Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

oldfarmer50

Michaell said:

Reposting from what I wrote in CCBA, for those of you who don't venture out of this discussion:

So, a conclusion to the job search is in sight.

I received a phone call today from the recruiter, telling me all the approvals for my offer letter are in place.

Showed up in my inbox a couple hours later. I haven't yet e-signed it - I want to sleep on it, though I doubt very much it will change my mind.

Title - Manager, Education Operations

Salary - 105% of what I was making at IBM

Start date - July 18th

And, it looks like my contribution to the health / vision / dental benefit premiums will be about $135/mo less than what I was paying at IBM. Haven't done a compare of the two programs, though I had an EPO through IBM and a PPO through the new company.

Glad this is almost over, and excited to get started.

Congadulations! Better than coming to work for me as a weed picker. You bounced back better than before, that's nice.

So will we be hearing about the purchase of a hot new car in celebration?

oldfarmer50

berri said:

Hope it all works out. I had heard that IBM no longer had that great of a compensation and benefits program, and that job security was getting shaky there. Seems to bear that all out.

In NY they are becoming a crony capitalist company depending on government hand outs to do any hiring. They had to pull out of a big project in Buffalo because of corruption arrests.

snakeweasel

Michaell said:

And, for the time being I'm going to be solo on the benefits - wife is getting medical through her employer. I'll probably add her at the next open enrollment period. Don't know when that is. Fiscal year starts 12/1, but benefits could also be on the calendar year.

Since this is a new event (being hired) you should be able to add your wife when you start getting your medical.

Michaell said:

Bottom line - I'm going to gang on to the Elantra until the lease is up, then figure out next steps.

Oh what did the Elantra do to you that you have to gang up on it?

oldfarmer50

Michaell said:

stickguy said:

good news Michael. and since salary up and expenses down, you should be able to expand your car budget, right?

my son started a few weeks ago. So we helped him pick benefits (better than our crappy company!) and he got a pretty large raise, but I guess it helps to be a materials engineer with experience on the chip making equipment in the lab there. hopefully it is a good long term place for him, but if not, in a few years he should have his pick of places to go.

me, I just want to retire.

You would think, right?

Still a lot of unknowns - can't begin contributing to the 401(k) until after 90 days, so I won't get a sense of a true paycheck until November.

And, for the time being I'm going to be solo on the benefits - wife is getting medical through her employer. I'll probably add her at the next open enrollment period. Don't know when that is. Fiscal year starts 12/1, but benefits could also be on the calendar year.

Bottom line - I'm going to gang on to the Elantra until the lease is up, then figure out next steps.

Be careful not to have any lapses in health coverage or you'll get fined by Obamacare.

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

ab348 said:

While I was reading this discussion an ad ran on Canadian TV for a 24-month lease on a 2017 Hyundai Elantra for $59/wk with zero money up front. This was a national TV ad. Pretty good deal for Canada.

$59/wk is almost $254/mo.

But only $196 U.S.

Michaell

Thanks, everyone.

I continued my health coverage through IBM - as part of the severance, they agreed to allow me to continue to pay my reduced premium for up to 6 months. So, I've paid for June and July, then the new coverage takes over. No lapses.

My Elantra has been a good car; typing late at night leads to misspellings and such.

bwia

driver100 said:

Michaell said:

Reposting from what I wrote in CCBA, for those of you who don't venture out of this discussion:

So, a conclusion to the job search is in sight.
Title - Manager, Education Operations
Salary - 105% of what I was making at IBM
Start date - July 18th
Glad this is almost over, and excited to get started.

Wonderful news Michaell....................you earned it!

Ditto

oldfarmer50

Oh oh, second Tesla self-driver crash. Motor Trend had to add a disclaimer to their review.

http://www.motortrend.com/news/testing-semi-autonomous-cars-tesla-cadillac-hyundai-mercedes/?wc_mid=4035:2422&wc_rid=4035:1116404&_wcsid=803D36F0164E42D5126522EAB2C8C7A950AD242DF34BBE48

bwia

Boston cab driver returns $187,000 cash and gets an insulting $100 reward.

A lousy $100 reward? that almost seems disrespectful -- perhaps a minimum of $1,000 would be more appropriate and I can't understand this inglorious [non-permissible content removed]'s behavior. As they say no good deed goes unpunished but Karma has a way of biting you in the butt.

oldfarmer50

bwia said:

Boston cab driver returns $187,000 cash and gets an insulting $100 reward.

A lousy $100 reward? that almost seems disrespectful -- perhaps a minimum of $1,000 would be more appropriate and I can't understand this inglorious [non-permissible content removed]'s behavior. As they say no good deed goes unpunished but Karma has a way of biting you in the butt.

They say the passenger was a homeless guy who had an inheritance in cash. Anyone riding around with that much cash while homeless must have some mental health issues.

stickguy

Normal people would have such a death grip on the bag there would be no chance of leaving it behind. Odds are, someone has robbed him of the cash by now.

sda

Michaell said:

Reposting from what I wrote in CCBA, for those of you who don't venture out of this discussion:

So, a conclusion to the job search is in sight.

I received a phone call today from the recruiter, telling me all the approvals for my offer letter are in place.

Showed up in my inbox a couple hours later. I haven't yet e-signed it - I want to sleep on it, though I doubt very much it will change my mind.

Title - Manager, Education Operations

Salary - 105% of what I was making at IBM

Start date - July 18th

And, it looks like my contribution to the health / vision / dental benefit premiums will be about $135/mo less than what I was paying at IBM. Haven't done a compare of the two programs, though I had an EPO through IBM and a PPO through the new company.

Glad this is almost over, and excited to get started.

Congratulations! I am happy for you.

mlevine

To Michael,
Congratulations on your new job. I wish I could have had some leads for you when we spoke. My friend recently started a new job on July 1st after having minimal work for 2 years as a consultant.

isellhondas

I hope things work out for you. It's tough to watch what were once great companies to work for go down the drain. All it takes is one jerk CEO or a change of ownership. Been there!

roadburner

Michaell said:

Interesting day today, two salespeople were off sick and two leave early on Wednesdays. That left me, one salesperson, and the new car manager in the showroom from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm. I did a little bit of everything- which was great; I'd rather be doing something than simply twiddling my thumbs...

How much are you working each week?

32 hours per week. 

cdnpinhead

Yeah, the phrase "solid as Sears" doesn't carry much weight anymore.

laurasdada

Congrats, Micheall! Seems like you really did a great job of job hunting.

oldfarmer50

Just heard a report by AAA that says cheap gas leaves 19 times more engine deposits than top tier gas. (Wonder who paid for that study?)

I guess you can run only better gas or clean out the deposits my way:

henryn

roadburner said:

Interesting day today, two salespeople were off sick and two leave early on Wednesdays. That left me, one salesperson, and the new car manager in the showroom from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm. I did a little bit of everything- which was great; I'd rather be doing something than simply twiddling my thumbs...

I think I ran into something similar last night. I went down to look at that used 2016 Chrysler Town and Country. Big dealership, shiny new building, lots of offices, no one working. After a 10 minute wait, I talked to a salesman who sent me off for a test drive with his “assistant”. Which is something I have not encountered before, since when do car salesman have assistants?

The minivan is nice, very clean, looks and drives like new, despite 20k miles as a rental vehicle. Okay, now I’m ready to talk turkey. I’m thinking if they take my offer, who can I call on to help me get it home. Only – there’s no one to “talk turkey” with. I sat around for 25 minutes, and finally just went home.

And on top of that – no call back. I signed in when I got there, and actually gave them my phone number. The salesman photo copied my driver’s license before the test drive, and also took down my phone number. No call back, no nothing.

Very strange.

jmonroe

oldfarmer50 said:

Oh oh, second Tesla self-driver crash. Motor Trend had to add a disclaimer to their review.

http://www.motortrend.com/news/testing-semi-autonomous-cars-tesla-cadillac-hyundai-mercedes/?wc_mid=4035:2422&wc_rid=4035:1116404&_wcsid=803D36F0164E42D5126522EAB2C8C7A950AD242DF34BBE48

I have a Tesla story.

Mrs. j is coordinating a 94 th birthday party for her aunt on Saturday at the senior care home's outdoor court yard where she is living. So what does this have to do with Tesla you may ask? Well, Mrs. j felt that I should be dressed appropriately. Since this shin dig will be outside she said I should buy new shorts and a nice top. Just for the record, I have nice shorts and nice tops but she felt otherwise. So, I said, "where are you taking me, to Macy's"? She says Macy's is too expensive (funny but it doesn't seem to be for her). She says Kohls is where we are going because she has a mailed 30% off coupon for Kohls, even for sale stuff. I guess I'm not worth as much as I thought I was.

As I pull into the Kohls lot, I use my normal parking strategy which is to find a nice car and park next to it. You guessed it, I see a Tesla S with a spot next to it. I didn't think Tesla owners would be seen dead in a Kohls lot but I was wrong. This owner fit in perfectly. When I get out of the car I looked inside the Tesla. Low and behold, I saw no less than 4 beverage cups and one was lying down on the passenger seat with a small wet spot under it. I also saw several fast food wrappers strewn around the car in addition to some other crap both on the passenger and rear seats.

I saw enough, so I can't tell you what the architecture was of the inside of the car but I'm sure from what I saw it wasn't worthy of the owners consideration.

The type of car, model, year, etc. doesn't tell you much about the owner but the inside of the car tells you a whole lot.

FWIW, it's supposed to rain on Saturday so my new outfit will probably go unnoticed at the indoor fall back recreation room at the senior care home.

jmonroe

henryn

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

ab348 said:

While I was reading this discussion an ad ran on Canadian TV for a 24-month lease on a 2017 Hyundai Elantra for $59/wk with zero money up front. This was a national TV ad. Pretty good deal for Canada.

$59/wk is almost $254/mo.

But only $196 U.S.

I was going to point out the same thing, but you beat me to it.

$59 x 52 weeks / 12 months = $255.66 per month in Canadian dollars.

$255.66 x .77 = $196.86 in US dollars.

jmonroe

Michaell, I was holding off on my congrats because I didn't see where you took the job. The last I saw, you were going to sleep on it.

If it's a done deal, great. Fortunately, I've never been in your position but I know it can't be fun.

Knock em dead.

jmonroe

Mr_Shiftright

I was thinking of creating a new form of therapy called "Automotive Psychologist". I'd be trained as a regular therapist, but after our normal first "session" of 50 minutes (charge for 60 of course), we'd stroll out to the car and carefully examine the cabin, trunk and engine compartment, and incorporate that into our future goals for personal development.

Perhaps it's too simplistic but I wonder if someone who drives around with discarded chicken bones and crushed and leaking Big Gulps might also be living a life that isn't going too well in all departments.

imidazol97

Another Tesla Autopilot accident:
Detroit Free Press
A Southfield art gallery owner told police his 2016 Tesla Model X was in Autopilot mode when it crashed and rolled over on the Pennsylvania Turnpike last week. The crash came just one day after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a report on a fatal crash in May involving a Tesla that was in self-driving mode.

http://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/2016/07/05/southfield-art-gallery-owner-survives-tesla-crash/86712884/

driver100

henryn said:

roadburner said:

Interesting day today, two salespeople were off sick and two leave early on Wednesdays. That left me, one salesperson, and the new car manager in the showroom from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm. I did a little bit of everything- which was great; I'd rather be doing something than simply twiddling my thumbs...

And on top of that – no call back. I signed in when I got there, and actually gave them my phone number. The salesman photo copied my driver’s license before the test drive, and also took down my phone number. No call back, no nothing.

Very strange.

What do you do now?

driver100

jmonroe said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Oh oh, second Tesla self-driver crash. Motor Trend had to add a disclaimer to their review.

http://www.motortrend.com/news/testing-semi-autonomous-cars-tesla-cadillac-hyundai-mercedes/?wc_mid=4035:2422&wc_rid=4035:1116404&_wcsid=803D36F0164E42D5126522EAB2C8C7A950AD242DF34BBE48

FWIW, it's supposed to rain on Saturday so my new outfit will probably go unnoticed at the indoor fall back recreation room at the senior care home.

jmonroe

RE Tesla Story: I am not sure what a messy car indicates. I am not sure it has to do with Tesla owners themselves, or if it is a socio-economic situation. I think slobs can come from all kinds of backgrounds, and be of any socio-economic background.

About the new clothes, I am sure you will be the fashion maven at the big do on Saturday. If you look as good as your new Edmunds pictures no one will even notice your clothes.

driver100

Mr_Shiftright said:

I was thinking of creating a new form of therapy called "Automotive Psychologist". I'd be trained as a regular therapist, but after our normal first "session" of 50 minutes (charge for 60 of course), we'd stroll out to the car and carefully examine the cabin, trunk and engine compartment, and incorporate that into our future goals for personal development.

Perhaps it's too simplistic but I wonder if someone who drives around with discarded chicken bones and crushed and leaking Big Gulps might also be living a life that isn't going too well in all departments.

Maybe you could be the host of a new reality TV show, "Car Hoarders", where you straighten out people with cars that are piled with junk.

driver100

Self driving cars...bah, humbug! If I am going to be in an accident I want to be the one responsible at least, I don't want to have to say my car was the one driving when it happened.

Mr_Shiftright

driver100 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

I was thinking of creating a new form of therapy called "Automotive Psychologist". I'd be trained as a regular therapist, but after our normal first "session" of 50 minutes (charge for 60 of course), we'd stroll out to the car and carefully examine the cabin, trunk and engine compartment, and incorporate that into our future goals for personal development.

Perhaps it's too simplistic but I wonder if someone who drives around with discarded chicken bones and crushed and leaking Big Gulps might also be living a life that isn't going too well in all departments.

Maybe you could be the host of a new reality TV show, "Car Hoarders", where you straighten out people with cars that are piled with junk.

NOT A BAD IDEA! Actually I've done something like that for the families who end up stuck with all that automotive junk left over from granddad's hoarding.

Contrary to reality TV shows, in real life Grandpa's 40 cars out in the back 40 or stashed in the barn are usually pretty worthless. You want an 80s Cadillac filled with water and rat turds? How 'bout a rusted Jeep Cherokee with no engine or interior and all the glass broken out?

The most amazing thing about viewing these hoarder collections is trying to figure out what on earth they kept them for.

houdini1

jmonroe said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Oh oh, second Tesla self-driver crash. Motor Trend had to add a disclaimer to their review.

http://www.motortrend.com/news/testing-semi-autonomous-cars-tesla-cadillac-hyundai-mercedes/?wc_mid=4035:2422&wc_rid=4035:1116404&_wcsid=803D36F0164E42D5126522EAB2C8C7A950AD242DF34BBE48

I have a Tesla story.

Mrs. j is coordinating a 94 th birthday party for her aunt on Saturday at the senior care home's outdoor court yard where she is living. So what does this have to do with Tesla you may ask? Well, Mrs. j felt that I should be dressed appropriately. Since this shin dig will be outside she said I should buy new shorts and a nice top. Just for the record, I have nice shorts and nice tops but she felt otherwise. So, I said, "where are you taking me, to Macy's"? She says Macy's is too expensive (funny but it doesn't seem to be for her). She says Kohls is where we are going because she has a mailed 30% off coupon for Kohls, even for sale stuff. I guess I'm not worth as much as I thought I was.

As I pull into the Kohls lot, I use my normal parking strategy which is to find a nice car and park next to it. You guessed it, I see a Tesla S with a spot next to it. I didn't think Tesla owners would be seen dead in a Kohls lot but I was wrong. This owner fit in perfectly. When I get out of the car I looked inside the Tesla. Low and behold, I saw no less than 4 beverage cups and one was lying down on the passenger seat with a small wet spot under it. I also saw several fast food wrappers strewn around the car in addition to some other crap both on the passenger and rear seats.

I saw enough, so I can't tell you what the architecture was of the inside of the car but I'm sure from what I saw it wasn't worthy of the owners consideration.

The type of car, model, year, etc. doesn't tell you much about the owner but the inside of the car tells you a whole lot.

FWIW, it's supposed to rain on Saturday so my new outfit will probably go unnoticed at the indoor fall back recreation room at the senior care home.

jmonroe

Yeah, I get the old Kohl's treatment a couple of times a year.

houdini1

henryn said:

roadburner said:

Interesting day today, two salespeople were off sick and two leave early on Wednesdays. That left me, one salesperson, and the new car manager in the showroom from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm. I did a little bit of everything- which was great; I'd rather be doing something than simply twiddling my thumbs...

I think I ran into something similar last night. I went down to look at that used 2016 Chrysler Town and Country. Big dealership, shiny new building, lots of offices, no one working. After a 10 minute wait, I talked to a salesman who sent me off for a test drive with his “assistant”. Which is something I have not encountered before, since when do car salesman have assistants?

The minivan is nice, very clean, looks and drives like new, despite 20k miles as a rental vehicle. Okay, now I’m ready to talk turkey. I’m thinking if they take my offer, who can I call on to help me get it home. Only – there’s no one to “talk turkey” with. I sat around for 25 minutes, and finally just went home.

And on top of that – no call back. I signed in when I got there, and actually gave them my phone number. The salesman photo copied my driver’s license before the test drive, and also took down my phone number. No call back, no nothing.

Very strange.

Maybe it is just a front for some type of sting operation, etc.

jmonroe

henryn said:

roadburner said:

Interesting day today, two salespeople were off sick and two leave early on Wednesdays. That left me, one salesperson, and the new car manager in the showroom from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm. I did a little bit of everything- which was great; I'd rather be doing something than simply twiddling my thumbs...

I think I ran into something similar last night. I went down to look at that used 2016 Chrysler Town and Country. Big dealership, shiny new building, lots of offices, no one working. After a 10 minute wait, I talked to a salesman who sent me off for a test drive with his “assistant”. Which is something I have not encountered before, since when do car salesman have assistants?

The minivan is nice, very clean, looks and drives like new, despite 20k miles as a rental vehicle. Okay, now I’m ready to talk turkey. I’m thinking if they take my offer, who can I call on to help me get it home. Only – there’s no one to “talk turkey” with. I sat around for 25 minutes, and finally just went home.

And on top of that – no call back. I signed in when I got there, and actually gave them my phone number. The salesman photo copied my driver’s license before the test drive, and also took down my phone number. No call back, no nothing.

Very strange.

Well, it doesn't look like they are going to be the first one to flinch which is not a good sign for a buyer.

It's still early in the month so getting a call at the end of the month crunch time is possible. Things like this usually have a way of working out for the best. You might even find another used one in a few days or even see a new one that is a better deal.

I'm sure you'll be letting us know how it goes.

jmonroe

andres3

oldfarmer50 said:

On used cars how would you guys factor in an accident reported on CarFax which is listed as "front end collision with another vehicle" and "no airbag deployment"?

What would you look for other than the obvious like uneven tracking or tire wear?

I'd also add looking for visible white primer paint on the hood and fender and bumper edges. I'd also check all those same edges for "black" scratches/scuffing, and then yet again for paint drips, bubbles, runs.

I'd listen to the car for mysterious rattles and noises. Also put the car in bright sunshine and see if all the panels match in color, sheen, gloss, clarity, and smoothness.

henryn

Forgot all of this nonsense about which car is faster, or gets better gas mileage, or any of that trivial non-important stuff. Here’s a list of the “Top 10 Cars for Single Guys to Attract Women”.

http://www.zeroto60times.com/2013/02/top-10-cars-single-guys-attract-women/

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
Been attracting women since the 70’s CJ5 – If you’re optimistic then get the ‘Unlimited’ version to pack in more ladies
From $30,595
Mustang GT Premium Convertible
You cant go wrong with an American icon
From $39,750
Chevy Volt
Appeals to environmental chicks
From $39,145
Dodge Challenger SRT8 392
Mean looking modern muscle car
From $44,775
Ford F-150 King Ranch
Perfect blend of power, utility and luxury
From $39,205
Mercedes-Benz C350 Coupe
Not the best Benz, but looks expensive
From $43,200
Nissan 370Z Coupe with Sport Package
Japan’s finest option under $40k and a real attention getter
From $36,150
Range Rover Evoque
Perhaps the most striking SUV on the market
From $42,040
Chevrolet Camaro 2SS Convertible
Classic, Powerful & Fun
From $41,685
Audi A5 Convertible
A high-quality German drop-top that is oozing with sexy style
From $43,350

I can't believe they left out the black Altima that @jmonroe talked about

suydam

Sounds like a list written by a guy.

driver100

suydam said:

Sounds like a list written by a guy.

I think you are right....it is for guys attracting other guys. Woman want a man who will buy a sensible 4 door sedan.....he will be the family man type. Expensive 4 door sedan would be even better.

driver100

Here's a deal on a Toyota Corolla that comes under budget...and it is in Canadian dollars:

ALL-IN LEASE
$69‡@0.99% APR
Customer Incentive
+$1,500♦
bi-weekly for 60 months with $1,000 down and $1,500 Customer Incentive applied. Includes freight and fees. HST extra.
ALL-IN FINANCE
$92†@0.99% APR
Customer Incentive
+ $1,500♦
bi-weekly for 84 months with $0 down and $1,500 Customer Incentive applied. Includes freight and fees. HST extra.
ALL-IN PRICE
$17,624*
Includes freight and fees. HST extra. Your local Dealer may charge additional fees of up to $989. Charges may vary by Dealer.Ω

driver100

Mr_Shiftright said:

driver100 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

I was thinking of creating a new form of therapy called "Automotive Psychologist". I'd be trained as a regular therapist, but after our normal first "session" of 50 minutes (charge for 60 of course), we'd stroll out to the car and carefully examine the cabin, trunk and engine compartment, and incorporate that into our future goals for personal development.

Perhaps it's too simplistic but I wonder if someone who drives around with discarded chicken bones and crushed and leaking Big Gulps might also be living a life that isn't going too well in all departments.

Maybe you could be the host of a new reality TV show, "Car Hoarders", where you straighten out people with cars that are piled with junk.

The most amazing thing about viewing these hoarder collections is trying to figure out what on earth they kept them for.

They keep them....because they can!

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

I was thinking of creating a new form of therapy called "Automotive Psychologist". I'd be trained as a regular therapist, but after our normal first "session" of 50 minutes (charge for 60 of course), we'd stroll out to the car and carefully examine the cabin, trunk and engine compartment, and incorporate that into our future goals for personal development.

Perhaps it's too simplistic but I wonder if someone who drives around with discarded chicken bones and crushed and leaking Big Gulps might also be living a life that isn't going too well in all departments.

Maybe you could be the host of a new reality TV show, "Car Hoarders", where you straighten out people with cars that are piled with junk.

Years ago I was selling my 82 Oldsmobile (piece of junk) and the guy who bought it was only interested in looking in the trunk. He said he could tell all about a car by seeing how neat the trunk was.

Fortunately my trunk was very clean.

If I was looking at a car and it was full of chicken bones and big gulps I'd wonder if the seller's priorities included car maintaince.

oldfarmer50

Mr_Shiftright said:

driver100 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

I was thinking of creating a new form of therapy called "Automotive Psychologist". I'd be trained as a regular therapist, but after our normal first "session" of 50 minutes (charge for 60 of course), we'd stroll out to the car and carefully examine the cabin, trunk and engine compartment, and incorporate that into our future goals for personal development.

Perhaps it's too simplistic but I wonder if someone who drives around with discarded chicken bones and crushed and leaking Big Gulps might also be living a life that isn't going too well in all departments.

Maybe you could be the host of a new reality TV show, "Car Hoarders", where you straighten out people with cars that are piled with junk.

NOT A BAD IDEA! Actually I've done something like that for the families who end up stuck with all that automotive junk left over from granddad's hoarding.

Contrary to reality TV shows, in real life Grandpa's 40 cars out in the back 40 or stashed in the barn are usually pretty worthless. You want an 80s Cadillac filled with water and rat turds? How 'bout a rusted Jeep Cherokee with no engine or interior and all the glass broken out?

The most amazing thing about viewing these hoarder collections is trying to figure out what on earth they kept them for.

When I was a kid my buddy (future BIL) and I would go out to his grandfather's farm to shoot off guns. They had a great collection of old junk cars that made great targets. Today I could never blast an old classic full of holes.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

suydam said:

Sounds like a list written by a guy.

I think you are right....it is for guys attracting other guys. Woman want a man who will buy a sensible 4 door sedan.....he will be the family man type. Expensive 4 door sedan would be even better.

Ha ha boy are you out of touch. I don't know if young women would be attracted to any of those cars listed but they sure aren't looking for a sensible family man!

At least not until they've had their fill of bad boys.

jmonroe

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

suydam said:

Sounds like a list written by a guy.

I think you are right....it is for guys attracting other guys. Woman want a man who will buy a sensible 4 door sedan.....he will be the family man type. Expensive 4 door sedan would be even better.

Ha ha boy are you out of touch. I don't know if young women would be attracted to any of those cars listed but they sure aren't looking for a sensible family man!

At least not until they've had their fill of bad boys.

Thanks for bursting my bubble.

Just when I thought a roomy full size sedan would be just the car for a group of young ladies, you go and do something like this. I hope your dues are jacked up out of sight. :@

jmonroe

andres3

driver100 said:

Ab, I don't know about people buying poutine then going to the gym, but i always get a smile when I see someone with a plate with a burger and a huge pile of fries, and of course, they choose a Diet Coke....to try and undo all the bad stuff.

Some Studies show Diet Coke's might be worse for you, and you'll die of cancer instead of a heart attack. Choose your poison.

snakeweasel

fordfool said:

Michaell said:

Title - Manager, Education Operations

Salary - 105% of what I was making at IBM

Congratulations! I grew up in Poughkeepsie, NY, home of IBM's main frame division.
Small home computers just clobbered IBM's core business and employment. When I
was a kid, IBM made typewriters which also went the way of the dinosaur.

IBM was responsible for most of those home computers. Almost 90% of PC's out there are pretty much descendants of the IBM 5150. Don Estridge and his team created the 5150 with off the shelf parts. That meant that if you wanted an IBM PC you could just run down to the electronic shop and make your own which many people did. It wasn't long before other companies were producing IBM clones that were better and cheaper than what IBM could produce forcing IBM out of the PC business.

As for typewriters, they are making a comeback as governments and companies are going back to the for security reasons. Can't hack a typewriter.

snakeweasel

oldfarmer50 said:

Michaell said:

stickguy said:

good news Michael. and since salary up and expenses down, you should be able to expand your car budget, right?

my son started a few weeks ago. So we helped him pick benefits (better than our crappy company!) and he got a pretty large raise, but I guess it helps to be a materials engineer with experience on the chip making equipment in the lab there. hopefully it is a good long term place for him, but if not, in a few years he should have his pick of places to go.

me, I just want to retire.

You would think, right?

Still a lot of unknowns - can't begin contributing to the 401(k) until after 90 days, so I won't get a sense of a true paycheck until November.

And, for the time being I'm going to be solo on the benefits - wife is getting medical through her employer. I'll probably add her at the next open enrollment period. Don't know when that is. Fiscal year starts 12/1, but benefits could also be on the calendar year.

Bottom line - I'm going to gang on to the Elantra until the lease is up, then figure out next steps.

Be careful not to have any lapses in health coverage or you'll get fined by Obamacare.

You can have a lapse in coverage without getting fined. You can be uncovered by health insurance for two months without getting fined. Also if you are covered for part of a month you are considered covered for the whole month. And even if you are subject to a fine you may be able to get an exemption.

snakeweasel

oldfarmer50 said:

Just heard a report by AAA that says cheap gas leaves 19 times more engine deposits than top tier gas. (Wonder who paid for that study?)

I guess you can run only better gas or clean out the deposits my way:

The first thing I would want to know is what constitutes "cheap gas"? To me that would be from 'Jose's pizzeria and fuel stop' in the middle of nowhere.

Second is what is the quantities of the deposits in question, 19 times practically nothing is practically nothing.

I am not sold on top tier gas as it basically has more detergents and to me that's the gasoline version of "wash, rinse, repeat."

driver100

snakeweasel said:

fordfool said:

Michaell said:

Title - Manager, Education Operations

Salary - 105% of what I was making at IBM

Congratulations! I grew up in Poughkeepsie, NY, home of IBM's main frame division.
Small home computers just clobbered IBM's core business and employment. When I
was a kid, IBM made typewriters which also went the way of the dinosaur.

As for typewriters, they are making a comeback as governments and companies are going back to the for security reasons. Can't hack a typewriter.

Too bad Hilary didn't have a typewriter ( I know political, I forgot).

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

suydam said:

Sounds like a list written by a guy.

I think you are right....it is for guys attracting other guys. Woman want a man who will buy a sensible 4 door sedan.....he will be the family man type. Expensive 4 door sedan would be even better.

Ha ha boy are you out of touch. I don't know if young women would be attracted to any of those cars listed but they sure aren't looking for a sensible family man!

At least not until they've had their fill of bad boys.

I just read something about that. I could never figure that out why women are attracted to bad boys. Women genetically are looking for a male who will protect them and their children, the bad boy fills the bill for a lot of women. At the same time, woman want a man who will be able to look after them and the children, so it helps if they have an income, also if the men have a car that can fit some baby car seats in it too. Van is probably the ideal chick magnet, though JMonroe's Altima loaner did well....guess it carries kids, but it shows a lot of common sense conservative spending, which may appeal to a few more sensible females.

I have to stop trying to figure all this out.....no one can, no one will!!!!!!

andres3

snakeweasel said:

fordfool said:

Michaell said:

Title - Manager, Education Operations

Salary - 105% of what I was making at IBM

Congratulations! I grew up in Poughkeepsie, NY, home of IBM's main frame division.
Small home computers just clobbered IBM's core business and employment. When I
was a kid, IBM made typewriters which also went the way of the dinosaur.

IBM was responsible for most of those home computers. Almost 90% of PC's out there are pretty much descendants of the IBM 5150. Don Estridge and his team created the 5150 with off the shelf parts. That meant that if you wanted an IBM PC you could just run down to the electronic shop and make your own which many people did. It wasn't long before other companies were producing IBM clones that were better and cheaper than what IBM could produce forcing IBM out of the PC business.

As for typewriters, they are making a comeback as governments and companies are going back to the for security reasons. Can't hack a typewriter.

Vinyl records for playing music on record players/turn tables are also making a major comeback. I like the sound, though the OPPO Blu-Ray is vastly more efficient at churning out loudness without having to crank the volume way up.

ab348

fordfool said:

Congratulations! I grew up in Poughkeepsie, NY, home of IBM's main frame division.
Small home computers just clobbered IBM's core business and employment. When I
was a kid, IBM made typewriters which also went the way of the dinosaur.

I am old enough that when I first began working in 1979 I began dealing with IBM and that continued until the mid-1990s. The first thing I dealt with them on was the purchase of a System/34 minicomputer for the company I worked for. The thing was the size of a large deep freezer, had a 64MB hard disk, 128K of memory, and we had I think 6 remote terminals and a line printer like you used to see on TV shows. It cost us around $100K including some software applications. Later on when PCs became popular I bought a few IBMs but did better with competitor brands. The last ones I bought were their PS/2s which were nicely built but very expensive for what they did.

In 1985 when I changed jobs one of the first things I worked on was purchasing a large number of electronic typewriters for our office. The old IBM Selectrics were built like tanks and were the standard, but electronic models with memory and other new features were being offered by a number of other companies like Xerox, Canon, Brother, at much better prices. I remember we went with Canon because they were significantly cheaper and had nice features, and while the secretaries were at first reluctant to give up their Selectrics, they soon loved the Canons.