Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

fintail

tjc78 said:

@breld said:

The interior is the basic black sensafin, but BMW has done a nice job with even the base seats. I'll shoot a pic later. The large screen that BMW is putting into most of their vehicles seems to be disliked by many, but I like it quite a bit. Before we left, the salesperson did a demo of the self-parking feature which was impressive. I probably had it on my previous X5 but never even thought to use it.

And yes, the Mach E and MINI are gone. Bright red Tesla Model Y scheduled to be picked up Friday.

Our EQE has the self parking feature. I was too chicken to use it. I’m sure I will eventually give it a shot (after watching a You Tube video of it).

When I I picked it up I didn’t let the salesman do anything except pair my phone as I was on a time crunch.

My wagon has the self-parking too - I have never used it. I am maybe a little scared of it, and I view parallel parking as a skill to be showed off (with the multiple cameras it is also usually pretty easy).

xwesx

While the "stock" tires are set to match elements of the wheel covers, it looks as though that is not at all necessary in terms of compatibility with replacement tires. I think I would be more concerned about low pressure or a pothole popping the wheel cover off (probably a $1000 replacement piece from OEM! LOL)

Without the covers, those wheels are not too endearing, but what wheels designed for covers are otherwise?!

xwesx

tifighter said:

The other interesting thing was to overhear the reactions of others looking at it. As Fin pointed out, this was at Bellevue Square, which has a lot of foot traffic passing by. So these weren't just people driving to a showroom to see it specifically. I was there for about 20 minutes, and would put the approval rating at well over 50%. Elon has said that it is a gamble, and if it flops, that they can always make a regular looking truck later. I don't think they will have to.

Oh, I'm sure they'll sell a gob of them. I think they will keep they hype up if they change the design radically after a year or two in order to establish exclusivity with these early intro models, but I doubt they will. Tesla has cost cutting down to an art, and not changing stuff that doesn't have to be changed is at the very base of that pyramid!

corvette

You don’t see this every day—Z4 with a tow bar to be towed behind an RV in front (I assume it’s a manual), and a bike rack in the rear. In Key West, of all places.

stickguy

A ToadMW

nyccarguy

Filled up the Tacoma on my grueling 1 hr 50min grueling commute home tonight. 18.83 mpg.

The Jeep has traveled 527 miles since its last fill up. Combined mpgE is 34.64. Battery miles and gas miles are almost identical. 262.2 on the battery. 264.8 on gas.

It’s a crisp 35 degrees outside. I’ve got on a hat, the heated steering wheel, & heated seats. The top is open.

stickguy

35? That sounds like a heat wave to me. had a snow flurry again this afternoon, and supposed to drop close to 20 overnight. But 50 on Friday, so I hope work does not miss me for a couple of hours while both cars get washed!

Sandman6472

Stick, walk me through the process again please. Still not doing something right here. Thanks.

So glad I've got a short commute now...3.3 miles door to door. Can be home in like 8 minutes if the traffic cooperates. Could never do almost two hours especially on I-95 on that stretch from New York to Stamford. Remember that drive well as we used to take the same route to our summer camp in Clinton Ct. all those years ago. Think we'd hit 95 somewhere near White Plains and then it was a straight shot up to Exit 63 on the Connecticut turnpike. 90 minutes door to door from Briarcliff to camp which felt like an eternity when one is a kid.

Sandman6472

Had my 2023 evaluation on Tuesday and did get a raise of $.35/hour so went from $12.60 to $12.95 starting with the next work week I'm assuming. Been just over 4 years now here, 6 at Hertz and an additional one as an independent contractor. Man, time does fly! But hey, not doing this for the money as it's nice to get out three days a week and it's also fun for me. Was going to bring up me going down to two days per week as he wanted to know ow I was really feeling. But felt it wasn't the right time to bring it up as I haven't made a decision on what I want to do plus I need to talk with the other half about this. Part of me wants to go down to two but then, not totally sure. So will stay the course for now as it might be premature depending on if we decide to move or just stay put. Honestly never thought that was an option but maybe it really is? Would like to move when I'm still healthy enough to do it as it would be easier to be near the girls if my health does deteriorate but who knows, this could be the worse I ever get. But obviously, staying put in South Florida is an option we'll really need to talk about...sooner or later!

Sandman6472

Supposed to be a rainy few days with increasing winds. The roof cleaning guy only got through about half and supposed to finish today but if the rains and winds get worse, doubt he will. I don't want the liability of him falling off the roof first and foremost and doubt he'd go up there anyways. This can always be finished another day. Think if I had looked at the 10-day weather report, I would've done this next week, we've waited this long so another week wouldn't have mattered really. Just wish we'd finally get a stretch of nicer weather so we could turn the a/c off for awhile and enjoy some cooler temps.

Never realized how good the house looks with a clean roof but just makes the current paint look tired. We painted the exterior & interior many many years ago so, if we do intend to stay here for a few more years, might have to get these things done. So, besides the new stove/oven, fixing the kitchen, re-doing some of the flooring plus refreshing the master bath, now the painting would be added to the to do list. Figure spending a good $40K would bring this place to where we'd really like it vs. selling and moving to North Florida is our two choices as I see it. Plus, replacing the Golf but that's something I plan to do no matter where we end up. Give Stick and his wife a lot of credit for moving not once, but twice in the matter of a couple of years, a daunting task no matter how one looks at it! Doubt I have the energy to do the same thing at this stage.

stickguy

We don’t have the energy either. But committed now! Honestly, it feels liberating to finally be rid of so much stuff. Clutter just weighs you down. The moving is the easy part. Watch pros go to work and write a check! The new house at the end makes it worthwhile.

And being close to family is very nice.

stickguy

Sandy, find your picture on your computer. Copy it (however the works on a Mac). Go into a comment box and paste it. Wait for the little blue line to finish loading then hit post comment.

You can do the same thing with the tool bar above the comment box. Far right option (looks like a postcard) hit the down arrow. Click on choose files. That brings up your photos. Select the one you want and hit enter. That should drop it into the comments box, then hit post.

mjfloyd1

2024 BMW Z4m40 with 3 pedals and a comprehensive upgrade package has @breld written all over it

https://g29.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2067624

nyccarguy

mjfloyd1 said:

2024 BMW Z4m40 with 3 pedals and a comprehensive upgrade package has @breld written all over it

https://g29.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2067624

THIIIIIS has @breld 's name written all over it.

Michaell

nyccarguy said:

mjfloyd1 said:

2024 BMW Z4m40 with 3 pedals and a comprehensive upgrade package has @breld written all over it

https://g29.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2067624

THIIIIIS has @breld 's name written all over it.

Oh dear. That TSX is nice. I'll guess it'll go for over $20K.

nyccarguy

Michaell said:

nyccarguy said:

mjfloyd1 said:

2024 BMW Z4m40 with 3 pedals and a comprehensive upgrade package has @breld written all over it

https://g29.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2067624

THIIIIIS has @breld 's name written all over it.

Oh dear. That TSX is nice. I'll guess it'll go for over $20K.

It does push a lot of the right buttons. Ultra Low mileage, recent maintenance, 6-Speed Stick, desirable color (not black, White or Grey), & last year of production.

According to the comments which are the best part as always (HEY! WHY DOES THE PAINT METER READING DIFFER BY .00000004 BETWEEN THE FRONT & REAR DOOR ON THE LEFT SIDE, BUT NOT THE RIGHT? THIS CAR WAS SMASHED UP & REPAINTED! I KNOW IT), the selling dealer bought the car on ebay recently.

Sandman6472

Yep, the only reason to move is to get closer to the girls as Chicago is just not going to work for us. So, Northern Florida it shall be with an unknown time frame. Thinking somewhere around Daytona Beach or even closer to St. Augustine could work nicely. Not sure Orlando is really the place I want to be actually. Like the coast as even though we don't go to the beach often, we know it's there when we want to go.

And I get wanting to get rid of the "clutter" that's weighing me down as it6's mostly mine and not the wife's. Too many shirts & shorts that I think I might wear one day. Plus. lots of paperwork that just needs to go. Guessing that all those legal papers from the early 2000's can finally be pitched as I've gotten whatever I'm getting from grandma and being the executor of my dad's stuff, have already made the distributions and anyways, my 3 siblings are all gone now, so don't really matter. G-d decided things in his own way which is quite ironic actually...what goes around, actually did come around! And I got to see it all, luckily.

ab348

I saw my first new Buick Envista in the wild today to my surprise, parked at the curb. It has been getting mostly positive reviews although it badly needs more of an engine.

It looks great in pics of it that I've seen online, so I was surprised when I saw it for real that it looked pretty mainstream. The front end is clean but could be anycar, and the overall shape looked to me to be a bit less swoopy than some of the pics suggested. Not bad and rather pleasant overall, but not the eye-popper I expected.

I spent some time yesterday on Buick Canada and also the US official site (had to go to the US one because the Buick Canada site didn't have a build & price option yet to see options and colors). It comes in 5 exterior colors: white, black metallic, gray metallic, mid-blue metallic and darkish red metallic. Interior choices are all black of course or a light gray and black.

stickguy

I love that TSX. wonderful car. I was looking at a 2006 model in December 2005 when I bought my left over 2005 accord 5 speed. Not quite the same, but pretty close and nearly $10k cheaper!

Seller only paid $10,900 for it earlier this year and did nothing to it, so making good profit on it at this budding. Starting to get up there.

breld

nyccarguy said:

mjfloyd1 said:

2024 BMW Z4m40 with 3 pedals and a comprehensive upgrade package has @breld written all over it

https://g29.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2067624

THIIIIIS has @breld 's name written all over it.

And it's located in my son's college town. Easy excuse to go visit!

jmonroe1

breld said:

nyccarguy said:

mjfloyd1 said:

2024 BMW Z4m40 with 3 pedals and a comprehensive upgrade package has @breld written all over it

https://g29.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2067624

THIIIIIS has @breld 's name written all over it.

And it's located in my son's college town. Easy excuse to go visit!

————————————————
Good excuses are always better than no excuse.

jmonroe

xwesx

stickguy said:

Sandy, find your picture on your computer. Copy it (however the works on a Mac). Go into a comment box and paste it. Wait for the little blue line to finish loading then hit post comment.

You can do the same thing with the tool bar above the comment box. Far right option (looks like a postcard) hit the down arrow. Click on choose files. That brings up your photos. Select the one you want and hit enter. That should drop it into the comments box, then hit post.

I think that with an iPhone and a MacBook, he should be able to AirDrop it.

How?

Find the photo on the phone, tap on it, then, at the bottom of the screen, there is a blue box with an arrow pointing up (indicates "sharing"). Just tap that, after which sharing options will show up at the bottom. In the far lower left, there is a white box with concentric blue circles and a pie wedge out of it at the bottom. It says, "AirDrop" under it. Click that.

If your phone is on the same WiFi network as your computer, your computer will pop up as an AirDrop option. Just click that, and it will download to your computer in seconds. Then, on the Mac, click the icon in the lower right that looks like the photo (it's on top of your "downloads" stack), drag it to the comment box on Edmunds, and viola!

stickguy

Don’t confuse him!

Easiest to me is just log in on my phone when I want to post pictures I took. Saves steps and I’m lazy!

Sandman6472

Too late, he's already confused! Already have the phrase for my tombstone if there is one,"He went through life dazed and confused"! This pretty much sums up my whole life actually. I was one of four but all the brains went to the other three...I got what little was left. My folks knew it, my sibling knew it also, so the bar was lowered for me which I had no problem with. I saw the post office job as a dream come true where the others saw me as a failure in life because I was a blue collar worker. But to me, it was a great job which is still paying me back monthly! They never understood what I already knew, this was a career where we'd never be rich but, we'd make a living...which I did. And now, every month, I smile when I see my civil service pension check in our checking account!

I'm the least techy person you'll ever meet that's why I always go to the kids and they get it done for me. Easy peasy. But must admit, Apple does make things pretty easy to move things to a new device. I only surf the web and do some easy banking online, nothing very difficult. At this point, I've also quit social media because people use it to be mean most times...something I don't understand. When someone I knew back in school when we lived in New York had to call our home phone to apologize for a nasty comment they made about me, Im knew it was time to leave. And how they found our landline which we hardly ever use, is still a mystery to me. This forum is where I spend most of my online time to be honest, as most folks in here are quite friendly.

Sandman6472

Supposed to be a very rainy few days going forward. Saturday is predicted to bring up to 3" to our area. The guy cleaning our roof is going to come back next Wednesday when it's supposed to be sunny and a bit warmer. Hope tomorrow isn't to wet as we'll be driving all over South Florida.

mjfloyd1

@Sandman6472

Take a picture on your phone

Go to “Leave a Comment” on Chronic car Buyers anonymous

Tap this icon that I have circled in yellow and tap “Choose Files”. That will take you to where you can tap “Photo Library”. Then select the photo and tap “Add”.

Then tap Post Comment below the box and your inserted picture

xwesx

stickguy said:

Don’t confuse him!

Easiest to me is just log in on my phone when I want to post pictures I took. Saves steps and I’m lazy!

Well, true, and the only reason I laid out AirDrop is because Sandy said he didn't use his phone to log into the Forum. I explained the fastest way to get the photo onto the computer in order to have access to it where he does log in.

mjfloyd1

Should be able to use my instructions from an iPad too. Just use this icon.

Sandman6472

Hopefully this worked. She's extremely happy with her new vehicle!

nyccarguy

Congrats @Sandman6472 ! Nice rig!

stickguy

sharp car. I like the color too.

imidazol97

Nice car. Nice color.
Congratulations on getting the picture posted!

Michaell

Congrats to your wife, @Sandman6472! Do you know if the trim she got has the turbo engine in it?

Now we need a pic of your Golf.

stickguy

Michaell said:

Congrats to your wife, @Sandman6472! Do you know if the trim she got has the turbo engine in it?

Now we need a pic of your Golf.

it's the limited (based on his signature line) so that is the 1.6t. I loved that drivetrain in my Elantra.

Sandman6472

Yep, the 1.6t engine so it can move when needed. I was hoping she'd get either the Limited or N-Line model so very pleased for her. The new Kona, Seltos & Encore GX were all just too big for her and she was a bit scared to drive them during her test drive, smaller is definitely better for her. But really, one can't go wrong with any of these new CUV's, the current day station wagon, if you will.

oldfarmer50

Sandman6472 said:

Stick, walk me through the process again please. Still not doing something right here. Thanks.

So glad I've got a short commute now...3.3 miles door to door. Can be home in like 8 minutes if the traffic cooperates. Could never do almost two hours especially on I-95 on that stretch from New York to Stamford. Remember that drive well as we used to take the same route to our summer camp in Clinton Ct. all those years ago. Think we'd hit 95 somewhere near White Plains and then it was a straight shot up to Exit 63 on the Connecticut turnpike. 90 minutes door to door from Briarcliff to camp which felt like an eternity when one is a kid.

I experienced that angst myself yesterday as we had to do two trips to Elizabeth NJ to our facility near Newark airport. One trip was in the dark during rush hour. How anyone drives in that traffic is beyond me. At one point a dump truck tried to run me into a wall and then road raged for a mile honking and flashing his high beams.

We were bringing 10 Ford Expeditions down for a backup camera recall which is a puzzle since when I took my Mustang in for that the service manager said “it’s best to leave it alone unless it actually breaks”. Seems it’s a major pain to replace.

explorerx4

My guess is that they would rather do 'customer pay' work, as they usually don't get paid much to do 'recall' work.

oldfarmer50

Sandman6472 said:

Hopefully this worked. She's extremely happy with her new vehicle!

Nice car, nice neighborhood.😊

tjc78

@oldfarmer50 said:
Nice car, nice neighborhood.😊

Even a nice clean trashcan!

Here is a service I bet you all didn’t realize existed… trash can cleaning truck. They come up with a special truck and clean/sanitize your cans.

oldfarmer50

tjc78 said:

@oldfarmer50 said:

Nice car, nice neighborhood.😊

Even a nice clean trashcan!

Here is a service I bet you all didn’t realize existed… trash can cleaning truck. They come up with a special truck and clean/sanitize your cans.

One more reason that I haul my own trash to the dump. Your life has to be pretty care-free if you worry about the cleanliness of your garbage can.

imidazol97

oldfarmer50 said:

tjc78 said:

@oldfarmer50 said:

Nice car, nice neighborhood.😊

Even a nice clean trashcan!

Here is a service I bet you all didn’t realize existed… trash can cleaning truck. They come up with a special truck and clean/sanitize your cans.

One more reason that I haul my own trash to the dump. Your life has to be pretty care-free if you worry about the cleanliness of your garbage can.

I don't use the Rumpke Dumpke company trash bin. I have my own can that holds a 30-gallon bag in my garage. I have this thing called a garden hose and I spray out the insides of the trash can I have. Using trash bags inside the plastic tub keeps it fairly clean. I let it dry with the sunshine on the inside to help sanitize it more.

I use a little 409 cleaner, or bleach, or Dawn detergent to swish around inside the can at least once a year, whether it needs it or not. Are some folk's trash cans dirtier than that?

Free, and it doesn't pollute the 'hood. Save the world.

ab348

Up here they have that service (but not the big truck to do it) where you can hire a mobile pressure wash rig to show up and clean out your green bin. Here you have to clean, press, and sort your garbage into various streams. Any food waste must go into the green bin along with yard waste like leaves and sticks. Over the summer the green bin gets pretty stinky, hence the cleaning service. General trash goes into clear bags. Paper and boxboard goes into a different bag for recycling. Corrugated cardboard gets flattened and bundled. Glass, metal and plastic containers need to be washed and put in transparent blue bags. Some stuff seems a mystery though. I recently discovered that microwave ovens are considered electronics like old computers and TV sets and go to a special recycling facility since the city won't touch them if you leave them at the curb. Except... it it is an over the range microwave it is not handled by the recycling operation and gets left at the curb for pickup by the garbage contractor... hopefully.

tjc78

Wow that sounds like a nightmare for trash.

Here in Jersey … cans, bottles and cardboard in one can with no bags and everything else (except for electronics) is fair game.

If I’m lazy and have a ton of big boxes I just stuff them all in the biggest one and they take them.

Guess we get something for the outrageous taxes.

Fun trick - buy heavy duty contractor trash bags and you can throw away just about anything … so I’ve heard

imidazol97

tjc78 said:

<<p>Fun trick - buy heavy duty contractor trash bags and you can throw away just about anything … so I’ve heard

They are really tough. I've used them.

We pay extra to have a separate truck that collects recycle stuff from smaller dump bins that are green for recycled materials, like cans, glass, cardboard (inside the bin), and a list of other things. That supposedly goes to a sorting facility run by Rumpke Dumpke. If cardboard is outside the bin, the lady won't get out and touch it: she uses an extendable arm on the truck that grabs the green trash can and lifts it and dumps it into her compactor truck.

nyccarguy

@tjc78

You know what Richie Aprile said:

https://y.yarn.co/f7469f6b-8764-423d-ada4-acdda489f881.mp4

Double your garbage back if you're not satisfied

ab348

tjc78 said:

Fun trick - buy heavy duty contractor trash bags and you can throw away just about anything … so I’ve heard

I have some of those that I used recently for the massive job of cleaning out my basement. I still have a long way to go.

I was thinking of putting one of them to use for a nefarious purpose. In the process of sifting though the junk down there, I found 4 48" fluorescent tubes I didn't know were there. I hate those things anyway and have no use for these but I discovered that they are considered hazardous waste here and the collectors won't touch them.

I was thinking that I could put them in a garbage can and using a shovel or something break them into bits, then put the wreckage into a contractor bag. The only way the city will accept them intact is if I take them all the way across town on a Saturday, the only day the facility is open, to the main waste handling depot. I went there once, sat in a lineup of cars for an hour waiting to get to the people who do the thumbs up/down on what you brought. I'd like to avoid that.

stickguy

One advantage of living in a neighborhood where they are still building. Conveniently placed dumpsters!

kyfdx

@ab348 I like your plan

jmonroe1

tjc78 said:

@oldfarmer50 said:

Nice car, nice neighborhood.😊

Even a nice clean trashcan!

Here is a service I bet you all didn’t realize existed… trash can cleaning truck. They come up with a special truck and clean/sanitize your cans.

————————————————
I’ve heard of that service. Perfect for folks that don’t want to put garbage in a dirty can.

Why couldn’t I think of something like that instead of being a run of the mill 40 hour a week working stiff?

jmonroe

stickguy

They have that around us too. Seems odd to me. If the Pail gets smelly I just goes it out, spray some household with bleach cleaner on the interior sides, hose that done, and good to go.