Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

stever

I've screwed up my taxes the last three years and managed to get refunds. I hate that.

isellhondas

driver100 said:

Just wanted to pass on a "Hello" from our friend Mike. He doesn't have much energy, and he is deciding on options for his next steps. I know we will be hoping for the best possible results.

Thanks for the update. Mike has been through more than most people could handle. He has got to be the toughest guy I know!

berri

Tell Mike hello. Tell him best wishes and I miss him on the forums.

berri

The IRS has cracked down on expense report type stuff, which may be why the hassles.

jmonroe

driver100 said:

Just wanted to pass on a "Hello" from our friend Mike. He doesn't have much energy, and he is deciding on options for his next steps. I know we will be hoping for the best possible results.

Pass on a hello from me and I'm sure everyone else in here too.

We're all pulling for Mike.

jmonroe

ab348

graphicguy said:

My boss called the "hide the raincoat". The background to that term was getting caught in a downpour walking to a meeting, ruining your suit. It would be cheaper to just buy a raincoat and make the meeting. Raincoats can't be expensed, so you find something else to cover the cost of the raincoat.

Yeah, even in government that sort of thing happened. Up here the provincial (state) government is notorious for being tough on employee expense accounts after a few scandals some years back and you do not get away with much. But good bureaucrats can usually find loopholes. I find it is the politicians who usually bungle things like this, thinking they can get away with it due to arrogance/hubris.

Years ago our division had a boozy Christmas staff lunch as per longstanding tradition. We would spend 3 or 4 hours at a steakhouse, and a good part of that time was spent toasting each other after the meal. This was always paid for by our Exec Director, who expensed it with the blessing of his boss. This no longer occurs to my understanding, but back then nobody cared.

One year the E.D. had to leave the affair early while things were still rollicking along. He told me to pay the bill for the entire thing and he would see I was reimbursed. When the time came to claim it he told me not to put it on the expense account the way it occurred. Instead his advice was for me to take a couple of fictional car trips to our field offices and charge the appropriate mileage needed to make me whole for the steakhouse bill. He would sign off on them and nobody would be the wiser. In retrospect I would not do that now as the fallout if discovered would be disastrous but I was a lot younger and less wise back then.

sda

ab348 said:

graphicguy said:

My boss called the "hide the raincoat". The background to that term was getting caught in a downpour walking to a meeting, ruining your suit. It would be cheaper to just buy a raincoat and make the meeting. Raincoats can't be expensed, so you find something else to cover the cost of the raincoat.

Yeah, even in government that sort of thing happened. Up here the provincial (state) government is notorious for being tough on employee expense accounts after a few scandals some years back and you do not get away with much. But good bureaucrats can usually find loopholes. I find it is the politicians who usually bungle things like this, thinking they can get away with it due to arrogance/hubris.

Years ago our division had a boozy Christmas staff lunch as per longstanding tradition. We would spend 3 or 4 hours at a steakhouse, and a good part of that time was spent toasting each other after the meal. This was always paid for by our Exec Director, who expensed it with the blessing of his boss. This no longer occurs to my understanding, but back then nobody cared.

One year the E.D. had to leave the affair early while things were still rollicking along. He told me to pay the bill for the entire thing and he would see I was reimbursed. When the time came to claim it he told me not to put it on the expense account the way it occurred. Instead his advice was for me to take a couple of fictional car trips to our field offices and charge the appropriate mileage needed to make me whole for the steakhouse bill. He would sign off on them and nobody would be the wiser. In retrospect I would not do that now as the fallout if discovered would be disastrous but I was a lot younger and less wise back then.

That was pretty cruddy of the Exec Director to put you in that position.

explorerx4

Wife and I had a bit of window car shopping today.
A local dealer has about half a dozen Chevy SS models that are sticks!
They are over my budget(50k MSRP), but I'll keep my eyes open for some sort of deal.

andres3

Over 50K! wow!

andres3

explorerx4 said:

There have been a lot a thefts of newer cars locally. People are leaving the fobs in cars with push button start, so thieves just open the door push the start button and drive away.

This is definitely a large potential problem and flaw with push button start and key FOBS.

It is really easy to forget the keys in the car.

driver100

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

Just wanted to pass on a "Hello" from our friend Mike. He doesn't have much energy, and he is deciding on options for his next steps. I know we will be hoping for the best possible results.

Pass on a hello from me and I'm sure everyone else in here too.

We're all pulling for Mike.

jmonroe

I will definitely let Mike know, he'll like that.

driver100

sda said:

ab348 said:

graphicguy said:

My boss called the "hide the raincoat". The background to that term was getting caught in a downpour walking to a meeting, ruining your suit. It would be cheaper to just buy a raincoat and make the meeting. Raincoats can't be expensed, so you find something else to cover the cost of the raincoat.

One year the E.D. had to leave the affair early while things were still rollicking along. He told me to pay the bill for the entire thing and he would see I was reimbursed. When the time came to claim it he told me not to put it on the expense account the way it occurred. Instead his advice was for me to take a couple of fictional car trips to our field offices and charge the appropriate mileage needed to make me whole for the steakhouse bill. He would sign off on them and nobody would be the wiser. In retrospect I would not do that now as the fallout if discovered would be disastrous but I was a lot younger and less wise back then.

That was pretty cruddy of the Exec Director to put you in that position.

I don't think it is too bad in a way. It is just one of those goofy corporate things that have to be done so ab can get reimbursed. Signing off on a few $100 or $1000 booze bill is difficult to attribute to one individual, but, car miles aren't going to be questioned. Since the boss OKs abs expenses it should just go through. I had to do that kind of thing myself a few times during my expense account days.

Just part of the game!

roadburner

driver100 said:

I would still bet on them winning in the end! I have gone up against CRS, our version of the IRS, and I found they grind you down until you can't take it any more...and it is better to just pay.

Screw 'em; NO WAY am I going to pay taxes I don't owe.

Michaell

driver100 said:

sda said:

ab348 said:

graphicguy said:

My boss called the "hide the raincoat". The background to that term was getting caught in a downpour walking to a meeting, ruining your suit. It would be cheaper to just buy a raincoat and make the meeting. Raincoats can't be expensed, so you find something else to cover the cost of the raincoat.

One year the E.D. had to leave the affair early while things were still rollicking along. He told me to pay the bill for the entire thing and he would see I was reimbursed. When the time came to claim it he told me not to put it on the expense account the way it occurred. Instead his advice was for me to take a couple of fictional car trips to our field offices and charge the appropriate mileage needed to make me whole for the steakhouse bill. He would sign off on them and nobody would be the wiser. In retrospect I would not do that now as the fallout if discovered would be disastrous but I was a lot younger and less wise back then.

That was pretty cruddy of the Exec Director to put you in that position.

I don't think it is too bad in a way. It is just one of those goofy corporate things that have to be done so ab can get reimbursed. Signing off on a few $100 or $1000 booze bill is difficult to attribute to one individual, but, car miles aren't going to be questioned. Since the boss OKs abs expenses it should just go through. I had to do that kind of thing myself a few times during my expense account days.

Just part of the game!

Sorry, I disagree.

If the alcohol expenses weren't reiumbursable, then why try to game the system?

If they were, they should have been approved.

That's a slippery slope we're on ... I don't see much grey area when it comes to expenses. Either it's in, or it's out.

I've just started to submit expenses as part of my new job. My new company wants to see the itemized receipts, even for meals - not just the CC receipt with the total and tip amount.

I haven't had anything denied yet, even the charge for my TSE PRE application.

ab348

Speaking of eating out: imagine you see something on a restaurant menu you have enjoyed elsewhere and that you sometimes make at home yourself. A commonplace dish, but very tasty. You order it. This is what arrives and is placed in front of you.




Can you identify this? Any guesses? I found this totally bizarre. I will give the answer after I get a few replies.

tjc78

Both my wife and I looked at this... Not really sure the beige things look like Cheesesteak egg rolls, the breaded and fried balls could be anything as is the feta cheese looking stuff and sauce.

sda

Is it edible? Doesn't look appetizing to me, no clue.

Michaell

It looks like a common dish, "deconstructed".

Though I couldn't tell you what it was supposed to be when it's all put together.

isellhondas

Back in the "old days" I travelled constantly and I always tried to be conservative with my unlimited expense account. If I felt like a steak I would order one but usually I wouldn't. Sometimes I would just have a bowl of soup if I got to the hotel late. I stayed in decent but not expensive hotels. Holiday Inns and places like that.

On one of my trips to Alaska I was going to be there for a week so I tried to save my company a few bucks (Alaska is EXPENSIVE!) so I stayed in a Super 8.

My boss chewed me out but in a nice way. I'll skip the profanities...

" No Regional Manager of ours is going to stay in a Super 8!! YOU ARE BETTER THAN THAT!

He went on and on and ended by telling me to stay ANYWHERE that is nice!

Then....we got a new President and all of this got reversed as so often happens.

That's when I left.

tjc78

We had a few guys that used to stay in dumps and eat cheap, just to look good. It got to be a game for awhile between them. I just stayed at a place I'd pay for myself and eat reasonably. I never once was questioned in over 13 years of pretty heavy travel.

I'm so happy to be an office guy now. I could never travel with the two little ones at home. As I type this my 9 month old just fell asleep on me!

oldfarmer50

explorerx4 said:

Wife and I had a bit of window car shopping today.
A local dealer has about half a dozen Chevy SS models that are sticks!
They are over my budget(50k MSRP), but I'll keep my eyes open for some sort of deal.

I assumed that you meant a Camaro SS but I remembered Chevy had an Impala SS too so I tried to look one up. I didn't even recognize it. Is that an Impala? Doesn't look like one.

What I read seemed impressive 415hp., magnetic ride. Strange I haven't heard of it before. Are they going for a lux/sport competitor for the BMW 3? Base price about $47k. way out of my league.

Michaell

oldfarmer50 said:

explorerx4 said:

Wife and I had a bit of window car shopping today.
A local dealer has about half a dozen Chevy SS models that are sticks!
They are over my budget(50k MSRP), but I'll keep my eyes open for some sort of deal.

I assumed that you meant a Camaro SS but I remembered Chevy had an Impala SS too so I tried to look one up. I didn't even recognize it. Is that an Impala? Doesn't look like one.

What I read seemed impressive 415hp., magnetic ride. Strange I haven't heard of it before. Are they going for a lux/sport competitor for the BMW 3? Base price about $47k. way out of my league.

@oldfarmer50 - that is the Holden Commodore. It is an update to the Pontiac G8.

explorerx4

@oldfarmer50,
The SS is kind of an interesting car, Malibu sized, V8, Rwd, imported from Australia, although powertrain is built in Mexico.
Here is link to one of the cars.
http://www.terryvillechevy.com/VehicleDetails/new-2016-Chevrolet-SS-4dr_Sdn-Terryville-CT/2803921453

ab348

Michaell said:

It looks like a common dish, "deconstructed".

Though I couldn't tell you what it was supposed to be when it's all put together.

Yes, it is apparently deconstructed.

It is supposed to be Lasagne.

Now I recognize a couple of tomatoes there, and I guess those white crumbles are cottage or ricotta cheese. But as far as the rest of it goes, I'm stumped.

A former co-worker posted the pic and was raving about how wonderful it was. I asked what it was supposed to be since he didn't say and he got his nose out of joint, accusing me of not having an open mind. There is no way I would ever recognize that as lasagne so it seemed like a fair question. I dunno how I would react if that was placed in front of me at a restaurant.

driver100

Michaell said:

driver100 said:

sda said:

ab348 said:

graphicguy said:

My boss called the "hide the raincoat". The background to that term was getting caught in a downpour walking to a meeting, ruining your suit. It would be cheaper to just buy a raincoat and make the meeting. Raincoats can't be expensed, so you find something else to cover the cost of the raincoat.

One year the E.D. had to leave the affair early while things were still rollicking along. He told me to pay the bill for the entire thing and he would see I was reimbursed. When the time came to claim it he told me not to put it on the expense account the way it occurred. Instead his advice was for me to take a couple of fictional car trips to our field offices and charge the appropriate mileage needed to make me whole for the steakhouse bill. He would sign off on them and nobody would be the wiser. In retrospect I would not do that now as the fallout if discovered would be disastrous but I was a lot younger and less wise back then.

That was pretty cruddy of the Exec Director to put you in that position.

I don't think it is too bad in a way. It is just one of those goofy corporate things that have to be done so ab can get reimbursed. Signing off on a few $100 or $1000 booze bill is difficult to attribute to one individual, but, car miles aren't going to be questioned. Since the boss OKs abs expenses it should just go through. I had to do that kind of thing myself a few times during my expense account days.

Just part of the game!

Sorry, I disagree.

If the alcohol expenses weren't reiumbursable, then why try to game the system?

If they were, they should have been approved.

That's a slippery slope we're on ... I don't see much grey area when it comes to expenses. Either it's in, or it's out.

I've just started to submit expenses as part of my new job. My new company wants to see the itemized receipts, even for meals - not just the CC receipt with the total and tip amount.

I haven't had anything denied yet, even the charge for my TSE PRE application.

The one problem in abs case is his manager may have to submit his expense to someone higher up...and they may not approve the high liquor bill. But, if ab submits it, his boss may get questioned, so he asks ab to submit it as mileage....and HE will approve it. Could be very questionable.

But, sometimes I lost a receipt or didn't get one......sometimes at a parking lot for example, sometimes I would write up my own little note with details, when why and where, sometimes I would just add the amount to another bill....say make a taxi receipt a bit more.

I don't aim to take advantage of my employer or the government, I just want to be fair and reasonable and speed things along.

berri

Funny how expenses and receipt philosophy tends to bounce back and forth. They want detailed receipts, then the policy is only receipts for specific things like hotel, then to a flat rate per day with no receipts, then back to detailed receipts. The management game. But I suppose tax rules and the like may affect some of those changes, but some are just new managers changing policy for the sake of change and to show they are now in charge.

stickguy

my company (well, companies as buyouts and splits happened!) like to change the rules. But usually, you did not need paper for under a certain amount, and only for certain things. so, a $10 lunch, under the $ threshold, no receipt required. and most of the big stuff (airfare, hotel) was billed directly or handled in advance by travel group.

roadburner

stickguy said:

my company (well, companies as buyouts and splits happened!) like to change the rules. But usually, you did not need paper for under a certain amount, and only for certain things. so, a $10 lunch, under the $ threshold, no receipt required. and most of the big stuff (airfare, hotel) was billed directly or handled in advance by travel group.

That's the way the state handled my travels; a fixed amount per day didn't require receipts and my lodging was direct billed.

stickguy

and they allot us a whopping $35/day for food. For all meals, combined. Man, really key to stay at a hotel with free breakfast!

stickguy

speaking of BMWs (weren't we?), I got invites from both local BMW dealers to the drive event (donating to the Olympic teams I think) this Thursday. Just have to see if I have time to fit in a slot (darned meetings), since I don't want to go late in the afternoon.

Hey, it isn't stroking if it is for Charity, and they invite you.

jmonroe

andres3 said:

explorerx4 said:

There have been a lot a thefts of newer cars locally. People are leaving the fobs in cars with push button start, so thieves just open the door push the start button and drive away.

This is definitely a large potential problem and flaw with push button start and key FOBS.

It is really easy to forget the keys in the car.

Why is it so hard to take your keys with you regardless of how you start the car? I've had push button start with both my '09 and '15 Genny and I have yet to leave the fob in the car even once. You can't lock the car when the fob is in the car so that should be your first reminder. Now, if you're in the habit of not locking your car, well, you better tie a Doberman to all the doors and maybe even all four wheels. That kind of stupidity can't be compensated for by the auto makers. They have enough real problems to solve without "how do we get our owners to lock their car"?

jmonroe

stickguy

I never leave the fob in the car. It actually never comes out of my pocket (and my wife can't even find hers at the bottom of her pocket book!)

and I don't think you can lock it in either of our cars that have a fob. I can't even lock the car if my wife leaves her pocketbook in the car (intentionally) using the button on the door handle, even with my fob in my pocket. If I want to do that, I have to take it out and push the lock button on the fob.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

speaking of BMWs (weren't we?), I got invites from both local BMW dealers to the drive event (donating to the Olympic teams I think) this Thursday. Just have to see if I have time to fit in a slot (darned meetings), since I don't want to go late in the afternoon.

Hey, it isn't stroking if it is for Charity, and they invite you.

If you don't blow off work for that I'll lose all respect. Priorities man, priorities!

oldfarmer50

jmonroe said:

andres3 said:

explorerx4 said:

There have been a lot a thefts of newer cars locally. People are leaving the fobs in cars with push button start, so thieves just open the door push the start button and drive away.

This is definitely a large potential problem and flaw with push button start and key FOBS.

It is really easy to forget the keys in the car.

Why is it so hard to take your keys with you regardless of how you start the car? I've had push button start with both my '09 and '15 Genny and I have yet to leave the fob in the car even once. You can't lock the car when the fob is in the car so that should be your first reminder. Now, if you're in the habit of not locking your car, well, you better tie a Doberman to all the doors and maybe even all four wheels. That kind of stupidity can't be compensated for by the auto makers. They have enough real problems to solve without "how do we get our owners to lock their car"?

jmonroe

My problem is that I now have so many large fobs that it's uncomfortable in my pocket. I started putting the Mustang fob (the size of a small torpedo) in my other pocket. Then it would fall out of that pocket and I'd go nuts looking for it.

I now have everything back on one key ring but once or twice I did just throw the fob in the cup holder. I almost never lock my doors so I can see forgetting the thing in the car. I'd rather just have a standard key.

graphicguy

Michaell said:

driver100 said:

sda said:

ab348 said:

graphicguy said:

My boss called the "hide the raincoat". The background to that term was getting caught in a downpour walking to a meeting, ruining your suit. It would be cheaper to just buy a raincoat and make the meeting. Raincoats can't be expensed, so you find something else to cover the cost of the raincoat.

One year the E.D. had to leave the affair early while things were still rollicking along. He told me to pay the bill for the entire thing and he would see I was reimbursed. When the time came to claim it he told me not to put it on the expense account the way it occurred. Instead his advice was for me to take a couple of fictional car trips to our field offices and charge the appropriate mileage needed to make me whole for the steakhouse bill. He would sign off on them and nobody would be the wiser. In retrospect I would not do that now as the fallout if discovered would be disastrous but I was a lot younger and less wise back then.

That was pretty cruddy of the Exec Director to put you in that position.

I don't think it is too bad in a way. It is just one of those goofy corporate things that have to be done so ab can get reimbursed. Signing off on a few $100 or $1000 booze bill is difficult to attribute to one individual, but, car miles aren't going to be questioned. Since the boss OKs abs expenses it should just go through. I had to do that kind of thing myself a few times during my expense account days.

Just part of the game!

Sorry, I disagree.

If the alcohol expenses weren't reiumbursable, then why try to game the system?

If they were, they should have been approved.

That's a slippery slope we're on ... I don't see much grey area when it comes to expenses. Either it's in, or it's out.

I've just started to submit expenses as part of my new job. My new company wants to see the itemized receipts, even for meals - not just the CC receipt with the total and tip amount.

I haven't had anything denied yet, even the charge for my TSE PRE application.

Yeah....my company is to the same point. Can't just submit a credit card slip. I have to send an itemized receipt for meals, printer paper, etc. It's not too bad, once you consistently know what you need to get reimbursed.

I always tell the people who report to me that expenses are a zero sum game. In short, I don't want them to lose money. But sometimes, you do. For example, we don't get reimbursed for tipping a parking attendant. We eat those sort of expenses.

Driver....tell Mike I said "hi". It sounded like things were skewing in the wrong direction for him for awhile. Sorry to hear that has continued.

graphicguy

I know in the CTS, if you leave the FOB in the car, the car beeps at me, letting me know the FOB is in it after I turn the car off.

I'm one who doesn't carry all of my keys/fobs on one key chain though. If I'm driving the Cobra, I don't have the CTS keys with me and vice versa.

Michaell

graphicguy said:

I'm one who doesn't carry all of my keys/fobs on one key chain though. If I'm driving the Cobra, I don't have the CTS keys with me and vice versa.

Im the same way with my keys. I can only drive one car at a time, so I'll only have one set of keys with me (Hyundai, Subaru or MINI).

driver100

berri But I suppose tax rules and the like may affect some of those changes, but some are just new managers changing policy for the sake of change and to show they are now in charge.

One thing I saw in business...new managers liked to create new forms, and they had to be returned directly to them, and the form had their name on it.

I always thought it was a way to try to establish their job in the company, how do you fire someone who's name is on all these forms? If we get rid of the guy, who will analyze all these forms we get back every week.

driver100

"graphicguy">

Driver....tell Mike I said "hi". It sounded like things were skewing in the wrong direction for him for awhile. Sorry to hear that has continued

.>

I have passed on your hello, and all the other's too. Mike has a major meeting with his doctor today, to decide on a course of action.

driver100

My wife always carries her fob for my car in her purse, so if she gets to the car first she can open her door and get it (no, I stopped opening her door after we got married )

But, what I did find interesting was we went to play pickleball, she left her purse with her key for my car in the trunk, and the car did lock up.

So, the car knew, it was my key that opened it and was in play, and it would lock up with her key in the trunk.

roadburner

isellhondas said:

Thanks for the update. Mike has been through more than most people could handle. He has got to be the toughest guy I know!

Agreed!

roadburner

graphicguy said:

I know in the CTS, if you leave the FOB in the car, the car beeps at me, letting me know the FOB is in it after I turn the car off.

I'm one who doesn't carry all of my keys/fobs on one key chain though. If I'm driving the Cobra, I don't have the CTS keys with me and vice versa.

The new BMWs that have a wireless charging point in the console can be configured to warn you if you leave your phone in the car.

As for key fobs, I'm like you- I have a key chain or case for each set of keys.

roadburner

All this talk about key fobs reminded me about another story concerning the older couple that picked up a new 7 Series. Their car came with the Display Key that has a touch screen that allows the driver to access information about the car as well as activate several remote functions(such as parking):

I had noticed that the battery in the Display Key was very low so I began to explain how it could be recharged using the wireless charge point in the console. The wife said, "We'll never use that- can we just buy another regular key?
So, I walked them over to Parts where the husband wrote a $300 check for a "regular" key.

dino001

roadburner said:

So, I walked them over to Parts where the husband wrote a $300 check for a "regular" key.

Nice. At least the next "regular" key will last for a bit longer...

ab348

roadburner said:

All this talk about key fobs reminded me about another story concerning the older couple that picked up a new 7 Series. Their car came with the Display Key that has a touch screen that allows the driver to access information about the car as well as activate several remote functions(such as parking):

I had noticed that the battery in the Display Key was very low so I began to explain how it could be recharged using the wireless charge point in the console. The wife said, "We'll never use that- can we just buy another regular key?
So, I walked them over to Parts where the husband wrote a $300 check for a "regular" key.

The Display Key seems like overkill. Just because something CAN be done, doesn't mean it should be done

qbrozen

explorerx4 said:

Wife and I had a bit of window car shopping today. A local dealer has about half a dozen Chevy SS models that are sticks! They are over my budget(50k MSRP), but I'll keep my eyes open for some sort of deal.

I wanted to consider the SS before I bought my V Sport, but I could not find any around me at the time. In the end, the lack of discounts on the SS and the deep discounts on the V Sport made them pretty much the same price. It is a no brainer at that point.

driver100

I passed on your good wishes to Mike...he wrote back, "Thank the guys for their well-wishes. Much appreciated."

Mike

cdnpinhead

ab348 said:

The Display Key seems like overkill. Just because something CAN be done, doesn't mean it should be done

I agree, but BMW doesn't and hasn't for a long time. They have answered many questions that no one asked, at considerable expense and complication.

jmonroe

driver100 said:

My wife always carries her fob for my car in her purse, so if she gets to the car first she can open her door and get it (no, I stopped opening her door after we got married )

But, what I did find interesting was we went to play pickleball, she left her purse with her key for my car in the trunk, and the car did lock up.

So, the car knew, it was my key that opened it and was in play, and it would lock up with her key in the trunk.

How about the movie "A Bronx Tale" where the date opened the drivers door for him after he opened the passenger door for her?

Son #1 really got a kick out of that scene before he was married and when on his first date with who is now his wife, she opened his door after he let her in. He said, "oh, I guess you saw A Bronx Tale, huh"? She had no idea what he meant and he had to explain it to her. He has said several times that was probably the first sign that she was a keeper. When Mrs, j first heard him say that she said, "I should have known...everything is car related with you".

jmonroe

stever

A reporter would like to talk with drivers who frequently have to deal with wind throb -- i.e. the sound that occurs when you have a rear window down and the front window up. If you'd like to share your experience, please reach out to pr@edmunds.com by no later than August 8, 2016.