Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

abacomike

@thebean:

Hey, bean, it was a typo - not the end of the world.  Unfortunately, no one else caught it but me.  My post was a "spoof"!  Of course he meant 1911 - what else could it possibly be but a typo.

Besides, I'm sure you were cold sober - but it's getting toward cocktail hour so you need to catch up! 

abacomike

We are under a "severe lightning" warning, high wind and nickel sized hail warning, and now they just added a street surface flood warning.

It's been lightning and thundering since 2:00 PM along with hail and 3" of rain so far.  And this is still supposed to be our dry season.  This is supposed to last quote a long time.  

oldfarmer50

andres3 said:

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

stickguy said:

Mike, I would have lost it at Walmart over that. First politely tell the woman that no, I was waiting, she can take my small (under 20!) order. If she didn't, I would have yelled at every manager type I could find.

Though I also would have probably gone to a different line before that!

I hate Walmart for that reason. Checkout is always a mess. But dang, they have really cheap insulin!

Couldn't you just throw dollar bills at them at around 115% of what you think it might cost to cover margin of error, and walk out with your items?

You could have done that but the legal term for that is theft.

If you leave legal tender on the register worth an equal amount to what you take; how is that theft? If it is a retail store it is a fair assumption the items on the shelves are for sale at the marked prices. You couldn't do this for just anything, but at a store intended to sell items, it seems fair enough.

If any of you want to leave a suitcase filled with 100,000 dollars, my S4 that isn't for sale, well, your welcome to "steal" it at that amount.

A few issues with it, first how does the store know what you took and if you placed enough money on the counter to pay for it?

Secondly legally a sale isn't made until the conditions of a contract are fulfilled such as offer and acceptance. If the store didn't accept your money there is no acceptance on the part of the store and therefor they haven't consented to you taking the merchandise out of the store.

Thirdly there is no way the store could confirm that the items taken were saleable, was the items merchandise for sale or were the store fixtures that you just took.

Fourthly is the legality of the sale, many store sell things that are legally controlled, either by age or by time of sale (i.e. liquor, one of our favorite subjects, can only be purchased at certain times by individuals over a certain age). How does the store know that your not a 20 year old with a bottle of scotch in that bag of stuff you just walked out with.

Finally legal tender prior to services being performed can be whatever the store want's it to be. If they want you to pay for that box of fruit loops with 50 used Band-Aids they can.

Simply put you can't just walk out with something while throwing money at an employee.

Now that I think about it if you do actually throw money at an employee that could be considered assault and/or battery.

So what your saying is my business proposition for an checkout worker-less retail or grocery store will have many legal hurdles if I implement the "honor system" for checking out your own items and paying for them.

Forgetting that some my take advantage of an "honor system" at the checkout stand, if a store has no employees to verify age, are they still under the legal hook for selling alcohol? After all, couldn't the honor system apply to both the dollar amount, and the legal age to buy something (if your 20, you dishonor yourself by buying liquor). I suppose some overzealous gov't bureaucrat or prosecutor would like to hold the store liable. I think the ATF has made it clear you can't sell to minors, and it's the stores responsibility to ensure that, rather than personal accountability, but that doesn't mean the US is doing it right.

Many stores are implementing a system where one checkout employee oversees 4-6 automated checkout lanes. I'd like to take it a step further.

Heck, I know in my old college town they were going to try and pass a law and hold party thrower's home residents responsible for underage drinking. Effectively saying you'd have to card people attending the party despite the fact it is private property and a private party. I remember when I heard of this proposed law it sounded completely UN-American and unconstitutional to me. Just punish the underage drinkers; why hold the homeowners/residents responsible? Lastly, just make the legal drinking age 18 already and avoid all of the wasted law enforcement energy; it's either that, or prohibition.

That's the current rage to make others responsible for your bad actions. Funny how it's always the fault of deep pockets.

driver100

abacomike said:

@thebean:

Hey, bean, it was a typo - not the end of the world.  Unfortunately, no one else caught it but me.  My post was a "spoof"!  Of course he meant 1911 - what else could it possibly be but a typo.

Besides, I'm sure you were cold sober - but it's getting toward cocktail hour so you need to catch up! 

It's a senior's moment and it happens a lot lately.

driver100

abacomike said:

We are under a "severe lightning" warning, high wind and nickel sized hail warning, and now they just added a street surface flood warning.

It's been lightning and thundering since 2:00 PM along with hail and 3" of rain so far.  And this is still supposed to be our dry season.  This is supposed to last quote a long time.  

Yeh, here in Tampa Bay area too. We were supposed to have 40% chance of light showers, but it is supposed to rain until about 9 pm. We had some of the loudest thunder I have ever heard in my life.......the whole house shook. I love Florida but this rain isn't one of the reasons.

abacomike

I just had to turn my lights on it has gotten so dark.  The thunder and lightning are some of the worst I've experienced.

If you have access to the Weather Channel App, look up the radar for the Miami-Ft.Lauderdale area.

driver100

graphicguy">
I know people who buy iPhones and iPads in the U.S. and make 3x their investment by shipping them overseas via ebay. Nothing illegal about it.
Matter of fact, manufacturers want to keep that route to market and profit all to themselves.
Sounds unfair to me.

Lots of good businesses get started because of the "gray market". The big guys try to lock little guys out with their monopolies and some times the little guy can find a way around the big guys.

Selling iphones and ipads overseas for 3X as much sounds like a good business idea too!

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

stickguy said:

If circumstances require, I can cut back quick. Not to the point of giving up having a car. I would go on the lam before I did that!

if late next year the budget says cheap, I'll just call OldFarmer and see what kind of deal I can work out with him!

lol....would I buy a used car from that guy? Not likely, but there is an ad on TV with one of those guys....he always ends the ad by yelling IT'S HUUUUUUUUUUUUGE! He talks over other people like his daughter or somebody too, but he does have a huge KIA dealership. I think some people are attracted to this kind of ad. It's like at those carnivals where the carny guy insults you so you will get so mad you will play his fixed games :@

That HUGE guy sounds like Billy Fucillo who has a big multi-line string of dealerships here in NY. There's much speculation that the young woman in his ads is more than his daughter.

My BIL went to his local Nissan store a

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

stickguy said:

If circumstances require, I can cut back quick. Not to the point of giving up having a car. I would go on the lam before I did that!

if late next year the budget says cheap, I'll just call OldFarmer and see what kind of deal I can work out with him!

lol....would I buy a used car from that guy? Not likely, but there is an ad on TV with one of those guys....he always ends the ad by yelling IT'S HUUUUUUUUUUUUGE! He talks over other people like his daughter or somebody too, but he does have a huge KIA dealership. I think some people are attracted to this kind of ad. It's like at those carnivals where the carny guy insults you so you will get so mad you will play his fixed games :@

That sounds like Billy Fuccillo who owns multi-line dealerships all over NY. That young woman in his ads is supposed to be a salesperson in his local store but is roumored to be more than a daughter to him. I understand he also has dealerships in Florida.

My BIL went to his local Nissan store and left disgusted by the high pressure.

That's him but that picture must have been taken 20 years ago, he looks a lot different now. I often thought there was something going on with the young lady in the ads, how else would she put up with him talking over her all the time and generally being obnoxious.

Here are a few things I found out about Billy. He currently has a deal where if you buy a car you go on a cruise with him and his friend

Here's some general facts:
Billy Fuccillo Kia's Huge Failure Rating
Better Business Bureau Rates Fuccillo Kia Of Cape Coral Huge "F"
FORT MYERS, FL. -- You've seen Billy Fuccillo on TV and either hate the commercials or love them. Selling Kia brand automobiles at his Cape Coral dealership, he claims to be the largest Kia dealer in the world and closes every commercial with "It's Huge."

But, like his advertisements, it's not always the whole truth you get. In the car business, there's lots of tricks to sell cars and Fuccillo is a master of most of them. A little puffery here and a little misleading word there,,,it's all part of the game to get cars sold fast.

Fuccillo plays up his "huge" dealership and gifts and prizes he regularly give to buyers but unless customers check carefully they'll miss one huge red flag, the local Better Business Bureau review of Fuccillo Kia.

The West Florida Better Business Bureau has given Fuccillo Kia of Cape Coral a failing or "F" grade for at least the last year.

The BBB says the grade was a result of the "complaints filed against business, Failure to respond to 2 complaints filed against business, 4 complaints filed against business that were not resolved, and the Length of time business has taken to respond to complaint(s)."

The BBB cites 38 complaints against the Cape Coral dealer in the last three years with 14 in the last 12 months. From the total over three years, 18 complaints were about service or products, 14 for advertising and sales issues, 4 for billing and collection issues, and 2 for warranty issues.


If you read what a scam the low prices and cruise ship and cash prizes are you will find it amazing he can get away with it
READ ABOUT WHAT A SCAM BILLY IS RUNNING

Here is part of how all the scams work, I found it fascinating:
The promotions offered by Fuccillo Kia Of Cape Coral is sponsored in conjunction with American Hole'n One. American offers contest "insurance," paying off when customers actually win an expensive prize. Not that the odds of winning are great. They aren't.

To cut way down on the odds, winners of the electronic gifts, the $1,000 Target card, and the new Kia must have received "an original mail piece...addressed to you." We determined that the mailing list being used by Fuccillo and American Hole'n One has names and addresses that are at least 11 years old. The name on your mailing piece may not even have your name on it. You can't win if that's not your name.

"Submitting a mailer addressed to another person or on behalf of another person is prohibited." says the disclaimer's fine print.

The fine print goes on to say winners have to pay their own federal, state and local taxes, registration fees and insurance. A big surprise in the very unlikely event you win a $16,000 car and immediately have to figure how to pay taxes due on it.

And those prizes for just showing up? Two iPad minis are theoretically available. Odds of winning? One in a half million. The same odds for the one $1,000 Target gift card, the Nintendo game system, and the Kindle Fire, and the 2013 Kia.

But, the odds get better for smaller gift cards. One in 50,000 for the $100 card, better odds but chances are you aren't going to win even that.

So what will you really win if you show up in person? Odds are you'll get a $5 Target card. The odds are 499,986 to 500,000. Everyone wins

I recall Billy getting into some trouble up here with NY over some phony mop & glo or extended warranty deal.

He was an early adapter of Hynduai when they were having all the quality problems back in the 90s. Took all they could send him and push the cars out with a combination of high pressure and low margins. Became the highest seller of that line in the country. Now Hynduai gives him anything he wants. Can't beat his availability.

A woman at work brought her car (don't know what kind) in for an oil change and came home in a used 350Z. Might have been Billy's girl Maddie that sold her.

andres3

ab348 said:

andres3 said:

So what your saying is my business proposition for an checkout worker-less retail or grocery store will have many legal hurdles if I implement the "honor system" for checking out your own items and paying for them.

Forgetting that some my take advantage of an "honor system" at the checkout stand, if a store has no employees to verify age, are they still under the legal hook for selling alcohol? After all, couldn't the honor system apply to both the dollar amount, and the legal age to buy something (if your 20, you dishonor yourself by buying liquor). I suppose some overzealous gov't bureaucrat or prosecutor would like to hold the store liable. I think the ATF has made it clear you can't sell to minors, and it's the stores responsibility to ensure that, rather than personal accountability, but that doesn't mean the US is doing it right.

Many stores are implementing a system where one checkout employee oversees 4-6 automated checkout lanes. I'd like to take it a step further.

Heck, I know in my old college town they were going to try and pass a law and hold party thrower's home residents responsible for underage drinking. Effectively saying you'd have to card people attending the party despite the fact it is private property and a private party. I remember when I heard of this proposed law it sounded completely UN-American and unconstitutional to me. Just punish the underage drinkers; why hold the homeowners/residents responsible? Lastly, just make the legal drinking age 18 already and avoid all of the wasted law enforcement energy; it's either that, or prohibition.

There are many retailers already with checkouts that do not have cashiers working. Certainly they are common here in Canada. Grocery stores, Home Depot, Walmart all use them here. I expect self-checkouts are fairly common in the US by now?

I used to work at an alcohol retail chain and age checks cannot easily be automated. We tried. In those instances you need human involvement.

The laws likely vary from place to place but it is not unusual to hold bar owners/servers responsible for overserved patrons. The underage/homeowner situation seems to follow a similar rationale. The problem with trying to hold 14 year-olds responsible for breaking the law is that (at least in Canada) young offenders are held to a different standard under the rationale that they know not what they do. We had an infamous case locally where a pair of 15 year-old couples went to a parents house and got blitzed on vodka shots that someone provided them, then started to engage in sexual activity. Long story short, photos were taken and later circulated, which a couple of years later helped push one of the young women over the edge (she had lots of other problems too) and she committed suicide. The story, when it came out, became a cause celebre. The parents in both the case of the residence where it occurred and the girl allowed to run wild got off scot-free. My personal view is that there should have been some consequences for them as well.

Two main differences:

Businesses are making money (profit) theoretically, so they can better put up with certain regulations as it is financially compensated for the pleasure of doing business.

Home Residents/Owners, unless they are charging a cover charge or entrance fee, are not making a profit, and therefore have no compensation to comply with "regulations." Businesses SHOULD have a greater duty of care, the home owner's drinks are free!

In my college town example I'm talking 18 to 20 year olds drinking (which, without carding them you'd never know for sure they are not 21). A bit different than inviting 14 and 15 year olds to have a drink.

jmonroe

Hey Mods,

I can't respond to a post. When I click on the "quote" at the bottom of any post nothing happens.

I have rebooted my computer and I still can't get anything when I click on the "quote".

I have even signed out then signed back in and nothing changed with that either.

Don't try to tell me my dues aren't paid up, cause I know they are!

jmonroe

stever

Hm, looks like a glitch with the quote function. Maybe it's our dues that are behind.

stever

jmonroe said:

Hey Mods,

I can't respond to a post. When I click on the "quote" at the bottom of any post nothing happens.

I have rebooted my computer and I still can't get anything when I click on the "quote".

I have even signed out then signed back in and nothing changed with that either.

Don't try to tell me my dues aren't paid up, cause I know they are!

jmonroe

Works okay in Chrome though.

houdini1

Mike, my local MB dealer has a new 2015 E Class 250 Diesel. Msrp is $59,000. What could a good negotiator get this car for?

abacomike

I was watching the news just now and it was reported that the Coast Guard intercepted a partially submersible boat and confiscated over $200 million dollars worth of cocaine.  That is some haul.  The images shown of the boat were in San Francisco Bay near the Golden Gate Bridge, but I think the boat was towed there, not intercepted there. 

abacomike

houdini1 said:

Mike, my local MB dealer has a new 2015 E Class 250 Diesel. Msrp is $59,000. What could a good negotiator get this car for?

I'd offer $45,000 for the car assuming it is brand new.  That's about what you would expect to pay for a used one.  Remember, once you drive off the lot with it, it will be worth $42,000 wholesale - it's a year old car - new or used.  Also remember the 2017's will be out in 2 months.

abacomike

I use Chrome with Edmunds because it works faster and more efficiently.  JM, try using Chrome.

[Deleted User]

abacomike said:

I use Chrome with Edmunds because it works faster and more efficiently.  JM, try using Chrome.

Same here. Chrome works really smooth on my PC, and Safari on my Mac works great, too.

I hope that storm passes soon, Mike! Between the tornado, the heavy rain, and now the lightening, El Nino is really handing it to your area. Stay safe.

abacomike

tyguy said:

I use Chrome with Edmunds because it works faster and more efficiently.  JM, try using Chrome.

Same here. Chrome works really smooth on my PC, and Safari on my Mac works great, too. I hope that storm passes soon, Mike! Between the tornado, the heavy rain, and now the lightening, El Nino is really handing it to your area. Stay safe.

Yes, thanks tyguy.  We've had a rough 2016 so far with more rain than expected.  With night coming, the storms usually calm, but I just checked radar and there is another line of heavy storms just off to our west heading right for us.

PF_Flyer

stever said:

jmonroe said:

Hey Mods,

I can't respond to a post. When I click on the "quote" at the bottom of any post nothing happens.

I have rebooted my computer and I still can't get anything when I click on the "quote".

I have even signed out then signed back in and nothing changed with that either.

Don't try to tell me my dues aren't paid up, cause I know they are!

jmonroe

Works okay in Chrome though.

Works in Firefox too

driver100

jmonroe said:

Hey Mods,

I can't respond to a post. When I click on the "quote" at the bottom of any post nothing happens.

I have rebooted my computer and I still can't get anything when I click on the "quote".

I have even signed out then signed back in and nothing changed with that either.

Don't try to tell me my dues aren't paid up, cause I know they are!

jmonroe

Hey jmonroe...might be time to spring for a new computer

imidazol97

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

Hey Mods,

I can't respond to a post. When I click on the "quote" at the bottom of any post nothing happens.

I have rebooted my computer and I still can't get anything when I click on the "quote".

I have even signed out then signed back in and nothing changed with that either.

Don't try to tell me my dues aren't paid up, cause I know they are!

jmonroe

Hey jmonroe...might be time to spring for a new computer

Works in Edge and Firefox

ab348

graphicguy said:

ab...if Goodyear's wiper blades are worse than the Cadillac OEM blades (which Cadillac dealership wanted $70 for), then I don't even want to know where Cadillac gets theirs. For what it's worth, the Goodyear wipers "look" better than the Caddy OEM wipers. Even if they only last a few months, for $5/ea, I got my money's worth.

Every pair of aftermarket wiper blades I have ever seen have an ugly clunky-looking adapter mounted on top that lets them hook up to any type of wiper arm. Do these not have that? That is the big advantage of the OEM part which, in the case of Cadillac at least, are nicely integrated with the arm design.

Mr_Shiftright

abacomike said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

Oh, that's interesting. It's not the 100th anniversary, but the 100th running. The first Indy was 2011. I guess the various "war years" interrupted it.

Hey shifty, you need to brush up on your math - the first Indy was back in the early 1900's.  Don't worry, it happens to all of us! 

-----------------------------------------------------------------

C'mon, have some pity on the mentally scrambled. You KNOW I meant "The first Indy was 1911". Besides, what's 100 years in terms of the age of the universe?

Mr_Shiftright

abacomike said:

thebean said:

abacomike said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

Oh, that's interesting. It's not the 100th anniversary, but the 100th running. The first Indy was 2011. I guess the various "war years" interrupted it.

Hey shifty, you need to brush up on your math - the first Indy was back in the early 1900's.  Don't worry, it happens to all of us! 

Shifty is correct, with all due respect Mike.  May 30, 1911 was the first Indy 500 race.

But his post says "2011"!!!! 

"Oh, that's interesting. It's not the 100th anniversary, but the 100th running. The first Indy was 2011. I guess the various "war years" interrupted it."

I rest my case! 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

And *I* am not even going to EDIT it, even though it is within my powers.

The brain is a quirky bit of work---I did remember who won the first Indy in 1911, the make of car he drove, and I even remembered that he was the first race driver (and perhaps the first driver ever!) to use a rear view mirror! Now I can talk about the 2008 Model T Ford

abacomike

The wiper blades on the CLS400 emit a green, orange and red dot on the top of wiper blade.  Green - wiper blade is good; orange - wiper blade is at 1/2 life; red - wiper blade needs to be replaced.  I believe it's based on the composition stiffening up.  A stiff wiper blade does not clear the water off the windshield properly while a soft blade does.

Down here in Florida with the very hot sun, the wiper blades stiffen up quickly.  I usually have to replace wiper blades every 6-8 months.  They are not cheap - $80 a set. 

abacomike

@Mr_Shiftright:

I often post my comments with typos.  I use my iPhone and the keyboards are tricky.  Also, the keys themselves are in close proximity of each other - ergo, lots of typos.  I try to catch them all, but alas, I am an imperfect human being - like most of us on this board.

jmonroe

This post is via the box at the bottom of the page.

Guys: Google Chrome does not work either.

Driver: I'm not getting a new computer. My computer is 3 years old and works fine for everything else.

If anyone remembers, when I came back here a few weeks ago, I could not use the Bold, Italics or get the Emotorcons to work. This must have been a prelude of what was to come.

I guess if I want to post I'll have to use the box at the bottom of the page. When that stops working my posting days are over.

I can't remember how to reset my computer for an earlier date when things were working. I'll try to find out how to do that but it will probably screw up something else.

jmonroe

Mr_Shiftright

abacomike said:

@Mr_Shiftright:

I often post my comments with typos.  I use my iPhone and the keyboards are tricky.  Also, the keys themselves are in close proximity of each other - ergo, lots of typos.  I try to catch them all, but alas, I am an imperfect human being - like most of us on this board.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm a pretty fast typist and having to answer a lot of posts--I often don't check myself like I should.

A few weeks ago, I signed off a note to my GF with "cpcp".

abacomike

jmonroe said:

This post is via the box at the bottom of the page. Guys: Google Chrome does not work either. Driver: I'm not getting a new computer. My computer is 3 years old and works fine for everything else. If anyone remembers, when I came back here a few weeks ago, I could not use the Bold, Italics or get the Emotorcons to work. This must have been a prelude of what was to come. I guess if I want to post I'll have to use the box at the bottom of the page. When that stops working my posting days are over. I can't remember how to reset my computer for an earlier date when things were working. I'll try to find out how to do that but it will probably screw up something else. jmonroe

JM, if you use the posting box at the bottom of the page, which I do most of the time, the first line should have an @ immediately followed by the name of the poster you are responding to.  That way, everyone knows what your post is responding to.

Sometimes, I copy part of the posters post and post that fight under the @ first line.  Try that.

abacomike

@jmonroe:

Don't give up so quickly - see how I use the posting box?

abacomike

@jmonroe said:

"I can't remember how to reset my computer for an earlier date when things were working. I'll try to find out how to do that but it will probably screw up something else."

Here's the other way you can use the posting box.  I prefer this way so I don't end up copying long posts.

explorerx4

'cpcp', didn't you 'oxox'?

oldfarmer50

abacomike said:

houdini1 said:

Mike, my local MB dealer has a new 2015 E Class 250 Diesel. Msrp is $59,000. What could a good negotiator get this car for?

I'd offer $45,000 for the car assuming it is brand new.  That's about what you would expect to pay for a used one.  Remember, once you drive off the lot with it, it will be worth $42,000 wholesale - it's a year old car - new or used.  Also remember the 2017's will be out in 2 months.

My near by Ford dealer still has 4 or 5 2015 Mustangs that sat there since last fall. They use to be up front by the road but now some of them are decorating the weeds in back.

How this place stays in business is beyond me.

I thought dealers tried to discount lot queens after 90 days.

oldfarmer50

What posting box? You mean the leave a comment thingy?

abacomike

oldfarmer50 said:

What posting box? You mean the leave a comment thingy?

Yes.

driver100

"oldfarmer50"><
My near by Ford dealer still has 4 or 5 2015 Mustangs that sat there since last fall. They use to be up front by the road but now some of them are decorating the weeds in back.
How this place stays in business is beyond me.
I thought dealers tried to discount lot queens after 90 days.

He is waiting until they become classics

snakeweasel

andres3 said:

So what your saying is my business proposition for an checkout worker-less retail or grocery store will have many legal hurdles if I implement the "honor system" for checking out your own items and paying for them. .

Depending on what you plan to sell yes. Other than that you might be out of business quickly.

andres3 said:

Forgetting that some my take advantage of an "honor system" at the checkout stand, if a store has no employees to verify age, are they still under the legal hook for selling alcohol? After all, couldn't the honor system apply to both the dollar amount, and the legal age to buy something (if your 20, you dishonor yourself by buying liquor). I suppose some overzealous gov't bureaucrat or prosecutor would like to hold the store liable. I think the ATF has made it clear you can't sell to minors, and it's the stores responsibility to ensure that, rather than personal accountability, but that doesn't mean the US is doing it right.

Well if you let a minor get alcohol, honor system or not, then yes you are responsible. You made it available to them, you let them have it then you are responsible. Not unlike buying booze for a couple of kids hanging around the corner.

andres3 said:

Many stores are implementing a system where one checkout employee oversees 4-6 automated checkout lanes. I'd like to take it a step further.

Heck, I know in my old college town they were going to try and pass a law and hold party thrower's home residents responsible for underage drinking. Effectively saying you'd have to card people attending the party despite the fact it is private property and a private party. I remember when I heard of this proposed law it sounded completely UN-American and unconstitutional to me. Just punish the underage drinkers; why hold the homeowners/residents responsible? Lastly, just make the legal drinking age 18 already and avoid all of the wasted law enforcement energy; it's either that, or prohibition.

What? You don't think people who have control over something shouldn't be held responsible if they shun those responsibilities? It doesn't matter if it is done on private property. Can you commit any crime you wish as long as it's on your property? If you think that way please come over to my house, and bring lots of cash. You allow a teenager to drink and get drunk and let him loose on the world then yes you should be held accountable. I would love to see how that is un-American and unconstitutional. To me taking responsibility for your actions is as American as you can get.

abacomike

@snakeweasel:

I have one question for you - WHY?  It's not worth the aggravation or stress.  Have a nice cocktail and dream a little dream.  It's healthier. 

snakeweasel

abacomike said:

@thebean:

Hey, bean, it was a typo - not the end of the world.  Unfortunately, no one else caught it but me.  My post was a "spoof"!  Of course he meant 1911 - what else could it possibly be but a typo.

Besides, I'm sure you were cold sober - but it's getting toward cocktail hour so you need to catch up! 

You're not the only one who caught it, but I came to the party late and figured (correctly) that someone else caught it.

jmonroe

Mike said in a previous post :

Thanks for the pep talk - much appreciated. I intend to cut back when and if I get a new car. In the meantime, you and everyone else here is correct - driving a 3 year old CLS is not being a slouch, that's for sure.

LOVED YOUR GASP!!!
___________________________________________________________________________________

FWIW resetting my computer to an earlier date did not help. This post and all subsequent posts unless I notify you guys otherwise is from the box at the bottom of the page.

Hey Mickey:

Get an Altima when you turn in the MB. Listen to why:

Mrs. j's Subie Legacy went into the dealer body shop yesterday to get the right front fender replaced due to the hit-and-run caused by a jacked-up truck that I mention in a post a week or 2 ago. Since I'm entitled to a full size rental car because I have that type of coverage on my insurance policy I was provided with a 2015 Altima S with around 18,000 miles. It is a jet black exterior with cloth black seats. I noticed that it was very clean when they turned it over to me and it looked pretty nice.

I had my semi-annual blood test today and since I had to fast for 12 hours before the test I made the appointment at 8 AM as I always do. I mentioned to Mrs. j last night that I knew I would be hungry after the blood work, so I was going to go and get breakfast before I came home. She said OK, then 10 minutes later she said she would go out to breakfast with me so I said fine but you can't make me late for the test because I don't want to lose my appointment time and wait in line because of it. She assured me she would be ready on time and she was.

As we are getting out of the Altima at the restaurant a senior citizen with his wife says to me, "that's a sharp looking car, what kind of car is that"? I told him it's nothing special it's just an Altima. As he walks away he said, "nice looking car". As we were walking to the restaurant I was laughing and Mrs. j says, "what's so funny"? I said, "I have a Genny that I think is at least as good looking as that Altima rental and no one has ever said it was sharp". She tells me I'm too sensitive.

We are now finished with breakfast and we are approaching the Altima in the parking lot. Dammit, and I'm not making this up, another senior guy with his wife says, "nice looking car, is that an Altima"? At least he knew what it was. Now Mrs. j starts to laugh and the guy wanted to know what was so funny. She tells him about the first couple and says, "he thinks the car he has at home is nicer than this one". So, of course he asked what car I had and I told him it was a 2015 Genesis. He didn't know what that was. I guess 1 out of 2 ain't so bad for senior types.

This has to be the classic case where a clean black car looks better than almost anything else on a lot.

So there you have it Mike, get a lower level Black car like an Altima but be sure to get the cooling seats option and your all set for South Florida. I know you guys in Florida like White cars but a White Altima or another similar car may not get as many nods as a Black one.

That's the best advice I can give you for when you scale back.

jmonroe

abacomike

@jmonroe said:

"So there you have it Mike, get a lower level Black car like an Altima but be sure to get the cooling seats option and your all set for South Florida. I know you guys in Florida like White cars but a White Altima or another similar car may not get as many nods as a Black one."

"That's the best advice I can give you for when you scale back."

I guess you didn't catch my post a month or so ago about my experiences with black cars.  I mentioned I have owned only two black cars in my lifetime - the first one because I didn't realize how hard it was to keep clean and shiny and how it showed every scratch or spots - the second one (15 years later) because I forgot how hard it was to keep clean and not show scratches and spot!  No more black cars for me - I won't forget again! 

abacomike

@jmonroe:

As for the seniors being the ones to say how beautiful the Altima is, would you expect anything else from seniors who think Camry's or Nissans are the only beautiful cars on the road? 

berri

Aba, looks like weather is calmed down a little around you, but still a bit ugly further north like around Orlando. Flight Ops in MIA and FLL are still catching up running 30-60 minutes behind from that earlier weather. Tomorrow looks like it may be a replay. Might as well play some Doors' Riders On The Storm

abacomike

berri said:

Aba, looks like weather is calmed down a little around you, but still a bit ugly further north like around Orlando. Flight Ops in MIA and FLL are still catching up running 30-60 minutes behind from that earlier weather. Tomorrow looks like it may be a replay. Might as well play some Doors' Riders On The Storm

Yes, berri, things are calm now.  As for tomorrow, same weather is expected after 2:00 PM - strong storms with lots of lightning and heavy rains.  It's like our usual summer routine which does not usually begin until July here.

berri

Well maybe a freak, maybe an early and long summer, or maybe a wild spring followed by a mild summer averaging it all out. Weather makes Florida exciting.!

abacomike

berri said:

Well maybe a freak, maybe an early and long summer, or maybe a wild spring followed by a mild summer averaging it all out. Weather makes Florida exciting.!

I sure didn't move here for exciting weather - nice weather, yes!  But our weather is affected by many more factors than the rest of the country.  We have the Gulfstream that is made up of strong currents that swirl around the penninsula's coastline.  We have the trade winds in the late summer caused by strong Bermuda Highs.  Then we have the prevailing westerlies (winds) that bring winds across the Everglades and when the heated air meets with the cooler coastal breezes creates huge, daily thunderstorms every afternoon in the summer.  The trade winds bring the storms formed off the coast of Africa to the east which of course jeopardize land masses when they become hurricanes.  

There are many other factors, but you get my drift.  Weather can be exciting here.

murphydog

My wiper blade solution. - I too have a Mercedes and I liked the OEM blades, but man the dealer wanted a lot for them. I generally replace them every fall - no point in going through a Seattle winter with tired wipers.

I found on Amazon they have a "garage" where you can enter your car and find replacement parts. This made wipers a breeze, the OEM ones are about 50% less that what the dealer charges. Every September-ish I look through my orders from last year, find the blades and order them up.

By the way, changing blades on the MB is by far the easiest every - simply lift the arm, rotate the blade 90 degrees and off it comes. Put the new blade one, rotate it back 90 and drop the arm.

nyccarguy

@driver100 - after work tonight I drove out to Long Island for my niece's 10th birthday.  On my way home, I see a sparkling clean 2015 or 2016 E-Class with FL plates.  Not an odd sight in my area as a lot if people have 2nd homes in Florida.  As I approach from behind, I see it is an E400 4Matic.  We go through the toll which has a 20 mph EZPASS speed limit.  He storms out of the gate!  I was impressed with the car's giddy up!

verdugo

abacomike said:

@snakeweasel:

I have one question for you - WHY?  It's not worth the aggravation or stress.  Have a nice cocktail and dream a little dream.  It's healthier. 

Looks like you and I have learned not to feed the trolls. Snake will learn soon, I hope.

And another one of my periodic requests to add the "ignore" function.

driver100

nyccarguy said:

@driver100 - after work tonight I drove out to Long Island for my niece's 10th birthday.  On my way home, I see a sparkling clean 2015 or 2016 E-Class with FL plates.  Not an odd sight in my area as a lot if people have 2nd homes in Florida.  As I approach from behind, I see it is an E400 4Matic.  We go through the toll which has a 20 mph EZPASS speed limit.  He storms out of the gate!  I was impressed with the car's giddy up!

I am amazed too. In econo drive there is plenty of power, but in SPORT it is extremely powerful. It is great for occassions like toll booths, when there are about 8 booths, one EZ pass where the cars keep moving through, and the road ahead narrows down to 2 lanes. Same power you sometimes need to enter a highway. I know there are cars that are faster but I really wouldn't need more power...the E400 has lots.

btw...I have an idea for those toll booths too. There is an EZ Pass lane, about 5 lanes for Make Change, 1 lane for exact change, and there should be a lane for IDIOTS WHO HAVE TO LOOK FOR THEIR MONEY.

Actually saw a lady yesterday in the exact change lane who didn't have the exact change and got out of her car to go to a booth with a person to get some change.....