Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

nyccarguy

@driver100 - the 300 horsepower/300 lb/ft of torque was well worth the price of entry. I was satisfied with my 328xi's 230 hp NA Inline 6, but when I got a hold of a loaner car with the turbo 6 - WOW!

Mr_Shiftright

tjc78 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

I think, per ounce, that Taco Bell is probably cheaper than Meow Mix.

Meow Mix is probably healthier

Well I just assumed that.

driver100

tjc78 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

I think, per ounce, that Taco Bell is probably cheaper than Meow Mix.

Meow Mix is probably healthier

And tastes better too!

driver100

nyccarguy said:

@driver100 - the 300 horsepower/300 lb/ft of torque was well worth the price of entry. I was satisfied with my 328xi's 230 hp NA Inline 6, but when I got a hold of a loaner car with the turbo 6 - WOW!

I agree....I am glad we ended up with the 335. It did come with some features that would have been extra on the 328 too. But, they could have put homelink as standard on the 328, or made it a few $100 option.

driver100

Houdini...just so you don't think we are complete scrooges. We give $10000 per year to help any grandchild who goes to university, for up to 3 years...there are 3 so far. Also give help where needed which is pretty continuous.

Sometimes they have ads on TV that say, are you saving enough to leave your children an inheritance///let us help you reach your goals. I have to shut that whole concept out of my mind....they can have what is left, but, we have had enough trouble getting through most our own lives financially.

A lot depends on the relationship with children, some people are very close to their kids and visa versa. We are all on friendly terms (except one SIL because we seem to have very different values) but we all live pretty independently. We have friends who are like friends with their adult children, talk daily, visit a few times a week, etc. I prefer friends who are at the same stage in life and who have similar interests....which isn't my kids.

abacomike

nyccarguy said:

@driver100 - the 300 horsepower/300 lb/ft of torque was well worth the price of entry. I was satisfied with my 328xi's 230 hp NA Inline 6, but when I got a hold of a loaner car with the turbo 6 - WOW!

That turbocharged inline 6 is a great engine.  The V6 twin turbo in the Mercedes CLS400 was strong and loud, but was not as smooth as the BMW inline 6.  I think BMW has engineered a great match between transmission, rear end ratios and the smoothness of the engine.  They've increased the hp to 320 and the torque to the mid 330's.  Quite a difference from my 535i in 2008.

abacomike

driver100 said:

I think, per ounce, that Taco Bell is probably cheaper than Meow Mix.

Meow Mix is probably healthier

And tastes better too!

And smells even better!

roadburner

abacomike said:

nyccarguy said:

@driver100 - the 300 horsepower/300 lb/ft of torque was well worth the price of entry. I was satisfied with my 328xi's 230 hp NA Inline 6, but when I got a hold of a loaner car with the turbo 6 - WOW!

That turbocharged inline 6 is a great engine.  The V6 twin turbo in the Mercedes CLS400 was strong and loud, but was not as smooth as the BMW inline 6.  I think BMW has engineered a great match between transmission, rear end ratios and the smoothness of the engine.  They've increased the hp to 320 and the torque to the mid 330's.  Quite a difference from my 535i in 2008.

BMW is switching over to a modular engine architecture for its inline power plants; they all have an identical bore/stroke with 500cc per cylinder as well as identical cylinder spacing. This allows BMW to build three, four, and six cylinder diesel and gas engines on the same assembly line.

houdini1

driver100 said:

Houdini...just so you don't think we are complete scrooges. We give $10000 per year to help any grandchild who goes to university, for up to 3 years...there are 3 so far. Also give help where needed which is pretty continuous.

Sometimes they have ads on TV that say, are you saving enough to leave your children an inheritance///let us help you reach your goals. I have to shut that whole concept out of my mind....they can have what is left, but, we have had enough trouble getting through most our own lives financially.

A lot depends on the relationship with children, some people are very close to their kids and visa versa. We are all on friendly terms (except one SIL because we seem to have very different values) but we all live pretty independently. We have friends who are like friends with their adult children, talk daily, visit a few times a week, etc. I prefer friends who are at the same stage in life and who have similar interests....which isn't my kids.

HA !! I knew you were an 'ol softie.

driver100

Mods: Note above post isn't hi-lited correctly.

Some would say the BMW inline 6 is a superior engine because it is better to have an inline 6 than a V6. From my understanding, it is probably true. If performance is what you want a BMW is probably the way to go. For a combination of performance, comfort, easy operation, creature comforts, you are probably more interested in a Mercedes,.

snakeweasel

imidazol97 said:

jmonroe said:

One time I had a professor say, "what's with all the formula's in the corners"? I told him, "before I forgot them I wrote them down". He said, "isn't that cheating a little bit"? I said, "no, it's being forgetful, a LOT". His come back was, "I guess that isn't so bad, since when you're out of school and in the work place, everything is an open book test".
jmonroe

That was one of the skills I taught my son to when he was in elementary/middle school: write down each and every formula before you start on anything, whether it was math, AP Chem, AP Physics, etc.. That avoids confusing similar formulas when you get rattled about a question as you read it because you realized you may not be sure how to work the whole thing out.

At The Ohio State University one of his Honors Physics profs had students bring in formulas on a sheet of paper limited to a certain size. Most skills require knowing where to look to find what you don't recall or don't understand.

Same is true working on cars. My shadetree neighbor asks me about some things because he knows I'll look them up and come back to him with results. Meanwhile he's working. If I had to make a living working on cars like he does, I'd starve to death. I spend a lot of time looking up things.

One of the first things they teach you in an accounting class is to read the question backwards. Read the last sentence first and find out what the requirements are then read the full question picking the information that you need to answer the question. Accounting questions are known for giving more information than needed to answer the question to see if you can properly identify the information needed among a lot of information.

When I took the CPA exam there was at least one heavily worded question where the only thing you really needed to answer the question was the last sentence.

snakeweasel

andres3 said:

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/12/16/were-really-bad-at-judging-risk-to-kids-were-really-good-at-judging-parents/?utm_term=.e3bf82bad576

Super interesting article in that I find it probably explains why some of you incorrectly associate speeding with risk. You find it morally objectionable to you personally that people speed, and therefore you exaggerate the risk of the action in order to justify your moral outrage.

Finally beginning to understand the psychosis that perpetuates the "Speed Kills" myth.

I want to go on record that I don't incorrectly associate speeding with risk. I correctly associate increased speeds with risk (there is a difference) simply because I understand physics.

If you understand physics then you know it is not the speed that puts you at risk for injury or worse, but the sudden deceleration that gets you. Avoiding those quick deceleration situations will keep you safe no matter how fast you go.

If you understood physics you would know that the faster you go the harder it is to avoid those quick deceleration situations. You would also know that increasing speed also makes it harder to control a vehicle also it makes it harder to regain control if something goes wrong.

Also as for the sudden deceleration argument, hit a 6 inch deep pothole ate 160 MPH and it will not be a quick deceleration (you can brake quicker) but its a pretty good chance that you won't walk away from it.

snakeweasel

andres3 said:

Given all that, it's not going to compete with a Camry, Malibu, Fusion or an Accord. But, for the money, I'd take it with an extended warranty over an Altima and put a fair amount of money back in my pocket as a result.

Ever owned a Chyrsler out of warranty?

How much would an extended warranty cost on one; I'd imagine a lot of dough if they are ever going to honor the claims.

I own a Chrysler out of warranty. With 115K miles on it now and only about $200 spent on non routine maintence I would say it has been real good. Two cars ago was another Chrysler that went well over 100K miles with just oil changes, brake jobs and new tires. I know others with Chryslers that have little issues with them.

______

But you didn't answer how much it would cost to get an extended warranty on the Chrysler.

I gave a proper answer on the likely hood of needing one.

Back in 2009 when I bought mine, a 2008 with a little over 18K miles they offered an extended warranty for $1,000. Not a whole lot for an extended warranty.

andres3

tjc78 said:

@jmonroe

Nothing wrong with a little Stop Light Grand Prix when safe to do so.

Good thing you didn't have the Genny.... you would really have smoked them!

Maybe it was a rainy or snowy day and the Subaru's AWD led to an advantaged start.

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

abacomike said:

driver100 said:

driver100 said:

@snakeweasel:

Tell you what, snake - I'll meet you halfway so long as you're picking up the check for lunch! 

If he does that he can take us both to lunch.

All of a sudden you became a partner, driver!  As for halfway, you live WSW of Orlando and I live SSE of Orlando.  Where did you think we could meet snake halfway?  Tallahassee?  Jacksonville?  Atlanta? 

You are near Miami, Snake is going to Orlando. For the sake of this exercise I am just North of Bradenton which is 2 hours south of Orlando, and 4 hours North of Miami. You are 6 hours from Orlando, so you have to drive 3 hours North, Snake drives 3 hours South, I drive one hour South, and we meet in Port Charlotte or Fort Meyers. Do you know any good steakhouses in those towns where Snake can take us?

Driver, I live 200 miles SSE of Orlando - or a 3 hour drive at most.  I'm 300 miles (5+ hours drive) south of Jacksonville.  You have me totally confused - again!

,

That sounds like one of those math questions from high school exams:

"If a driver 100 travels east for 3 hours and a Mike travels west for 200 miles where will Snake have to go to find a Chick-Fil-A?"
Remember to show your work.

Yeah, I remember those tests well. I used to put the important stuff in the corners so I could find them without having to look all over the paper to find what I wanted. One time I had a professor say, "what's with all the formula's in the corners"?

jmonroe

So where is the genius who can figure out the mid point between Orlando, Jacksonville, and Bradenton?

And where has Snake disappeared since he mentioned a free dinner?



I believe I said lunch.

snakeweasel

abacomike said:

andres3 said:

abacomike said:

driver100 said:

Does it say other things, like;
"I think we need gas Mike"
"Let's get a car wash Mike"
"Do you wanna coffee Mike?"
"Hi Mike, I am Christine"
"Don't even think of trading me in.....Mike"

That's funny, driver.  What I am trying to get used to is the active blind spot assist - the steering wheel and brakes take control of the car if I begin to enter a lane occupied by another vehicle.  It gives back control to me once the danger has passed.  This is as close to an autonomous vehicle I have ever driven.  The heads up display even show the legal speed limit for any road or highway I am driving on.

I can just see it now "But your Honor, the heads-up display told me the speed limit was 70!"

You know - I was thinking about that on I-595 coming home today.  It showed a speed limit of 75 when I knew darn well it is 65.  Obviously some kind of gremlin in the system - we don't have a 75 mph speed limit anywhere in the State of Florida.

My question is does it work using GPS and a database? if it does then the database can be woefully wrong. I know GPS systems that I have used that have the speed limit on them tend to either be wrong on where speed limits change or are outdated with old speed limits.

tifighter

Our Volvo has a system where the camera reads the speed limit signs then displays them on the dash. I've watched it countless times and have yet to see it miss one.

Yes, I'm easily amused.

driver100

houdini1 said:

driver100 said:

Houdini...just so you don't think we are complete scrooges. We give $10000 per year to help any grandchild who goes to university, for up to 3 years...there are 3 so far. Also give help where needed which is pretty continuous.

Sometimes they have ads on TV that say, are you saving enough to leave your children an inheritance///let us help you reach your goals. I have to shut that whole concept out of my mind....they can have what is left, but, we have had enough trouble getting through most our own lives financially.

A lot depends on the relationship with children, some people are very close to their kids and visa versa. We are all on friendly terms (except one SIL because we seem to have very different values) but we all live pretty independently. We have friends who are like friends with their adult children, talk daily, visit a few times a week, etc. I prefer friends who are at the same stage in life and who have similar interests....which isn't my kids.

HA !! I knew you were an 'ol softie.

You are usually right!

driver100

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

jmonroe said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

abacomike said:

driver100 said:

driver100 said:

@snakeweasel:

Tell you what, snake - I'll meet you halfway so long as you're picking up the check for lunch! 

If he does that he can take us both to lunch.

All of a sudden you became a partner, driver!  As for halfway, you live WSW of Orlando and I live SSE of Orlando.  Where did you think we could meet snake halfway?  Tallahassee?  Jacksonville?  Atlanta? 

You are near Miami, Snake is going to Orlando. For the sake of this exercise I am just North of Bradenton which is 2 hours south of Orlando, and 4 hours North of Miami. You are 6 hours from Orlando, so you have to drive 3 hours North, Snake drives 3 hours South, I drive one hour South, and we meet in Port Charlotte or Fort Meyers. Do you know any good steakhouses in those towns where Snake can take us?

Driver, I live 200 miles SSE of Orlando - or a 3 hour drive at most.  I'm 300 miles (5+ hours drive) south of Jacksonville.  You have me totally confused - again!

,

That sounds like one of those math questions from high school exams:

"If a driver 100 travels east for 3 hours and a Mike travels west for 200 miles where will Snake have to go to find a Chick-Fil-A?"
Remember to show your work.

Yeah, I remember those tests well. I used to put the important stuff in the corners so I could find them without having to look all over the paper to find what I wanted. One time I had a professor say, "what's with all the formula's in the corners"?

jmonroe

So where is the genius who can figure out the mid point between Orlando, Jacksonville, and Bradenton?

And where has Snake disappeared since he mentioned a free dinner?



I believe I said lunch.

You want me to travel 2 hours each way for a lunch

andres3

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/12/16/were-really-bad-at-judging-risk-to-kids-were-really-good-at-judging-parents/?utm_term=.e3bf82bad576

Super interesting article in that I find it probably explains why some of you incorrectly associate speeding with risk. You find it morally objectionable to you personally that people speed, and therefore you exaggerate the risk of the action in order to justify your moral outrage.

Finally beginning to understand the psychosis that perpetuates the "Speed Kills" myth.

I want to go on record that I don't incorrectly associate speeding with risk. I correctly associate increased speeds with risk (there is a difference) simply because I understand physics.

If you understand physics then you know it is not the speed that puts you at risk for injury or worse, but the sudden deceleration that gets you. Avoiding those quick deceleration situations will keep you safe no matter how fast you go.

If you understood physics you would know that the faster you go the harder it is to avoid those quick deceleration situations. You would also know that increasing speed also makes it harder to control a vehicle also it makes it harder to regain control if something goes wrong.

Also as for the sudden deceleration argument, hit a 6 inch deep pothole ate 160 MPH and it will not be a quick deceleration (you can brake quicker) but its a pretty good chance that you won't walk away from it.

I don't know if "harder" is the right word. Yes, it takes a bit more room to come to a stop if your going faster, and yes it takes a bit more room to slalom around obstacles when you are going faster, all things taken into account by any trained driver paying attention to their driving as they don't just randomly drive fast on every street in every situation. You go fast where it is safe to do so.

It is safe to go fast where those risks of "losing control" become negligible. At some point the risks of time on the road going slow begins to more than offset the risks you mention.

That being said, I am all for better driver education and better safety-related (rather than revenue related) traffic enforcement. I'm also for infrastructure improvements that increase the amount of real estate it is safe to travel at high speeds upon.

Did I mention I hired a "Mr. Ticket" Lawyer to fight my last traffic citation (a red light violation). So far they have only asked for a trial on my behalf; saved me a trip to the courthouse to plea though. I'm curious if they'll succeed. Funny that I'd rather pay a lawyer than the State over a traffic infraction. I bet over the long run the lawyer would generate a net profit for anyone accused of traffic violations; especially if you add in the amount of time and gas wasted going to the courthouse.

They should probably change the law so that those who fund the system via these expensive fines get to allocate where the money is spent on enforcement. I guarantee speeding generates the lion's share of revenue, but if my system is implemented, I think you'd get a lot of HOPE and CHANGE from my democratic system of governance for allocating fine money. My vote would go to left lane campers and cell phone violators.

snakeweasel

The dealership where I bought my Sebring sent me a letter, it says;

At [dealership] we have had several requests for your Chrysler. (Oh how many people are looking to buy 9 year old cars?) We are in desperate need of quality pre-owned 2008 Chrysler Sebring's (Again how many people are looking to buy 9 year old cars?)

As a manager, I wanted to let you know that we have been able to reduce payments for several customers (good for you) and I think I can do the same for you. (Great my current payment is $0.00, can you get lower than that?) Plus I can guarantee you top dollar for your 2008 Chrysler Sebring. (details on that guarantee please) Plus you can save $500 to $13,000 off MSRP on all 2016 cars (likely $500 which really isn't that good).

In addition we can also offer 0% APR financing for 60 moths on select models (But not on the ones I select).

Mr_Shiftright

Oh yeah, real hot item those old Sebrings.....so popular that Chrysler stopped making them in order to cash in on the scarcity.

imidazol97

driver100 said:

So where is the genius who can figure out the mid point between Orlando, Jacksonville, and Bradenton?

The idea of "midpoint" is not what's needed because of Orlando's location. Considering that Orlando is "between" Bradenton and Jacksonville, a solution in terms of easy driving would be somewhere near Ocala.

Equidistant from all three would be in the Gulf of Mexico about 20 miles west of Suwannee. So there's no solution where everyone drives an equal amount of miles.

jmonroe

tjc78 said:

@jmonroe

Nothing wrong with a little Stop Light Grand Prix when safe to do so.

Good thing you didn't have the Genny.... you would really have smoked them!

Well if you heard Mrs. j you'd have thought I shot the poor guy. Still a very childish thing to do.

Yeah, you're right about IF I had the Genny. In fact, I mentioned that to her but she still didn't feel any better about it. Even when I told her it wouldn't have lasted nearly as long.

And I was right about hearing about this forever. She brought it up at dinner tonight, again. If I were to count all the comments that I am probably going to get from now till ... I better get a calculator that can display more digits.

jmonroe

abacomike

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

driver100 said:

Does it say other things, like; "I think we need gas Mike" "Let's get a car wash Mike" "Do you wanna coffee Mike?" "Hi Mike, I am Christine" "Don't even think of trading me in.....Mike"

That's funny, driver.  What I am trying to get used to is the active blind spot assist - the steering wheel and brakes take control of the car if I begin to enter a lane occupied by another vehicle.  It gives back control to me once the danger has passed.  This is as close to an autonomous vehicle I have ever driven.  The heads up display even show the legal speed limit for any road or highway I am driving on.

I can just see it now "But your Honor, the heads-up display told me the speed limit was 70!"

You know - I was thinking about that on I-595 coming home today.  It showed a speed limit of 75 when I knew darn well it is 65.  Obviously some kind of gremlin in the system - we don't have a 75 mph speed limit anywhere in the State of Florida.

My question is does it work using GPS and a database? if it does then the database can be woefully wrong. I know GPS systems that I have used that have the speed limit on them tend to either be wrong on where speed limits change or are outdated with old speed limits.

Snake, there has never been a 75 mph speed limit anywhere within 200 miles of Interstate 595.  I-75 is 70 mph.  Even across Alligator Alley it's 70 mph.

jmonroe

andres3 said:

tjc78 said:

@jmonroe

Nothing wrong with a little Stop Light Grand Prix when safe to do so.

Good thing you didn't have the Genny.... you would really have smoked them!

Maybe it was a rainy or snowy day and the Subaru's AWD led to an advantaged start.

Nope, the road was as dry as my skivvies when they come out of the dryer.

jmonroe

oldfarmer50

abacomike said:

We broke a temperature record here today - 87 degrees for today's high.  That's summer weather - our usual high is 78 degrees.

It was 7 here this morning...I hate you. :@

roadburner

driver100 said:

Mods: Note above post isn't hi-lited correctly.

Some would say the BMW inline 6 is a superior engine because it is better to have an inline 6 than a V6. From my understanding, it is probably true. If performance is what you want a BMW is probably the way to go. For a combination of performance, comfort, easy operation, creature comforts, you are probably more interested in a Mercedes,.

Mercedes has learned the error of its ways.

oldfarmer50

nyccarguy said:

28firefighter said:

stever said:

If you want to help your kids, give them the money when they are just starting out. If you wait until you die, they probably won't need it. That's what my mom did, bless her. $5,000 meant a lot more to me in my early 20's than it would now. At this point in my life I'd much rather see her spend her money on herself.

So, go buy a car.

My parents have followed and are following this mantra as they can. It seems to make them a lot happier enjoying things with myself and my siblings.

The money does help and is always appreciated. I just received a $21K distribution check from my Grandmother's estate. I met my parents for lunch a few weeks ago & they gave me a check for $5K. That's all going straight into refinishing my basement.

Believe me, there is a part of me (a big part) that wants to throw down a huge chunk of that money towards a down payment on a car (or sock it away and use it towards making a year & a half worth of car payments), but I'm a responsible grown up.

Don't be too responsible or you'll end up old and bitter.

oldfarmer50

roadburner said:

abacomike said:

nyccarguy said:

@driver100 - the 300 horsepower/300 lb/ft of torque was well worth the price of entry. I was satisfied with my 328xi's 230 hp NA Inline 6, but when I got a hold of a loaner car with the turbo 6 - WOW!

That turbocharged inline 6 is a great engine.  The V6 twin turbo in the Mercedes CLS400 was strong and loud, but was not as smooth as the BMW inline 6.  I think BMW has engineered a great match between transmission, rear end ratios and the smoothness of the engine.  They've increased the hp to 320 and the torque to the mid 330's.  Quite a difference from my 535i in 2008.

BMW is switching over to a modular engine architecture for its inline power plants; they all have an identical bore/stroke with 500cc per cylinder as well as identical cylinder spacing. This allows BMW to build three, four, and six cylinder diesel and gas engines on the same assembly line.

Didn't Ford start doing that in 1993?

tjc78

Well...1991 in the Town Car to be exact.

oldfarmer50

Mr_Shiftright said:

Oh yeah, real hot item those old Sebrings.....so popular that Chrysler stopped making them in order to cash in on the scarcity.

No,no, you got that all wrong. It's PT Cruisers that are in high demand. We keep getting offers on my wife's. I'm holding out until a few more things break off of it to enhance the "patina".

abacomike

oldfarmer50 said:

We broke a temperature record here today - 87 degrees for today's high.  That's summer weather - our usual high is 78 degrees.

It was 7 here this morning...I hate you. :@

I'm just an unloved guy who needs lots more luvin'! 

abacomike

roadburner said:

Mods: Note above post isn't hi-lited correctly. Some would say the BMW inline 6 is a superior engine because it is better to have an inline 6 than a V6. From my understanding, it is probably true. If performance is what you want a BMW is probably the way to go. For a combination of performance, comfort, easy operation, creature comforts, you are probably more interested in a Mercedes,.

Mercedes has learned the error of its ways.

I just find the BMW inline 6 in my 740i to be smooth, responsive, economical (averaged 28 mpg on the first 300 miles), torqie and quiet.  It moves the 4200 pound car effortlessly.

Mr_Shiftright

Engines have always been BMW's strong suit.

stickguy

I got one of those come ons the other day from Acura dealer about the RDX. At least in this case, they actually might want it!

Also got a letter from a local dealer (not the one I bought my Sonata from ) this week reminding me that my car had less than a year to go, so hey, why not bring it on down, and they could swap me out for nothing (no payments, turn in fees, overages or damage). Not that I have any of those!

The odd part is, it was a Toyota dealer, and not at all connected to the dealer I got it from. So no clue how they got the info.

nyccarguy

They usually send me offers like that about the Pilot. I've gotten one from the Caddy dealer recently looking to buy my BMW from me. I still get letters from Lexus about my Acura TSX.

abacomike

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

driver100 said:

Does it say other things, like; "I think we need gas Mike" "Let's get a car wash Mike" "Do you wanna coffee Mike?" "Hi Mike, I am Christine" "Don't even think of trading me in.....Mike"

That's funny, driver.  What I am trying to get used to is the active blind spot assist - the steering wheel and brakes take control of the car if I begin to enter a lane occupied by another vehicle.  It gives back control to me once the danger has passed.  This is as close to an autonomous vehicle I have ever driven.  The heads up display even show the legal speed limit for any road or highway I am driving on.

I can just see it now "But your Honor, the heads-up display told me the speed limit was 70!"

You know - I was thinking about that on I-595 coming home today.  It showed a speed limit of 75 when I knew darn well it is 65.  Obviously some kind of gremlin in the system - we don't have a 75 mph speed limit anywhere in the State of Florida.

My question is does it work using GPS and a database? if it does then the database can be woefully wrong. I know GPS systems that I have used that have the speed limit on them tend to either be wrong on where speed limits change or are outdated with old speed limits.

Snake, there has never been a 75 mph speed limit anywhere within 200 miles of Interstate 595.  I-75 is 70 mph.  Even across Alligator Alley it's 70 mph and nothing lives out there except a few animals, birds, and some small Native American tribes.

Michaell

Posted in CCBA, as well:

I need some expert advise, and who better to turn to than my virtual friends here at Edmunds.

After almost 5 months in my current role, I was approached today by my manager and was asked if I was interested in taking on a management position within the company. I'd have 11 employees reporting to me.

My entire career, I've been what's known as an "individual contributor" - working for others. I've managed projects, but not people.

I'm excited to take on the extra responsibility, but am trying to come up with a way to artfully ask for a raise to go along with the new position.

I know many of you are managers, or have had similar conversations with employees who are being promoted. What works, and what doesn't?

abacomike

Michaell said:

Posted in CCBA, as well: I need some expert advise, and who better to turn to than my virtual friends here at Edmunds. After almost 5 months in my current role, I was approached today by my manager and was asked if I was interested in taking on a management position within the company. I'd have 11 employees reporting to me. My entire career, I've been what's known as an "individual contributor" - working for others. I've managed projects, but not people. I'm excited to take on the extra responsibility, but am trying to come up with a way to artfully ask for a raise to go along with the new position. I know many of you are managers, or have had similar conversations with employees who are being promoted. What works, and what doesn't?

Since this is a vertical move and not a horizontal move in the organization, , it should go without saying that a salary increase is justified and/or warranted.  You were smart not to mention an increase in salary st the time the position was offered - otherwise the manager/administrator might think you are accepting a promotion for money reasons rather than "challenge" reasons.

I would say nothing right now - but would try to find out on the "QT" if salary increases are offered for such changes in positions in your organization.  I would ask the person who offered the position/promotion what expectations he or the organization had/has if you filled the slot.  Slowly but surely you will find out about salary provisions - but remember, you have been there only a few months.  Be inquisitive about everything but salary first.  Then, if the position intrigues you, begin broaching the subject with people in the know.  There may be set salaries/compensation for that level of management.

That's how I would approach it - logically and strategically.  But it needs to be discussed at some point prior to accepting the promotion.  Besides, you might not even like the position after being a one-man team for so many years.  Management isn't for everyone. 

driver100

roadburner said:

driver100 said:

Mods: Note above post isn't hi-lited correctly.

Some would say the BMW inline 6 is a superior engine because it is better to have an inline 6 than a V6. From my understanding, it is probably true. If performance is what you want a BMW is probably the way to go. For a combination of performance, comfort, easy operation, creature comforts, you are probably more interested in a Mercedes,.

Mercedes has learned the error of its ways.

Thanks Roadrunner, extremely interesting. I have a friend who always said an inline 6 is superior to a V6 - a V^ is just a V8 with 2 cylinders lopped off, so doesn't run as efficiently - now I know why...I will send him the link.

I think for the kind of driving I do it ain't going to matter, but still, better engineering is better engineering.

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

nyccarguy said:

28firefighter said:

stever said:

If you want to help your kids, give them the money when they are just starting out. If you wait until you die, they probably won't need it. That's what my mom did, bless her. $5,000 meant a lot more to me in my early 20's than it would now. At this point in my life I'd much rather see her spend her money on herself.

So, go buy a car.

My parents have followed and are following this mantra as they can. It seems to make them a lot happier enjoying things with myself and my siblings.

The money does help and is always appreciated. I just received a $21K distribution check from my Grandmother's estate. I met my parents for lunch a few weeks ago & they gave me a check for $5K. That's all going straight into refinishing my basement.

Believe me, there is a part of me (a big part) that wants to throw down a huge chunk of that money towards a down payment on a car (or sock it away and use it towards making a year & a half worth of car payments), but I'm a responsible grown up.

Don't be too responsible or you'll end up old and bitter.

Just saw an ad, buy a new Sonata and they give you $1000 cash. There is a good way to get some instant cash and a new car....ha ha

jpp75

tifighter said:

Our Volvo has a system where the camera reads the speed limit signs then displays them on the dash. I've watched it countless times and have yet to see it miss one.

Yes, I'm easily amused.

Ditto. Our S60 does the same thing and it works remarkably well. The only time I've seen it "wrong" is going through a school zone where there's a legit speed sign, that speed limit just isn't in effect at the time I'm going through and the camera doesn't discern all the small print telling you when the school zone is in effect. Not the car's fault and I agree still a nifty feature.

driver100

imidazol97 said:

driver100 said:

So where is the genius who can figure out the mid point between Orlando, Jacksonville, and Bradenton?

The idea of "midpoint" is not what's needed because of Orlando's location. Considering that Orlando is "between" Bradenton and Jacksonville, a solution in terms of easy driving would be somewhere near Ocala.

Equidistant from all three would be in the Gulf of Mexico about 20 miles west of Suwannee. So there's no solution where everyone drives an equal amount of miles.

OK, let's start over. Somewhere switched Miami for Jacksonville...must have been a senior moment*. So, let's do this again. We need to find the most convenient place where Snake in Orlando, Mike in Miami, and Driver who invited himself for lunch starts out in Bradenton. It has to be in a major city, approx equal number of miles for each, and they have to have a Cheese Factory or similar fine restaurant.

driver100

Michaell, Congratulations on being asked, that is very quick so they have a lot of confidence in you. Most people in that position would question whether they are capable of going to the next step, so that is a normal reaction.

I thought you did the work for the fun...not the pay increase.

I haven't asked for a raise, mine came kind of automatically, but, just a suggestion. I would say something about this is a great opportunity and you look forward to the challenge, and somehow ask what the pay increase would be. I think you have to ask, but, it shouldn't be a big deal issue.

houdini1

jmonroe said:

andres3 said:

tjc78 said:

@jmonroe

Nothing wrong with a little Stop Light Grand Prix when safe to do so.

Good thing you didn't have the Genny.... you would really have smoked them!

Maybe it was a rainy or snowy day and the Subaru's AWD led to an advantaged start.

Nope, the road was as dry as my skivvies when they come out of the dryer.

jmonroe

Doesn't matter jm, stop light racing is like a gun fight. Pick the place and conditions and win at all costs. Cheating is acceptable.

jpp75

driver100 said:

Michaell, Congratulations on being asked, that is very quick so they have a lot of confidence in you. Most people in that position would question whether they are capable of going to the next step, so that is a normal reaction.

I thought you did the work for the fun...not the pay increase.

I haven't asked for a raise, mine came kind of automatically, but, just a suggestion. I would say something about this is a great opportunity and you look forward to the challenge, and somehow ask what the pay increase would be. I think you have to ask, but, it shouldn't be a big deal issue.

I agree, congrats on being asked. That says a lot after just a few months with the company.

I've been on both sides of this and am also in the middle of it now with a coworker retiring and filling her position. Does the position come with a new title? If so that's usually a good sign it's in a different pay grade, but regardless I agree with what others have said here and in the other thread.

First off decide if you want to move into this role, it's different managing people. Not bad, just different. If it's something you would enjoy doing and want to take on the new responsibilities then I would let them know you are interested and ask lots of questions about the role, the structure, etc. Once you've established the interest and are comfortable that you would want the job then I would also make part of the conversation about what the salary is for this type of role, it's one of the components just like "how much travel" or "is there a possibility I would have to relocate down the road".

Just like everything else in business (and really in life) you're trading value for value here, they are getting more value out of you so they should provide something in return. It all comes down to what the perceived value is for each party. For them it's much cheaper to move someone internally than to recruit externally, so having someone internal is a huge value to them, keep that in mind as you discuss salary.

houdini1

Michael, don't just ask about compensation. If your boss didn't mention compensation, he probably didn't mention many other things, so it is a perfect opening to ask for a meeting to discuss some details about the job. If a meeting is not convenient, I would communicate some questions by email or a phone call. Your boss should respect you for this.

First let him know that you are very satisfied in your current position, but you are interested in the management job. Then ask about things such as:

1. Is this a newly created position or are you replacing someone. Let him talk.

2. Will you be expected to continue your old duties as well as manage, or strictly manage, etc.

3. Any changes in company car situation or compensation, bonuses, etc.

4. Any changes in who you report to.

5. Any other "perks" go with the job.

If none of the above questions are appropriate, just make up a list of your own, but just slip in the question about compensation somewhere in the middle.

Also Michael, if you like and respect your boss, he probably knows a good man when he sees one, and he has picked you over at least 11 other guys, in spite of your short time there. Obviously you are qualified and your boss knows it, so don't approach him with "your hat in your hand", but just be forthright and honest.

Good luck, and we are all proud of you.

graphicguy

Michaell said:

Posted in CCBA, as well:

I need some expert advise, and who better to turn to than my virtual friends here at Edmunds.

After almost 5 months in my current role, I was approached today by my manager and was asked if I was interested in taking on a management position within the company. I'd have 11 employees reporting to me.

My entire career, I've been what's known as an "individual contributor" - working for others. I've managed projects, but not people.

I'm excited to take on the extra responsibility, but am trying to come up with a way to artfully ask for a raise to go along with the new position.

I know many of you are managers, or have had similar conversations with employees who are being promoted. What works, and what doesn't?

Depends on your personality, but something along the lines of....

"I'm flattered that you would consider me for this promotion. Thank you! What is the salary bump that would accompany the new and additional responsibilities?"

At least, that's the way I'd do it.

graphicguy

So, there was a recall on the CTS....something about the wiring harness on some cars being too close to another component and that might cause the wires to "chafe". That meant there would be a possibility that the insulation on the wires would get worn away from the "chafing".

Although I noticed no ill effects, mine indeed had the insulation wearing away, pretty dramatically in the ~18 mos I've had it.

As they always do, they put me in a loaner, this time an XT5. I know these SUVs aren't quite my cup of tea, but I see an awful lot of them on the roads, some someone likes them.

Not a bad ride at all. It doesn't handle like the CTS, but it's not a numb floating SUV that I've ridden/driven in the past.

It's a '17 and they've made another leap in performance with CUE (even faster than in the CTS, which in '16 got a major performance bump. Steering wheel is nice and fat, just like I like them. The "beer tap" electronic shifter is an answer to a question that was never asked. Not sure how they work in BMWs, but in the XT5, you pull it rearward for Driver (not real intuitive as I would expect pulling rearward means reverse). Pushing forward and to the left is for Reverse (why two steps?). But, hitting the P for park is a one button operation.

Not sure how many engineering man hours Cadillac spent on the shifter, but they solved nothing and made things more complex. On the flip side, shifts are quick and smooth. It's quick to shift down for more "playful" driving.

I like staying in "Sport" mode, but the car defaults to "Touring" upon every restart.

In "touring", steering is a bit too light for my tastes, and there seems to be a fair amount of understeer. "Sport" mode tightens everything up and the ride firms up also. The ride is never harsh, however. And, it's clear Caddy did a lot of work on the suspension tuning, as it's impressive the way it straddles ride vs handling. I couldn't upset the suspension driving some pretty significant broken pavement yesterday.

That said, it's relatively quick. It handles confidently. At least the one I'm driving has all the safety and convenience options you could want. I tried the "auto park" feature last night. Pretty nifty.

Really comfortable seats with high quality leather. Aluminum and a (real) light wood interior with dash stitching throughout.

I think I've mentioned before, I won't buy another car without Android Auto or Apple Car Play. The XT5 has both. Again voice recognition from Apple is worlds better than in any other car I've ever tried.

Caddy has done a really nice job

Not sure what these sell for, but I would consider it if I were looking for a lux SUV from the Germans or the likes of Lexus/Infiniti/Acura.