By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
My bad. Sorry to hear. How have you adapted to driving? I was pretty near sighted (-7 in left eye, -6.75 in right) before having surgery.
Any of you with kids maybe under 30 or so you may remember that when your wife was pregnant the first thing they'd tell her is that she was under no circumstances deal with the cat box. The concern there was for toxoplasmosis. Well, mom didn't have a cat but there's other ways it can get transmitted and she got it while I was still in there. She wasn't sick or anything. The only way they knew was when I turned up with the exposure which is typical. It's really rare in the US - especially in the Northeast. I've only met one other person with it - ironically my oldest daughter's boyfriend but he has a mild exposure and sees fine.
Driving with one eye (I do actually have peripheral vision in the bad eye) isn't a big deal. Your brain does all sorts of adjusting. I always wondered what it would be like if somebody starting building little cars that looked like the big ones figuring size was part of figuring things out but when they did start doing that kind of thing it wasn't an issue. I know several one eyed drivers.
Craig - you weren't the one I had in mind but that's very interesting. Speaking of contacts, when I was a kid they didn't want me to have them. A few years ago I tried them out and liked them in general but they were more trouble than they were worth to me.
Richard
Richard
You are so right about that feeling. I always hate to hear people say, "I wish that I hadn't bought that car." When you think about the money involved and the time length of ownership, it's such a shame not to be happy with your purchase.
Richard
As for 3D movies, I just can't do it. My niece drug me to one last year. For her sake, I stuck it out for an hour. I finally got up and went to the lobby and waited on her to finish seeing the movie.
I can't wear contacts. My eye muscles jump too much to keep them in focus. I do wear some nice designer glasses. (Grin) You are correct about the brain making adjustments for you. Looking back, it's funny. My students used to say that they couldn't tell if i was really watching them or not. For that reason, they didn't try to get by with too much. For every bad situation, i suppose that some good comes from it.
Richard
GG--
I'm with Richard on this. How many times have we heard on this forum where one of the members (or trolls) got the exact opposite treatment from an auto dealership. Not the significant distrust of commission sales folk. Clearly, one worker made a mistake, or worse, sold it to make a bigger profit, but management worked pretty hard to rectify the situation.
For contrast, remember your dealings with Cadillac and GM? It doesn't seem like they gave one hoot whether you were a satisfied customer and much, much more money was at stake. GM will likely never earn your business again (nor mine), but you probably will consider the appliance/electronics chain and so will other members of the forum. So who ultimately wins? There should be a teachable moment here, too bad very few companies and salesmen will heed that lesson.
Gogiboy
I was fine with the whole thing up to that point - and of course you are correct. It's a shame. That sounds perfect and goodness knows I need to do something about the dining room which is done in early tornado about now.
Meanwhile, you are indeed the one eyed guy I was talking about. When driving i think I allow more room than necessary and more so I tend to wait until I am good and sure before turning with another car coming. I definitely overcompensate in that regard.
My eye doctor into my 30s didn't want me to have contacts because of the risk of infection. He'd admit it was low but with only the one good eye he didn't want to risk it. He did say if I insisted he'd do it but between he and my mom I had an abundance of caution on such things. In retrospect they were overly protective. I'd have just as soon taken a couple of the chances they voted against but such is life. not like I can go back. Some of those things were sports related. They didn't want me in baseball or any contact sport. I know I would have sucked anyway but wouldn't have minded the chance to try. I did play Little League to no great acclaim....
was this on purpose? I think you must be having fun with us lately..
unless Houdini was right??
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
If the car has a sophisticated oil monitoring system, it should alert you if there is a problem which shortens the interval, and you should also check it the old fashioned way every tankful or so if possible. Most cars go 5-7500k or regular oil, and 10k or better on synthetic. A year should be the max in any case.
On a side note, I was glad to hear your recent "extensive" tests came back negative. Mine didn't, so I am in that early stage of deciding which path to follow. And I hope you enjoy your new computer. It's amazing how much they've improved during the last few years.
Jim
Just catching up here. My dad is just like this...I come from a Porsche family, and my dad had 3 when I was growing up. His cousin (same age) had 2. There were 2 others in the family. Now he has a Buick, so never say never.
25 NX 450h+ / 24 Sienna Plat AWD / 23 Civic Type-R / 21 Boxster GTS 4.0
I did have a customer come in who had just taken her husband to have that done and that afternoon he was pointing out a bird in their tree that he wouldn't have seen the day before.
Of course the definition of major surgery is an operation they are doing on you. Minor surgery is anything done on anyone else.
There's a Porsche ad out there somewhere (see it in the back of Autoweek sometimes):
"Life is too short to drive boring cars."
I agree. My Prelude is indeed a special car. I don't plan on getting rid of it unless someone offers me a ridiculous amount of money. Growing up with my Dad's 1966 427/390 Corvette Roadster in the garage always made me love cars. I'm not really "into" anything except making sure my children have an exceptional, loving, & happy childhood. Cars are the only other interest I truly have a passion for. I'm always going to have a car that is loads of fun to drive & somewhat unique.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Unbelievable what some people will do for a buck, regardless of the effect on others.
I've never told this story, more than 5 times, but back in 2004 the same thing happened to us. My wife and I had ordered a new 2004 Toyota Sienna, at the time they were in big demand. The stores general manager was a good friend of my cousins and gave us "the friends and family discount", which was a pretty good price. The day the van was suppose to come in the GM calls and says there was a mix up, but a van for $5k more is available. Says he can order another one like the one we wanted, but it will take another 4-6 weeks. No apology, no attempt to compensate us for the inconvenience, not even a crummy free oil change coupon.
Now I can't prove the GM sold our van from under us, but if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck... 9.9 times out of 10 it is a duck. We ended up buying our Mazda MPV instead, which we love, so in the lond run things did turn out well.
Baaad Richard. I can't believe you were driving so fast considering the problems you had with your eyes. I'm glad you didn't get into any accidents and that you've decided to slow down. We def. want you around for a long time.
Thank you for your sensible and knowledgeable comments. Most LED lights or whatever they are don't malfunction very easily. I think there would be a case against the manufacturer (I won't mention the name as it seems to upset some people) if the oil warning/monitoring lights weren't working properly and the car was maintained properly.
A dipstick for those that need it wouldn't hurt, but I am quite not to have one. Maybe the people here do look after their cars more than average and maybe they do check the oil level and quality on a regular basis. But, I am sure there are many people, probably a majority who never check their oil, and they "might" be better off letting the car do it for them.
I am capable of doing it...have done it for 45 years, but I don't miss it. I'll take my chances, which i think are in my favor.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
>The motors are equipped with an oil quality sensor connected to the cars computer system, as well as an oil level indicator. These two sensors as well as sensors
Which car brand is using that information that you described?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Great score GG! The only thing I wonder about is with so many TVs on the market these days why couldn't he find you one closer in price to the one you paid for? I mean you probably would have been thrilled to get a $1000 or $1200 model and you really would have been better off.
A guy was telling me today thet plazmas aren't selling the way LCDs do. Although they have a better picture in a dark room, they are harder to fix, use more power, and of course are a lot heavier. I still think it is a great deal and I sure wouldn't toss it out, but it doesn't make total sense.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Sure enough, he got a call about a week before he was supposed to pick the boat up, telling him that the boat was destroyed in an accident during transport. He started asking questions and the guy was being very evasive and uncooperative. He finally asked to see the boat and the guy flat told him no.
Well, my friend was getting madder and madder and pretty soon they were shouting and cursing at each other over the phone. Just at the point where my friend was about to head down there, the guy starts laughing....turns out it wasn't the dealer at all, but another friend who was just putting him on. Just like being punked, but well before that show was on.
The boat deal went through just fine !!
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
May I add on to jwilliams' response:
With the algorithm used by the GM computer based on quantitative measurements it makes of engine use and the environment in which it is run, I would change when the driver indicator gets down to 50% or 40% of the oil life left. That is if I use regular GM approved oil. If I use synthetic, I would run it down to 70 or 80%, depending on the season and how many months have passed.
The containers of oil have two numbers on them currently for GM oil test ratings. One is GM 4718M and GM 6904M is the other. These are on the containers for both standard oils and synthetics. If they are not on there, it doesn't go in my GM motors. The timing on the oil life indicator is assuming oils of those quality are in the engine.
A new "dexos" oil standard for GM just came out. New cars from factory and cars under warranty will get this even higher quality oil. Look for it at your Cadillac dealer soon. I.e., the price of oil changes may go up.
The ultimate test is to drop a couple of drops of oil off the dipstick onto a paper towel piece and watch it spread. The inner part of the circle will be about the size of dime at maximum as the light color part wicks out through the fibers. When that inner circle shows darker at nearly the size of a dime, I consider my oil past the time I want to change it no matter what the oil life indicator gauge says.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I have lens implants in both eyes- I had cataracts in my late thirties. No complaints and my eyesight hasn't changed since.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
My sentiments exactly, I backed off my BMW Club activities while my son was growing up so I would be around as much as possible; I was also blessed with a job that didn't involve travel or exceptionally long hours or weekends. Since he has reached his teenage years he has started to accompany me to driving events, races, and other club meets. His primary passion is sports(I predict he'll be hosting SportsCenter or PTI is a decade or so) and I've never tried to push him towards the car hobby- he's come around on his own. That said, he's announced that he wants to drive my Wrangler rather than my 1975 BMW; it seems he prefers the Jeep's power steering, A/C, and manual transmission. Go figure...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
LOL. I have a friend who pulls similar stunts with me all the time. Just the other day he told me he broke my moms kitchen cd/radio player he was installing (had installed a under the kitchen cabinet cd/radio along with some electrical work.) Had me going for a minute or two. Nobody messes with mama jip. :mad:
It is extremely nice of you to step in and make the comments you did. You certainly have a calming affect around here and this isn't the first time we have needed it. I hope Edmunds is paying you to be our resident referee and in house therapist.
Glad you are back, just get right in there and let me know when I get carried away.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Most sources say changing your oil at 3000 miles is a waste of money and a precious natural resource. This was good information before new detergents and additives came about.
Some information is available at: Gen X Finance
Anyone who takes their vehicle to an oil change place typically receives a little sticker to put on their window that reminds them when the next schedule oil change should be. More often than not they simply add 3,000 miles to your current mileage or suggest three months. If you have a vehicle that was built after the 70′s or 80′s you are more than likely throwing money down the drain if you are getting your oil changed every 3,000 miles.
Check Your Owner’s Manual First
The first place to check to see what your car manufacturer recommends is in the manual. You are likely to find that they recommend an oil change every 5,000 to upwards of 10,000 or more. Even if they recommend 5,000 you can probably even extend it a bit further if you do primarily highway driving.
Gen X finance
There is also a section that explains that you may go past your expected oil change time, if you have a "monitor light", that comes on after the specified maintenance mileage period.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Plasmas apparently are better suited to gaming.
The most annoying thing I found out was that they (all basically) use nothing better than transistor quality speakers and audio amplifiers, since they ASSUME everyone will hook it up to a home entertainment system, thereby bypassing the cheap audio section of the TV. Too bad that theory makes you feel ripped off as soon as you set it up in the bedrm, where few people will have 5.1 etc. ANd my Samsung sounds so bad I finally had to wire up an old Panasonic portable CD system that had pretty good sound for a portable. It had aux outs so was able to use it. Shouldn't have had to though.
My bros has a 7 year old Sharp LCD with a smaller screen than my 2 yr old unit and his has very good sound. So in the last few years they discovered how to pad their bottom line, and cheap shotting us. What a buyer-beware world it is.
And next time you buy a cheese bar if it is measured in grams, what used to be 907 (2lb) 20 years ago, has little by little made its way down to 480 grams, about 20 at a time. They have carefully kept the pkg size proportionate so that we aren't suppose to notice. All in the effort to not raise the price with inflation. Just raise the damn price so that you aren't deceiving us and adding to our landfills disproportionately with all the extra pkg waste from selling more of a smaller sized product, that just requires us to spend more gas going to the store to replenish it sooner. Amazingly, the only regular staple they haven't messed with is a lb of butter.
Anyway, I know I am just talking to myself now so who cares
imidazol97, the brand I am most familiar with is MB, as I have owned several and sold them for 11 years.
You know he just bought the almost new Cadillac... hmmmm. :shades:
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I thought we all got one!
Just tell her ..."but I bought those cars for YOU, honey". Case closed.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
No. I get a bill. Who approves that check you get ?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
So now I'm wondering if my assumptions on the value of options are valid. I know that as a car gets older the price difference between a loaded vehicle and a stripper become less and less but at what point would no AC only deduct $112?
Should options be valued at some set percentage of total price? How do dealers do this?
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I take that as $112 for a fully functioning A/C. If you need to recharge it, it should be $112 + X. I have no idea what X should be. Your $500 sounds good to me.
Richard
Richard
thought u would know what I was talkin' about
nmind, I'll leave u in peace
Richard
Richard
Richard
Richard
Are you kidding? I have to pay Tidester to allow me to post. (Grin)
Richard
Richard
You have always got to assume the worst.
But, you're right, the older the car, the less the hit I suppose.
Still, I wouldn't buy a car without working A/C and if I did, I would deduct a large amount of money.
Best,
Richard
Richard
Regards:
OldCEM
At the rate you're paying me I couldn't afford the interest payments on financing a cup of coffee! :P
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
The VA and I have a difference of opinion about why I needed this. And, after about 6 years of attempting to change their opinion, I lost the argument.
Back to the operation. If you have a doctor you like, schedule it immediately. The entire procedure is only about 1 hour. They knock you out for a couple of minutes while they deaden the eye. I won't mention how they do this, but needles are involved. You then wake up and can talk to your doctor while he vacumns the old lens out and slides a new plastic one in. Through a very small slit in the side of your eye.
You then have a gooie eye (antibotics and steroid ointment) and covered by a patch for a few hours. Put same goo in for a couple of days. I returned to work after 2 days, with the lens on that eye removed from my glasses. You will not get a new prescription for a few weeks, letting the eye settle in.
As I said, it seems many older people still are very afraid of the procedure. Many probably knowing people years ago that had to be immobilized for days and ending up with the coke-bottle glass lens. Today, and actually for many years, it is a snap.
Most doctors should be able to give you a video tape/DVD which explains, and shows, the procedure in detail. My wife watched my procedure via a closed curcuit TV system.
Do it. Do it quickly. You will be amazed at the result.
My wife and I were trying to think about where we would like to go on a holiday next September 2011. At the same time we were having a parallel conversation that my car would be 4 years old in Oct 2011, the warranty would be up, and I would like to get the same car except a 335i instead of a 328 and I would like to get a black one with a red and black interior.
Then the idea started to develop. We go on a business trip to London in September. From there, we could fly to Germany. Visit the BMW factory, watch the car being built, and then drive around Europe, and especially drive through Switzerland.
Another amazing thing I would like to see is the worlds largest miniature train museum. It is in Hamburg. Although I know nothing about model trains this thing is incredible. Even has moving cars and ships and travels through a miniature world including mountains and Las Vegas.
World's Largest Miniature Train Museum
This trip might become real, and might remain a nice fantasy.
I understand that you buy the car from a dealer here, and then it is all set up. After you drive around Europe you go back to the plant and they put the car on a ship, as they would have done any way, and send it to the dealer to be picked up.
(Picture #1 is Miniature Trains, Picture #2 is the BMW Factory)
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250