Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

sda

The original kitchen looks very similar, including the chocolate appliances that my parents bought in New Orleans in '68. The house was built in '62. Very nice upgrade which really makes it look more livable and spacious.

ab348

Roadburner's original kitchen is certainly a trip back in time to the 1970s. That floor covering was very popular at the time, as were the Coppertone appliances. Best thing I can say is that I liked that color better than Avocado or Harvest Gold. Like @fintail , center-pull cabinet doors always bugged me but were very much a '70s thing. So were centered knobs on entry doors!

nyccarguy

Michaell said:

nyccarguy said:

My parents have a beautiful Hans Grohe Shower Body with a "rain" shower head (straight above) as well as a Fountain Head (water comes out almost like from a water fall). It also has body sprays, temperature control, & volume control. The key to upgrading your shower to having more than 1 head is to make sure you have a sufficient volume of water. 1/2" isn't going to cut it. You should have the plumber run a 3/4" line all the way from the water heater with a 3/4" to 1/2" adapter right to the shower body. Also do the same from the shower body to the heads. Run 3/4", then reduce to 1/2". Enjoy

Our water pressure is average, at best.

Since my step-son would be doing most of the work, I'll try to remember this when the time comes.

Thanks for the advice!

Pressure and Volume are 2 different things. Pressure is constant (unless you add a booster pump or a pressure reducing valve), but you can increase volume of water by increasing the size of the pipe.

fintail

And centered knobs on very tall entry doors - a trend that might not ever return (or maybe it will, as the cookie cutter mcmodern box is now a huge trend in new construction).

70s house design can be painful, but not all of it is bad, just like 70s cars I guess (fashion on the other hand...). There's a site devoted to "time capsule homes" that has 70s time warps now and then:

. This one in Oregon was featured recently, and I think it is super cool - and insanely cheap compared to where I live, where it would be easily well into 7 figures.

This local one is also cool, I like these cabinets a lot, not a subject I usually give much thought - the price also shows what 20 miles can do here - move this house to west Bellevue, and it would be worth 3 times more.

ab348 said:

Roadburner's original kitchen is certainly a trip back in time to the 1970s. That floor covering was very popular at the time, as were the Coppertone appliances. Best thing I can say is that I liked that color better than Avocado or Harvest Gold. Like @fintail , center-pull cabinet doors always bugged me but were very much a '70s thing. So were centered knobs on entry doors!

ab348

That Oregon house is a bit much - the wallpaper on all walls and ceilings in the kitchen looks like a bad acid trip. I guess they never boiled a big pot of water in that kitchen since the wallpaper is still on the ceiling. I like that one in Washington though, probably would change very little.

Locally, a good friend is selling his family home and moving into an apartment after living here virtually his entire life. Not much has changed in decades. I hope this link works, check out the pics:

http://www.viewpoint.ca/sidebarmap#!/overview/00205096/zoom/17

fintail

That one is a trip back in time 50 years, interesting wallpaper in what I assume is the lower bathroom too. And the low price - in USD, that's actually affordable.

Reminds me of the English style bungalow my great-grandparents bought as an empty nester house around 1950, and my great grandmother lived in until she was 99. Paned French doors, coved ceilings, tile fireplace, arched doorways, etc. Nothing was ever updated. It sold in a snap for what seemed like a huge price, and 18 years later is probably worth 3-4x that price - wish the family would have kept it.

Mr_Shiftright

There's a link. Don't you see it?


http://www.subaruofcherryhill.com/used/Subaru/2016-Subaru-Legacy-Cherry+Hill+NJ-af30db6c0a0e0adf4ae7cb919dddc204.htm?searchDepth=6:7

kyfdx

Mr_Shiftright said:

There's a link. Don't you see it?


http://www.subaruofcherryhill.com/used/Subaru/2016-Subaru-Legacy-Cherry+Hill+NJ-af30db6c0a0e0adf4ae7cb919dddc204.htm?searchDepth=6:7

He edited that in..

ab348

fintail said:

That one is a trip back in time 50 years, interesting wallpaper in what I assume is the lower bathroom too. And the low price - in USD, that's actually affordable.

The amount of decluttering he has done is remarkable, although it may not be obvious. The place was absolutely jammed with stuff he accumulated over years of living there. He is/was a collector of many things and it was all stuffed in there. The basement rec room was a mint-condition relic of the 1960s, most of it now gone to parts unknown. It really should have been preserved as it was. It is proving to be a tough sell because of its proximity to the major highway in and out of the city.

28firefighter

My wife and I have been talking a lot about moving somewhere where the COL is cheaper - outside of Seattle proper. The problem is, both of our commutes would suffer heavily if we did that. If our jobs were remote, we could certainly do it, but then there would be nothing stopping us from just moving back to the midwest where we could buy 3x the house for half the price...

stickguy

I'm a big believer in living where you want you be (region). Not worth giving up for a job. Or cheaper house.

And long nasty commutes stink. And suck the life out of you!

28firefighter

stickguy said:

I'm a big believer in living where you want you be (region). Not worth giving up for a job. Or cheaper house.

And long nasty commutes stink. And suck the life out of you!

I do too - my wife and I would be perfectly happy back in the midwest, though. Don't get me wrong, Seattle is beautiful and the areas around it offer quite a bit in terms of activity and lifestyle. However, the constantly increasing cost of living (we now will be paying personal property tax on cars effectively with every registration and our sales tax is going up to 10.1%) is really killing it for me.

kyfdx

28firefighter said:

stickguy said:

I'm a big believer in living where you want you be (region). Not worth giving up for a job. Or cheaper house.

And long nasty commutes stink. And suck the life out of you!

I do too - my wife and I would be perfectly happy back in the midwest, though. Don't get me wrong, Seattle is beautiful and the areas around it offer quite a bit in terms of activity and lifestyle. However, the constantly increasing cost of living (we now will be paying personal property tax on cars effectively with every registration and our sales tax is going up to 10.1%) is really killing it for me.

The only thing that you can't add to is time. Commuting sucks.

suydam

stickguy said:

I'm a big believer in living where you want you be (region). Not worth giving up for a job. Or cheaper house.

And long nasty commutes stink. And suck the life out of you!

+1.

xwesx

stickguy said:

xwesx said:

stickguy said:

one for Bradd. Upgrade to the Legacy he should have bought in the 1st place. Lots more HP, and many more goodies.

Was there a link not included on this one?

of course! Better look again

Oh, you sneaky, sneaky guy......

fintail

Crappy commutes (maybe the worst part of living in this area, even more than cost of living) are why I won't buy a house here - I'm not going to spend what can easily be 2 hours driving 25 miles. Life is too short. I have an old friend who lived in the area, but moved to the Tri-Cities a couple years ago, as he can work remotely and his wife works locally. The house he built for ~350K would be seven figures here. Definitely a good move on his part.

The new license tax also has me wondering how leases can be included at full value, when it technically isn't owned property. The old politicos here who refused the federal gift that eventually built MARTA should be kicked to the curb, their procrastination or ignorance is now costing everyone. The area needs to tax the hell out of offshore real estate transactions in order to fund infrastructure - tax it at 25% or more, seriously.

fintail

Sounds like it would have made a good yard sale. Funny, around here, being close to a highway is considered a plus, as it can take eons to get from outlying developments to main roads.

ab348 said:

The amount of decluttering he has done is remarkable, although it may not be obvious. The place was absolutely jammed with stuff he accumulated over years of living there. He is/was a collector of many things and it was all stuffed in there. The basement rec room was a mint-condition relic of the 1960s, most of it now gone to parts unknown. It really should have been preserved as it was. It is proving to be a tough sell because of its proximity to the major highway in and out of the city.

andres3

28firefighter said:

stickguy said:

I'm a big believer in living where you want you be (region). Not worth giving up for a job. Or cheaper house.

And long nasty commutes stink. And suck the life out of you!

I do too - my wife and I would be perfectly happy back in the midwest, though. Don't get me wrong, Seattle is beautiful and the areas around it offer quite a bit in terms of activity and lifestyle. However, the constantly increasing cost of living (we now will be paying personal property tax on cars effectively with every registration and our sales tax is going up to 10.1%) is really killing it for me.

10.1 sales tax is highway robbery! Sales tax is regressive; not progressive; thought Seattle was in a Blue State and area. Hope your roads are better than what Cal-Trans is doing.

andres3

kyfdx said:

28firefighter said:

stickguy said:

I'm a big believer in living where you want you be (region). Not worth giving up for a job. Or cheaper house.

And long nasty commutes stink. And suck the life out of you!

I do too - my wife and I would be perfectly happy back in the midwest, though. Don't get me wrong, Seattle is beautiful and the areas around it offer quite a bit in terms of activity and lifestyle. However, the constantly increasing cost of living (we now will be paying personal property tax on cars effectively with every registration and our sales tax is going up to 10.1%) is really killing it for me.

The only thing that you can't add to is time. Commuting sucks.

I agree.... when I leave work I may be in the mood to get in some exercise when I get home, but often, by the time I get home after a nasty commute, I really have to pull a tooth or two out to get my butt off the couch.

nyccarguy

kyfdx said:

28firefighter said:

stickguy said:

I'm a big believer in living where you want you be (region). Not worth giving up for a job. Or cheaper house.

And long nasty commutes stink. And suck the life out of you!

I do too - my wife and I would be perfectly happy back in the midwest, though. Don't get me wrong, Seattle is beautiful and the areas around it offer quite a bit in terms of activity and lifestyle. However, the constantly increasing cost of living (we now will be paying personal property tax on cars effectively with every registration and our sales tax is going up to 10.1%) is really killing it for me.

The only thing that you can't add to is time. Commuting sucks.

Especially when you get stuck behind a Sanitation truck for 15 minutes with NOWHERE to go.

suydam

Or in my case in Ohio, farm equipment.

fintail

WA makes up for a lack of income tax with sales/consumption taxes. A progressive state in many ideals, but definitely not in terms of taxation - hence why money is flocking here, from at home and abroad.

andres3 said:

10.1 sales tax is highway robbery! Sales tax is regressive; not progressive; thought Seattle was in a Blue State and area. Hope your roads are better than what Cal-Trans is doing.

graphicguy

suydam said:

Or in my case in Ohio, farm equipment.

I'm in a relatively rural area in the northern reaches of Cincinnati suburbs. Used to see a whole lot more farming equipment on the roads around my neighborhood, say 15 years ago, but it has really "suburbanized" since then.

However, drive a couple hours east of me, and you enter Amish Country....lots of buggys, horses, farm implements on the road.

Michaell

graphicguy said:

suydam said:

Or in my case in Ohio, farm equipment.

I'm in a relatively rural area in the northern reaches of Cincinnati suburbs. Used to see a whole lot more farming equipment on the roads around my neighborhood, say 15 years ago, but it has really "suburbanized" since then.

However, drive a couple hours east of me, and you enter Amish Country....lots of buggys, horses, farm implements on the road.

Sorry I missed you on my trip to CVG last month. Was only there 27 hours total, but did get to meet up with @kyfdx for a beer.

tjc78

stickguy said:

I'm a big believer in living where you want you be (region). Not worth giving up for a job. Or cheaper house. And long nasty commutes stink. And suck the life out of you!

I did our area to King of Prussia a good while back, never ... ever ... again.  

I love my commute now, against the madness on 42 to the AC expressway no traffic and straight run. 

stickguy

I did here to Malvern. Waived at KofP on the way by. Thankfully that was not for that long, but not a fun drive. Don't think I could do it now (mostly the early hours). Had to leave so early, in the winter I saw the sun rise from the ramp onto 202 by the mall!

now my commute is across the hall to the office/guest room. Nice and short!

tbirdmarco

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=19gvH5G0hhY

tbirdmarco

@andre1969 sorry to hear about the truck. hope no one was injered.

tbirdmarco

@28firefighter wow whair you live is just as bad as long island is getting with coast of living new York taxes all crazy.

tbirdmarco

@stickguy I am with you on living whair you want.

xwesx

Major bummer of a day! We hop on a plane in under twenty-four hours......

28firefighter

Oh no, @xwesx! What happened?  Everyone OK?

nyccarguy

@xwesx - oh no! I hope nobody got hurt!

kyfdx

Dang.. talk about bad timing.

stickguy

well, probably good timing, since he is flying out to buy another car!

Is that the good Sube, or the one that was rolled?

fintail

Yikes. I assume you're OK xwesx, and the crumple zones fulfilled their duty.

stickguy

fintail said:

Yikes. I assume you're OK xwesx, and the crumple zones fulfilled their duty.

that they did. Don't think that one is fixable.

Michaell

Looks like the Subie sacrificed itself to save you and the family. Be safe on the road trip.

stickguy

One for GG. Am watching the local ABC (Philly) news. And they had a segment from their "action news troubleshooters" person. The deal where you call them up, and they get your issue resolved.

well, tonight's piece was a couple with a 2015 CTS, that rolled away when supposedly in park with Ebrake on. Turns out there was a bulletin out on this issue. But because the action line people called the dealer and GM, they were told that if they did not want it fixed (they didn't) they could pick out a replacement car, and now have a new ATS.

so, maybe it really does take going on camera to get them to act responsibly!

cdnpinhead

xwesx said:

Major bummer of a day! We hop on a plane in under twenty-four hours......

Oh man! Hope no one was hurt and that you can proceed with your planned journey as scheduled. Hang in there.

graphicguy

Michaell....CVG is about 45-60 minutes from me. Give me a heads up next time, and I'll make time for lunch or dinner! I'm still trying to meet up with @kyfdx at a renowned Bourbon Bar on his side of the Ohio.

@Stickguy.....I'm not necessarily mad at the dealership. So, don't want to send any negative karma to the dealership. I'm livid with Cadillac. I'll pile on negative press with them.

@xwesx....hope you're OK. Geez-Louise....that wreck sux!

corvette

xwesx said:

Major bummer of a day! We hop on a plane in under twenty-four hours......

Ouch! Is everyone okay? Which Subaru is that (I seem to remember you had two)?

tifighter

@xwesx Major bummer; hope you are well.

Good news is, say it together everyone, that will buff right out.

xwesx

Hahaha; thanks for the laughs, guys! My wife and children were in the car, and all are okay (as is the other driver).

Sadly, this was the "good" Subaru - our 2010. You can see my 2008 in the background of the photo - the rollover damage is evident even from a distance.

So, what happened? Well, my wife was taking the kids home after some in-town classes and errands. She came upon a vehicle on the shoulder with hazards on, inching forward slowly. She slowed to about 30 mph (this was in a 50mph zone) and began to pass. As she did so, the driver whipped a u-turn immediately in front of her.

She actually has pretty amazing reflexes, and has avoided a couple of collisions in the past that most people (including me, to be honest) likely would not have managed. However, this time around the other driver was moving in the same direction as her evasion, and simply did not even notice she was there. They ended up connecting in the oncoming lane in a sort of deflected T-bone pattern (she hit his car just in front of the driver door), where she punted his car down the road (still in the oncoming lane), and he punted hers into the snow bank as you see in the photo.

It was pretty extensive damage to both cars - neither one driveable afterward. His was a just-purchased (about three weeks ago) 2005 Kia Sportage (actually really nice shape despite its age). Damage on our car includes suspension mangled on the front right corner, as well as damage to the radiator and power steering system. The car still runs and I was able to back it out of the snow bank to aid loading it on the wrecker, but it is one messed up puppy. With the deployed airbag, I expect damages are likely around $10K (assuming no frame rail damage), which means its a total.

I might have to fight with the insurance on valuation, but if they aren't willing to meet me at a reasonable price for it, I'm going to have to dig out all my stock parts and tear it down to salvage my investments. That thing is way more car than a typical Forester. If my wife ends up wanting another car like it (3rd gen Forester), then so much the better...

iluvmysephia1

xwesx - I'm glad no one got hurt. You'd think the guy with the new (to him) Kia Sportage would have been wanting to drive a bit more careful than that.

My Big Medical Board exam is March 21st in Kansas City. I am studying up for it. Some of you may remember that I am putting a new car out there as a carrot to help me pass the Exam. I was thinking 2017 Toyota Yaris iA's but I discovered Youngblood Nissan of Springfield, MO, about a half hour ago on the net. They're selling 2017 Nissan Versa S sedans for only $9,999. They have six in stock - 2 silver's, 2 black's, 1 fresh powder (white) and one gunmetal grey one. I just need to pick a color. The iA is too much money at $16,499. At $9,999 I can't really go wrong.

The drive would be a couple hundred miles south of KC to Springfield. Mrs. iluvmysephia1 would love to go to Branson/Tablerock lake, she mentioned it yesterday. Maintenance could be done locally at a shop I discovered 5 miles away in Belton. 

What's interesting is that none of the Kansas City Nissan dealers offer a Versa S for that low...their lowest is now over a $1,000 more than the MSRP Versa price, which is $11,990. Price matters, though these dealers couldn't be making much more than $500 per new Versa S sedan.

qbrozen

iluvmysephia1 said:

xwesx - I'm glad no one got hurt. You'd think the guy with the new (to him) Kia Sportage would have been wanting to drive a bit more careful than that.

My Big Medical Board exam is March 21st in Kansas City. I am studying up for it. Some of you may remember that I am putting a new car out there as a carrot to help me pass the Exam. I was thinking 2017 Toyota Yaris iA's but I discovered Youngblood Nissan of Springfield, MO, about a half hour ago on the net. They're selling 2017 Nissan Versa S sedans for only $9,999. They have six in stock - 2 silver's, 2 black's, 1 fresh powder (white) and one gunmetal grey one. I just need to pick a color. The iA is too much money at $16,499. At $9,999 I can't really go wrong.

The drive would be a couple hundred miles south of KC to Springfield. Mrs. iluvmysephia1 would love to go to Branson/Tablerock lake, she mentioned it yesterday. Maintenance could be done locally at a shop I discovered 5 miles away in Belton. 

What's interesting is that none of the Kansas City Nissan dealers offer a Versa S for that low...their lowest is now over a $1,000 more than the MSRP Versa price, which is $11,990. Price matters, though these dealers couldn't be making much more than $500 per new Versa S sedan.

Have you driven a Versa? It is pretty awful. Does the base model still have crank windows?

sda

iluvmysephia1 said:

xwesx - I'm glad no one got hurt. You'd think the guy with the new (to him) Kia Sportage would have been wanting to drive a bit more careful than that.

My Big Medical Board exam is March 21st in Kansas City. I am studying up for it. Some of you may remember that I am putting a new car out there as a carrot to help me pass the Exam. I was thinking 2017 Toyota Yaris iA's but I discovered Youngblood Nissan of Springfield, MO, about a half hour ago on the net. They're selling 2017 Nissan Versa S sedans for only $9,999. They have six in stock - 2 silver's, 2 black's, 1 fresh powder (white) and one gunmetal grey one. I just need to pick a color. The iA is too much money at $16,499. At $9,999 I can't really go wrong.

The drive would be a couple hundred miles south of KC to Springfield. Mrs. iluvmysephia1 would love to go to Branson/Tablerock lake, she mentioned it yesterday. Maintenance could be done locally at a shop I discovered 5 miles away in Belton. 

What's interesting is that none of the Kansas City Nissan dealers offer a Versa S for that low...their lowest is now over a $1,000 more than the MSRP Versa price, which is $11,990. Price matters, though these dealers couldn't be making much more than $500 per new Versa S sedan.

Are you sure you want something so bare bones? Your Kia Soul is a luxury car in comparison. My fear is once the newness has worn off, maybe even before, you will have buyer's remorse.

carnaught

@XWESX, Glad no one was hurt...scarey though.

fintail

Yeah, have you driven it? Versa was a competitive enough commuter box when it first hit the road, but the new ones seem to be aimed most at cheapskates who want the cheapest rental car possible (and then moan about it during the entire trip when for $5/day more they could have had an Altima). The trunkback model is also kind of awkward in that typical way when a very small car has a trunk - it looks like a guppy or something to me. The Sciyota may cost more, but I bet you get more - and that price is negotiable.

iluvmysephia1 said:

My Big Medical Board exam is March 21st in Kansas City. I am studying up for it. Some of you may remember that I am putting a new car out there as a carrot to help me pass the Exam. I was thinking 2017 Toyota Yaris iA's but I discovered Youngblood Nissan of Springfield, MO, about a half hour ago on the net. They're selling 2017 Nissan Versa S sedans for only $9,999. They have six in stock - 2 silver's, 2 black's, 1 fresh powder (white) and one gunmetal grey one. I just need to pick a color. The iA is too much money at $16,499. At $9,999 I can't really go wrong.

The drive would be a couple hundred miles south of KC to Springfield. Mrs. iluvmysephia1 would love to go to Branson/Tablerock lake, she mentioned it yesterday. Maintenance could be done locally at a shop I discovered 5 miles away in Belton. 

What's interesting is that none of the Kansas City Nissan dealers offer a Versa S for that low...their lowest is now over a $1,000 more than the MSRP Versa price, which is $11,990. Price matters, though these dealers couldn't be making much more than $500 per new Versa S sedan.

graphicguy

fintail said:

Yeah, have you driven it? Versa was a competitive enough commuter box when it first hit the road, but the new ones seem to be aimed most at cheapskates who want the cheapest rental car possible (and then moan about it during the entire trip when for $5/day more they could have had an Altima). The trunkback model is also kind of awkward in that typical way when a very small car has a trunk - it looks like a guppy or something to me. The Sciyota may cost more, but I bet you get more - and that price is negotiable.

iluvmysephia1 said:

My Big Medical Board exam is March 21st in Kansas City. I am studying up for it. Some of you may remember that I am putting a new car out there as a carrot to help me pass the Exam. I was thinking 2017 Toyota Yaris iA's but I discovered Youngblood Nissan of Springfield, MO, about a half hour ago on the net. They're selling 2017 Nissan Versa S sedans for only $9,999. They have six in stock - 2 silver's, 2 black's, 1 fresh powder (white) and one gunmetal grey one. I just need to pick a color. The iA is too much money at $16,499. At $9,999 I can't really go wrong.

The drive would be a couple hundred miles south of KC to Springfield. Mrs. iluvmysephia1 would love to go to Branson/Tablerock lake, she mentioned it yesterday. Maintenance could be done locally at a shop I discovered 5 miles away in Belton. 

What's interesting is that none of the Kansas City Nissan dealers offer a Versa S for that low...their lowest is now over a $1,000 more than the MSRP Versa price, which is $11,990. Price matters, though these dealers couldn't be making much more than $500 per new Versa S sedan.

Yeah....I've had a Versa or two as a rental. I don't even think it's worth $10,000. They're pretty miserable cars. Drive on and you'll see what I mean.