Luxury Lounge

jcoby

So true about the sadness, and glad I could help you to further appreciate what you have. I am looking forward to leaving Dallas (aka "Concrete City"), but that is probably 4-5 years away, if not longer. Curved roads and more interesting terrain will be requirements for my next destination, and I will be sure to test drive both Porsche and BMW in my next environment.

hpowders

All true!

Well, I hear the 'gators snoring out back ...
which means it's time for me to hit the sack.

jlbl

Well, I hear the 'gators snoring out back ...
which means it's time for me to hit the sack.

See you later…

About 18 months ago, my wife and I got each a speeding ticket at the same point but on different days. The point was a short tunnel in the middle of a straight parkway used for commuting. The regional traffic authority had decided, suddenly and without notice to the public, to plant there an almost-hidden new speed-limit signal altogether with a hidden new radar. More than 60,000 drivers were caught in the trap in short time. That was nation-wide news on TV and journals. Some drivers got caught more than a dozen times before the news on the tunnel trap broke up.

The penalty for each of our tickets was € 325 and a three-month suspension of our driving license. That hurted = :mad::mad: + ((:sick::sick::sick:)•2). We were legally adviced to pay, wait for the suspensions and, only facing these, appeal. The suspensions have not arrived to date.

The apparent reason is, the traffic law is the same across the nation; however, the monetary sanctions are to be paid to local or regional authorities, whereas the suspensions are executed by the national. The scandal caused by the trap was big enough as to prompt the national authority to allow us the offenders to continue offending, but not so big as to refrain the regional authority to get some nice extra-money, which has never gone back to our pockets. The moral is, the closer, the better.

Take care!

Jose

hpowders

Around 12 years ago Jose, I was driving on a deserted pretty wooded country road near Orlando, Florida, attempting to find Universal Studios. All of a sudden around a curve, I got pulled over. I had to wait in line-so many people got caught-from the looks of it-all tourists visiting Universal Studios and Disney World. The trooper claimed there is a posted limit of 25 mph. None of us saw it (probably behind some thick bushes allowed to grow high to cover the sign). I was given the choice of paying a fine or attending a 2 day driving school!

People in NY told me don't pay (about $150) because I was visiting Florida as a NY resident, but I did send them a check. However, this episode never appeared as part of my driving license record, indicating to me I probably didn't have to pay it. I got bluffed well on that one!

I have not driven near Orlando, Florida since then and hopefully, never will.

They can get their tourist dollars from someone else!

houdini1

I am sure they have these in several areas of the country. Many have been installed in the KC area but are not yet operational. I hope they never are because I detest them and think they cause more accidents than they prevent from people stopping suddenly and getting rear ended.

They are there strictly to fleece the public and to raise revenue. Studies have shown that in places where they have them, the "yellow" light lasts about a nano second then turns red so even if you were in the intersection before the yellow, the pic shows you clearly running a red light.

We are becoming a nation of sheep to take all the crap that we do. Remember the Boston Tea Party? :mad:

lexusguy

However, where I live, 80mph on the interstate is kind of slow even for the right lane these days. Most of us are cruisin' at 85-90. O'l Smokey doesn't bother us on my stretch of the interstate.

Parts of I-81 and I-83 here in Pennsylvania are like that. There's been a few times on my way back from Harrisburg where I've hit the 100mph mark. Usually left lane traffic is going at least 85.

lexusguy

People in NY told me don't pay (about $150) because I was visiting Florida as a NY resident, but I did send them a check. However, this episode never appeared as part of my driving license record, indicating to me I probably didn't have to pay it. I got bluffed well on that one!

It's better to be safe and send the check. It might not have affected your NY license record, but you can bet the state of Florida would know you skipped out on a ticket if they ever pulled you over again. Unfortunately, it seems out-of-state tickets may not be as harmless as they used to be. My sister lives in California, and she told me she got a ticket while on vacation in Nevada, and wouldn't you know it, a few weeks later, she got a letter from the California DOT telling her not to get any more points this year.

hpowders

There's nothing like putting these vehicles through their paces like they are intended to be.

Totally shameful the way we are preyed upon by troopers like we are committing some kind of crime by driving 90 mph on an interstate.

Down here, thankfully, the troopers have decided to look the other way, allowing us to do 80-85 on average. From what I have observed, accidents have been rare.

About time speed limits are removed from the interstates.
If it works well in Europe, it can work well here too.

Let the cops chase the criminals.

hpowders

"Send the check."

You are right! Especially since I am now a Florida resident, not paying that ticket may have eventually caught up to me.

anthonyp

Hi H

Many years ago, the policy for the east coast of Florida way there were no ticket if you were going South, but brother watch out when you were going North....I was young and got four of them going home...They cost ten dollars apiece and never got sent to the other state....Ten dollars was alot back then ---particularly going home....Today I still drive a little slower when heading North....Tony

hpowders

Thanks, Tony. When heading up I95, I always slow down a bit when it winds through business areas.

Those cops must work for the airlines!

anthonyp

I flew down this time, but the next time I`l drive..Just getting out of S.C is the biggest risk..Georgia really has their stuff together--I guess the olympics did that, then Glorious Florida, the land of the free....The Spanish did a fine job down here....Have you had any other thoughts on the next car?? Remember to indulge yourself-- as years are passing by--Tony

hpowders

"Remember to indulge yourself-as years are passing by"

You have that right, Tony! That's the way I look at it too!
My wife tells me I should get a non-luxury vehicle because I take a long time in a parking lot to find a space where I most likely will not get dinged or worse.

Life is short. I will continue to get upscale brands like BMW and park far away and walk a few extra yards to restaurants. For me it's worth it ... and no ... valet parkers do not get to touch my vehicles.

jcoby

As one would expect, they are all over Dallas, Carrollton, Addison, Richardson, and Plano - areas that I happen to drive through on a regular basis.

My heart leaps into my throat at least once a week as a cop decides to enter the roadway immediately after I pass through. Luckily I have not received any tickets, but I am always afraid that the officer is coming to ticket me for going a measly 2-3 miles over the speed limit of 40 MPH.

Practically every day I see someone in a high-end sports coupe (Porsche, M3, Corvette, etc.) driving as though they are behind the wheel of a '78 Buick. My first thought is usually, "Why did he pay XX amount of dollars for that car to drive it like that," only to realize that it is far too risky to drive that vehicle in Dallas in the way that it was intended to be driven my the manufacturer.

Since we have a serious problem with road rage in the Dallas area, aggressive maneuvers can attract attention from the police. I used to drive my previous car far more aggressively than my current vehicle and one day I ferociously darted into the roadway, only to have a previously unseen cop follow me closely for a few more intersections. Ever since then, I have mostly been driving as though I am on my way to the local bingo tournament.

I cut loose every now and then, but only if I am completely certain that no cops are around.

I am really glad that some of you live in areas that allow you to test the limits of your vehicles. Have fun! :shades:

jlbl

On Maui, they call me:

Mr. H of The Flowery



Jose

carnaught

Life is short. I will continue to get upscale brands like BMW and park far away and walk a few extra yards to restaurants. For me it's worth it ... and no ... valet parkers do not get to touch my vehicles.

Wow, it's amazing how we car crazy folks are alike (LOL).

anthonyp

Howard, or I should say Mr. H, Your wife does have a point..I too do as you, but to keep things in perspective--while driving the rental--I am super careful that it also doesn`t get a ding...I`m afraid any car we were to get would get the same treatment as it is ingrained now...When I hit the rubber tread and did so much damage I was very upset, but the experience with the repair shop was heartening...You couldn`t tell anything had been hurt, so there is hope if somethind goes happen....Tony

hpowders

You know, on Maui they can call me whatever they want. I'm just glad to be there whenever I get the chance ... except for the dreadful airport!

Last time there, I could have been sitting a table away from Tagman at the Four Seasons as we were both busily tap tap tapping on our laptops to beat the Edmunds posting deadline over some fresh kona.

hpowders

I was about to book a stay in an upscale West Palm Beach condo for a few days several weeks ago ... then I read some reviews on tripadvisor.com and found out the condo only permits valet parking for $20 a day(even though folks who have stayed there say it would be very easy to park it yourself!)

That's the end of that. My wife would say it was the 20 bucks a day but she would be wrong ... no valet drives the 545i!

hpowders

Well with a rental you can at least pay the rental place's optional insurance. Through my regular car insurance policy, I have a $500 deductible and I would hate to shell that out on a few rental car dings. That's why I usually pay the few bucks for the rental insurance. $20 sure beats $500.

tagman

Pat,

I don't usually have computer connection issues, but for a few days now, when I go to load the forum page, the first attempt fails with a "failure to load, operation aborted" type of message.

I often sign in and out from more than one location, and each computer has done the same thing, so I know it's not a specific computer with the issue.

When I try again, the second attempt to connect works just fine, so it's not a major issue, but the first attempt failure is quite often. I was wondering if anyone else has reported or experienced this?

TagMan

lexusguy

When I try again, the second attempt to connect works just fine, so it's not a major issue, but the first attempt failure is quite often. I was wondering if anyone else has reported or experienced this?

Do you use the direct button on edmunds.com, or do you go by way of Inside Line? I always use the forums button on inside line, just a habit from when the main page button didn't work for awhile. I haven't had any issues.

louiswei

Yeah, I think the link icon on edmunds.com has issues. The one on Inside Line always works perfectly. Well, that's given if Inside Line works normally...

anthonyp

Mr H, It is pretty expensive, I think in the mid twenties a day....Sometimes I rent the car a couple of weeks, although this time just a week...The rental is around four hundred, and the insurance would bring that up to six hundred or so...I agree the peace of mind is worth something....I wonder how much your premium would jump if you had say a hundred dollar deduction? I`l check mine out and see also..

We did return the car yesterday and had no dings, and no trouble...As I stated it was Hoyundi(sp) and a nice sized one which I found very reminisent of the Lexus ls I use to have.....Tony

hpowders

The insurance rates would be kind of high with a $100 deductible.

Insurance companies would rather insulate themselves from having to pay out, preferring $500 or, even better, $1000 deductibles.

I will continue to pay the few bucks for the supplementary rental insurance.

tagman

The only good way around paying for that extra insurance that I am aware of is by using certain credit cards. For example, (unless they've changed their program benefits) if you charge your car rental with a Gold or Platinum American Express Card, I believe they automatically cover any incidental damage, if any, ... with certain limitations, of course.

You might check to see if any of your credit cards have any perks like that. They do that to get you to use them, of course, but in a case like this it's worth it.

TagMan

hpowders

Thanks. I don't use the American Express card. The way my credit card customer service rep. explained it to me, It sounded like getting the supplementary insurance was the way to go.

murphydog

I can tell you that any valet worth his/her salt wont door ding your car. Nothing worse that parking a long way out only to have the lot fill around you. That snot nosed kid jumping out of mom's yukon makes one hell of a door ding!!!

:shades:

murphydog

Now this is getting funny. Trust me, at any hotel like that the valets have driven plenty of cars like yours - in fact to them it is likely nothing special. Don't get me wrong - that does not mean they are going to wreck it or treat it poorly, just that they are not going to joy ride it or something.

Think about a hotel for a minute anyway. If you go with the Valet your car is unloaded at the door and kept away from the masses. If you park in the lot, no matter how far away you really want Mr and Mrs soccer unloading any where near your car? Little kid hauling out all kinds of stuff?

If life is really so short, why limit yourself based on a car?

hpowders

I can see myself coming back to the parking lot after a nice dinner and finding my 545i surrounded by 2 Mercedes Benz R Class behemoths parked really close on both sides. :surprise:

That's ding city right there!

hpowders

I'm sure you are right. Most fears are irrational.

topspin628

I am exiting my Lexus LS430 lease in a few months and I'm looking for a new ride. The XJ is a beautiful car and I'm going to take a test drive soon. I have it in the mix with the E Class MB and the 535 BMW both of which come with all wheel drive. My questions are:
Can the XJ handle snow equally as well as my LS 430? Both are rear wheel drive with traction control and stability control and all season tires. I never had an issue with the LS.

Are the front seats comfortable for long distance cruising?
I found the lexus seats a bit flat and not as good as the Germans in this area.

Is reliability still very strong? In the most recent JD Powers ratings it seemed that they slipped a bit.

It's one of the rare cars out today that is truly "special" in my book so I'm going to give it a long look. But I need to live with it daily and want to be happy once the honeymoon is over.

Thank you for any and all input/ownership experience on the updated body style for the XJ.

lexusguy

Can the XJ handle snow equally as well as my LS 430? Both are rear wheel drive with traction control and stability control and all season tires. I never had an issue with the LS.

I think with relatively light levels of snowfall you'll probably be OK. Snow tires are available for the Jag's 255/40-19 size, so you could go that route if you find the A/S tires to be insufficient.

The seats in the XJ are pretty good, if not up there with the best of the best. I would recommend a long test drive to see how it feels to you. My '07 XK8 has yet to have any problems.

Are you sure you want to buy new? The first two years of depreciation on the XJ are absolutely brutal, and CPO covered '05 XJRs or even Super V8s are very affordable.

blkhemi

Ditto my XKR. No probs at all.

laurasdada

Jag dealer in MA is currently offering a choice of 4 '07 XKs. The deal: $5k off MSRP plus they will give you $15k cash!

Now for the usual query: Brother, can you spare a dime? Or 600,000 dimes...? :surprise:

murphydog

Well, I guess I should not jump in either. I always try to keep my cars as far away from other people as possible. I have a soft spot for valets, that is how I paid my way through college.

britcrlvr

which dealership is this? is this just another ploy to get people into the dealership.

hpowders

My wife says I should give up the luxury brands and get an Accord, but I would probably park that far away too!

"So, Doc, you say I'm suffering from dingaphobia?"

lexusguy

My wife says I should give up the luxury brands and get an Accord, but I would probably park that far away too!

What you need is a used Accord with a few scratches and rock chips on it. Once the finish is no longer "perfect", you won't worry about it.

jlbl

And, Howard, do not forget to install a big handle on the console and a (non-functioning) second break pedal to be used by the front passenger. That will diminish stress in the car while speeding!

Jose

hpowders

Ouch! Just the thought of it makes me shudder! :surprise:

hpowders

Funny!

Back in NYC they have these buttons pedestrians push to change the light from red to green so they can cross busy streets. They are actually "idiot buttons" since whether you press them or not, the light will only change from red to green when programmed by traffic control. The button has no effect.

I guess the company that manufacturers these ineffective button systems makes those "idiot" brake pedals too!

tagman

"So, Doc, you say I'm suffering from dingaphobia?"

I must admit, I suffer from "dingaphobia" as well. There's no doubt about it. I shudder at the thought of coming back to my parked car and finding a ding. I do everything I can to park in spots that eliminate or minimize the possibility of a ding... end spots are good... curbside is great... spots that are out in the back 40... but, I don't take up two parking spaces. I draw the line there, and I hate guys that do that.

Usually when I return to my car, if I'm parked next to another car, I actually check the side of the car, just to make sure the guy next to me didn't ding me. If I were to ever catch a guy dinging me... well... let's put it this way... I'd could only hope my wife would consider putting up the bail money to get me out.

Edit: The only ding I ever got on my previous Boxster was actually from my wife, who parked her SUV too close and nailed the Porsche. I still remember it. Amazing what love will do... I never said a word to her when she showed me... although the look on my face was probably enough! :sick:

TagMan

hpowders

Went to a restaurant recently in a huge shopping mall with tons of parking. I parked all the way near the exit (at least half a mile away) in a space adjacent to an island with only one car able to park next to me (driver's side).

When I came back, this huge Hummer was parked next to me leaving me maybe 6 inches to open my door and climb inside. Amazingly, no scratches or dings. Just an idiot with no regard for other people. Lucky I didn't need a chiropractor! Still don't know how I got inside. :surprise:

PS: Whenever I come back to the car when it's in a lot, I always do a 360 degree check. But let's face it, if a guy dings you, he will park somewhere else.

If my wife is with me, I let her do the shopping and I wait in the car. The best ding preventive measure. Plus, I don't have to hear her complain that the BMW wood can't be real wood! Nothing like 110 degree sun and heat to relax me when on Florida ding patrol!

tagman

I let her do the shopping and I wait in the car... Nothing like 110 degree sun and heat to relax me when on Florida ding patrol!

LOL. It's not just ding patrol at work here... Let's be honest... it's a guy's normal aversion to shopping. Most of us guys would rather do almost anything else than shop with the wife... it's usually torture! And, the amazing thing is that they can't for the life of them understand why we hate it!

TagMan

laurasdada

link title

Lee, in Wellesley, MA...

They've been advertising big discounts (from $8 to $16k off MSRP) on one in stock convertible all summer. But now...

hpowders

Well, you have reported the same phenomenon on the west coast as I have on the east coast.

This shopping in "slo mo" seems to be a national epidemic.

brightness04

That's where a car cheap enough as not to matter comes in handy :-) I got boxed in at a street-side parking spot a couple months ago. The car in front of me was literally resting its rear bumper on my front bumper. I just powered my way out there, lifting the whole rear end of that Chevy s***tbox in front of my Saab wagon in the process. Do I care about a little paint damage to the plastic bumper cover? Not at all, it's long been paid for by some idiot who ran a red light and put a nick on that same bumper and paid me $750 so I wouldn't file a report on him; that was four months after I bought the car brand new. The wife had a hissy fit, but I was laughing all the way to the bank, looking for the next donation maker ever since :-) Half a year after we bought the Highlander, wife put a dent to the rear quarter panel by having a telephone pole jumping out at her :-) Since she couldn't talk the telephone pole into paying for the repair, she stopped whining about me not fixing the nick on the bumper of the Saab.

tagman

brightness... here'a few for ya'...

Years ago, my wife attempted to back out of the garage, but she forgot to open the garage door. I couldn't believe my eyes when I returned home from work. The garage door was bulging out and all twisted up. And... until the garage door was repaired, the car was stuck inside! I was very cool about it.

On a different occassion, she left the rear hatch open on an SUV and then backed out of the garage, nearly tearing the hatch right off the vehicle and causing some considerable damage to the upper garage structure. Again, I kept my cool.

Yet, another time, she closed the garage door on top of her vehicle, as she somehow didn't pull it in all the way. Nothing for me to say... the issue spoke for itself. :confuse:

There are actually more stories... but I think you get the picture...

I sometimes jokingly call her "Lucy".

And, to think that she can get irritated over little things, like if I should forget to take out the trash or something... Oh well, there's nothing fair in marriage, yet somehow I'm still willingly (and calmly, for the most part) in the game!

TagMan

hpowders

My better half cannot identify the 545i in an empty parking lot.

However, If I move an obscure little candy dish a fraction of an inch when she is not home, she will not only know about it, but question me about it like moving it has caused major structural damage to the house.

I guess that is why the lord created good gin.