Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

explorerx4 · June 2015

The thing that I don't get from just using my own music is finding other music I didn't know existed.

suydam · June 2015

Unless you want to listen to something new. We particularly enjoy concert performance with live versions that often contain songs we have t heard and surprising versions of ones we know. Or stations like Deep Tracks that play artists I'm not always familiar with, or songs I haven't heard in years and years. Each to his/her own, but that's why I do like XM.

driver100 · June 2015

abacomike said:

imidazol97 said:

driver100 said:
I really think they find most people take the promotion offer and then forget to cancel. That's why those mail in coupon offers were so successful...for the manufacturer. People bring the item home, procrastinate, forget to claim their refund. A very small percentage of people remember to send in for a refund....similar with Sirius.

Another thing, the percieved value is for an item that they make you think is worth $200 - you will get for $20...what a bargooon!
Agree. Spot on.

Well, I certainly have heard nothing from them. I am surprised I did not get a letter or an email from them prior to the end of the trial period - not even three weeks after the end of the trial date. I would consider renewing if the price was right - but unless the cost is 30-40 dollars for a 6 month extension, I am just not that excited about satellite radio. The quality of the sound reproduction is no where close to HD FM or iPod or even a disc.

Mike, you're a perfect candidate for the 5 months for $20 offer....just be sure to cancel before they renew it.

I have 170 songs on my USB stick which I really like. But, sometimes it is nice to have someone else choose some songs at random.

I also like Sirius on the trip to and from Florida. Not many normal stations, if you can find a station, once you get around South Kentucky.

abacomike · July 2015

My Dad passed away about 30 minutes ago. He went peacefully, which I thank hospice and the Lord for. He is with God and my Mom now and I pray he can now rest in peace.

Thanks to all of you for helping me get through these past 5 weeks. It is much appreciated.

Michaell · July 2015

abacomike said:
My Dad passed away about 30 minutes ago. He went peacefully, which I thank hospice and the Lord for. He is with God and my Mom now and I pray he can now rest in peace.

Thanks to all of you for helping me get through these past 5 weeks. It is much appreciated.

Michael - my heartfelt condolences on the loss of your father. May I handle the circumstances with the dignity you've shown when my parents go.

ab348 · July 2015

Sincere condolences, Mike. Take comfort in all that you did for him over the last few years.

bwia · July 2015

Mike, so sorry for your loss. May the departed soul of your dad rest in eternal peace.

[Deleted User] · July 2015

Condolences on your loss, Mike. You've been an amazing support to him all these years and made his last days as comfortable as possible.

driver100 · July 2015

Mike, my thoughts are with you. Remember all the good things you shared............

driver100 · July 2015

Forbes has a list of the worst 15 cars for 2015. They used info from JD Powers and CR. I thought the list was pretty good, with some surprises. Lincoln, Chrysler, Mitsu, and Nissan seemed to lead the pack with most cars on the list, and some surprises like XTS, 7 Series, Wrangler on the list:
15 worse 2015 cars to buy

28firefighter · July 2015

Mike - I'm so sorry for your loss. May his memory be a blessing.

carnaught · July 2015

Mike, my condolences too on the loss of your dad. It's a blessing that things did not drag on any more. You should have contentment that he lived a long life and is now in a better place, and that you've been a great son. Thoughts and prayers are with you.

stickguy · July 2015

Sorry for your loss mike. At least he is at peace now.

cdnpinhead · July 2015

abacomike said:
My Dad passed away about 30 minutes ago.

My condolences also, but your Dad didn't appear to be taking much joy from life of late. Just remember those steak dinners at the casino as well as the lifetime of joy that you two gave each other in happier times.

nyccarguy · July 2015

Mike - Please accept my deepest condolences and sympathies. He was fortunate to have a son like you. I'm sure his memory will live on with you for the rest of your life. May he rest in peace.

Mr_Shiftright · July 2015

Not too many surprises there. They are either goofy, or very long in the tooth obsolete designs, or in the case of the XTS, they've been sabotaged by their own corporate overlords (the Impala). the BMW 7 series just suffers from a decade-long horrible reputation.

jpp75 · July 2015

Mike - sincerest sympathies, I know your Dad is in a better place but it doesn't lessen the grief. I hope you find some solace in knowing you provided him a great quality of life as long as possible. May he rest in peace.

driver100 · July 2015

Mr_Shiftright said:
Not too many surprises there. They are either goofy, or very long in the tooth obsolete designs, or in the case of the XTS, they've been sabotaged by their own corporate overlords (the Impala). the BMW 7 series just suffers from a decade-long horrible reputation.

Agree 100%. I was surprised by a few things.......that Chrysler has such outdated cars that aren't built that well, and don't retain their value, yet people seem to buy them. The BMW 7 Series has fallen so far behind the Audi A8 and MB S Class that it isn't even worth considering. Smart Car....well, we all knew that would be on the list. That an Impala would be a better buy than an XTS was a bit of a surprise....though I don't see very many Impalas. And, the Lincolns did worse than I expected.

fezo · July 2015

Mike - condolences to you. We went through that with my mom and when she passed after seven difficult years (she wasn't as feisty as your dad but it was sad to watch this sharp as a tack woman who you could bounce jokes off of and such just fade and fade). There is a combination of feelings that don't synch - glad it's over but devastated at the same time.

He's indeed with your mom and God.

There's an old song that catches where your mom has been these years;

"I'll be waiting on the far side bank of Jordan
I'll be waiting, drawing pictures in the sand
And when I see you coming I will rise up with a shout
And go running through the shallow waters reaching for your hand."

Here's the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwxL9ekKtbU&ab_channel=lorettafan1

isellhondas · July 2015

Sorry for your loss, Mike. Even when it's expected it isn't easy.

nelsonf · July 2015

So people bought a Wrangler, then complained about the ride and wind noise? Kinda goofy.

roadburner · July 2015

Mike, I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Rest in the knowledge that you always gave him the best of care and that he knew how much you loved him.

sb55 · July 2015

Mike,
Sorry for your loss.

gmanusmc · July 2015

Mike - I join the others in offering my heartfelt condolences for the loss of your dad. You are indeed the best of sons and inspire us all to be better people. May God help you find the strength to get through this difficult time.

Bill G

verdugo · July 2015

abacomike said:
My Dad passed away about 30 minutes ago. He went peacefully, which I thank hospice and the Lord for. He is with God and my Mom now and I pray he can now rest in peace.

Thanks to all of you for helping me get through these past 5 weeks. It is much appreciated.

My condolences Mike. Your behavior is a testament of how great of a father your father was. He'd be proud.

jwilliams2 · July 2015

So sorry for your loss, Mike. Please accept my condolences. He couldn't have asked for a better son. Your love and dedication was truly inspirational.

driver100 · July 2015

nelsonf said:
So people bought a Wrangler, then complained about the ride and wind noise? Kinda goofy.

Good comment....I think reliability was an issue too, but not resale value.

I owned a 2000 Jeep Cherokee, the little one with a ride like a lumber truck. It was noisy too....tire noise, engine noise and wind noise. BUt, that was part of the charm. It wasn't sophisticated, but it was fun, and I liked the firm ride. But, there aren't too many who want to really rough it these days.

bwia · July 2015

driver100 said:

nelsonf said:
So people bought a Wrangler, then complained about the ride and wind noise? Kinda goofy.
Good comment....I think reliability was an issue too, but not resale value.

I owned a 2000 Jeep Cherokee, the little one with a ride like a lumber truck. It was noisy too....tire noise, engine noise and wind noise. BUt, that was part of the charm. It wasn't sophisticated, but it was fun, and I liked the firm ride. But, there aren't too many who want to really rough it these days.

Speaking of rough rides, you may want to read this beautifully written essay "Rough Rides in New Cars Bring Out My Bad Side" by Jamie Kitman of Automobile Magazine.

Here are couple excerpts:
... "But let’s put aside any age-appropriate irritation I may harbor concerning the nannying ways of modern cars, the shortcomings of their interconnected electronic architectures, anonymous, copycat styling, the recent phenomenon of vanishing outward visibility, and the scourge of lifeless steering. Let’s focus instead on the thing that bugs me most: the steady, willful erosion of automotive ride quality."

... As I never tire (get it?) of noting, it’s like the iPod. One hundred years of progress in high fidelity tossed out the window in half a generation all in the name of a single virtue: portability. So too big rims and low-profile tires are here to stay because they capture your average primate’s attention so readily and fill a wheelwell so handily. So what if they destroy a car’s ability to silently dispatch expansion cracks and divots in the tarmac? They look cool."

Read more: http://www.automobilemag.com/features/columns/1505-rough-rides-in-new-cars-bring-out-my-bad-side/#ixzz3efk1Mssf

stickguy · July 2015

us grouchy old men need to stick together.

houdini1 · July 2015

abacomike said:
My Dad passed away about 30 minutes ago. He went peacefully, which I thank hospice and the Lord for. He is with God and my Mom now and I pray he can now rest in peace.

Thanks to all of you for helping me get through these past 5 weeks. It is much appreciated.

Mike, your dad was a real HERO. Now he is in a better place. He will be just fine and so will you. My thoughts are with you.

oldfarmer50 · July 2015

abacomike said:
My Dad passed away about 30 minutes ago. He went peacefully, which I thank hospice and the Lord for. He is with God and my Mom now and I pray he can now rest in peace.

Thanks to all of you for helping me get through these past 5 weeks. It is much appreciated.

Sorry to hear that Mike. I know nothing anyone can say will take your grief away. From personal experience I can tell you that as the sadness fades you'll not be plagued by regrets from not having done all you could. Remember the good times and the day to day experiences. God bless.

explorerx4 · July 2015

Mike,
So sorry about your Dad. He couldn't have had a more devoted child than you.

suydam · July 2015

So sorry to hear. I lost my own father just this January. You were a wonderful son in his last months especially. Now you can begin to recover memories of him as you and others knew him. At my fathers funeral I was touched that his former bridge partner came to say goodbye and tell stories of their times. It was like getting him back. May his memory always be for a blessing.

abacomike · July 2015

Thanks to all for you very kind and generous wishes and comments. It was a tough day today with several trips to the funeral home who is taking care of his cremation, trips to the bank, dozens of phone calls between my brother and me, etc. I guess this stress will end soon.

His ashes will be sent to a beautiful veterans national cemetery in Lake Worth, FL just south of Palm Beach. It's about a 40 drive from here. I will be notified when the inurnment is to take place. They provide an American Flag and a nice ceremony.

Again, thank you all for helping me get through this.

berri · July 2015

God Bless. He will always be in your heart and soul, and over time the memories will get better and better.

driver100 · July 2015

bwia said:

driver100 said:

nelsonf said:
So people bought a Wrangler, then complained about the ride and wind noise? Kinda goofy.
Good comment....I think reliability was an issue too, but not resale value.

I owned a 2000 Jeep Cherokee, the little one with a ride like a lumber truck. It was noisy too....tire noise, engine noise and wind noise. BUt, that was part of the charm. It wasn't sophisticated, but it was fun, and I liked the firm ride. But, there aren't too many who want to really rough it these days.
Speaking of rough rides, you may want to read this beautifully written essay "Rough Rides in New Cars Bring Out My Bad Side" by Jamie Kitman of Automobile Magazine.

Here are couple excerpts:
... "But let’s put aside any age-appropriate irritation I may harbor concerning the nannying ways of modern cars, the shortcomings of their interconnected electronic architectures, anonymous, copycat styling, the recent phenomenon of vanishing outward visibility, and the scourge of lifeless steering. Let’s focus instead on the thing that bugs me most: the steady, willful erosion of automotive ride quality."

... As I never tire (get it?) of noting, it’s like the iPod. One hundred years of progress in high fidelity tossed out the window in half a generation all in the name of a single virtue: portability. So too big rims and low-profile tires are here to stay because they capture your average primate’s attention so readily and fill a wheelwell so handily. So what if they destroy a car’s ability to silently dispatch expansion cracks and divots in the tarmac? They look cool."

Read more: http://www.automobilemag.com/features/columns/1505-rough-rides-in-new-cars-bring-out-my-bad-side/#ixzz3efk1Mssf

That guy is a good writer...pretty literate for a car mag. I do like this one for under $102k!

Who thinks up that red trim....only in Europe!

nelsonf · July 2015

driver100 said:

nelsonf said:
So people bought a Wrangler, then complained about the ride and wind noise? Kinda goofy.
Good comment....I think reliability was an issue too, but not resale value.

I owned a 2000 Jeep Cherokee, the little one with a ride like a lumber truck. It was noisy too....tire noise, engine noise and wind noise. BUt, that was part of the charm. It wasn't sophisticated, but it was fun, and I liked the firm ride. But, there aren't too many who want to really rough it these days.

I had a '98 XJ. I think the only problem I had with it in 7 or 8 years was a bad neutral safety switch.
I sold it when we bought a house and got a pickup.

stickguy · July 2015

Kitman is an oddball. He manages some bands, and has a large collection of weird cars. Many obscure 60s-70s vintage British cars.

sda · July 2015

Mike, words aren't adequate, you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. May you find peace. God Bless. Steve

stever · July 2015

Condolences Mike.

Did a long drive today and dug out my mp3 player, the cheap one that transmits through the FM radio. I'm sure it would hurt @bwia's ears but it was nice hearing my playlist for a change. More and more we ride in "radio silence".

I am sort of shopping for a receiver that'll accept SDs and USBs that I can hook up to the built-in wall speakers in my living room and streaming net radio would be a plus.

fezo · July 2015

In a day I never thought would really happen, the local Toyota dealer,who had diagnosed excessive oil consumption in our 07 Camry with 156K on it. We knew it had the problem but got an unsolicited letter last March saying to get it tested. We knew it used excessive oil but this was a surprise. We tested positive and they said they would correct the problem no matter the mileage. They took it today and said to expect three days. If it can be fixed with rings they'll do the. Otherwise they'll replace the engine. I'm stunned.

Meanwhile they gave us a 14 Camry as a loaner.

roadburner · July 2015

stever said:
Condolences Mike.

Did a long drive today and dug out my mp3 player, the cheap one that transmits through the FM radio. I'm sure it would hurt @bwia's ears but it was nice hearing my playlist for a change. More and more we ride in "radio silence".

I am sort of shopping for a receiver that'll accept SDs and USBs that I can hook up to the built-in wall speakers in my living room and streaming net radio would be a plus.

Have you looked at this Denon AVR? No SD input, but it does feature Spotify, Pandora, Bluetooth and USB. It's relatively inexpensive at $479.

stever · July 2015

Looks nicer than the $120 job I skimmed somewhere. Amazon I guess. Not sure my ears are worth ~$500 though.

No SD isn't a deal killer; it's just a nice form factor.

roadburner · July 2015

bwia said:

driver100 said:

nelsonf said:
So people bought a Wrangler, then complained about the ride and wind noise? Kinda goofy.
Good comment....I think reliability was an issue too, but not resale value.

I owned a 2000 Jeep Cherokee, the little one with a ride like a lumber truck. It was noisy too....tire noise, engine noise and wind noise. BUt, that was part of the charm. It wasn't sophisticated, but it was fun, and I liked the firm ride. But, there aren't too many who want to really rough it these days.
Speaking of rough rides, you may want to read this beautifully written essay "Rough Rides in New Cars Bring Out My Bad Side" by Jamie Kitman of Automobile Magazine.

Here are couple excerpts:
... "But let’s put aside any age-appropriate irritation I may harbor concerning the nannying ways of modern cars, the shortcomings of their interconnected electronic architectures, anonymous, copycat styling, the recent phenomenon of vanishing outward visibility, and the scourge of lifeless steering. Let’s focus instead on the thing that bugs me most: the steady, willful erosion of automotive ride quality."

... As I never tire (get it?) of noting, it’s like the iPod. One hundred years of progress in high fidelity tossed out the window in half a generation all in the name of a single virtue: portability. So too big rims and low-profile tires are here to stay because they capture your average primate’s attention so readily and fill a wheelwell so handily. So what if they destroy a car’s ability to silently dispatch expansion cracks and divots in the tarmac? They look cool."

Read more: http://www.automobilemag.com/features/columns/1505-rough-rides-in-new-cars-bring-out-my-bad-side/#ixzz3efk1Mssf

Kitman is an interesting guy to talk with. In addition to maintaining several oddball mostly orphaned cars, he is manager for the altrnative rock band They Might Be Giants.

graphicguy · July 2015

Mike....first and foremost, my sincerest condolences to you and your Brother on the passing of your Father.

Had my eye lens replaced (I guess that's what you call it). Essentially, a similar procedure as cataract surgery. But, from what the Opthamologist tells me, my eye looked like it had some sort of trauma a fair amount of time ago. While I don't remember a specific incident, I did box in high school and college, and probably took more than a few hard shots to my left eye, as that's the one I remember swelling the most after a bout. Anyway, pretty blury yesterday. Today is a bit better. No pain to speak of, which amazes me...even during surgery. a little itchy eye, but that's about it. Hopefully, good vision by next week.

Talked to the lawyer (specialist in Lemon Law) on the Cadillac front yesterday. He said it's normal for GM to push for resolution through the BBB. He said they always decline a settlement. And, they know if they can get you to arbitration, the arbitrator will continue to urge the car owner into more trips to the dealership, regardless of the amount of times you already tried, and regardless of reason. Lawyer confirmed that it's SOP for Cadillac/GM to drag their feet once a lemon law suit has been filed.

Bottom line, Cadillac/GM are experts in irritating their customer whenever there is a chronic problem with their products. Nothing new, it seems.

Back to visit my eye surgeon today. Hopefully he tells me everything is A-O and I can play in a golf scramble over the weekend.

imidazol97 · July 2015

graphicguy said:
Had my eye lens replaced (I guess that's what you call it). Essentially, a similar procedure as cataract surgery.

Are you having both eyes done since this one seemed to have been caused by trauma? Or is the other one going to remain OEM?

Did you get the standard replacement lens or multifocus?

graphicguy said:
I can play in a golf scramble...

I believe after my replacements I was told not to bend down for any length of time because of the
intraocular pressure increase that could cause and I believe I was not to carry heavy items for the
same reason. I don't know if golf would have you straining in that way or not. When I tried playing a decade or two back it was a miserable experience for all the golfers around me. However, I enjoyed the real beauty of the many courses I got to see with the people who suffered my being on the course with them!

stever · July 2015

Got moveable lenses in mine and vision was good the same day. Seems like it's a good sign that your vision is improving though.

isellhondas · July 2015

fezo said:
In a day I never thought would really happen, the local Toyota dealer,who had diagnosed excessive oil consumption in our 07 Camry with 156K on it. We knew it had the problem but got an unsolicited letter last March saying to get it tested. We knew it used excessive oil but this was a surprise. We tested positive and they said they would correct the problem no matter the mileage. They took it today and said to expect three days. If it can be fixed with rings they'll do the. Otherwise they'll replace the engine. I'm stunned.

Meanwhile they gave us a 14 Camry as a loaner.

Are you serious? Toyota is going to warranty an engine with 156,000 miles on it???

I am impressed!

Mr_Shiftright · July 2015

Oh....My kind of guy...

GEEZ that red trim is hard to swallow---looks like something people in my neighborhood are doing in their backyards after one too many beers. Yeah, I get it---with cars all looking the same now we have to make them different.

stickguy said:
Kitman is an oddball. He manages some bands, and has a large collection of weird cars. Many obscure 60s-70s vintage British cars.

fezo · July 2015

Yeah, when they said what the cure was I almost had to change pants. I know there was a lawsuit over this. I just happen to be a lucky hanger-on.

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