Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations

abacomike

driver100 said:

@driver100 said: "I'll keep you posted on how my phone and I get along."

Driver, the anticipation is killing me!  Do keep us all posted on this $100, 8-10 hour phone.

Mike, do you want daily or hourly reports? The phone was turned on at 7 a.m and has 91% power at 4:40 p.m. I think the $100 phone is performing well so far. I got my Bluetooth hooked up and have entered about 6 names in the directory.

No, driver, a daily report would be just fine.  Sounds like the battery on the phone is about where it should be considering you had the Bluetooth function on.  That alone is a power drainer.  I usually turn on my Bluetooth just before leaving the house in the morning and then turn off that function when I get home.

Like I said, if Bluetooth is left on, it drains your battery at a faster pace.  So you should turn off that function when you are not in the car or not planning on driving the car for some time.

I hope this one is what you are looking for in a phone.

driver100

abacomike said:

driver100 said:

abacomike said:

@driver100 said: "I'll keep you posted on how my phone and I get along."

Driver, the anticipation is killing me!  Do keep us all posted on this $100, 8-10 hour phone.

Mike, do you want daily or hourly reports?

The phone was turned on at 7 a.m and has 91% power at 4:40 p.m.

I think the $100 phone is performing well so far. I got my Bluetooth hooked up and have entered about 6 names in the directory.

No, driver, a daily report would be just fine.  Sounds like the battery on the phone is about where it should be considering you had the Bluetooth function on.  That alone is a power drainer.  I usually turn on my Bluetooth just before leaving the house in the morning and then turn off that function when I get home.

Like I said, if Bluetooth is left on, it drains your battery at a faster pace.  So you should turn off that function when you are not in the car or not planning on driving the car for some time.

I hope this one is what you are looking for in a phone.

Thanks for mentioning that. I had no idea the bluetooth sucks energy when it isn't even hooked up. I will definitely keep that in mind. I thought it just opened the link between the phone and the car.....excellent.

I go in tomorrow for my recall updates. They said it would take about 2 hours to repair the bracket and do the computer updates. I'll take my book and a newspaper. Maybe I'll try out their cafe. They have a golf simulator there too, but I don't play golf. They have a spa but I don't think it is co-ed. Oh well, I'll find something to do to while away the hours.

abacomike

Driver, why would your new car need a computer update?  The only thing I had to go in to the dealer for was the clip recall which took 15 minutes.  What needs to be updated?

Michaell

The best corporate/manufacturing tour I've ever been on was at the Olympic Brewery in Olympia, Washington.  I wonder if it had anything to do with the end of the tour when you get to sample all their products.

Living in Colorado, I've had the pleasure of touring both the Coors plant in Golden as well as the AB plant in Ft. Collins, where they had one set of Clydedales based. Samples at the end of both tours.

[Deleted User]

driver100 said:

On Tuesday a truck caught on fire on the Ambassador Bridge, did you see that Ty?


I think he said he was cut off by a VW Jetta with Louisiana plates.

It has been a number of years since I saw the Henry Ford Museum, but it is a neat thing to see. The F-150 line sounds like it would be fascinating. Did you have to prebook or just go?

Glad the trip went well.......you don't see too many Jetta rental cars...especially with a Turbo engine.

LOL. Those Louisiana plated Jettas are a dime a dozen in Ontario. You got nothin' on me.

Wow, that fire was really something. I missed all the action....probably stray gun fire from the Detroit side.

No prebook for the tour. At one point I had to hold a teleconference with our German colleagues, so while we dove into details about our part inventory levels I was also looking over historic Ford models on display. That was probably the single best teleconference I've ever had.

The neat thing about the Rouge tour is that after visiting a couple of theater presentations, you can hang out as long as you like watching the assembly process. No pressure to move on. There's one point where the robotic transportation system lifts the body over your head to transport it to the next station.

houdini1

cdnpinhead said:

I have friends with beautiful Grand Cherokees whose idea of rough roads are the side roads around the mall.

This is the use model that gets most of them sold/leased.

People who actually use 4WD or AWD, even on low-clearance vehicles, are measured in the hundreds. Those who use what the Jeep vehicles are designed for are measured in the dozens.

It's all about image.

My wife is on her 3rd Lexus LX. Off road? Nope. When it snows? Nope. When it rains? Nope. Not if it was recently washed. But she has put up with me for 48 years, so she gets to drive whatever she wants. She also has an iphone6 that she only uses to make phone calls. Gotta love her.

[Deleted User]

abacomike said:

The best corporate/manufacturing tour I've ever been on was at the Olympic Brewery in Olympia, Washington.

Breweries are great! I've had the good fortune to work with a number of them and have come to appreciate their passion for the business. Employee turnover is very low for good reason. Occasionally I'd be in their labs helping with equipment when they'd pop open fresh brews for testing. Good thing I'm not a drinker

There were a few days I'd leave a brewery with my clothes soaked in beer...I swear, I don't drink...praying fervently I wouldn't be pulled over by a cop. How would would I explain that to my employer?

driver100

abacomike said:

Driver, why would your new car need a computer update?  The only thing I had to go in to the dealer for was the clip recall which took 15 minutes.  What needs to be updated?

I have no idea. I think you asked at the time and your dealer said you didn't need it. Actually I believe it was to add a program...maybe they'll tell me exactly what it was when I go in tomorrow...I'll ask.

Now my wife reminded me she wants them to take out the storage compartment in front of the passenger seat. They told me that would cost $300 because they have to take the seat out to do it. She hadn't mentioned it for awhile so I was hoping she had forgot about it. Apparently not, I'll have to make another appointment now. Hope they don't lose all my radio and Bluetooth setting to install a program.

I like those storage bins, but she says her legs hit them and I have to get it fixed if I want her to go in the car to Florida. I suggested I just have a Florida wife and a Canada wife but she didn't like that idea.....

abacomike

Houdini, the LEXUS LX is, in my opinion, one of the best and most rugged off-rode vehicles available coupled with outstanding luxury and technology.  The big Land Rover and the Toyota Land Cruiser are also great off-roaders.

But she won't drive the LX except on clear, sunny days?  Each to his/her own!

abacomike

driver100 said:

Driver, why would your new car need a computer update?  The only thing I had to go in to the dealer for was the clip recall which took 15 minutes.  What needs to be updated?

I have no idea. I think you asked at the time and your dealer said you didn't need it. Actually I believe it was to add a program...maybe they'll tell me exactly what it was when I go in tomorrow...I'll ask. Now my wife reminded me she wants them to take out the storage compartment in front of the passenger seat. They told me that would cost $300 because they have to take the seat out to do it. She hadn't mentioned it for awhile so I was hoping she had forgot about it. Apparently not, I'll have to make another appointment now. Hope they don't lose all my radio and Bluetooth setting to install a program. I like those storage bins, but she says her legs hit them and I have to get it fixed if I want her to go in the car to Florida. I suggested I just have a Florida wife and a Canada wife but she didn't like that idea.....

I like the idea of a Florida wife and a Toronto wife - but I don't think she'll go for that, driver.

I had to reset my Command System in my car when the video screen got stuck in the audio display.  It does "default" back to factory settings for everything including presets for audio, GPS preferences, Bluetooth settings, etc.  So you might have to redo all your settings if they are going to play with the Command System.

I'll be interested in what they are trying to update on your system.  Perhaps it's just for Canadian Delivered E400's.  Or, maybe my car needs to be updated for something.

abacomike

tyguy said:

The best corporate/manufacturing tour I've ever been on was at the Olympic Brewery in Olympia, Washington.

Breweries are great! I've had the good fortune to work with a number of them and have come to appreciate their passion for the business. Employee turnover is very low for good reason. Occasionally I'd be in their labs helping with equipment when they'd pop open fresh brews for testing. Good thing I'm not a drinker There were a few days I'd leave a brewery with my clothes soaked in beer...I swear, I don't drink...praying fervently I wouldn't be pulled over by a cop. How would would I explain that to my employer?

You could tell your boss, "...I was immersed in my job responsibilities and overdid it a bit!"

ab348

tyguy said:

We'll, Driver, I made it through Canadian customs using the infamous Ambassador bridge. The Canadian guards harassed me a bit, but no biggie, they just questioned my intentions, honesty, and honor A friendly piece of advice to any border guards reading this: when you ask a technical manager a technical question, don't be surprised when you get a technical response.

What kind of technical question did they ask? Trying to confirm what you said you did for a living?

abacomike

My brother called me to tell me he is flying to Costa Rica the first part of next month to spend some time with friends who live right off the Pacific Ocean.  He'll be there for a little over a week.  Then he's flying out to Napa Valley.  He stays at a winery where he buys lots of their wines.  He said he is getting comped for his stay at the winery's guest accommodations.

I'm glad he's getting away for a few weeks - he hasn't been all that well and I hope this does him some good.  I hear Costa Rica is something else.  Hope the weather is nice for his two trips.

driver100

abacomike said:

driver100 said:

abacomike said:

Driver, why would your new car need a computer update?  The only thing I had to go in to the dealer for was the clip recall which took 15 minutes.  What needs to be updated?

I have no idea. I think you asked at the time and your dealer said you didn't need it. Actually I believe it was to add a program...maybe they'll tell me exactly what it was when I go in tomorrow...I'll ask.

Now my wife reminded me she wants them to take out the storage compartment in front of the passenger seat. They told me that would cost $300 because they have to take the seat out to do it. She hadn't mentioned it for awhile so I was hoping she had forgot about it. Apparently not, I'll have to make another appointment now. Hope they don't lose all my radio and Bluetooth setting to install a program.

I like those storage bins, but she says her legs hit them and I have to get it fixed if I want her to go in the car to Florida. I suggested I just have a Florida wife and a Canada wife but she didn't like that idea.....

I like the idea of a Florida wife and a Toronto wife - but I don't think she'll go for that, driver.

I had to reset my Command System in my car when the video screen got stuck in the audio display.  It does "default" back to factory settings for everything including presets for audio, GPS preferences, Bluetooth settings, etc.  So you might have to redo all your settings if they are going to play with the Command System.

I'll be interested in what they are trying to update on your system.  Perhaps it's just for Canadian Delivered E400's.  Or, maybe my car needs to be updated for something.

Mike, you toldme about the recall for the bracket, and so I emailed my Mercedes guy and he looked it up and said bring my car in when I get back from Florida. He said at the time there was a programming recall as well.

You asked your dealer about it and they said it didn't apply to you....I think it could be because your car was made after the problem was found. But, I will ask what it is about when I go in, I'll have 2 hours to snoop around.

driver100

tyguy said:

abacomike said:

The best corporate/manufacturing tour I've ever been on was at the Olympic Brewery in Olympia, Washington.

Breweries are great! I've had the good fortune to work with a number of them and have come to appreciate their passion for the business. Employee turnover is very low for good reason. Occasionally I'd be in their labs helping with equipment when they'd pop open fresh brews for testing. Good thing I'm not a drinker

There were a few days I'd leave a brewery with my clothes soaked in beer...I swear, I don't drink...praying fervently I wouldn't be pulled over by a cop. How would would I explain that to my employer?

Ty, seems like a waste sending you to the brewery to do consulting, when they could send someone who would appreciate falling into the beer vat.

Do you like chocolate? Maybe they could swap you with someone else.

abacomike

@driver100 said:  

"I'll have 2 hours to snoop around."

If if I had 2 hours to snoop around at my Mercedes Dealership, I'd be in big trouble!

venture

My wife and I just got home from a baseball game. We left early since it was cold and raining.

$9 for a cheeseburger, $3 for iced tea, and $2.50 for hot chocolate for 4 innings of baseball. You gotta love baseball in mid-April.

abacomike

venture said:

My wife and I just got home from a baseball game. We left early since it was cold and raining. $9 for a cheeseburger, $3 for iced tea, and $2.50 for hot chocolate for 4 innings of baseball. You gotta love baseball in mid-April.

It sure doesn't sound like "America's Passtime" anymore, does it?  I attended a Matlin's game last season and it cost me $100.00+ per person for ticket and food and drinks.  A Dolphin's game, per person, is well over $150.00 a person.  And the two examples above do not include the parking fees.

I remember when I was a teenager, I'd take the train to Yankee Stadium and buy a grandstand ticket, eat hotdogs and fries, etc., and I did it for under $10.00.  Today, only people with means can afford Professional hockey, baseball or football excursions.  It sure ain't what it used to be.  But I only paid $4800 for my 1967 Corvette and today a car like that is over $75,000.00

explorerx4

Mike,
Been to a college football game lately?

If you're wanting to attend Notre Dame's game against Boston College at Fenway Park, you're going to pay an amount close to what a lot of people pay for a monthly car payment.

According to Boston College's website, tickets to the game on November 21 through the school are $400 each. Yes, there are two zeros in the total. It's a higher price than what was predicted in a Boston Globe article a year ago.

The game is considered a home game for Notre Dame, so Boston College has just a 5,000 seat allotment to sell. To get tickets through the school, you have to either give over $5,000 a year, have given $100,000 in your lifetime or currently have season tickets. The current season ticket-holders will be placed into a lottery.

At 37,400, Fenway Park's capacity is less than half of what Notre Dame Stadium's 80,795. Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick mentioned the aspect when teasing ticket prices last May saying via the Globe that "To make the game work economically with that many seats, it will be a premium ticket price."

Those who want four tickets to the game have to give over $25,000 to the school. So not only will the tickets at face value cost a car payment on each, they require have a donation that could buy you a decent car. Of course, when you have enough money to be in that donor classification, what's $400 a ticket, right?

abacomike

explorerx4 said:

Been to a college football game lately? If you're wanting to attend Notre Dame's game against Boston College at Fenway Park, you're going to pay an amount close to what a lot of people pay for a monthly car payment. According to Boston College's website, tickets to the game on November 21 through the school are $400 each. Yes, there are two zeros in the total. It's a higher price than what was predicted in a Boston Globe article a year ago. The game is considered a home game for Notre Dame, so Boston College has just a 5,000 seat allotment to sell. To get tickets through the school, you have to either give over $5,000 a year, have given $100,000 in your lifetime or currently have season tickets. The current season ticket-holders will be placed into a lottery. At 37,400, Fenway Park's capacity is less than half of what Notre Dame Stadium's 80,795. Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick mentioned the aspect when teasing ticket prices last May saying via the Globe that "To make the game work economically with that many seats, it will be a premium ticket price." Those who want four tickets to the game have to give over $25,000 to the school. So not only will the tickets at face value cost a car payment on each, they require have a donation that could buy you a decent car. Of course, when you have enough money to be in that donor classification, what's $400 a ticket, right?

I attended my one and only college football game in South Bend, Indiana in the 1970's, if I remember correctly.  It was a two hour+ drive from the western suburbs of Chicago.  My neighbor invited me because he had season tickets.

Joe Montana was the quarterback and the stadium was totally packed.  Not a seat in the stands was empty.  We arrived about an hour before the game on campus and it was an experience I'll never forget.  The Fighting Irish Marching Band in full performance attire marched throughout the campus.  I still remember the sound of all those drums and how I could actually "feel" the drum sounds bouncing off my chest.  I still can't fully describe the effects of that experience.

An amazing memory.

houdini1

abacomike said:

Houdini, the LEXUS LX is, in my opinion, one of the best and most rugged off-rode vehicles available coupled with outstanding luxury and technology.  The big Land Rover and the Toyota Land Cruiser are also great off-roaders.

But she won't drive the LX except on clear, sunny days?  Each to his/her own!

Well, I get to drive when we take it on trips, etc. and it excels in that respect. Very comfortable.

imidazol97

abacomike said:

I attended my one and only college football game in South Bend, Indiana in the 1970

I attended one football game my senior year on a very cold day. I spent several days after with a terrible flu. Last football game, college or pro that I ever attended. Later in life, I won season tickets to Bengals games, but attended none and sold many of them before the games. However, they had been awful the year before so it was difficult to sell them. I believe that was the year a snow storm hit while hosting the Steelers in Cincy and many people were stuck trying to get home in a heavy snowstorm. It was nice to watch on TV.

stever

Coldest I've ever been in my life was at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, must have been 1968. And that includes 20 AK winters and 4 years on Lake Superior! Manning would have been the QB but I don't remember anything but almost toppling over after sitting for two quarters and trying to stand up.

[Deleted User]

ab348 said:

What kind of technical question did they ask? Trying to confirm what you said you did for a living?

I was there to set up a new lab within a sister company and they were asking questions about what that meant. I had to get it across to them that this trip benefitted Canadiens with jobs and revenue. Once we got to that point everything was suddenly just fine.

driver100

abacomike said:

@driver100 said:  

"I'll have 2 hours to snoop around."

If if I had 2 hours to snoop around at my Mercedes Dealership, I'd be in big trouble!

Yeh, you would leave in a brand new car.....................

driver100

venture said:

My wife and I just got home from a baseball game. We left early since it was cold and raining.

$9 for a cheeseburger, $3 for iced tea, and $2.50 for hot chocolate for 4 innings of baseball. You gotta love baseball in mid-April.

Tampa Bay Forum, Coffee $6, Awful sandwich $10, Can of beer $10 small - $13 large!

driver100

tyguy said:

ab348 said:

What kind of technical question did they ask? Trying to confirm what you said you did for a living?

I was there to set up a new lab within a sister company and they were asking questions about what that meant. I had to get it across to them that this trip benefitted Canadiens with jobs and revenue. Once we got to that point everything was suddenly just fine.

Jobs are a big issue on both sides of the border. They don't want Americans taking away a job a Canadian could be doing....and visa versa. It is OK to go in and advise, do PR work, buy products that will be shipped to your country, or something, as long as you aren't taking away work from a native....that has become a very important rule - both ways at the border.

[Deleted User]

driver100 said:

Ty, seems like a waste sending you to the brewery to do consulting, when they could send someone who would appreciate falling into the beer vat.

Do you like chocolate? Maybe they could swap you with someone else.

Ha, ha. You nailed it. I don't smoke, I don't drink, no drugs, no gambling, I'm faithful to my wife. But I'm addicted to chocolate. For the aficionados out there my very favorite is Cru Sauvage from Felchlin that uses a truly special Bolivian cacao harvested in the wild. Delectable.

Unfortunately, in my field there's little opportunity in the chocolate market. Brewing, power production, municipal sanitary water, bottled water, sewer, petco chem refining, chemical plants, pharma, semiconductor, military. Those are all major players. No chocolate

Most of you guys would probably cry over how much beer we'd toss down the drain. It could take a couple of gallons to get a good reading on the batch, all of which went into a bucket and then down the sewer. And then finished bottles would be pierced to check final readings, too, all disposed of to the sewer. But, in the end, that sacrificial amount ensured a good batch for their customers and prevented loss of the entire volume of product.

abacomike

My favorite beer is Yuengling.  Most of my beer drinking days are over, however when I took a one year contract job in the Poconos back in 1999 and moved from California, I was introduced to Yuengling Beer made in Pennsylvania.  It was, and remains, my favorite beer - outstanding taste.  Very hard to find but it is one of the most popular bottled beer they serve at the local casino.

That's one beer I would not mind "immersing" myself in, TYG!

venture

driver100 said:

venture said:

My wife and I just got home from a baseball game. We left early since it was cold and raining.

$9 for a cheeseburger, $3 for iced tea, and $2.50 for hot chocolate for 4 innings of baseball. You gotta love baseball in mid-April.

Tampa Bay Forum, Coffee $6, Awful sandwich $10, Can of beer $10 small - $13 large!

This was only a AA game. We will try again tomorrow. Hopefully she won't be shivering beneath an umbrella.

stickguy

Mike, no problem getting Yuengling by me. It is my "house beer" (meaning, the affordable stuff for every day use!). I actually am partial to their lite variety. 99 calories (I have to watch my figure you know!) and tastes just as good as the high-test model.

venture

abacomike said:

My favorite beer is Yuengling.  Most of my beer drinking days are over, however when I took a one year contract job in the Poconos back in 1999 and moved from California, I was introduced to Yuengling Beer made in Pennsylvania.  It was, and remains, my favorite beer - outstanding taste.  Very hard to find but it is one of the most popular bottled beer they serve at the local casino.

That's one beer I would not mind "immersing" myself in, TYG!

A man after my own heart. The few times a year I have a beer, it's always a Yuengling lager. America's oldest brewery in Pottsville, PA established in 1829.

I assume the brewery in Tampa lives up to the same quality.

abacomike

@venture said:

"I assume the brewery in Tampa lives up to the same quality."

I could not taste a difference between the beer produced in Pottsville and the brewskies produced in Tampa.  I would have thought there would be a difference in the taste because of the differences in the water used at the breweries.  Tampa water tends to be a bit more briny I would imagine - but just before eating dinner at the casino, Dad and I sit down at one of the bars and order an ice cold Yuengling.  AHHHHH, TRUE PERFECTION!!!

murphydog

Hey all, checking in while on spring break down here in Phoenix.

We rented a Nissan Altima which in rental car form is a very dull appliance. 4 cylinder, CVT and floats around the highway in a very numb way. However the fuel economy is shockingly good. Returning to Maricopa from Sedona we averaged 43MPG and 68 MPH. keep in mind it is down hill almost the entire way. We only got 35 MPG on the way up to Sedona.

Speaking of going off road, we rented a Jeep rubicon for the afternoon and hit a few of the local trails, and man is that fun. The rentals have a 2 inch lift, but are otherwise stock, and they really get the job done. My 10 year old was having the time of his life bouncing around in the back seat.

If I lived down here I would have to trade the Benz for one, I think I would want to hit the trails every weekend.

imidazol97

driver100 said:

abacomike said:

@driver100 said:  

"I'll have 2 hours to snoop around."

If if I had 2 hours to snoop around at my Mercedes Dealership, I'd be in big trouble!

Yeh, you would leave in a brand new car.....................

With two hours, abacomike would have 2 cars: one to drive home and a tentative order for its replacement when the newer model came out.

robr2

To add to the beer discussion - I once worked for a company that was making the oven controls for a national pizza chain. The ovens had a conveyor that the pizzas rode on for baking. The goal was for the controls to be able to "sense" what kind of pizza was coming in and adjust the heat and time without affecting the pizzas already on the conveyor. At the time it was very high tech and very secretive and truthfully, a bit beyond the capabilities of the technology at the time.

For about a year, the local franchise would bring in about 100 prepared pizzas every Friday around 11 AM and the testing would commence. I can remember eating a lot of "out of spec" pizza which was perfectly fine to eat but not up to the pizza company specs in color, temp, cooking time, et al.

[Deleted User]

Fascinating, robr2. Did they use weight to calculate temp and cook time?

stever

A college kid wants a Good Manual Sedan Similar to Charger. $30k budget, buying in a year or two.

Hey, at least the question isn't about which device to use while riding Uber! Maybe there's hope for the younger generation.

robr2

I wasn't privy to the specific analytics used but my understanding was they were trying to measure weight and temp drop from the new pizza entering the cooking chamber. Based on that, the system was supposed to be able to "know" what kind of pizza it was and make the proper adjustments.

The chain had a very standardized process to ensure that each pizza no matter where it was made was exactly the same. All toppings were the same size and weight and it was to be measured and placed in an exact way on each pizza every single time. But the human element was always the 800 lbs. gorilla in the room. It was impossible for every pepperoni pizza to be exactly the same.

IIRC, the chain paid for about 2 years of development and then scrapped the whole thing. They had such a laser focus on reducing cooking time that they ignored the fact that saving a couple of minutes wasn't really a problem.

The company did a lot of work for many of the major chains. When one customer was to visit, the engineers would start draping covers over other customers equipment and some of us were enlisted to make sure no visitors tried to peek under the covers. Air fresheners would be released to cover the smells of foods to ensure privacy. Some clients even paid the company to rent space in a nearby building for a private test lab in order to protect their equipment prototypes. It was in one of those private labs that lots of chicken was ruined over the years.

abacomike

stever said:

A college kid wants a Good Manual Sedan Similar to Charger. $30k budget, buying in a year or two. Hey, at least the question isn't about which device to use while riding Uber! Maybe there's hope for the younger generation.

Once the poster said, "...but stick shifts excite me...", I decided I'd better not respond!

abacomike

abacomike said:

That orangie-cantelopie-pumpkinie Orange I saw on the BMW 435 yesterday in the mall is a "special order" color per the MSRP sticker on the car.  

As for upsetting Mike, Farmer, nothing YOU could do or say would upset me because you are not a self-absorbed, insincere kind of guy.  You are the "real" thing - unassuming and honest.  So have a go at me (or two) - and get off your duff and buy that Mustang you yearn for!

Good grief, I actually posted a picture - even I'm amazed! I took a picture of the "orangie" BMW 435 on display in the Boca Town Center Mall. This is the pumpkinie, orangie, cantelopie OPTIONAL:SPECIAL ORDER color I was talking about in my original post.

What do you guys think of the color?

abacomike

See, sometimes I even surprise myself. I had tried to post it directly from my iPhone 6, but it came out too big. So I decided to download the file right to my computer and then try to post the picture. I must be becoming a bit more tech savvy than I thought!

stever

Another favor, if you know of someone:

Did you buy your most recent car at least in part because you were drawn to the car's automated safety features (such as adaptive cruise control, parking assist, automatic braking, lane departure warnings, etc.)? If so, a reporter would like to hear your story. Please contact PR@edmunds.com by no later than Monday, April 20, 2015.

Thanks!

driver100

abacomike said:

See, sometimes I even surprise myself. I had tried to post it directly from my iPhone 6, but it came out too big. So I decided to download the file right to my computer and then try to post the picture. I must be becoming a bit more tech savvy than I thought!

Way to go Mike! If you can operate a smart phone you can surely post a picture. What do I think of a Tangerine Orange Bimmer...........U-G-L-Y!

I took the E400 for the recalls. One was for the brackets, one for a upgraded program for the GPS...may not affect you in the USA.

They have so many people in this dealership, and it is like a palace. Scares me to think how much it must cost to run, and more importantly, where that money comes from. I sat down to read my newspaper and a friendly young lady asks me if I would like a coffee. I say sure, 2 milks. She brings it to me in a china cup.

Next to the large screen TV in the waiting area there is a screen that gives your first name, last initial, type of car you brought in, and the status of your car while you are sitting waiting.

My wife came in to try a C300 and a CLA. Our sales guy was off so she just sat in them. She found that because the roof is kind of squished down to give it a low affect, the viewing area out of the windows...especially the front window is narrow. I noticed a used 2014 C Class and it has a higher roof line....windows are larger...higher. She sat in that and she liked the 2014. What are the chances she will find a brand new 2014?

She likes driving the Audi A4, but she has lost confidence in it since they blamed her for the clutch problem!

abacomike

driver100 said:

abacomike said:

See, sometimes I even surprise myself. I had tried to post it directly from my iPhone 6, but it came out too big. So I decided to download the file right to my computer and then try to post the picture. I must be becoming a bit more tech savvy than I thought!

Way to go Mike! If you can operate a smart phone you can surely post a picture. What do I think of a Tangerine Orange Bimmer...........U-G-L-Y!

I took the E400 for the recalls. One was for the brackets, one for a upgraded program for the GPS...may not affect you in the USA.

They have so many people in this dealership, and it is like a palace. Scares me to think how much it must cost to run, and more importantly, where that money comes from. I sat down to read my newspaper and a friendly young lady asks me if I would like a coffee. I say sure, 2 milks. She brings it to me in a china cup.

Next to the large screen TV in the waiting area there is a screen that gives your first name, last initial, type of car you brought in, and the status of your car while you are sitting waiting.

My wife came in to try a C300 and a CLA. Our sales guy was off so she just sat in them. She found that because the roof is kind of squished down to give it a low affect, the viewing area out of the windows...especially the front window is narrow. I noticed a used 2014 C Class and it has a higher roof line....windows are larger...higher. She sat in that and she liked the 2014. What are the chances she will find a brand new 2014?

She likes driving the Audi A4, but she has lost confidence in it since they blamed her for the clutch problem!

I am surprised she didn't like the C300 or the C400. None of them are available in a standard transmission, anyway. But the C400 is standard with 4-Matic (AWD) and has the shift paddles. I sat in the C400 and took it for a road test and found it more refined than the CLA and the visibility was outstanding. Did she have her seat in the upmost position? Probably not. It would be foolish to buy a new 2014, even if you could find one. The styling and refinements in the C400 are miles ahead of the 2014.

I would suggest that she actually test drive the C400 and adjust her seating and mirrors correctly. The blind spot monitors and lane tracking are a must in those cars. And with the cameras on the 2015, her visibility would be outstanding.

As far as your dealership up in the Toronto area, "...Scares me to think how much it must cost to run, and more importantly, where that money comes from?" Driver, it came from your pocket and the pockets of all their customers. Remember, they still made 4% on your deal. I am sure if you bought a C400, you could get that for invoice due to the trunk money available.

As for the update on the software for your GPS, it is probably for Canada, not for the U.S. But, remember once each year, you can take your car to the dealer when you have the oil changed and the A or B service, and they will update the GPS for you at no charge.

robr2

They have so many people in this dealership, and it is like a palace. Scares me to think how much it must cost to run, and more importantly, where that money comes from. I sat down to read my newspaper and a friendly young lady asks me if I would like a coffee. I say sure, 2 milks. She brings it to me in a china cup.

Next to the large screen TV in the waiting area there is a screen that gives your first name, last initial, type of car you brought in, and the status of your car while you are sitting waiting.

driver - you're a smart guy. The money comes from their customer and that would be YOU!! There's no magic fairy that comes in and makes it all possible.

Mr_Shiftright

Oh, an opinion? I have plenty of those

I don't think any German car ever looks good in Italian colors. That orange BMW reminds me of when people put little hats on their cat and post in on Facebook. It's just not right.

abacomike said:

See, sometimes I even surprise myself. I had tried to post it directly from my iPhone 6, but it came out too big. So I decided to download the file right to my computer and then try to post the picture. I must be becoming a bit more tech savvy than I thought!

ab348

I need the group to cheer me up. Just did my income taxes. Govts of Canada and Nova Scotia get a total of nearly $56,000 from me, by far the most I ever paid and likely the most I will ever pay in the future. I know that tells me I had a very good year but still and all it stinks.

abacomike

ab348 said:

I need the group to cheer me up. Just did my income taxes. Govts of Canada and Nova Scotia get a total of nearly $56,000 from me, by far the most I ever paid and likely the most I will ever pay in the future. I know that tells me I had a very good year but still and all it stinks.

We all have to pay our fair share. I just think my "fair" share is a bit more than it should be. When you think that over 50% of the people who live in the United States pay absolutely nothing in taxes, and that close to 50% of the people receive some form of government assistance in the form of food stamps, dependent tax credits, public assistance/aid, one has to wonder what's going on here.

abacomike

stever said:

Another favor, if you know of someone: Did you buy your most recent car at least in part because you were drawn to the car's automated safety features (such as adaptive cruise control, parking assist, automatic braking, lane departure warnings, etc.)? If so, a reporter would like to hear your story. Please contact PR@edmunds.com by no later than Monday, April 20, 2015. Thanks!

That is one reason I ordered every possible safety option on my E400.  There is no question that I feel safer driving this car than any car I have ever owned.