Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

oldfarmer50

stever said:

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.

We never did get to see pictures of the damage. This wouldn't be just some insurance scam using all of us as witnesses would it?

berri

The last snow blower I bought, I bit the bullet and got one with electric start. I'm sure it will just end up with different problems down the road

driver100

berri said:

The last snow blower I bought, I bit the bullet and got one with electric start. I'm sure it will just end up with different problems down the road

I fixed the problem too....came to Florida.

berri

hahaha!

stever

oldfarmer50 said:

stever said:

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.

We never did get to see pictures of the damage. This wouldn't be just some insurance scam using all of us as witnesses would it?

Could be, I messed up the pics I tried to take at the shop last week. Will try to get the old film developed "soon".

driver100

stever said:

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.

t.

You did real well on the trade in value! Not the easiest way to get top dollar though.

graphicguy

berri said:

The last snow blower I bought, I bit the bullet and got one with electric start. I'm sure it will just end up with different problems down the road

OF.....yeah. that's exactly what happened yesterday. Lighting some rubber, doing some stoplight to stoplight runs, generally acting like a juvenile, and I forgot to stop for STABIL.

I'll put it to bed next weekend as I want to at least spray her off before putting her up.

berri....thinking I'm going to spring for one of those electric snow blowers.....looking at this one.......
http://www.homedepot.com/p/EGO-21-in-56-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Single-Stage-Electric-Snow-Blower-with-2-5-0-Ah-Batteries/207099229

Tired of stale gas gumming up the works, tired of mixing oil and gas, tired of endlessly trying to start a gas snow blower (sometimes successfully, sometimes not) when I need it most.

Electric....charge it up, hit the button, go. Worse comes to worse, I have to take a 30 minute break to re-chrage the batteries and get back to it.

stever

Well, I get the van back when it's fixed. So I'm made whole that way I guess.

stickguy

I would go battery too. Only if I move. For now, staying with heart attack shoveling.

They have a bigger version of the electric. Full sized beast, but longer recharge time. That one you listed looks fine for me. Way less maintenance. Even my wife could handle it!

driver100

graphicguy said:

berri said:

The last snow blower I bought, I bit the bullet and got one with electric start. I'm sure it will just end up with different problems down the road

OF.....yeah. that's exactly what happened yesterday. Lighting some rubber, doing some stoplight to stoplight runs, generally acting like a juvenile, and I forgot to stop for STABIL.

I'll put it to bed next weekend as I want to at least spray her off before putting her up.

berri....thinking I'm going to spring for one of those electric snow blowers.....looking at this one.......
http://www.homedepot.com/p/EGO-21-in-56-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Single-Stage-Electric-Snow-Blower-with-2-5-0-Ah-Batteries/207099229

Tired of stale gas gumming up the works, tired of mixing oil and gas, tired of endlessly trying to start a gas snow blower (sometimes successfully, sometimes not) when I need it most.

Electric....charge it up, hit the button, go. Worse comes to worse, I have to take a 30 minute break to re-chrage the batteries and get back to it.

If you have to shovel snow then that is the way to do it!

I almost wouldn't mind winter if I had one of those.

Mr_Shiftright

I'm looking at snow right now in National Geographic magazine. It's pretty.

roadburner

nyccarguy said:

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

And the Lessor only gets a percentage of the tax credit. BMW at least still cuts the full $7,500 off the capitalized cost

venture

berri said:

The last snow blower I bought, I bit the bullet and got one with electric start. I'm sure it will just end up with different problems down the road

I've had a snow blower with electric start for so long I forget how long. At least 15 years probably longer.

I know I shouldn't even mention it, but I have never had a problem with it starting. Of course - are they still made the same way mine was way back then?

suydam

We always cleared snow the old fashioned way -- with shovels. And we had a very long, steep, and curving driveway. Thing is, in central Ohio there's only maybe 2 or 3 snows a year of more than a couple of inches. And the last 2 years we were there -- we paid someone to do it. Money well spent in my book.

driver100

Can we stop talking about snow? My dream was not to have to see it or deal with it this year.

jmonroe

venture said:

berri said:

The last snow blower I bought, I bit the bullet and got one with electric start. I'm sure it will just end up with different problems down the road

I've had a snow blower with electric start for so long I forget how long. At least 15 years probably longer.

I know I shouldn't even mention it, but I have never had a problem with it starting. Of course - are they still made the same way mine was way back then?

My Sears snow blower is from 1997 and I never had a problem with it until I tried to run it dry this past Spring. I never did anything special to it. Just mixed fresh gas with oil every Winter. Starts on 2 pulls max and that is the first start of the Winter. Around here, snow blowers should last almost forever. They don't get too many uses in the Winter. Sometimes, only 2 times.

When I'm ready to hire someone to do my snow removal, I'll sell it to @oldfarmer50. He's an easy target for it...not too many miles or hours and NO rust.

jmonroe

houdini1

Mr_Shiftright said:

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.

It has been my experience that when something like this happens its one or both of 2 reasons: 1. They screwed you somewhere else and are trying to distract you from realizing it by giving you a small break, or 2. They are afraid of the claim for some reason (likely in this case) and want you to go away.

I think this might have happened to me back in 1992. We had a terrible hail storm that beat the wood shingle roof off my house. Total loss on the roof. At the time I had replacement cost and a $1,000. ded. on the roof. When I sat down with the adjuster, he had a long list of numbers that totaled up to the final loss.

The only thing I could see and think about was that he had never subtracted the $1,000. ded. from the total. I could not agree to and sign that acceptance and release fast enough, and couldn't believe my good fortune. It took me a couple of years to realize that I had paid absolutely no attention to anything else on that claims form. I can't complain too much because, before the storm, we had discussed replacing the roof anyway. Hopefully I learned a good lesson too.

jmonroe

driver100 said:

Can we stop talking about snow? My dream was not to have to see it or deal with it this year.

What a dreamer you are. You have a better than even chance when you go back home to get the new Benz, you'll see snow.

You can avoid that by putting it on a train and having it shipped to you. Good idea, huh?

jmonroe

imidazol97

driver100 said:

Can we stop talking about snow? My dream was not to have to see it or deal with it this year.

I wish I could avoid thinking about the reality of snow just by saying I don't want to hear the word snow mentioned? LOL

Winter's a'coming. The prediction even says FL will get a large freeze damaging the orange crops.

Even my TomTom update reminds me of winter.

driver100

I am not picking up the new E400 (we don't call it the Benzzzzzz-upsets some people) until we fly back on April 2nd. It could snow in April, but usually doesn't. If it does, I will stay in bed under the covers so I won't see it.

Since the E400 won't get certified by the government until January...and if the government is doing it I am thinking late January, we don't want to fly back, drive it down in the worst possible month to drive south, and then, drive it back 2 1/2 months later. The dealer has agreed to keep the car until we return. This experience was the reason we upgraded the Passat for a real car...the C 250, and if all goes as planned we will fly down and back each year, and avoid the construction in Ohio that never ends.

driver100

Houdini...you are on to something. If the insurance can get you to sign right away it is worth a lot to them. Even if it costs them a few $1000 it is off the books and finished, no lingering lawsuits and possibility of multi $100000s in damages. Cost of lawyers alone could be $10000s.

I don't understand my Allstate bill...just got it changed to the C 250. I pay $1100 for the year.... and I got $1200 worth of savings for various things. Does that mean without the savings my bill would be $2300? I doubt it, I think the $1200 is just to make you think you are getting a discount.

Hard for Canadians to find an agent that will sign us up down here, so, we will just go with it. If I was at home it would be time to start shopping.....I agree with the posters who said after 3 years it is probably time to start comparing rates.

oldfarmer50

Mr_Shiftright said:

I'm looking at snow right now in National Geographic magazine. It's pretty.

It's always pretty when you don't have to move it.

oldfarmer50

jmonroe said:

venture said:

berri said:

The last snow blower I bought, I bit the bullet and got one with electric start. I'm sure it will just end up with different problems down the road

I've had a snow blower with electric start for so long I forget how long. At least 15 years probably longer.

I know I shouldn't even mention it, but I have never had a problem with it starting. Of course - are they still made the same way mine was way back then?

My Sears snow blower is from 1997 and I never had a problem with it until I tried to run it dry this past Spring. I never did anything special to it. Just mixed fresh gas with oil every Winter. Starts on 2 pulls max and that is the first start of the Winter. Around here, snow blowers should last almost forever. They don't get too many uses in the Winter. Sometimes, only 2 times.

When I'm ready to hire someone to do my snow removal, I'll sell it to @oldfarmer50. He's an easy target for it...not too many miles or hours and NO rust.

jmonroe

Sorry, I hire out my driveway and do the walks with a shovel. But if you want to come over with your little machine I'll give you a shot at taking over that part of the chore.

stickguy

I hate snow. with a passion. would not care in the least if I never saw it in person again. as you can tell, I don't ski.

driver100

I said it before but I am with the late Joan Rivers on that one;
I don't do any sport where there is an ambulance waiting for you at the bottom of the hill.

explorerx4

I haven't tried out my new snow blower yet. Bought it last year at the end of the season.
Passed on my old one to my daughter's fiancé(they better get married).
It was 20+ year old Honda. It had electric start, but I never used it, even once.
One or two pulls and it always started.
Drove to work in the snow this morning, very slippery.
My tires are some hot blooded Pirelli's so they take a couple of miles to warm up.

ab348

stickguy said:

I hate snow. with a passion. would not care in the least if I never saw it in person again. as you can tell, I don't ski.

+1 on this. Miserable stuff.

stever

Beats me how the insurance company is trying to take advantage of me. I specifically asked if they needed a release if I accepted the $500 and I have an email to the effect of "no". And I have a letter closing my medical claim with a paragraph that if I need to go to the doc, to be sure and file a claim for that.

They did seem a bit anxious to close the file, but don't adjusters have quotas to meet and pretty large caseloads?

If the body shop messes up the paint or something, I don't really care so long as it doesn't drive like a crab going down the highway.

Mr_Shiftright

jmonroe said:

driver100 said:

Can we stop talking about snow? My dream was not to have to see it or deal with it this year.

What a dreamer you are. You have a better than even chance when you go back home to get the new Benz, you'll see snow.

You can avoid that by putting it on a train and having it shipped to you. Good idea, huh?

jmonroe

Well my snow was only in a magazine. Surely you aren't afraid of that.

Michaell

stickguy said:

I hate snow. with a passion. would not care in the least if I never saw it in person again. as you can tell, I don't ski.

+1 on that. Gravity, snow and trees do not make for a good combination. Ask Sonny Bono.

After 20+ years in Colorado, I'm more than ready for a change to warmer climes. As the wife says, you don't have to shovel heat.

Michaell

stickguy said:

I hate snow. with a passion. would not care in the least if I never saw it in person again. as you can tell, I don't ski.

+1 on that. Gravity, snow and trees do not make for a good combination. Ask Sonny Bono.

After 20+ years in Colorado, I'm more than ready for a change to warmer climes. As the wife says, you don't have to shovel heat.

Mr_Shiftright

You could move to Hawaii, if you could find a job. (that's the hard part).

I lived in Hawaii for a little while. Got island fever, though, and Hawaiian music still drives me nuts. Some folks love it.

explorerx4

There are times when I really enjoy being out there cleaning up the snow from the driveway/sidewalk.
I'm definitely a #6.
http://www.boston.com/weather/untagged/2014/11/13/the-definitive-guide-to-snow-removal-personality-types
Not by March/April, though.

Michaell

Mr_Shiftright said:

You could move to Hawaii, if you could find a job. (that's the hard part).

I lived in Hawaii for a little while. Got island fever, though, and Hawaiian music still drives me nuts. Some folks love it.

I work from home - so long as there is internet and cell service, I can do my job anywhere.

It's the wife's job that is the impediment.

snakeweasel

fintail said:

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

I don't think it is as much as a constant media but of a media that only gives sound bites and tries to form opinion. 150 years ago when a politician gave an hour and a half long speech the newspapers reprinted the entire speech without comment and people would read the entire speech. Now you get some commentator giving one minute or less of sound bites with comments on what it is supposed to mean.

snakeweasel

Mr_Shiftright said:

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?

But California is more like that hipster know it all that thinks he is better than you because he buys his $7.50 cup of coffee at some place you can't pronounce.

oldfarmer50

Couldn't find an answer in my owner's manual so maybe a ford owner can help.

As I was driving around Sunday in the Ford the "change oil soon" light came on. About 4800 miles since my last change with synthetic. Now I know Ford recommends change at 5000 miles when using conventional oil but why would the oil monitor do that with synthetic?

Do I have to have it recalibrated?

My paranoid mind also considered that my trusted mechanic did the old switcharoo.

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

I said it before but I am with the late Joan Rivers on that one;
I don't do any sport where there is an ambulance waiting for you at the bottom of the hill.

I believe it was Gallagher who said it was getting on a wet slippery mountain with sleds on your feet.

Doesn't sound to smart that way.

nyccarguy

Mr_Shiftright said:

You could move to Hawaii, if you could find a job. (that's the hard part).

I lived in Hawaii for a little while. Got island fever, though, and Hawaiian music still drives me nuts. Some folks love it.

Hawaii needs teachers. They pay well as far as teacher salaries go (high starting salaries), but the cost of housing is (I believe) the highest in the nation.

berri

Snow - starts out pretty and pretty soon it becomes grey, filthy and sloppy.

explorerx4

@oldfarmer50,
Might be 5k or 6 months, whichever comes first.
Do you have an oil life monitor? Check that if you do. Also, they don't always reset it when the oil is changed(lazy).

ab348

Montreal is a city that gets a lot of snow, so you'd think they know how to handle it, right? Think again:

https://youtu.be/0BhhsEuYXZQ

Snow is indeed, evil. Fun to watch though.

Michaell

nyccarguy said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

You could move to Hawaii, if you could find a job. (that's the hard part).

I lived in Hawaii for a little while. Got island fever, though, and Hawaiian music still drives me nuts. Some folks love it.

Hawaii needs teachers. They pay well as far as teacher salaries go (high starting salaries), but the cost of housing is (I believe) the highest in the nation.

My one and only trip to Hawaii was for business, and my wife accompanied me. We had an extra day or two, and decided to look at houses. The models we looked at seemed to be 75% of the house at 150% of the cost of what we were looking at in Colorado.

I doubt that's changed.

oldfarmer50

explorerx4 said:

@oldfarmer50,
Might be 5k or 6 months, whichever comes first.
Do you have an oil life monitor? Check that if you do. Also, they don't always reset it when the oil is changed(lazy).

Maybe that's it, they didn't reset it when the oil was changed at 3000 miles. I found a YouTube that showed how to reset. It was at 3%.

Still leaves the question as to whether the system is just mile based (7500 miles) or if there is some actual reading of the oil condition.

Ford website is useless unless you register, sign in and agree to get spam.

stickguy

explorerx4 said:

There are times when I really enjoy being out there cleaning up the snow from the driveway/sidewalk.
I'm definitely a #6.
http://www.boston.com/weather/untagged/2014/11/13/the-definitive-guide-to-snow-removal-personality-types
Not by March/April, though.

loved this. I am largely a 12, with 6 tendencies (gotta have sharp edges).

graphicguy

Snow ain't so bad. But, as mentioned, we don't get a lot of it, and it never hangs around when we do.

Personally, I love(d) skiing until I broke my ankle a few years ago (falling down a flight of steps). Nothing like cranking up a fire in the fireplace and some Woodford on the rocks when it gets cold. Like right now.

jmonroe

driver100 said:

I am not picking up the new E400 (we don't call it the Benzzzzzz-upsets some people) until we fly back on April 2nd. It could snow in April, but usually doesn't. If it does, I will stay in bed under the covers so I won't see it.

Since the E400 won't get certified by the government until January...and if the government is doing it I am thinking late January, we don't want to fly back, drive it down in the worst possible month to drive south, and then, drive it back 2 1/2 months later. The dealer has agreed to keep the car until we return. This experience was the reason we upgraded the Passat for a real car...the C 250, and if all goes as planned we will fly down and back each year, and avoid the construction in Ohio that never ends.

Your handle is @driver100, so I thought you were a DRIVER.

I guess things really do change when some people age.

You otta change your name to "flyguy" now so you don't mislead us.

jmonroe

roadburner

Looks like I might be heading to the Circuit of the Americas for training on the G30 5er. Woo Hoo!!!

fintail

I like the cop car and the plow.

Snow creates madness here, but so far, the much discussed snow chance has not materialized. Roads are slathered with de-icer anyway.

ab348 said:

Montreal is a city that gets a lot of snow, so you'd think they know how to handle it, right? Think again:

Snow is indeed, evil. Fun to watch though.

driver100

explorerx4 said:

There are times when I really enjoy being out there cleaning up the snow from the driveway/sidewalk.
I'm definitely a #6.
http://www.boston.com/weather/untagged/2014/11/13/the-definitive-guide-to-snow-removal-personality-types
Not by March/April, though.

Those were clever....really well done.