If it is about your life as an accountant.. Why would I want to bore people to death?
Oh, it's fiction! One dark and stormy night, while I sat in my office working on someone's tax return, I heard a strange noise coming from the garage. I put my calculator down, and decided to find out what was making that noise. I was shocked to see a masked man making off with my mountain bike. I jumped in my Sonata and took off down the street after him. I got on my cell phone and called 9-1-1. Unfortunately, the fellow got away and I lost my bike. I was charged with calling 9-1-1 for just a property issue - $150, and for using my cell phone while driving - $150. Also, I wasn't wearing my seatbelt when the officer pulled up, and that was an additional $100 fine.
Another day, in the life of a CPA.
Check the next chapter, when I find out there are squirells making a noise in the attic..........
Richard....just went through that same decision myself, as you know. $40K buys some mighty nice travel conveyances.
As much as I loved my Tahoe, the current gen is bigger than the previous gen. It's LARGE. So, if your wife is looking to go smaller, the Tahoe, as nice as it is, may not fit the bill.
I've seen those Acadias around....nice looking vehicles. Haven't driven one, though.
Ford is supposed to be bringing out a new Explorer, too. Don't know if it's next model year, of further out, however.
Mentioned a little while ago that I helped a friend buy a CR-V. She absolutely loves hers. However, most of what she uses it for is "in-town" driving. Don't know what it would be like on a trip.
You should be able to score a great deal on a JGC, with the new model about to be released.
Last time I had my Tahoe to the dealer for service, Chevy had just introduced the Traverse. I poked around a little bit in one sitting on the showroom. It's a nice "smaller" SUV, too.
Lots of choices, at all kinds of different price points.
One thing I've wondered about (but have no empirical evidence to support) is how carefully Chrysler products were assembled in recent years. Through all the cost cutting, did their "financial masters" force them to take shortcuts during the build and assembly process, too?
Still, I've always thought that if I were ever in the market for an SUV again, I'd give a serious look at the JGC. It's been built for awhile on the same platform. And, I would imagine that Jeep/Chrysler has had ample time to sort everything out. Plus, at least in the Limited models, they are equipped quite nicely, rivaling anything from Lexus (without the rollovers :P ).
>no special order: Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited, Jeep Liberty Limited, Chrysler Aspen, Honda Pilot, Honda CRV, GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Explorer, and Mercury Mountaineer. The list is based solely on looks---not engine, gas mileage, stability, performance, etc. We've owned the Tahoe, Jeep, Honda CRV, and Ford Explorer. The Jeep was our least favorite.
First off let me explain why I’m late with posting. My home computer has a virus and it’s being worked on as I post from the office. I pay McAfee to prevent this but not anymore. They’re history. Now I get to shop around for a better computer doctor. :mad: :mad:
Rant over, now to the Edmunds stuff. I’m not arguing just my comments:
The chains love selling "lifetime" wheel alignments.
Most people won't bring the cars in unless they notice the car isn't handling right or the tires are wearing.
I’m sure they like all of the lifetime stuff but I ain’t no average car dope. With a one time alignment for $50 and lifetime for $120 that was a no brainer, even for me.
As for sucking you into parts that aren’t needed again, I ain’t the average dope when it comes to cars. Plus, I’ve got a car with a 5 year bumper to bumper gizmo but I’ll see what happens if they try that stuff on me.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
Here is the list with no special order: Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited, Jeep Liberty Limited, Chrysler Aspen, Honda Pilot, Honda CRV, GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Explorer, and Mercury Mountaineer.
While I certainly understand why the CR-V is on the list, it does stand out as decidedly different from the others. It's basically smaller, offers a 4 cyl engine, doesn't have a particularly sophisticated AWD system, and has soft styling lines v. the harder lines of the others you mention.
Every other car you listed has the "boxy" design. That would lead me to believe the Nissan & Infiniti SUVs wouldn't be appealing. The Subaru Outback & Tribecca are probably out but you might look at the Forester. A Volvo XC might also git the bill as might a Ford Flex (though not the Edge).
Actually, you have a long enough list already; I shouldn't be attempting to get you to look at anything else.
Since price & economy aren't factors, besides a test drive what other criteria will you be using to narrow the field?
I pay McAfee to prevent this but not anymore. They’re history. Now I get to shop around for a better computer doctor.
McAfee just had a big breakdown a few days ago. Our IT expert at work uses Avast......it is free, and works great. He hates a lot of the companies who charge for inferior programs. He says the new Apple iPad is only for Apple fanatics, who will buy anything Apple makes....basically it is just a fancy iphone.
Good luck...and I understand where you are coming from with your tire purchase. Run flats cost about $250 to $300 each. Personally, I don't think it is worth it, but my roof wouldn't go into the trunk if I had a spare in there.
I'm not a big fan of McAfee. Although my former employer paid for a global license that allowed me to install the product on my personal PC free of charge, I thought it was a resource hog even when it worked, which wasn't all the time. Who needs security software that sneaks out for a smoke when it thinks you're not looking?
So I pulled out my credit card & bought Norton Internet Security. While there are plenty of Norton haters out there, I can only say that the product has performed flawlessly on my aging Windows XP box. It's unobtrusive for the most part & it never lets down its guard; I can't remember the last time my machine picked up a virus.
driver....I still wonder how Buick....of all the makes competing for business in China.....BUICK is the one they seem to like a lot.
Now, I'll assume that Chinese Buicks are somewhat different than U.S. Buicks. But, how different could they possibly be?
I know that GM has put more emphasis on the brand since they've shed Pontiac, Saturn, Oldsmobile, Hummer, Saab (did I forget any?).
I still have to think that the Chinese wants/desires in cars are substantially different than what most of the U.S. wants.
No matter. I'm glad that GM is having success in markets outside of the U.S. I'm glad GM repaid the loan we floated them.
Now, if Fiat, and the U.S. taxpayer can get Chrysler turned around, then it will have been worth it.
Truth told, I'm kind of excited to see the Fiat 500 coming here. Fiat has had a poor rep in the U.S. But, in just every other part of the world, the 500 is hugely popular. It has to be better than the SMART car. Of course, that wouldn't take much. :P
Speaking as someone who does IT Security for a living, let me tell you that no AV program will be 100% effective. All of them will miss something from time to time.
My suggestion: 1. Use whatever AV program you want. Free or paid; it doesn't matter. Just don't consider it 100% effective. 2. Supplement that with a couple of free tools. I like SuperAntiSpyware ( http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html ) and MalwareBytes ( http://malwarebytes.org/ ). Let them scan your machine every week, or if that's overkill for your usage pattern, monthly. 3. Keep your PC up to date on patches and updates. This goes beyond just Windows and includes Acrobat Reader, Java, etc. A great tool to look at what you've got and see if updates are available is Secunia's free Personal Software Inspector ( http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal/ ). Run it monthly. 4. Finally, we all know Windows can get bogged down by the stuff left behind when programs are uninstalled, updated, and so on. Program turds is my term for it, but others simply call it crap. So occasionally run Crap Cleaner ( http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner ). Do both the application & Registry cleans and take the default action to backup registry changes (I've never seen it cause problems but you never know).
My other suggestion is to not trust some trusted sites. Facebook is fine but they don't prevent the possibility of cross site scripting attacks in FB apps. The major ones like Farmville are fine but the lesser known ones have been known to lead to malware infestations. It's happened to my wife & other people I know. Superantispyware & Malwarebytes have been effective, BTW, at cleaning up after rogue FB apps even where McAfee, AVG, and others have failed.
Well spend 2-3 months of intense studying for a 20 hour accounting test which is considered one of the hardest professional tests to take and see what you do when done.
I know what you mean. Try taking a EE PE exam. I’m glad I passed that the first time, because there ain’t no way I would torture myself doing that again. :sick:
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
Whether it is old habits or indecision, I don't intend to waste my money. I have always admired your analytical and objective approach to issues. My approach has always involved the emotional side of life. After all, that is what brought me to this thread originally. Perhaps it makes it a little harder for you to follow my perspective. I'm thinking of a private conversation that we once had. We were both correct, and the final result brought peace to another person.
As for cars, I've made two decisions since joining this thread, and will be making a third one soon. You realize that you could come here and help me. We could co-author a book entitled The Host and Poster Guide to Automobile Happiness. I might even cook you some ribs, as long as you promise not to weigh the ounces, count the ribs, calculate the caloric intake, tabulate the cholesterol levels, and multiply by an exponent of two. :P
..I still wonder how Buick....of all the makes competing for business in China.....BUICK is the one they seem to like a lot.
GG, The Chinese love Buicks and Cadillacs. These are the cars they grew up admiring, and so that is what they want. GM sells more Buicks in China than they do in the U.S. If it wasn't for the sales in China, GM probably would have dropped Buick and kept Pontiac going. By the way, many Buicks in China are very different than the ones in the US, though they might have the same name. China is where future growth could be big, so GM wouldn't want to drop the Buick name there.
I'm glad GM repaid the loan we floated them.
Yes, it is good news that GM paid back the loan 5 years early and with interest. The problem is that is just a small amount of the total that they should repay.
The company got $50 billion from our government, and $10 billion more from Canada (repaid 1 billion in Canada). They have paid the U.S. back $7 billion plus interest, as I understand it, including the latest payment of nearly $5 billion. So they say they paid us back. That still leaves $43 billion. Until the stock gets sold to the public - that's you and me) for $43 billion in US and $9 billion in Canada......well, they still owe us big time. They are pushing this idea of having paid back the government because Ford is seen as a winner, and GM is losing sales if people percieve them as losers. Don't be fooled, they have a long ways to go.
Now, if Fiat, and the U.S. taxpayer can get Chrysler turned around, then it will have been worth it
Agree, but I wouldn't bet on it happening, even if I did bet.
You were wondering about how a CRV would do on a trip. They are better than expected. We drove my wife's to New York once and to PA twice. Remember that I'm a good 12 hours from those places. It was pretty comfortable, along with good gas mileage and great performance. The cargo room was impressive. Since I was on business, we had my recruitment materials, my display set-ups, boxes of hand-outs, and our personal luggage. It took care of all of it.
My wife likes the Liberty and the JGC. She said this morning that she would like to test drive an Aspen. In doing a little research, it appears that you get right much car for your money on those. I don't know how they would compare with a Tahoe---lower in price and not quite as big? As you say, there are so many choices in the $30K-$40k range.
Like me, you were a school teacher. You know what a dollar means.
Definitely agree with you that I know the value of a dollar. However, even though I taught English to budding electrical engineers a long, long time ago, my main professional career was with the government, in the Foreign Service.
I like to save ahead of time in a dedicated "car account" so I can pay cash for a new car. I broke this rule a little bit when I bought my Z, put half down, got a five year loan, and paid that off in two years. I truly, truly hate being in debt.
For the recent car that replaced the Maxima, we tapped the "car account," and paid cash. It's amazing what just $150 a month can grow to, when it's invested well, and when you keep a car for 10 years. That gives a lot of time to let the money grow.
Also why it's annoying when the sales guy starts talking about how I can finance, instead of how he can find me the car I want with the right packages as desired. That guy lost the sale when he could have had it, if he had just listened to what I needed.
It's good to hear that, relatively speaking, you are pinching your pennies. No doubt you are putting all that money into that truck you were going to leave me.
Having lost what would have been a really nice inheritance to the banks exploding (my dad had Wachovia stock forever and in his last month it turned into toilet paper) my advice to you is to spend like a sailor. It's your time.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
I'm aware of that and it sure did have the people where I am hopping for a while but fortunately it didn't get me.
Our IT expert at work uses Avast......it is free, and works great.
That’s the one my DIL says they use where she works, and if I want, they will install it. She’s the one that took my computer to the geeks at her place to have it sanitized, if possible. Paying for something doesn’t bother me but I have never been really satisfied with McAfee from the beginning.
To make this even more interesting and car related, I didn’t get the screaming pop-ups until Son #1 went on my computer to check how the sale of his tires/rims were going on Ebay last week. How’s that for a coincidence? :surprise: :confuse: So, I felt it was only natural for his wife to be the courier of my computer to the geeks at her place.
‘jimbres’ and ‘fushigi’ thanks for the info.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
Whether it is old habits or indecision, I don't intend to waste my money.
Good approach. There's no reason to rush a decision for something you hope to live with and enjoy for many years.
When I first posted the list of cars I was considering, isellhondas thought I was "all over the map." Might have been, but since I hadn't been out car-shopping for a long time, I started by making a list of everything that met most or all of the main criteria I was looking for - had to be "dog-safe" for starters, and beyond that, I wanted cargo space, comfort, reliability, decent gas mileage, some luxury, safety, etc., etc.
That gave me a list of maybe a dozen or so cars. Once I had that list, it was a pretty quick process overall of driving and deciding "definitely not," "maybe," and finally "yes." The Subaru Outback and Volvo V70 ended up being the top contenders, with Volvo winning.
It makes me smile a bit to see some of the salesguys talking about people who test-drive "with no intention to buy." A customer can only buy from one person in the end; doesn't mean all the test-drives were with "no intention to buy," just that either the car or the dealership didn't pass muster. I wonder if the 11 or so people I didn't buy from considered me "just one more stroke" because they didn't happen to be the winners for this particular purchase.
When we were buying recently we had a list of things to check out. At the top of the list were a Subaru Legacy and Mazda 6. Had it been me either of those would have been fine but my wife was looking for quiet more than sportiness. I know the Subaru guy felt like we did a joy ride in his Legacy in that when we cam back we weren't the least bit interested in buying it but that's how it works. The drive eliminated the car.
I'd have felt worse for him but right at that point he pulled the "if it's priced too high (and it was - $3 out of the ballpark!) we can fix that" and bringing out two other guys in the "Wait! Don't leave!" move. Sigh....
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
I wonder if the 11 or so people I didn't buy from considered me "just one more stroke" because they didn't happen to be the winners for this particular purchase.
That was rhetorical huh? :surprise:
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
That's why I never said exactly how many other cars I was considering. ;-)
I did always say I was considering "a few others," though, so everyone I talked to knew they weren't the only game in town. Of course as I went through my list the number of cars I was still interested in was getting smaller and smaller.
I always started right up front by saying I was looking for a dog-safe car that had enough room for two dog crates plus luggage. I had the actual crate with me, in two pieces so I could put them side-by-side and see how much room was still left. That was the top consideration and I never looked at anything that wouldn't have at least had that. In that sense there were no joy-rides of something that wasn't at least a possible contender.
One chance out of 11 isn't good. Guess I'm a little surprised to hear you say that. Seems to me that's not a bad possibility, overall, if there are at least a couple cars in a manufacturer's line-up that might meet the customer's stated needs.
Didn't mean to open up the proverbial political can of worms. I want GM to succeed. I want Chrysler to succeed....especially since they were totally ruined by both Daimler Benz and then Cerebus.
I wasn't one of those who said "go ahead and let them fail". Too many U.S. jobs were at stake. And, there was just too much equity in both companies as at least part of th backbone of American business over a long period of time.
The financial failures? Different story. That was driven by people who produced nothing, manufactured nothing, and preyed upon the American public like vultures. I lost way too much money, that took me way too long to earn, and for what? I still don't know. Those financial firms should have folded, swept away as a lesson learned.
The financial failures? Different story. That was driven by people who produced nothing, manufactured nothing, and preyed upon the American public like vultures. I lost way too much money, that took me way too long to earn, and for what? I still don't know. Those financial firms should have folded, swept away as a lesson learned.
That is it in a nutshell - an appropriate receptacle.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
If you guessed China's 2nd best selling car you would be right...it is a Buick Excelle.
Which is based off an old Korean 2002 Daewoo design, and was sold in Canada as the Chevy Optra, and in the US as Suzuki Firenza. It's rebadged as a Buick and outiftted with leather for the Chinese market.
as long as you promise not to weigh the ounces, count the ribs, calculate the caloric intake, tabulate the cholesterol levels, and multiply by an exponent of two.
Oh, I would make the sacrifice. Though a day without numbers is like a day without sunshine, the ribs would more than offset the loss!
’isell’ comment - "No, there is a difference between a "stroke" and a serious shopper who is comparing cars".
your comment - It is a night and day difference....
Then there should be no beef on the part of a salesman if they spend too much time with a customer and don’t get the sale because they were “strokes” right?
Don’t get me wrong because I don’t consider wasting anyone’s time acceptable because someone doesn’t have anything better to do than “joyride” for an afternoon but I’ve heard too many times (right here) that it happens...even to an experienced biz guy. That’s why I question how long the night/day is.
Just last year when I bought the Genny I was very hesitant to even go to the local dealership for a test drive because I wasn’t fully convinced that I was ready to buy. When the time came that I was ready to buy and the local dealer didn’t have the color I wanted, I still didn’t go there for a test drive because I knew he didn’t have what I wanted and there was NO chance of him selling me what he had.
It’s an old story but I finally got in the car and drove about 2 hours to Ohio to the dealer that had exactly what I wanted. Because the car had gotten very good reviews I felt it was an almost slam dunk but the test drive would tell the tale and I was willing to take the chance. As it turned out I was right but if I didn’t like the test drive I wouldn’t have bought it no matter how much time my Son put into finding me what he felt was the perfect car, color and all, not too far away.
I know I am not a “joyrider” and I know I don’t condone it.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
It's called "getting ambushed" and it happens. Just a matter of picking the wrong customer. This is a numbers game.
Picking a "stroke" can waste half of a busy Saturday.
Sometimes, a good salesperson can turn a stroke into a real buyer. We know this and we aren't quick to drop a customer. Some will, however. When they realize they are dealing with a non serious shopper, they will drop them like a bad habit.
jmonroe, did you give that first dealer a chance to do a "locate" and get the color you wanted?
If you or she like large but not huge, take a look at the Acadia/Traverse/Enclave. I have the Saturn Outlook which on the same platform as these 3. Great vehicle. Hwy MPG up to around 22-25 (higher on flat ground, lower in hills or with headwind.) It is almost as wide and long as the Tahoe/Yukon but not as tall. 3rd row seating is suitable for adults. Very good ride. I think the Enclave has more sound deadening that the others, so if a quite ride is desired, that one deserves a look.
But, don't buy one of these with the sun roofs. That is their weekness. A lot of owners have leaks from those. Fortunately I got the Outlook without the sunroof and no problems.
We previously had a '00 Jeep Grand Cherokee and this is a much better vehicle than that one was.
jmonroe, did you give that first dealer a chance to do a "locate" and get the color you wanted?
I sure did. I started my search with an email to this guy and he responded that he had the car I wanted even though he didn’t since I could tell it was a canned answer to my inquiry because I knew his inventory via his web site (even went there on the previous Sunday) but I let that pass. He then calls me (left a message) which I didn’t mind like some of the posters have said they do because it showed me he was at least a little bit interested in making a sale. I called him back (left a message) as to what I wanted and he called me the next day (I just waked in the door) and said, “the car you’re looking for isn’t available within a 3000 mile radius of Pittsburgh” :surprise: then he says, “we have a beautiful Silver one equipped just like you want that I’m sure you’d like, when would you like to come in for a test drive”?
I wasn’t going to argue with him because what I wanted was about 120 miles away in Ohio nor was I about to give him a geography lesson since he was already all wet and would have drown going 3000 miles east of the Burgh.
Some guys, as you know, just don’t listen.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
I can recommend that malwarebytes stuff. Had some virus that nothing else touched. Forget what it wa, but lots of info on google abou [non-permissible content removed]. For some reason, the mazda dealer site wouldn't load inventory list because I had it (I never quite figured out what it would do, but that is how I discovered the infection).
MWB blew it away, and no problems since.
No Richard, IMO the Outlook/Arcasida/etc. are jumbo beasts. If you don't want a tahoe, these are actually in some ways (I think length) bigger. Just not as trucky. And they have a gigundous hood to look over, but if you like GMs, maybe that doesn't bother you!
But, how about something more exotic. The Volvo XC60 has a great interior, is a nice ssize, and is supposed to drive great. And if you get the right model, with incentives, certainly within your budget.
If Edmunds has a forum for “prices paid for tires” and I went over there, I’m sure I will find out I got screwed and slammed like a baby seal just like car buyers find out after they buy. I wasn’t trying to save the last penny but I was trying to get a very good tire. Time will tell.
My experience isn't exactly comparable, but here goes... The Pirelli PZero Nero M+S all season tires I fitted to my wife's X3 2.5 had lasted over 48,000 miles, but two weeks ago it was time for a new set of tires. I decided to go with the new PZero Nero All Season(which has now replaced the PZero Nero M+S). As usual, I purchased the tires from Tire Rack and had them shipped to one of their recommended installers. Total cost including shipping and installation: $617.00.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Could agree more on malwarebytes. I have used it on all my computers for a couple of years. My daughter recently picked up a virus and malwarebytes just blew it away.
Whatever you do, don't check out the infinity ex35 with your wife. Once she gets behind the wheel it could be all over but the purring. 3k rebate should bring the awd journey to about 35k. Rwd would be less. Jayrider [joyrider?]
It's an answer to a question that nobody asked. I'll stick to my steering wheel (and stick shift) thank you very much. :shades: Why do we need more automated and computerized features in our cars?
"No Richard, IMO the Outlook/Arcasida/etc. are jumbo beasts. If you don't want a tahoe, these are actually in some ways (I think length) bigger. Just not as trucky. And they have a gigundous hood to look over, but if you like GMs, maybe that doesn't bother you! "
Hum. I don't consider the Outlook hood to be that gigundous. I looked at the specs for and
Tahoe Traverse Acadia WB 116" 118.9" 118.9" LEN 202" 205" 200.7" WID 79" 78.4" 78.2" H 76.9" 72.8" 72.8"
While the Outlook is larger than our Envoy XL and my old '00 Trooper it does not feel as large as the Yukon/Tahoe to me. But, I tend to like the larger vehicles so something else might fit you better. Also, when I bought the '08 Outlook I could get it loaded with the features I wanted for $31K or so plus TTL ($35K MSRP) whereas the Tahoe/Yukon with similar equipment was still $40K. I looked at the same Outlook in '09 and they added the rearview camera to the convenience package and the MSRP had jumped about $2000.
Comments
Why would I want to bore people to death?
Oh, it's fiction! One dark and stormy night, while I sat in my office working on someone's tax return, I heard a strange noise coming from the garage. I put my calculator down, and decided to find out what was making that noise. I was shocked to see a masked man making off with my mountain bike. I jumped in my Sonata and took off down the street after him. I got on my cell phone and called 9-1-1. Unfortunately, the fellow got away and I lost my bike. I was charged with calling 9-1-1 for just a property issue - $150, and for using my cell phone while driving - $150. Also, I wasn't wearing my seatbelt when the officer pulled up, and that was an additional $100 fine.
Another day, in the life of a CPA.
Check the next chapter, when I find out there are squirells making a noise in the attic..........
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
As much as I loved my Tahoe, the current gen is bigger than the previous gen. It's LARGE. So, if your wife is looking to go smaller, the Tahoe, as nice as it is, may not fit the bill.
I've seen those Acadias around....nice looking vehicles. Haven't driven one, though.
Ford is supposed to be bringing out a new Explorer, too. Don't know if it's next model year, of further out, however.
Mentioned a little while ago that I helped a friend buy a CR-V. She absolutely loves hers. However, most of what she uses it for is "in-town" driving. Don't know what it would be like on a trip.
You should be able to score a great deal on a JGC, with the new model about to be released.
Last time I had my Tahoe to the dealer for service, Chevy had just introduced the Traverse. I poked around a little bit in one sitting on the showroom. It's a nice "smaller" SUV, too.
Lots of choices, at all kinds of different price points.
One thing I've wondered about (but have no empirical evidence to support) is how carefully Chrysler products were assembled in recent years. Through all the cost cutting, did their "financial masters" force them to take shortcuts during the build and assembly process, too?
Still, I've always thought that if I were ever in the market for an SUV again, I'd give a serious look at the JGC. It's been built for awhile on the same platform. And, I would imagine that Jeep/Chrysler has had ample time to sort everything out. Plus, at least in the Limited models, they are equipped quite nicely, rivaling anything from Lexus (without the rollovers :P ).
If you guessed China's 2nd best selling car you would be right...it is a Buick Excelle.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Don't forget the Buick Enclave.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Rant over, now to the Edmunds stuff. I’m not arguing just my comments:
The chains love selling "lifetime" wheel alignments.
Most people won't bring the cars in unless they notice the car isn't handling right or the tires are wearing.
I’m sure they like all of the lifetime stuff but I ain’t no average car dope. With a one time alignment for $50 and lifetime for $120 that was a no brainer, even for me.
As for sucking you into parts that aren’t needed again, I ain’t the average dope when it comes to cars. Plus, I’ve got a car with a 5 year bumper to bumper gizmo but I’ll see what happens if they try that stuff on me.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
While I certainly understand why the CR-V is on the list, it does stand out as decidedly different from the others. It's basically smaller, offers a 4 cyl engine, doesn't have a particularly sophisticated AWD system, and has soft styling lines v. the harder lines of the others you mention.
Every other car you listed has the "boxy" design. That would lead me to believe the Nissan & Infiniti SUVs wouldn't be appealing. The Subaru Outback & Tribecca are probably out but you might look at the Forester. A Volvo XC might also git the bill as might a Ford Flex (though not the Edge).
Actually, you have a long enough list already; I shouldn't be attempting to get you to look at anything else.
Since price & economy aren't factors, besides a test drive what other criteria will you be using to narrow the field?
McAfee just had a big breakdown a few days ago. Our IT expert at work uses Avast......it is free, and works great. He hates a lot of the companies who charge for inferior programs. He says the new Apple iPad is only for Apple fanatics, who will buy anything Apple makes....basically it is just a fancy iphone.
Good luck...and I understand where you are coming from with your tire purchase.
Run flats cost about $250 to $300 each. Personally, I don't think it is worth it, but my roof wouldn't go into the trunk if I had a spare in there.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
So I pulled out my credit card & bought Norton Internet Security. While there are plenty of Norton haters out there, I can only say that the product has performed flawlessly on my aging Windows XP box. It's unobtrusive for the most part & it never lets down its guard; I can't remember the last time my machine picked up a virus.
Now, I'll assume that Chinese Buicks are somewhat different than U.S. Buicks. But, how different could they possibly be?
I know that GM has put more emphasis on the brand since they've shed Pontiac, Saturn, Oldsmobile, Hummer, Saab (did I forget any?).
I still have to think that the Chinese wants/desires in cars are substantially different than what most of the U.S. wants.
No matter. I'm glad that GM is having success in markets outside of the U.S. I'm glad GM repaid the loan we floated them.
Now, if Fiat, and the U.S. taxpayer can get Chrysler turned around, then it will have been worth it.
Truth told, I'm kind of excited to see the Fiat 500 coming here. Fiat has had a poor rep in the U.S. But, in just every other part of the world, the 500 is hugely popular. It has to be better than the SMART car. Of course, that wouldn't take much. :P
My suggestion:
1. Use whatever AV program you want. Free or paid; it doesn't matter. Just don't consider it 100% effective.
2. Supplement that with a couple of free tools. I like SuperAntiSpyware ( http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html ) and MalwareBytes ( http://malwarebytes.org/ ). Let them scan your machine every week, or if that's overkill for your usage pattern, monthly.
3. Keep your PC up to date on patches and updates. This goes beyond just Windows and includes Acrobat Reader, Java, etc. A great tool to look at what you've got and see if updates are available is Secunia's free Personal Software Inspector ( http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal/ ). Run it monthly.
4. Finally, we all know Windows can get bogged down by the stuff left behind when programs are uninstalled, updated, and so on. Program turds is my term for it, but others simply call it crap. So occasionally run Crap Cleaner ( http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner ). Do both the application & Registry cleans and take the default action to backup registry changes (I've never seen it cause problems but you never know).
My other suggestion is to not trust some trusted sites. Facebook is fine but they don't prevent the possibility of cross site scripting attacks in FB apps. The major ones like Farmville are fine but the lesser known ones have been known to lead to malware infestations. It's happened to my wife & other people I know. Superantispyware & Malwarebytes have been effective, BTW, at cleaning up after rogue FB apps even where McAfee, AVG, and others have failed.
I know what you mean. Try taking a EE PE exam. I’m glad I passed that the first time, because there ain’t no way I would torture myself doing that again. :sick:
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
As for cars, I've made two decisions since joining this thread, and will be making a third one soon.
Richard
GG, The Chinese love Buicks and Cadillacs. These are the cars they grew up admiring, and so that is what they want. GM sells more Buicks in China than they do in the U.S. If it wasn't for the sales in China, GM probably would have dropped Buick and kept Pontiac going. By the way, many Buicks in China are very different than the ones in the US, though they might have the same name. China is where future growth could be big, so GM wouldn't want to drop the Buick name there.
I'm glad GM repaid the loan we floated them.
Yes, it is good news that GM paid back the loan 5 years early and with interest. The problem is that is just a small amount of the total that they should repay.
The company got $50 billion from our government, and $10 billion more from Canada (repaid 1 billion in Canada). They have paid the U.S. back $7 billion plus interest, as I understand it, including the latest payment of nearly $5 billion. So they say they paid us back.
That still leaves $43 billion. Until the stock gets sold to the public - that's you and me) for $43 billion in US and $9 billion in Canada......well, they still owe us big time. They are pushing this idea of having paid back the government because Ford is seen as a winner, and GM is losing sales if people percieve them as losers.
Don't be fooled, they have a long ways to go.
Now, if Fiat, and the U.S. taxpayer can get Chrysler turned around, then it will have been worth it
Agree, but I wouldn't bet on it happening, even if I did bet.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I am sure it will be a national best seller. I only ask one thing. Please don't ask me if I can get it published.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Richard
Sounds good though...
I should visit China some time!
Richard
My wife likes the Liberty and the JGC. She said this morning that she would like to test drive an Aspen. In doing a little research, it appears that you get right much car for your money on those. I don't know how they would compare with a Tahoe---lower in price and not quite as big? As you say, there are so many choices in the $30K-$40k range.
Richard
Definitely agree with you that I know the value of a dollar. However, even though I taught English to budding electrical engineers a long, long time ago, my main professional career was with the government, in the Foreign Service.
I like to save ahead of time in a dedicated "car account" so I can pay cash for a new car. I broke this rule a little bit when I bought my Z, put half down, got a five year loan, and paid that off in two years. I truly, truly hate being in debt.
For the recent car that replaced the Maxima, we tapped the "car account," and paid cash. It's amazing what just $150 a month can grow to, when it's invested well, and when you keep a car for 10 years. That gives a lot of time to let the money grow.
Also why it's annoying when the sales guy starts talking about how I can finance, instead of how he can find me the car I want with the right packages as desired. That guy lost the sale when he could have had it, if he had just listened to what I needed.
Having lost what would have been a really nice inheritance to the banks exploding (my dad had Wachovia stock forever and in his last month it turned into toilet paper) my advice to you is to spend like a sailor. It's your time.
I'm aware of that and it sure did have the people where I am hopping for a while but fortunately it didn't get me.
Our IT expert at work uses Avast......it is free, and works great.
That’s the one my DIL says they use where she works, and if I want, they will install it. She’s the one that took my computer to the geeks at her place to have it sanitized, if possible. Paying for something doesn’t bother me but I have never been really satisfied with McAfee from the beginning.
To make this even more interesting and car related, I didn’t get the screaming pop-ups until Son #1 went on my computer to check how the sale of his tires/rims were going on Ebay last week. How’s that for a coincidence? :surprise: :confuse: So, I felt it was only natural for his wife to be the courier of my computer to the geeks at her place.
‘jimbres’ and ‘fushigi’ thanks for the info.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
Good approach. There's no reason to rush a decision for something you hope to live with and enjoy for many years.
When I first posted the list of cars I was considering, isellhondas thought I was "all over the map." Might have been, but since I hadn't been out car-shopping for a long time, I started by making a list of everything that met most or all of the main criteria I was looking for - had to be "dog-safe" for starters, and beyond that, I wanted cargo space, comfort, reliability, decent gas mileage, some luxury, safety, etc., etc.
That gave me a list of maybe a dozen or so cars. Once I had that list, it was a pretty quick process overall of driving and deciding "definitely not," "maybe," and finally "yes." The Subaru Outback and Volvo V70 ended up being the top contenders, with Volvo winning.
It makes me smile a bit to see some of the salesguys talking about people who test-drive "with no intention to buy." A customer can only buy from one person in the end; doesn't mean all the test-drives were with "no intention to buy," just that either the car or the dealership didn't pass muster. I wonder if the 11 or so people I didn't buy from considered me "just one more stroke" because they didn't happen to be the winners for this particular purchase.
When we were buying recently we had a list of things to check out. At the top of the list were a Subaru Legacy and Mazda 6. Had it been me either of those would have been fine but my wife was looking for quiet more than sportiness. I know the Subaru guy felt like we did a joy ride in his Legacy in that when we cam back we weren't the least bit interested in buying it but that's how it works. The drive eliminated the car.
I'd have felt worse for him but right at that point he pulled the "if it's priced too high (and it was - $3 out of the ballpark!) we can fix that" and bringing out two other guys in the "Wait! Don't leave!" move. Sigh....
I will say that it's hard to land an unfocused person on a car.
There are serious shoppers and joyriders who thinks it's good sport to drive cars when they aren't really in the market.
I do have to admit that if a customer told me they were considering 11 different cars, my interest would have faded quickly.
One chance out of 11 isn't good.
That was rhetorical huh? :surprise:
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
I did always say I was considering "a few others," though, so everyone I talked to knew they weren't the only game in town. Of course as I went through my list the number of cars I was still interested in was getting smaller and smaller.
I always started right up front by saying I was looking for a dog-safe car that had enough room for two dog crates plus luggage. I had the actual crate with me, in two pieces so I could put them side-by-side and see how much room was still left. That was the top consideration and I never looked at anything that wouldn't have at least had that. In that sense there were no joy-rides of something that wasn't at least a possible contender.
One chance out of 11 isn't good. Guess I'm a little surprised to hear you say that. Seems to me that's not a bad possibility, overall, if there are at least a couple cars in a manufacturer's line-up that might meet the customer's stated needs.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I should visit China some time
LOL.....you will think you have gone to heaven.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
No, not rhetorical....and as Isell replied:
No, there is a difference between a "stroke" and a serious shopper who is comparing cars.
It is a night and day difference....
Thanks much.
I'll give this stuff a spin on my home computer over the weekend.
I wasn't one of those who said "go ahead and let them fail". Too many U.S. jobs were at stake. And, there was just too much equity in both companies as at least part of th backbone of American business over a long period of time.
The financial failures? Different story. That was driven by people who produced nothing, manufactured nothing, and preyed upon the American public like vultures. I lost way too much money, that took me way too long to earn, and for what? I still don't know. Those financial firms should have folded, swept away as a lesson learned.
I'll step off my soap box.
That is it in a nutshell - an appropriate receptacle.
Which is based off an old Korean 2002 Daewoo design, and was sold in Canada as the Chevy Optra, and in the US as Suzuki Firenza. It's rebadged as a Buick and outiftted with leather for the Chinese market.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Norton got that reputation the old fashioned way, they EARNED it!
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
Oh, I would make the sacrifice. Though a day without numbers is like a day without sunshine, the ribs would more than offset the loss!
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
your comment - It is a night and day difference....
Then there should be no beef on the part of a salesman if they spend too much time with a customer and don’t get the sale because they were “strokes” right?
Don’t get me wrong because I don’t consider wasting anyone’s time acceptable because someone doesn’t have anything better to do than “joyride” for an afternoon but I’ve heard too many times (right here) that it happens...even to an experienced biz guy. That’s why I question how long the night/day is.
Just last year when I bought the Genny I was very hesitant to even go to the local dealership for a test drive because I wasn’t fully convinced that I was ready to buy. When the time came that I was ready to buy and the local dealer didn’t have the color I wanted, I still didn’t go there for a test drive because I knew he didn’t have what I wanted and there was NO chance of him selling me what he had.
It’s an old story but I finally got in the car and drove about 2 hours to Ohio to the dealer that had exactly what I wanted. Because the car had gotten very good reviews I felt it was an almost slam dunk but the test drive would tell the tale and I was willing to take the chance. As it turned out I was right but if I didn’t like the test drive I wouldn’t have bought it no matter how much time my Son put into finding me what he felt was the perfect car, color and all, not too far away.
I know I am not a “joyrider” and I know I don’t condone it.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
Whoops! I ran her over!
Picking a "stroke" can waste half of a busy Saturday.
Sometimes, a good salesperson can turn a stroke into a real buyer. We know this and we aren't quick to drop a customer. Some will, however. When they realize they are dealing with a non serious shopper, they will drop them like a bad habit.
jmonroe, did you give that first dealer a chance to do a "locate" and get the color you wanted?
But, don't buy one of these with the sun roofs. That is their weekness. A lot of owners have leaks from those. Fortunately I got the Outlook without the sunroof and no problems.
We previously had a '00 Jeep Grand Cherokee and this is a much better vehicle than that one was.
I sure did. I started my search with an email to this guy and he responded that he had the car I wanted even though he didn’t since I could tell it was a canned answer to my inquiry because I knew his inventory via his web site (even went there on the previous Sunday) but I let that pass. He then calls me (left a message) which I didn’t mind like some of the posters have said they do because it showed me he was at least a little bit interested in making a sale. I called him back (left a message) as to what I wanted and he called me the next day (I just waked in the door) and said, “the car you’re looking for isn’t available within a 3000 mile radius of Pittsburgh” :surprise: then he says, “we have a beautiful Silver one equipped just like you want that I’m sure you’d like, when would you like to come in for a test drive”?
I wasn’t going to argue with him because what I wanted was about 120 miles away in Ohio nor was I about to give him a geography lesson since he was already all wet and would have drown going 3000 miles east of the Burgh.
Some guys, as you know, just don’t listen.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
MWB blew it away, and no problems since.
No Richard, IMO the Outlook/Arcasida/etc. are jumbo beasts. If you don't want a tahoe, these are actually in some ways (I think length) bigger. Just not as trucky. And they have a gigundous hood to look over, but if you like GMs, maybe that doesn't bother you!
But, how about something more exotic. The Volvo XC60 has a great interior, is a nice ssize, and is supposed to drive great. And if you get the right model, with incentives, certainly within your budget.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
My experience isn't exactly comparable, but here goes... The Pirelli PZero Nero M+S all season tires I fitted to my wife's X3 2.5 had lasted over 48,000 miles, but two weeks ago it was time for a new set of tires. I decided to go with the new PZero Nero All Season(which has now replaced the PZero Nero M+S). As usual, I purchased the tires from Tire Rack and had them shipped to one of their recommended installers. Total cost including shipping and installation: $617.00.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Jayrider [joyrider?]
It's an answer to a question that nobody asked. I'll stick to my steering wheel (and stick shift) thank you very much. :shades: Why do we need more automated and computerized features in our cars?
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Hum. I don't consider the Outlook hood to be that gigundous. I looked at the specs for and
Tahoe Traverse Acadia
WB 116" 118.9" 118.9"
LEN 202" 205" 200.7"
WID 79" 78.4" 78.2"
H 76.9" 72.8" 72.8"
While the Outlook is larger than our Envoy XL and my old '00 Trooper it does not feel as large as the Yukon/Tahoe to me. But, I tend to like the larger vehicles so something else might fit you better. Also, when I bought the '08 Outlook I could get it loaded with the features I wanted for $31K or so plus TTL ($35K MSRP) whereas the Tahoe/Yukon with similar equipment was still $40K. I looked at the same Outlook in '09 and they added the rearview camera to the convenience package and the MSRP had jumped about $2000.