Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

jmonroe

berri said:

If you haven't been to Hawaii before, I'd suggest one of those 4 island tours. I'm usually not into the tour thing, but it will give you an overview of the 4 major islands. Even though they aren't that far apart, they are rather different and you will probably come back with a preference for one or two of them. Also, if you are going to pick a tour option to purchase, I'd recommend the Kauai helicopter tour. That's a big anniversary, so wherever you go, congratulations and have a great time!

PS- if you at are not fond of long plane rides, perhaps you can break it up a bit by connecting (or layover) on the west coast. Your return will likely be a redeye, unless you do a west coast layover (but that will cost more). Personally though, I prefer to just suck it in and get over there as direct and fast as I can so I can get the flight stuff over with

No, I have never been to Hawaii nor has Mrs. j.

When I was in the Navy I could have chosen Hawaii as my duty station after I got out of school in Jacksonville but I was talked out of it by several instructors who had been there. While they thought it was nice, they also thought it was too expensive to enjoy for a first tour guy but said I should do it sometime if I decided to make the Navy a career. Well, that was never going to happen so I chose another duty station. I have kicked myself over the years for that decision but I'm over it now, I think.

As for stopping on the West coast to break up the plane ride, Mrs. j thought about that and said, "yeah, we can visit Beverly Hills and you can show me the stores on Rodeo Drive again like you did that time you took me there on a business trip with you years ago". I held her off on that trip from breaking the bank but I don't think I'm that good anymore.

jmonroe

berri

Jacksonville, were you in Aviation?

snakeweasel

jmonroe said:

berri said:

If you haven't been to Hawaii before, I'd suggest one of those 4 island tours. I'm usually not into the tour thing, but it will give you an overview of the 4 major islands. Even though they aren't that far apart, they are rather different and you will probably come back with a preference for one or two of them. Also, if you are going to pick a tour option to purchase, I'd recommend the Kauai helicopter tour. That's a big anniversary, so wherever you go, congratulations and have a great time!

PS- if you at are not fond of long plane rides, perhaps you can break it up a bit by connecting (or layover) on the west coast. Your return will likely be a redeye, unless you do a west coast layover (but that will cost more). Personally though, I prefer to just suck it in and get over there as direct and fast as I can so I can get the flight stuff over with

No, I have never been to Hawaii nor has Mrs. j.

When I was in the Navy I could have chosen Hawaii as my duty station after I got out of school in Jacksonville but I was talked out of it by several instructors who had been there. While they thought it was nice, they also thought it was too expensive to enjoy for a first tour guy but said I should do it sometime if I decided to make the Navy a career. Well, that was never going to happen so I chose another duty station. I have kicked myself over the years for that decision but I'm over it now, I think.

As for stopping on the West coast to break up the plane ride, Mrs. j thought about that and said, "yeah, we can visit Beverly Hills and you can show me the stores on Rodeo Drive again like you did that time you took me there on a business trip with you years ago". I held her off on that trip from breaking the bank but I don't think I'm that good anymore.

jmonroe

When I got out of school in New London I picked a place I knew I might never get to otherwise. That's how I ended up on the rock In Kodiak, AK.

stever

Our old friend here is in Kodiak this week attending a wedding. Pretty spot. Rented a car there one time and tried to return it before our flight home and the agency office was closed. Asked the Alaska Air counter person if she had any ideas and she said sure, give me your keys and I'll walk them over in the morning.

stickguy

perfect truck for OF. as soon as he retires and sells the farmstead, can pack whatever fits in the van, ditch the rest, and drive on down to Fla!

snakeweasel

stever said:

Our old friend here is in Kodiak this week attending a wedding. Pretty spot. Rented a car there one time and tried to return it before our flight home and the agency office was closed. Asked the Alaska Air counter person if she had any ideas and she said sure, give me your keys and I'll walk them over in the morning.

Kodiak is a very beautiful island and enjoyed the years I was there. Interesting airport, the main runway going one way there is a big mountain 300 or so feet from the extreme end of the runway, going the other is was the ocean less than 300 feet from the end of the runway. Our base was right next to the airport and the air station used the airport runways. However the location of the air station ment that the taxi strip that connected the air station to the airport bisected the base so you have to drive across the taxi ways to get from one part of the base to the other. It was interesting have to stop and wait for a plane or helicopter to go by.

jmonroe

berri said:

Jacksonville, were you in Aviation?

Yes. Where have you been? I've mentioned this a few times already. I guess Mrs. j isn't the only one that ignores me. :@

jmonroe

snakeweasel

jmonroe said:

berri said:

Jacksonville, were you in Aviation?

Yes. Where have you been? I've mentioned this a few times already. I guess Mrs. j isn't the only one that ignores me. :@

jmonroe

Uh? What was that? I wasn't listening.

graphicguy

Old Farmer....congrats. Looks like a nice van.....barely broken in. Is it a passenger van (kinda looks like one with all the windows)? If so, how many will it carry? 6 cyl? 8 Cyl? A/C? Inquiring minds want to know. IRS...fight the good fight. I think too many people are scared of government, and it belongs to us. So, when federal, state, municipal government is wrong, we need to call them on it.

Hawaii.....been a half dozen times. Probably the most beautiful place on this earth I've ever seen. Loved it, up until the last time about 10 years ago. I had a great uncle who is burried there. He was there in the service, married a local and just stayed. Anyway, I was visiting his grave and 3 "late teens/early 20s" punks started hassling me about not being a native and was not allowed in their cemetery. At first, I confronted them. Then, I realized trying to explain why I did belong there was stupid. I stayed a while longer, partially to pay my respects, partially to show they weren't intimidating me. I swore I would not go back. Silly reason, I know!

Never had a non-stop to Hawaii from Cincinnati, though. We always went through LAX.

River cruises....my sister took one, but it was in Europe. Not sure all the places she went, but generally loved it. She said there's a definite different (sometimes not better) experience cruising Europe (or on a cruise line based in Europe instead of the U.S.

I'm getting ready to head back down to the Bahamas in a couple of weeks on another cruise. I know some of you don't like them, but I'm at a loss regarding what's not to like. Food is good. The ships are beautiful. Service is wonderful. Entertainment great. The ports are stunning (at least the ones I've been to). As they say, different strokes, different folks.

imidazol97

.

oldfarmer50

I won!

Just got off the phone with the IRS and I owe NOTHING! Hoo-Ra!

I was deep into the latest round of telephone tag when I decided to hit the selection to "pay tax now". Whereas before I was put on hold and then hung up on, this time I got to talk to an agent almost immediately (isn't that interesting). Quick review of the facts and he agreed to my position and canceled all further actions.

I want to thank you all for your support and advice. It would have been difficult to continue driving if I had hung myself in frustration.

qbrozen

graphicguy said:

I'm getting ready to head back down to the Bahamas in a couple of weeks on another cruise. I know some of you don't like them, but I'm at a loss regarding what's not to like. Food is good. The ships are beautiful. Service is wonderful. Entertainment great. The ports are stunning (at least the ones I've been to). As they say, different strokes, different folks.

Food was not so great for me and my restricted diet, cabins are cramped for someone 6'5", and I was seasick the entire trip.

jmonroe

oldfarmer50 said:

I won!

Just got off the phone with the IRS and I owe NOTHING! Hoo-Ra!

I was deep into the latest round of telephone tag when I decided to hit the selection to "pay tax now". Whereas before I was put on hold and then hung up on, this time I got to talk to an agent almost immediately (isn't that interesting). Quick review of the facts and he agreed to my position and canceled all further actions.

I want to thank you all for your support and advice. It would have been difficult to continue driving if I had hung myself in frustration.

That's very good news.

It sounds like when you threaten to pay them they are all ears. Almost like years ago when I called SiriusXM to talk to them about not wanting to continue paying the full price shown on the bill they sent. I guess I hit the wrong button the first year and was put on hold. Then I called back and hit the "cancel subscription" button. Got an almost immediate response that time. Now, I just hit "cancel subscription", sure does save a lot of time.

You just have to know who you are talking to and talk their language.

jmonroe

nelsonf

oldfarmer50 said:

I won!

Just got off the phone with the IRS and I owe NOTHING! Hoo-Ra!

I was deep into the latest round of telephone tag when I decided to hit the selection to "pay tax now". Whereas before I was put on hold and then hung up on, this time I got to talk to an agent almost immediately (isn't that interesting). Quick review of the facts and he agreed to my position and canceled all further actions.

I want to thank you all for your support and advice. It would have been difficult to continue driving if I had hung myself in frustration.

Get something in writing!

stickguy

I finally got serious about eating healthy and exercising, and lost most of the extra pounds I needed too. Somehow I doubt a buffet and Booze cruise would be conducive to maintaining that momentum!

murphydog

New car -

So now that the Ghia is sold my step mom is looking for her new car. My dad's taste in cars was all over the map, she is driving an Xterra with the 6 speed manual and off road package and very much dislikes it. This was the last car he bought new. Before my dad got sick he was looking at the Genesis, which my step mother really likes. On paper she is leaning towards the G80 V8 with the Ultimate package. Seems like a great value for the dollar...

A few things crop up. The nearest Genesis dealer is totally opaque on their pricing, can't see the window stickers on their web page and offered her like 40% less for her Nissan.

The next dealer is Hyundai/Genesis and has way better pricing, but almost no stock

Lastly it appears that the end of year close outs are outstanding, a 2015 Genesis at the Hyundai dealer is $32K!

I think if should could wait 12 months for the new models to reach end of their first model year she could get a heck of a deal.

Will keep you posted.

ab348

graphicguy said:

Hawaii.....been a half dozen times. Probably the most beautiful place on this earth I've ever seen. Loved it, up until the last time about 10 years ago. I had a great uncle who is burried there. He was there in the service, married a local and just stayed. Anyway, I was visiting his grave and 3 "late teens/early 20s" punks started hassling me about not being a native and was not allowed in their cemetery. At first, I confronted them. Then, I realized trying to explain why I did belong there was stupid. I stayed a while longer, partially to pay my respects, partially to show they weren't intimidating me. I swore I would not go back. Silly reason, I know!

I was reading up on Hawaii a while ago after my brother and his wife got back from there in March. They quite enjoyed it. They went with their son and daughter in law who live out west and whom they no longer see very often. The 4 of them rented a place on the big island for a week and toured around. They had no issues with the locals and enjoyed themselves except for all the flying. My reading revealed an increasingly troublesome climate for visitors though, particularly if you venture away from the resorts. Hard to pin down why - drug trade/gang problems and crime in general seem to be growing and the attitude you encountered from Islanders seems to be more prevalent as well. Not good things for an economy so dependent upon tourism.

qbrozen

murphydog said:

New car -

So now that the Ghia is sold my step mom is looking for her new car. My dad's taste in cars was all over the map, she is driving an Xterra with the 6 speed manual and off road package and very much dislikes it. This was the last car he bought new. Before my dad got sick he was looking at the Genesis, which my step mother really likes. On paper she is leaning towards the G80 V8 with the Ultimate package. Seems like a great value for the dollar...

A few things crop up. The nearest Genesis dealer is totally opaque on their pricing, can't see the window stickers on their web page and offered her like 40% less for her Nissan.

The next dealer is Hyundai/Genesis and has way better pricing, but almost no stock

Lastly it appears that the end of year close outs are outstanding, a 2015 Genesis at the Hyundai dealer is $32K!

I think if should could wait 12 months for the new models to reach end of their first model year she could get a heck of a deal.

Will keep you posted.

I can't say for sure, but I would not be the least bit surprised if that Xterra is some sort of diehard desirable unit. Might want to troll the fan sites a bit and find out.

Mr_Shiftright

nelsonf said:

oldfarmer50 said:

I won!

Just got off the phone with the IRS and I owe NOTHING! Hoo-Ra!

I was deep into the latest round of telephone tag when I decided to hit the selection to "pay tax now". Whereas before I was put on hold and then hung up on, this time I got to talk to an agent almost immediately (isn't that interesting). Quick review of the facts and he agreed to my position and canceled all further actions.

I want to thank you all for your support and advice. It would have been difficult to continue driving if I had hung myself in frustration.

Get something in writing!

Now THERE'S the voice of experience talking...

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

I won!

Just got off the phone with the IRS and I owe NOTHING! Hoo-Ra!

.

Don't know which is better...congrats on the new van and with the good news from the IRS!

Maybe you should buy a lottery ticket.

jmonroe

stickguy said:

I finally got serious about eating healthy and exercising, and lost most of the extra pounds I needed too. Somehow I doubt a buffet and Booze cruise would be conducive to maintaining that momentum!

I'd say you should reward yourself for the good work.

You don't have to make a fool out of yourself by going to the "midnight buffet". I like to eat but I don't know how those people can do that, probably just want to make sure they are getting their money's worth. There is plenty of the really good stuff served at dinner and they bring it to you and you don't have to get ruffed up at the "midnight buffet" line. :@

I trust you to do it right.

jmonroe

jmonroe

murphydog said:

New car -

So now that the Ghia is sold my step mom is looking for her new car. My dad's taste in cars was all over the map, she is driving an Xterra with the 6 speed manual and off road package and very much dislikes it. This was the last car he bought new. Before my dad got sick he was looking at the Genesis, which my step mother really likes. On paper she is leaning towards the G80 V8 with the Ultimate package. Seems like a great value for the dollar...

A few things crop up. The nearest Genesis dealer is totally opaque on their pricing, can't see the window stickers on their web page and offered her like 40% less for her Nissan.

The next dealer is Hyundai/Genesis and has way better pricing, but almost no stock

Lastly it appears that the end of year close outs are outstanding, a 2015 Genesis at the Hyundai dealer is $32K!

I think if should could wait 12 months for the new models to reach end of their first model year she could get a heck of a deal.

Will keep you posted.

OK, I give my permission for your step mom to get a Genny. I just don't want anyone in here doing that (did you hear me @houdini1 :@ ) because I want the sole distinction of being the only one in here with one.

jmonroe

qbrozen

I might be interested if they made a Genesis V8 SUV about the size of the Santa Fe.

driver100

stickguy said:

I finally got serious about eating healthy and exercising, and lost most of the extra pounds I needed too. Somehow I doubt a buffet and Booze cruise would be conducive to maintaining that momentum!

That's no place for sticking to a diet.

Those buffets.....I saw one guy and he had two plates stacked as high as he could make it, then he sat at a table and started digging in. I guess he thought he had to fill up then and there before they ran out of food.

andres3

nyccarguy said:

graphicguy said:

I like my son's '16 GTI, a lot. They have become quite nice, well built, quick, sporty, nice materials, etc. I have only looked at A/S3s and have not driven one. So, can't comment on that count. However, given the price difference, I'd be might tempted to stick with a a GTI or Golf R given their similarities to the Audis and their price advantages.

It's hard to argue against a GTI, especially at the price point of the 2017 Sport. As far as public roads go, sure 292 hp (in the R) is better than the "standard" 220 hp but I'd have a hard time justifying the price difference between a GTI Sport & an R. Even with AWD & the other goodies. Then I'd have to price out an S3 vs. Golf R and drive them back to back. It might come down to the sales experience. The R usually commands close to sticker while an S3 can be had for a discount that would bring its selling price closer to the R.

The R should be significantly more buttoned down ride wise, with superior handling and probably wider bigger wheels/tires than the GTI. Same brakes? not sure? The choice between the '17+ S3 and Golf R mostly comes down to whether you prefer a small sedan, or a roomy hot-hatch. VW has a slightly longer power-train warranty, in exchange for a shorter bumper to bumper warranty.

Oh, someone mentioned 409 lb/ft of torque with an APR tune on the 292 HP version. That's the stage 2 tune, the Stage 1 tune is milder but still fantastic. I'm now able to get the EPA figures with the stage 1 tune; finally! CA gas is terrible.

stickguy

Q, how about an F pace? Should work, other than the budget hit. I saw another on the road yesterday. Look sharp.

jmonroe

qbrozen said:

I might be interested if they made a Genesis V8 SUV about the size of the Santa Fe.

Good. Only 4 door sedans count. You're off my watch list.

jmonroe

houdini1

jmonroe said:

houdini1 said:

jmonroe said:

stever said:

snakeweasel said:

Michaell said:

Question for the group - has anyone taken a river cruise in Europe? The wife and I are considering one next year for our 20th anniversary. Amsterdam to Basel on the Rhine.

No but I .would like to, I hear they are great.

I would also want to take a river cruise here in the US

Try the Arkansas Buffalo for an easy shake-down to see if you like it. I did it 7 years in a row "back in the day".

7 years in a row? Either you liked it or were pretty slow in trying to figure out if you liked it.

FWIW, July of 2017 will mark a very notable anniversary number for us and I mentioned a river cruise to you know who and she's "thinking about it". If we don't do a river cruise I'm all for a month in Hawaii just relaxing on the beach and not having to do too much sight seeing on a schedule. I just hate the thought of all those hours in the air to get there from South Western PA, would probably remind me too much of my Navy airdale days.

jmonroe

Congratulations, 50th Anniversary? If you opt for that trip to Hawaii, my suggestion would be to go a little earlier or a little later. Say Jan. 2017 or Jan 2018. Not July.

Yep, that's the one.

Why are you saying January? Are you trying to tell me I picked the wrong month for my wedding or since it's Winter here we'd appreciate the warmth of Hawaii in January.

Remember if I decide to surprise her and go with your suggestion and she doesn't like that and wants to know who put that idea in my head, I'll have to tell her. Are you still in?

jmonroe

Hey, this forum is like Las Vegas. What we say here, stays here. However, if this idea gets back to her and she likes it, of course I'll take the credit. PS, you beat us by one month. Our 50th is August, 2017.

andres3

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

berri said:

Driver, I think the 300 has drive by wire, so you smart to get out of it since it could be warning of a computer system failure. Incidentally, a United Airbus had an issue like that which ran it off the taxiway in Denver the other day.

I forgot about that. It did go through my mind that if it was ps fluid, it would be more constant. I thought at one point I should call and have them pick up the car....if I hit a car or someone because of this steering it could be my fault for driving it knowing it wasn't right.....and I would have to prove there was a malfunction.

Another thought was, I don't know how much this car is worth, say $38k, I think I would rather pay say $45k for a 328, A4 or C Class that I know has a much better chance of being designed right. I have heard people balk at paying $45k for a car....but, at least you aren't throwing away $38k on something not really made right.

When you mass produce anything there will be the occasional product that gets through that doesn't perform right. Paying more doesn't make that go away. If anything when you pay more you are getting a more complected product so you could very well have a better chance of some type of failure.

Well, there are failures, and then there are defects. Failing to do any sort of quality control at any stage of the manufacturing process seems to be Chrysler's MO.

That leads to lemons and issues at 6K miles or less you won't often find from serious un-bailed out automakers.

It leads to parts that don't work right before, at, and during delivery of a new car.

Interestingly Kia made a point to tout their quality control at the dealership level prior to delivering my car. A shame they missed one paint flaw on the hood edge (maybe it'll come out with some concentrated cleaner/detailer and some elbow grease, but I have yet to apply the time).

By and large it seems complicated products with good quality design and control seem to vastly outperform simple designs with the lack of QC. The simplicity of Chrysler using 3-speed automatics in the 90's didn't spare them any black dots in CR.

andres3

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

That steering in the Chryco 300 felt pretty dangerous today. It happens about every 5 miles, I am driving along and then the car wants to veer in the opposite direction....only lasts about 4 or 5 seconds. I have to hang onto the wheel tight with 2 hands, and pull it back on track. It feels like the wheels got caught in a streetcar track and want to go on their own.

I switched the 300 for an X1. Talk about firm steering....feels like there is no power steering, but, I am getting used to it after the loosey goosey 300. Annoying that I can't switch off the off on ignition. Interior is pretty basic, but, the X1 is solid, it is engineered right, it feels light years ahead of the 300 - and it has 28k miles on it compared to 6k on the 300.

Discount thinks it is low on power steering fluid....but, only 6k miles!

The way people treat rental car it's probably because someone DID drive on railroad tracks.

Ahhh... the X1 rentals get driven on the railroad tracks just as often as the 300 rentals. It is just the design quality and durability of the car that changes the impact and results of that action.

But you all know I won't hesitate to twist the knife in a little deeper when Chrysler problems are reported.

houdini1

oldfarmer50 said:

I won!

Just got off the phone with the IRS and I owe NOTHING! Hoo-Ra!

I was deep into the latest round of telephone tag when I decided to hit the selection to "pay tax now". Whereas before I was put on hold and then hung up on, this time I got to talk to an agent almost immediately (isn't that interesting). Quick review of the facts and he agreed to my position and canceled all further actions.

I want to thank you all for your support and advice. It would have been difficult to continue driving if I had hung myself in frustration.

Dang, that is disappointing! I was looking forward to a long drawn out affair, that would keep us all livid for at least a couple of weeks before they caved.

andres3

js06gv said:

roadburner said:

My 2er doesn't have one; if you need one for that model I'd suggest using public transit.

I know from previous comments that you think the addition of modern safety equipment turns cars into sissy mobiles, but I'm not talking about a rear cam from a "need" standpoint. They are about to become mandatory as standard equipment on every vehicle (can't remember in which year, but it's soon). To me, that a premium manufacturer doesn't just build them in ahead of time before they are forced to do so is the ridiculous part. It's similar to when dual airbags weren't mandated until 1997 (really 1994, but the Feds let manufacturers choose to linger on for 3 more years with one bag and an "automatic" belt for the passenger) Several companies, Mercedes and BMW included, got ahead of the curve and installed dual bags sooner.

I think airbags were a bit different as they will be used if the car has a major collision. The back-up cam might never be used during the life of the car; although most people find they add to the convenience of driving and backing up so they use them a lot.

I'm coming around in the Pro-backup-cam camp since I'm getting used to them in my last couple cars, but yes, there should be a minimum screen size. The resolution in my wife's back up cam isn't very good, but the screen is small but reasonable. The Kia has a really small screen and is a little on the unreasonable side as it is so small.

fintail

The screen in modern MBs is very clear. The back up cam is a great tool - not to make a bad driver good, but to make a competent driver more precise. It helps with the thick pillars and highish trunk.

Speaking of vacations, I have planned one, one of my own style. After picking up another car earlier this year, and paying some medical bills, I wanted to keep to a budget, but still get away. I used miles for the flight, and rewards points for the car, and used points or priceline for hotels. I am flying into Atlanta and visiting a friend in the suburbs, then driving to Charleston, then Savannah where I will see the same friend, then down to St Augustine, Daytona Beach, then a couple days in Atlanta, before home. 10 day trip. It should be a mellow time in calm November weather, and shouldn't break the bank.

graphicguy

qbrozen said:

graphicguy said:

I'm getting ready to head back down to the Bahamas in a couple of weeks on another cruise. I know some of you don't like them, but I'm at a loss regarding what's not to like. Food is good. The ships are beautiful. Service is wonderful. Entertainment great. The ports are stunning (at least the ones I've been to). As they say, different strokes, different folks.

Food was not so great for me and my restricted diet, cabins are cramped for someone 6'5", and I was seasick the entire trip.

Q...not sure how long ago you took your cruise. But, witt the stabilization of the most recent ships, you'd be hard pressed to notice much motion, at all.

Usually they try to accomodate special dietary needs, but I've never had any restrictions. So, always found a weath of food to eat that I liked.

I'm not 6'5". So, probably easier for me on that count, too. But, unless it was an old inside cabin, most recent cruise cabins I've been in have been the size of the average hotel room (only my cabins had ocean balconies).

I understand. Cruising's not for everyone. But, I'd be hard pressed to find a better vacation for the amount I spend on a cruise.

stickguy

With the Kia/Hyundai tech, you get a much larger screen, and the whole thing is used for the camera. About the size of a small iPad, and good resolution. In my book, a wonderful feature that only adds, and takes nothing away from the driver.

js06gv

stickguy said:

With the Kia/Hyundai tech, you get a much larger screen, and the whole thing is used for the camera. About the size of a small iPad, and good resolution. In my book, a wonderful feature that only adds, and takes nothing away from the driver.

Agreed. Both resolution and size on my 2016 are light years ahead of what they were on my 2014, but that one didn't have the tech package so not an apples to apples comparison.

My daughter came home for the weekend and it was my first chance to really mess around with some of the features. The car was set up for Apple Carplay but the update that actually installs it wasn't available until recently, so I downloaded and got that set up. My first exposure to it, and have to say it's pretty slick. I wasn't aware until it was installed that it requires the phone to be plugged in to the USB port vs. using Bluetooth, as so much can be achieved with Bluetooth these days, but I guess that makes sense since the screen mimics the approved apps from the iphone. Very impressed and would be nice to have on the other cars (not the T/A of course, as the highest tech on that one for the day was dual airbags and ABS). Looks like Ford is in the process of making it available retroactively, but won't go back to a 2015 model.

qbrozen

Stick, an Fpace is definitely outside the budget I am allowing myself.

GG, this was about 8 yrs ago on one of the biggest and newest at the time. I can't remember the name but it was Royal Carribean with a rock wall and 2-story water slide. Crew and many seasoned passengers informed us we were on the worst seas they had ever seen. 14-foot waves on average the first 3 days on our way down to the islands.

stickguy

I really want CarPlay on my next car. Will be close to a must if I go new.

jmonroe

houdini1 said:

jmonroe said:

houdini1 said:

jmonroe said:

stever said:

snakeweasel said:

Michaell said:

Question for the group - has anyone taken a river cruise in Europe? The wife and I are considering one next year for our 20th anniversary. Amsterdam to Basel on the Rhine.

No but I .would like to, I hear they are great.

I would also want to take a river cruise here in the US

Try the Arkansas Buffalo for an easy shake-down to see if you like it. I did it 7 years in a row "back in the day".

7 years in a row? Either you liked it or were pretty slow in trying to figure out if you liked it.

FWIW, July of 2017 will mark a very notable anniversary number for us and I mentioned a river cruise to you know who and she's "thinking about it". If we don't do a river cruise I'm all for a month in Hawaii just relaxing on the beach and not having to do too much sight seeing on a schedule. I just hate the thought of all those hours in the air to get there from South Western PA, would probably remind me too much of my Navy airdale days.

jmonroe

Congratulations, 50th Anniversary? If you opt for that trip to Hawaii, my suggestion would be to go a little earlier or a little later. Say Jan. 2017 or Jan 2018. Not July.

Yep, that's the one.

Why are you saying January? Are you trying to tell me I picked the wrong month for my wedding or since it's Winter here we'd appreciate the warmth of Hawaii in January.

Remember if I decide to surprise her and go with your suggestion and she doesn't like that and wants to know who put that idea in my head, I'll have to tell her. Are you still in?

jmonroe

Hey, this forum is like Las Vegas. What we say here, stays here. However, if this idea gets back to her and she likes it, of course I'll take the credit. PS, you beat us by one month. Our 50th is August, 2017.

Talk about a way to wimp out. I guess her rep has you scared.

My early congrats to you. I'll let you know how mine goes so I'll be good for pointers that I can pass onto you and then I'll be the one to take credit. How's that?

jmonroe

houdini1

jmonroe said:

houdini1 said:

jmonroe said:

houdini1 said:

jmonroe said:

stever said:

snakeweasel said:

Michaell said:

Question for the group - has anyone taken a river cruise in Europe? The wife and I are considering one next year for our 20th anniversary. Amsterdam to Basel on the Rhine.

No but I .would like to, I hear they are great.

I would also want to take a river cruise here in the US

Try the Arkansas Buffalo for an easy shake-down to see if you like it. I did it 7 years in a row "back in the day".

7 years in a row? Either you liked it or were pretty slow in trying to figure out if you liked it.

FWIW, July of 2017 will mark a very notable anniversary number for us and I mentioned a river cruise to you know who and she's "thinking about it". If we don't do a river cruise I'm all for a month in Hawaii just relaxing on the beach and not having to do too much sight seeing on a schedule. I just hate the thought of all those hours in the air to get there from South Western PA, would probably remind me too much of my Navy airdale days.

jmonroe

Congratulations, 50th Anniversary? If you opt for that trip to Hawaii, my suggestion would be to go a little earlier or a little later. Say Jan. 2017 or Jan 2018. Not July.

Yep, that's the one.

Why are you saying January? Are you trying to tell me I picked the wrong month for my wedding or since it's Winter here we'd appreciate the warmth of Hawaii in January.

Remember if I decide to surprise her and go with your suggestion and she doesn't like that and wants to know who put that idea in my head, I'll have to tell her. Are you still in?

jmonroe

Hey, this forum is like Las Vegas. What we say here, stays here. However, if this idea gets back to her and she likes it, of course I'll take the credit. PS, you beat us by one month. Our 50th is August, 2017.

Talk about a way to wimp out. I guess her rep has you scared.

My early congrats to you. I'll let you know how mine goes so I'll be good for pointers that I can pass onto you and then I'll be the one to take credit. How's that?

jmonroe

You got it. Sounds fair to me.

Michaell

stickguy said:

I really want CarPlay on my next car. Will be close to a must if I go new.

I've played with it just a bit on the Jetta. I'm not in the car enough to really get the most out of it.

38 days and less than 900 miles.

snakeweasel

jmonroe said:

oldfarmer50 said:

I won!

Just got off the phone with the IRS and I owe NOTHING! Hoo-Ra!

I was deep into the latest round of telephone tag when I decided to hit the selection to "pay tax now". Whereas before I was put on hold and then hung up on, this time I got to talk to an agent almost immediately (isn't that interesting). Quick review of the facts and he agreed to my position and canceled all further actions.

I want to thank you all for your support and advice. It would have been difficult to continue driving if I had hung myself in frustration.

That's very good news.

It sounds like when you threaten to pay them they are all ears. Almost like years ago when I called SiriusXM to talk to them about not wanting to continue paying the full price shown on the bill they sent. I guess I hit the wrong button the first year and was put on hold. Then I called back and hit the "cancel subscription" button. Got an almost immediate response that time. Now, I just hit "cancel subscription", sure does save a lot of time.

You just have to know who you are talking to and talk their language.

jmonroe

It's more like they are different departments with different responsibilities and different levels of customer service activity. Far more people call the IRS for questions and issues about their taxes than call the IRS to make a payment.

stickguy

6 weeks from my 2 year anniversary, and 13,200 miles for me.

at least I don't expect to have to replace the tires before it goes back.

snakeweasel

ab348 said:

graphicguy said:

Hawaii.....been a half dozen times. Probably the most beautiful place on this earth I've ever seen. Loved it, up until the last time about 10 years ago. I had a great uncle who is burried there. He was there in the service, married a local and just stayed. Anyway, I was visiting his grave and 3 "late teens/early 20s" punks started hassling me about not being a native and was not allowed in their cemetery. At first, I confronted them. Then, I realized trying to explain why I did belong there was stupid. I stayed a while longer, partially to pay my respects, partially to show they weren't intimidating me. I swore I would not go back. Silly reason, I know!

I was reading up on Hawaii a while ago after my brother and his wife got back from there in March. They quite enjoyed it. They went with their son and daughter in law who live out west and whom they no longer see very often. The 4 of them rented a place on the big island for a week and toured around. They had no issues with the locals and enjoyed themselves except for all the flying. My reading revealed an increasingly troublesome climate for visitors though, particularly if you venture away from the resorts. Hard to pin down why - drug trade/gang problems and crime in general seem to be growing and the attitude you encountered from Islanders seems to be more prevalent as well. Not good things for an economy so dependent upon tourism.

Actually one of the major reasons is tourism. Tourism is not always a good thing, many people in Hawaii think tourism is hurting the Hawaiian Islands and they could be right. Look at it this way, you want to go to Orlando and create ab's golf resort and taco emporium there is plenty of land around to build it and if you bought out several neighborhoods to get the land those people could easily move a few miles down the road to affordable housing. Now if you go to Hawaii and open up ab's golf and taco emporium then those you displace to build your empire can't move down the road since that's in the ocean. They get crowded into a smaller residential area so the more developed the islands get for tourism the less space there is for the locals to live driving up housing costs. This makes it hard for middle class families to survive let alone lower income people.

There are other issues, there are millions of people who visit the islands each year. Those millions produce a lot of crap (figuratively and literally) which places a strain on the Islands resources and the ability to keep things clean. Beaches can get filthy roads littered and the such. Buildings, resorts and tourist spots ruining natural areas.

And we haven't touched on how many locals view what's happening to their customs and the fact that there is a sizable portion of the population that considers Hawaii an occupied country.

Michaell

stickguy said:

6 weeks from my 2 year anniversary, and 13,200 miles for me.

at least I don't expect to have to replace the tires before it goes back.

That's about 19 miles a day, if my math is correct.

I'm around 22-24 miles per day, so far - that would put me just under 16,000 where you are now (6 weeks shy of 2 years).

andres3

stickguy said:

With the Kia/Hyundai tech, you get a much larger screen, and the whole thing is used for the camera. About the size of a small iPad, and good resolution. In my book, a wonderful feature that only adds, and takes nothing away from the driver.

Well, it takes away the dollars from the wallet the tech package costs from the driver, but otherwise, I agree. I wonder what it would cost as a stand alone option.

andres3

oldfarmer50 said:

I won!

Just got off the phone with the IRS and I owe NOTHING! Hoo-Ra!

I was deep into the latest round of telephone tag when I decided to hit the selection to "pay tax now". Whereas before I was put on hold and then hung up on, this time I got to talk to an agent almost immediately (isn't that interesting). Quick review of the facts and he agreed to my position and canceled all further actions.

I want to thank you all for your support and advice. It would have been difficult to continue driving if I had hung myself in frustration.

Sounds like the time I contacted AIG insurance and only got through to a real person when I pretended to be an agent rather than a customer and pushed the right key numbers to act like I was an agent calling into them.

driver100

stickguy said:

6 weeks from my 2 year anniversary, and 13,200 miles for me.

at least I don't expect to have to replace the tires before it goes back.

Thought it was yoour wedding anniversary until you mentioned the tires!

driver100

snakeweasel said:

ab348 said:

graphicguy said:

Hawaii.....been a half dozen times. Probably the most beautiful place on this earth I've ever seen. Loved it, up until the last time about 10 years ago. I had a great uncle who is burried there. He was there in the service, married a local and just stayed. Anyway, I was visiting his grave and 3 "late teens/early 20s" punks started hassling me about not being a native and was not allowed in their cemetery. At first, I confronted them. Then, I realized trying to explain why I did belong there was stupid. I stayed a while longer, partially to pay my respects, partially to show they weren't intimidating me. I swore I would not go back. Silly reason, I know!

I was reading up on Hawaii a while ago after my brother and his wife got back from there in March. They quite enjoyed it. They went with their son and daughter in law who live out west and whom they no longer see very often. The 4 of them rented a place on the big island for a week and toured around. They had no issues with the locals and enjoyed themselves except for all the flying. My reading revealed an increasingly troublesome climate for visitors though, particularly if you venture away from the resorts. Hard to pin down why - drug trade/gang problems and crime in general seem to be growing and the attitude you encountered from Islanders seems to be more prevalent as well. Not good things for an economy so dependent upon tourism.

Actually one of the major reasons is tourism. Tourism is not always a good thing, many people in Hawaii think tourism is hurting the Hawaiian Islands and they could be right. Look at it this way, you want to go to Orlando and create ab's golf resort and taco emporium there is plenty of land around to build it and if you bought out several neighborhoods to get the land those people could easily move a few miles down the road to affordable housing. Now if you go to Hawaii and open up ab's golf and taco emporium then those you displace to build your empire can't move down the road since that's in the ocean. They get crowded into a smaller residential area so the more developed the islands get for tourism the less space there is for the locals to live driving up housing costs. This makes it hard for middle class families to survive let alone lower income people.

There are other issues, there are millions of people who visit the islands each year. Those millions produce a lot of crap (figuratively and literally) which places a strain on the Islands resources and the ability to keep things clean. Beaches can get filthy roads littered and the such. Buildings, resorts and tourist spots ruining natural areas.

And we haven't touched on how many locals view what's happening to their customs and the fact that there is a sizable portion of the population that considers Hawaii an occupied country.

I think you just talked me out of Hawaii. I don't want to add to someone's troubles.

driver100

What in the world is Carplay?

Is it games you play while driving?