Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

qbrozen

Gas Monkey hates on longbeds. That has come up several times on the show.

Yes, insurance is repairing the Rover. Only $100 deductible for comp. The estimate includes repairing and repainting the hood, although I did not notice any damage to it. Maybe the headlight banged on the underside of it. Either way, this will now be 2 panels painted plus a replaced bumper. Not a good sign for resale at all. Ugh. Hope she loves the truck enough to keep it till it doesn't matter anymore.

roadburner

Mr_Shiftright said:

I drove 6X6 gasoline tankers in the Army because I heard that no officers and no other vehicles wanted to be anywhere near you. This proved true. We were like a lonesome traveling leper colony----unless of course you needed gas.

Now I feel I can drive anything on wheels.

I had a summer job with the KY State Higway Deparment in the '70s. Us "college kids" were not supposed yo operate anything- but at one time or another I drove a dump trucks, a water tank truck, a roller, tractors w/bushog mowers, and a road grader.

imidazol97

Mr_Shiftright said:

I drove 6X6 gasoline tankers in the Army because I heard that no officers and no other vehicles wanted to be anywhere near you. This proved true. We were like a lonesome traveling leper colony----unless of course you needed gas.

Now I feel I can drive anything on wheels.

" 6X6 " ???

Mr_Shiftright

Just keep photos of the damage. Panel painting is not nearly as bad as panel replacement. You may suffer very little diminution of value overall.

stickguy

6x6. Dual rear axles, all wheels driven. Must be a beast.

Mr_Shiftright

Kinda like this, not exactly though:

[Deleted User]

I'm breathing a sigh of relief right now. Monday we were hit with a snow storm, and as I was walking through a snow covered parking lot, my good leg slipped, placing all my weight on the leg with the recent artificial knee, and then that foot slipped and caused me to fall. The bad leg twisted in an awkward manner and as I hit the ground I heard a distinct "pop". The pop sound has haunted me ever since with fear I tore a ligament. Until today, when I met with my surgeon and everything passed the critical tests. The joint is very sore and swollen, but that's likely due to stretched tendons and torn scar tissue, which I can heal from without any assistance. Whew!! The last think I wanted was another surgery.

abacomike

tyguy said:

I'm breathing a sigh of relief right now. Monday we were hit with a snow storm, and as I was walking through a snow covered parking lot, my good leg slipped, placing all my weight on the leg with the recent artificial knee, and then that foot slipped and caused me to fall. The bad leg twisted in an awkward manner and as I hit the ground I heard a distinct "pop". The pop sound has haunted me ever since with fear I tore a ligament. Until today, when I met with my surgeon and everything passed the critical tests. The joint is very sore and swollen, but that's likely due to stretched tendons and torn scar tissue, which I can heal from without any assistance. Whew!! The last think I wanted was another surgery.

Thank goodness TY!  As you know I had my left knee replaced about 10 years ago and I worry about re-injuring all the time.  I am so thrilled you did no permanent damage. 

stickguy

messing up a leg is especially bad when you drive a stick.

PF_Flyer

stickguy said:

messing up a leg is especially bad when you drive a stick.

We started driving sticks in 1979, and when I first started, I would get this WONDERFUL cramp in my left leg, just above the knee on the outside of my leg. Fortunately, I got used to the motion

imidazol97

tyguy said:

Whew!! The last think I wanted was another surgery.

Glad that you didn't do permanent damage to your "real" knee. When my wife had her second knee replaced a year ago, She was out in little more than 30 hours. I had commented to the surgeon that with the rate of improvements since her previous knee replacement, soon knee replacement would be day surgery. Sure enough I heard St. Elizabeth in Greater Cincinnati advertising that was possible for some patients now. Knee replacement in morning and go home later that day. Wow.

abacomike

imidazol97 said:

Whew!! The last think I wanted was another surgery.

Glad that you didn't do permanent damage to your "real" knee. When my wife had her second knee replaced a year ago, She was out in little more than 30 hours. I had commented to the surgeon that with the rate of improvements since her previous knee replacement, soon knee replacement would be day surgery. Sure enough I heard St. Elizabeth in Greater Cincinnati advertising that was possible for some patients now. Knee replacement in morning and go home later that day. Wow.

When I had my knee surgery 10 years ago (complete knee replacement), I was in such pain the first 3 days no matter what they gave me for pain relief did not last for more than 2-3 hours.  Then, after 5 days, I was transferred to an in-patient rehab facility for 10 days.  Then home with PT for 3 months.  It was my left knee, do I was able to drive to PT. 

If now it is more like day surgery, they must have changed the technique which reduces post-op pain.  I had to use a knee stretching machine for 10 days.  Very painful. 

stickguy

certainly the technology and techniques have really involved. I know one hospital near me advertises (yes, they advertise knee surgery on TV) that they do it without cutting the quadriceps tendon (which must be a huge deal for pain and recovery time, the way they strut about it!)

[Deleted User]

Thank you for the kind words and concern, all. The knee is swollen, but I did drive the Audi to my doctor's appointment today. When I told my wife my plans to drive the stick, she gave me the "grand eye roll" and accurately judged me the fool that I am. I seriously love that woman. And I still had a ball driving the Audi.

stever

stickguy said:

messing up a leg is especially bad when you drive a stick.

My wife just finished some "remedial" rehab on her broken left leg last month, some 7 years after the break and rod placement. A new lift for her good leg has helped. She can still drive stick but doesn't like the idea of having one as the daily driver.

Time for some of those slip-on crampons @tyguy?

[Deleted User]

Hmmm, crampons could put my mind at ease. There was a moment of shear terror when I felt my foot slip, that instant when my mind registered the reality of the situation and knowing enough to understand how badly it could turn in an instant. I hate being out of control like that. Maybe I'll just stay home next snow storm :-)

stever

My wife had a pair in the UP for our walks to town. Being a former snowboarder, I was used to falling all the time so didn't bother with any. Sorry, I'd offer 'em up, but we donated them to the thrift.

roadburner

tyguy said:

I'm breathing a sigh of relief right now. Monday we were hit with a snow storm, and as I was walking through a snow covered parking lot, my good leg slipped, placing all my weight on the leg with the recent artificial knee, and then that foot slipped and caused me to fall. The bad leg twisted in an awkward manner and as I hit the ground I heard a distinct "pop". The pop sound has haunted me ever since with fear I tore a ligament. Until today, when I met with my surgeon and everything passed the critical tests. The joint is very sore and swollen, but that's likely due to stretched tendons and torn scar tissue, which I can heal from without any assistance. Whew!! The last think I wanted was another surgery.

I'm glad you dodged that bullet.

iluvmysephia1

Am I the only one that digs this truck's paint job?

oldfarmer50

tyguy said:

Thank you for the kind words and concern, all. The knee is swollen, but I did drive the Audi to my doctor's appointment today. When I told my wife my plans to drive the stick, she gave me the "grand eye roll" and accurately judged me the fool that I am. I seriously love that woman. And I still had a ball driving the Audi.

Ahh, the grand eye roll. I know it well.

I've been walking more to get exercise and my left knee which is the worst of two bad knees is aching. Another reason I shy away from sticks in my new cars.

snakeweasel

stever said:

bwia said:

Now, I need a legitimate explanation to file an insurance claim to repair the damage. Can anybody help?

There was a bee in the car.

Uh, one you brought back in your luggage....

That happened to me once, bee was obviously on the drivers seat when I got in and I didn't see it. After a few miles of driving it got itself into a position where it could sting me and it did. You should have seen me jump and serve when that happened.

snakeweasel

graphicguy said:

Stick...I don't know what those Altimas sell for, but unless they are in Smart Car pricing territory, I wouldn't even consider one. But, you're right. I see a ton of them on the road. I'm surprised most people don't care about the diving dynamics, as they're pretty bad.

Not sure I want diving dynamics in my car.

But seriously:
Not sure about their driving dynamics but I do see a lot of them on the road. Also remember not everyone needs a car that they can push to the limits. I had a friend who once said "Why do I need driving dynamics when most of my driving is a 20 MPH average on a straight interstate?"

qbrozen

iluvmysephia1 said:

Am I the only one that digs this truck's paint job?

I like the base color, but that weird stripe's gotta go

graphicguy

ty....glad you're OK.

Bronze pickup...yep, two strikes against it. First, it's a long bed. 2nd, while I know color is a matter of taste, but to me, that looks like something that you'd find in a baby's diaper.

imidazol97

The bronze color is too glitzy for my taste but I like the color on someone else's vehicle.

A martial arts shop in the area had an owner or trainer that drove a large BMW painted in a very bright sparkly version of that color. Showed a lot of red tone in the sun. Chromed wheels. Reminds me of that color.

iluvmysephia1

I like the "blazing orange" look but I've noticed that when the kind of cars I like, the smaller zippy economy cars, are painted straight-from-the-factory in copper-orange, other enthusiast's don't like it unilaterally. Cars like the Kia Forte, Kia Rio, Nissan cube, etc.

Another for instance would be on a car like the departed Scion xA - it was a "like it or hate it" little rig, but I liked it and would like it in this "blazing copper orange" color. And yeah, I agree, the dark stripe's gotta go on that classic Chevy truck!

Mr_Shiftright

iluvmysephia1 said:

Am I the only one that digs this truck's paint job?

No. I think it's very nice. I think it's meant to be an oar, so I'm giving the color a pass in the interests of "art".

Do you think anyone "hated" the Scion xA? I drove one for years and only got good reviews. It was a very versatile vehicle and I think ahead of its time---the room of a crossover, Toyota reliability, 36 mpg. Bought it brand new for $15,000 out the door. Only negative on my end was a buzzy engine at 70 mph.

dino001

Gas is still going down. $2.019 for PUG at Costco yesterday. Just please break 2, even if for a day...

driver100

snakeweasel said:

graphicguy said:

Stick...I don't know what those Altimas sell for, but unless they are in Smart Car pricing territory, I wouldn't even consider one. But, you're right. I see a ton of them on the road. I'm surprised most people don't care about the diving dynamics, as they're pretty bad.

Not sure I want diving dynamics in my car.

I had a friend who once said "Why do I need driving dynamics when most of my driving is a 20 MPH average on a straight interstate?"

Maybe if he had a car with "driving dynamics" he could do 70!

stickguy

I paid $1.80 last week for PUG at the 76 station. RUG below $1.50 now.

Mr_Shiftright

Don't rub it in! Why do I have to pay .80 cents more per gallon? Even the Mafia doesn't charge 50% short term interest.

abacomike

stickguy said:

I paid $1.80 last week for PUG at the 76 station. RUG below $1.50 now.

President just announced he is pushing for a $10.00 per barrel tax on all oil companies for each barrel imported or exported to/from United States.  He stated it would enable the government to repair roads, improve mass transportation and broaden research and development into alternative energy.  But not one word about reducing the national debt which is now over 19 trillion dollars.

I would not mind at all paying $1.00 a gallon more for gas if it was being used to reduce our 19 trillion dollar national debt.  It seems there is never a plan or program to directly reduce debt.  But taxes go up so the government has more money to spend even though the debt increases continually.  Amazing!

suydam

Since 2009 the national debt has fallen by half as a percentage of the economy and has fallen also in absolute terms. It is debatable whether it should fall even faster or as many economists argue, actually be increased because borrowing costs are so low, but  it is decreasing nonetheless.

abacomike

suydam said:

Since 2009 the national debt has fallen by half as a percentage of the economy and has fallen also in absolute terms. It is debatable whether it should fall even faster or as many economists argue, actually be increased because borrowing costs are so low, but  it is decreasing nonetheless.

How can the national debt be decreasing if in 2008 it was 11 trillion dollars and now it is 8 trillion more?  If you mean the "rate" of increase is "decreasing", yes - slowly but surely - but we still spend more each year at the federal level than what the gov't takes in requiring more "borrowing"!

suydam

Excuse me, I meant the deficit, not the national debt, which is increasing but more slowly than it was. My bad!
Here's an article that explains it well.
http://theweek.com/articles/453634/why-dont-americans-realize-deficit-falling

Mr_Shiftright

If GDP increases each year, debt is not necessarily bad. It depends what you do with the money.

stickguy

If government has money, they spend it all. Give them more, they spend that too.

You live in CA. Should certainly know how that works!

abacomike

stickguy said:

If government has money, they spend it all. Give them more, they spend that too. You live in CA. Should certainly know how that works!

Ditto X 2!

stever

Kind of ironic to have government spending complaints on The Internet.

Mr_Shiftright

It depends how they spend it. They can borrow all they want as long as the GDP keeps going up and as long as the money spent has very tangible benefits to the citizens. The only other ways to reduce debt are raising taxes (politically unpopular) printing more money (leads to inflation) or spending less (hasn't happened yet, and in reality no thriving business operates this way). As long as they keep paying in the interest on the debt, and as long as GDP keeps going up every year (which it normally does, and has been), then continuing to spend money you don't have is OK, because the % of debt to GDP remains the same or close.

Given the 2008 recession, there was no chance of spending less or raising taxes--out of the question. And cutting taxes has never shown to have a correlation to rises in GDP.

abacomike

Mr_Shiftright said:

It depends how they spend it. They can borrow all they want as long as the GDP keeps going up and as long as the money spent has very tangible benefits to the citizens. The only other ways to reduce debt are raising taxes (politically unpopular) printing more money (leads to inflation) or spending less (hasn't happened yet, and in reality no thriving business operates this way). As long as they keep paying in the interest on the debt, and as long as GDP keeps going up every year (which it normally does, and has been), then continuing to spend money you don't have is OK, because the % of debt to GDP remains the same or close. Given the 2008 recession, there was no chance of spending less or raising taxes--out of the question. And cutting taxes has never shown to have a correlation to rises in GDP.

And when interest rates hit 3, 4 or 5% or more, what happens then?  Interest on the debt will triple or quadruple or quintuple!  

There has to be bi-partisan support for "reducing" the national debt because in the very near future, interest rates will force the diversion of money from social and military programs to paying interest on the debt.

But if we can raise billions of dollars on a $10 per barrel tax on imported/exported oil and those billions go directly to reduce the national debt instead of spending it on new programs, in 5-10 years, we will have made a dent on our national debt.

graphicguy

abacomike said:

stickguy said:

I paid $1.80 last week for PUG at the 76 station. RUG below $1.50 now.

President just announced he is pushing for a $10.00 per barrel tax on all oil companies for each barrel imported or exported to/from United States.  He stated it would enable the government to repair roads, improve mass transportation and broaden research and development into alternative energy.  But not one word about reducing the national debt which is now over 19 trillion dollars.

I would not mind at all paying $1.00 a gallon more for gas if it was being used to reduce our 19 trillion dollar national debt.  It seems there is never a plan or program to directly reduce debt.  But taxes go up so the government has more money to spend even though the debt increases continually.  Amazing!
That will reduce the need for us to import any foreign oil, and keep what we have, here in the U.S. to keep from paying that tax. I'm OK with that.

Best way (as always) to address any defricit is to get the economy humming. More taxes rarely (if ever) solve anything.

If any particular municipality has an issue with their local infrastrcture, then tax the citizens of that locality, not everyone else.

I hammered my local representatives about gas/oil prices before. If they plan on voting in support of higher gas taxes, I'll hammer them again.

imidazol97

To paraphrase some of what I'm reading in terms of a family's deficit and debt:

Since debt is being discussed, what I hear is that it's okay for the couple who makes $50,000
per year and owes $200,000 (debt)to keep buying more things each year. They are spending
$70,000 per year but that's okay because in previous years they spent $90,000 and $80,000
so they're reduced their rate of overspending (deficit) lower than it was. They also have
had the lenders reduce the interest on their $200,000 debt (quantitative easing has kept
the interest paid to 0% for savers, many older people, for last 7+ years) or their $70,000
would be higher.

And when the interest rates have to go up and their $70,000 spent each year rises to
$80,000, that's okay because they may have a $700 raise and their income will be
higher relative to their debt (debt to GDP ratio?).

Mr_Shiftright

But taxes on the individual in the U.S. are very modest compared most other advanced industrialized nations. And it gets even more modest when you consider how many nations also heap on a VAT, which we don't have.

qbrozen

Are you sure about that, Shifty? I don't have a clue about these things, but I pay a crapload of taxes, if you take them ALL into consideration (federal income + state income + property + sales).

stickguy

First rule of living in jersey. Never add up all your taxes. Too depressing.

qbrozen

stick, would you believe I just signed on to get solar in the new house, too. Between both houses, I will now be producing in excess of 27,000 Kwh/yr. And I'm purchasing this system, too (talking about debt!). Maybe I should just be a solar farmer.

nyccarguy

Speaking of taxes, I just paid the Personal Property Tax on my Legacy to the City of Stamford. $475. My best friend has 2 2015 Tahoes (his & hers). His tax bill bill was over $900 each payable to the town he lives in.

Mr_Shiftright

qbrozen said:

Are you sure about that, Shifty? I don't have a clue about these things, but I pay a crapload of taxes, if you take them ALL into consideration (federal income + state income + property + sales).

My research was for individual income taxes at $100,000 or less.

I think comparing every kind of tax among various countries would be pretty complex. I just picked the one category that seems to matter most to us little guys. But of course, nobody likes to pay tax, no matter what it is.

It is irksome though that I have to drive on roads more suitable to Pakistan whilst people in Sicily (hardly an El Dorado of affluence) glide along on beautiful highways.

I guess size matters, huh?

stickguy

I would do solar but hope to not be in this house too much longer so has to wait for next one!