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2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I'd be interested in that info too. When I built in '82 we sited the house for passive solar as the active panels back then were only about 5% efficient and the economics just didn't work.
Now panels are as much as 22% efficient and with leasing contracts are promising to pass the break even point. A lot depends on how many cloudy days and local utility costs. The sometimes dreary Northeast isn't as sure a bet as say Arizona. A solar installation has to not only produce enough power to offset the lease but also as much of your grid usage as possible. If your solar panels produce $100 of energy but your lease costs $200 you're not saving anything. You only make "profit" when you pay the lease and at least some of your normal usage.
Tread carefully.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Probably a better choice for residential use would be a vertical axis windmill. Union College in Schenectady powers the athletic field lights with them. I've stood under them and they're pretty quiet. Didn't one of you guys go there for school?
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
http://www.halifax.ca/solarcity/PilotProjectSummary.php
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
Option 2 was offered to me on different terms between Trinity Solar on the first house, and now Solar City on the new house. In the first house, I could have paid about 25% of the purchase option and utilize the electricity for free for life but not own the SRECs. With Solar City, they still wanted me to pay something like 80% of the system cost. That's just nutty. The SRECs will potentially be worth $45k and they were effectively offering me $8k up front for them. No thanks!
Option 3 is what they call a lease. It does not have a fixed payment, however. You pay for what the system produces, and the per kW charge is lower than what you are paying the power company.
I'd say Trinity was easier to deal with. Solar City is run by Elon Musk, though, so I'm secretly hoping for a break on a Tesla. Haha. Seriously, though, they have been a PITA. I originally tried to use Trinity again, but they made 3 appointments with us and never showed up. I thought the people in Lowes were from NRG. Maybe each location is different.
So, for a lease, there really is no "payback" period since you aren't paying anything out of pocket. If you are moving, though, its maybe not such a great idea for the reasons already stated. Both companies I have dealt with, however, claim they will move your system to your new house if you want, for a small fee.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
The front struts started knocking, the master cylinder started bypassing and sure enough the A/C compressor decided to self destruct which sent metal throughout the system and as a result, every component had to be replaced. Luckilly I was able to order the parts on line and a moonlighting Acura tech was able to do the work for a fraction of what the dealer or a shop would charge. Even so, this was expensive!
Funny since several years ago when I was still working I read in these forums about this so called Black Death. At the time I checked with our Service and Parts Depts and nobody know what I was talking about. I even saw a printout that showed how many A/C CRV compressors had been sold and the number was no higher than any other Honda model. Not many at all.
Still at 87,000 it runs as it did when it was new. No oil consumption or leaks etc.
I have seem MANY Hondas with over 300,000 miles that still seemed to run and drive just fine.
My record trade in was a 1989 Civic that I took in with 477,000 miles. It needed a new clutch so the owner decided to dump it.
I also had a ride to the airport recently in a Lincoln Town Car that looked and seemed to run like new. the owner/driver told me that it had nearly 500,000 miles and the only major problem had been a transmission replacement.
25 NX 450h+ / 24 Sienna Plat AWD / 23 Civic Type-R / 21 Boxster GTS 4.0 / 03 Montero Ltd
What happens with these keyless ignitions in that case? Do I get stranded??
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
'24 Chevy Blazer EV 2LT
'24 Chevy Blazer EV 2LT
Hopefully they'll get the northbound lane open on time which is three weeks at March 22/23. And maybe they'll
have both lanes open by 30th for our return trip.
I had checked on Wednesday for traffic flow in that area on google maps and didn't see any change.
Must have opened southbound later Wednesday after I checked the map.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
All for a pool he probably uses 10 times a year.....I would have bought him a membership at the local recreation center so he could swim in the pool there.
At the time he sent his wife over with a check in an envelope so we could clean our windows. I didn't even open the envelope, I just gave it back and said no thanks. Probably $100 to ease their conscience and then they can tell the neighbors they tried to make it up to us.
My wife will say hi to them if we happen to cross them on the street....but, I don't even want to do that. I have learned that if people have absolutely no respect for others, no consideration, they just aren't worth my time. btw, when they went away on vacations we went in and checked their house, brought in the mail, even emailed them a report. Now they are on their own, and now they are pretty well blocked out of view.
I know I should say hello to him or her at least if I see them, but, I can't be phony about it.....too much energy for people I really don't care about. At least all my other neighbors are really nice.....wish one would organize some pickleball though. Maybe I will and won't invite this guy.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
That thought crossed my mind too.
Also, Donald Trump wants to bring back water torture but maybe windmill torture could be legal. :@
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
They gave everyone incentives in my area to get smart meters. I told them I didn;t want their smart meter, even though it was supposed to save all kinds of money and they would throw in a free thermostat. It turns out the people with smart meters are paying more than ever and their electricity can be cut back when the government wants to cut back.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I know I've heard remarks in that grain. Something to the effect of extremely overly excusing remarks like "With my Tahoe, I still think GM makes good engines, they just skimped on the quality of other things." Big GM Fan and believer, but their next vehicle was a Tundra. They still own it.
Answer: Rand Paul's Flat Tax. Not that I'm advocating for or against it, but it certainly would simplify things.
Someone help me here. There must be some redeeming qualities.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Not for me, anyway!
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
The next morning I went to take a shower and it was like I was standing in a warm fog. You would get wet but god help you trying to rinse off the soap lather. No adjustment would give you enough water. I didn't know anything about changing shower heads but I figured it couldn't be too hard so that night I went to the nearest place that sold them and bought the cheapest one they had, all plastic, about $5. When I got home I took it out of the package and could see there was a disc inside with a small hole that let water into the sprayer part. I got the one the building installed off and tried mine, which worked pretty much the same way since it too was a water-saver, all you could buy.
I took mine off, got out my cordless drill, and opened up the restrictor hole to maybe 3/16" or 1/4". When reinstalled, it worked better than any shower head I have ever had! It would almost hurt if you got too close to the spray. When I moved a few years later I should have taken it with me. That pretty much convinced me that things that are supposed to be better for the environment usually are worse for the user.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
(and that pop culture reference even relates to cars because Kramer and Jerry got "black market" replacements on the street from a friend of Newman's selling them out of the trunk of their car.
Sums up my general opinion too. Throw in Chinese manufactured parts and it only gets worse!
It is possible that those old meters were robbing me of money due to their inefficiency?
When Dad was alive, he insisted that the AC be set at 78 degrees. Now I have it set at 76 degrees. Dad did not use much electricity because he was blind and never turned on lights or the TV. He sat with me in my bedroom and listened to the TV with me.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
EDIT: I see Stever beat me to it. Great minds think alike.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Remember when there was enamel paint on cars? It dried smooth as glass and lasted more-or-less forever. Now we drive around in cars that look like they were painted with a roller, and they flake and/or fade and/or chalk on a regular basis.
But. . .they're "green."
Oh boy.
And how long have they owned the Tundra?
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
You mean you had to do repairs on your 2003, not 2013, right?
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I have run flats on the ATS. Won't have to worry about replacements for a while, but I think I'd get conventional tires and some fix-a-flat.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
The only advantage I can think of is if you get a flat on a bridge or on a super highway and you have to change a tire....may even be snowing or raining, that can be a real pain and a RFT would be nice to have in that situation.
I'd have to want the car really badly to buy a car with RFTs, I think they are more of an advantage to the manufacturer than the customer. I wonder how many people don't buy a car because of RFTs.....I was told by both a Mercedes and Audi salesmen they hear that a lot.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
If you do get normal tires where will you put the spare....there probably isn't a place to put it.? They probably use them in the ATS to gain some usable trunk room. And that, is probably where they do make some sense, where trunk space is limited.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Original selling dealer offered 7500, but CarMax offered 8000.
Got the CarMax quote first.
Taking it to CarMax tomorrow to sell it.
Sat in a few cars on their lot while waiting for the appraisal.
They had a base ATS 2.5, very disappointing.
Cheap console trim and as near as I could figure, a 4 way power driver seat.
Back adjustment was power but very notchy.
I guessing a higher trim has a better interior.
Run flats offer a very harsh ride. It's stiff enough driving on summer performance tires - but can you imagine run flats on my car? I am very happy without run flats.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S