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  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,316
    Seems to me the speedbump is in the wrong place. If it was a car length or two back from the intersection it would still get cars to slow down but not be such a pain to move forward at the intersection. It also sounds like it is too large. A car dealer locally has some scattered around their lot and they are rubber things that are nailed or screwed into the asphalt somehow. Those are fairly low but still do a decent job of letting the driver know they are there.

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • sdasda Member Posts: 7,593
    But, last summer I remember him saying that while packed with technology, he only uses about ⅓ of it. Something to keep in mind...paying for "Stuff" you don't use.

    I bet that is a common situation, probably made worse as to use some of these features one often has to dig thru layers of menus just to get to them. Too confusing and too much effort.
    On the other extreme a good friend's father in law would only buy the most basic equipped car that he could find. Less to break he would say. He bought a base '84 Plymouth Voyager, no air, 2.2 5 speed but it had full wheel covers. He had the dealer take the wheel covers off and replace them with dog dish covers. Less chance of losing one of those. He drove that Voyager for years and was extremely annoyed he had to buy a fancier model when it came to replacing his '84.

    2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech

  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,681
    Just got off the phone with customer service at Delta Faucets. Had bought matching oiled brass color faucets and one in bathroom has been losing a cover coat that includes a copper accent stripe in a couple of spots. Excellent example of customer service and why after a shower that was Delta and occasionally needed replacement or parts for the pressure-balancing handle, they're replacing my bath faucet. They may want the old one back, which I'd be happy to pay to ship. But if they do, they'll send me a prepaid label within 30 days.

    This is why when the boss, I mean wife, picked these two faucets at Menards, I was happy to buy them a couple years back. I've had good experience with Kohler as well. But it was nice to talk to someone who clearly spoke English as a first language and didn't try to make it my fault.

    Now UPS--that's another story with regard to customer noservice when there's a problem.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481

    In mid-town Manhattan, probably. A friend of mine was charged $18 for a two-cup carafe of coffee recently.

    I'm sure Mercedes lumped that oil change into an A or B "service" with all kinds of "check" and "inspect" items on a long and impressive list, requiring arduous sideways glances from the technician.

    Like when it says "Check condition of front axle and front axle ball joints" in the B service, do you think they really put a small jack under each ball joint and measure the play in thousandths with a dial indicator?

    I wonder.

    I understand that NYS is requiring inspection stations to purchase expensive window tint measuring devices as the are including that in the $21 fee. Most garages are livid and say they'll buy the dang thing but they'll never use it.



    Seems to me you could devise a very simple low-tech test for this.
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 18,352
    houdini1 said:

    driver100 said:

    My neighbor/friend has his little 1985 BMW. He said if he were to buy a newer car, he would buy a Lexus like his lady friends car. He said it is over 6 years old but Lexus is going to pay for a new instrument panel because of cracking caused by the sun.

    His thinking is BMW isn't interested in supporting their product beyond 6 to 8 years, even their service departments aren't interested in working on them. He says Lexus supports their product for a long time and he likes to keep his cars for a long time.....like his BMW is 30 years old.

    It depends in very large part on the individual dealer. My store services my 1995 ti with no issues- and even stocked oil filters for my '75 '02. One of the sales guys has an E30 325i Cab. and several service advisors have E36 3ers.

    RR, how are the sales duties going. Making that quota?
    No sales yet, but will probably pick up one or two between Christmas and New Year's Day. We sold five new and five used on Saturday.

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
    Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
    Son's: 2018 330i xDrive

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,594
    ab348 said:

    Seems to me the speedbump is in the wrong place. If it was a car length or two back from the intersection it would still get cars to slow down but not be such a pain to move forward at the intersection. It also sounds like it is too large. A car dealer locally has some scattered around their lot and they are rubber things that are nailed or screwed into the asphalt somehow. Those are fairly low but still do a decent job of letting the driver know they are there.

    These are large speed bumps....I would say like this:


    I will admit few people stopped at the STOP sign, but they usually slowed down. Now you need momentum to get up and over the bump, so in my case I go slow, but I don't stop any more.

    They say cars go faster than the 14 mph speed limit in the survey and the idea was to get them to slow down. It does nothing to slow cars down, and I walk Gigi through the main road twice a day and I never see cars speeding through.

    If it was the low kind of bump at the stop and in the survey that would do what it was intended to do, without being so rough on our cars.


    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 18,352

    Funny....I haven't thought about a Lexus LS in a LONG time. I don't recall seeing many around Cincinnati, EVER!

    Still sort of like the IS350 F Sport and the GS550 F Sport, however.

    Neighbor has a 750iL. Not sure the year, but it's a recent vintage. Winter time we don't talk much, at least not as much as the warmer months since we don't hang outside all that much. But, last summer I remember him saying that while packed with technology, he only uses about ⅓ of it. Something to keep in mind...paying for "Stuff" you don't use.

    The people I deal with tend to want to learn as much as they can. The problem is that there is only so much you can cover with a one hour delivery. That's the reason BMW pushes the Encore(second) delivery- where owners have had a chance to drive the vehicle for a while and can ask more informed questions.

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
    Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
    Son's: 2018 330i xDrive

  • houdini1houdini1 Member Posts: 8,351

    Funny....I haven't thought about a Lexus LS in a LONG time. I don't recall seeing many around Cincinnati, EVER!

    Still sort of like the IS350 F Sport and the GS550 F Sport, however.

    Neighbor has a 750iL. Not sure the year, but it's a recent vintage. Winter time we don't talk much, at least not as much as the warmer months since we don't hang outside all that much. But, last summer I remember him saying that while packed with technology, he only uses about ⅓ of it. Something to keep in mind...paying for "Stuff" you don't use.

    I have a 2010 LS which I bought in 2012, when it had about 10,000 miles on the clock. It drove like new then, and still does with about 40,000. miles now. As you can see, I don't drive a lot any more. I have looked at several newer ones in the last couple of years but haven't found one that was any better than what I have now, as far as looks, drivability, etc. I prefer my models grill and interior to the newer ones, which I feel are too exaggerated. Mine still looks like new also.

    2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,594
    What's not to like about a 2010 Lexus LS? It looks great, has a beautiful interior, gets rave reviews, always near the top in reliability, holds it's value, very comfortable and excellent handling. Even a 6 or 7 year old model is worth about 40% of it's original price.



    Hey Houdini....did I get the right car?

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,594
    My neighbor was just telling me a sad story about his 2006 Lexus (56k miles).
    Briefly:
    It wouldn't start. Took it to nearby indie garage...installed new battery.
    Next day, wouldn't start. Goes to total Performance, they can't find a problem, suggest a Honda Dealer (it is closer than Toyota or Lexus dealer but will have the equipment).
    Honda dealer says car needs new suspension parts and timing has to be done $1900. Blue Tooth is draining the battery. $460 to replace Blue Tooth gizmo. He says just turn off bluetooth...he doesn't need it. They say they can't do that. He argues and they finally agree, charge $120 to do that.

    Now he realizes they probably ripped him off for the suspension and timing. He has taken it pretty well by using a variation on driver method, car is 9 years old, never had a problem, so $2000 over 9 years isn't bad....but still, it sounds like highway robbery and there isn't much that can be done at this point.

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,937

    jmonroe said:

    driver100 said:

    jmonroe said:

    That's a bit TOO simple, thanks.
    https://youtu.be/Kd4r35ghnO4
    I like analog gauges so that I can see things "as they progress".

    My Mini heat gauge, for instance, drives me nuts. It doesn't actually go from "cold to hot". It goes from cold to "normal" and then, if you were to overheat, it just slams right to hot. It's not graduated. It's no better than a light, really.

    I don't like digital gauges for anything, ever (in a car I mean).

    Of course, a digital representation of an analog gauge might be ok.

    I'm with you. I like the analog gauges with a pointer.

    My '09 Genny had the pointer for both the temp and gas gauges. My '15 Genny has bars that come on as the temp goes up and as the gas goes down the bars go off. It would be nice if Hyundai could figure out if they want their bar gauge's lights to come on go off. I'm hoping they figure it out someday. Maybe they need some help with that from the Germans. :o

    FWIW, Mrs. j's '12 Legacy has a blue light that comes on when it is cold and goes out pretty quickly, no more that 2 blocks if driving. I'm guessing that it has an idiot red light that comes on when it gets hot. That's never happened so I don't know how many blocks you have to drive it before that light goes off. :'(

    jmonroe
    Some gauges are goofy. On the Mustang the temp. gauge has a needle but just goes from cold to hot without telling the actual temp. I also have a gauge function that tells me things like intake manifold temp. in actual degrees. Why would they think it important to know manifold temp. more accurately than engine temp.?
    What do you do about a hot manifold temperature? I don't think I have seen one of those gauges. How does it get overheated? During a fast getaway?

    Speaking of which...new Grappler Device to cath getaway cars (40 seconds)
    https://youtu.be/Kd4r35ghnO4

    What if the perp slams on his brakes as you ride on his bumper. Buster radiator would end your chase. Also what if he swerves as you're doing your snare?


    I'll take my chances.

    On Thanksgiving day not too far from where I live, a guy driving a car was hit while being chased by police. The car slammed into his car and wiped out a young family. 3 people died including a 2 year old girl. I have no idea why police feel they have to chase a car at high speeds in traffic. From what I have read about this tragedy, I blame the police. There is no need to do this high speed Broderick Crawford chasing. The chase went through a couple of districts and one police force stopped the chase because of the speed involved but the adjoining district cop kept up with his joy ride.

    Police do have radios, so why all of this high speed chasing.

    jmonroe
    Back in the 50's my dad had a friend on the Chicago Police Department he was assigned to traffic control, parking and speeding tickets. He was given a motor-trike to do his patrols but for safety reasons it had a governor that restricted its top speed to 35 MPH. He gave out plenty of parking tickets but no speeding tickets. They kept asking him why but wouldn't accept the explanation that every speeder could out run his trike.

    Point is if you know that the cops won't chase you everyone would run to get away from a ticket.
    Of course, they could just use their automatic license plate readers and mail a speeding ticket to the registered owner of the vehicle, since that seems to be the favorite way for anti-speeder enthusiasts to do business and provide justice.

    Don't even need a reader, just take a picture of the car, fly a drone around until they stop (won't know they are being chased that way). Lots of options other than high-speed (do more harm than good) chasing.
    '18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,937
    ab348 said:

    driver100 said:


    Down the street from us an undercover cop was buying 2 ounces of heroine from a drug dealer at 5 PM at a Wendy's. The bad guys pulled a gun, other cops were listening on a hidden microphone...they came racing in with a big SUV. 40 gun shots were fired...the bad guys were hit and arrested...no cops or bystanders were hit.

    The cops say the dealers want to meet in a busy public place so they had to meet at a busy location. Business owners say was it that important endangering the lives of children and bystanders that you had to catch a drug dealer? I agree with the second group.

    Sounds like a no-win situation. Drugs, soft or otherwise, and their dealing really impact the quality of life in a community. Dealers like to act like gangsters and shoot things up. That's part of the reason they are illegal, so if the cops are to enforce the law, they need to do what they need to do and you have to trust they will do their best not to put people at risk. I suppose the alternative is for them to walk away and ignore them like they did with weed by and large, and we see where that has gotten us. I don't want dealers doing business in front of my house.
    Seems to me if you legalize it there would be no reason for the business to be in front of your house, but in a normal place of business. Seems like a good solution to me. Reallocate enforcement to left lane campers. Win Win!
    '18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,937
    jmonroe said:

    It's the fault of you guys in here. It's contagious. :@

    I was talking to Son #1 at a social event last night and he tells me his wife hit a deer and ran completely over it. She is OK but his '13 Infinity G37 has some bruises. The car is drivable but he isn't sure how to even guess the extent of the work to fix it. Even the right front inner fender liner was just about knocked off.

    She was coming off the PA pike ramp about to get onto a 4 lane road and the thing jumps right out of a hiding spot and into the right front of the car. She wasn't going very fast (maybe 30 MPH) but said she still had no time to react ....

    jmonroe

    Yes, driving slow doesn't mean you'll have more time to react unfortunately. Timing is everything, and 300% of zero time is still zero. However, going faster does make your commute shorter thereby shortening the amount of time something bad can happen :smile:
    '18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • abacomikeabacomike Member Posts: 12,388
    edited December 2016
    Lexus continues to produce outstanding automobiles.  Their LS 460, as I alluded to in my previous post, is a superb vehicle.  Not withstanding its tamer ride and handling when compared to European (German in particular) vehicles, it possesses a broad appeal in the U.S. and Canada for its quality and dependability.  The resale value on a Lexus continues to be among the strongest in North America.

    All attributes considering, the popularity of the BMW, Mercedes and Audi is strongest among drivers who want to "tackle" the road rather than glide over it.  Let's face it, driving a BMW or even a Mercedes or Audi takes a bit more concentration and effort because of the additional input needed by the drivers of these cars to move it down the road - whether it be on an interstate or around town.  I personally prefer having to provide more input when driving my car as opposed to the "gliding" approach to driving.  It's a personal preference shared by those who prefer European cars vs. Asian cars.  There are exceptions in both domains such as Mazda or the F-Sport Lexus line, of course.

    2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger

  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,937

    jmonroe said:

    I have no idea why police feel they have to chase a car at high speeds in traffic. From what I have read about this tragedy, I blame the police. There is no need to do this high speed Broderick Crawford chasing.
    Police do have radios, so why all of this high speed chasing.

    If the perps would just learn to follow the instructions of a policeman it would be a better world. Instead the police get blamed if they make a decision to chase the perps, and they get blamed when various crimes from speeding to drug sales to murders keep increasing.

    It's always easy to be a Monday morning quarterback and second guess the decisions made in the football game the day before. Same thing with the policemen.
    I for one would like to go on record as having never complained about the crime of speeding increasing and/or blaming the police for that increase. Speeding is easy to solve anyway, raise the speed limits until virtually no one is speeding :smile:

    However, there is bad coaching, and then there is some BAD coaching (Marty ball). Same with Police, there is bad police work, and then there is some BAD police work.
    '18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    driver100 said:

    jmonroe said:

    suydam said:

    In our town a year or so ago the police were chasing a man who had murdered his mother and 2 other people. They stopped the chase when they thought it was too dangerous and were heavily criticized for it. It took another week or so to catch the guy and everyone was terrified. So the police have a hard time either way.

    I understand that police can be faulted either way but they are supposed to be professionals and should know when and when not to chase.

    On TV after this tragedy on Thanksgiving day, a couple police departments said they only chase when a death type of felony is committed. IIRC, the chase that I described was because the guy had an outstanding warrant for theft and maybe drugs. It was definitely not a murder suspect.

    jmonroe
    Down the street from us an undercover cop was buying 2 ounces of heroine from a drug dealer at 5 PM at a Wendy's. The bad guys pulled a gun, other cops were listening on a hidden microphone...they came racing in with a big SUV. 40 gun shots were fired...the bad guys were hit and arrested...no cops or bystanders were hit.

    The cops say the dealers want to meet in a busy public place so they had to meet at a busy location. Business owners say was it that important endangering the lives of children and bystanders that you had to catch a drug dealer? I agree with the second group.
    usually in situations like that the police let the deal go down and then follow the dealers until they get to a less crowded place. However if the deal goes south there is not much else they could do but go in.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • abacomikeabacomike Member Posts: 12,388
    edited December 2016
    Well, I think maybe there is a "punch" in the works here. Just got a call from the BMW dealer I used to buy my BMW's from and he has a car exactly like what I was looking for on the grounds. Here are the details:

    2017 BMW 740i in Alpine White with Cognac (saddle) leather interior, black carpeting and headliner and black leather dashboard. It has 19" V-Spoke Light Alloy Wheels w/All Season Run-Flat Tires. It also has the Driver Assistance Plus Package, Driver Assistance Plus II Package, and the Executive Package. If you are interested in finding out what each package consists of, you can look it up here on Edmunds or at the BMW site. Too much info to delineate here. MSRP is $91,495.

    They put the car into the service dept. to have it PDI'd and will be available for me to test-drive tomorrow at around 11:00 AM.

    The only thing that could put a kibosh on this actually happening is the valuation of my trade. They want to give me $54,000 for my car, but Manheim shows two cars sold at $58,000. They are uncomfortable about putting that much into my car - and I probably would feel the same way if I was still in the car business. But I need them to step up on the trade several thousand dollars before I would sign on the dotted line.

    So we shall see. To Be Continued!

    2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger

  • 28firefighter28firefighter Member Posts: 9,841
    abacomike said:
    Well, I think maybe there is a "punch" in the works here. Just got a call from the BMW dealer I used to buy my BMW's from and he has a car exactly like what I was looking for on the grounds. Here are the details: 2017 BMW 740i in Alpine White with Cognac (saddle) leather interior, black carpeting and headliner and black leather dashboard. It has 19" V-Spoke Light Alloy Wheels w/All Season Run-Flat Tires. It also has the Driver Assistance Plus Package, Driver Assistance Plus II Package, and the Executive Package. If you are interested in finding out what each package consists of, you can look it up here on Edmunds or at the BMW site. Too much info to delineate here. MSRP is $91,495. They put the car into the service dept. to have it PDI'd and will be available for me to test-drive tomorrow at around 11:00 AM. The only thing that could put a kibosh on this actually happening is the valuation of my trade. They want to give me $54,000 for my car, but Manheim shows two cars sold at $58,000. They are uncomfortable about putting that much into my car - and I probably would feel the same way if I was still in the car business. But I need them to step up on the trade several thousand dollars before I would sign on the dotted line. So we shall see. To Be Continued!
    They really need to step up because you just had it serviced!!
    2025 Jetta GLI Autobahn, 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xE
  • abacomikeabacomike Member Posts: 12,388
    edited December 2016


    abacomike said:

    Well, I think maybe there is a "punch" in the works here. Just got a call from the BMW dealer I used to buy my BMW's from and he has a car exactly like what I was looking for on the grounds. Here are the details:

    2017 BMW 740i in Alpine White with Cognac (saddle) leather interior, black carpeting and headliner and black leather dashboard. It has 19" V-Spoke Light Alloy Wheels w/All Season Run-Flat Tires. It also has the Driver Assistance Plus Package, Driver Assistance Plus II Package, and the Executive Package. If you are interested in finding out what each package consists of, you can look it up here on Edmunds or at the BMW site. Too much info to delineate here. MSRP is $91,495.

    They put the car into the service dept. to have it PDI'd and will be available for me to test-drive tomorrow at around 11:00 AM.

    The only thing that could put a kibosh on this actually happening is the valuation of my trade. They want to give me $54,000 for my car, but Manheim shows two cars sold at $58,000. They are uncomfortable about putting that much into my car - and I probably would feel the same way if I was still in the car business. But I need them to step up on the trade several thousand dollars before I would sign on the dotted line.

    So we shall see. To Be Continued!

    They really need to step up because you just had it serviced!!

    RIGHT YOU ARE! And detailed besides. :o

    2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger

  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592

    Therein is the problem with community police depts. Not doubting the danger element of their jobs. But, why engage in a chase over minor offenses? That escalates a situation that is relatively low risk, into a much higher risk endeavor.<?blockquote>

    That begs the question, if it is a minor offense they why did they run? People who run are not those whose only issue is going 10 over the limit.

    Again, I support the police dept. But, please don't escalate situations over minor infractions. Don't pull a weapon at the slightest infraction.

    The problem is that you never know who you pulled over and what they might do. That guy you pulled over for doing 45 in a 35 might have just robbed the local liquor store and shot the clerk. You have to go into every situation expecting the worse if you want to get home each night.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,316
    Mike, I don't know if you have had a car with run-flat tires before, but make a point of trying to get a feel for them. They tend to ride rougher than normal tires and some people find that irritating.

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • abacomikeabacomike Member Posts: 12,388
    ab348 said:

    Mike, I don't know if you have had a car with run-flat tires before, but make a point of trying to get a feel for them. They tend to ride rougher than normal tires and some people find that irritating.

    I have 19" summer performance tires on the car now and I keep 40 lbs of pressure in the tires. I drove the car 75 miles today and I am used to a rough ride - however the 740 i is a much smoother driving car than my CLS. I will drive the car tomorrow morning just to make sure I am happy with them - if not - I'll either have them changed or I won't take the car. There are lots of variables I have to deal with tomorrow before I sign on the dotted line, to be sure! ;)

    2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger

  • jmonroejmonroe Member Posts: 8,989
    abacomike said:


    jmonroe said:

    What next ?

    We got our first snow fall today, a good 2 inches of it and of course the roads were bad. Bad enough that a large pickup coming out of a new home construction site couldn't stop coming down the hill from site, took out a stop sign, went across a 2 lane road and T-boned right into DIL #2 while she was driving their van. She is OK and so is the guy in the pickup but from the pictures Son #2 saw and what the police said the van is more than likely totaled.

    It's a good thing the kids weren't in the car because the truck hit the driver's side sliding door which is right where my granddaughter usually sits. All of the air bags on that side went off too. So they did what they were supposed to do. My DIL said the skin on the sliding door was pulled completely off and was jammed onto the pickups bumper. There is also a lot of damage to the rear quarter panel but fortunately the gas tank was not hit. The driver's door although not hit directly was jammed so she had to climb over the console to get out on the passenger side. She's pretty nimble, I guess.

    My Son now has the pleasure of being ripped off for the totaled book value they are going to give him for his van. I can't remember what year it is but I think it is a 2011 KIA but it is worth more to him than what the insurance company is going to give him. He liked that van, as much as a guy can like a van, but his wife liked it a lot. I guess I'll have another sales tale from him to pass on but for the wrong reason.

    Like I said DIL #2 is OK but she has to see how she feels when she gets up tomorrow morning but so far so good.

    TO BE CONTIUED

    jmonroe

    Thank goodness your DIL was unhurt and that the grandkids were not on board.  If I saw a truck skidding down a road on its way to slamming into me, I would have had flashbacks of all the sins I had committed in my lifetime and prayed for forgiveness before it was too late.  Scary situation that turned out OK.  Thank goodness JM!

    Thanks guys for all the good wishes for DIL #2.

    When she woke up this morning she wanted to go to work but my Son didn't like that idea. Ironically, her neck that has given her a little bit of a problem on and off for years now, started to bother her a few days ago (before her accident) so he took her to the emergency room for an X-Ray just to be sure she did not aggrevate anything. All is well and she will go back to work tomorrow.

    New subject:

    Because of the snow yesterday, neither of us went anywhere so I decided that before the snow gets packed down in the driveway, I'd put the snow blower to work for the first time this year. It's a good thing I finally replaced the pull starter the day before yesterday (I posted about doing this a few days ago), so my timing for getting around to it was impeccable.

    OK, I'm out there with the snow blower and it's not working as well as usual because the snow had gotten a little wet and my baby 3 HP 21 inch Sears snow blower is clogging up because of the wet snow. I never had this happen, to this extent before, so I shut it off, wiped the inside of the chute and used some silicon spray, and yippy, it's now throwing snow just like all the other years I've had it. As I'm patting myself on the back for "fixing" it, I started to wonder how long that fix would last. About a third of the way through the driveway it starts to clog up again. I knew that I could spray it again a few more times to finish the job but then I had a "genius moment". I'd use my trusty car wax since that stuff seems to last a long time on my cars. Sure enough, I finished the driveway with no more problems.

    Moral of the story, car wax just ain't for cars anymore.

    You guys that live in the South, or run off to it in the Winter, and other warm weather posters won't need this valuable info but there are plenty of posters around here that should be waxing their snow blower chutes any day now.

    jmonroe

    '15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl

  • suydamsuydam Member Posts: 5,074
    I just paid somebody else to do it.
    '24 Kia Sportage PHEV
    '24 Chevy Blazer EV 2LT
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited December 2016
    After waxing our friend's Cruze I waxed my workbench with the leftover wax on the applicator pad. I checked the weather in the UP today and Las Cruces was 70° warmer than where we used to live. I suspect my old Outback is getting a nice workout this week.
  • abacomikeabacomike Member Posts: 12,388
    JM, your post about waxing the chute on your snowblower is pure genius!  I'll bet that if you approached a manufacturer with the proposal of including a heavy-duty wax tin with each snowblower with instruction on its use, you could easily retire to an estate in South Florida for the rest of your life along with Mrs. JM!  Genius - PURE GENIUS!  ;)

    2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger

  • suydamsuydam Member Posts: 5,074
    Except . . . maybe there's a reason that's not recommended?
    '24 Kia Sportage PHEV
    '24 Chevy Blazer EV 2LT
  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,237

    houdini1 said:

    driver100 said:

    My neighbor/friend has his little 1985 BMW. He said if he were to buy a newer car, he would buy a Lexus like his lady friends car. He said it is over 6 years old but Lexus is going to pay for a new instrument panel because of cracking caused by the sun.

    His thinking is BMW isn't interested in supporting their product beyond 6 to 8 years, even their service departments aren't interested in working on them. He says Lexus supports their product for a long time and he likes to keep his cars for a long time.....like his BMW is 30 years old.

    It depends in very large part on the individual dealer. My store services my 1995 ti with no issues- and even stocked oil filters for my '75 '02. One of the sales guys has an E30 325i Cab. and several service advisors have E36 3ers.

    RR, how are the sales duties going. Making that quota?
    No sales yet, but will probably pick up one or two between Christmas and New Year's Day. We sold five new and five used on Saturday.
    I understand that as we speak Jipster is headed your way and he's packing a sandwich. His trick is to eat and make lip smacking sounds as you counter offer. After 5 hours you'll be in tears.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,594
    JMonroe....just relabel those wax containers as JMonroes Slip&Slide Snowblower Wax and charge double what you paid for it. Just take out a gigantic insurance policy in case people lose limbs trying to wax their machines while they are still on! :'(

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • jmonroejmonroe Member Posts: 8,989
    driver100 said:

    JMonroe....just relabel those wax containers as JMonroes Slip&Slide Snowblower Wax and charge double what you paid for it. Just take out a gigantic insurance policy in case people lose limbs trying to wax their machines while they are still on! :'(

    Well, there is dumb and then there is Canadian dumb.

    For the reason you just mentioned, I doubt that I can get this marketed in Canada. :p

    jmonroe

    '15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,435
    You can wax shower walls to help eliminate buildup.

    The lady that owned our house before us used to wax the mailbox. That seemed a little excessive to me!

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • jmonroejmonroe Member Posts: 8,989
    stickguy said:

    You can wax shower walls to help eliminate buildup.

    The lady that owned our house before us used to wax the mailbox. That seemed a little excessive to me!

    I told this story before; I use RainX for the glass doors and the tile walls.

    Mrs. j still thinks that is one of the best ideas I've ever come up with.

    jmonroe

    '15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,457
    Waxing the wheels on your car also makes them a lot easier to clean, I've done it for ages.
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,435
    edited December 2016
    how often? I intend to wax mine 2x a year. But don't always make it. especially on the leases!

    wax the cars I mean. Never thought of doing the wheels!

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • abacomikeabacomike Member Posts: 12,388
    I think I've been overdoing things since returning home.  My mind says I can do anything I want - but my body is telling me I cannot and to stop running around.  Having some pains in my right abdomen this evening and I feel like a ton of bricks fell on me.  I used to take car buying in stride - ya know what I mean - test-driving cars, negotiating, researching, going through the numbers, etc.  I think maybe those days are gone along with a big chunk of my liver.  I just enjoy the "game" but if it's going to destroy me physically, it's time to hang it up.  I might not even have the strength to drive the 28 miles tomorrow to try and close this deal.

    It's truly amazing how quickly you can go from sprinting through life to crawling through life.  It is what it is!

    2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,435
    well, you have a great car. with fresh oil and all detailed up. So keeping it a little long to focus on your health is certainly a fine idea. BMW is making more all the time. If you feel up to it next month, revisit.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • abacomikeabacomike Member Posts: 12,388
    edited December 2016
    stickguy said:
    well, you have a great car. with fresh oil and all detailed up. So keeping it a little long to focus on your health is certainly a fine idea. BMW is making more all the time. If you feel up to it next month, revisit.
    Good advice, stick.  Let's see what tomorrow or next month brings.  Imagine buying a new car and having it sit in my parking space because I'm too sick or weak to drive and enjoy it.  Makes no sense.  I'm using some oxygen as I post this.  Good thing the doctor ordered these tanks just in case.

    2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,237
    Looks like the self driving cars can have bad personalities too.

    http://www.nbcbayarea.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Uber-Self-Driving-Car-Caught-on-Camera-Running-Red-Light_Bay-Area-406663615.html

    They blame it on the human who was monitoring the car. Now wait, if a human has to monitor the car how can it be self-driving?

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    driver100 said:

    sda said:

    AND I used the remotes to try to reset the picture controls on various ones to improve the image.

    That's the thing, you don't know how the TV is set up at the store and can vary greatly between sets. It is good to fiddle with the audio/video controls to better compare the sets.

    The store picture mode is usually referred to as "Torch Mode" because the brightness and color saturation are ramped upin order to make the set stand out. .
    When I called VIZIO 4 times and was on the phone an hour each time, entering codes, plugging and unplugging things, writing in passcodes, test and retest etc......I saw the message come up about 200 times.......
    IS THIS TV FOR 1 PERSONAL USE or 2 STORE USE?
    So that explains it, use store use and get a brilliant picture and burn out the guts in about a week! :@

    Well to be fair stores are usually far more brightly lit than homes are which would tend to wash out pictures. This would necessitate a brighter picture and changes in settings to compensate.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,594
    jmonroe said:

    stickguy said:

    You can wax shower walls to help eliminate buildup.

    The lady that owned our house before us used to wax the mailbox. That seemed a little excessive to me!

    I told this story before; I use RainX for the glass doors and the tile walls.

    Mrs. j still thinks that is one of the best ideas I've ever come up with.

    jmonroe
    I think you have an addiction to car wax. Have you considered W.A.? Waxers Anonymous :D

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,594

    Looks like the self driving cars can have bad personalities too.

    http://www.nbcbayarea.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Uber-Self-Driving-Car-Caught-on-Camera-Running-Red-Light_Bay-Area-406663615.html

    They blame it on the human who was monitoring the car. Now wait, if a human has to monitor the car how can it be self-driving?

    Maybe there was a big waste disposal truck behind him so he didn't want to stop and get creamed! :@

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,748
    abacomike said:
    I think I've been overdoing things since returning home.  My mind says I can do anything I want - but my body is telling me I cannot and to stop running around.  Having some pains in my right abdomen this evening and I feel like a ton of bricks fell on me.  I used to take car buying in stride - ya know what I mean - test-driving cars, negotiating, researching, going through the numbers, etc.  I think maybe those days are gone along with a big chunk of my liver.  I just enjoy the "game" but if it's going to destroy me physically, it's time to hang it up.  I might not even have the strength to drive the 28 miles tomorrow to try and close this deal.

    It's truly amazing how quickly you can go from sprinting through life to crawling through life.  It is what it is!
    It is early yet. Give it some time. I believe I once heard that something like each week in a hospital equals one month of recovery.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,594

    driver100 said:

    sda said:

    AND I used the remotes to try to reset the picture controls on various ones to improve the image.

    That's the thing, you don't know how the TV is set up at the store and can vary greatly between sets. It is good to fiddle with the audio/video controls to better compare the sets.

    The store picture mode is usually referred to as "Torch Mode" because the brightness and color saturation are ramped upin order to make the set stand out. .
    When I called VIZIO 4 times and was on the phone an hour each time, entering codes, plugging and unplugging things, writing in passcodes, test and retest etc......I saw the message come up about 200 times.......
    IS THIS TV FOR 1 PERSONAL USE or 2 STORE USE?
    So that explains it, use store use and get a brilliant picture and burn out the guts in about a week! :@

    Well to be fair stores are usually far more brightly lit than homes are which would tend to wash out pictures. This would necessitate a brighter picture and changes in settings to compensate.
    You haven't seen our place since my wife put in these Home Depot LCD lights....I need to put my sunglasses on when I come inside now. B)

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,594
    edited December 2016
    abacomike said:


    stickguy said:

    well, you have a great car. with fresh oil and all detailed up. So keeping it a little long to focus on your health is certainly a fine idea. BMW is making more all the time. If you feel up to it next month, revisit.

    Good advice, stick.  
    Let's see what tomorrow or next month brings.  Imagine buying a new car and having it sit in my parking space because I'm too sick or weak to drive and enjoy it.  Makes no sense.  I'm using some oxygen as I post this.  Good thing the doctor ordered these tanks just in case.


    Mike, I didn't say anything when you mentioned test driving the 740 because you are capable of making your own decisions.
    But, just my 2 cents worth and just a personal opinion, THIS IS NO TIME FOR YOU TO BUY A NEW CAR.

    My reasoning is, you have to be in top physical and mental form to duke it out with a car salesman. I know you can almost do it in your sleep, you have seen it from both sides, you know the system....but, you need to be in top form to survive the process. Like the F&I guy told us, you have to sign about 25 documents (most aren't paper any more...you sign on the tablet) in Florida. You actually sign more documents to buy a car than a house....it is extremely tiring. And, you have to be on guard the whole time as they try to talk you into all kinds of extras, tire insurance, wheel insurance, bird crap insurance (honest), 3M plastic protection, tited windows, extended warranty etc etc. No, you have to be in training for a month before you get in the ring with those guys....but, that is just one person's opinion...for what it is worth! ;)

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 14,126

    Looks like the self driving cars can have bad personalities too.

    http://www.nbcbayarea.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Uber-Self-Driving-Car-Caught-on-Camera-Running-Red-Light_Bay-Area-406663615.html

    They blame it on the human who was monitoring the car. Now wait, if a human has to monitor the car how can it be self-driving?

    OK...enough is enough. This has to be way beyond unconstitutional to make some bucks for the city. RB....will this hold up in court?
    2024 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD Long Range
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited December 2016

    Looks like the self driving cars can have bad personalities too.

    http://www.nbcbayarea.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Uber-Self-Driving-Car-Caught-on-Camera-Running-Red-Light_Bay-Area-406663615.html

    They blame it on the human who was monitoring the car. Now wait, if a human has to monitor the car how can it be self-driving?

    They should send all the tickets to Uber directly.



    Self-driving cars cannot detect red lights or stop signs. So they are "self-driving" but not necessarily "self-stopping".

    California DMV, by the way, has declared Uber's move as "illegal".

    "The company, the officials said, did not have the necessary state permits for autonomous driving.

    “It is illegal for the company to operate its self-driving vehicles on public roads until it receives an autonomous vehicle testing permit,” Brian G. Soublet, deputy director of California’s Department of Motor Vehicles, said in a letter to Uber. “Any action by Uber to continue the operation of vehicles equipped with autonomous technology on public streets in California must cease until Uber complies.”

    Uber did not return a request for comment about the letter."
    (NY TIMES)

  • jipsterjipster Member Posts: 6,299
    edited December 2016
    Have to hand it to my Hyundai dealership. They still trying to get me in for the maintenance. As you may recall,got a coupon for a $24 oil change last week. Took it in the next day to have oil changed. Service advisor advises coolant and transmission flush, as well as an emissions cleaning. I pass.

    The other day got coupons in the mail for 10% off those services.  Checked owners manual. Coolant suppose to be changed at 120k miles. Transmission is a "No check.No Service required". Can't help think the dealership trying to pull a fast one. If they want to say your owner manual suggests this... but we are suggesting this because....blah blah blah well that is fine. But, seems business is slow, and some things never change.
    2021 Honda Passport EX-L, 2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere.
  • jipsterjipster Member Posts: 6,299
    On the t.v front,my Consumer Reports 2017 Buying Guide has Vizio next to last in reliability. Tied with Westinghouse. Only ahead of Sceptre. Samsung? #1
    2021 Honda Passport EX-L, 2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,748
    The article is quite incomplete. How do they know that is an Uber self-driving car? I can't tell anything from that video other than the car had some device on the top of it.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • carnaughtcarnaught Member Posts: 3,582
    edited December 2016
    Mike, glad you're back to your wheeling and dealing ways, but what driver says makes a lot of sense. Wait till you have more strength, and who knows, with a little time, if you're still interested in the punch, the deal might be even sweeter. Just take care...
This discussion has been closed.