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Comments
XM? I still have it on the RDX (the travel car), largely for the travel reason, plus the wife likes it. Just much more convenient day in/out that dealing with streaming from the phone. I also like it for the baseball games in the summer. So not essential, but overall I enjoy it.
I did drop it on the TL, since I don't drive it that much. FM around town, and an old ipod when I do take it a longer distance do the job.
Never did get it in my Volvo. Has a lot of FM presets, and my daughter (who mostly drove the car) did not want it. It also has an aux input, so easy to use a phone or ipod.
mostly likely my upcoming new car will have sat radio. Not sure what I will do when the freebie period ends!
I can say that if you drop, they want you back. I keep getting mail from them about the unit in the TL that I deactivated.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I am stil sticking to my New Year's resolution and I'm not going to reply. Bless your heart!
Since we are talking about traffic tickets and dealing with the public, here is one of my favorite stories...
Back when I was a District Court Judge a lady showed up one late afternoon and asked where court was being held. My secretary told her that all the hearings were finished and no other cases were set. The lady went off- "I'm missing work and this is inexcusable and somebody will be responsible for the time I've missed!!!"
I walked out of my office and asked the lady if she has a subpoena. She whipped it out of her purse and slapped it down on the counter. I quickly read it and told her, "This subpoena is for September 24th." "SO?" she huffed. I handed the subpoena back with a big smile and said, "Today is September 23rd."
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Now here's some imaginative marketing:
02 taurus NEED BAIL NOW COME GET - $300 (colonie)
2002 ford fuel : gas transmission : automatic title status : clean
Uncle just got arrested neet to.sell car now I know its late and its garaged kept come get now mint condition new 400$tires new battery 120 come get mow no.mater how late clean title
show contact info
can keep plates and insurance till end of this month take home now we can.meet at the county jail now
http://albany.craigslist.org/cto/4654660820.html
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I'll come "out of the closet" and admit that I'm a Howard Stern fan. I listened when he was on "terrestrial" radio for years during my 55 mile 1.5 hour commute from Northern Westchester to Queens, NY. When he went to Sirius I got a lifetime subscription for $495.00 and got a portable radio with car kit. When that radio died about 5 years ago and I retired, I never replaced it. We got a CPO BMW 535xiT 2 years ago and it had Sirius. I remembered the lifetime subscription and they were able to activate the Sirius for $75.00. Now that we live full time up here in Vermont in the rural Northern Champlain Valley, there's not much "regular" radio to choose from. I will keep Sirius, and my wife couldn't live without her presets.
Now that Sirius has downloads, I can put HS or whatever I want on my IPod and listen in any vehicle. I think that's the best part for me.
2025 Toyota Crown Signia Hybrid, 2022 Ram 2500 Laramie 6.4 Hemi, 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata PRHT
Those sound like stations I would probably like....thanks for the suggestion, I will try them.
I find I usually just get in the car and go, and I don't have time to test all the stations. It is good to check BBC or even CBC (Cdn) news just to get a different perspective on the world news.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Thanks verdugo, I don't think I have ever been on anyone's New Year's resolution list before.
Just curious though...if you owned the coffee shop, how would you have handled it?
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Since you are admitting it I will too. For one thing, he does incredible interviews. One I heard a little while ago was with Joan Rivers. He gets more interesting information from people than anyone else. He's also extremely clever....once you get past the silliness, and he is a great comedian.
I listenned to him on FM too. He was on a Toronto station but then they wouldn't allow his show to be played in Canada - broke some rules. Most listenners near the border listenned to him on a Buffalo station.
I only listen when I am in the car....my wife wouldn't appreciate Howard. I spend most of my time listening to AM talk radio....try to learn something while I am driving.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
On car insurance, we have 2 cars - a 2010 and a 2012 - and our annual car insurance bill is around $1400. That includes comprehensive/collision with add-ons for towing/roadside assistance & glass and a sub-$500 deductible. Been with the same Farmers agent for around 20 years and over the past few years the rates have been steady or gone down. No accidents but there have been a couple of claims on the glass coverage for cracked/chipped windshields from truck tires throwing rocks. Our last ticket was in 2002.
Given that we're averaging $350/vehicle/6 months I've not felt compelled to shop around. I seriously doubt we'd get equivalent coverage for a price low enough to make the switch worthwhile. Also, we have our homeowners insurance through them and there's a bundle discount.
My Sirius subscription expired around the beginning of the year. I too had opted only fr plans where I would pay the invoice with a check. SXM seems committed to wooing me back but their offers are always contingent on the auto-renew option. Despite not spending much time in the car I might renew given the right offer, but until their marketing dept. actually analyzes my use pattern & makes an offer that isn't contingent on autorenew, I'm not buying.
SXM, if you want a return customer, do the analytics. The data is there. It's up to you to win me back, not for me to come to you.
And after posting that I check my email and sure enough there's another one from SXM wanting me back as a customer. But as always this clause makes me hit Delete instead of clicking the link to their site.
"Offer Details: Activate a Select subscription and pay $19.99 for your first 5 months, and save 73% off the current monthly rate of $14.99, plus get free activation (a $15 savings). Fees and taxes apply. Service will automatically renew every 3 months thereafter and you will be charged according to your chosen payment method at then-current rates. To cancel you must call us at 1-866-635-2349. "
He's one I can't stand. The profanity and crudeness of his radio shows from which I heard clips was beyond my level. I occasionally see part of America's Got Talent and he's hard to tolerate there, although he seems to be trying to be more normal this year.
Joan Rivers? I loved her insight into human behavior, but occasionally her crudeness was too much. However she knows how people really think, subconsciously included, and that seems to be her forte in making fun of the human condition.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Priceless!
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
Basically, I agree with you fushi but I don't want to give up Sirius over that one issue. I mark on several calendars my renewal date and I make sure I call them before that date comes up. I note the time of the call and ask who I am speaking to. If I decide to cancel I will do the same.
They are pretty good about it when I call, even though it is a few weeks before the deadline. They give me a credit and start charging on my new plan.
I tried asking if I could send a check but they obviously don't want that...I am sure they get lots of renewals just because people forget.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Speaking about "forgetting" and Tim Hortons. I have a Tim Hortons card, I usually buy $20 on it and it makes it easier to swipe my card. Not sure if you do that in the US.
It is a great money maker for Tim's, they are sitting on all this cash that they can collect interest on. Also, one tends to spend more since it isn't the same as handing over actual cash.
The other way they win is like this. I had about $8 left on my card, went through the drive-thru, guy handed me a coffee, somehow he didn't hand me back my card. I am out $7!
As verdugo would say....caveat emptor or whatever.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Driving a BMW and an Audi, you shouldn't be drinking swill.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
That's when I'd be talking to the manager, even after the fact. You know the time you were there, you have a receipt maybe with the time and transaction number, they can check which transactions used a gift card. From that they can retrieve the balance OR get the card back if the server didn't turn the card in to the manager as a left card.
I had a Papa John pizza counter guy who put the gift card on the shelf under the register counter and I knew there would be a balance left. I demanded my card. He tried to act like he didn't know anything about it. I said there was a balance and you kept it. Magically he discovered it wasn't in the trash where he said he had put it first and it was under the counter for later personal use.
Top store manager next day did not think my story was funny. Not at all. I didn't bother with the assistant manager on duty that night. I get more honey by talking to the top dogs when they're in at retail places.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Yeah, a $480 "administrative fee" in San Francisco.
I don't see how you retain the right to 'face your accuser'--how exactly do you interrogate a camera? With a radar gun, you can question the individual operator at least. So what do you do? Summon the entire tech staff of camera maintenance?
What should I be drinking?
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
You are right, I should have gone back. And, normally I would, as a matter of principle. But, it was 2 days later when I realized I was missing my card (but, I know that was the last place I used it and I recall I didn't get it back). The thing is, do I drive over and spend time trying to convince the manager about my story?
I needed a battery for my wife's car lock remote. Bought one at Target (now in Canada and not doing very well), for $5 and it didn't work. Stopped at a hardware store, got 2 for $6.99. Just not worth my while to go thru the whole hassle of trying to return a $5 battery. I am not sure they would believe me because what's to stop someone from putting an old battery in the package and trying to return that? I saved $3 on the 2 batteries, so I was only out $2...but, then again they sell 3 batteries for $1 at the Dollar store, but they had closed (I could have made money on that deal).
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
@Michaell said: you might want to check out "The Bridge" on SXM
I tried these two stations and I really like the Bridge at Channel 32. Nice mellow songs that I know. 31 was nice soft music but nothing I recognized.
Thanks though....that's a good backup for 17.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
On Sirius: I've kept it on one of our cars only for the internet subscription. I've been downloading Howard Stern episodes to my phone so I can listen while I'm in the air. My Dad for better or worse introduced me to Howard when I was 8 or 9 years old and I've been listening ever since...
On SXM I listen to the '60's on 6 through the '90's on 9, Pop2K, and my favorite- 1st Wave. It only seems appropriate driving my '02...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Great to hear from you again. Yes, starting a family is much more costly than buying cars - that's a given.
You need to keep in touch, firefighter!
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
Exactly- you can't face your accuser. Which is why I would never find someone guilty without a warm body testifying that he/she witnessed the alleged violation. While some compare it to collecting circumstantial forensic evidence, the cameras actually shift the burden of proof to the defendant. Of course the Safety [non-permissible content removed] know what is best for us and can't be bothered by such frippery as the United States Constitution.
And don't forget that the cameras are operated by private companies that know their bottom line is padded by the number of tickets issued. Police officers may have quotas, but at least their salaries aren't based on how many citations they write...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
20 years ago I got a speeding ticket, caught on photo radar! I was on the entrance ramp trying to get on the highway. One lane was closed for repairs, the right lane. There were huge trucks coming at full speed in the other two lanes. I just gunned it to get thru the construction zone in the first lane, and to get ahead of the 2 trucks. And I got caught...$65.
The photo radar has no capacity to think or reason, at least a cop wouldn't be so stupid as to be sitting next to a highway near an entrance ramp when there is construction going on.
Since then a new Provincial government axed photo radar, and it hasn't come back....hmm, that was the one and only time we had a socialist New Democratic Party.....without getting into any debates that might mean something. (Something like people who can afford faster cars should be taxed by paying more speeding tickets....it's a liberal ploy to collect more tax from those that can afford faster cars).
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Woo-hoo!!! Looks like I'll be covering the World Intro of the new X6. Not my favorite Bimmer, but it should still be fun...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
What acuser would I be facing? A camera? And who is being acused? Me? Innocently sitting at home while my wife is running errands in my car?
The whole idea is fraught with constitutional pitfalls.
I don't want/need my police dept sneaking around....trying to fine me for crimes I'm not even present for. I don't want them spying on me, either.
Well, driver, our ordered E400's are aceduled to be built in Germany next week. I was informed that it takes 4 weeks from the date of manufacture to get to the dealership.
First, the cars are shipped to ports in Bremenhaven (Northern Germany). The ships arrive at various ports throughout the Eastern USA and Canada. My car is shipped to Brunswick Georgia and then transported to Jacksonville, FL. You car I believe arrives in port at New Brunswick and is then shipped to Toronto.
There are a few things that are installed at the port:
Rear spoiler, wheel locks and the AMG wheels. The satellite radio components I believe are also installed there and the hard drive of the NAV and GPS systems are also uploaded.
Pretty soon, now, driver.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
@abacomike @driver100 Just wanted to post the follow up to my dealings with the dealer that charged me an inflated money factor on my lease. I emailed the Sales Manager of the dealer responding to his post purchase email asking if I was pleased with my purchase. I told him I was not and would like to meet with him to discuss the details. We met in his office and he had another sales manager and finance manager there as well. I was a bit surprised by this. I told him what happened and the finance manager basically says they have a spread on the money factor they can use and the sales manager tells me they like to focus on the monthly payment versus these details. Anyway I told him my interaction with the sales guy that I specifically asked him if I had qualified for the best lease rate after running my credit. He said yes.
He agreed that the salesman was wrong in saying this. So he asks me what I would like them to do about it. I told him I would like them to re-do the lease with the correct .25 money factor. Finance Manager said that was impossible as it was already with Ford Credit. I then asked him if they would write me a check for the difference of the money factor I was charged... $1500. He said absolutely to my shock. They detailed my car and handed me the check. I think the other 2 employees were also in shock. Very pleased and stunned with this outcome.
" I then asked him if they would write me a check for the difference of the money factor I was charged... $1500. He said absolutely to my shock. They detailed my car and handed me the check. I think the other 2 employees were also in shock. Very pleased and stunned with this outcome"
I am as shocked as you were. Driver was correct in his approach and I was wrong. Well done koctail!
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
What do salesmen say? "If you don't ask...you don't get"
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Amazing. I'm glad it turned out this way for you.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
@koctailz, good for you (and good for the dealer!).
I would've given her more coffee, which has nothng to do with the original dealership situation.
WOW. What a great ending. Congratulations.
On another note, Ford corporate sent me a check for $475. The C-Max mileage was recalculated and went down from 44 to 36mpg with whatever new system they were told to use by the EPA.
So they sent a check to cover the extra money I'd spend in gas. Since most of our drive is on battery power, the lower rating doesn't make a difference to us.
Thanks for the update Mike. I am really looking forward to getting my new E. I drove my wife's A4 this week and I really like how you can sit up high and the instrument panel and hood are low...so you feel like you are sitting higher, with lots of glass from top to bottom. That's the way the E feels too. With the 535 you are kind of low and the seats are lower. I think I am going to like the extra comfort.
We leave for Florida on a Saturday, Nov 8th, so that we can drive thru Atlanta on a Sunday. By then I should know how some of the basic gizmos work I hope.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
"good for you (and good for the dealer!)."
Good point. That goes a long way to build long lasting customer relationships.
But, think about all the leasing deals that dealership consummated at the higher money factor - screw--g so many customers who didn't even realize they were cheated. That is a trajedy.
At least the dealership in this case corrected the problem - probably knowing full well that a bad survey was about to hit them.
The dealership I worked for as a sales manager was very sensitive to customer surveys. When I first started there, they were on the verge of losing a big chunk of their rebate money due to low sales and service CSI. I was charged with the responsibility of getting the average CSI score to 96% from 92%.
The first thing I did was hire delivery specialists to deliver every new car to ensure every delivery was perfect. Next, I instituted a bonus for each salesman for every perfect survey they received. Finally, I made sure that if we were in the process of selling a car to a disgruntled or angry customer, that we did not sell the car to that customer.
CSI went to 97% on 3 months. That's how important CSI is to a dealerships financial resources.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
WOW! Way to go koctailz! I love it. I would say you had about a 3% chance of getting something back, but you did really well!
Good business people are reasonable. If you just present your case and they can see you are a rational person you have a good chance.
You deserve a lot of credit for facing them, making your case, and winning. You should write to him and thank him for being fair, and that you will not hesitate to recommend the dealership to others....maybe not that sales guy though.
Thanks for getting back to us too....you made my day, especially since Djokavich and Federer lost at the U.S. Open Tennis today.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
But, would you have given her a free cup to put it in?
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Now I'm conflicted about what kind of online review, if any, @koctailz should give this dealer (assuming he hasn't already written some). You kind of want to ding the dealer and warn others but the dealer does deserve credit for doing "the right thing".
I believe they make port here at Autoport in Nova Scotia, a few miles down the road from me in Dartmouth. It is a huge facility.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
"You kind of want to ding the dealer and warn others but the dealer does deserve credit for doing "the right thing"."
Ahhhh, you mean the old CATCH 22 DILEMMA (dilemna for driver's spelling).
Yes, the dealer deserves to be zinged on the survey, but they did the right thing in the end. I guess when your back is up against the wall, you'll do anything to avoid disaster.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
"I believe they make port here at Autoport in Nova Scotia, a few miles down the road from me in Dartmouth. It is a huge facility."
You are correct - I just looked that up.
They used to ship directly to Jacksonville for the southeast region, but they started using those super freighters that are not capable of using the shallower Jacksonville port. But Mercedes has a huge facility in Jacsonville. So they kept the facility in Jacksonville.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
Good question....IMHO he got a fair deal. A mistake is a mistake, but, it was corrected and they did that, with little hassle. He is a satisfied customer. The next buyer will just have to use his skills and beware, but, I think koctailz is a "very" satisfied customer.
Hey, and Buying and Selling cars helped to save him $1500.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
>
Wow! Ask and ye shall receive. I wish I had done that with my last purchase. The price I paid was higher than the published price in the newspaper. The difference was about $600 but that is about a year's worth of gasoline.
Let me know if you see an E400 in white with light gray interior and a black roof.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I don't think they should be dinged on the survey. It could have been a mistake, it could have been done on purpose. The thing is the dealer corrected the problem when it was pointed out. Anything can go wrong in a transaction....if the problem is fixed everything is good, koctailz is a happy customer, and he should not mention the problem.
You can't blame the dealer for trying, he should have double checked, but, when the error was pointed out they came through right away....they deserve an excellent rating and should be rewarded for listenning to the customer - Remember, they didn't have to do that.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
They all come in wrapped in white covers - not sure what it is, from a distance it looks almost like Tyvek - to protect them during shipping, with flaps on the windows to allow them to be driven around during shipping.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
Maybe you could get a job driving them off the boat - that would be cool!
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250