Probably a little scary to drive 

stickguy

I've never used Uber. Though the only time I even remember using a cab in many years was last year when I went to Chicago, and some cab company that ran through O'hare was what the hotel (about 20 minutes away) used for their shuttle (when you missed their actual van shuttle). So I called, gave all the info for the account, which took a while, then waited outside for Cab XXX. So, pretty much like Uber at that point.

Wonder if Uber is allowed to pick up at airports like that too?

Hey, found my answer. Looks like it just started, now that the Chicago pols have had their palms greased!


Uber, Lyft can operate at Chicago airports before ...
abc7chicago.com/travel/uber-lyft-can-operate-at-chicago.../1065417/
Nov 3, 2015 - Ride-share drivers will be allowed to start picking up fares at Chicago's airports on Nov. 18. The city released maps that show where the staging and pickup areas will be at O'Hare and Midway. Uber and Lyft will have to pay the city a tax, which is expected to generate about $30 million.

oldfarmer50

nyccarguy said:

@tjc78 - I caught the end of fast n loud the other night.  They dropped a 707 hp Hellcat motor into a beat up Dodge Dart.

I saw that too. The biggest problem they had was figuring out how to disconnect the electronics and make it work.

oldfarmer50

Curious.

My near by Ford dealer still has a 2015 50th anniversary Mustang in stock for the full $47,000 price. No discounts. Am I missing something that they haven't discounted a now year old car? If it was super desirable wouldn't it have been scooped up long ago?

This dealer also has a few regular 2015s with a listed discount of only $900 which seem pretty cheap considering that the cars are probably depreciated by 20%. They say they take $500 off a 2016.

Can't figure the logic.

ab348

Maybe their lack of discounting is why they are still on the lot.

explorerx4

@oldfarmer,
You need to formally ask then for a price to get a realistic one. When I bought my F-150, 2 model years old, the website only listed the MSRP and cash incentive.
The internet price reflected a heavy discount.

henryn

stever said:

Was surprised a bit at driving the F-150 - when I've ridden in it, the ride was pretty plush. Driving it felt like I was.

Driving a truck.

Interesting. This was your brother-in-law's 2012 F150, correct? Tell us a little more about the truck. Regular cab, supercab, crew cab? 2wd, 4wd? Trim level, XL, XLT, ?? Miles, as in like new with 20k miles, or 120k?

On the question of original restored, or restored with modern underpinnings, I would also have to go with "it depends". I would like to have an early 50's pickup, Chevy or Ford, with modern drivetrain. But if we're talking a 69 Charger R/T 440, that should be original right down to the ground.

stever

It's a Crewcab (suicide doors) with around 52,000 miles on it. XLT trim. Forgot to eyeball the bed just now but it's not a long one. 2WD with a towing package.

There is a "bed rack" on it with a couple of kayaks on top, but we're talking maybe 90 pounds for the kayaks, tops.

It was "driving" a bit better this morning and after lunch so I'm getting used to it a bit. But it makes the Odyssey feel svelft. The "liftover" height on the Honda is a couple of inches lower than my Grand Caravan and it's easy to get in and out of. Been using the steps to crawl up into the F-150.

I dunno, just seems like driving a whale even compared to the minivans I usually drive.

driver100

One problem that can happen with Uber and it did happen it Toronto. Driver was in an accident, passenger was injured. Driver did not have adequate insurance. Passenger has to sue driver and Uber......and it hasn't been easy, and will be costly.

driver100

Best movies probably don't need CGI.....they rely on real "DIALOGUE".
Whatever happened to real people speaking and having a conversation.
Some friends took their grown children and grandchildren out for dinner a few nights ago, they said it was pointless, most of them were on their cell phones almost the whole time.

driver100

oldfarmer, one reason any retailer leaves their merchandise on sale for full MSRP is so they can then advertise that it is discounted. You can't advertise 10% off unless you had sold it for the full price previously. I notice some department stores rotate their sales, one week it will be 40% off for X make shirts, the following week those are back to full price and Y shirts are 40% off. Stores are fined big bucks if items didn't sell at the higher price.

Another possibility is the dealer is delusional.

henryn

stever said:

It's a Crewcab (suicide doors) with around 52,000 miles on it. XLT trim. Forgot to eyeball the bed just now but it's not a long one. 2WD with a towing package.

There is a "bed rack" on it with a couple of kayaks on top, but we're talking maybe 90 pounds for the kayaks, tops.

It was "driving" a bit better this morning and after lunch so I'm getting used to it a bit. But it makes the Odyssey feel svelft. The "liftover" height on the Honda is a couple of inches lower than my Grand Caravan and it's easy to get in and out of. Been using the steps to crawl up into the F-150.

I dunno, just seems like driving a whale even compared to the minivans I usually drive.

If it's a Ford, with suicide doors, that is a "supercab", or "cab-and-a-half. The Crewcab, or double-cab, or SuperCrew (abbreviated SCrew) would have 4 forward opening doors. Dodge and Toyota, for the past several years, have four forward opening doors on both cab-and-a-half and double-cab models. Why Ford hasn't done this is a mystery.

The new trucks are BIG. And they feel even bigger than they are. The floor pan has been raised, to give more interior space (no hump for the drive shaft) and more cargo space (less wheel well intrusion into the bed). And this makes it harder to see things in front of and behind you. Thus very difficult to park in tight spaces. I love driving my F150 Crewcab out on the open road, but I hate trying to park it around town.

stever

Ha, I had it right the first time before I edited it. I don't know how people keep track of all the truck flavors out there - six engines, three beds, five cab styles.

And then you get into the axle ratios.

One great thing about the rehab center my mom is in right now - every parking space in the whole complex is supersized.

roadburner

oldfarmer50 said:

Curious.

My near by Ford dealer still has a 2015 50th anniversary Mustang in stock for the full $47,000 price. No discounts. Am I missing something that they haven't discounted a now year old car? If it was super desirable wouldn't it have been scooped up long ago?

This dealer also has a few regular 2015s with a listed discount of only $900 which seem pretty cheap considering that the cars are probably depreciated by 20%. They say they take $500 off a 2016.

Can't figure the logic.

My local dealer also has a 50th Anniversary car nailed to the floor. Even funnier, a used car dealer already has one on its lot for $34.5k- with only 6,000 miles on it...

Mr_Shiftright

No, Uber generally isn't allowed to pick up at airports, although people have figured out ways to be sneaky.

Regarding binding arbitration, that's all well and good, but in some legal disputes you cannot sign away your rights.

stever

Mr_Shiftright said:

Regarding binding arbitration, that's all well and good, but in some legal disputes you cannot sign away your rights.

Absent an act of Congress, it'll take deep pockets and a few years to try to get the Supremes to reconsider. If they let AT&T get away with it, a "good" company like Uber won't have any trouble shining you on at all.

Supreme Court: AT&T can force arbitration, block class-action suits (arstechnica.com)

abacomike

I haven't seen The new "Star Wars" movie as yet.  Anyone have an opinion after seeing it?  Was the Disney's production any different from the previous 20th Century Fox productions?

snakeweasel

andres3 said:

snakeweasel said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

houdini1 said:

stickguy said:

if you are driving and don't have your own insurance, would make sense to get a $1mill umbrella policy, just in case.

How does zipcar work for keys? I always wondered that. You can't just leave them parked around town with the keys in them! So if they have to be in a garage that is manned 24/7, it will certainly limit location options, and slow down the process.

I think you have to have primary insurance of certain limits before you can buy an umbrella.

If you don't have your own insurance as back up, seems to me that Zipcar's insurance caps out at $25K, so yeah, if you total someone's Lexus, you're on the hook.

This is the same as any insurance cap, even on your own car. You can be sued for any damages beyond what your policy says they'll pay.

Yes, but I would think that in this case zipcar would get sued too as it was their car. Plus they would have the deep pockets.

In CA I've been told the insurance follows the car, not the driver. So I would think yes, you'd sue Zip Car first and foremost if you were shorted by their insurance.

The insurance may follow the car but the actions are caused by the driver. So you can sue Zipcar because of the insurance but you can also sue the driver because they caused the accident.

explorerx4

New Star Wars, good entertainment.