Stories from the Sales Frontlines

tjc78

I'm going to have them fix some small issues.

Hopefully they can fix it up for you. How many miles till the computer tells you to change the oil?

My Buick so far has been telling me at around 5K miles (OLM was reading 18%).

driver100

Mexico ( is worse than a war zone

I don't recall saying that.

I did mean to say, "many" areas are not safe, not "most" areas. I had a great trip to Mexico, Cancun....then drove on the highway to Merida (was told not to stop anywhere because badits will get you, even though it is a highway). Merida is beautiful and we spent some time in Progresso.

Have relatives and their car broke down......they were robbed.

Friends go to Progresso each year and rent a home. When they go out they lock their computers and valuable items in a room with a heavy lock.

Some Canadian tourists have been killed in the last few years.

Should I go to Mexico?

And then there is this article:

Mexico claims the unfortunate dishonor of having five of the top 10 most violent cities in the world, according to a study published by the Consejo Ciudadano para la Seguridad Pública y la Justicia
Huffingtgon Post

I loved my trip to Mexico, I love the friendly people we met there, but, I don't think I would go again until the crime is more under control.

jipster

That right should be protected, but for "those" reasons and not for the reason of baring arms in case it is necessary to curb the authority of a tyrannical government here in "this" country. What good would a militia do, even armed to the teeth, against the US government?

It's called a revolution... a coup d'etat. The political "system" is stronger than any individuals or group of individuals could hope to change by normal political means. i.e voting. Just like it's been happening for thousands of years. Big country... small country, doesn't matter. A militia wouln't be attacking the military. They would be attacking the representatives of the government. A government is a group of individuals. They live in nice houses, not bomb shelters.

robr2

I am not sure where I read about the Japanese having strict controls on Muslims.

One website notes a viral e-mail that went around at some point.

Further I found another website that links to 15 petitions to stop Muslim immigration to various countries.

isellhondas

Where I grew up in California, Tijuana was a two hour drive and when we were kids we would often drive there to get "tuck and roll" upholstery installed in our cars. At that time, less than 100.00 would get a great job done IF you watched to make sure they didn't use horse manure as padding!

I don't think I would want to venture there today.

I heard that at least one cruise ship line has ceased stopping in Matzalan after repeated problems with their passengers.

On our last cruise to Mexico, we did stop there but we warned not to "go exploring" away from the tourist area. I did see several pickup trucks carrying
cops with rifles in the back.

Tourism has GOT to be suffering!

imidazol97

I hate to take this off the topics current here, but...

Somewhere in the past there was talk about juicers on this topic. My wife wants something to make "smoothies from fresh fruit." What's a good place to start? Obviously not the top quality at highest price which might be the best value for long term, but a good starter item that likely will end up next to the Cuisinart and other nonused items in the pantry after a few weeks or months of using it after Christmas.

Kirstie_H

If it's primarily for smoothies, you're better off with a really top-end blender. Smoothies should have all of the good stuff in, like pulp (oranges) and seeds (berries), and a juicer gets rid of most of that. Plus, the yield from a juicer is really low. I like my juicer, but for juice. I use the blender for smoothies and it works a charm (and is easier to clean).

tjc78

tjc78

Site has been really sluggish for the last few days. Anyone else?

driver100

#86457 of 86458 sljggkzn by tjc78
Dec 17, 2012 (2:03 pm)

tjc....nothing like being brief and to the point.

I would agree though, site does seem to take a long time to register. When I "post my message" it will spin and take longer than usual.

imidazol97

>Blender...

Like this?

verdugo

In further reading, it appears that Japan is very strict on Muslims...but they are also very strict on all immigrants.

That's my experience. They are strict on EVERYBODY!

verdugo

I loved my trip to Mexico, I love the friendly people we met there, but, I don't think I would go again until the crime is more under control.

I feel sorry for you for painting the entire country in the same light. There are parts of the US that have a murder rate worse than a lot of places in Mexico. Does that mean you will stop going to Florida until the US gets their crime rate under control?

You just have to be smart about where you go. I've been to Canada many times, but you'll never catch me going to certain bad neighborhoods. But that won't stop me going to the rest of Canada.

verdugo

Kirstie is 100% right. You want a blender.

Before my parents gave us a Vitamix (awesome, but it won't meet your price requirement,) we had a basic Kitchen Aid or Cuisinart blender.

We got it on sale at Bed Bath & Beyond and we also had a coupon. Very reasonable. My in laws have it now, and it's worked great for them too.

kyfdx

Vita mix is around $450-$500, right?

They make KitchenAid right up the road.... he should go for one of those..

driver100

I've been to Canada many times, but you'll never catch me going to certain bad neighborhoods.

There are some areas in Canada I wouldn't go to as well. I suppose there are a lot of great countries and cities you can see, but, you have to be careful where you go.

Warning - car related statement. We drove a Plymouth Breeze - one of the worst cars I have ever driven - from Cancun to Merida. I only found out later that you better not have a breakdown on that stretch of road, because the chances are pretty good you will be robbed.

Chichen Itza is incredible.


The city of Merida was beautiful. I really liked Progresso, outdoor cafes and the city square with entertainment going on. Dirt main street and old cars made me think of what it must have been like to be in an American/Canadian city in the 50s.

The people were warm and friendly.

Unfortuanately, you have to be extra careful. I put full insurance on the car because if the car is stolen or damaged the police aren't going to be very helpful.

The tourist areas are pretty safe, but there have been some pretty violent (not sure if there are other kinds) murders in some major centres considered safe before, such as Mazatlan. We have several friends who go every year and love Mexico. The older I get, the less risk averse I become.

abacomike

There are some areas in Canada I wouldn't go to as well. I suppose there are a lot of great countries and cities you can see, but, you have to be careful where you go

I've traveled the Baja (Rosarita Beach and Cabo St. Lucas) and with the exception of Tijuana, it was lovely and relaxing. I've been to Canada's west coast and also found the people friendly and laid back.

Right now, the Mexican Government is holding a US soldier in prison on weapons charges which, according to our government and the news media, were "trumped up charges". He told the Mexican authorities that he had a weapon prior to entering the country, which he was required to do. But they arrested him and put him in prison 2 years ago. The State department has tried to get him released, but to no avail.

I understand there is a massive US movement to boycott Mexico if he isn't released by Christmas. Even if this was not an issue, I would not visit anywhere in Mexico due to the massive lawlessness and murders and kidnappings. We probably created the atmosphere for that lawlessness by our ever-craving for drugs, but until they release that innocent soldier and until the killings and kidnappings stop, I wouldn't be could deaf in Mexico. I also refuse to purchase anything made in Mexico for the same reason.

I also don't buy Citgo products because of Hugo Chavez - Citgo is owned by the Venezuelan government.

tjc78

That's what happens when posting from your phone in a hurry. :surprise:

roadburner

Caught Red-Handed

So Lincoln puts Michelin Pilot Super Sports on their 2013 MKX press car. The only problem is that the PSS isn't even an available option on the MKX(I suspect that most potential MKX customers couldn't tell you the brand of tire on their current vehicle- never mind the model...).

driver100

, I would not visit anywhere in Mexico due to the massive lawlessness and murders and kidnappings

And that is all I am saying. If I go to another country I either want a certain standard of law and order, or I want to be on a tour with guides who know what they are doing.

There have been Canadians awaiting justice in jails in Mexico (not the nicest place to be) and it isn't easy to get out in a lot of cases.

It took me a long time before I would go to Turkey after seeing the prison and lack of justice in Turkey in the movie Midnight Express.

tjc78

So Lincoln puts Michelin Pilot Super Sports on their 2013 MKX press car

Ha Ha, I actually think its funny. Who in their right mind would buy a MKZ with summer only tires?

Ford has a big problem with Lincoln. They have no model that is unique to them, no RWD offering and clearly no direction.

They are trying and Ford did allocate a cool Billion for development and added new branding calling themselves "Lincoln Motor Company", but is it enough? If it was up to me I would be working on a new Continental sedan in 5 series proportions with Mustang running gear. 3.7 Ecoboost or 5.0 Coyote power. We all know that's not gonna happen.

nyccarguy

Did they really think they could get away with that in 2012? It is astonishing how big of a difference tires make;)

jipster

A LITTLE GUN HISTORY
In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. >From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were round
ed up and exterminated
In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.
China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated
Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million educated people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.
Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century because of gun control: 56 million.
You won't see this data on the US evening news, or hear politicians disseminating this information.
Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws adversely affect only the law-abiding citizens.
Take note my fellow Americans, before it's too late!
The next time someone talks in favor of gun control, please remind them of this history lesson.
With guns, we are 'citizens'. Without them, we are 'subjects'.
During WWII the Japanese decided not to invade America because they knew most Americans were ARMED!
If you value your freedom, please spread this antigun-control message to all of your friends.
SWITZERLAND ISSUES EVERY HOUSEHOLD A GUN!
SWITZERLAND'S GOVERNMENT TRAINS EVERY ADULT THEY ISSUE A RIFLE.
SWITZERLAND HAS THE LOWEST GUN RELATED CRIME RATE OF ANY CIVILIZED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!!!

houdini1

Here is what I get from that story, and something I have suspected for a long time:

All that talk about the fabulous engineering and design that we hear about expensive European sports cars is just a load of bunk.

Just think how bad that Lincoln would have beaten the Porsche and the BMW if those two were wearing a set of all season radials.

If performance is your thing, no need to buy an expensive European Sports sedan...just slap a good set of tires on your Chevy Malibu or Toyota Avalon and you can run with the big dogs.

tjc78

Jip,

Can you please cite the sources for this? I would like to forward this to a few in my circle but would like to be able to prove where the info came from before I send it.

Thanks!

robr2

SWITZERLAND ISSUES EVERY HOUSEHOLD A GUN!
SWITZERLAND'S GOVERNMENT TRAINS EVERY ADULT THEY ISSUE A RIFLE.
SWITZERLAND HAS THE LOWEST GUN RELATED CRIME RATE OF ANY CIVILIZED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!!!

Switzerland actually has very strict gun control laws but enforce them in terms of who can own a gun, how ammunition is sold, et al.

Switzerland has mandatory conscription into their militia of all men between the ages of 20 and 30 because they have no standing army.

The members of the militia are issued the gun, not the household.

The militia member is issued only 50 rounds of ammunition.

Upon discharge from the militia at age 30, the man has a choice of retaining or returning the gun. If keeping, it is reworked into a semi automatic.

Carrying a gun on one's person requires a special permit typically issued only to people working in the security field.

Switzerland is a very insular country in terms of immigration - much like Japan. IMHO, deaths by gun there are because of that insular society and general civility.

Of 53 homicides in Switzerland in 2010, 40 involved firearms.

roadburner

All that talk about the fabulous engineering and design that we hear about expensive European sports cars is just a load of bunk.

Well, the GTI almost knocked off the Focus ST in the recent Car and Driver comparo- and the GTI was running on P Zero Nero All Seasons(the ST was wearing Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2s). The sticky Goodyears helped the ST a great deal.

That said, in the CD ATS vs. 328i test, both cars wore summer rubber(ATS: Potenza RE050A RFT, 328i: Cinturato P7 Run Flat) Handling and braking results were a win for the ATS, but not due to raw numbers- CD ranked the Caddy much higer due to its superior braking and steering feel. I haven't driven an ATS, but I'm not surprised by the result- Munich having given the chassis of its newer non-///M cars a massive dose of Novocain.In any event, BMW only fits summer tires to non-///M cars when the Sport or ///M Sport package is ordered.

With respect to the MKZ, I can pretty much guarantee that the addition of a set of UHP tires would not make me fall in love with it. The last Lincoln I actually enjoyed driving was my father's Mark VII LSC. A brawny V8 coupe with RWD- I don't see Lincoln ever building anything like that again. They are probably too busy retooling their marketing for their next image makeover...

roadburner

I really enjoyed reading and posting in the "Long Term Test" and "Straightline" blogs over on Edmunds Inside Line- and I know a few of you in this topic also posted there. Well, as Edmunds is wont to do, on 12/7 it was announced that they were going to redesign IL and incorporate it into the main Edmunds.com site. If you read the comments, you'll see that the Edmunds strategy was wildly unpopular. Since the "New and Improved" site opened yesterday-cleverly renamed "What's Hot "- the drumbeat of negative comments not only continued but intensified- as can be seen by the 230+ comments responding to Editor Scott Oldham's "rah-rah" puff piece.
As I mentioned in my comment to Mr. Oldham,

An enjoyable blog and its associate community of enthusiasts has been effectively destroyed...

Or as Jalopnik put it:

Edmunds.com shutters InsideLine, becomes "but a tab, a hangnail, on the fickle finger of fate at Edmunds.com."

driver100

A LITTLE GUN HISTORY

Interesting, but, I am not sure gun controls made a difference in most of those cases.

This is what happened in Australia after gun controls were imposed:

Did it work? In Australia's case, the change appears dramatic. There were a dozen mass shootings with at least five deaths in the country between 1981 and the Tasmania massacre; there have been none in the 16 years since.

Studies have tracked a reduction in gun deaths in Australia since the 1996 reforms, particularly in suicides. The journal Injury Prevention reported in 2006 that the risk of dying by gunshot had halved in Australia in a decade.

In 2010 in Australia, there were 0.1 gun murders per 100,000 people, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, less than half the rate of a decade earlier. In the United States the murder rate was more than 30 times higher, at 3.2 per 100,000.
Huffington Post

Switzerland is a unique situation, you can read about it in the article.

tjc78

Mark VII LSC. A brawny V8 coupe with RWD-

Ahh, the grown up Mustang GT. Great cars, I wouldn't mind owning a 90-92 LSC at all.

roadburner

I wouldn't mind owning a 90-92 LSC at all.

Me too; especially one of those monochrome editions with the BBS-style wheels:

verdugo

Vita mix is around $450-$500, right?

Yes, and worth every cent. Of course I got it as a gift, which helps. :P

verdugo

I hadn't heard about that US soldier. That sucks. Do you have a link?

Again, you can't say that all of Mexico is bad. There was an article recently (I think in The Economist) that showed the different murder rates in Mexico. Merida, which driver mentioned, was **much** safer that most US cities.

Luckily for tourists (and Mexico, which needs tourist dollars,) most of the tourist destinations are safe. Acapulco and Mazatlan are two big exceptions.

Just like Mike, I also don't buy any Citgo products.

verdugo

I hadn't heard about that US soldier. That sucks. Do you have a link?

His name is Jon Jammar. Poor guy. Totally screwed up situation. He shouldn't have been arrested. Instead, he should've been given the option of discarding the firearm or refused entry into Mexico.

I hope he makes it home ASAP.

fezo

I don't boycott Citgo because of Chavez. My feeling is he's not a big enough fish and dying anyway. Lukoil is one I'd boycott because that is mother Russia who always seems to want to do us harm and has the means to do it.

That said, I have moved to only using top tier gas which where I am means Exxon or Shell.

robr2

Vita mix is around $450-$500, right?

Yes, and worth every cent. Of course I got it as a gift, which helps.

How about a Blend-Tec:

Blenc-Tec Testing

jipster

A friend had it pasted on Facebook. The only info I saw, was that it accompanied a photo from "Conservatives Club". Which I assume is a magazine. Hope that helps.

robr2

Just like Mike, I also don't buy any Citgo products.

That you know of...

950,000 barrels a day of Venezuelan crude comes into the US and not all of it is refined and sold as Citgo gas.

houdini1

I am becoming concerned about Richard. The last time he posted was on 11-25, and it was just a routine post. He did not discuss any upcoming trips or being out of touch etc. I sent him an email a couple of days ago and still have not received a reply.

Does anyone have any info? Hopefully he is on a second honeymoon in a nice warm location.

imidazol97

I recall Richard talking about buying a Mercedes for a party he was arranging for someone in his family. And his house was going to be on the Christmas tour.

But I'd think that would be over by now. I hope he's in good health and there's no problem like that...

nyccarguy

That's not like Richard. I haven t heard from Jmonroe either. I think Richard is decorating his house for Xmas.

fezo

950,000 barrels a day of Venezuelan crude comes into the US and not all of it is refined and sold as Citgo gas.

Oh, I know. For the most part boycotting any particular brand of gas is pretty much pointless. Even the Russians are currently using Mideastern oil. They use their considerable domestic reserves for the domestic market.

I'll have to drop Richard a line.

Kirstie_H

That looks nice. We have one (it's in our camper at the lake so I can't look at it) that has a "tap" on the bottom, so you can just dispense your drink from that. It's like what you'd see on the office water cooler.

[Deleted User]

Peel away that first layer of data your looking at; dig just a little deeper.

Gun related suicides are down. What about suicide by other methods? Just because you take away one tool, doesn't mean a person is going change intent. What about trends before and after the ban? Was it already decreasing?

Murders by guns are down. Again, what was the existing trend, what other changes were made besides gun bans that could reduce murders, what about overall violent crime besides gun related crime?

The stats tell a different story when you look beyond the limited focus of the liberal media. Since the ban, assault is up, robbery is up, suicide by alternative method is up, sexual assault is up, overall violent crime is up. Australia and the US don't have a gun problem. We have a people problem.

Pointing the blame finger at an inanimate object and thinking legislation will fix our deep rooted problems is too limited in scope. The school massacre is a scenario we've been cultivating for decades through glorified violence, media focus on all things negative for the sake of ratings, limited parenting, and pop culture.

Want to be famous? Want everyone talking about you, examing your life in every detail? Want to prove to everyone they shouldnt have ignored you? Laughed at you? All it takes is some fertilizer, diesel fuel, and Internet research. You'll get more airtime than a Hollywood star. That's the sad truth right there.

What about the researchers working on cures to cancer? How about the scientists that increased crop yields so we could all eat? Who created the modern circuit board that's used in every electronic device today? We don't care about them. Sports, Hollywood, and violent crime. That's our collective focus. Citizens have owned guns since the dawn of this nation, and now it's a problem? I don't think so. Look beyond the simple minded answer. What's the real problem? That's what deserves our attention.

[Deleted User]

It's nearly impossible to know which refinery a gallon of fuel comes from at a service station. Refineries routinely sell output to competing brands, not just their own. And the refinery will purchase crude on the open market so long as it meets the necessary chemical properties. The only guarantee you get when buying from a specific branded station is that the company's additives will be included, and the fuel meets basic API requirements.

driver100

Peel away that first layer of data your looking at; dig just a little deeper.

The things you mention are true too...it is the media adding to the problem, it is the fact there are mentally disturbed people who shouldn't be on the streets, there is our interest in violence, it is true that some people find mass killings are a way to become famous quickly.

All true. But, mass killings or even homicides are much easier to commit, if a gun is readily available and is legal to keep around.

Don't expect the situation to change unless you are willing to try something new. The status quo sure isn't working.

robr2

It's nearly impossible to know which refinery a gallon of fuel comes from at a service station.

I'm well aware of that. It's not efficient to refine Venezuelan crude at at Citgo refinery in Texas then ship the gasoline up to Boston.

oldfarmer50

"...we drove a Plymouth Breeze...one of the worst cars..."

Boy, you are goring everybody's ox lately. I owned that car's corporate twin the Chrysler Cirrus and was so impressed that it renewed my interest in cars again. Maybe it wasn't the same car and was just called Breeze in Mexico. I know the Cirrus was called the 200 in Mexico at some point.

I'd hate to think you're starting trouble in another area. :P

driver100

Boy, you are goring everybody's ox lately.

You got it! Sometimes I just shake things up when things seem a little slow.

I have been in a Cirrus and I liked it quite a bit. I liked the big windows, it was comfortable and had a nice interior. The one I drove was tan with a nice bright tan interior.

The Breeze was a total stripper. The Breeze lacked certain features including an available V6 engine, alloy wheels, leather interior, body-colored door handles, fog lights, and Chrysler's Autostick transmission, all of which were offered on the Stratus and Cirrus.

The Plymouth Breeze came only as one basic model. Equipped nearly identically to a base model Dodge Stratus, the Breeze came standard with the 2.0 L I4 engine, five-speed manual transmission.

The one I drove was dark blue with a dark blue interior. It had a radio and that was the only extra. Lack of any feeling for the steering. I may have been disappointed, because I liked the design of the car, I just found it didn't have much power, and the interior was completely minimal.....I guess it was made to meet a price.

I understand the Breeze, Cirrus and Stratus were all good sellers, popular, and pretty reliable. I would have liked something more exciting for touring Mexico....more power would be good too.

Oh well, nothing personal, one persons garbage is another persons treasure. What do i know, I once bought a Mustang II as a 2nd car.

mako1a

if a gun is readily available and is legal to keep around.

Driver, just because new laws may be implemented, current ownership will change little. Kind of like driving a 57 Chevy without seat belts is perfectly legal because at the time of manufacture, seat belts were not required.