We sold the Mustang last night. I took it to Carmax Monday and received a good offer. We owned it 18 months and just passed 2k miles this week. We should have had more fun with it...
Moving on, we will stick with the 4 other cars while we build a house. We have 10 acres to build on, with a nice rolling topography. Our builder suggests that we do a walkout basement even if we leave it unfinished. My wife has a fear of basements. Growing up in this historical area of Virginia there are many homes with old, stinky basements. That's really made an impression on her. Not all basements are stinky, right?
2011 Toyota Camry, 2014 Jeep Wrangler, 2017 Honda Civic Coupe, 2019 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid XSE, 2021 Toyota Tundra, 2022 Toyota 4Runner, 2022 Tesla Model 3
We sold the Mustang last night. I took it to Carmax Monday and received a good offer. We owned it 18 months and just passed 2k miles this week. We should have had more fun with it...
Moving on, we will stick with the 4 other cars while we build a house. We have 10 acres to build on, with a nice rolling topography. Our builder suggests that we do a walkout basement even if we leave it unfinished. My wife has a fear of basements. Growing up in this historical area of Virginia there are many homes with old, stinky basements. That's really made an impression on her. Not all basements are stinky, right?
Congrats on the sale of the Mustang.
Growing up in CA, basements were rare. I didn't have one in the house I grew up in.
The first house I bought in CO did not have a basement as well; the development was on a mesa composed of a hard clay and it was too expensive to dig one. Never missed it, however.
The house we bought last fall does have a finished basement; my daughter occupies it. It has 3 windows, so there is a decent enough amount of natural light.
Developers here are very fond of walkout basements, so you can get even more light into the space.
In my mind, a basement without windows is a cellar. My MILs house in Cheyenne is like that - dark and creepy.
The most popular house style in our area for the last few years is called a reverse story and a half. Basically, it is a ranch with 1 or 2 bedrooms on the main level, and a rec room and 2 bedrooms on the lower level (basement) usually a walk out, sometimes a daylight (many large windows, no doors). The main level usually has a deck and/or a screened porch above the walk out area. To build this style, your lot has to slope from front to back in order to accommodate the walk out, etc. Very nice workable arrangement.
The most popular house style in our area for the last few years is called a reverse story and a half. Basically, it is a ranch with 1 or 2 bedrooms on the main level, and a rec room and 2 bedrooms on the lower level (basement) usually a walk out, sometimes a daylight (many large windows, no doors). The main level usually has a deck and/or a screened porch above the walk out area. To build this style, your lot has to slope from front to back in order to accommodate the walk out, etc. Very nice workable arrangement.
Hey, I just described my house !
I lived in that style house for about 5 years. For me I prefer a more traditional 2 story. The bottom floor always felt like a basement even with the walkout. I think maybe where I grew up in California it was all ranch style homes, and I just fell in love with the Midwestern 2 story.
Our next house for sure will be a 1st floor master. A 2 story with the spare bedrooms up is fine, since we normally wouldn't have to go up there, and can just shut it off.
Master, office, great room and a big garage with mud room. Don't need anything else really.
Oh, there will be a kitchen connected to the great room. With double ovens. Have to throw the wife a small bone.
At this point,mew have such a long but odd must have list, probably need to build from scratch. Or do a massive full gut remodel. Because getting 75% of what we want may be impossible!
We have master, laundry, garage, etc... all on the first floor. 2 bedrooms up... walkout lower level that is about 3/4 finished out.. We never have to go up or down stairs, unless we want to. We built the house when we were both around 40, in 1998.
Had a tri-level in Boise and the very dry daylight basement was my office and the hot tub was right out the patio doors. Sounds like @houdini1's setup. It's now part of the new garage. A stone house we toured in Boise had a dirt floor in the basement covered by a rug. Stupid and was musty. Had a basement in the UP and it was bone dry, even though we were two blocks from the lake and the water table was maybe ten feet. Ran the dehumidifier all summer. Another house we looked at there was a mile from the lake and it had a daylight basement with mold growing 4 feet up the walls.
They can be done right and daylight ones are the way to go if you are on a slope. Around here it's rare to even see a crawl space.
My sister is in NoVo (well, don't know if you'd consider Shenandoah County NoVo) and she's in a stone house with a basement and it daylights onto her sloped back yard. And it's pretty horrible - dank and full of spiders. But her house is 200+ years old and it's kind of like having a '57 Chevy in the garage. Fun idea and historic, but actually living with it is not my cup of tea.
Basements are rare in low lying areas here, as the water table can be high, and they flood. Houses in many areas will be built raised a little with kind of a half-sunk basement, or none at all. My mother lives in a 1920s bungalow without a basement, as it is a flat area with a nearby creek - no doubt a basement there would flood a lot. My dad had a place in Ocean Shores when he retired, it was half-raised, not the best idea for a house at the beach. The sump pump was always running in the winter. We lived in a couple old houses when I was a kid with normal basements, always kind of creepy, one even had an old "Home Alone" style coal furnace (not in use) that looked like it could eat kids. Daylight basements seem to be a postwar ideal here.
Ideal plan would be a large garage on the lower floor, with living quarters above. Of course, I am saying this as someone who is single and not much into interior design
Basements done right are fine. Even easier if it is a grade level walkout. Definetly worth it.
Ditto... where I live, when they build a house without a basement, we all roll our eyes... lol
X2...actually, around where you and I both reside, anything without a basement is viewed as an inferior house.
Turned my current basement (poured) into a bar, pool room, home theater, etc.
First home I had was built in the early 1900s.....basement was block. water seeped through the block all the time. It still had a coal room (dirt floor) and another area where the previous owner had an oil furnace.
Had to have the monstorsity heating furnace and the oil tank cut out and removed. Plus, had to reduct the entire house, plus put in a more modern HVAC when I first bought it. Fortunately, it was in a reatlively nice part of Cincinnati (Wyoming) and I was able to make some money on the house when I sold it, even given the crazy cost of totally redoing the HVAC system.
I have never seen a house with a basement in this part of the world (Houston, TX). I can't recall a single instance, not one. And with my bad knees, I don't want and will never own any house with stairs, period.
Just as soon have a detached garage - living over a garage means hearing the door opener grinding away and there's always the risk of carbon monoxide.
Forgot about the basement in our first Boise house - it was mostly dry and used for low ceiling ping pong and laundry. But it was just damp enough that the walls would get that efflorescence stuff.
The biggest downside is the same as the second story spare bedroom idea. I hate stairs.
We sold the Mustang last night. I took it to Carmax Monday and received a good offer. We owned it 18 months and just passed 2k miles this week. We should have had more fun with it...
Moving on, we will stick with the 4 other cars while we build a house. We have 10 acres to build on, with a nice rolling topography. Our builder suggests that we do a walkout basement even if we leave it unfinished. My wife has a fear of basements. Growing up in this historical area of Virginia there are many homes with old, stinky basements. That's really made an impression on her. Not all basements are stinky, right?
We have a walkout basement and garage. No odors or mold. Finished it out over a decade ago and really enjoy it' I have my small gaming/home theater system set up in it and it is a wonderful quiet space to kick back and relax in.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Since it's necessary to have the house's footings below the frost line, for the colder parts of the U.S. and all of Canada away from the coasts, the footings have to be quite deep. It doesn't cost much more to go down a bit farther to create a full-headroom basement.
In the Southwest, basements don't make nearly as much sense, but there are some around anyway.
You have good taste. I have never been to the Javits center. The one time I went to the NY show was so long ago, it hadn't been built yet! I think it was someplace up near rock center.
You have good taste. I have never been to the Javits center. The one time I went to the NY show was so long ago, it hadn't been built yet! I think it was someplace up near rock center.
Thanks! That ///M2 is the real deal. Perfectly sized, beautifully sculpted, the quad exhaust pipes, just enough subtle extras to let you know it is a genuine ///M car. I'm sure it is a monster on the road.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
You have good taste. I have never been to the Javits center. The one time I went to the NY show was so long ago, it hadn't been built yet! I think it was someplace up near rock center.
Thanks! That ///M2 is the real deal. Perfectly sized, beautifully sculpted, the quad exhaust pipes, just enough subtle extras to let you know it is a genuine ///M car. I'm sure it is a monster on the road.
<Nice! I saw the NSX at the Atlanta car show last month. It really looks better in person than in pictures, yet still looks sharp regardless.
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
Stick, I believe that would be The Coliseum, Columbus Circle. Started going to the NYIAS in the late '60s with Dad. Fond memories of cheap, white plastic Chrysler key chains! And, "future cars!"
Nice pix, Bradd. No Jags, though...
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
@laurasdada - the Jag display was nice. They had a loaded XE R Sport there. It is gorgeous in person. Interior was simply astonishing. Not as spacious on the inside as a 3er or A4.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Yes, the XF does sacrifice a bit of people space (and outward visibility!) for style. But, as we all know, it is better to look good than fit 6'4" people in comfort! I'll start stalking my local Jag dealer to grab a 3D look at the XE.
My "need" for a large-ish four door sedan is not as strong as it was a couple of years ago. But, the XF is just such a nicely balanced car, tough to give up. Well, until something shinier catches my fancy. Probably should find a home to buy, first. That would be the more grown-up thing to do. With a garage or three, of course. Brother, can you spare a couple of hundred thousand?
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
Thanks for your basement feedback and opinions. I would like to go for it and we have a great spot picked out. We also have a nice flat spot for a traditional foundation. Our builder is going to price both options for us. I will keep you in the loop
2011 Toyota Camry, 2014 Jeep Wrangler, 2017 Honda Civic Coupe, 2019 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid XSE, 2021 Toyota Tundra, 2022 Toyota 4Runner, 2022 Tesla Model 3
Ditto, Ray. Ditto. Unless grown-ups by Hemis, then welcome to adulthood? Or is that adultery?
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
Looking at some used SUVs. Any comments on a 2012-2013 Explorer vs. Edge vs. Durango? Pricing on used Muranos is excellent, but I don't think the infotainment was updated during the model run since the previous generation was introduced in ~2009. Every review mentions poor visibility--at least Ford includes blind spot mirrors to compensate. Then again, it can't be as bad as my parents' Element. (Incidentally, the Murano is the only one of those four I would buy without an extended warranty.)
Vetting possible replacements for the Yukon. I don't mind the "truckiness," but something more nimble would also be appreciated. That said, I don't need three rows but do consider a higher curb weight an ancillary safety feature, and I like the solid, quiet ride of the Yukon. I'd also throw the Jeep Grand Cherokee in there with the Durango.
I had an Explorer for a week long rental once. Yeah the visibility wasn't great, but I got used to it. I did think it was a good road tripper; quiet and pretty good seats.
Used to go to the NY Car Show as a kid when we lived in New York. Think I started in '64 and ended in '69 as we moved in October of that year to sunny Ft. Lauerdale Florida. Had no choice as I was about to turn 15 a few weeks later. My dad retired at 47 and since his folks were snowbirds in North Miami and getting up in years, it was really a done deal. And besides a four year stint at Tulane University in New Orleans, South Florida has been home. No basements here but had a great walk out back in New York where the new owners put in a pool. Sure do miss New York but the area where we grew up is just so expensive now, no way would we ever go back. Must admit, the Miami International Car Show is a pretty damn good one and has been for years. Used to go every year like clock work. The Ft. Lauderdale show isn't as good but a nice try anyways.
The Sandman
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2025 VW GTI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
Had to drive a brand new Tahoe today and though very nice inside, way to big for my tastes. The Expedition I drove yesterday just didn't compare to be honest and understand why Chevy/GMC sell like they do. The Suburban is just way to big and usually get out of driving them as I just feel so out of my element in them. Just prefer smaller vehicles to be honest. Have had some more seat time in the new '16 Honda Civic and they really did a great job especially with the interior. A real drivers car with everything where it should be, an ergonomic grand slam! The exterior still leaves me cold as it feels like they left some pieces out but since there are so many on the roads now, doubt others disagree with me on this. Still loving Hertz and have been quietly getting a few more hours whenever I can but still doing only 3 days a week. Giving myself a few more years and then plan on retiring again but plan on staying retired as I told the better half. Figure sometime between turning 64 or 65 and just praying my spinal issues don't take me out of the game before then! Some days though, I feel like giving my notice but I've set my schedule up to give myself a few days rest in between which seems to help. Chronic pain really is the pits and it does change the lives of those of us that have to deal with it on a daily basis. It ain't no picnic for the families either!!!
The Sandman
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2025 VW GTI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
Comments
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Moving on, we will stick with the 4 other cars while we build a house. We have 10 acres to build on, with a nice rolling topography. Our builder suggests that we do a walkout basement even if we leave it unfinished. My wife has a fear of basements. Growing up in this historical area of Virginia there are many homes with old, stinky basements. That's really made an impression on her. Not all basements are stinky, right?
Growing up in CA, basements were rare. I didn't have one in the house I grew up in.
The first house I bought in CO did not have a basement as well; the development was on a mesa composed of a hard clay and it was too expensive to dig one. Never missed it, however.
The house we bought last fall does have a finished basement; my daughter occupies it. It has 3 windows, so there is a decent enough amount of natural light.
Developers here are very fond of walkout basements, so you can get even more light into the space.
In my mind, a basement without windows is a cellar. My MILs house in Cheyenne is like that - dark and creepy.
Good luck with the house building.
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Hey, I just described my house !
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
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'24 Chevy Blazer EV 2LT
Master, office, great room and a big garage with mud room. Don't need anything else really.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
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At this point,mew have such a long but odd must have list, probably need to build from scratch. Or do a massive full gut remodel. Because getting 75% of what we want may be impossible!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
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They can be done right and daylight ones are the way to go if you are on a slope. Around here it's rare to even see a crawl space.
My sister is in NoVo (well, don't know if you'd consider Shenandoah County NoVo) and she's in a stone house with a basement and it daylights onto her sloped back yard. And it's pretty horrible - dank and full of spiders. But her house is 200+ years old and it's kind of like having a '57 Chevy in the garage. Fun idea and historic, but actually living with it is not my cup of tea.
No problem. Just sell it to Dracula.
Ideal plan would be a large garage on the lower floor, with living quarters above. Of course, I am saying this as someone who is single and not much into interior design
Turned my current basement (poured) into a bar, pool room, home theater, etc.
First home I had was built in the early 1900s.....basement was block. water seeped through the block all the time. It still had a coal room (dirt floor) and another area where the previous owner had an oil furnace.
Had to have the monstorsity heating furnace and the oil tank cut out and removed. Plus, had to reduct the entire house, plus put in a more modern HVAC when I first bought it. Fortunately, it was in a reatlively nice part of Cincinnati (Wyoming) and I was able to make some money on the house when I sold it, even given the crazy cost of totally redoing the HVAC system.
Forgot about the basement in our first Boise house - it was mostly dry and used for low ceiling ping pong and laundry. But it was just damp enough that the walls would get that efflorescence stuff.
The biggest downside is the same as the second story spare bedroom idea. I hate stairs.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
In the Southwest, basements don't make nearly as much sense, but there are some around anyway.
I'm fine with no basement. My wife the junk collector thinks we need one. So maybe I have an ulterior motive?
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Thanks! That ///M2 is the real deal. Perfectly sized, beautifully sculpted, the quad exhaust pipes, just enough subtle extras to let you know it is a genuine ///M car. I'm sure it is a monster on the road.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
blockquote class="Quote" rel="nyccarguy"> Thanks! That ///M2 is the real deal. Perfectly sized, beautifully sculpted, the quad exhaust pipes, just enough subtle extras to let you know it is a genuine ///M car. I'm sure it is a monster on the road.
<Nice! I saw the NSX at the Atlanta car show last month. It really looks better in person than in pictures, yet still looks sharp regardless.
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
Nice pix, Bradd. No Jags, though...
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
My "need" for a large-ish four door sedan is not as strong as it was a couple of years ago. But, the XF is just such a nicely balanced car, tough to give up. Well, until something shinier catches my fancy. Probably should find a home to buy, first. That would be the more grown-up thing to do. With a garage or three, of course. Brother, can you spare a couple of hundred thousand?
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
And all of us here always do the more grown-up thing...
- Ray
Never have really grown up, I guess.
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
And the jag XE sounds really cool. Can't wait to see it in person. A CPO in 2 years, who knows?
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Durango is good looking, but certainly bigger and more "trucky". I think the reliablilty is less than stellar.
first, decide on what your criteria is, and narrow it down.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
25 NX 450h+ / 24 Sienna Plat AWD / 23 Civic Type-R / 21 Boxster GTS 4.0
'24 Chevy Blazer EV 2LT
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
Must admit, the Miami International Car Show is a pretty damn good one and has been for years. Used to go every year like clock work. The Ft. Lauderdale show isn't as good but a nice try anyways.
The Sandman
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2025 VW GTI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
Have had some more seat time in the new '16 Honda Civic and they really did a great job especially with the interior. A real drivers car with everything where it should be, an ergonomic grand slam! The exterior still leaves me cold as it feels like they left some pieces out but since there are so many on the roads now, doubt others disagree with me on this.
Still loving Hertz and have been quietly getting a few more hours whenever I can but still doing only 3 days a week. Giving myself a few more years and then plan on retiring again but plan on staying retired as I told the better half. Figure sometime between turning 64 or 65 and just praying my spinal issues don't take me out of the game before then! Some days though, I feel like giving my notice but I've set my schedule up to give myself a few days rest in between which seems to help. Chronic pain really is the pits and it does change the lives of those of us that have to deal with it on a daily basis. It ain't no picnic for the families either!!!
The Sandman
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2025 VW GTI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)