Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations

driver100

ab348 said:

abacomike said:

As for the complaints of Floridians regarding temps in the 40's with windchills in the 30"s, you have to understand how these cold temps affect us senior citizens. Our homes are not insulated as well as your homes. We are more accustomed to heat and humidity and can easily tolerate 90+ degree temperatures while you guys call it a heatwave when temps are in the upper 80"s and lower 90's. It's all a matter of perspective.

Wouldn’t having proper insulation offer similar benefits in keeping the heat outside and keeping your A/C from having to work so hard?

Ab, only my opinion, but, homes here aren't insulated to the same degree as they are in the north.....in fact, a lot of homes are prefabs, double wides, and older shacks. There are no basements, at least very few. Cooling....that is, using an air conditioner in Florida is not very expensive, our electric bill for cooling and heat in Florida is a lot less than our gas/electric bill would be back home, so really good insulation is not a priority.
Somebody else probably has a more full answer, but, I didn't want you to think insulation is a big factor in a Florida home. I have never heard anyone mention insulation here, back home it is a big deal to have a well insulated home.

jmonroe

abacomike said:

jmonroe said:

imidazol97 said:

jmonroe said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Driver100 warned us.

I don't understand those southern Floridians, I really don't. Nature has a way of helping but all those guys just complain when it gets cold. Here they have lizards falling out of trees begging to be warmed up. They should be making lizard soup or stew. It's the humanitarian thing to do. Not crying to us about how cold it is there. :@

jmonroe

I think they should take them indoors with themselves and warm up the lizards. We should call Petco or whatever that group is about the treatment of the lizards in Florida. LOL

Yeah, but that ain't gonna take the chill off like a nice steamy hot bowl of lizard soup.

jmonroe

Green iguanas are not indigenous to the Florida peninsula - they have multiplied because of the release of iguana pets into the wild. This invasive specie has endangered other wildlife such as birds (iguanas love eggs). They need to reduce their numbers to stabilize other wildlife growth.

So, when are you gonna start making lizard soup? It sounds like you should organize a block party to help with the conservation effort. If it is the least bit successful you could get government funding. They like that kind of grass roots initiative. They've been looking to redirect the funding they used to give @oldfarmer50 for his flower biz.That money has been burning a hole in their pocket ever since he retired.

jmonroe

abacomike

driver100 said:

ab348 said:

abacomike said:

As for the complaints of Floridians regarding temps in the 40's with windchills in the 30"s, you have to understand how these cold temps affect us senior citizens. Our homes are not insulated as well as your homes. We are more accustomed to heat and humidity and can easily tolerate 90+ degree temperatures while you guys call it a heatwave when temps are in the upper 80"s and lower 90's. It's all a matter of perspective.

Wouldn’t having proper insulation offer similar benefits in keeping the heat outside and keeping your A/C from having to work so hard?

Ab, only my opinion, but, homes here aren't insulated to the same degree as they are in the north.....in fact, a lot of homes are prefabs, double wides, and older shacks. There are no basements, at least very few. Cooling....that is, using an air conditioner in Florida is not very expensive, our electric bill for cooling and heat in Florida is a lot less than our gas/electric bill would be back home, so really good insulation is not a priority.
Somebody else probably has a more full answer, but, I didn't want you to think insulation is a big factor in a Florida home. I have never heard anyone mention insulation here, back home it is a big deal to have a well insulated home.

We don't have insulated windows and my front door is a frame with jealousy window pane slats - they open to allow ventilation.

Right now my indoor temperature in the condo is 71 degrees. That is fairly cool for me - when I run AC, I set the thermostat at 76-77 degrees and that is comfortable. Out door temp is currently 54 degrees which is very cool.

jmonroe

abacomike said:

driver100 said:

ab348 said:

abacomike said:

As for the complaints of Floridians regarding temps in the 40's with windchills in the 30"s, you have to understand how these cold temps affect us senior citizens. Our homes are not insulated as well as your homes. We are more accustomed to heat and humidity and can easily tolerate 90+ degree temperatures while you guys call it a heatwave when temps are in the upper 80"s and lower 90's. It's all a matter of perspective.

Wouldn’t having proper insulation offer similar benefits in keeping the heat outside and keeping your A/C from having to work so hard?

Ab, only my opinion, but, homes here aren't insulated to the same degree as they are in the north.....in fact, a lot of homes are prefabs, double wides, and older shacks. There are no basements, at least very few. Cooling....that is, using an air conditioner in Florida is not very expensive, our electric bill for cooling and heat in Florida is a lot less than our gas/electric bill would be back home, so really good insulation is not a priority.
Somebody else probably has a more full answer, but, I didn't want you to think insulation is a big factor in a Florida home. I have never heard anyone mention insulation here, back home it is a big deal to have a well insulated home.

We don't have insulated windows and my front door is a frame with jealousy window pane slats - they open to allow ventilation.

Right now my indoor temperature in the condo is 71 degrees. That is fairly cool for me - when I run AC, I set the thermostat at 76-77 degrees and that is comfortable. Out door temp is currently 54 degrees which is very cool.

There is a simple explanation for this @Mike.

Physics tells us that heat is the opposite of cold so the reverse is also true. Actually, cold is the absence of heat but we don't want to get too technical in here. That will just muddy things up. Therefore, when you install insulation in Florida you reverse the way it's installed, from lets say, New York. You can't have it both ways. I thought you knew that.

jmonroe

ab348

jmonroe said:

Physics tells us that heat is the opposite of cold so the reverse is also true. Actually, cold is the absence of heat but we don't want to get too technical in here. That will just muddy things up. Therefore, when you install insulation in Florida you reverse the way it's installed, from lets say, New York. You can't have it both ways. I thought you knew that.

jmonroe

I was actually thinking about sort of the same thing after I posted but maybe not in the way you suggested. In cold climates when fiberglass insulation is installed in walls you need to seal it up with poly sheets to keep humid air in the house from condensing into the cold insulation, leading to all sorts of Bad Things. But in places like Florida, the warm moist air is on the outside and the cooler air is inside, so wouldn't condensation would remain a concern but in reverse? I honestly don't know what the best way would be there.

driver100

jmonroe said:

abacomike said:

driver100 said:

ab348 said:

abacomike said:

As for the complaints of Floridians regarding temps in the 40's with windchills in the 30"s, you have to understand how these cold temps affect us senior citizens. Our homes are not insulated as well as your homes. We are more accustomed to heat and humidity and can easily tolerate 90+ degree temperatures while you guys call it a heatwave when temps are in the upper 80"s and lower 90's. It's all a matter of perspective.

Wouldn’t having proper insulation offer similar benefits in keeping the heat outside and keeping your A/C from having to work so hard?

Ab, only my opinion, but, homes here aren't insulated to the same degree as they are in the north.....in fact, a lot of homes are prefabs, double wides, and older shacks. There are no basements, at least very few. Cooling....that is, using an air conditioner in Florida is not very expensive, our electric bill for cooling and heat in Florida is a lot less than our gas/electric bill would be back home, so really good insulation is not a priority.
Somebody else probably has a more full answer, but, I didn't want you to think insulation is a big factor in a Florida home. I have never heard anyone mention insulation here, back home it is a big deal to have a well insulated home.

We don't have insulated windows and my front door is a frame with jealousy window pane slats - they open to allow ventilation.

Right now my indoor temperature in the condo is 71 degrees. That is fairly cool for me - when I run AC, I set the thermostat at 76-77 degrees and that is comfortable. Out door temp is currently 54 degrees which is very cool.

There is a simple explanation for this @Mike.

Physics tells us that heat is the opposite of cold so the reverse is also true. Actually, cold is the absence of heat but we don't want to get too technical in here. That will just muddy things up. Therefore, when you install insulation in Florida you reverse the way it's installed, from lets say, New York. You can't have it both ways. I thought you knew that.

jmonroe

Say what????????

driver100

ab348 said:

jmonroe said:

Physics tells us that heat is the opposite of cold so the reverse is also true. Actually, cold is the absence of heat but we don't want to get too technical in here. That will just muddy things up. Therefore, when you install insulation in Florida you reverse the way it's installed, from lets say, New York. You can't have it both ways. I thought you knew that.

jmonroe

I was actually thinking about sort of the same thing after I posted but maybe not in the way you suggested. In cold climates when fiberglass insulation is installed in walls you need to seal it up with poly sheets to keep humid air in the house from condensing into the cold insulation, leading to all sorts of Bad Things. But in places like Florida, the warm moist air is on the outside and the cooler air is inside, so wouldn't condensation would remain a concern but in reverse? I honestly don't know what the best way would be there.

Some things to consider:
If your house was built before the mid-1970s -- when energy was cheap and readily available -- the walls and ceiling probably aren't insulated unless some has been added.

Many older Florida homes -- built before the mid-1950s or so -- aren't insulated.

Requirements for new Florida homes call for R-19 minimum ceiling insulation and R-11 minimum in frame walls. ).

Even without insulation, concrete block construction helps protect a house because of the basic properties of the building material.

"There probably are other more cost-effective projects you can do in a concrete block house, but with frame construction, wall insulation is probably cost-effective if you have high air conditioning or heating billsclass="Bold"> Bringing an R-19 attic up to R-30 by adding insulation might save $30 or so per year. But bringing an R-0 attic to R-19 can save hundreds of dollars annually.

Going from R19 to R30 to save $30 a year just ain't worth it.

Full article: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1987-02-14-0110070081-story.html

graphicguy

I keep my thermostat at 67º. I could handle FL in the winter. It’s the springs and summers that would kill me.

driver100

graphicguy said:

I keep my thermostat at 67º. I could handle FL in the winter. It’s the springs and summers that would kill me.

People either learn to live with the summer....go from a/c to a/c, go to the pool, go to a mall, move slowly, or they find someone to visit in the North. OR, they go to Costa Rico for June, July August where it is 70 every day, OR, they are Quarter Backs, and they go 1/4 of the way back North to North Carolina.

Or, if you are like my wealthy cousin, you keep an apartment in Central New York City, but stay in Naples Florida for 6 months + a few days so you pay Florida taxes instead of New York taxes.

imidazol97

If people who go south from Ohio, Michigan, Canada for the winter are snowbirds, what do you call those who go from Florida to the north during the summer?

"Quarterbacks" That's clever.

sda

The joke around here is those who leave the north for FL or similar and find they don’t like it and relocate to our area are called half backs.

oldfarmer50

Fintail said:

“ I think some firms have HR/hiring "people" who just like to screw with others.”

I had to laugh when I read that. A guy I work with claims he was in HR before he retired and he says he enjoyed firing and messing with people. This could just be macho posturing but his cruel sense of humor tells me he’s not kidding.

I hate to think that someone with such a warped personality could be impacting people whose lives are already in turmoil from job loss.

oldfarmer50

jmonroe said:

abacomike said:

jmonroe said:

imidazol97 said:

jmonroe said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Driver100 warned us.

I don't understand those southern Floridians, I really don't. Nature has a way of helping but all those guys just complain when it gets cold. Here they have lizards falling out of trees begging to be warmed up. They should be making lizard soup or stew. It's the humanitarian thing to do. Not crying to us about how cold it is there. :@

jmonroe

I think they should take them indoors with themselves and warm up the lizards. We should call Petco or whatever that group is about the treatment of the lizards in Florida. LOL

Yeah, but that ain't gonna take the chill off like a nice steamy hot bowl of lizard soup.

jmonroe

Green iguanas are not indigenous to the Florida peninsula - they have multiplied because of the release of iguana pets into the wild. This invasive specie has endangered other wildlife such as birds (iguanas love eggs). They need to reduce their numbers to stabilize other wildlife growth.

So, when are you gonna start making lizard soup? It sounds like you should organize a block party to help with the conservation effort. If it is the least bit successful you could get government funding. They like that kind of grass roots initiative. They've been looking to redirect the funding they used to give @oldfarmer50 for his flower biz.That money has been burning a hole in their pocket ever since he retired.

jmonroe

LOL, while I like your idea of lizard soup you should know little peons like me don’t get any guv’mint largesse. If I had a nickel for every time I got public funding....I’d be out a nickel.

fintail

On a dark note, I will say I am shocked there aren't more workplace "incidents" out there. I had to snicker in a depressed way when my office put in discreet panic buttons in strategic places in the building - these aren't to combat intruders when the buttons are on the 9th floor, they are in case an employee loses it. As many people work more and more for less and less, people like that HR dbag might end up on the wrong end of something.

oldfarmer50 said:

Fintail said:

“ I think some firms have HR/hiring "people" who just like to screw with others.”

I had to laugh when I read that. A guy I work with claims he was in HR before he retired and he says he enjoyed firing and messing with people. This could just be macho posturing but his cruel sense of humor tells me he’s not kidding.

I hate to think that someone with such a warped personality could be impacting people whose lives are already in turmoil from job loss.

driver100

Times have changed in the workplace. I don't ever remember about a fellow employee having work rage to the degree you would need a panic button in strategic places!

fintail

I always have a few escape/hiding routes in mind depending on the direction of a potential issue. The thought has crossed my mind numerous times, as I know the country and society where I live.

stickguy

I guess that is an advantage of being 100% WFH. Unless my lab decides to lose it, but he is pretty old so I can handle him.

ab348

In my work career (35 years) I learned that for the most part, the higher level the HR person was, the more useless/unhelpful/dangerous they were. I feel badly for young people who enter that profession thinking they are going to do great things.

roadburner

We have panic buttons in each office as well a bulletproof glass at the receptionist's window. The Narcotics Task Force is next door so response time is about 30 seconds.

snakeweasel

roadburner said:

We have panic buttons in each office as well a bulletproof glass at the receptionist's window. The Narcotics Task Force is next door so response time is about 30 seconds.

No panic buttons here but we have a State Police district HQ in the basement so we have that 30 second or less response time.

graphicguy

I work out of my home office when I’m not traveling. I go to HQ (in the Bay Area, CA) perhaps twice every 3 months, where I have an office with my name on it that sits there empty.

My security is my 10 pound Chihuahua.

jmonroe

graphicguy said:

I work out of my home office when I’m not traveling. I go to HQ (in the Bay Area, CA) perhaps twice every 3 months, where I have an office with my name on it that sits there empty.

My security is my 10 pound Chihuahua.

Now that I'm retired I have to rely on my own security which is being faster than Mrs.j in the turns around the dining room table.

jmonroe

28firefighter

I last worked in an office 3 years ago, but we definitely had no such security. Just keycard entry.

My security now is...well...myself. The dog is all bark and no bite.

graphicguy

Security at our HQ is pretty stiff. We're a big tech company and to get into HQ or any of our larger facilities, you need a key card, employee picture ID (in most locations they're the same), and you have to walk through two gates...one glass, that automatically opens and closes, and uniformed security personnel, who will sometimes stop you if they don't know you to quiz you.

I've been with my company for many, many years. Security personnel comes and goes. When they stop me and quiz me, I begin quizzing them back as to who our exec staff names are. They often fail as they a) just started and they work for the security firm, not the company or b) they don't have any clue as to our company or those who run it.

graphicguy

By the way, this just turned up in my pictures earlier......

Michaell

graphicguy said:

I work out of my home office when I’m not traveling. I go to HQ (in the Bay Area, CA) perhaps twice every 3 months, where I have an office with my name on it that sits there empty.

My security is my 10 pound Chihuahua.

I've thought about taking a space at the local office, which is a 10-15 minute drive for me. But, I've been WFH for over 10 years now, so I'm not sure I could get into the habit of putting on grown up clothes every day.

My dachshunds bark every time someone goes past the house. With all the Amazon deliveries we get, they get quite the vocal workout.

snakeweasel

graphicguy said:

Security at our HQ is pretty stiff. We're a big tech company and to get into HQ or any of our larger facilities, you need a key card, employee picture ID (in most locations they're the same), and you have to walk through two gates...one glass, that automatically opens and closes, and uniformed security personnel, who will sometimes stop you if they don't know you to quiz you.

I've been with my company for many, many years. Security personnel comes and goes. When they stop me and quiz me, I begin quizzing them back as to who our exec staff names are. They often fail as they a) just started and they work for the security firm, not the company or b) they don't have any clue as to our company or those who run it.

I had a coworker that went to use the restroom one day and left her ID at her desk. Well a state trooper saw her without a badge questioned her and escorted her back to her desk to make sure she did work here and to get her ID.

We wont let her forget that.

tjc78

My office was the last one before the lunchroom, which you could enter without a key card but not get back into the office.

Needless to say I was called quite frequently to rescue people locked in. There was an exit to outside, but it would be a long walk back to the front of the building.

fintail

Security theater can be amusing. I like to enter through the basement parking garage, where there's a keycard entry, and then another to get to the elevator, where you pass through a little automatic plexiglass door. I am pretty sure I could walk through that thing without breaking my stride, and the alarm that goes off sounds like a 1980s video game and only lasts for ~15 seconds. What's the point? If someone wants in, they are getting in. I suspect a lot of this stuff is sold by a hardworking Horatio Alger-esque C-suiter's brother or something.

At the main entrance, the same plexiglass doors a little kid could break through, and a few security people who give a passing glance to the ID badges, but I doubt many are going to risk anything for what they are paid, and it's not like they are armed. I guess they are helpful for those who forget a badge, as the elevator and stairwells require a badge swipe too, but everyone piggybacks anyway

driver100

Michaell said:

graphicguy said:

I work out of my home office when I’m not traveling. I go to HQ (in the Bay Area, CA) perhaps twice every 3 months, where I have an office with my name on it that sits there empty.

My security is my 10 pound Chihuahua.

WFH for over 10 years now, so I'm not sure I could get into the habit of putting on grown up clothes every day.

.

Out of curiosity....do you ever work in your underwear or in a bathrobe?
No no no, only asking because I worked from home a fair bit during my illustrious working career, and I never felt I could carry that off....I felt if I didn't dress, at least nice casual, then I wouldn't be doing my working properly.
Some people can walk around in a bathrobe all day long......I think of that as going down hill.

imidazol97

fintail said:

........ I guess they are helpful for those who forget a badge, as the elevator and stairwells require a badge swipe too, but everyone piggybacks anyway

Sounds like our locally owned, high quality jewelry store has better security. It's in a "small" town 25 miles out of Dayton. They have an entrance with door into a glass vestibule and then another door into the business. I suspect the glass in it is bulletproof, but not obviously so. AND I thnk they actually unlock the door as they see and recognize customers coming in. The workers always seem attentive to who's opening the outer door. They're standing like they're greeting you but I think they're unlocking the inner door from that glass entrance.

stickguy

I don’t wear a bathrobe ever. But normal workday attire is sweat pants or gym shorts (seasonal) and a Tee shirt (with a fleece pullover if chilly).

Pants are reserved for special occasions.

oldfarmer50

28firefighter said:

I last worked in an office 3 years ago, but we definitely had no such security. Just keycard entry.

My security now is...well...myself. The dog is all bark and no bite.

Everybody I work with is having so much fun they’re not likely to come to work seeking vengeance. The suits upstairs seem pretty happy too.

The only time I saw one of the big wigs get upset is when a driver wrapped a cargo van around a steel girder while coming into the parking lot. It was less anger than disappointment over hiring the guy in the first place.

qbrozen

driver100 said:

Michaell said:

graphicguy said:

I work out of my home office when I’m not traveling. I go to HQ (in the Bay Area, CA) perhaps twice every 3 months, where I have an office with my name on it that sits there empty.

My security is my 10 pound Chihuahua.

WFH for over 10 years now, so I'm not sure I could get into the habit of putting on grown up clothes every day.

.

Out of curiosity....do you ever work in your underwear or in a bathrobe?
No no no, only asking because I worked from home a fair bit during my illustrious working career, and I never felt I could carry that off....I felt if I didn't dress, at least nice casual, then I wouldn't be doing my working properly.
Some people can walk around in a bathrobe all day long......I think of that as going down hill.

I'm in pajamas right now, but partly due to limited mobility. Usually, I also like to get dressed just so I feel like I'm starting my day.

oldfarmer50

snakeweasel said:

graphicguy said:

Security at our HQ is pretty stiff. We're a big tech company and to get into HQ or any of our larger facilities, you need a key card, employee picture ID (in most locations they're the same), and you have to walk through two gates...one glass, that automatically opens and closes, and uniformed security personnel, who will sometimes stop you if they don't know you to quiz you.

I've been with my company for many, many years. Security personnel comes and goes. When they stop me and quiz me, I begin quizzing them back as to who our exec staff names are. They often fail as they a) just started and they work for the security firm, not the company or b) they don't have any clue as to our company or those who run it.

I had a coworker that went to use the restroom one day and left her ID at her desk. Well a state trooper saw her without a badge questioned her and escorted her back to her desk to make sure she did work here and to get her ID.

We wont let her forget that.

While we have door pass cards and gate cards for the car lots, we don’t have ID badges. This often results in questions of “do you work here” as we jump into cars to drive them away. One of the young guys (40) who looks like a nightclub bouncer gets questioned the most. The higher ups finally gave us plastic pouches on a lanyard with the boss’s business card stuck in it.

So now we have ID but all have the same name.

fintail

Better no doubt. A gatekeeper behind a locked door is pretty effective. I see that kind of thing at jewelry stores here too, I am sometimes surprised they let me in (a local higher class jewelry/watch store has a secure entrance and excellent service, providing a free repair for a watch I bought used and not from them - good way to attract future customers, I suppose).

imidazol97 said:

Sounds like our locally owned, high quality jewelry store has better security. It's in a "small" town 25 miles out of Dayton. They have an entrance with door into a glass vestibule and then another door into the business. I suspect the glass in it is bulletproof, but not obviously so. AND I thnk they actually unlock the door as they see and recognize customers coming in. The workers always seem attentive to who's opening the outer door. They're standing like they're greeting you but I think they're unlocking the inner door from that glass entrance.

imidazol97

stickguy said:

I don’t wear a bathrobe ever. But normal workday attire is sweat pants or gym shorts (seasonal) and a Tee shirt (with a fleece pullover if chilly).

Pants are reserved for special occasions.

What a picture that description paints.

driver100

stickguy said:

I don’t wear a bathrobe ever. But normal workday attire is sweat pants or gym shorts (seasonal) and a Tee shirt (with a fleece pullover if chilly).

Pants are reserved for special occasions.

I almost never wear a bathrobe....would make me feel like an old guy. I have one for emergencies...it looks like a Hugh Heffner robe (only silver and black, not red) for wearing in the Mansion.

Michaell

stickguy said:

I don’t wear a bathrobe ever. But normal workday attire is sweat pants or gym shorts (seasonal) and a Tee shirt (with a fleece pullover if chilly).

Pants are reserved for special occasions.

Pretty much the same here, though I'll wear a polo shirt to mix it up with the t's. don't do video calls much.

I will dress up when I go in the office.

stickguy

I never do a video call. You gotta draw the line someplace.

abacomike

I've narrowed my list of possible car choices to the following over the next 4 months:

2020 Mercedes Benz E450 sedan
2020 Genesis G80 3.3 V6 or the V8
2020 Lexus ES350
2030 BMW 5 series

If I end up with the E 450, I will order it in early June for delivery in late August. Mercedes Benz Financial Services has a 3-month pull-ahead program - they pick up the remaining lease payments if I lease or buy another Mercedes. They also forgive the $500 disposition fee at lease end.

So I will begin my search on May 31st. Can't wait - it's been ; years since I bought a new car and my disposition has been ornery due to lack of negotiating and wheeler-dealering.

stickguy

a very nice list there. all good choices. if you are leasing again, could just shop for the lowest price. But I prefer picking what you really want, and as long as it fits in the budget, go for it!

driver100

2020 Mercedes Benz E450 sedan
2020 Genesis G80 3.3 V6 or the V8
2020 Lexus ES350
2030 BMW 5 series

What will you drive until the 2030 5 series comes out?

(All nice choices...that will be a difficult decision)

28firefighter

Mike, if I were you I’d ride the lease out to the end. You made a seriously big cap reduction from your trade that you’d be losing the benefit of by doing a pull ahead (they won’t carry that to the new lease).

Just a suggestion.

roadburner

abacomike said:

I've narrowed my list of possible car choices to the following over the next 4 months:

2020 Mercedes Benz E450 sedan
2020 Genesis G80 3.3 V6 or the V8
2020 Lexus ES350
2030 BMW 5 series

If I end up with the E 450, I will order it in early June for delivery in late August. Mercedes Benz Financial Services has a 3-month pull-ahead program - they pick up the remaining lease payments if I lease or buy another Mercedes. They also forgive the $500 disposition fee at lease end.

So I will begin my search on May 31st. Can't wait - it's been ; years since I bought a new car and my disposition has been ornery due to lack of negotiating and wheeler-dealering.

No bad choices there, although they are all to big and soft for my taste- unless the 5er is an M5 Competition or the E Class is is an AMG E63.

stickguy

raining like mad here. Good thing I took advantage of the overly warm temps yesterday and washed the salt residue off the RDX. Just have to keep it in the garage now to avoid making it dirty again! At least an inch+ of rain today should wash the remaining salt off the roads hopefully.

and good thing the warm weather stayed. Given how heavy the rain has been, if it were snowing instead we would be getting buried.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

raining like mad here. Good thing I took advantage of the overly warm temps yesterday and washed the salt residue off the RDX. Just have to keep it in the garage now to avoid making it dirty again! At least an inch+ of rain today should wash the remaining salt off the roads hopefully.

and good thing the warm weather stayed. Given how heavy the rain has been, if it were snowing instead we would be getting buried.

We’re right on the edge of the rain-snow line so I’m hoping the salt gets washed today. I worry that the road crews will throw down salt anyway. I think they get a bonus for every extra ton.

I suspect that it’s a plot to prevent me from taking my fun cars out on the road.

Yesterday I was following A Porsche Panamera 4S with a dealer plate. I thought it might be a delivery in progress until I followed it into a lower middle class neighborhood. I doubt anyone there could afford a $100k+ car so I’m guessing some salesman was joy riding in the salt, clouds of which were kicked up as he drove. I feel sorry for the ultimate buyer.

bwia

abacomike said:

I've narrowed my list of possible car choices to the following over the next 4 months:

2020 Mercedes Benz E450 sedan
2020 Genesis G80 3.3 V6 or the V8
2020 Lexus ES350
2030 BMW 5 series

If I end up with the E 450, I will order it in early June for delivery in late August. Mercedes Benz Financial Services has a 3-month pull-ahead program - they pick up the remaining lease payments if I lease or buy another Mercedes. They also forgive the $500 disposition fee at lease end.

So I will begin my search on May 31st. Can't wait - it's been ; years since I bought a new car and my disposition has been ornery due to lack of negotiating and wheeler-dealering.

All nice cars and examples of conspicuous consumption. Not trying to be rude or intrusive but perhaps you could show a little concern for the environment by adding a hybrid or an EV to the mix.

cdnpinhead

Well, this should be interesting.

houdini1

driver100 said:

ab348 said:

jmonroe said:

Physics tells us that heat is the opposite of cold so the reverse is also true. Actually, cold is the absence of heat but we don't want to get too technical in here. That will just muddy things up. Therefore, when you install insulation in Florida you reverse the way it's installed, from lets say, New York. You can't have it both ways. I thought you knew that.

jmonroe

I was actually thinking about sort of the same thing after I posted but maybe not in the way you suggested. In cold climates when fiberglass insulation is installed in walls you need to seal it up with poly sheets to keep humid air in the house from condensing into the cold insulation, leading to all sorts of Bad Things. But in places like Florida, the warm moist air is on the outside and the cooler air is inside, so wouldn't condensation would remain a concern but in reverse? I honestly don't know what the best way would be there.

Some things to consider:
If your house was built before the mid-1970s -- when energy was cheap and readily available -- the walls and ceiling probably aren't insulated unless some has been added.

Many older Florida homes -- built before the mid-1950s or so -- aren't insulated.

Requirements for new Florida homes call for R-19 minimum ceiling insulation and R-11 minimum in frame walls. ).

Even without insulation, concrete block construction helps protect a house because of the basic properties of the building material.

"There probably are other more cost-effective projects you can do in a concrete block house, but with frame construction, wall insulation is probably cost-effective if you have high air conditioning or heating billsclass="Bold"> Bringing an R-19 attic up to R-30 by adding insulation might save $30 or so per year. But bringing an R-0 attic to R-19 can save hundreds of dollars annually.

Going from R19 to R30 to save $30 a year just ain't worth it.

Full article: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1987-02-14-0110070081-story.html

I guess that is true, especially if you don't live in Florida during the hot months, eh?