. All the sticky kiddy hands that messed with the knobs of the radio in that new car.
What's even worse is just think about a used car :sick: But, you are right, those hand sanitizers probably do more harm than good. They take away our natural immunity. Just do what you can do and try not to do anything too stupid.
Ultra-defensive motorcycle driving is the only way to go. We pretty much assume that every other driver will make the worst possible move at all times.
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name. 2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h) Review your vehicle
Ultra-defensive motorcycle driving is the only way to go. We pretty much assume that every other driver will make the worst possible move at all times.
Exactly, as I've said before, I assume that I'm invisible- and that anyone who CAN see me will try their best to kill me.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I gat a kick out of all the washing of hands in men's and ladies rest rooms (in car dealerships)(this makes it a car story) and then when you walk out...you open the door with your hand on that well germed up door knob or whatever. I never worried about all that "cleanliness" stuff until I grew older....and now I take those little handiwipes with me wherever I go.
We'd be that way on interstates or highways, or even major streets that get heavy traffic. We pretty much go out for the "Sunday drive" on smaller, slower, less traveled roads - traffic-dodging isn't for us, and most of the roads we take are two-lanes, where even cars VERY infrequently pass each other.
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name. 2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h) Review your vehicle
I totally agree. In addition to cans, fruits, and vegetables, I also wash off all meats---chicken, pork, beef before cooking it. Also, I don't allow food to touch the kitchen counters. I use foil or wax paper. It's so easy for bacteria to be left on kitchen counters. I do, however, eat bananas as you do. I rinse all dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. The idea of food particles going through the wash cycle just turns me off.
Here's a trick you can use in public rest rooms. After you wash your hands, cut the water off with your elbows, and open the door with the wet towel used to dry your hands. As the door begins to close, look back and throw the towel in the trash can. At times, I miss the can. :shades: I also flush the john with my foot. I sound like Howard Hughes, but I'm not really that bad.
I do those bathroom tricks. I'm not as nutty about food that I'll eb subjecting to high heat.
Motorcycles - I don't do them but I have a brother and a few friends that do. Each one has the same thing to say - take the courses that show you how it's really done. First thing they teach you - it's not if you'll fall it's when.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
Got rid of my 84 honda magna 500 cc bike just before my son turned 16. Deep red with a removable faring and rear seat back rest. Bought for 1700 and sold for 1450.
Make that 75% who don't wash. Also -- never eat the mints/nuts in the little dishes at weddings. Read a study that said they tested positive for urine after an hour.
The odds of crashing your bike are remote unless you 1. drink and drive 2. drive too fast for conditions and 3. drive aggressively. Once you take those factors out, it's actually a pretty safe experience unless you have less than 6 months experience behind the wheel.
That may be true for an accident caused by YOU, but does not reflect the possibility of a third party causing an accident.
Case in point, as a teenager my wife was entering a 2 lane highway and didn't see the bike coming at her. He was wearing full leathers and a helmet and put the bike down and skidded to a stop luckily not hitting or being hit by anything. He walked away from the incident.
On the other hand I came across a biker who was riding with sandals, shorts and a t-shirt who lost control of his bike on a twisty 2 lane road. He had a lot of road rash all over...
You are so right. You can't have a dog and be paranoid about germs. I've been washing my hands a lot more because of having to clean up Coco's "accidents". At 13 weeks today, his little bladder just won't hold it long. We're going to wear out the laundry room door going in and out. It can't last forever...or can it? I can see us now, a grown 90 pound dog not potty trained. :sick:
As for flushing the john with my foot, it won't happen much longer. With my new left hip problem, there are going to be some unflushed toilets. :shades:
So previous weekend we pull the trigger and pick up an 08 CPO RX 350. Price was good, trade offer was good and we do the deal. Wife has a lovely new car.
Saturday we head up to Deception Pass State park, enjoy the sun, play in the sand have have a good time, but...
On the way home pick up a rock on the windshield and before you know it cracks all over the place. OK, no big deal, I take my wife's car in to work and have the mobile glass company come replace it....now tonight I am on my way home across 520 (the most evil stretch of highway) and traffic it bad. We are moving along at 25-30 when everybody stops...except me of course, I am late to the brakes and I hit the electrician's van in front of me, you know with the big steel bumper, kind of like you would see on a truck...
Lucky for me, the brakes bit hard and the damage is slight, scuffs in the bumper and a crack in the grill. Will go in tomorrow for some estimates...have not even had it two weeks... :sick:
Oh and the van? His bumper was tilted down ~ 15 degrees and that was it...
PS -isell, I DON'T work at that well known software company
At 13 weeks today, his little bladder just won't hold it long. We're going to wear out the laundry room door going in and out.
Richard, here is some unsolicited advice about puppy training:
It is not a good idea to isolate poor Coco in the laundry room. At his age, you want him to learn to bond with you, not be separate from you.
This will sound like a lot of work, but it pays off: First, crate training. Put Coco in a crate (ideally in your bedroom) over night. He will feel comforted being near you, and he is already old enough to not want to soil his crate. If he whines, you might have to take him out in the middle of the night though, maybe for another week or so. If so, take him out, let him wee, then back into the crate. It's business time, not fun time, in the middle of the night. Do not make night whining into a habit for him to get playtime.
In the morning, get him outside very first thing. Carry him if you need to, so his little paws don't even hit the ground until he's outside. When he does his business, give him lots and lots of praise and a little treat.
Play. Feed. Outside again. Walk.
Inside, either back into the crate OR attached to you or your wife with a leash. Just walk around and do whatever you have to do, with Coco leashed to you. This will help Coco learn to follow you, which is great, AND you will be very aware when he starts making his "I need to go!" signals.
Take him outside probably about every hour at this age. Pretty soon you can move to every two hours. Praise and treat when he does his business.
Then start attaching a command word, whatever you want to use: "get busy" or "go potty" or whatever. Very soon he should make the connection between the command and the deed.
He should be housetrained very quickly in this way. My poodles never took longer than two weeks. That does not mean they get the complete run of the house! It just means that I knew their schedule, and they could hold it until I took them out, every two to three hours, gradually increasing the time to morning, noon, and evening walks. But up until about 8 months, any puppy will need to go out frequently, and it's up to the owner to figure out how often "frequent" needs to be.
Both of mine will potty and poop on command now. One is 22 months old, the other is a 9 year old rescue.
And "Nature's Miracle" works really, really well to clean up puppy mistakes in the house. ;-)
Murphydog, that is a great sales story and a very unfortunate accident story! Guess you didn't have to wait long for that first scratch to appear, huh?
Guess you were fortunate the damage was pretty slight, and no harm done to the people.
Usually the customers would agree that having floor mats was a good thing and they gladly paid for them.
I put weathertech mats (or similar) in my cars. The first thing I do when I get home is take out the carpet mats and put them away. Saving $100 for something I won't use sounds good to me :shades:
Many states have helmet laws but thank goodness I can enjoy the open road without the encumbrance here
I completely agree that it's your choice to not use a helmet (or a seatbelt). Nobody should force you to do that.
However, I feel that the individual should accept the consequences of his/her actions. Maybe there should be two rates of insurance, one for helmet and one for no helmet. Something similar for health insurance of smokers vs. non-smokers.
Please promise us that you won't go wandering around in Mexico by yourself or even with a friend or relative. It is now much too dangerous,..drug thugs, gangs, thieves, rapists, etc.
Richard, take a deep breath. It's not like that. If you know where to go and use common sense, you will probably be ok.
The drug violence is horrible, but luckily it's confined to certain parts of the country. Yes, tourists do get robbed, but that happens everywhere (Antigua recently, Miami a few years ago).
I was in Mexico City a few weeks ago and where I was I would feel safer in the middle of the night than in some places in Sacramento at noon.
verdugo....richard....I agree. Mexico isn't more or less any more dangerous than areas of the U.S. (or dicey areas in any big city in the U.S.).
Being a tourist, you'll stand out. But, hire a guide in any city you go to (particularly Mexico City) and you'll be fine. Knowing the language certainly helps.
My guess is that insurance companies already have different actuarials for states with helmet laws than those without. My insurance company quit writing motorcycle policies several years ago but I am grandfathered in. I have shopped several alternatives but my current rates are still lower than other companies. The bike premium is significantly higher than my automobiles.
I was in Mexico City a few weeks ago and where I was I would feel safer in the middle of the night
This guy was in Mexico building bike paths. He drove through a blockade bandellero's had set up. It can happen too easily. Why take unnecessary chances when traveling? True resort areas are pretty safe, but probably best to not stray too far on your own.
Thank you for answering. Leads me to another question (what is the difference?) but to keep peace and harmony, I won't ask it. So much for *not* asking it
I didn't get an answer and I didn't expect one. lrguy was fairly polite in his replies. I just have a difference of opinion about a particular issue. He has a right to ride a motorbike without a helmet where it is legal and I think he would be safer if he did wear a helmet. I will defend his right to do what he wants...but I have a right to do what I want, and personally, I would opt for a helmet on a bike.....might even be a good idea to wear while driving a car. :P .
I have another question but I won't ask it either (Do you wear seatbelts in a car because it is required by law - or would you not wear them if allowed?) But, I don't want to upset anyone so I won't ask.
Driver, you would not understand my answer unless you were an old biker. When I was in college we used to race (old slow Hondas) on gravel tracks. I can't even remember if helmets were available back then. I do notice here that most of the younger bikers wear helmets and as I said before I wear one occasionally. On the other hand I grew up with the true feeling of the open road on a motorcycle and I choose to continue that practice.
Mr. Klowak was driving with a co-worker near the town of Allende, in the northern region of Piedras Negras,
That region is NOT a destination that *I* would consider safe. He obviously did not deserve what happened to it, but putting himself in that situation/area was not smart.
You can be in many, many places in Mexico w/o seeing a single checkpoint (legal or illegal).
Verdugo and grahicguy, I so totally agree with you. When I traveled to Guadalajara, I stayed downtown, in the heart of the historic area, so I could go to the theater, museums, do some shopping (a short distance away from G. proper is a wonderful silver and pewter market). Never a problem in the slightest.
Note I was NOT wandering around the countryside, driving through bandalleros' blockades, or far from civilization in any way. I felt WAY safer in Guadalajara than I would in certain neighborhoods of D.C., near where I live.
I am not the kind of traveler who enjoys going to resorts, staying with a bunch of Americans, and then leaving. I want to see and appreciate whatever is interesting and historic and novel about where I visit. Going on guided side-trips, OK sometimes, if it's the most efficient way to see some of the sights. But where I was, I was perfectly fine on my own. And as I said, no doubt it helped that I speak Spanish.
Cruise ship personnel will always tell people not to wander too far afield, because they are afraid of people getting lost or losing track of time and not getting back to the ship on time. That's a different situation from the traveler who is on terra firma and just needs to know how to get back to the hotel at a reasonable hour.
Plus, let's be honest, I am a middle-aged woman, not a cute 21 year old blonde who is going to get a lot of attention. There is some safety in the anonymity of being a woman of nondescript age.
Driver, you would not understand my answer unless you were an old biker. When I was in college we used to race (old slow Hondas) on gravel tracks. I can't even remember if helmets were available back then
lrguy...I really do understand. I rode on and drove a friends Honda..I think they were 55cc's when I was a teenager. It is a wonderful feeling and I do understand why you would prefer to go without a helmet.
Risk does have it's rewards, and people would miss a lot if they didn't take risks. It just depends on your risk tolerance. As long as you're having fun that's the main thing.
Took the MPV in for an oil change today. Told the service advisor I heard a clunking noise in bottom front of van. Didn't mention that last time I was in they recommended replacing sway bar links. He came out and said the links were bad... o.k fine so far. But, then went on to talk about how this can be dangerous as he has seen rear links snap and the car spin around. Also, said it can lead to other components wearing out... i.e struts, tire etc.
Now, there are no rear sway bar links on a MPV, and it is not dangerous to drive with bad links from what I've read. The links are suppose to minimise tire hop on uneven road. So, this dude was either uninformed... or he thought he could get one over on the ole jipster. :surprise:
Service advisor also said I needed new front wipers (I replaced a month ago), said the tires are measured at 5/32" (they were measured at 7/32" a couple months ago at Goodyear), and the brakes were in the red, meaning needing immediate attention ( when I had the van in 3 months ago for an oil change it was in the green, meaning ok.) They also recommended a power steering flush, but said the coolant and transmission were fine. Last time in they recommended a trans flush, and the coolant is due for a change. It's almost like they pick things out of thin air to say it needs replacing. I'm fine with trying to sell something that actually is worn or needs replacing... but don't lie. Buyers aren't liars... and neither should you!
Gracious! Will you be getting any work done there, or going elsewhere?
I usually go there for the simple stuff. i.e oil changes, trans flush, coolant change. .. as it is less expensive. Had the oil change done today for $14.99. The more complicated stuff (ignition coil) I've taken to the other Mazda dealership, who's oil changes are $35 and are never discounted.
A lot of this has to do with the opinion of the tach who is working on your car.
One guy might look at the trans fluid and think it needs to be changed while the next guy might think it's fine.
Then there are the guys who seem to think that every car on the road should be in the condition it was when it left the assembly line.
As an example, it they detect a bit of seepage from the oil pan gasket they will reccommend it be changed. They can "seep" for a long time before they start to drip or make a mess.
And some guys get very adapt at beating the clock on certain jobs. Some guys will push these jobs.
Of course, the owner of the car in question want's to believe the shop that reccommends the least amount of work.
The other side of teh argument is that if we stay on top of the little things and don't defer maintenance, our cars will always be in great condition.
As cars age, people do tend to let things go, stretch oil changes, and ignore things until one day the car has so many small things wrong that have escalated, they car isn't worth fixing.
You really should replace those sway bar links but I wouldn't worry about your car "spinning around"!
I put weathertech mats (or similar) in my cars. The first thing I do when I get home is take out the carpet mats and put them away.
One of the first things I did with the Genny was to buy good quality black Turkish towels (Richard and I had a discussion about this awhile back). I folded and taped them to the bottom of the Genny mats so they fit like a glove. I don’t like the rubber mats in the family sedan plus they are hard on the backs of my pretty shoes. When the towels get dirty, like during the winter, I just have ‘you know who’ plunk them in the washer.
The towels fit so well that one time when I drove going out to lunch one of the guys said, “man, this car even comes with upscale mats they look like high quality to me”. I had to point out that he could have the same “upscale mats” in his car since they were towels.
I work with some people that don’t get out much. Might not even wash much. :surprise:
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
I'm in Israel right now and there are a few places that I'm stay away from
Shalom. Did you rent a car? What kind? What are the most popular cars you see there? I think you said it once and it amazed me, most of the taxis are Mercedes and a few Passats.
Service advisor also said I needed new front wipers (I replaced a month ago), said the tires are measured at 5/32" (they were measured at 7/32" a couple months ago at Goodyear), and the brakes were in the red, meaning needing immediate attention ( when I had the van in 3 months ago for an oil change it was in the green, meaning ok.)
Gee I’m shocked that this subject pops up again. To make a very looong story short you have to know about your car yourself or you have to go to someone you trust.
Every time I take my car in to make good on the lifetime tire balancing, I get this same song and dance. If I didn’t have the lifetime balancing, I would rotate the tires myself but since I want the rebalancing I have to put up with the same old routine but it doesn’t bother me because I’m used to it.
Not to let this pass...I ALWAYS check EVERY lug nut before leaving the lot if where I took the car for work they had to touch my tires. This includes PA state inspection. Just a bad habit I got into.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
. It's almost like they pick things out of thin air to say it needs replacing
I am so glad I to have a car under warranty. I hate that part about older cars. I am sure it is cheaper for most people to drive a new car than a used one, unless they know something about the mechanics. It is too easy to get ripped off.
Occasionally I would have a really good honest mechanic, and that was good. But to drive for 3 or 4 years without any real problems or worries about huge repair bills is a nice feeling. And, we will have even more "sales stories."
A lot of this has to do with the opinion of the tach who is working on your car.
One guy might look at the trans fluid and think it needs to be changed while the next guy might think it's fine.
Good point, and I thought about that after I posted. I'll cut the tech some slack on the trans. fluid change, as it is somewhat subjective. But, there is no way those tires are 5/32" or the disc brakes at 2mm. Those are measurable items that should not have registered so low. The brakes were rated at 5mm or above 3 months ago at the same dealership, and tires at 7/32" around the same time. I find it more amusing than irritating. But, you have to wonder about those less informed spending money when they don't have to. He was a nice service tech, and wasn't pushy about any of the repairs, so personally I'm not worried about it.
Oh, the comment, in their write up, on the wiper blades needing replaced were, "Laying flat + the real". Maybe, that is some sort of secret service code someone in here can shed some light on. :confuse:
About those sway bar links, we go to Panama City in about a month. Maybe if I squeeze a couple of those Gulf stream tar balls into the bushings they will be okay? Nahh, I'll probably have it done within the next week or two. :shades:
In measuring tread depth it's possible to stick the depth guage in at one point on a tire and get a different reading than on another part of the tire. tires don't wear perfectly across.
I used to be the guy with the depth guage making warranty adjustments tires I tried to give the customers the benefit of the doubt UNLESS they were being a jerk about it.
As far as the brakes different people can come up with different measurments just like with tires. I will say that as brakes and tires near their last 50% of life, the wear seems to accellerate.
Kind of like the last half tank of gas go's faster than the first helf.
I have no idea what the wiper blade comment was all about?
Comments
What's even worse is just think about a used car :sick: But, you are right, those hand sanitizers probably do more harm than good. They take away our natural immunity. Just do what you can do and try not to do anything too stupid.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Yes, All the time.
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
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2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
Review your vehicle
Exactly, as I've said before, I assume that I'm invisible- and that anyone who CAN see me will try their best to kill me.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Yes, All the time.
Interesting! Thank you for answering. Leads me to another question (what is the difference?) but to keep peace and harmony, I won't ask it.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I knew it was a matter of time and I got tired of taking my chances with all of the idiots on the road.
I'll bet nobody here will admit to that!
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2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
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Richard
Richard
Richard
Motorcycles - I don't do them but I have a brother and a few friends that do. Each one has the same thing to say - take the courses that show you how it's really done. First thing they teach you - it's not if you'll fall it's when.
This cracks me up. You are WAY more acrobatic than I am, Richard!!
I like the self-flushers they have in most highway rest stops now. Takes care of that little problem very well.
I have two dogs. Suffice it to say, if I were paranoid about germs, I don't think we could co-exist. They probably help keep my immunity high. ;-)
That may be true for an accident caused by YOU, but does not reflect the possibility of a third party causing an accident.
Case in point, as a teenager my wife was entering a 2 lane highway and didn't see the bike coming at her. He was wearing full leathers and a helmet and put the bike down and skidded to a stop luckily not hitting or being hit by anything. He walked away from the incident.
On the other hand I came across a biker who was riding with sandals, shorts and a t-shirt who lost control of his bike on a twisty 2 lane road. He had a lot of road rash all over...
As for flushing the john with my foot, it won't happen much longer. With my new left hip problem, there are going to be some unflushed toilets.
Richard
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Do you realize that if the towel is wet the water can transmit the bacteria through it.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Yep, a bunch of germophobes is what we got here snakie. :sick:
Wash you hands, keep your fingers out of your nose, and you'll be fine.
Saturday we head up to Deception Pass State park, enjoy the sun, play in the sand have have a good time, but...
On the way home pick up a rock on the windshield and before you know it cracks all over the place. OK, no big deal, I take my wife's car in to work and have the mobile glass company come replace it....now tonight I am on my way home across 520 (the most evil stretch of highway) and traffic it bad. We are moving along at 25-30 when everybody stops...except me of course, I am late to the brakes and I hit the electrician's van in front of me, you know with the big steel bumper, kind of like you would see on a truck...
Lucky for me, the brakes bit hard and the damage is slight, scuffs in the bumper and a crack in the grill. Will go in tomorrow for some estimates...have not even had it two weeks... :sick:
Oh and the van? His bumper was tilted down ~ 15 degrees and that was it...
PS -isell, I DON'T work at that well known software company
Richard, here is some unsolicited advice about puppy training:
It is not a good idea to isolate poor Coco in the laundry room. At his age, you want him to learn to bond with you, not be separate from you.
This will sound like a lot of work, but it pays off: First, crate training. Put Coco in a crate (ideally in your bedroom) over night. He will feel comforted being near you, and he is already old enough to not want to soil his crate. If he whines, you might have to take him out in the middle of the night though, maybe for another week or so. If so, take him out, let him wee, then back into the crate. It's business time, not fun time, in the middle of the night. Do not make night whining into a habit for him to get playtime.
In the morning, get him outside very first thing. Carry him if you need to, so his little paws don't even hit the ground until he's outside. When he does his business, give him lots and lots of praise and a little treat.
Play. Feed. Outside again. Walk.
Inside, either back into the crate OR attached to you or your wife with a leash. Just walk around and do whatever you have to do, with Coco leashed to you. This will help Coco learn to follow you, which is great, AND you will be very aware when he starts making his "I need to go!" signals.
Take him outside probably about every hour at this age. Pretty soon you can move to every two hours. Praise and treat when he does his business.
Then start attaching a command word, whatever you want to use: "get busy" or "go potty" or whatever. Very soon he should make the connection between the command and the deed.
He should be housetrained very quickly in this way. My poodles never took longer than two weeks. That does not mean they get the complete run of the house! It just means that I knew their schedule, and they could hold it until I took them out, every two to three hours, gradually increasing the time to morning, noon, and evening walks. But up until about 8 months, any puppy will need to go out frequently, and it's up to the owner to figure out how often "frequent" needs to be.
Both of mine will potty and poop on command now. One is 22 months old, the other is a 9 year old rescue.
And "Nature's Miracle" works really, really well to clean up puppy mistakes in the house. ;-)
Guess you were fortunate the damage was pretty slight, and no harm done to the people.
I put weathertech mats (or similar) in my cars. The first thing I do when I get home is take out the carpet mats and put them away. Saving $100 for something I won't use sounds good to me :shades:
I completely agree that it's your choice to not use a helmet (or a seatbelt). Nobody should force you to do that.
However, I feel that the individual should accept the consequences of his/her actions. Maybe there should be two rates of insurance, one for helmet and one for no helmet. Something similar for health insurance of smokers vs. non-smokers.
So much for *not* asking it
Richard, take a deep breath. It's not like that. If you know where to go and use common sense, you will probably be ok.
The drug violence is horrible, but luckily it's confined to certain parts of the country. Yes, tourists do get robbed, but that happens everywhere (Antigua recently, Miami a few years ago).
I was in Mexico City a few weeks ago and where I was I would feel safer in the middle of the night than in some places in Sacramento at noon.
Being a tourist, you'll stand out. But, hire a guide in any city you go to (particularly Mexico City) and you'll be fine. Knowing the language certainly helps.
This guy was in Mexico building bike paths. He drove through a blockade bandellero's had set up. It can happen too easily. Why take unnecessary chances when traveling? True resort areas are pretty safe, but probably best to not stray too far on your own.
Cdn killed in Mexico
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
So much for *not* asking it
I didn't get an answer and I didn't expect one. lrguy was fairly polite in his replies. I just have a difference of opinion about a particular issue. He has a right to ride a motorbike without a helmet where it is legal and I think he would be safer if he did wear a helmet. I will defend his right to do what he wants...but I have a right to do what I want, and personally, I would opt for a helmet on a bike.....might even be a good idea to wear while driving a car. :P .
I have another question but I won't ask it either (Do you wear seatbelts in a car because it is required by law - or would you not wear them if allowed?) But, I don't want to upset anyone so I won't ask.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
That region is NOT a destination that *I* would consider safe. He obviously did not deserve what happened to it, but putting himself in that situation/area was not smart.
You can be in many, many places in Mexico w/o seeing a single checkpoint (legal or illegal).
On our last cruise to Mexico, we stopped in Cabo, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallerta.
We were rather firmly told by the cruise people that it was not advisable to wander off of the main tourist areas.
In Mazatlan we saw trucks driving around the downtown area with police holding rifles sitting in the back.
By the same token I wouldn't want to stroll through a lot of seedy areas in the US at night.
Note I was NOT wandering around the countryside, driving through bandalleros' blockades, or far from civilization in any way. I felt WAY safer in Guadalajara than I would in certain neighborhoods of D.C., near where I live.
I am not the kind of traveler who enjoys going to resorts, staying with a bunch of Americans, and then leaving. I want to see and appreciate whatever is interesting and historic and novel about where I visit. Going on guided side-trips, OK sometimes, if it's the most efficient way to see some of the sights. But where I was, I was perfectly fine on my own. And as I said, no doubt it helped that I speak Spanish.
Cruise ship personnel will always tell people not to wander too far afield, because they are afraid of people getting lost or losing track of time and not getting back to the ship on time. That's a different situation from the traveler who is on terra firma and just needs to know how to get back to the hotel at a reasonable hour.
Plus, let's be honest, I am a middle-aged woman, not a cute 21 year old blonde who is going to get a lot of attention. There is some safety in the anonymity of being a woman of nondescript age.
Amen. I'm in Israel right now and there are a few places that I'm stay away from :shades:
lrguy...I really do understand. I rode on and drove a friends Honda..I think they were 55cc's when I was a teenager. It is a wonderful feeling and I do understand why you would prefer to go without a helmet.
Risk does have it's rewards, and people would miss a lot if they didn't take risks. It just depends on your risk tolerance. As long as you're having fun that's the main thing.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Now, there are no rear sway bar links on a MPV, and it is not dangerous to drive with bad links from what I've read. The links are suppose to minimise tire hop on uneven road. So, this dude was either uninformed... or he thought he could get one over on the ole jipster. :surprise:
Service advisor also said I needed new front wipers (I replaced a month ago), said the tires are measured at 5/32" (they were measured at 7/32" a couple months ago at Goodyear), and the brakes were in the red, meaning needing immediate attention ( when I had the van in 3 months ago for an oil change it was in the green, meaning ok.) They also recommended a power steering flush, but said the coolant and transmission were fine. Last time in they recommended a trans flush, and the coolant is due for a change. It's almost like they pick things out of thin air to say it needs replacing. I'm fine with trying to sell something that actually is worn or needs replacing... but don't lie. Buyers aren't liars... and neither should you!
I usually go there for the simple stuff. i.e oil changes, trans flush, coolant change. .. as it is less expensive. Had the oil change done today for $14.99. The more complicated stuff (ignition coil) I've taken to the other Mazda dealership, who's oil changes are $35 and are never discounted.
A lot of this has to do with the opinion of the tach who is working on your car.
One guy might look at the trans fluid and think it needs to be changed while the next guy might think it's fine.
Then there are the guys who seem to think that every car on the road should be in the condition it was when it left the assembly line.
As an example, it they detect a bit of seepage from the oil pan gasket they will reccommend it be changed. They can "seep" for a long time before they start to drip or make a mess.
And some guys get very adapt at beating the clock on certain jobs. Some guys will push these jobs.
Of course, the owner of the car in question want's to believe the shop that reccommends the least amount of work.
The other side of teh argument is that if we stay on top of the little things and don't defer maintenance, our cars will always be in great condition.
As cars age, people do tend to let things go, stretch oil changes, and ignore things until one day the car has so many small things wrong that have escalated, they car isn't worth fixing.
You really should replace those sway bar links but I wouldn't worry about your car "spinning around"!
One of the first things I did with the Genny was to buy good quality black Turkish towels (Richard and I had a discussion about this awhile back). I folded and taped them to the bottom of the Genny mats so they fit like a glove. I don’t like the rubber mats in the family sedan plus they are hard on the backs of my pretty shoes.
The towels fit so well that one time when I drove going out to lunch one of the guys said, “man, this car even comes with upscale mats they look like high quality to me”. I had to point out that he could have the same “upscale mats” in his car since they were towels.
I work with some people that don’t get out much. Might not even wash much. :surprise:
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
Shalom. Did you rent a car? What kind? What are the most popular cars you see there? I think you said it once and it amazed me, most of the taxis are Mercedes and a few Passats.
Have a nice falaffel while you are there.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Gee I’m shocked that this subject pops up again. To make a very looong story short you have to know about your car yourself or you have to go to someone you trust.
Every time I take my car in to make good on the lifetime tire balancing, I get this same song and dance. If I didn’t have the lifetime balancing, I would rotate the tires myself but since I want the rebalancing I have to put up with the same old routine but it doesn’t bother me because I’m used to it.
Not to let this pass...I ALWAYS check EVERY lug nut before leaving the lot if where I took the car for work they had to touch my tires. This includes PA state inspection. Just a bad habit I got into.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
I am so glad I to have a car under warranty. I hate that part about older cars. I am sure it is cheaper for most people to drive a new car than a used one, unless they know something about the mechanics. It is too easy to get ripped off.
Occasionally I would have a really good honest mechanic, and that was good. But to drive for 3 or 4 years without any real problems or worries about huge repair bills is a nice feeling. And, we will have even more "sales stories."
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
One guy might look at the trans fluid and think it needs to be changed while the next guy might think it's fine.
Good point, and I thought about that after I posted. I'll cut the tech some slack on the trans. fluid change, as it is somewhat subjective. But, there is no way those tires are 5/32" or the disc brakes at 2mm. Those are measurable items that should not have registered so low. The brakes were rated at 5mm or above 3 months ago at the same dealership, and tires at 7/32" around the same time. I find it more amusing than irritating. But, you have to wonder about those less informed spending money when they don't have to. He was a nice service tech, and wasn't pushy about any of the repairs, so personally I'm not worried about it.
Oh, the comment, in their write up, on the wiper blades needing replaced were, "Laying flat + the real". Maybe, that is some sort of secret service code someone in here can shed some light on. :confuse:
About those sway bar links, we go to Panama City in about a month. Maybe if I squeeze a couple of those Gulf stream tar balls into the bushings they will be okay? Nahh, I'll probably have it done within the next week or two. :shades:
I used to be the guy with the depth guage making warranty adjustments tires I tried to give the customers the benefit of the doubt UNLESS they were being a jerk about it.
As far as the brakes different people can come up with different measurments just like with tires. I will say that as brakes and tires near their last 50% of life, the wear seems to accellerate.
Kind of like the last half tank of gas go's faster than the first helf.
I have no idea what the wiper blade comment was all about?