Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

stever

We're in a week of 70 plus temps and I've been in shorts and a t-shirt all day. This means that any day now the furnace will get shut off and the AC turned on. Seems like there's little in-between. I'm almost tempted to wash the van....

abacomike

snakeweasel said:

Tonight, we are supposed to dip into the high 30's out here in the western Broward suburbs.  I am just 10 miles east of the beginning of the Everglades.  The ocean warms the eastern sections of the metro area where temps will be in the 40's.  We don't have the advantage of that warming out here.

Can you send some of that warm "high 30's" my way? We could use the warm weather.

You're welcome to it.  I haven't worn shorts or a short sleeve shirt in quite awhile.  The forecast is for gradual warming into the 70's by the weekend.  At least no rain in the forecast.

roadburner

qbrozen said:

I'm glad to know I'm not an old far yet. I wanted to put those Shelby stripes on my Stang, although in flat black. Of course, I didn't own it long enough to get around to it.

Ever since I was in my teens I've had people tell me that when I got older I would get tired of small sporty car and want to drive a luxo-marshmallow. While most of my friends have "settled down" with terribly unexciting sleds, at 59 I'm still driving smaller cars that are entertaining and involving.
Speaking of stripes, my son suggested I get my 2er striped like the M2 Moto GP Safety Car:



Honestly, I think it's a bit much-although my wife actually liked it! Still, I think I will definiely add some BMW Motorsport style graphics sooner than later...

roadburner

You can run most summer tires at low temperatures, just be aware that overall performance is compromised. I enjoy driving my Club Sport in cold weather, the Dunlop summer tires slip enough to allow me to drift it- even with only 150 hp!

abacomike

roadburner said:

You can run most summer tires at low temperatures, just be aware that overall performance is compromised. I enjoy driving my Club Sport in cold weather, the Dunlop summer tires slip enough to allow me to drift it- even with only 150 hp!

I am only a couple of blocks from the Florida Turnpike which is what I use to drive up to the mall in Boca Raton.  I usually leave about 9:30 AM which should be OK to run it up to 70 mph.  The tires will warm up quickly as do the temps (62 degree high tomorrow).

roadburner

abacomike said:

I am only a couple of blocks from the Florida Turnpike which is what I use to drive up to the mall in Boca Raton.  I usually leave about 9:30 AM which should be OK to run it up to 70 mph.  The tires will warm up quickly as do the temps (62 degree high tomorrow).

I wouldn't sweat it; just be aware that your tire grip will be less than optimum.

abacomike

roadburner said:

I am only a couple of blocks from the Florida Turnpike which is what I use to drive up to the mall in Boca Raton.  I usually leave about 9:30 AM which should be OK to run it up to 70 mph.  The tires will warm up quickly as do the temps (62 degree high tomorrow).

I wouldn't sweat it; just be aware that your tire grip will be less than optimum.

Good advice, thanks RB! 

imidazol97

stever said:

We're in a week of 70 plus temps and I've been in shorts and a t-shirt all day. This means that any day now the furnace will get shut off and the AC turned on. Seems like there's little in-between. I'm almost tempted to wash the van....

Do you still have the nice blue chair that used to show up occasionally in your pictures?

abacomike

It seems that whenever I watch TV, a commercial for that green reptilian insurance company comes on.  The one where the mother calls the son on his cell phone in the middle of a life-and-death struggle for his life to tell him there are squirrels in the attic makes me want to buy a shotgun and shoot the little green reptile right between his eyes.  How many times do they have to run that ad?  I guess enough to raise my ire about a look-alike salamander, or whatever that thing is. 

Mr_Shiftright

iluvmysephia1 said:

Buick Grand Sofa (SUV)

shifty - I see nothing at all odd about that name!

stever - my 2011 Kia Soul is a base model according to Viva Kia of El Paso, where I bought it. Though I notice it says "Sport" by the turning indicator lights on the front quarter panels. So I refer to it as a base but it could be a Sport model.

Yes, Grand Sofa = GS...you remember that Buick don't you? I bet you though it meant Grand Sport.

stever

imidazol97 said:

Do you still have the nice blue chair that used to show up occasionally in your pictures?

Nope, wore it out. Found this snap of the one I had in Boise. The home office is overdue in sending out some summer swag.



Here's todays PSA about taking pics of car wrecks on your phone from the Consumerist. Please call 911 first.

Mr_Shiftright

Somebody stole mine in Santa Cruz (figures).

driver100

"abacomike

I didn't order these tires and wheels - they were on the car from the factory.  Remember, we haven't had persistent cold temps in the winter for many years down here.  Our average night-time winter temps are in the low to mid 60's - daytime in the low to mid 70's.

Tonight, we are supposed to dip into the high 30's out here in the western Broward suburbs.  I am just 10 miles east of the beginning of the Everglades.  The ocean warms the eastern sections of the metro area where temps will be in the 40's.  We don't have the advantage of that warming out here.

Average is made up of the extremes. Every year we come to Florida there has been freezing weather at some point....even the oranges on the trees often freeze. Temps in the 30s are rare, but they do seem to happen almost every year. I think it would be a good idea if the dealer mentioned that your tires should be used with care when temps are around 32. Fortunately you don't have a doctor appointment scheduled for tomorrow....and you don't have to be at work. What if someone had to be somewhere, the temp goes to freezing, and they have those tires on their car? You would think they would warn drivers just to avoid law suits....if they put warnings on ladders they should do it for tires.

A lot of people who buy that model wouldn't be aware of that feature of those tires, and they may have to drive north for some reason. It would be good if everyone driving on those tires knew about that particular issue.

PF_Flyer

There's a swaggy corner in my kitchen

Guess I need to silkscreen a logo on the mixer!

Mr_Shiftright

Hey I didn't get the Edmunds Mixer

driver100

PF_Flyer said:

There's a swaggy corner in my kitchen

Guess I need to silkscreen a logo on the mixer!

A whole home furnished by Edmunds!

abacomike

@driver100:

You make a good point, driver.  But, regarding your winter climate, Tampa has a different winter climate than the far southeast coast.  We rarely have temps below the mid fifties at night whereby central Florida has a more temperate climate.  Where my brother lives, they are in the 30's at night frequently.

I remember driving up to my brother's place in northeastern Florida a few Thanksgivings ago with my Dad.  We were so cold we had to leave a day early because we were actually shivering.

The last 5-8 years, we've had very warm winters - several of them we were running A/C 5 out of 7 days.  Hardly ever wore long pants or sweatshirts.  This winter, I have worn long pants and sweatshirts almost every day.  At least I haven't had to take out my leather winter coat / but tomorrow morning might be the day!  To be continued... 

PF_Flyer

Mr_Shiftright said:

Hey I didn't get the Edmunds Mixer

I'm waiting for the Edmunds Ginzu knives

Mr_Shiftright

Wait....There's More!

berri

Does Miami have that concrete made with shell particles in it like central FL? That may impact your tires more over time than some cooler weather driving.

abacomike

berri said:

Does Miami have that concrete made with shell particles in it like central FL? That may impact your tires more over time than some cooler weather driving.

Most of the highway roads are now asphalt.  But many local streets and boulevards are concrete - not so many shells as coral reef bits.  The outer banks of islets connected by Rte. A1A which runs adjacent to the coastline are all former coral reefs.  So you find a lot of coral mixed in the concrete pours down here.

snakeweasel

abacomike said:

It seems that whenever I watch TV, a commercial for that green reptilian insurance company comes on.  The one where the mother calls the son on his cell phone in the middle of a life-and-death struggle for his life to tell him there are squirrels in the attic makes me want to buy a shotgun and shoot the little green reptile right between his eyes.  How many times do they have to run that ad?  I guess enough to raise my ire about a look-alike salamander, or whatever that thing is. 

Remember shooting that little green mutant (he does talk and walk on two legs) of a reptile will only give you momentary pleasure and is bound to get you talked about.

What bothers me on TV is Lay's promotion cannibalism in their commercials.

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

PF_Flyer said:

There's a swaggy corner in my kitchen

Guess I need to silkscreen a logo on the mixer!

A whole home furnished by Edmunds!

Now we know where our dues money goes.

snakeweasel

PF_Flyer said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

Hey I didn't get the Edmunds Mixer

I'm waiting for the Edmunds Ginzu knives

I'm waiting for the Edmunds do-it-yourself dental surgery kit.

abacomike

snakeweasel said:

It seems that whenever I watch TV, a commercial for that green reptilian insurance company comes on.  The one where the mother calls the son on his cell phone in the middle of a life-and-death struggle for his life to tell him there are squirrels in the attic makes me want to buy a shotgun and shoot the little green reptile right between his eyes.  How many times do they have to run that ad?  I guess enough to raise my ire about a look-alike salamander, or whatever that thing is. 

Remember shooting that little green mutant (he does talk and walk on two legs) of a reptile will only give you momentary pleasure and is bound to get you talked about. What bothers me on TV is Lay's promotion cannibalism in their commercials.

With my luck, if I shot that "mutant" talking reptile, I'd be arrested for killing an endangered species.  Come to think of it, since we know of only one of ghose critters among us, he probably is endangered.  Oh well, maybe I'll take my frustration out on a gator!  Oops, I think they're endangered as well.  I guess all that's left is to go on a PYTHON HUNT!  The State of Florida now sanctions Python hunts twice a year in the Everglades because these critters are playing havoc with the animal ecosystems in the Everglades.  They have no natural enemies here.

People import these cute constrictors as pets from South America when they are "toddlers"!  Once they grow to 10-15 foot long and start eating pet dogs and cats, the owners drive out to the Glades and abandon them.  They kill medium size critters and are reproducing like rabbits.  It's not nice to play with Mother Nature! 

verdugo

snakeweasel said:

graphicguy said:

AB...never heard of "parking Armor". Looks like it hooks into your trunk. I can't see it protecting much more than maybe some paint chips. Somebody does a wee bit more than a tap, and you've got bumper damage that the little piece of plastic isn't going to help.

I have to agree, when I saw it my thoughts were that it would protect it against scraps and scuffs but not against anything with enough force to dent or push in a bumper. I really don't see it as anything but a novelty.

Yes, but that's what it's designed for. Have you seen cars that regularly park on the street in NYC? Yikes. I bet 99% of the damage is caused by people who park by braille.

Michaell

snakeweasel said:

Hey I didn't get the Edmunds Mixer

I'm waiting for the Edmunds Ginzu knives

I'm waiting for the Edmunds do-it-yourself dental surgery kit.

All that comes in the kit is a piece of twine. 

bwia

I am thinking of helping out my cousin's son who dropped out of college and going nowhere fast. 

Here is the plan. Since Uber is widely accepted in the Boston area I was thinking of buying him a Camry so he could eek out a living. He is very excited about the idea but he believes a 7-passenger van has more potential as there are fewer of them in the Uber pool.

Other than the risk of putting a brand new vehicle in the hands of a once pot smoking 25 year -- Any thoughts? 

abacomike

bwia said:

I am thinking of helping out my cousin's son who dropped out of college and going nowhere fast. 

Here is the plan. Since Uber is widely accepted in the Boston area I was thinking of buying him a Camry so he could eek out a living. He is very excited about the idea but he believes a 7-passenger van has more potential as there are fewer of them in the Uber pool.

Other than the risk of putting a brand new vehicle in the hands of a once pot smoking 25 year -- Any thoughts? 

A truly wonderful move on your part - but a couple of thoughts:

I am assuming his parents are either incapable of helping him or unwilling - yes or no?

If you do this, can you maintain ownership of the new van and hire your cousin's son to drive the van in case something goes amok?  Thus, you maintain control of your investment.  Who is going to pay the insurance, fees, etc.

On the other hand, if you just buy the van and require him to pay the insurance, fees, but also require him to pay you monthly until the van is paid off, it forces him to become more responsible.

No matter what you do, it is truly a magnanimous move on your part.  Would I do this for a cousin's son?  Probably not considering the kid's history, but you are obviously close with your cousin.

suydam

I've never been in an Uber van. Most are cars about the size of the Camry. Generally it's small groups of 2 or maybe 3 who ride share, isn't it?

PF_Flyer

Michaell said:

snakeweasel said:

PF_Flyer said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

Hey I didn't get the Edmunds Mixer

I'm waiting for the Edmunds Ginzu knives

I'm waiting for the Edmunds do-it-yourself dental surgery kit.

All that comes in the kit is a piece of twine. 

Heh... my dentist has OK'd my emergency DIY dentistry if I chip a tooth, lose a filling., or a crown pops off. You gotta be careful with power tools though

snakeweasel

bwia said:

I am thinking of helping out my cousin's son who dropped out of college and going nowhere fast. 

Here is the plan. Since Uber is widely accepted in the Boston area I was thinking of buying him a Camry so he could eek out a living. He is very excited about the idea but he believes a 7-passenger van has more potential as there are fewer of them in the Uber pool.

Other than the risk of putting a brand new vehicle in the hands of a once pot smoking 25 year -- Any thoughts? 

Talk about timing, I checked Edmunds saw this post then left to another site and saw this link.

http://www.laweekly.com/news/confessions-of-an-uber-driver-5173883

driver100

bwia said:

I am thinking of helping out my cousin's son who dropped out of college and going nowhere fast. 

Here is the plan. Since Uber is widely accepted in the Boston area I was thinking of buying him a Camry so he could eek out a living. He is very excited about the idea but he believes a 7-passenger van has more potential as there are fewer of them in the Uber pool.

Other than the risk of putting a brand new vehicle in the hands of a once pot smoking 25 year -- Any thoughts? 

The chances of it working are almost zero. Since selling our business to the SIL I have read a lot of books and exchanged various experiences with people who try to help family members. Save yourself a lot of grief....if he has no skin in the game it has a 2% chance of working.

Since he was a pot head he will probably go back to that once he finds out what working is really like....people usually don't change that much because you give them an opportunity. You almost have to do it, if you do it, as a gift, expect it will be a total loss....if it does work, that would be a pleasant surprise.

I am not so sure being an Uber driver is a good career move and I think he wants a 7 passenger van for some reason.......I don't think it has much advantage over a sedan. Personally, if I am a passenger I prefer a car much more to a van. He probably wants the van to carry his buddies to the next pot party.

I believe someone has to prove themselves before you give them a huge gift like that to start them on a new career. Like maybe he should drive a taxi for awhile, or deliver pizzas in a used car he can pay off. Or get a job and show he can save some money and help pay for a car first.

Basically, you would be buying him a job when there is NO track record he can even hold a job.

Interesting scenario though. In the last days I found out some tires shouldn't be driven in temps under 40, and now we covered how to get a pot head back into the workforce.

driver100

snakeweasel said:

bwia said:

I am thinking of helping out my cousin's son who dropped out of college and going nowhere fast. 

Here is the plan. Since Uber is widely accepted in the Boston area I was thinking of buying him a Camry so he could eek out a living. He is very excited about the idea but he believes a 7-passenger van has more potential as there are fewer of them in the Uber pool.

Other than the risk of putting a brand new vehicle in the hands of a once pot smoking 25 year -- Any thoughts? 

Talk about timing, I checked Edmunds saw this post then left to another site and saw this link.

http://www.laweekly.com/news/confessions-of-an-uber-driver-5173883

Fantastic article! If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

imidazol97

Sounds like Elvis shooting his TV. LOL

As for how frequently some ads get run, there are some ads for catheters that ran during our hour-long Judge Judy episodes. 5 pm to 6 pm. Drove my wife crazy.

Then there were the Depends type product commercials for a while. They were worse. She called the station to complain.

nyccarguy

@bwia - if you believe in your cousin's kid and are willing to completely part with the money.  Instead of a Camry, I'd suggest something bigger.  Maybe a used or CPO Lexus LS, highlander, or AWD Sienna.

I have a customer who went out and bought a GMC Yukon XL.  He got his TLC license here in NYC & started driving for Über.  He started picking up a guy who travels from NY to Boston on business a few times a month.  This guy doesn't like traveling by plane or train.  He gets more work done in the car.  This guy is now his private client.  Now my customer doesn't have to pay Über their 25% commission fee.  When he's not driving this private customer, he drives for Über when he wants.  

bwia

snakeweasel said:

bwia said:

I am thinking of helping out my cousin's son who dropped out of college and going nowhere fast. 

Here is the plan. Since Uber is widely accepted in the Boston area I was thinking of buying him a Camry so he could eek out a living. He is very excited about the idea but he believes a 7-passenger van has more potential as there are fewer of them in the Uber pool.

Other than the risk of putting a brand new vehicle in the hands of a once pot smoking 25 year -- Any thoughts? 

@snakeweasel; Talk about timing, I checked Edmunds saw this post then left to another site and saw this link.

http://www.laweekly.com/news/confessions-of-an-uber-driver-5173883

Interesting story however, it was written almost two years ago. I wonder if all of this still true.

*Mike and *Driver thanks for your thoughtful comments. As to my cousin's son, he is not a "bad" kid at all. The idea came to me when he gave us a ride to the airport in his mother's car. He moved around the airport so effortlessly so I asked how was he so familiar with Logan airport.

He said he works at a car dealership cleaning and moving cars around and frequently he is asked to take customers to the airport. At that point a light bulb went on in my head. I thought I would buy him a vehicle, in his own name, and he would be responsible for insurance, gas and maintenance. The gesture is not entirely altruistic as in exchange I would expect a percentage of the fares collected with Rate and details to be worked out later.

That's the plan anyway, the economics of the deal is not important so long as I don't any continuing liability issues.

sda

abacomike said:

bwia said:

I am thinking of helping out my cousin's son who dropped out of college and going nowhere fast. 

Here is the plan. Since Uber is widely accepted in the Boston area I was thinking of buying him a Camry so he could eek out a living. He is very excited about the idea but he believes a 7-passenger van has more potential as there are fewer of them in the Uber pool.

Other than the risk of putting a brand new vehicle in the hands of a once pot smoking 25 year -- Any thoughts? 

A truly wonderful move on your part - but a couple of thoughts:

I am assuming his parents are either incapable of helping him or unwilling - yes or no?

If you do this, can you maintain ownership of the new van and hire your cousin's son to drive the van in case something goes amok?  Thus, you maintain control of your investment.  Who is going to pay the insurance, fees, etc.

On the other hand, if you just buy the van and require him to pay the insurance, fees, but also require him to pay you monthly until the van is paid off, it forces him to become more responsible.

No matter what you do,the kid's history, but you are obviously close with your cousin.



bwia-- It is truly a magnanimous move on your part. Absolutely! One concern is if you maintain ownership, then is there a question of liability in case of accident, injury, etc?

imidazol97

bwia said:

I am thinking of helping out my cousin's son who dropped out of college and going nowhere fast. 

Here is the plan. Since Uber is widely accepted in the Boston area I was thinking of buying him a Camry so he could eek out a living. He is very excited about the idea but he believes a 7-passenger van has more potential as there are fewer of them in the Uber pool.

Other than the risk of putting a brand new vehicle in the hands of a once pot smoking 25 year -- Any thoughts? 

I would put the van into an LLC or trust of some kind if you don't want to gift it to him. I would not want to be responsible for accident or injury caused by or in that van.

bwia

nyccarguy said:

@bwia - if you believe in your cousin's kid and are willing to completely part with the money.  Instead of a Camry, I'd suggest something bigger.  Maybe a used or CPO Lexus LS, highlander, or AWD Sienna.

I have a customer who went out and bought a GMC Yukon XL.  He got his TLC license here in NYC & started driving for Über.  He started picking up a guy who travels from NY to Boston on business a few times a month.  This guy doesn't like traveling by plane or train.  He gets more work done in the car.  This guy is now his private client.  Now my customer doesn't have to pay Über their 25% commission fee.  When he's not driving this private customer, he drives for Über when he wants.  

Wow! thanks for sharing. I thought about buying used but in this business you cannot afford to breakdown and leave passengers stranded.

bwia

suydam said:

I've never been in an Uber van. Most are cars about the size of the Camry. Generally it's small groups of 2 or maybe 3 who ride share, isn't it?

*suydam, thanks for that perspective but going bigger is a sub-niche segment of the market that he suggests is untapped.

stever

My first thought was that the kid wanted the 7 passenger rig so he could concentrate on airport runs. I know I've requested vans for cabs before - don't know if that's an option for calling up an Uber.

houdini1

suydam said:

I've never been in an Uber van. Most are cars about the size of the Camry. Generally it's small groups of 2 or maybe 3 who ride share, isn't it?

Could be the reason there are few vans in the uber fleet. Get him a small used car. Maybe a Prius. Roomy and economical. I wouldn't worry about the pot, most kids go thru that stage.

stever

Good suggestion - Prii make great taxis. A V would be bigger if that's an issue but there's lots of C taxi's out in LA.

PF_Flyer

stever said:

Good suggestion - Prii make great taxis. A V would be bigger if that's an issue but there's lots of C taxi's out in LA.

And from what I understand, a passenger riding shotgun in one of those can move the passenger seat back to avoid looking like a pretzel

driver100

bwia said:

snakeweasel said:

bwia said:

I am thinking of helping out my cousin's son who dropped out of college and going nowhere fast. 

Here is the plan. Since Uber is widely accepted in the Boston area I was thinking of buying him a Camry so he could eek out a living. He is very excited about the idea but he believes a 7-passenger van has more potential as there are fewer of them in the Uber pool.

Other than the risk of putting a brand new vehicle in the hands of a once pot smoking 25 year -- Any thoughts? 

@snakeweasel; Talk about timing, I checked Edmunds saw this post then left to another site and saw this link.

http://www.laweekly.com/news/confessions-of-an-uber-driver-5173883

Interesting story however, it was written almost two years ago. I wonder if all of this still true.

*Mike and *Driver thanks for your thoughtful comments. As to my cousin's son, he is not a "bad" kid at all. The idea came to me when he gave us a ride to the airport in his mother's car. He moved around the airport so effortlessly so I asked how was he so familiar with Logan airport.

He said he works at a car dealership cleaning and moving cars around and frequently he is asked to take customers to the airport. At that point a light bulb went on in my head. I thought I would buy him a vehicle, in his own name, and he would be responsible for insurance, gas and maintenance. The gesture is not entirely altruistic as in exchange I would expect a percentage of the fares collected with Rate and details to be worked out later.

That's the plan anyway, the economics of the deal is not important so long as I don't any continuing liability issues.

I would say avoid dealing with relatives where money is involved........if something doesn't go right it will cause bad feelings and it will implode. One rule of business is try not to have a partner unless it is absolutely necessary - the reason is partnerships almost never work. One of the partners always thinks he is doing more and they will probably have different ways of doing things.

This plan has that same element plus you can't do much because you don't want to upset relatives. If something does go wrong the riff it causes in the family is worse than the benefit this plan would have. It is a very generous offer and may work, but, if it doesn't it could be a nightmare.

iluvmysephia1

Heh... my dentist has OK'd my emergency DIY dentistry if I chip a tooth, lose a filling., or a crown pops off. You gotta be careful with power tools though

PF Flyer - what d'ya use ta glue crowns back on?

oldfarmer50

abacomike said:

It seems that whenever I watch TV, a commercial for that green reptilian insurance company comes on.  The one where the mother calls the son on his cell phone in the middle of a life-and-death struggle for his life to tell him there are squirrels in the attic makes me want to buy a shotgun and shoot the little green reptile right between his eyes.  How many times do they have to run that ad?  I guess enough to raise my ire about a look-alike salamander, or whatever that thing is. 

When the mother says "your father won't call the exterminator, he says it's personal" my wife started laughing that it sounded like me chasing squirrels away from the bird feeder.

oldfarmer50

bwia said:

I am thinking of helping out my cousin's son who dropped out of college and going nowhere fast. 

Here is the plan. Since Uber is widely accepted in the Boston area I was thinking of buying him a Camry so he could eek out a living. He is very excited about the idea but he believes a 7-passenger van has more potential as there are fewer of them in the Uber pool.

Other than the risk of putting a brand new vehicle in the hands of a once pot smoking 25 year -- Any thoughts? 

Only the risk of him selling the van to buy pot.

imidazol97

iluvmysephia1 said:

PF Flyer - what d'ya use ta glue crowns back on?

Duct tape or superglue.