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Comments
Thanks imid....I try not to ever click on those things...that's all I need, unsolicited questionable pictures coming to my computer and the police beating down my door.
Glad, I am not the only one who saw them.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I guess that I'm a stuffed shirt, but I didn't like it then and I don't like it now. I was in a rock band in the late 50's and early 60's. Our instruments were too hard to come by for us to ever consider such a stupid act. Also, I felt, and still do, that it smacks of entitlement and role model violence. It's too bad that the fire didn't go to the seat of his pants. I think that you can put on a dramatic presentation without destroying property. I didn't wear earplugs in the band but, back then, who did? I have no hearing problems but our equipment wasn't as sophisticated as it is today. Still, the audience had no problem hearing us.
Richard
Richard
Richard
Richard
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
After thinking about it for a minute, It's a deal.
That doesn’t sound like a bad deal. Good luck with it.
Hint: The next time you buy a car don’t do it when we are on topic with other things like slide-in and drop-in ranges. I almost missed this post.
FWIW, I work with a guy who now has 2 Fusions, an ’07 and ’08. He was never a Ford guy until then. He finally gave up on GM’s with all the intake manifold problems he had with Chevy V6’s with the 3.1L engine from the late ‘90’s through 2005.
Congrats again,
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
You know how these things go. Somebody says..."hey, talk to me before you sell your car." Then, all of a sudden, that interest wanes when it comes time to write a check.
We'll see.
You're right....that metallic black (BMW has a fancier name for it that escapes me right now) is harder to keep clean, especially in winter weather. Plus, the clear coat over black shows swirls much easier, too. Fortunately, I've been really careful in taking care of washing/waxing/cleaning (much like jmonroe has outlined with his cars). But, as with all black cars, it's just a matter of time before those swirls show up as the finish ages.
I just had to replace the leather covering on the driver's side seat as where my belt rubbed on the bolsters getting in and out of the car had a very noticeable worn spot.
Dealer gave me no grief in replacing it. But, he also said that it's not a rare occurence....that it would probably have to be replaced again before the warranty is up. He also said he's seen it on the passenger side seat, too. Since I'm usually driving alone, the passenger seat seems fine. You'd think BMW would change leather suppliers if that's the case.
Aside from that, it's a great car. I'll miss it. I like the S4 as much (probably more), however and it's two years newer.
I'll keep everyone posted.
Funny, the former GF is shopping some strange cars, especially considering how her taste in cars closely mirrors mine (or, so I thought). I pull into the driveway only to be greeted by some oddball cars with dealer tags on them. Monday it was a Smart car (which I despise). Yesterday it was a Fiat 500.
Last night, I answered the phone only to hear a Jeep dealer on the other end of the line. Apparently she's looking at a Jeep Wrangler.
Sorry to say, but the sooner this facade ends, the better.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
Surely she cannot be serious about some of those car choices. I wish her the best also, but it sounds like she may be a little unsettled right now. Hang in there and enjoy the Audi.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
If there are any, do you suppose that he would remember them? :P
I've heard of reformed smokers, but reformed dieters? :confuse:
Richard
And don't forget who gave you that name.
Richard
Our hosts may have sideline jobs at Fox. One of the pictures Steve's page had looks suspiciously like the American Idol judge, Nikky Mirage or whatever her name is...
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Given the diversity of vehicles she's apparently shopping for, it should be interesting, however.
You are Mr. Grumpy's new hero...if you could lose 30 pounds!
I have lost 11 since November and my goal is to lose 12 and 1 or 2 extra just in case I have a big meal, so I will have a buffer zone.
It is not pleasant denying oneself when there is so much good food around. I find losing 10 pounds makes a big difference in how I feel and how I play tennis. Losing 10 pounds is like carrying a 10 pound weight around with you all day....30 pounds is like walking down stairs or going for a walk without carrying 2 15 pound weights around with you all day.
Imagine the difference that makes on someone's knee and hip joints.
I am far from a fitness type of person....I hate exercising or dieting...I do like tennis......but, feeling better is well worth it.
If anyone is interested in the Driver Easy Diet Plan just send your VISA number to.....................................
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Since I block most ads and don't watch TV, I'm just about totally clueless. No idea who that is.
Maybe I should rephrase that....
(I know, I'll blame it on the 30 pounds I've lost in the last couple of years. I count calories and quit eating sugar.)
Richard
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
I will try my best. I am going to look it up right now so I can GPS the address if necessary. We have to be careful, we are travelling with BIL and SIL and they are great but are on a limited budget. That's OK with us, they are such good friends and we have had to live carefully for most of our lives too.
Thanks for mentioning the Cheeca Lodge...I'll get the address right now.
JUst checked....I have the restaurant. I don't think we will be staying there, it is $338 a night...X 2 nights.
The dining room and the hotel look beautiful in the pictures. I'm not used to eating in such a beautiful restaurant. How can you enjoy your meal when every forkful will cost $10?
Maybe, we can stop and use their washrooms though.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Driver,
Sometimes you gotta say what the f***
There is a movie reference there, I'm sure someone will catch it.
All joking aside, we generally eat at diners or moderately priced restaurants. Once in a while, it is nice to splurge but when you see the bill it still can give you sticker shock!
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart
Risky Business is the movie.
All joking aside, we generally eat at diners or moderately priced restaurants. Once in a while, it is nice to splurge but when you see the bill it still can give you sticker shock!
Last weekend was my wife's birthday and we went to our favorite B&B for a couple of nights to celebrate.
We've had very poor luck in finding decent restaurants in the town where the B&B is located, but a new one had opened up recently so we thought we'd give it a try.
Nope - still no good restaurants in that town. Cost us over $100 (with drinks and tip) to find that out. Ouch!
We're better off eating at the local pizza joint - Beau Jo's
I believe that kind of Chinese Food has become popular in the northeast and Midwest as well.
So guys and gals, enough of those Diners, Drive-ins and Dives!
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
I agree, it is nice to go out for a special meal once in awhile, and not worry about the cost.
On a 3 daytrip we will want to eat good food at a reasonable price. It isn't like a special occassion.
I sometimes think any idiot can find an expensive restaurant to eat in that will be pretty good. The real gem is finding a place that has great food at a reasonable price. There are some back home, but, there are lots of those in Florida.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Richard
Richard
*richard, you always know how to say the nicest and most appropriate things in order to convey a beautiful message. However, the last part of your lovely comments seem more appropriate for the newly and dearly departed rather than
for graphicguy who is still with us - of course in mourning - but still with us!
Just trying to pull your leg a little, *richard.
Graphicguy, my hopes and prayers for a speedy recovery from this setback in your life. As they say, "...this too shall pass!"
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
I agree 100%. Don't you know that the kids must love his classes? A good sense of humor goes a long way in teaching. I get the idea that he is pretty creative as well.
Richard
Oh my! *oldfarmer, please send me the check back and please don't cash it. It was sent to you by mistake!
*richard, warn me about these sob story-tellers before I fall for their con-jobs! I'm a patsy for poor stories.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
Richard
Don't take this the wrong way. I'm all for technology. Still, the more that we close ourselves off from others, the more impersonal life will become. One characteristic of all schools is the social interaction, the classroom exchanges, the verbal questions and answers, etc. The more isolated we become, the more entitled and indifferent we become. I see it as a problem in our future.
Richard
That has all gone anyway, ever since the cell phone. I saw 5 young people in a restaurant the other day, and they were not talking to each other. Some were texting, some talking on their phones, some scrolling through messages.
The art of conversation is dead. People don't talk any more...they hang out and do their own thing.
Don't take my comments the wrong way either. I think learning how to work together and communicate with others is important too. I just think it is a dying art.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Amen!
Richard
Back when I was earning my BS Degree in Business Management, one of the required courses was Public Speaking. It met twice a week for 2 hours (4 semester hour course). That one course taught me how to effectively communicate orally with others. It was the single most important course I ever took. We learned "impromptu" speaking, public speaking to present an idea, public speaking to debate, public speaking to teach a concept, etc. I truly believe that course is what made me a successful teacher and trainer in my lifelong pursuit of business and education.
In actuality, the less people communicate orally with each other and with groups of people, the less effective they will be in their professional lives. Learning how to organize one's thoughts into an oral presentation or discussion is a prerequisite to success in one's life.
The more effective you are in your oral communication with others, the more effective you will become in your written communication. However, the reverse is not true - a great writer does not make for a great speaker or oral communicator. It is the logical, sequential organization of thoughts that makes for a great oral and written communicator.
I firmly believe that all college freshmen should be required to complete a course in public speaking and oral communication. The written communication skills will develop from that experience.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
What great courses to learn. People fear speaking to a group more than they fear death. And, being able to debate, present an idea, teach a concept are very valuable life skills. A really important one I find in business is negotiating.
Sometimes we can't all get what we want, but, we may be able to negotiate and possibly compromise
Explorer went in and they gave him a price for the new Fusion. He calmly came back with a price he was willing to pay based on facts he collected. He negotiated a very good price by calmly stating what he thought was a reasonable price. He got what he wanted. Some people would argue or walk out, and nothing would be accomplished.
Communicating is so important, and from what I have been observing lately,a lot of people, and especially young people, aren't that good at it.
I think it is becoming a lost art.
btw...I think learning how to sell is extremely important too. If you can sell you should always be able to find a pretty good job. It is one field where someone can make a lot of money and it doesn't necessarily require that much education. Lots of jobs require selling, even jobs that you don't think require selling. Sometimes you have to sell an idea or sell a concept to coworkers for example, and you always have to sell yourself to the higher ups.
I think these topics may be more important than say, for example, teaching algebra.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Our son's daycare instructor told me almost same thing a few days ago. She was at a family friend's 9 year old daughter's birthday party with mostly 8-9 year olds and none of the kids (I think she said there were about 5 or 6 of them) were talking to each other. Two of them were playing on ipads, the rest playing by themselves on their parents' iphones, and the birthday girl was sitting bored and sad.
Being strict as she is (that's why we take our son to her), she ordered all the kids to put away all their electronics and not touch them until they were going home. She said within 20 minutes all of them were having fun, interacting, playing with each other.
I actually had a customer like this once recently in the showroom. Two young guys come in, and one is quiet, the other the talker. The talker guy starts off by pointing at his friend and saying "my friend here is looking for a car, he needs to have this and this, it has to be within this budget, etc..." I start asking questions to the non talkative buying friend who's sitting there quietly, and as soon as he starts to answer a question, his other talkative friend fills in for him. It annoyed the heck out of me because a: why can't buddy talk for himself, regardless if he knows cars or not, but why can't he tell me what he's looking for, and b: why does the talkative guy talk on his behalf instead? The guy didn't have mental issues or speech inpediments but I did not understand this set up. Maybe his buddy was just trying to impress him about how much he knows how to talk to car salesmen? :confuse:
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
It is also possible that the quiet guy was scared to death to negotiate a deal with the "big bad wolf" car salesman. Many times while I was in the business I met men and women who would literally "shake" after entering the showroom. These quiet, shy folks always ha a friend or sidekick with them to do the talking for them.
Let's be honest, buying a car can be a very stressful activity for many people who have heard horror stories about car buying and how people have been taken to the cleaners by slick car salesmen. I always approached people like that in a much more reserved manner than I usually did. If their representative made a comment or asked a question, I never looked them in the face, but always responded looking at the shy, quiet one hoping to gain their trust and assure them that I didn't 't take advantage of people and that I was interested in what they wanted or needed.
I usually was successful in getting them to talk to me themselves and diminish the importance of their friend or representative by paying attention to them, not their representative. Try it sometime - it really works.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
Bless her heart!
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Bless her heart!
Abarth? Tell her you want a Rolls Royce as you are most comfortable driving that! See if her story changes. If she says, "...whatever makes you happy, darling/sweetheart..." then you have a gem for sure!
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
That has happened to me many times. Sometimes it is just plain fun to play along with their game to see where it leads. Situations like that can be interesting and fun so long as you are not busy or hurting for a sale. On the other hand, it can be s hindrance to making a sale if you can't get the actual buyer to confide in you. Sometimes, you can't even tell who the actual buyer is. That's always an interesting scenario.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
A Business Manager once told me a great line he had for customers with a quarterback whenever he was going over extended warranties and the quarterback always said no:
"Ok, if your transmission falls out of the car after the manufacturer warranty expries, I am assuming (quaterback's name) here will fix it for you?"
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Of course, the Chinese around here is more Polynesian than authentic Chinese food.
Want to try real Chinese food? Go into your favorite restaurant and ask them to make you authentic food - not what's on the menu.
That's why you compose and write such nice posts here on Edmunds.
Richard
I mentioned this before, but I'll repeat it. When we moved back here 9 months ago, this dream house had a nice gas range by Kitchen Aid. The first thing my wife said was that she had to have an electric smooth top. The kitchen is all white. Try finding a smooth top electric range in white with white knobs. There is just ONE---Whirlpool Gold. We ordered it and she loves it. I sold the gas Kitchen Aid to the son of my electrician.
The house also came with a convection oven by Kitchen Aid. I guess that I'm not used to it. I tried to bake my Italian Cream Coconut Cake with pecans. The cake sank in the middle and my pecans were burned. I repeated the process in the traditional oven. It came out fine.
Richard
I'm healthy. I haven't hit the "wealthy and wise" part yet. But, I'm working on it.
I remember my late Father telling me several times (isn't it interesting how wisdom is remembered when you need it most?)..."Your life is a book. You're the author. You choose the plot. You choose the characters. You can make it joyous, or you can make it tragic. You get to write the whole thing."
True!
Again, thanks to all my Edmunds friends for their kind thoughts. Lots and lots of good people in this thread (matter of fact, there's not a bad one in the bunch....nor even a mediocre one). I value and cherish all of you.
Onto car meanderings. The neighbor who was interested in the BMW, came over to drive it last night. It was spitting a mix of ice and rain. As best I could tell, with him behind the wheel, it did great. He drove it for about 30 minutes. He took it on broken pavement, on the highway, on city streets. He floored it, and then slammed on the brakes a couple of times. If you can't tell the health of a drivetrain and the brakes without doing that, then you have no idea what you're testing the car for.
Given his grin and the enthusiasm of his test drive, I thought he was serious. That wasn't the case.
We pull back in my driveway, and he says he's interested, and asks me the price, again. "$38K". He throws out a low ball and asks if I'd take $32K. No....best I'll do is $37.5K (would have gone to $37K if he hadn't hit me with the low ball). He says he'll think about it. I told him I'm in no hurry to sell.
We're too far apart for me to even negotiate with him any more at this point. But, he did call this a.m. wondering if he could come by again tonight to look at the car, again. I'm good with that, but don't hold out much hope.
Try keeping a white one clean. We've found the secret after owning several glass top stoves. Don't even waste your money on those cook top cleaners. They never remove the tough stains. Take a little baking soda on a damp rag. Rub hard and the stains will disappear. Also, the baking soda is only slightly abrasive and won't scratch the surface. It works like a charm for us.
Richard