Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

explorerx4

You guys convinced me to get the snow shovels out of the shed, but snow blower is still staying there for now.

Mr_Shiftright

One valid point made by California is that despite its enormous size and influence, it gets the same number of senators as everybody else.

You know, the world changes and things have to change with it. Remember when our Big Three forgot that lesson?

nyccarguy

@Mr_Shiftright - your Mini is in phenomenal shape! Great job on the detailing!

driver100

Mr_Shiftright said:

One valid point made by California is that despite its enormous size and influence, it gets the same number of senators as everybody else.

You know, the world changes and things have to change with it. Remember when our Big Three forgot that lesson?

Always trying to bring it back to cars

oldfarmer50

Mr_Shiftright said:

One valid point made by California is that despite its enormous size and influence, it gets the same number of senators as everybody else.

You know, the world changes and things have to change with it. Remember when our Big Three forgot that lesson?

Did you flunk civics? Each state gets 2 senators so small states are not overwhelmed but CA and other populous states get more Congresspeople.

Otherwise we would be 50 different countries.

houdini1

Mr_Shiftright said:

snakeweasel said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

snakeweasel said:

berri said:

I've read that one of the conversations du joir on the west coast right now is seceding from the US and becoming part of Canada. If that comes to fruition you may want to move west

Last time a state seceded it didn't go to well for them.

That's only because they didn't do it gracefully

I'm sure we could come to an amicable divorce, for the sake of the children.

Not only didn't they do it gracefully plus they didn't really give a very good reason to do it.

Anyway that little disagreement pretty much settled the "can a state leave the Union" question. There was a famous Supreme Court decision in 1869 that basically stated that the only way that a state could leave the Union was either through revolution (CA might want to read up on what happened to SC when Sherman got there) or through the action of all the states (A constitutional convention that basically breaks up the Union).

Yep there is a totally legal way to secede---a formidable obstacle but theoretically possible. If I were California, I would try to become so thoroughly obnoxious to the other 49 states (or friendly with those others that might wish to follow suit), that they'd gladly vote to get rid of us. Then the west and upper east coast would combine with Canada to form a kind of inverted "U" over the existing U.S.-----New Calinanda!

I can hardly wait.

Well, you've got my vote.

qbrozen

Mr_Shiftright said:

Yep there is a totally legal way to secede---a formidable obstacle but theoretically possible. If I were California, I would try to become so thoroughly obnoxious to the other 49 states (or friendly with those others that might wish to follow suit), that they'd gladly vote to get rid of us. Then the west and upper east coast would combine with Canada to form a kind of inverted "U" over the existing U.S.-----New Calinanda! I can hardly wait.

You do know that many people (at least on the East Coast) already find CA thoroughly obnoxious, right? ;b

berri

I don't care about senators or representatives - show me the money $$$

stever

One-in-three Texans think that the state has the right to secede. Of course the standing joke around here is "how can we help?" (link)

For those following the saga, my van's sheet metal has been fixed and painted. Just needs the replacement rear axle and some suspension parts to come in. Maybe by month's end....

fintail

You know it goes both ways, right ?

qbrozen said:

You do know that many people (at least on the East Coast) already find CA thoroughly obnoxious, right? ;b

fintail

And the receivers complain about big government more than anyone.

Something else that amuses me is that those same states seem to have huge piles of local government. I swear, in GA, every other town is in its own county, and they all have their own sets of administration and overhead. Seems a tad bit hypocritical. These are the people who should love lots of government, without it they'd probably still have dirt roads and log cabins today.

berri said:

I know this is all just fun conversation, but I think there is a serious problem when states on the west coast, northeast and industrial Midwest continually put in way more than they get out of the federal government so that southern and agricultural Midwest states can pig out at the trough. There needs to be more equity in how the federal government treats all states.

berri

Georgia - maybe it goes back to the Lester Maddox days when every small town had speed traps for revenue? Reduces the need for state money! The again, maybe the old days of carpetbaggers taught them how lots of corrupt government can be profitable for the elite.

Michaell

East coast vs. West coast - I grew up in SoCal, but my dad was from upstate NY, and we visited his family there several times when I was a kid.

My impression was that it felt like a different world - nothing felt the same. The accents, the road behavior, the restaurants (diners with what felt like 27 page menus).

Now? Not so much. You can get the same coffee at Starbucks, have the same mediocre Italian dinner at Olive Garden, etc. etc. etc.

The driving talent has also normalized.

berri

So true. America has kind of homogenized. I suppose there is good and bad to that. Often the biggest difference is the topography and climate.

henryn

stever said:

One-in-three Texans think that the state has the right to secede. Of course the standing joke around here is "how can we help?" (link)

I grew up in Texas, and for most of my long life I was proud of my native state. Not so much anymore.

About 20 years ago, I was in line waiting to pick up some parts I had ordered, and the guy in front of me was a member of some Texas secessionist outfit. He was carrying on loud and long and after about 10 minutes, I called him a fruitcake and told him to shut up. He pulled a gun, I took it away from him, we both wound up at the police station. But at least I got to go home after several witnesses said he had the gun and pulled it.

These days, I just walk away. I'm not as quick as I used to be, I wouldn't trust my reflexes to disarm someone.

suydam

berri said:

So true. America has kind of homogenized. I suppose there is good and bad to that. Often the biggest difference is the topography and climate.

Not if you avoid chain restaurants and malls.

stickguy

Fin, at least down south, they run that government with low taxes (particularly property taxes). As opposed to NJ, where we also have way too many levels of government (home rule baby!) but also eye popping high property taxes to pay for it all.

berri

I can buy that, but it also ups your risk. You will get some great experiences and some pretty lousy ones as well.

Mr_Shiftright

oldfarmer50 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

One valid point made by California is that despite its enormous size and influence, it gets the same number of senators as everybody else.

You know, the world changes and things have to change with it. Remember when our Big Three forgot that lesson?

Did you flunk civics? Each state gets 2 senators so small states are not overwhelmed but CA and other populous states get more Congresspeople.

Otherwise we would be 50 different countries.

Exactly my point. The old system worked better when we had 1/100th the people and we all wore fur skins.

fintail

My friend who lived in suburban ATL claimed his tax burden was no better there than here. Housing costs were from another planet, but otherwise not so different. Maybe GA having an income tax didn't help.

I think anything touching NY is in yet another world

stickguy said:

Fin, at least down south, they run that government with low taxes (particularly property taxes). As opposed to NJ, where we also have way too many levels of government (home rule baby!) but also eye popping high property taxes to pay for it all.

fezo

The South has the low taxes because we up here are propping up their economy. If you passed a law that said each state had to get back in every dollar paid in taxes the could pave the Parkway in gold while a Mississippi tar paper shack would have to pay $10K in property taxes. If they want to secede let them. We'd have been better off getting the slaves freed and the saying, OK, have your own country.

stever

Having lived in both places, John Stennis was no slacker but couldn't hold a candle to Ted Stevens of Alaska.

Back to cars, I assume you are referring to the Natchez Trace Parkway? That was the scene of my first traffic stop. when I was 13.

henryn

stever said:

Having lived in both places, John Stennis was no slacker but couldn't hold a candle to Ted Stevens of Alaska.

Back to cars, I assume you are referring to the Natchez Trace Parkway? That was the scene of my first traffic stop. when I was 13.

Damn, you've got me beat. I was 14. I was driving a 1949 Chevrolet. One of my father's friends gave it to him for a $35 debt. Together, we shimmed up the bearings with tin foil and I drove it for 2 years. I didn't have a title, so the license plates expired, and of course the state inspections. And of course, no driver's license. One of the Deputy Sheriff's (who knew me, and my father) pulled me over, and told me if I was going to drive a piece of junk with expired plates and no driver's license. to at least keep it under the speed limit.

qbrozen

fintail said:

You know it goes both ways, right?

Well of course. CA wouldn't be trying to take their ball and go home if they LIKED the other kids. 

ab348

This secession talk seems to be getting more and more prevalent. Up here in Canada Quebec has been talking about separation for what seems like forever, but lately the western provinces were awash in resource revenue and we're making similar noises. Here on the east coast there was talk that if Quebec left, we should join the USA since there would still be a geographical connection unlike with the post-Quebec Canada. That struck me as crazy since we get a lot of federal money now for our health care system which would vanish if we were a state.

Can't we all just get along?

stever

henryn said:

stever said:

Having lived in both places, John Stennis was no slacker but couldn't hold a candle to Ted Stevens of Alaska.

Back to cars, I assume you are referring to the Natchez Trace Parkway? That was the scene of my first traffic stop. when I was 13.

Damn, you've got me beat. I was 14. I was driving a 1949 Chevrolet. One of my father's friends gave it to him for a $35 debt. Together, we shimmed up the bearings with tin foil and I drove it for 2 years. I didn't have a title, so the license plates expired, and of course the state inspections. And of course, no driver's license. One of the Deputy Sheriff's (who knew me, and my father) pulled me over, and told me if I was going to drive a piece of junk with expired plates and no driver's license. to at least keep it under the speed limit.

I was legal at 14 when I got my learner's permit. Got the real license at 15. Way too young. Oh, I was in my dad's '53 Buick when I was stopped. The trooper made my dad drive home even though he was three sheets in the wind.

jipster

Back to Heating and Cooling systems. Have 3 estimates for a Bryant furnace and a\c install. Roughly $7k for lower level product, $9k for the midrange, and $11k for the high efficiency stuff with all the bells and whistles.

The question is, to service contract or not to service contract? One company has a 2 year labor warranty with no service contract required, the other 2 companies require a service contract to maintain a 5 year labor warranty (comes with manufacturers 10 year part warranty). To me service contracts are for highly questionable. We're talking about $189 a year to have the HVAC company check and clean a brand new system. I'm thinking I can throw in a new filter every month, and save the money. Any thoughts? How many here have furnace and a/C "tuned up" and cleaned regularly? May be a good idea once your system hits 10 years old, but don't see the value in having it done to a new system.

snakeweasel

qbrozen said:

So if all states vote that CA can leave, they can? I'd LOVE for fhat vote to take place.

Well the states would have to change the Constitution to allow it. A simple vote wouldn't suffice.

snakeweasel

Mr_Shiftright said:

One valid point made by California is that despite its enormous size and influence, it gets the same number of senators as everybody else.

You know, the world changes and things have to change with it. Remember when our Big Three forgot that lesson?

It's not really that valid of a point. We are a Federal Republic which means we are a collection of semi autonomous states that have given up part of their autonomy to a created Federal government. The federal government exists on behalf of and for the convenience of the states. Because of this the Framers created two houses, one to represent the people (House of Representatives) and one to represent the States (the Senate). Since California is one state they get the same representation in the Senate as any other state.

driver100

jipster said:

Back to Heating and Cooling systems. We're talking about $189 a year to have the HVAC company check and clean a brand new system. I'm thinking I can throw in a new filter every month, and save the money. Any thoughts? How many here have furnace and a/C "tuned up" and cleaned regularly? May be a good idea once your system hits 10 years old, but don't see the value in having it done to a new system.

I agree. Our house is 10 years old, every year they wanted us to sign up for a heating/ac contract. Told them I would wait until it gets older. Glad I did that, it would have cost me $2000 by now.....for about $300 worth of repairs. A new furnace should easily get through 2 years without a repair, unless it is a pretty crappy furnace.

fintail

It might not just be CA. There's a lot of dissonance out there, maybe more than in recent history. I think in terms of localized culture, the nation is more varied than it has been in decades. Maybe things became more homogeneous at the peak of the industrial middle class, but IMO it seems to be fracturing again.

qbrozen said:

Well of course. CA wouldn't be trying to take their ball and go home if they LIKED the other kids. 

stever

I think it just seems noisier because of the constant barrage of media. It might seem less contentious if the news was still traveling by horseback - well, actually, when I read the daily paper, sometimes I think they still get their news by horseback.

Be interesting to do a study, I think we're a lot like cars. Lots more homogeneous than in the 50s and you sure can't assume what something or someone is just by looking at it/them. That Hyundai may have an MB badge on it.

fintail

Good point, constant media drama doesn't help, and everyone has a computer and tweets all day. Still, it seems like a culture war is brewing, especially if someone as useless and cringe-worthy as Sessions has his way. At the very least, people are not more united than at points in the bad old days. Rural south to urban coasts is still as different as it was 60 or more years ago.

More like the Hyundai might look like an Audi

suydam

jipster said:

Back to Heating and Cooling systems. Have 3 estimates for a Bryant furnace and a\c install. Roughly $7k for lower level product, $9k for the midrange, and $11k for the high efficiency stuff with all the bells and whistles.

The question is, to service contract or not to service contract? One company has a 2 year labor warranty with no service contract required, the other 2 companies require a service contract to maintain a 5 year labor warranty (comes with manufacturers 10 year part warranty). To me service contracts are for highly questionable. We're talking about $189 a year to have the HVAC company check and clean a brand new system. I'm thinking I can throw in a new filter every month, and save the money. Any thoughts? How many here have furnace and a/C "tuned up" and cleaned regularly? May be a good idea once your system hits 10 years old, but don't see the value in having it done to a new system.

I've always had a furnace maintenance contract, especially if they also put in your AC. Twice a year checks -- one for the furnace, one for the AC -- are a good idea. These are very expensive items, can be lethal if something goes wrong, and regular maintenance is important to longevity.

stever

I do like that guy's designs. Schreyer I mean. The dude's got Soul.

A friend of ours has a TT. I think that car will "survive" as an example of iconic design, even if Schreyer wasn't the lead on the initial concept.

fintail

I was thinking of the Hyundais that seem to ape Audi design - big mouth bass grille, low slung 6 window greenhouse. Sonata and new style Genesis are examples. Not sure if Schreyer is behind them. His work for Kia is a lot cleaner and not as loudly derivative.

stever

Those all look alike.

graphicguy

oldfarmer50 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

The Mini Cooper got her annual detail and wax. She tried to run away but to no avail.

Phew! This is a lot of work to do a car top to bottom.

I should do like @breld and just sell it when it gets that dirty.

That still shines up nice for a 2003. I took the Mustang out for it's farewell ride today. Broke down and bought a bottle of Stabil which is my admission that the driving season is over and salt season has begun.

I'd take a picture of it but that metallic red paint is like a mood ring and in this dreary cloudy weather it looks depression maroon instead of cheery red.

I did that yesterday with the express objective to get some Stabil. Kept riding around and never got to it. Maybe next weekend.

graphicguy

snakeweasel said:

graphicguy said:

Posted this in the "other" thread we hang out in, hope to hear an answer here.

I read an article about all the incentives on a Nissan Leaf. Can't remember if a link was posted here, or elsewhere. But, in essence, it said with gov't incentives ($7,500), Nissan trunk money (about $4-$5K) and Nissan Lease Cash ($4K), one could do a 36 month lease for nothing when all was said and done.

Not too serious about it, but thinking one might be a decent airport runner, especially for the "no charge" part.

Anyone run across this article? Did a search here but couldn't find anything. Maybe I was imagining it?

I'll believe that when I see it. The $7,500 guberment incentives are a non refundable tax credit that doesn't carry forward. This means 1.) it doesn't affect the sales price (or the price the lease is based off of) 2.) you have to wait to do your taxes to get that incentive and 3.) unless your tax liability (without the "incentive") is at least $7,500 you don't get the full amount.

Thanks, Snake. Someone told me on a lease, the tax credit goes to the Lessor and affects the amount of "rent" you pay on the lease. True?

I know I'm not (that) crazy. But, went searching for the article all weekend and couldn't find it.

In essense, the article stated with all the incentives, you basically drive the Leaf for free (sans tires, brakes, electicity, etc) for the life of the lease.

nyccarguy

@graphicguy - yes. if you lease, the tax credit goes to the leasing company who is technically "buying" the car and renting it you.

jmonroe

Mr_Shiftright said:

stever said:

Now tackle a minivan. My sliding doors have more sheet metal than that Tinker Toy.

Sad fact is, all shined up, a 2003 Mini Cooper is still just about worthless in the marketplace.

Either these early supercharged Minis are the world's best secret, or I'm a damn fool. (That was only rhetorical, so watch it! )

Another sad fact:

I feel your pain, so is my '15 Genny.

jmonroe

Mr_Shiftright

qbrozen said:

fintail said:

You know it goes both ways, right?

Well of course. CA wouldn't be trying to take their ball and go home if they LIKED the other kids. 

Well of course they hate us. I mean, if you were the high school kid who was not only handsome but rushed 100 yards every game, had a 4.0 grade point average and whose dad bought him a new Mustang GT convertible for graduation, you'd hate him, too right?

stever

Got some info about the van this morning from the adjuster. They've paid the collision center $4,621 leaving me to pay my $500 deductible to the shop. Then the agent said he wanted to discuss my other coverage. Oh oh, I thought, here it comes.

I get $250 back for some coverage per the uninsured coverage I purchased and because I discussed my stiff neck with the paramedics and adjusters, they want to settle that for $500. I'm fine I think and if I do stroke in 3 months, we have great medical coverage anyway. So I agreed to release the insurance company. So I'm made whole I guess, better than I expected.

Next on the plate - the insurance company will send the claim to a collection agency and they'll try to chase down a 16 year old kid for the money. Would love to hear how that turns out.

stever

Oh yeah, don't ask me why they didn't total the van. Didn't think to ask the adjuster that. @qbrozen pegged it at $2,500 back in February. TMV then was a bit over $3,000 trade-in.

Mr_Shiftright

You must have gotten an adjuster with a brain and a heart, rather than the cyborgs insurance companies have been employing lately. Good for you.

driver100

suydam said:

jipster said:

Back to Heating and Cooling systems. Have 3 estimates for a Bryant furnace and a\c install. Roughly $7k for lower level product, $9k for the midrange, and $11k for the high efficiency stuff with all the bells and whistles.

The question is, to service contract or not to service contract? One company has a 2 year labor warranty with no service contract required, the other 2 companies require a service contract to maintain a 5 year labor warranty (comes with manufacturers 10 year part warranty). To me service contracts are for highly questionable. We're talking about $189 a year to have the HVAC company check and clean a brand new system. I'm thinking I can throw in a new filter every month, and save the money. Any thoughts? How many here have furnace and a/C "tuned up" and cleaned regularly? May be a good idea once your system hits 10 years old, but don't see the value in having it done to a new system.

I've always had a furnace maintenance contract, especially if they also put in your AC. Twice a year checks -- one for the furnace, one for the AC -- are a good idea. These are very expensive items, can be lethal if something goes wrong, and regular maintenance is important to longevity.

We get check ups in the Spring and Fall too.......but, no contract. Use a very good honest company.

driver100

stever said:

Those all look alike.

Good if you have a Hyundai....not so good if you have an Audi.

jmonroe

explorerx4 said:

You guys convinced me to get the snow shovels out of the shed, but snow blower is still staying there for now.

I don't know why but I have been putting off installing the new recoil start/rewinder assembly I bought a month, ago at least, for my snow thrower. In the Spring when I put the snow thrower away for the Winter, I always run it until the tank is dry but this past Spring when I pulled it a few times after it stopped, to use up the last few drops of gas, it didn't rewind all the way. The rope is around half way out but when I yanked on it again, with the rope still hanging out part way, it sounded like it would start if there would have been any gas in the tank. Just for the fun of it, I put a little more gas in it and sure enough, it started. I shut it off and did this at least 6 more times and it started every time. Then I just let it run out of gas again.

The problem is, I don't know where to put the rope that is hanging out. I thought about just winding it around a hook that I could install on the handle but after that thing gets wise to what I did, I know it will teach me a lesson and just pull off altogether right in the middle of a heavy snow fall. So that is why I bought a new assembly.

Like they say, "it's not nice to mess around with Mother Nature".

jmonroe

jmonroe

berri said:

I don't care about senators or representatives - show me the money $$$

The only way for that to happen is if the senators and representatives allow us to empty there pockets. But, that ain't gonna happen because they passed a law to prevent that. :@

jmonroe

oldfarmer50

P

graphicguy said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

The Mini Cooper got her annual detail and wax. She tried to run away but to no avail.

Phew! This is a lot of work to do a car top to bottom.

I should do like @breld and just sell it when it gets that dirty.

That still shines up nice for a 2003. I took the Mustang out for it's farewell ride today. Broke down and bought a bottle of Stabil which is my admission that the driving season is over and salt season has begun.

I'd take a picture of it but that metallic red paint is like a mood ring and in this dreary cloudy weather it looks depression maroon instead of cheery red.

I did that yesterday with the express objective to get some Stabil. Kept riding around and never got to it. Maybe next weekend.

I timed it just right because it snowed last night and I had to follow the salter to work. Even though I was driving a 22 year old car I cried as I listened to the salt clattering on it.

Having so much fun running errands that you forget to do them means you are driving your Cobra correctly.