Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations

andres3

jipster said:

Well guys, the car is in the driveway!! And best of all the buying process and finance went off without a hitch. Smooth as butter. Well, we did have to wait about an hour for the finance guy to be freed up. It was a bit stressful waiting, especially after reading firefighters comment, LOL, but otherwise a flawless ending.

Mrs. Jip and I arrived at Honda World under a light drizzle of rain. Our salesman greeted us and we filled out some preliminary paper work and finance application. I made sure we were filling out the paperwork for the correct car, haha, confirmed the the 4/48,000 bumper to bumper and 7/100,000 powertrain warranties that come with certified cars, and the 2.99% financing thru Honda.

Then it was time for a long wait for finance. I had calculated all the numbers earlier, and knew what our monthly payment would be. Everything was going smoothly in finance, all the numbers as they should be.......then..... the extended warranty sell. Now this finance guy was no pressure, and he did present the benefits of a maintenance plan for around $700, and a new extended Honda warranty that was being offered. I know the mixed feelings on the extended warranties, and I've always declined them in the past, but this sounded pretty good. I could extend my bumper to bumper warranty out to 9 years and 150,000 miles for $1,930. O.k, something to think about. It is a Honda...reliability. But, it does have a turbo engine. A bit of an unknown and.some think not as reliable as a naturally aspirated engine. My wife says out loud it's my decision. Well....thanks. All 3 of us talk about it for awhile, I'm thinking the whole time if I can get this guy down from $1,930. He mentions something like the retail price on the extended warranty is $3,750. That's the opening the ole Jipster needed. I him and haw a bit, then ask the finance guy if there's anything he can do "on that price to make the decision easier for me?" He immediately picks up the phone and calls Big Boss Man. Asks if they can give me the extended warranty at cost. Big Boss Man gives the go ahead. So the 9 year bumper to bumper /150,000 miles warranty price is dropped down to $1,600. I think about it for a minute, then say, "let's do it". I have 90 days to drop the warranty at no cost. So any opinions? I expect 50% to say it's a waste of money, and 50% to say it's a good deal and good peace of mind. LOL.

O.k, we sign all the necessary paperback, say thank you to the finance man, meet our salseman...and.... he gives the keys to my brand new Accord EX-L to my wife! Just joking he says. I don't think he was. LOL.

A nice drive home in the rain. Getting ready to go over the owners manual in a bit. The Honda Specialist that was to give us a tutuorial on how everything works on the car had already left, so we'll try to hook up with her later in the week. I can present the final numbers if anyone wants to see them.

Thanks for the congratulatory comments: @driver100 @stickguy @nyccarguy @roadburner ,
@laurasdada @jmonroe1 @houdini1 @suydam @bwia @graphicguy @pensfan83 @28firefighter @abacomike @ab348 , @snakeweasel ....and even @explorerx4 LOL. And of course @benjaminh , And everyone else!! Everyone has been of great help..Great group of guys. Your membership dues for the next 5 years are on me!

I don't recall who suggested that I test drive the Honda Accord. Driver or Benjamin? Anyhow, thanks for helping me get in a car that was a great fit...meant to be.

My best guess is that the $1,600 is 95% profit, 5% cost. The chances are very high you'll never use the warranty, not even one time.

abacomike

ab348 said:

driver100 said:

Personally, I like a light colored interior, but it will still look good.

I think a beige interior would qualify as “light coloured”.

Very light, in fact. I have never had a beige interior with natural black wood. I pray it grows on me.

abacomike

andres3 said:

jipster said:

Well guys, the car is in the driveway!! And best of all the buying process and finance went off without a hitch. Smooth as butter. Well, we did have to wait about an hour for the finance guy to be freed up. It was a bit stressful waiting, especially after reading firefighters comment, LOL, but otherwise a flawless ending.

Mrs. Jip and I arrived at Honda World under a light drizzle of rain. Our salesman greeted us and we filled out some preliminary paper work and finance application. I made sure we were filling out the paperwork for the correct car, haha, confirmed the the 4/48,000 bumper to bumper and 7/100,000 powertrain warranties that come with certified cars, and the 2.99% financing thru Honda.

Then it was time for a long wait for finance. I had calculated all the numbers earlier, and knew what our monthly payment would be. Everything was going smoothly in finance, all the numbers as they should be.......then..... the extended warranty sell. Now this finance guy was no pressure, and he did present the benefits of a maintenance plan for around $700, and a new extended Honda warranty that was being offered. I know the mixed feelings on the extended warranties, and I've always declined them in the past, but this sounded pretty good. I could extend my bumper to bumper warranty out to 9 years and 150,000 miles for $1,930. O.k, something to think about. It is a Honda...reliability. But, it does have a turbo engine. A bit of an unknown and.some think not as reliable as a naturally aspirated engine. My wife says out loud it's my decision. Well....thanks. All 3 of us talk about it for awhile, I'm thinking the whole time if I can get this guy down from $1,930. He mentions something like the retail price on the extended warranty is $3,750. That's the opening the ole Jipster needed. I him and haw a bit, then ask the finance guy if there's anything he can do "on that price to make the decision easier for me?" He immediately picks up the phone and calls Big Boss Man. Asks if they can give me the extended warranty at cost. Big Boss Man gives the go ahead. So the 9 year bumper to bumper /150,000 miles warranty price is dropped down to $1,600. I think about it for a minute, then say, "let's do it". I have 90 days to drop the warranty at no cost. So any opinions? I expect 50% to say it's a waste of money, and 50% to say it's a good deal and good peace of mind. LOL.

O.k, we sign all the necessary paperback, say thank you to the finance man, meet our salseman...and.... he gives the keys to my brand new Accord EX-L to my wife! Just joking he says. I don't think he was. LOL.

A nice drive home in the rain. Getting ready to go over the owners manual in a bit. The Honda Specialist that was to give us a tutuorial on how everything works on the car had already left, so we'll try to hook up with her later in the week. I can present the final numbers if anyone wants to see them.

Thanks for the congratulatory comments: @driver100 @stickguy @nyccarguy @roadburner ,
@laurasdada @jmonroe1 @houdini1 @suydam @bwia @graphicguy @pensfan83 @28firefighter @abacomike @ab348 , @snakeweasel ....and even @explorerx4 LOL. And of course @benjaminh , And everyone else!! Everyone has been of great help..Great group of guys. Your membership dues for the next 5 years are on me!

I don't recall who suggested that I test drive the Honda Accord. Driver or Benjamin? Anyhow, thanks for helping me get in a car that was a great fit...meant to be.

My best guess is that the $1,600 is 95% profit, 5% cost. The chances are very high you'll never use the warranty, not even one time.

That's the point of an extended warranty - it's an insurance policy for your car - like liability insurance - you might never need it but just in case you do...🤓😜🤪

ab348

abacomike said:

ab348 said:

driver100 said:

Personally, I like a light colored interior, but it will still look good.

I think a beige interior would qualify as “light coloured”.

Very light, in fact. I have never had a beige interior with natural black wood. I pray it grows on me.

It will look great.

andres3

abacomike said:

jipster said:

28firefighter said:

Sounds like a decent deal for the warranty if you plan to keep it that long. I’ve never held a car longer than 3 years so...

I can see us keeping this car for at least 145,000 miles. The warranty is transferable,.so that would be a good selling point should we decide to sell at that time.

My daughter drives a 2012 Honda Accord Coupe she bought new. Has over 140,000 miles on it and still drives great. The reason is because she takes care of it - oil changes, major maintenance intervals, etc.

Actually, I think Hondas and Toyotas are over-engineered enough that neglect and lack of maintenance is pretty much tolerated by the car without additional expense. German cars are different in that regard, although the engineering is very robust, those that drive all the performance out of them make maintenance a bigger key issue. A neglected Honda can come back from the dead and live a healthy life. A neglected German car might be a tainted for life.

abacomike

I am seriously thinking about buying a maintenance plan from Mercedes. It's $1760 for 4 services (40,000 miles) - every 10,000 miles. There would be 2-A services that cost $290 each without the plan. Then there are 2-B services which cost $890 each without the plan. So there is a significant savings for service.

andres3

abacomike said:

andres3 said:

jipster said:

Well guys, the car is in the driveway!! And best of all the buying process and finance went off without a hitch. Smooth as butter. Well, we did have to wait about an hour for the finance guy to be freed up. It was a bit stressful waiting, especially after reading firefighters comment, LOL, but otherwise a flawless ending.

Mrs. Jip and I arrived at Honda World under a light drizzle of rain. Our salesman greeted us and we filled out some preliminary paper work and finance application. I made sure we were filling out the paperwork for the correct car, haha, confirmed the the 4/48,000 bumper to bumper and 7/100,000 powertrain warranties that come with certified cars, and the 2.99% financing thru Honda.

Then it was time for a long wait for finance. I had calculated all the numbers earlier, and knew what our monthly payment would be. Everything was going smoothly in finance, all the numbers as they should be.......then..... the extended warranty sell. Now this finance guy was no pressure, and he did present the benefits of a maintenance plan for around $700, and a new extended Honda warranty that was being offered. I know the mixed feelings on the extended warranties, and I've always declined them in the past, but this sounded pretty good. I could extend my bumper to bumper warranty out to 9 years and 150,000 miles for $1,930. O.k, something to think about. It is a Honda...reliability. But, it does have a turbo engine. A bit of an unknown and.some think not as reliable as a naturally aspirated engine. My wife says out loud it's my decision. Well....thanks. All 3 of us talk about it for awhile, I'm thinking the whole time if I can get this guy down from $1,930. He mentions something like the retail price on the extended warranty is $3,750. That's the opening the ole Jipster needed. I him and haw a bit, then ask the finance guy if there's anything he can do "on that price to make the decision easier for me?" He immediately picks up the phone and calls Big Boss Man. Asks if they can give me the extended warranty at cost. Big Boss Man gives the go ahead. So the 9 year bumper to bumper /150,000 miles warranty price is dropped down to $1,600. I think about it for a minute, then say, "let's do it". I have 90 days to drop the warranty at no cost. So any opinions? I expect 50% to say it's a waste of money, and 50% to say it's a good deal and good peace of mind. LOL.

O.k, we sign all the necessary paperback, say thank you to the finance man, meet our salseman...and.... he gives the keys to my brand new Accord EX-L to my wife! Just joking he says. I don't think he was. LOL.

A nice drive home in the rain. Getting ready to go over the owners manual in a bit. The Honda Specialist that was to give us a tutuorial on how everything works on the car had already left, so we'll try to hook up with her later in the week. I can present the final numbers if anyone wants to see them.

Thanks for the congratulatory comments: @driver100 @stickguy @nyccarguy @roadburner ,
@laurasdada @jmonroe1 @houdini1 @suydam @bwia @graphicguy @pensfan83 @28firefighter @abacomike @ab348 , @snakeweasel ....and even @explorerx4 LOL. And of course @benjaminh , And everyone else!! Everyone has been of great help..Great group of guys. Your membership dues for the next 5 years are on me!

I don't recall who suggested that I test drive the Honda Accord. Driver or Benjamin? Anyhow, thanks for helping me get in a car that was a great fit...meant to be.

My best guess is that the $1,600 is 95% profit, 5% cost. The chances are very high you'll never use the warranty, not even one time.

That's the point of an extended warranty - it's an insurance policy for your car - like liability insurance - you might never need it but just in case you do...🤓😜🤪

Never understood Honda selling warranties. There are cheaper cars to get that'll make warranty issues more likely. Which car organization was it that specialized in buying extended CarMax warranties on used cars that would lose the most money for Carmax? Wasn't it a Land Rover? Cars like that.

Everyone has different views on Insurance. My worldview of insurance is that they like to take a bad situation and revictimize you a 2nd time whenever there is a claim. I feel less victimized if I haven't been prepaying for the coverage for years on end.

If claims were fairly handled by a truly independent 3rd party, I might feel different.

driver100

ab348 said:

driver100 said:

Personally, I like a light colored interior, but it will still look good.

I think a beige interior would qualify as “light coloured”.

Probably would. I read that and then maybe forgot and was thinking of the first one.....think it had black interior.
I am allowed, over 65 you can have seniors moments.

roadburner

driver100 said:

roadburner said:

The more I thought about that 540i xDrive, the more I realized I'd have to ditch my BMW CCA vanity plate and replace it with one that simply read CODGER.
I'm back to only considering 2 door RWD coupes- even if I run the deadly risk of the front end "wondering."

I was going to ignore this but, I'll take the bait. I wrote quickly, shouldn't have said...."front end wandering", but I will explain why AWD can make the car more stable during certain conditions. I have experienced it in the C250. It had been dry for several days in Tampa, I was making a large left hand turn - large street - going pretty fast, it had been raining lightly for a few minutes, my tires were OK but not the best (26000 miles) got onto the other street and the rear end was sliding to the right, I could see the front end of the car sliding left (that is what I meant by wandering (not great description), of course I steered to the right, rear went left and I got out of it. Didn't expect that to happen in Florida, forgot the roads get slippery when oil comes to the surface. Also, I am used to more sure footed driving in the AWD E400.

Some racing type guys think they can handle anything with RWD. Maybe they can, but 90% of the population don't race cars. So, in that case this explanation kicks in;

Another important example of the increased level of safety of an All-Wheel Drive car compared to a Rear-Wheel Drive car is when cornering under drive power. The tires in an AWD car are transmitting half the total drive force compared to a Rear-Wheel Drive car. When cornering not only is a tire transmitting driving forces but also cornering forces. Because a Rear-Wheel Drive car drive axle is transmitting twice the driving forces of an All-Wheel Drive car there is less grip available for cornering forces.

This means that in a RWD car if engine power increases and uses more of the available grip leaving insufficient grip for cornering forces the tire will lose traction and slip sideways. This results in the rear of the car sliding sideways in what is known as oversteer manoeuvre, meaning the car turns a smaller radius of turn than the driver intended.

Because an All-Wheel Drive car only transmits half of the drive force at each wheel, the amount of grip available for cornering forces is greater than a Rear-Wheel Drive car for the same level of engine power. Meaning that the best AWD car will lose sideways grip at much higher cornering forces than the best RWD car.

The result is an All-Wheel Drive car that can more safely negotiate a corner under drive power that suddenly and unexpectedly is more slippery than the driver expected

There are other situations where AWD works better, one is starting up in a straight line. More wheels sharing power, less chance of wheels spinning.

Thanks for the heads up! I've only been an HPDE instructor since 1996, so I'm just a rank amateur when it comes to comprehending vehicle dynamics. If you need AWD to drive in the rain, be my guest- as for me I'll just continue to live on the ragged edge...

tjc78

driver100 said:

tjc78 said:

We are not allowed on site, period. It’s gated with no way in.

Sorry to hear about the motor home tjc. What is the plan? Why can you not make appointments to view it at different times? Must be very frustrating.

Because of the travel ban here and the fact that the Governor doesn’t want people at the shore towns.

Our unit new, so we are hoping all is ok and we did a good job winterizing it.

At this point anything before Memorial Day would be fantastic.

roadburner

I will point out that I do think AWD is fine in a high horsepower car- something with over 600 hp. Even then I would want a system that defaults to a 40/60 F/R torque split and allows the driver to choose to send up to 100% of the power to the rear axle. So that would mean that there actually ARE three AWD sedans that I would find engaging: the Stinger GTS, the M5 and the E63 S.

venture

ab348 said:

venture said:

I just came back from the Post Office. On the door was a sign telling you that you had to wear a mask inside the building.

None of the clerks had a mask on.

I had to go to the supermarket today against my better judgement. It actually was fairly deserted and there were pleasant staff stationed at strategic points keeping track of headcount, sanitizing carts, making sure you used the right entrance and exit, etc. It would have been great except for the other staff members sans masks who were zooming around the aisles and checkouts totally ignoring distancing.

Crazy.

snakeweasel

graphicguy said:

tjc78 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

qbrozen said:

roadburner said:

The more I thought about that 540i xDrive, the more I realized I'd have to ditch my BMW CCA vanity plate and replace it with one that simply read CODGER.
I'm back to only considering 2 door RWD coupes- even if I run the deadly risk of the front end "wondering."

I vote Scat Pack Challenger. ;b

Just go for the Demon version and get it over with.

This one would do just fine.... except for the awful wheels.

https://www.cherryhilljeep.com/auto/new-2020-dodge-challenger-srt-hellcat-redeye-cherry-hill-nj/42396933/

Reminded me of this video about the Hellcat Redeye. BTW, I think the guy in the video has the brains of a Grape!

Rule number 1, never, ever, at any time ask someone with a vested interest in selling you something to educate you on that item. Do your research.

Also if you can get ahold of this guy, I have a 1908 lincoln penny that's so rare he wont find it on a web search. I'll let him have it cheap.

qbrozen

abacomike said:

I am seriously thinking about buying a maintenance plan from Mercedes. It's $1760 for 4 services (40,000 miles) - every 10,000 miles. There would be 2-A services that cost $290 each without the plan. Then there are 2-B services which cost $890 each without the plan. So there is a significant savings for service.

Is that all stuff the car requires or what the dealership suggests?

28firefighter

I've only see the maintenance plan really make sense on leases because it is residualized. Outside of that, I feel like you can usually find coupon codes that bring the cost down pretty significantly.

ab348

28firefighter said:

I've only see the maintenance plan really make sense on leases because it is residualized. Outside of that, I feel like you can usually find coupon codes that bring the cost down pretty significantly.

I don’t think you will find coupons for a M-B “B” service in the weekly flyers.

roadburner

qbrozen said:

abacomike said:

I am seriously thinking about buying a maintenance plan from Mercedes. It's $1760 for 4 services (40,000 miles) - every 10,000 miles. There would be 2-A services that cost $290 each without the plan. Then there are 2-B services which cost $890 each without the plan. So there is a significant savings for service.

Is that all stuff the car requires or what the dealership suggests?

One of my friends traded his E90 for a C-Class and he told me that the Louisville Mercedes dealer charges almost three times what my BMW dealer charges for an oil service.

snakeweasel

oldfarmer50 said:

tjc78 said:

nyccarguy said:

@graphicguy

To quote the great Bugs Bunny: "What a maroon!"

Indeed.

If what he said is true, the original owner scammed the dealer and the dealer scammed him. Maroons all around.

While the original owner might have scammed the dealership I would bet that the dealership knew it was rebadged especially if they sold Dodges. They saw an easy mark and took advantage of him.

abacomike

qbrozen said:

abacomike said:

I am seriously thinking about buying a maintenance plan from Mercedes. It's $1760 for 4 services (40,000 miles) - every 10,000 miles. There would be 2-A services that cost $290 each without the plan. Then there are 2-B services which cost $890 each without the plan. So there is a significant savings for service.

Is that all stuff the car requires or what the dealership suggests?

Required maintenance as per the manufacturer.

roadburner

ab348 said:

28firefighter said:

I've only see the maintenance plan really make sense on leases because it is residualized. Outside of that, I feel like you can usually find coupon codes that bring the cost down pretty significantly.

I don’t think you will find coupons for a M-B “B” service in the weekly flyers.

No, but you will find service coupons on my BMW dealer's website.

fintail

MB does have service specials sometimes, but infrequently. All but once I've bought the prepaid service (residualized), and the time I didn't I knew I had a feeling I'd only be doing a Service A.

driver100

roadburner said:

driver100 said:

roadburner said:

The more I thought about that 540i xDrive, the more I realized I'd have to ditch my BMW CCA vanity plate and replace it with one that simply read CODGER.
I'm back to only considering 2 door RWD coupes- even if I run the deadly risk of the front end "wondering."

I was going to ignore this but, I'll take the bait. I wrote quickly, shouldn't have said...."front end wandering", but I will explain why AWD can make the car more stable during certain conditions. I have experienced it in the C250. It had been dry for several days in Tampa, I was making a large left hand turn - large street - going pretty fast, it had been raining lightly for a few minutes, my tires were OK but not the best (26000 miles) got onto the other street and the rear end was sliding to the right, I could see the front end of the car sliding left (that is what I meant by wandering (not great description), of course I steered to the right, rear went left and I got out of it. Didn't expect that to happen in Florida, forgot the roads get slippery when oil comes to the surface. Also, I am used to more sure footed driving in the AWD E400.

Some racing type guys think they can handle anything with RWD. Maybe they can, but 90% of the population don't race cars. So, in that case this explanation kicks in;

Another important example of the increased level of safety of an All-Wheel Drive car compared to a Rear-Wheel Drive car is when cornering under drive power. The tires in an AWD car are transmitting half the total drive force compared to a Rear-Wheel Drive car. When cornering not only is a tire transmitting driving forces but also cornering forces. Because a Rear-Wheel Drive car drive axle is transmitting twice the driving forces of an All-Wheel Drive car there is less grip available for cornering forces.

This means that in a RWD car if engine power increases and uses more of the available grip leaving insufficient grip for cornering forces the tire will lose traction and slip sideways. This results in the rear of the car sliding sideways in what is known as oversteer manoeuvre, meaning the car turns a smaller radius of turn than the driver intended.

Because an All-Wheel Drive car only transmits half of the drive force at each wheel, the amount of grip available for cornering forces is greater than a Rear-Wheel Drive car for the same level of engine power. Meaning that the best AWD car will lose sideways grip at much higher cornering forces than the best RWD car.

The result is an All-Wheel Drive car that can more safely negotiate a corner under drive power that suddenly and unexpectedly is more slippery than the driver expected

There are other situations where AWD works better, one is starting up in a straight line. More wheels sharing power, less chance of wheels spinning.

Thanks for the heads up! I've only been an HPDE instructor since 1996, so I'm just a rank amateur when it comes to comprehending vehicle dynamics. If you need AWD to drive in the rain, be my guest- as for me I'll just continue to live on the ragged edge...

whatever............

graphicguy

roadburner said:

graphicguy said:

So, I have heard this news for months now, and sort of expected it well before I bought my car. But, I think Kia took a shot at building the best built, most performance focused, highest quality car they could, and the market (aside from me) didn’t respond.

The COVID-19 issue didn’t help.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/33178/the-kia-stinger-might-die-for-being-the-best-car-no-one-is-buying

I love it. Now, it looks like I’m going to have a relatively exclusive car.

And yet most dealers act like the car is in high demand. I'd still consider a RWD GT1 or GT2

I don’t get your local dealers. They just don’t seem to understand the reality of the situation.

sb55

tjc78 said:

A little frustrated right now here in NJ. As many of you may know we own a new park model trailer home that is permanently setup in a campground right near Sea Isle City NJ.

The season runs from April - November. We winterized on Nov 1 last year and were expecting to open up on April 1 this year. Due to the obvious the campground has not opened yet and at this point probably won't open until Memorial day at the earliest.

At this point I'm worried for the home. Damp Rid buckets only last so long and can overflow causing the water accumulated to spill over, plus there were storms and we have no idea if we lost any shingles, etc.

The campgrounds are lobbying with State Senators to get this reversed and allow people in with distancing of course. I've also written a letter as well.

There is also the financial aspect of paying for something we can't use...

I feel your pain. My Airstream is stored in Virginia. We kept it down there for the winter so we could escape Vermont. It never happened. We were supposed to camp in Mid-March through Mid-April down south and then drive it home. Now it's stuck down there. Virginia campgrounds won't open until June 10, and my rental season is allowed to start on June 15. We may try to rush down and grab it and just tow it home.
Vermont is allowing full time campers to come back on May 1, but any out of staters have to quarantine themselves for 14 days. Day use campers can start on June 15. It's odd that NJ won't let full season people use their rigs.

oldfarmer50

andres3 said:

abacomike said:

andres3 said:

jipster said:

Well guys, the car is in the driveway!! And best of all the buying process and finance went off without a hitch. Smooth as butter. Well, we did have to wait about an hour for the finance guy to be freed up. It was a bit stressful waiting, especially after reading firefighters comment, LOL, but otherwise a flawless ending.

Mrs. Jip and I arrived at Honda World under a light drizzle of rain. Our salesman greeted us and we filled out some preliminary paper work and finance application. I made sure we were filling out the paperwork for the correct car, haha, confirmed the the 4/48,000 bumper to bumper and 7/100,000 powertrain warranties that come with certified cars, and the 2.99% financing thru Honda.

Then it was time for a long wait for finance. I had calculated all the numbers earlier, and knew what our monthly payment would be. Everything was going smoothly in finance, all the numbers as they should be.......then..... the extended warranty sell. Now this finance guy was no pressure, and he did present the benefits of a maintenance plan for around $700, and a new extended Honda warranty that was being offered. I know the mixed feelings on the extended warranties, and I've always declined them in the past, but this sounded pretty good. I could extend my bumper to bumper warranty out to 9 years and 150,000 miles for $1,930. O.k, something to think about. It is a Honda...reliability. But, it does have a turbo engine. A bit of an unknown and.some think not as reliable as a naturally aspirated engine. My wife says out loud it's my decision. Well....thanks. All 3 of us talk about it for awhile, I'm thinking the whole time if I can get this guy down from $1,930. He mentions something like the retail price on the extended warranty is $3,750. That's the opening the ole Jipster needed. I him and haw a bit, then ask the finance guy if there's anything he can do "on that price to make the decision easier for me?" He immediately picks up the phone and calls Big Boss Man. Asks if they can give me the extended warranty at cost. Big Boss Man gives the go ahead. So the 9 year bumper to bumper /150,000 miles warranty price is dropped down to $1,600. I think about it for a minute, then say, "let's do it". I have 90 days to drop the warranty at no cost. So any opinions? I expect 50% to say it's a waste of money, and 50% to say it's a good deal and good peace of mind. LOL.

O.k, we sign all the necessary paperback, say thank you to the finance man, meet our salseman...and.... he gives the keys to my brand new Accord EX-L to my wife! Just joking he says. I don't think he was. LOL.

A nice drive home in the rain. Getting ready to go over the owners manual in a bit. The Honda Specialist that was to give us a tutuorial on how everything works on the car had already left, so we'll try to hook up with her later in the week. I can present the final numbers if anyone wants to see them.

Thanks for the congratulatory comments: @driver100 @stickguy @nyccarguy @roadburner ,
@laurasdada @jmonroe1 @houdini1 @suydam @bwia @graphicguy @pensfan83 @28firefighter @abacomike @ab348 , @snakeweasel ....and even @explorerx4 LOL. And of course @benjaminh , And everyone else!! Everyone has been of great help..Great group of guys. Your membership dues for the next 5 years are on me!

I don't recall who suggested that I test drive the Honda Accord. Driver or Benjamin? Anyhow, thanks for helping me get in a car that was a great fit...meant to be.

My best guess is that the $1,600 is 95% profit, 5% cost. The chances are very high you'll never use the warranty, not even one time.

That's the point of an extended warranty - it's an insurance policy for your car - like liability insurance - you might never need it but just in case you do...🤓😜🤪

Never understood Honda selling warranties. There are cheaper cars to get that'll make warranty issues more likely. Which car organization was it that specialized in buying extended CarMax warranties on used cars that would lose the most money for Carmax? Wasn't it a Land Rover? Cars like that.

Everyone has different views on Insurance. My worldview of insurance is that they like to take a bad situation and revictimize you a 2nd time whenever there is a claim. I feel less victimized if I haven't been prepaying for the coverage for years on end.

If claims were fairly handled by a truly independent 3rd party, I might feel different.

All warranties are peace of mind insurance.

tjc78

sb55 said:

tjc78 said:

A little frustrated right now here in NJ. As many of you may know we own a new park model trailer home that is permanently setup in a campground right near Sea Isle City NJ.

The season runs from April - November. We winterized on Nov 1 last year and were expecting to open up on April 1 this year. Due to the obvious the campground has not opened yet and at this point probably won't open until Memorial day at the earliest.

At this point I'm worried for the home. Damp Rid buckets only last so long and can overflow causing the water accumulated to spill over, plus there were storms and we have no idea if we lost any shingles, etc.

The campgrounds are lobbying with State Senators to get this reversed and allow people in with distancing of course. I've also written a letter as well.

There is also the financial aspect of paying for something we can't use...

I feel your pain. My Airstream is stored in Virginia. We kept it down there for the winter so we could escape Vermont. It never happened. We were supposed to camp in Mid-March through Mid-April down south and then drive it home. Now it's stuck down there. Virginia campgrounds won't open until June 10, and my rental season is allowed to start on June 15. We may try to rush down and grab it and just tow it home.
Vermont is allowing full time campers to come back on May 1, but any out of staters have to quarantine themselves for 14 days. Day use campers can start on June 15. It's odd that NJ won't let full season people use their rigs.

Ugh that’s brutal too. Hopefully you can get it home soon.

explorerx4

In Michigan, state residents are not allowed to use their in state vacation homes, but out of state residents can use their Michigan vacation homes.

nyccarguy

sb55 said:

tjc78 said:

A little frustrated right now here in NJ. As many of you may know we own a new park model trailer home that is permanently setup in a campground right near Sea Isle City NJ.

The season runs from April - November. We winterized on Nov 1 last year and were expecting to open up on April 1 this year. Due to the obvious the campground has not opened yet and at this point probably won't open until Memorial day at the earliest.

At this point I'm worried for the home. Damp Rid buckets only last so long and can overflow causing the water accumulated to spill over, plus there were storms and we have no idea if we lost any shingles, etc.

The campgrounds are lobbying with State Senators to get this reversed and allow people in with distancing of course. I've also written a letter as well.

There is also the financial aspect of paying for something we can't use...

I feel your pain. My Airstream is stored in Virginia. We kept it down there for the winter so we could escape Vermont. It never happened. We were supposed to camp in Mid-March through Mid-April down south and then drive it home. Now it's stuck down there. Virginia campgrounds won't open until June 10, and my rental season is allowed to start on June 15. We may try to rush down and grab it and just tow it home.
Vermont is allowing full time campers to come back on May 1, but any out of staters have to quarantine themselves for 14 days. Day use campers can start on June 15. It's odd that NJ won't let full season people use their rigs.

Ugh. I was just going to ask you how this is impacting you after seeing that beautiful view from your porch you posted on CCBA. Hopefully things go well for you.

abacomike

My Florida Driver's License does not come up for renewal until October, 2021, however I wanted to get the updated Driver's License that is the only one approved for identifcation purposes at airports, etc. So, I just happened to look up my license specs online and it said that I could renew my license 18 months prior to the expiration date. So I went online and applied for renewal of my current license. $50.00 and 10 days later, my license arrived in the new format with the big star on the upper right corner. License is good until 2028.

What really surprises me is that in 2028 (if I live that long), I will be 83 years old. I have not had a vision test with the DMV for over 15 years. Add that to the 8 additional years would mean that my vision had not been tested for 23 years. There is the problem here in Florida. Florida residents frequently complain about seniors driving their cars but can't see very well. I was one of them prior to my cataract surgeries. Now, of course, I see 20/20 with my glasses on and 20/30 and 20/20 (right eye/left eye) without glasses. I just don't understand why Florida does not follow up on senior drivers for vision. The eyes are one of the first things to go when you reach your mid 70's to 80 years old. I have barely avoided being hit many times by drivers who just can't see very well. I also realize that driving a car is one of the only activities a senior participates in that ensures his/her independence. I don't know what I would do if I could not drive a car.

There "oughta be a law" requiring all seniors who have a driver's license to have an eye test done every 4 years to ensure they can see adquately to drive.

OK, I am off my soapbox now.

venture

I mentioned that I bought fertilizer at Home Depot using their curbside pickup. I really liked how easy and unobtrusive it was.

Well. Now this:

I got an email a few days ago saying that my order was ready to pick up. Since I already picked it up, I clicked on the "Cancel Order" button; not thinking what would happen.

I got another email saying they are going to credit my account, which they did. I called the local store and they said they wouldn't make a mistake like that. I will try one more time by contacting corporate. It's almost $300 so worth pursuing.

venture

As long as I'm mentioning ancient history...

When we were talking about supporting local businesses a few days ago, I said how they forgot to add a $10 tip when I picked up food. Well somehow they found a way. When I looked at my credit card account it was there - just not on the receipt they gave me.

ab348

On the DMV vision test - I can see your point but I wonder if the rationale is that it is something that is mostly self-correcting. As in your case, you were having vision problems, had them checked out, and got it fixed. I suspect most people would be doing something similar. I don't know what the percentage that would not do that might be, but I suspect it is pretty small, and perhaps DMV has run the numbers and concluded the cost/benefit just isn't there. I believe doctors (both eye and otherwise) also have a duty to report individuals to the DMV when they encounter someone they don't think should be driving. Families often do the same.

venture

abacomike said:

My Florida Driver's License does not come up for renewal until October, 2021, however I wanted to get the updated Driver's License that is the only one approved for identifcation purposes at airports, etc. So, I just happened to look up my license specs online and it said that I could renew my license 18 months prior to the expiration date. So I went online and applied for renewal of my current license. $50.00 and 10 days later, my license arrived in the new format with the big star on the upper right corner. License is good until 2028.

What really surprises me is that in 2028 (if I live that long), I will be 83 years old. I have not had a vision test with the DMV for over 15 years. Add that to the 8 additional years would mean that my vision had not been tested for 23 years. There is the problem here in Florida. Florida residents frequently complain about seniors driving their cars but can't see very well. I was one of them prior to my cataract surgeries. Now, of course, I see 20/20 with my glasses on and 20/30 and 20/20 (right eye/left eye) without glasses. I just don't understand why Florida does not follow up on senior drivers for vision. The eyes are one of the first things to go when you reach your mid 70's to 80 years old. I have barely avoided being hit many times by drivers who just can't see very well. I also realize that driving a car is one of the only activities a senior participates in that ensures his/her independence. I don't know what I would do if I could not drive a car.

There "oughta be a law" requiring all seniors who have a driver's license to have an eye test done every 4 years to ensure they can see adquately to drive.

OK, I am off my soapbox now.

It's a little surprising that you don't need to get a new picture every so often. In 23 years something may have changed.

abacomike

venture said:

abacomike said:

My Florida Driver's License does not come up for renewal until October, 2021, however I wanted to get the updated Driver's License that is the only one approved for identifcation purposes at airports, etc. So, I just happened to look up my license specs online and it said that I could renew my license 18 months prior to the expiration date. So I went online and applied for renewal of my current license. $50.00 and 10 days later, my license arrived in the new format with the big star on the upper right corner. License is good until 2028.

What really surprises me is that in 2028 (if I live that long), I will be 83 years old. I have not had a vision test with the DMV for over 15 years. Add that to the 8 additional years would mean that my vision had not been tested for 23 years. There is the problem here in Florida. Florida residents frequently complain about seniors driving their cars but can't see very well. I was one of them prior to my cataract surgeries. Now, of course, I see 20/20 with my glasses on and 20/30 and 20/20 (right eye/left eye) without glasses. I just don't understand why Florida does not follow up on senior drivers for vision. The eyes are one of the first things to go when you reach your mid 70's to 80 years old. I have barely avoided being hit many times by drivers who just can't see very well. I also realize that driving a car is one of the only activities a senior participates in that ensures his/her independence. I don't know what I would do if I could not drive a car.

There "oughta be a law" requiring all seniors who have a driver's license to have an eye test done every 4 years to ensure they can see adquately to drive.

OK, I am off my soapbox now.

It's a little surprising that you don't need to get a new picture every so often. In 23 years something may have changed.

Tell me about it!!! 😜🤪👍

abacomike

ab348 said:

On the DMV vision test - I can see your point but I wonder if the rationale is that it is something that is mostly self-correcting. As in your case, you were having vision problems, had them checked out, and got it fixed. I suspect most people would be doing something similar. I don't know what the percentage that would not do that might be, but I suspect it is pretty small, and perhaps DMV has run the numbers and concluded the cost/benefit just isn't there. I believe doctors (both eye and otherwise) also have a duty to report individuals to the DMV when they encounter someone they don't think should be driving. Families often do the same.

Macular degeneration is a major culprit in loss of vision in seniors. I know of two people in my building who suffer from this affliction and still drive. This affliction cannot be corrected - it is progressive in nature.

stickguy

Fla doesn’t want to tick off the seniors. They vote. And taking driving privileges away would hurt revenue.

I am surprised you got an enhanced license via mail renewal. I thought it required an I. Person visit and additional ID. But, not an issue since thanks to Covid, they pushed start date out a year until 10/2021. Better for me, I think my license ran out in December ‘21.

laurasdada

Costco gas last night: RUG $1.36; PUG $1.86
They had a good supply of TP, the woman in front of me grabbed the last role of paper towels and the disinfecting wipes sold out in the first hour the store was open, I was told.

ab348

venture said:

It's a little surprising that you don't need to get a new picture every so often. In 23 years something may have changed.

Yes, up here with the new standardized license you need to get a new pic taken every 5 years when it is renewed.

venture

Our drivers licenses are for 4 year periods. Every 4 years you have to go to the DMV and get a new picture taken.

They used to give you an eye test too, but that didn't happened the last 2 times I went. I don't know if they stopped doing it or if the person was too lazy to do it. I thought it was a good idea.

qbrozen

explorerx4 said:

In Michigan, state residents are not allowed to use their in state vacation homes, but out of state residents can use their Michigan vacation homes.

how in the world are they policing that?

imidazol97

qbrozen said:

explorerx4 said:

In Michigan, state residents are not allowed to use their in state vacation homes, but out of state residents can use their Michigan vacation homes.

how in the world are they policing that?

The Michigan governor has tried the authoritarian approach for control. When folks organized protests about the stringent stay-at-home laws, she retaliated by extending stay-at-home for 2 weeks suggesting it was related to the resistance and by cooperating with big tech social platform in removing the groups--censoring their speech rights.

If I understand the Michigan stay-at-home policy, students out of school weren't even allowed to "congregate" with one other student--that comes from a grandmother friend of ours who lives in Plymouth. No shooting hoops with a buddy in your driveway, e.g., in the ultraviolet and warm temps.

If I owned a second home in Michigan, I'd love to go there because allergies I have are much lessened in Michigan. When I worked there one summer, my allergies were none existence compared to being in Indiana.

roadburner

imidazol97 said:

The Michigan governor has tried the authoritarian approach for control. When folks organized protests about the stringent stay-at-home laws, she retaliated by extending stay-at-home for 2 weeks suggesting it was related to the resistance and by cooperating with big tech social platform in removing the groups--censoring their speech rights.

If I understand the Michigan stay-at-home policy, students out of school weren't even allowed to "congregate" with one other student--that comes from a grandmother friend of ours who lives in Plymouth. No shooting hoops with a buddy in your driveway, e.g., in the ultraviolet and warm temps.

Governor Whitmer is just bitter that the Berlin Wall fell and eliminated her opportunity to serve in the upper echelons of the East German secret police- so she's trying to replicate the Stasi all on her own.

tjc78

I’m not sure what to say anymore about the whole thing.

We know the social distancing, we know to wash our hands, we should all be fine with wearing masks for awhile when out ....

It’s time to start to open up to minimize the fallout.

It’s bad enough the travel industry is pretty much crippled until at least Q4 at the earliest. Allow retailers, golf courses, campgrounds etc to open up and start getting people back on the payroll.

suydam

I think making comments, pro or con, about a current political figure such as a governor, is political and we should avoid that. We live in frustrating and frightening times. No one is happy right now, except maybe our 2 newest car buyers. However, at the moment, none of us or our loved ones are in hospitals from this disease. We all have a lot to be thankful for. I for one enjoy hearing about the home improvement projects some of you have undertaken. Or the ways different people are coping.

laurasdada

tjc78 said:

I’m not sure what to say anymore about the whole thing.

We know the social distancing, we know to wash our hands, we should all be fine with wearing masks for awhile when out ....

It’s time to start to open up to minimize the fallout.

It’s bad enough the travel industry is pretty much crippled until at least Q4 at the earliest. Allow retailers, golf courses, campgrounds etc to open up and start getting people back on the payroll.

A coworker left for TripAdvisor a few years ago, hope he's ok now that they've just announced 25% layoffs, 20% paycut/4 day workweek and permanent closing of Boston and SF offices (Corp HQ is in Needham, just outside of Boston). And, no 401k match. CEO will take no salary for the rest of 2020.

snakeweasel

tjc78 said:

I’m not sure what to say anymore about the whole thing.

We know the social distancing, we know to wash our hands, we should all be fine with wearing masks for awhile when out ....

It’s time to start to open up to minimize the fallout.

It’s bad enough the travel industry is pretty much crippled until at least Q4 at the earliest. Allow retailers, golf courses, campgrounds etc to open up and start getting people back on the payroll.

I have to agree, we need to get things going real soon. If not the cure will be worse than the disease.

oldfarmer50

laurasdada said:

Costco gas last night: RUG $1.36; PUG $1.86
They had a good supply of TP, the woman in front of me grabbed the last role of paper towels and the disinfecting wipes sold out in the first hour the store was open, I was told.

Cheapest regular gas near me is $1.85 but I’d have to drive 20 miles to get it. Lots of closer stations showing $1.99 though. Plenty of TP up here now at Walmart with purchasing limits.

I was joking with my Florida in-laws about shipping some to them because of severe shortages in the Orlando area. Then I found that shipping 18 rolls from NY would cost a fortune.

They’ll have to make due with banana leaves.

omarman

Governor Whitmer is just bitter that the Berlin Wall fell and eliminated her opportunity to serve in the upper echelons of the East German secret police- so she's trying to replicate the Stasi all on her own.

She wants to build a wall?

cdnpinhead

snakeweasel said:

If not the cure will be worse than the disease.

It already is.

dino001

roadburner said:

Governor Whitmer is just bitter that the Berlin Wall fell and eliminated her opportunity to serve in the upper echelons of the East German secret police- so she's trying to replicate the Stasi all on her own.

I lived under those systems and terms like "Enemy of the people", "Stasi", "[non-permissible content removed]" and like have real and very personal meaning to me and my family, so I'd appreciate some restraint from hyperbole in this particular matter, especially from people with high social standing and those I respect.