Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

graphicguy · September 2017

Stick and AB....congrats. I like both vehicles. Great job!

imidazol97 · September 2017

That was a good location to get photos of your new car without distracting background.

sda said:

abacomike · September 2017

ab348 said:

I don't think anyone should publicly denigrate other people's vehicle choices. Yes, there are vehicles I encounter on the roads that make me wonder what the owner was thinking when they bought them. But everyone is different, with different priorities and circumstances, and that is their decision. Many people live by the dictum that they only want a car to get them from A to B. They have other priorities and doing what I just did in getting the new ATS would never be something they would consider. I was that way earlier in life to some extent. Now I am in a different situation and am lucky that I can do what I just did. But while I may comment on certain vehicles I do not like in a general sense, I won't be critical here if someone buys one for their own reasons. I will just not comment on it.

Hey, ab, the more I look at pictures of your car, the more I love it. That red with that interior is just what I would choose. EXQUISITE!

abacomike · September 2017

snakeweasel said:

I have a new occupant in my garage as of today.

Snake, I am totally envious! I love it! I have owned several bikes in my life, but the way your new bike is decked out causes me to "sin" - the commandment about covet thy neighbor has been broken - I must do pentance now!

ab348 · September 2017

imidazol97 said:
That was a good location to get photos of your new car without distracting background.

That is Citadel Hill National Historic Site in the center of Halifax, an 18th-century British fortification designed to defend the city. It has a ring road around it that has pullovers that make it ideal for photos, and often there is very little traffic to contend with. It's a good spot for doing that. I may go back and take more shots. It is only a few blocks away from the dealer location so I went there first thing to shoot those.

One thing I actually like about this - the 2014 and the 2017 are the exact same color paint, which at first was a bit of a turn-off when I first saw the car on their lot since you usually want a change. But it is a good color, maybe the best color they offer, so I got past that once I saw the interior. The neat thing is that so far none of my neighbors have picked up on the fact that this is a different car, which is fine by me. I like sort of being under their radar.

One thing I could use some help with: I asked the sales guy to have the black dealer sticker removed from the trunklid. Apparently he misunderstood and so they replaced the black one with a silver one, which is even more jarring. What's the best way to remove those things? Hairdryer maybe?

driver100 · September 2017

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

explorerx4 said:
The stop/start in my Fusion is )much smoother than my friend's BMW.
I don't like the idea of start-stop when you come to a stop, and I haven't liked the implementation of it in cars I've driven that have the feature. It just seems noticeable and annoying.

The lastest car to have it was the Audi A4 loaner '17 model. Even in the Audi, I found it undesirable, and gas mileage didn't seem any better. Sometimes you only have to stop for a short few seconds, and that makes it a gas waster rather than a gas saver under those conditions.

On my lunch time walks i will sometimes hear an engine of a car at a light start up at a light just before they start moving an I often wonder how much gas does it really save and how much time does it delay the start of the car.

The engineers we asked about potential fuel savings always spoke in terms of a range of 3-10 percent,

Quick restarts are a big plus. And by quick, some engineers mean under 500 milliseconds (otherwise known as a half-second)

HOW START/STOP WORKS - EDMUNDS

btw...I tend to think Stop/Start is a device to get maximum mileage for government regulations. I can set the E400 to individual setting, instead of eco, comfort, sport or sport+, that automatically puts it in the mode I prefer and I can cancel the Stop/Start. Manufacturers know, most people will bypass it.

qbrozen · September 2017

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

The stop/start in my Fusion is )much smoother than my friend's BMW.
I don't like the idea of start-stop when you come to a stop, and I haven't liked the implementation of it in cars I've driven that have the feature. It just seems noticeable and annoying. The lastest car to have it was the Audi A4 loaner '17 model. Even in the Audi, I found it undesirable, and gas mileage didn't seem any better. Sometimes you only have to stop for a short few seconds, and that makes it a gas waster rather than a gas saver under those conditions.

On my lunch time walks i will sometimes hear an engine of a car at a light start up at a light just before they start moving an I often wonder how much gas does it really save and how much time does it delay the start of the car.

The only time you may realize a delay is if you are stoplight racing. In normal driving, I find the stop/start unobtrusive. If for some reason I want to be able to get on the gas quicker, I can lift my brake foot slightly and it will restart while continuing to hold still, or I can brake torque it under extreme circumstances.

driver100 · September 2017

ab348 said:
I don't think anyone should publicly denigrate other people's vehicle choices. Yes, there are vehicles I encounter on the roads that make me wonder what the owner was thinking when they bought them. But everyone is different, with different priorities and circumstances, and that is their decision. Many people live by the dictum that they only want a car to get them from A to B. They have other priorities and doing what I just did in getting the new ATS would never be something they would consider. I was that way earlier in life to some extent. Now I am in a different situation and am lucky that I can do what I just did. But while I may comment on certain vehicles I do not like in a general sense, I won't be critical here if someone buys one for their own reasons. I will just not comment on it.

I didn't criticize anyone's choice of car they may buy. I asked if you really love the joy of driving....would you buy a Spark? I realize some people just want to get from A to B as cheaply as possible. I know some people get no enjoyment from driving. It isn't nice to put down someone's choice of car, but, people can have an opinion about what they prefer or don't like - reviewers do it all the time. You obviously prefer an ATS to a Fusion, doesn't make the Fusion a lesser car.....it just doesn't suit your needs as well as the car you bought.

stickguy · September 2017

I would have to try out the stop start on a particular car. the few I have briefly driven have ranged from not too bad to totally horrible.

As to the HP wars, the Spark (and other putt putt mobiles) are a bit of a strawman. I am not saying you don't need decent HP and ability to move when required, just that even something like a 320i BMW (or pretty much any of the 2.0l turbo engine cars out now) has more than I am every likely to need or use, so paying $5-10K for a bigger motor with an extra 100HP (and likely some penalty in MPG) is not worth it, TO MW, but as always, YMMV,

I use the RDX as a benchmark. I find that to be a hot rod, and if you nail it coming off an on ramp, and drop a few gears, that sucker scoots out quick. So anything approaching that is way more than adequate to me.

driver100 · September 2017

venture said:

driver100 said:

venture said:

andres3 said:

Michaell said:
There is very little originality in car design, these days. The Regal was designed in Europe, so it makes sense that some elements were, ahem, 'borrowed' from other makes.

This isn't really new - we can look at Japanese mid-sized sedans from the 90's and see a lot of similarities between them.

I do believe the gap is closing between "mainstream" brands and "premium" brands. Honda, in particular, has made it hard for folks to trade up to the TLX from the Accord. The only big differences is that the TLX still has a V6 (the 2018 Accord does not), and the TLX can be had with AWD. Are those two features worth $7-10K? I suspect that for a lot of car shopping folks - those that are still looking at sedans, that is - the answer is a resounding "no".
Those spoiled buy luxurious interiors are not likely to be happy in the older Accords. However, a TLX would still be satisfying for people used to a certain higher standard. Is a better interior worth $7-$10K? Depends on every person's value system, and how cheap the cheaper car's interior is, and how nice the luxury interior is.

Acura has a longer warranty too, and probably a free loaner program. There are no free lunches. The lower priced cars had to cost cut something to get there.
I never quite got it as far as "luxurious interiors" are concerned. If the seats are comfortable and fit me I'm good. After all, you are sitting there looking out the windshield and that's the same in any car.

I guess if you are concerned what your neighbor thinks about your car it's OK to spend thousands of dollars more.
Usually when you spend $1000s more..........the seats will not just look luxurious, they will be made better and will feel a lot better on a long drive. That is one place the extra money actually gets used. If you drive 500 or 600 miles in a day, you will feel the difference.
I've driven over 800 miles all at once quite a few times, in quite a few cars. As long as the seats were comfortable and they fit, there was no problem.

Like I said. I don't get it. Most people, evidently, do.

As a general rule, I find the larger, and more expensive the car......the more comfortable it usually is. If a manufacturer wants to sell expensive cars....they have to get the seats right!

snakeweasel · September 2017

driver100 said:the

andres3 said:

The stop/start in my Fusion is )much smoother than my friend's BMW.
I don't like the idea of start-stop when you come to a stop, and I haven't liked the implementation of it in cars I've driven that have the feature. It just seems noticeable and annoying. The lastest car to have it was the Audi A4 loaner '17 model. Even in the Audi, I found it undesirable, and gas mileage didn't seem any better. Sometimes you only have to stop for a short few seconds, and that makes it a gas waster rather than a gas saver under those conditions.

On my lunch time walks i will sometimes hear an engine of a car at a light start up at a light just before they start moving an I often wonder how much gas does it really save and how much time does it delay the start of the car.
The engineers we asked about potential fuel savings always spoke in terms of a range of 3-10 percent, Quick restarts are a big plus. And by quick, some engineers mean under 500 milliseconds (otherwise known as a half-second) HOW START/STOP WORKS - EDMUNDS btw...I tend to think Stop/Start is a device to get maximum mileage for government regulations. I can set the E400 to individual setting, instead of eco, comfort, sport or sport+, that automatically puts it in the mode I prefer and I can cancel the Stop/Start. Manufacturers know, most people will bypass it.

One thing to consider is the cumulative effect of tgat half second delay. Sure being behind one will only delay me a half second, no big deal. But in the future more on more cars will have this feature. So if two cars with this feature are in a row the second car has to wait that extra half second for the car in front of him to start moving then he or she is delayed that additional half second for their startup.

In rush hour traffic in the future with a high percentage of cars equipped with stop/start feature I can see cars further back from the light getting their starts seconds later resulting in fewer people getting through the light causing bigger traffic jams.

driver100 · September 2017

stickguy said:
I would have to try out the stop start on a particular car. the few I have briefly driven have ranged from not too bad to totally horrible.

I use the RDX as a benchmark. I find that to be a hot rod, and if you nail it coming off an on ramp, and drop a few gears, that sucker scoots out quick. So anything approaching that is way more than adequate to me.

Once again...it is what suits your driving needs. In Canada and in Florida we have to get onto highways that are crowded and where cars are going 70 or 80 mph - often short entrance ramps. If I lived in a slower pace world I wouldn't need the horsepower.....but, because of the conditions I live in, I need those horses a few times a week.

If snake is stuck in traffic the extra horses may not be of much use to him. I consider them to be part of my defensive driving strategies, help to avoid trouble.

abacomike · September 2017

ab348 said:

That was a good location to get photos of your new car without distracting background.
That is Citadel Hill National Historic Site in the center of Halifax, an 18th-century British fortification designed to defend the city. It has a ring road around it that has pullovers that make it ideal for photos, and often there is very little traffic to contend with. It's a good spot for doing that. I may go back and take more shots. It is only a few blocks away from the dealer location so I went there first thing to shoot those. One thing I actually like about this - the 2014 and the 2017 are the exact same color paint, which at first was a bit of a turn-off when I first saw the car on their lot since you usually want a change. But it is a good color, maybe the best color they offer, so I got past that once I saw the interior. The neat thing is that so far none of my neighbors have picked up on the fact that this is a different car, which is fine by me. I like sort of being under their radar. One thing I could use some help with: I asked the sales guy to have the black dealer sticker removed from the trunklid. Apparently he misunderstood and so they replaced the black one with a silver one, which is even more jarring. What's the best way to remove those things? Hairdryer maybe?

I think you have to trade this one in for one without a sticker. Those dealer stickers are a "stickler" to remove!

driver100 · September 2017

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:the

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

explorerx4 said:
The stop/start in my Fusion is )much smoother than my friend's BMW.
I don't like the idea of start-stop when you come to a stop, and I haven't liked the implementation of it in cars I've driven that have the feature. It just seems noticeable and annoying.

The lastest car to have it was the Audi A4 loaner '17 model. Even in the Audi, I found it undesirable, and gas mileage didn't seem any better. Sometimes you only have to stop for a short few seconds, and that makes it a gas waster rather than a gas saver under those conditions.

On my lunch time walks i will sometimes hear an engine of a car at a light start up at a light just before they start moving an I often wonder how much gas does it really save and how much time does it delay the start of the car.
The engineers we asked about potential fuel savings always spoke in terms of a range of 3-10 percent,

Quick restarts are a big plus. And by quick, some engineers mean under 500 milliseconds (otherwise known as a half-second)

HOW START/STOP WORKS - EDMUNDS

btw...I tend to think Stop/Start is a device to get maximum mileage for government regulations. I can set the E400 to individual setting, instead of eco, comfort, sport or sport+, that automatically puts it in the mode I prefer and I can cancel the Stop/Start. Manufacturers know, most people will bypass it.

One thing to consider is the cumulative effect of tgat half second delay. Sure being behind one will only delay me a half second, no big deal. But in the future more on more cars will have this feature. So if two cars with this feature are in a row the second car has to wait that extra half second for the car in front of him to start moving then he or she is delayed that additional half second for their startup.

In rush hour traffic in the future with a high percentage of cars equipped with stop/start feature I can see cars further back from the light getting their starts seconds later resulting in fewer people getting through the light causing bigger traffic jam

s.

Interesting theory. All you have to do to get the car started again is take your foot of the brake, it will start right away. You learn to take your foot off the brake as soon as the first car in line moves, or when you see the light turn green up ahead.

If you had more horsepower you could make up for the 1/2 second delay

driver100 · September 2017

I haven't had a dealer sticker on a car in about 10 years. These days they usually supply you with a non-evasive license plate frame

cdnpinhead · September 2017

My experience with stop/start cars has been that in the time it takes to move my foot from the brake (break for those of you in Rio Linda) to the accelerator, the engine is ready to go. With a manual, if the clutch is depressed, the engine is on. Very unobtrusive, and this from a luddite of the first order concerning many things.

Mr_Shiftright · September 2017

snakeweasel said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

I have a new occupant in my garage as of today.

My Man! Why use 4 when 2 will do?

or how about 1?

Ever see those old movies with monkeys, bears and clowns riding unicycles? There's a reason for that.

houdini1 · September 2017

abacomike said:

ab348 said:

I don't think anyone should publicly denigrate other people's vehicle choices. Yes, there are vehicles I encounter on the roads that make me wonder what the owner was thinking when they bought them. But everyone is different, with different priorities and circumstances, and that is their decision. Many people live by the dictum that they only want a car to get them from A to B. They have other priorities and doing what I just did in getting the new ATS would never be something they would consider. I was that way earlier in life to some extent. Now I am in a different situation and am lucky that I can do what I just did. But while I may comment on certain vehicles I do not like in a general sense, I won't be critical here if someone buys one for their own reasons. I will just not comment on it.

Hey, ab, the more I look at pictures of your car, the more I love it. That red with that interior is just what I would choose. EXQUISITE!

Congrats AB, great looking car. I agree Mike, the red is gorgeous, and the seats are one of my favorite colors, though in some cases I wish they would coordinate the dash color better with the seat color.

houdini1 · September 2017

abacomike said:

snakeweasel said:

I have a new occupant in my garage as of today.

Snake, I am totally envious! I love it! I have owned several bikes in my life, but the way your new bike is decked out causes me to "sin" - the commandment about covet thy neighbor has been broken - I must do pentance now!

Congrats Snake ! Great looking bike. I had one in my younger days, but nothing like that beauty. Is it a Honda? What are the specs, etc. ?

stickguy · September 2017

driver100 said:

stickguy said:
I would have to try out the stop start on a particular car. the few I have briefly driven have ranged from not too bad to totally horrible.

I use the RDX as a benchmark. I find that to be a hot rod, and if you nail it coming off an on ramp, and drop a few gears, that sucker scoots out quick. So anything approaching that is way more than adequate to me.
Once again...it is what suits your driving needs. In Canada and in Florida we have to get onto highways that are crowded and where cars are going 70 or 80 mph - often short entrance ramps. If I lived in a slower pace world I wouldn't need the horsepower.....but, because of the conditions I live in, I need those horses a few times a week.

If snake is stuck in traffic the extra horses may not be of much use to him. I consider them to be part of my defensive driving strategies, help to avoid trouble.

I used to drive on the rockland and westchester parkways (Bradd knows them well) in my little econoboxes. If I could survive that, anything with 200HP is going to be fine!

sda · September 2017

Since the dealer sticker was just put on, it should easily peel off. I've had good luck with WD40 sprayed on a soft cloth to help loosen the sticker as well as get the glue residue off without scratching the paint. Is your new ATS awd? I don't see the AWD emblem on the trunk lid.

ab348 · September 2017

sda said:
Since the dealer sticker was just put on, it should easily peel off. I've had good luck with WD40 sprayed on a soft cloth to help loosen the sticker as well as get the glue residue off without scratching the paint. Is your new ATS awd? I don't see the AWD emblem on the trunk lid.

No, it is RWD.

houdini1 · September 2017

Mr_Shiftright said:

snakeweasel said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

I have a new occupant in my garage as of today.

My Man! Why use 4 when 2 will do?

or how about 1?

Ever see those old movies with monkeys, bears and clowns riding unicycles? There's a reason for that.

Is that thing for real or is it photoshopped?

stickguy · September 2017

I have a bottle of goo be gone stuff (some name like that). I used it to take a parking pass off the plastic bumper cover on the Jetta, that was on for life. Worked fine. Just take it slow. Not sure if any different taking it off paint.

I must be an oddball here. Unless it is an old school garish one, I don't care about them. Though it has been a while I think since I had a sticker instead of a plate frame (though I need to check, my sonata might have one?).

Oh, it would bother me if the colors clashed. That would have to be addressed.

snakeweasel · September 2017

driver100 said:

Interesting theory. All you have to do to get the car started again is take your foot of the brake, it will start right away. You learn to take your foot off the brake as soon as the first car in line moves, or when you see the light turn green up ahead. If you had more horsepower you could make up for the 1/2 second delay

That's just the thing, you take your foot off the brake as the car in front of you moves. But if he is moving a half second later and so are you then you have a full second. Multiply that by how many cars that are in line and you can have some serious lag time.

All the horsepower in the world won't make up for that half second if the guy in frloont of you doesn't get out of the way.

ab348 · September 2017

snakeweasel said:

One thing to consider is the cumulative effect of tgat half second delay. Sure being behind one will only delay me a half second, no big deal. But in the future more on more cars will have this feature. So if two cars with this feature are in a row the second car has to wait that extra half second for the car in front of him to start moving then he or she is delayed that additional half second for their startup.

In rush hour traffic in the future with a high percentage of cars equipped with stop/start feature I can see cars further back from the light getting their starts seconds later resulting in fewer people getting through the light causing bigger traffic jams.

Try driving up here in traffic. I actually had to abandon a visit to a friend with the new car late yesterday afternoon because it was rush hour and I literally was not moving on one of the main surface streets out of town. Many drivers here cannot handle a 4-way stop, and a roundabout will completely flummox most of them. The cumulative delay of stop/start here would not amount to much given all the other poor driving behavior.

The new ATS has stop/start and the old one didn't. I don't like it much and it has been fairly obtrusive a few times already when the thing restarts. Not always, which is odd. I have noted the same on GM rentals I've had over the last year or so. Sometimes but not always a shudder goes through the car. The new ATS has a button on the console to turn it off, thankfully, but you need to press it each time the car is restarted manually.

driver100 · September 2017

snakeweasel said:
driver100 said:

Interesting theory. All you have to do to get the car started again is take your foot of the brake, it will start right away. You learn to take your foot off the brake as soon as the first car in line moves, or when you see the light turn green up ahead. If you had more horsepower you could make up for the 1/2 second delay

That's just the thing, you take your foot off the brake as the car in front of you moves. But if he is moving a half second later and so are you then you have a full second. Multiply that by how many cars that are in line and you can have some serious lag time.

All the horsepower in the world won't make up for that half second if the guy in frloont of you doesn't get out of the way.

Sometimes it does......I can scoot around him

abacomike · September 2017

ab348 said:

One thing to consider is the cumulative effect of tgat half second delay. Sure being behind one will only delay me a half second, no big deal. But in the future more on more cars will have this feature. So if two cars with this feature are in a row the second car has to wait that extra half second for the car in front of him to start moving then he or she is delayed that additional half second for their startup.

In rush hour traffic in the future with a high percentage of cars equipped with stop/start feature I can see cars further back from the light getting their starts seconds later resulting in fewer people getting through the light causing bigger traffic jams.
Try driving up here in traffic. I actually had to abandon a visit to a friend with the new car late yesterday afternoon because it was rush hour and I literally was not moving on one of the main surface streets out of town. Many drivers here cannot handle a 4-way stop, and a roundabout will completely flummox most of them. The cumulative delay of stop/start here would not amount to much given all the other poor driving behavior. The new ATS has stop/start and the old one didn't. I don't like it much and it has been fairly obtrusive a few times already when the thing restarts. Not always, which is odd. I have noted the same on GM rentals I've had over the last year or so. Sometimes but not always a shudder goes through the car. The new ATS has a button on the console to turn it off, thankfully, but you need to press it each time the car is restarted manually.

I had to turn mine off for the entire trip up north Wednesday. Too much stop-and-go. I don't feel or sense much of anything when the car restarts when I take my foot off the brake. The only time I dislike stop/start is in heavy traffic - so I just turn it off.

venture · September 2017

ab348 said:
Also cross-posting from CCBA!

Was finally able to reach a satisfactory deal on a new car to replace the ATS - with another ATS. But not just any ATS, this is a 2017 ATS 3.6 Performance Premium with just about every goodie they offer. Incentives brought the price down by about 20% and I figured it was time to get the one I always wanted. Red Obsession outside, Kona Brown leather inside. It sure is pretty and man, with 335HP on tap does it ever move!

This one is a purchase, so I'm off the lease train. Now I just have to study the manuals so I can figure out how all this stuff works. So many geegaws. I do like the heads-up display though!

I think that's the nicest looking Cadillac. Really like the red.

fintail · September 2017

Wouldn't the quality of an interior be exactly the opposite of caring about what people think? You're seeing it and feeling it, almost nobody else is joining you. A car can be regrettable outside but nice inside, or showy outside and clunky inside. If you appreciate superior material, design, and build quality, it's OK to spend more. If you're fine on something basic, don't spend it. I find it funny that those who make claims about impressing others prejudge in their own way.

There's also something to be said for seeing a nice three pointed gun sight at the end of the hood

venture said:

I never quite got it as far as "luxurious interiors" are concerned. If the seats are comfortable and fit me I'm good. After all, you are sitting there looking out the windshield and that's the same in any car.

I guess if you are concerned what your neighbor thinks about your car it's OK to spend thousands of dollars more.

fintail · September 2017

In my area, everyone dawdles for 5 seconds after the car in front moves anyway, so it might be moot. Some of the lights also appear to be optimized or sequenced by a 3 year old, so you'll be missing lights no matter how quickly you get started.

snakeweasel said:

One thing to consider is the cumulative effect of tgat half second delay. Sure being behind one will only delay me a half second, no big deal. But in the future more on more cars will have this feature. So if two cars with this feature are in a row the second car has to wait that extra half second for the car in front of him to start moving then he or she is delayed that additional half second for their startup.

In rush hour traffic in the future with a high percentage of cars equipped with stop/start feature I can see cars further back from the light getting their starts seconds later resulting in fewer people getting through the light causing bigger traffic jams.

driver100 · September 2017

fintail said:
Wouldn't the quality of an interior be exactly the opposite of caring about what people think? You're seeing it and feeling it, almost nobody else is joining you. A car can be regrettable outside but nice inside, or showy outside and clunky inside. If you appreciate superior material, design, and build quality, it's OK to spend more. If you're fine on something basic, don't spend it. I find it funny that those who make claims about impressing others prejudge in their own way.

There's also something to be said for seeing a nice three pointed gun sight at the end of the hood

venture said:

I never quite got it as far as "luxurious interiors" are concerned. If the seats are comfortable and fit me I'm good. After all, you are sitting there looking out the windshield and that's the same in any car.

I guess if you are concerned what your neighbor thinks about your car it's OK to spend thousands of dollars more.

I printed your total response fin because it was really well said. What does wanting comfortable seats have to do with being a snob. Even if I bought my car because I am a snob why are people so eager to point out that driving a luxury car automatically classifies you as a snob or living an excessive lifestyle.

Some people like fine jewelry, expensive stereo equipment, fine wines, motorcycles, wrist watches, second homes, gambling, recreation vehicles, swimming pools, fancy yachts, country clubs, fine dining. I happen to like and appreciate a nice car and fine engineering. I could live with almost any car if I had to and there were many years I just bought what I could afford..................now I want to enjoy what I worked really hard to be able to own.........it has zero to do with snob appeal. And, once again, my experience has been, generally speaking, more expensive cars are generally more comfortable.......the extra money is used to make the car that way, few people would pay extra to get a less comfortable car.

driver100 · September 2017

fintail said:
In my area, everyone dawdles for 5 seconds after the car in front moves anyway, so it might be moot. Some of the lights also appear to be optimized or sequenced by a 3 year old, so you'll be missing lights no matter how quickly you get started.

snakeweasel said:

One thing to consider is the cumulative effect of tgat half second delay. Sure being behind one will only delay me a half second, no big deal. But in the future more on more cars will have this feature. So if two cars with this feature are in a row the second car has to wait that extra half second for the car in front of him to start moving then he or she is delayed that additional half second for their startup.

In rush hour traffic in the future with a high percentage of cars equipped with stop/start feature I can see cars further back from the light getting their starts seconds later resulting in fewer people getting through the light causing bigger traffic jams.

Like the idiots at the front of the line in an advanced green left turn lane. We have one in town where there could be 10 cars waiting to turn left, at most 3 possibly 4 cars can get through, and the first guy either falls asleep or is texting and often only one car gets through.

sda · September 2017

What really concerns me and I see it more frequently are drivers running a solid red light. Yesterday four cars came speeding thru a red light that hadn't just turned red. Drivers insisting on turning, or getting thru an intersection only to be stopped in the middle of the intersection because of cars ahead and block the intersection after the light turns red, preventing everyone else from moving (log jam) really tries my patience.

ab348 · September 2017

Back to Hurricane Irma - an old school buddy became a meteorologist with the govt agency responsible here and in later years did radio weather reports for the CBC. He is one of the few non-sensationalist weather presenters we have locally and he just tweeted this map. Looks like Tampa is now in the line of fire.

pensfan83 · September 2017

Hello from Happy Valley. Last minute tickets to the game thrown at me. I haven't been to a game here in at least 10 years and forgot how different an atmosphere it was versus games at Heinz Field.

fintail · September 2017

Along with comfort, I find generally better ergonomics, materials, and design. Of course there are outliers, but for the most part, you get what you pay for. These often also age better - there are new interiors that don't measure up to a well kept 25 year old MB that one can buy for half the price of a new Mirage. Everyone has priorities. As long as the money isn't dirty and one spends less than they make, it's all good to me.

If I cared about impressing the neighbors, I might choose something flashier than a grandfatherly diesel MB. I choose what I like.

driver100 said:

I printed your total response fin because it was really well said. What does wanting comfortable seats have to do with being a snob. Even if I bought my car because I am a snob why are people so eager to point out that driving a luxury car automatically classifies you as a snob or living an excessive lifestyle.

Some people like fine jewelry, expensive stereo equipment, fine wines, motorcycles, wrist watches, second homes, gambling, recreation vehicles, swimming pools, fancy yachts, country clubs, fine dining. I happen to like and appreciate a nice car and fine engineering. I could live with almost any car if I had to and there were many years I just bought what I could afford..................now I want to enjoy what I worked really hard to be able to own.........it has zero to do with snob appeal. And, once again, my experience has been, generally speaking, more expensive cars are generally more comfortable.......the extra money is used to make the car that way, few people would pay extra to get a less comfortable car.

fintail · September 2017

And that forces the problem sda notes below, light runners. Lately, going through stale red in a turn lane here has become a trend, as the lights aren't sequenced to compensate for volume, and nobody wants to be stuck. Maybe if distracted driving laws were actually enforced, it might improve - dawdle at a light, here's your ticket, you can fight it but you're on camera, too.

When I am at a short light, the person in front of me has a couple seconds til honk.

driver100 said:

Like the idiots at the front of the line in an advanced green left turn lane. We have one in town where there could be 10 cars waiting to turn left, at most 3 possibly 4 cars can get through, and the first guy either falls asleep or is texting and often only one car gets through.

explorerx4 · September 2017

@pendfan83,
Enjoy the game. We are scheduled to go to a couple of games in South Bend this fall.
In 2 weeks, going to the Nascar race in New Hampshire.

qbrozen · September 2017

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

Interesting theory. All you have to do to get the car started again is take your foot of the brake, it will start right away. You learn to take your foot off the brake as soon as the first car in line moves, or when you see the light turn green up ahead. If you had more horsepower you could make up for the 1/2 second delay
That's just the thing, you take your foot off the brake as the car in front of you moves. But if he is moving a half second later and so are you then you have a full second. Multiply that by how many cars that are in line and you can have some serious lag time.

All the horsepower in the world won't make up for that half second if the guy in frloont of you doesn't get out of the way.

There is no delay. You don't even have your foot fully off the brake in my truck before the engine is running again. It takes longer for the brainless on the road to even realize the light has changed and they need to put down their phones.

venture · September 2017

fintail said:
Wouldn't the quality of an interior be exactly the opposite of caring about what people think? You're seeing it and feeling it, almost nobody else is joining you. A car can be regrettable outside but nice inside, or showy outside and clunky inside. If you appreciate superior material, design, and build quality, it's OK to spend more. If you're fine on something basic, don't spend it. I find it funny that those who make claims about impressing others prejudge in their own way.

There's also something to be said for seeing a nice three pointed gun sight at the end of the hood

venture said:

I never quite got it as far as "luxurious interiors" are concerned. If the seats are comfortable and fit me I'm good. After all, you are sitting there looking out the windshield and that's the same in any car.

I guess if you are concerned what your neighbor thinks about your car it's OK to spend thousands of dollars more.

No.

28firefighter · September 2017

pensfan83 said:

Hello from Happy Valley. Last minute tickets to the game thrown at me. I haven't been to a game here in at least 10 years and forgot how different an atmosphere it was versus games at Heinz Field.

H2P!

fintail · September 2017

That's a nice opinion, but I can't go past that.

The random punter on the street can't see the real details of an interior, not to mention feel them. People may buy cars with flashy exterior components to impress people, but the interior is all about the driver.

If it was all about impressing the neighbors, premium brand sales wouldn't be so high. A car doesn't even have to be insanely expensive vs a mainstream car to have a nicer interior.

venture said:

No.

jpp75 · September 2017

@ab348 Congrats on the new car, as others have said that's a great color combo and you got a great deal!

cdnpinhead · September 2017

Well, you know, some of us appreciate the finer things. I'm usually not among them, and generally try to avoid them.

There are nice things I appreciate and am willing to pay for, but most leave me cold. I try to avoid examining the motives of those who choose high-dollar stuff, but often fail.

Keeps the economy rolling -- what's not to like?

venture · September 2017

Hello from Happy Valley. Last minute tickets to the game thrown at me. I haven't been to a game here in at least 10 years and forgot how different an atmosphere it was versus games at Heinz Field.

Have fun. Keep an eye out for PF Flyer. That's his neck o' the woods.

oldfarmer50 · September 2017

snakeweasel said:

oldfarmer50 said:

My thoughts exactly. I was surprised a few years ago to find out you could get them with auto transmissions but that still didn't overcome my fears of falling off.

Other than a Can Am, which I am not sure what it's "automated" transmission is, bikes have either manuals (Just like shifting a car but upside down and backwards), CVT's (mostly scooters but a couple of motorcycles) and DCT's.

Mine happens to have the Dual Clutch and I really like it. The shift is so seamless you can't even feel it, the only way you know it shifted is a barely noticeable click and the gear indicator on the instrument panel changing.

Isn't aDCT considered an auto transmission? I'm not well versed in bike technology and was relating what someone at work had told me. I was suprised to know there was anything other than manual gears on a motorcycle.

Evidently there are a few:

https://gearheads.org/top-10-automatic-motorcycles/

You'd still never get me on one.

houdini1 · September 2017

fintail said:
And that forces the problem sda notes below, light runners. Lately, going through stale red in a turn lane here has become a trend, as the lights aren't sequenced to compensate for volume, and nobody wants to be stuck. Maybe if distracted driving laws were actually enforced, it might improve - dawdle at a light, here's your ticket, you can fight it but you're on camera, too.

When I am at a short light, the person in front of me has a couple seconds til honk.

driver100 said:

Like the idiots at the front of the line in an advanced green left turn lane. We have one in town where there could be 10 cars waiting to turn left, at most 3 possibly 4 cars can get through, and the first guy either falls asleep or is texting and often only one car gets through.

Had a thing going here a year or so ago by young drivers. At the exact instant the light turned green, they would honk. Kinda funny if you had a sense of humor.

stickguy · September 2017

so now it seems that Irma might hug the west coast and plow through Tampa, and not hit Miami area as much? that could be a probably if so, based on who was evacuated.

hope the west siders all stay safe too.

driver100 · September 2017

stickguy said:
so now it seems that Irma might hug the west coast and plow through Tampa, and not hit Miami area as much? that could be a probably if so, based on who was evacuated.

hope the west siders all stay safe too.

Me too!

It looks like it is heading right over our Florida home. Most of the full time residents are still there as Irma was supposed to be more to the East, hope they are all OK. It can't be a nice feeling waiting for it to happen....when you are pretty sure it is going to come your way.

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