Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

ray80 · January 2017

abacomike said:
We are in for some very strong storms tonight. They are expecting heavy rain and thunderstorms along with 50-60 mph winds and possible hail and tornadoes. Supposed to go through between 1:00 AM and 4:00 AM. This is the southern tail of those storms that hit Alabama and Georgia.

Not looking forward to this. They are also predicting power outages as well.

Stay safe Mike, storm system supposed to be headed up this way with some wind and perhaps ice , no twisters though,

stickguy · January 2017

GG, if it was me, I would probably be so beaten down that I would just take the car back, and drive immediately to a dealer of a different brand, and trade it in and never look at a Caddy again. Even after I died, I would put in my will, no Caddy hearse.

tjc78 · January 2017

Is the car drive able? If so I'd go get it and do exactly as Stick says. Let the next person deal with it.

I did this with my 98 Olds 88 that leaked water inside from day 1. After 11 months of attempted repairs, I gave up a traded it in. Took a beating but it was what it was.

isellhondas · January 2017

Be careful you guys! Watching the weather reports and things don't look good for some of you.

I don't know what is worse....scary weather or our earthquakes?

stickguy · January 2017

yeah, not looking forward to 2 days of rain and high winds. bad combo.

ab348 · January 2017

abacomike said:
They are also predicting power outages as well.

It bugs me when TV weather presenters predict such things. Up here they can barely predict the weather; predicting outages is something they have zero data on.

driver100 · January 2017

graphicguy said:

stickguy said:

graphicguy said:
Thanks! Nothing yet from the Zone Rep. Did get an email from dealer Service Manager stating he was trying to find out the hold up on parts. To me, that's kind of like putting a bandaid on 50 caliber gun shot.
question. What if the zone rep raised heck, and came up with the parts this week, and they were about to repair your car in a few days. Would that end it for you, and even take a lemon law case out of consideration?
Stick.....I don't' know. As I said, I'm pretty numb by this whole ordeal. On the one hand, I'd probably would wonder how exactly the rest of the car has been engineered given the amount of problems I've had with the CTS in total.

On the other hand, what are the odds of these debilitating issues continuing? I guess they could continue if the engineering is suspect overall.

What would you do?

I know what I would do. I would take the car back, say thank you, ad then start shopping. You probably wouldn't come out too badly financially.....and would have learned a valuable lesson.

driver100 · January 2017

abacomike said:
We are in for some very strong storms tonight. They are expecting heavy rain and thunderstorms along with 50-60 mph winds and possible hail and tornadoes. Supposed to go through between 1:00 AM and 4:00 AM. This is the southern tail of those storms that hit Alabama and Georgia.

Not looking forward to this. They are also predicting power outages as well.

It hit Tampa area about 7 pm....it is raining like crazy, lightening every 10 seconds. We had tornado warnings issued, but, thank goodness they didn't materialize. I guess there is always a price to pay - nothing is ever perfect, and we wouldn't appreciate it if it was.

Rain supposed to end by early morning and temperature of 70 tomorrow....I can hear it pouring down right now though.

driver100 · January 2017

ab348 said:

graphicguy said:
Thanks! Nothing yet from the Zone Rep. Did get an email from dealer Service Manager stating he was trying to find out the hold up on parts. To me, that's kind of like putting a bandaid on 50 caliber gun shot.
I appreciate hearing about the updates too. Honestly, none of this makes any sense to me. They have a documented issue that they generated a TSB for with instructions for the techs and part numbers. To even come within whispering distance of the buyback word for such a thing where the required part surely exists seems bizarre on the part of the manufacturer.

Ab, you are being really good about this. I know it hurts to hear something negative about the car you own, and enjoy having. I really don't think this is a reflection on the entire brand....I think there still are occasional lemons and certainly bad luck.

Like I said, my friend gets new Caddies every 3 years for over 30 years and loves them....with never a problem Reviews are usually excellent, often top pick in their class. I think GGs car and experience is unusual. OTOH, he was never treated properly, and that is still a huge problem.

driver100 · January 2017

stickguy said:
GG, if it was me, I would probably be so beaten down that I would just take the car back, and drive immediately to a dealer of a different brand, and trade it in and never look at a Caddy again. Even after I died, I would put in my will, no Caddy hearse.

Yeh, with GGs luck the hearse would break down on the way to the grave site.

driver100 · January 2017

A shiny black SUV pulls up to us this morning at Sam's Club. Guy put down his window, I can see a woman in front and two kids in the back. He says we are from Texas and don't know our way around. He says I lost my wallet and he is starting to remove his big flashy ring. I say we don't live in the area either so I can't help you, he is going to say more but by then I am walking away.

I like to confuse them a bit so they have to try and think how to answer what I just said, and by then I have left them. Strange though, he had 2 kids, and it was a new and shiny SUV. I would like to know what the rest of his story was, but glad I didn't have to say any more to him.

They usually ask for $50 and you can hold my valuable ring until I can get some money. Of course the ring is a cheap one, and if they get your name and phone number they know you are an easy mark for more.

nyccarguy · January 2017

explorerx4 said:

@nyccarguy, Yeah, but you live in that hoity-toity Fairfield County.

It's funny how the mill rate works though. The same car costs more in property tax depending on your city or town. Property tax on a car in Greenwich will be less than the identical car in Bridgeport.

ab348 · January 2017

driver100 said:
I think GGs car and experience is unusual. OTOH, he was never treated properly, and that is still a huge problem.

He does seem jinxed. I just hope that if he does move on from Cadillac that he doesn't get an Acura TLX with the 9 speed transmission.

abacomike · January 2017

ab348 said:

They are also predicting power outages as well.
It bugs me when TV weather presenters predict such things. Up here they can barely predict the weather; predicting outages is something they have zero data on.

Because of the high wind warnings, it's easy to predict that power lines will be down - they just don't know where or when. Remember, this is hurricane country!

explorerx4 · January 2017

These were referred to as Cheese Graters.

abacomike · January 2017

isellhondas said:

Be careful you guys! Watching the weather reports and things don't look good for some of you. I don't know what is worse....scary weather or our earthquakes?

I've lived through tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes in my lifetime. Of those three weather phenomenons, I would prefer earthquakes - 30 seconds to 60 seconds and it's over. Hurricanes are the worst - 2-3 days of anxiety as they approach and then 2-3 weeks of cleanup.

abacomike · January 2017

We were just alerted on the iPhone that we are now under a gale warning until 11:00 PM followed by severe thunderstorms and lightning. Just came up on the TV. I am going out on the terrace to pull the hurricane shutters down.

houdini1 · January 2017

If you have a shelter in the complex, get there !!

abacomike · January 2017

houdini1 said:

If you have a shelter in the complex, get there !!

Best place for me to be is in my concrete walled condo. The hurricane shutters will protect the terrace from blowing objects. It sure is windy out - gusts are up as high as 50 mph. Once the thunderstorms get here, the front will pass to our south and things will calm down.

The severe storms are still to our northwest near Sarasota and Ft. Myers, about 85-150 miles away.

abacomike · January 2017

Just got a tornado watch until 6:00 AM for all of Broward County. I guess this is going to be an interesting night. I have my CT-Scan tomorrow morning - I hope most of the severe weather is over when I have to leave for Ft. Lauderdale.

graphicguy · January 2017

ab348 said:

graphicguy said:
Thanks! Nothing yet from the Zone Rep. Did get an email from dealer Service Manager stating he was trying to find out the hold up on parts. To me, that's kind of like putting a bandaid on 50 caliber gun shot.
I appreciate hearing about the updates too. Honestly, none of this makes any sense to me. They have a documented issue that they generated a TSB for with instructions for the techs and part numbers. To even come within whispering distance of the buyback word for such a thing where the required part surely exists seems bizarre on the part of the manufacturer.

Makes no sense to me, either. Why they can't come up with the required parts, for well over a month, is totally inexplicable. Why they have to pull the engine to fix it is crazy in and of itself. I don't even know where to begin regarding the engineering faux pas about how the interference on the wiring was totally missed. That the car had some sort of fire in the engine bay is just bitter icing on a moldy cake.

It would make more sense, given everything they've put me through, they would just write me a check and call it a day, we would just wash our hands of each other.

No.....nothing Cadillac has done makes any sense. On that we can agree!

graphicguy · January 2017

tjc78 said:
Is the car drive able? If so I'd go get it and do exactly as Stick says. Let the next person deal with it.

I did this with my 98 Olds 88 that leaked water inside from day 1. After 11 months of attempted repairs, I gave up a traded it in. Took a beating but it was what it was.

Service Manager is the one who said I should not drive it. I know they've taken some of it apart because they showed me the burnt wiring. I'm guessing without the new wiring, wiring harness, and the associated routing hardware, I can't see how it would be driveable.

I can't bring myself to take a bath on it given none of it is acceptable.

isellhondas · January 2017

driver100 said:

stickguy said:
GG, if it was me, I would probably be so beaten down that I would just take the car back, and drive immediately to a dealer of a different brand, and trade it in and never look at a Caddy again. Even after I died, I would put in my will, no Caddy hearse.
Yeh, with GGs luck the hearse would break down on the way to the grave site.

At that point, he wouldn't care!

jipster · January 2017

I've lived through tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes in my lifetime. Of those three weather phenomenons, I would prefer earthquakes - 30 seconds to 60 seconds and it's over. Hurricanes are the worst - 2-3 days of anxiety as they approach and then 2-3 weeks of cleanup.

I'd say a tornado is the worse, for me. Earthquakes can be mild. Hurricanes you usually have time to evacuate. Tornados can be swift, sudden and totally devastating.

driver100 · January 2017

graphicguy said:

tjc78 said:
Is the car drive able? If so I'd go get it and do exactly as Stick says. Let the next person deal with it.

I did this with my 98 Olds 88 that leaked water inside from day 1. After 11 months of attempted repairs, I gave up a traded it in. Took a beating but it was what it was.

I can't bring myself to take a bath on it given none of it is acceptable.

Forget what kind of car you are favoring next. Maybe you can make a deal to trade it in for a low mileage car on their lot. Might give you a good deal just to be done with this farce.

graphicguy · January 2017

driver100 said:

graphicguy said:

tjc78 said:
Is the car drive able? If so I'd go get it and do exactly as Stick says. Let the next person deal with it.

I did this with my 98 Olds 88 that leaked water inside from day 1. After 11 months of attempted repairs, I gave up a traded it in. Took a beating but it was what it was.

I can't bring myself to take a bath on it given none of it is acceptable.
Forget what kind of car you are favoring next. Maybe you can make a deal to trade it in for a low mileage car on their lot. Might give you a good deal just to be done with this farce.

Driver....interesting idea. I haven't even thought about what would take the place of the CTS. Moreover, I've never looked at their used inventory. They are standalone but are part of a much larger dealer group owned by one person.

imidazol97 · January 2017

driver100 said:
That trip is getting busier each year, and the driving is getting crazier too.

We drive south thru KY on Monday morning usually. No problems. This year coming back north, had several rude drivers from Georgia and South Carolina who seemed to think the road was built only for them and the speed limits didn't apply. It used to be in TN and KY I'd get somebody tailgating in their SUV or Pick'em up truck with a big license plate "3" on their front and "3" on their back windows, later replaced by "23," who thought they were on a racetrack. Now it's women drivers from GA (sorry to our distaff members) who think their SUV is a rocket and defies the laws of physics tailgating at 15 over the limit. Yeck.

driver100 said:
Didn't they move the construction more north,,,,and isn't there talk of a by-pass for Cincinnati?

The eastern bypass would go far east branching off about where I71 joins I75. It won't get built till the right politicians have bought up rights to land where it would be sited and are greasing the palms of other politicians.

The talk was because of the past government's refusal to pay for KY's bridge over muddy waters there in metro Cincy and the only solution for the traffic backups at the bridge was a toll bridge. They tried the scare tactics that the old bridge was frail and dangerous. But sage minds noticed that the replacement system used a new bridge for traffic one way and kept the old bridge in service for traffic northbound, if I have it right. So I don't expect that bridge to be improved in my lifetime.

Maybe flying is the best solution. LOL

imidazol97 · January 2017

graphicguy said:
Still, none of that helps those of us who live in the area!

But Mike Brown and Castellini thank Hamilton Cty. (Owners of the teams)

tjc78 · January 2017

graphicguy said:

tjc78 said:
Is the car drive able? If so I'd go get it and do exactly as Stick says. Let the next person deal with it.

I did this with my 98 Olds 88 that leaked water inside from day 1. After 11 months of attempted repairs, I gave up a traded it in. Took a beating but it was what it was.
Service Manager is the one who said I should not drive it. I know they've taken some of it apart because they showed me the burnt wiring. I'm guessing without the new wiring, wiring harness, and the associated routing hardware, I can't see how it would be driveable.

I can't bring myself to take a bath on it given none of it is acceptable.

Ugh, no parts and it is taken apart. What a mess! I hear on you taking a bath on it, I wouldn't want to either. My Olds was such a disaster I didn't want it anymore fixed or not. I won't bore the group with the details on that one, but I was young and inexperienced. What happened then I would have never allowed to happen now.

They really should just replace it for you without a huge ordeal.

driver100 · January 2017

graphicguy said:

driver100 said:

graphicguy said:

tjc78 said:
Is the car drive able? If so I'd go get it and do exactly as Stick says. Let the next person deal with it.

I did this with my 98 Olds 88 that leaked water inside from day 1. After 11 months of attempted repairs, I gave up a traded it in. Took a beating but it was what it was.

I can't bring myself to take a bath on it given none of it is acceptable.
Forget what kind of car you are favoring next. Maybe you can make a deal to trade it in for a low mileage car on their lot. Might give you a good deal just to be done with this farce.
Driver....interesting idea. I haven't even thought about what would take the place of the CTS. Moreover, I've never looked at their used inventory. They are standalone but are part of a much larger dealer group owned by one person.

If you swap for a Tohoe or Escalade chances are you will get a pretty dependable vehicle but, if you have a problem you can always trade it in and get top dollar for it.

driver100 · January 2017

. But sage minds noticed that the replacement system used a new bridge for traffic one way and kept the old bridge in service for traffic northbound, if I have it right. So I don't expect that bridge to be improved in my lifetime.

Maybe flying is the best solution. LOL

LOL.....old bridge is falling apart, new bridge system would still use old bridge - typical government!

There is a route further East that many people prefer, Highway 77, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Jacksonville through the mountains. Nicer and shorter actually, except if the weather is bad. Requires more thinking too, not as easy as I-75 with all the restaurants, motels, rest areas along the route.

Yeh, flying is sounding better all the time.

About tailgators in pick up trucks, they are constant down here, I try to let them get by, just go slow enough so they can find a way to go around and pass.

driver100 · January 2017

GG, There are a few reasons why the swap thing can work. They can swap the truck they have, even a new one, at cost price (maybe even GM would kick in a bit to get rid of you), so you are getting it for rock bottom price. They can take their time, fix up your car, and probably sell it for a profit. It would be a win/win with little downside.

qbrozen · January 2017

graphicguy said:

driver100 said:

graphicguy said:

tjc78 said:
Is the car drive able? If so I'd go get it and do exactly as Stick says. Let the next person deal with it.

I did this with my 98 Olds 88 that leaked water inside from day 1. After 11 months of attempted repairs, I gave up a traded it in. Took a beating but it was what it was.

I can't bring myself to take a bath on it given none of it is acceptable.
Forget what kind of car you are favoring next. Maybe you can make a deal to trade it in for a low mileage car on their lot. Might give you a good deal just to be done with this farce.
Driver....interesting idea. I haven't even thought about what would take the place of the CTS. Moreover, I've never looked at their used inventory. They are standalone but are part of a much larger dealer group owned by one person.

Pretty sure a used car would not be an option. The store owns the used car rather than Caddy corporate, plus, if it is expensive enough, even if Caddy bought it from the dealer to give to you, it would cost them more than their build cost on one of their own vehicles.

graphicguy · January 2017

driver100 said:
A shiny black SUV pulls up to us this morning at Sam's Club. Guy put down his window, I can see a woman in front and two kids in the back. He says we are from Texas and don't know our way around. He says I lost my wallet and he is starting to remove his big flashy ring. I say we don't live in the area either so I can't help you, he is going to say more but by then I am walking away.

I like to confuse them a bit so they have to try and think how to answer what I just said, and by then I have left them. Strange though, he had 2 kids, and it was a new and shiny SUV. I would like to know what the rest of his story was, but glad I didn't have to say any more to him.

They usually ask for $50 and you can hold my valuable ring until I can get some money. Of course the ring is a cheap one, and if they get your name and phone number they know you are an easy mark for more.

That's the first I've heard of that. I've seen plenty of others, but not a "hold my jewelry" type scam. I guess they have to be creative.

When my son and I spent the Holidays in Chicago, it was cold out. I've been in and around Chicago a lot. So, I kind of know the ins and outs. Probably for the past 2-3 years I've noticed the same people begging on Michigan Ave. Sometimes they say they have family, and are homeless. Sometimes the same people will have a pet and state they just want to feed them. Some say they are homeless veterans. Some say they are ill and need medical attention. There was one guy last summer who was in a wheel chair screaming to anyone passing he needed help. He didn't have a particular thing he needed help with, he just said he needed a few dollars to get him through the day. Ended up, I saw him over the holidays, miraculously cured, no wheelchair, and needed money to get to GA to see his dying mother one last time.

I ordinarily will kick in a buck or two, just in case one of them really is in need. That is, until I ran into a lady who said she wouldn't take anything less than a $5 bill while she was begging. Really?

A few times I was approached at my local grocery store parking lot by someone stating (s)he was going to be kicked out of a nearby hotel if they couldn't come up with another night's hotel fee. Finally, I told one of them I knew the hotel manager and I'd help them get it straightened out. They didn't want that. They wanted a $20 bill.

Now, I don't offer anything to anyone for any reason. I still feel badly, thinking there has to be a least one person who's asked me for help who really needed it. But, maybe not!

See an awful lot of 20 somethings out there begging. Unfortunately, I think that's a function of the heroin epidemic.

PF_Flyer · January 2017

1939 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 from this morning's background movie

imidazol97 · January 2017

graphicguy said:
A few times I was approached at my local grocery store parking lot by someone stating (s)he was going to be kicked out of a nearby hotel if they couldn't come up with another night's hotel fee. Finally, I told one of them I knew the hotel manager and I'd help them get it straightened out. They didn't want that. They wanted a $20 bill.

A variation of these scams is to order food at a fast food place and then find they don't have money to pay for it. Holding up the line at busy times makes someone behind them volunteer to pay for the food. The sucker hands them the money, the perps then turn and run out of the fast food place with the money. Often the people who feel sorry for them are not wealthy and can't afford to give away money. But the sucker knows how it feels to be short of money so they're the one that gets taken. A Chick Fil A clerk got in trouble because she kept warning the lady with 2 little kids with her not to give them the money because she didn't look wealthy. The perps started yelling at the clerk. So when the youthx ran out of the store, the clerk was in trouble with the manager for trying to keep the lady with 2 kids from being suckered out of her $20.

ab348 · January 2017

For years I lived and worked downtown and walked the main shopping street here to go to and from work. That was/is where the panhandlers hang out. It was a real problem, so much so that the business association tried to get some of them jobs, which of course they didn't want. Some were obviously troubled and mentally ill, but could be abusive too. It got old in a hurry when you'd see/hear the same thing twice a day, every day. The foul language could be a bit much.

Others were more sympathetic, but even that changed for one fixture there whom I had occasionally given money to in weak moments. One day I had to go to the office early so I was walking along there just after 7AM and what do I see but an older Panther-style Ford parking in one of the handicap spots. I had noticed it was there every day. The panhandler got out and started heading to his position on a low stone wall that he used as his base of operations. It was his job and he commuted to it. No more cash for him after that.

Occasionally I encountered someone with the more sophisticated story like driver ran into - lost wallet, stranded traveler, whatever. I just walked past and said sorry. When you encounter a half-dozen asks within a few blocks you get cold-hearted eventually.

Later on just before I moved away from there I would see a lot more young people panhandling. Some were obviously druggies but others seemed fairly put-together and pretty well-dressed, some with pets. Seeing them with animals always bothered me. Turned out that it was the trendy thing to do for some at the time. They called it panning and they did it instead of a part time job while they went to school. Don't know if that is still a thing.

I was glad to get out of that area after putting up with that for 15 years.

driver100 · January 2017

A Chick Fil A clerk got in trouble because she kept warning the lady with 2 little kids with her not to give them the money because she didn't look wealthy. The perps started yelling at the clerk. So when the youthx ran out of the store, the clerk was in trouble with the manager for trying to keep the lady with 2 kids from being suckered out of her $20

I read a book about con men and they rely on the fact most people are pretty honest. That is why we are civilized, we have to trust each other or we wouldn't carry cash or leave our homes. It is the few who will take advantage and they are really bad people, taking advantage of what good people would try to do....help!

I have seen the ring one or a variation twice before and fell for it.

Fist was in Nanaim B.C. Canada. Guy comes up and says he ran out of gas, needs $20 desperately. Will give me his cell phone to hold while he gets gas. Tell him to leave money at hotel desk and his cell will be there. Never came back, cell didn't work. Had a good story though, pretty creative and bold to take the chance I wouldn't check his cell phone first.

Second was in Paris next to the Seine River. Lady can hardly speak English, she found a ring but doesn't know how to find the owner. I see a visitor booth so say I will hand it in. She begs for money....I give her a Euro. Then she wants more money....and I know by then this is a scam.

I was discussing scams at home with tennis friends and I tell the story, and 2 others out of 8 people in the room fell for exactly the same scam in Paris. What are the odds? It must be pretty prevalent if 2 out of 8 people fell for it.

I am a lot wiser and though I am out $22 in total ($14 USD) I am hopefully wiser, and may have saved $100s or $1000s if I really did learn something....but, unfortunately it does have an affect on your outlook of life.

nyccarguy · January 2017

graphicguy said:

driver100 said:
A shiny black SUV pulls up to us this morning at Sam's Club. Guy put down his window, I can see a woman in front and two kids in the back. He says we are from Texas and don't know our way around. He says I lost my wallet and he is starting to remove his big flashy ring. I say we don't live in the area either so I can't help you, he is going to say more but by then I am walking away.

I like to confuse them a bit so they have to try and think how to answer what I just said, and by then I have left them. Strange though, he had 2 kids, and it was a new and shiny SUV. I would like to know what the rest of his story was, but glad I didn't have to say any more to him.

They usually ask for $50 and you can hold my valuable ring until I can get some money. Of course the ring is a cheap one, and if they get your name and phone number they know you are an easy mark for more.
That's the first I've heard of that. I've seen plenty of others, but not a "hold my jewelry" type scam. I guess they have to be creative.

When my son and I spent the Holidays in Chicago, it was cold out. I've been in and around Chicago a lot. So, I kind of know the ins and outs. Probably for the past 2-3 years I've noticed the same people begging on Michigan Ave. Sometimes they say they have family, and are homeless. Sometimes the same people will have a pet and state they just want to feed them. Some say they are homeless veterans. Some say they are ill and need medical attention. There was one guy last summer who was in a wheel chair screaming to anyone passing he needed help. He didn't have a particular thing he needed help with, he just said he needed a few dollars to get him through the day. Ended up, I saw him over the holidays, miraculously cured, no wheelchair, and needed money to get to GA to see his dying mother one last time.

I ordinarily will kick in a buck or two, just in case one of them really is in need. That is, until I ran into a lady who said she wouldn't take anything less than a $5 bill while she was begging. Really?

A few times I was approached at my local grocery store parking lot by someone stating (s)he was going to be kicked out of a nearby hotel if they couldn't come up with another night's hotel fee. Finally, I told one of them I knew the hotel manager and I'd help them get it straightened out. They didn't want that. They wanted a $20 bill.

Now, I don't offer anything to anyone for any reason. I still feel badly, thinking there has to be a least one person who's asked me for help who really needed it. But, maybe not!

See an awful lot of 20 somethings out there begging. Unfortunately, I think that's a function of the heroin epidemic.

The Heroin Epidemic is getting worse by the day. The problem is too that it could be anybody. They've told the lies so many times that they've convinced themselves it is the truth. The stereotypical drug addict has evolved. Someone who has recently become addicted could be well spoken, clean, & educated.

Around here, I see people begging with an infant. They ask for money for Formula. They understand if you don't want to give them money so will you go to the drug store and purchase it for them. Once they get the formula, they take it and return it anywhere for cash.

When I went to Disney this past summer, I stopped at a local supermarket one night to pick up some snacks and drinks for the room. At 11:30 pm, there was a woman with a 5 month old who was screaming. She told me his name and that she was about to be kicked out of her apartment because she lost her job. I just say I'm sorry and keep walking.

driver100 · January 2017

Then there was the lady who drove 40 miles to Toronto to panhandle right downtown. One day a guy notices her getting out of her fairly new Volvo and going into a fairly nice house in this town 40 miles from Toronto.

They put it together, she was comfortable, but she was making a pretty good tax free living commuting to work panhandling in Toronto most days.

Mr_Shiftright · January 2017

PF_Flyer said:
1939 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 from this morning's background movie

It's Willie!

driver100 · January 2017

NYC, truthfully, I would rather work at a McDonald's than have to fleece people to get money that way. How do they live with themselves?
And what do they say to their wive's when they get home, "hard day on the street today dear, I was only able to scam $100 with the baby formula routine, we have to work on something better"?

ab348 · January 2017

For a few years here there was a girl/young lady (hard to tell the age) who worked the median strip at a notoriously congested intersection where there were always multiple lines of cars backed up. She was dressed OK and had a sign - forget what it said but I seem to recall it was something about school expenses. Since she was always there I don't know how she managed to go to school. Maybe it was night school. Anyway, she was diligent, was there rain or shine, didn't look too bad in terms of how she dressed, and was polite enough. She was always smoking so maybe the money paid for her smoking habit, who knows. After about 3 or 4 years she finally disappeared but not before inspiring a number of other median panhandlers to pop up.

We also had a thriving squeegee brigade here for a few years at one intersection before the cops finally got around to discouraging them. I hated that, never wanted any of those characters touching my car, especially the Cutlass.

suydam · January 2017

There are all kinds. Most of the homeless I've seen are pretty desperate people. It's not a good way to live.

Mr_Shiftright · January 2017

PF_Flyer said:
1939 Cadillac Fleetwood 75 from this morning's background movie

It's Willie!

graphicguy · January 2017

As luck would have it, I finally got a response from Cadillac Zone Person stating...

"If you do not have a Customer Assistance Case open (I do), I might not need you to open one. I've forwarded all the paperwork (this supposedly includes pictures of the issue, recall, and parts backordered) over to my aftersales counterpart and spoke with him regarding your concerns.

Thank you for your patience"!

So, in brief, the dance begins once again. Lots of words, no resolutions.

tjc78 · January 2017

Thank you for your patience"!

Um.. that's an understatement!!

ab348 · January 2017

driver100 said:
Then there was the lady who drove 40 miles to Toronto to panhandle right downtown. One day a guy notices her getting out of her fairly new Volvo and going into a fairly nice house in this town 40 miles from Toronto.

They put it together, she was comfortable, but she was making a pretty good tax free living commuting to work panhandling in Toronto most days.

That is a variation on the plot of a Sherlock Holmes story, The Man with the Twisted Lip.

henryn · January 2017

driver100 said:
A shiny black SUV pulls up to us this morning at Sam's Club. Guy put down his window, I can see a woman in front and two kids in the back. He says we are from Texas and don't know our way around. He says I lost my wallet and he is starting to remove his big flashy ring. I say we don't live in the area either so I can't help you, he is going to say more but by then I am walking away.

I like to confuse them a bit so they have to try and think how to answer what I just said, and by then I have left them. Strange though, he had 2 kids, and it was a new and shiny SUV. I would like to know what the rest of his story was, but glad I didn't have to say any more to him.

They usually ask for $50 and you can hold my valuable ring until I can get some money. Of course the ring is a cheap one, and if they get your name and phone number they know you are an easy mark for more.

The summer of 1965, I was 14 years old and worked in a service station in the small town where I was born and raised. I was the sole employee for the night shift, 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. 6 nights, 12 hours a night, 72 hours a week. For which I was paid the princely sum of $45, gross. The Gulf station where I worked was the only business open after 9 p.m. in the entire town. There was a truck stop out on the highway, about 5 miles south of town.

We were about 75 miles north of Houston, and we would get people who were dead broke, trying to get enough gas to make it on into Houston. Which required about 5 or 6 gallons, at 29 cents per gallon. My boss (who was a good friend of my father's) told me to allow $3 of gasoline for a spare tire. That was what the local wrecking yard would pay for a spare tire, $3. And under no circumstances give out any gasoline in exchange for a ring or other jewelry.

There were occasions where I did buy other items (for myself) -- I bought a really good Buck knife one night for a couple of dollars. And once a shotgun for $10 or $20, I don't remember now, but the guy did come back for his shotgun!

jmonroe · January 2017

driver100 said:
A Chick Fil A clerk got in trouble because she kept warning the lady with 2 little kids with her not to give them the money because she didn't look wealthy. The perps started yelling at the clerk. So when the youthx ran out of the store, the clerk was in trouble with the manager for trying to keep the lady with 2 kids from being suckered out of her $20

I read a book about con men and they rely on the fact most people are pretty honest. That is why we are civilized, we have to trust each other or we wouldn't carry cash or leave our homes. It is the few who will take advantage and they are really bad people, taking advantage of what good people would try to do....help!

I have seen the ring one or a variation twice before and fell for it.

Fist was in Nanaim B.C. Canada. Guy comes up and says he ran out of gas, needs $20 desperately. Will give me his cell phone to hold while he gets gas. Tell him to leave money at hotel desk and his cell will be there. Never came back, cell didn't work. Had a good story though, pretty creative and bold to take the chance I wouldn't check his cell phone first.

Second was in Paris next to the Seine River. Lady can hardly speak English, she found a ring but doesn't know how to find the owner. I see a visitor booth so say I will hand it in. She begs for money....I give her a Euro. Then she wants more money....and I know by then this is a scam.

I was discussing scams at home with tennis friends and I tell the story, and 2 others out of 8 people in the room fell for exactly the same scam in Paris. What are the odds? It must be pretty prevalent if 2 out of 8 people fell for it.

I am a lot wiser and though I am out $22 in total ($14 USD) I am hopefully wiser, and may have saved $100s or $1000s if I really did learn something....but, unfortunately it does have an affect on your outlook of life.

It sounds like those 2 out of 8 people don't know how to say NO. I say NO to all of them. I'm not smart enough to try to figure out who is needy and who isn't so NO works for me.

I will admit that I don't come across to many of them but a month or two ago I was sitting in the Genny waiting for Mrs. j to do some shopping when a guy comes up to me and asks for $20 for gas so he can get out of the area to meet a friend who will give him more money so that he could make it home to Chicago. This time I didn't say NO. I said, "if I had $20 dollars I'd need a body guard. My wife got my last $10 to go into that dollar store over there" (I pointed to the store). He looks at my car and said, "I don't think you are being honest with me but I'm not going to wait for that cop to come over here" (as he points to a cop in the parking lot walking towards my car).

Something told me he must have been working this part of this large parking lot long enough to get the attention of the law in that area.

NO works, you just have to be willing to say it.

jmonroe

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