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  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,565
    edited September 2017
    abacomike said:


    driver100 said:

    Oldfarmer. I stand corrected. Elevation of our place in Florida is between 3 and 49 feet, but, I tend to think it is in the middle of that range as a large area touches Tampa Bay and so is very low at that point.

    When we bought in 2012 we thought about buying closer to the water....but, that would have cost 2 to 3X more. We decided our priority for being in Florida in the winter was......mainly, not the beach, not the water, not the views, BUT, to get out of the COLD. So, we bought a one story unit....they are in quads - 2 face forward, 2 back, a garage between units. Vaulted ceilings, 2 bdrm, 2 bthrm, lots of Palm Trees last time I looked, clubhouse with pool etc for less than I could buy a garage for back home! See, I do have a practical side for some things! :p

    Are you sure about the 49 foot elevation upper extreme?  Most places in Florida south of I-10 are between 3 and 15 foot above sea level (prior to Irma, that is).  The State is flat as a pancake.  Only 3+ story buildings are above the usual land elevation
    s.

    P.S.  The exception would garbage dumps and landfills.   :o

    I have checked about 6 times. If you go West toward Tampa Bay the elevation is 3 ft. According to Wiki we are at 49 ft. If you go a little further West you get 102 ft elevation. I have seen the garbage dumps and they would add another 50 or so ft.
    I copied this from Wiki the town West of us (Wimauma)
    Country United States
    State Florida
    County Hillsborough
    Area
    • Total 25.3 sq mi (65.5 km2)
    • Land 25.0 sq mi (64.8 km2)
    • Water 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km2)
    Elevation 102 ft (31 m)

    I am as surprised as you are :o

    Yes, I did see those idiots running around on the shore....if the big wave came in they would be candidates for a Darwin Award.

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,565
    ab348 said:

    sb55 said:


    My wife says "what about leaving our money to the kids". Um, that's not my goal in life. I didn't inherit much when my mother died. My father is still living and I know that (wicked) stepmom will not us leave anything.
    I won't spend it all, but I'm not scrimping on life just for my grown kids.

    That sounds much like my case. I didn't get a dime when my dad passed away because of the gold digger woman he had gotten involved with the last few years of his life. Of course the only "kids" I have to leave anything to after I go are my cats... :D
    I think we covered that in our wills, since that happens a lot. One dies, the remaining one remarries and dies first, new spouse gets everything....kids get zero. If one of us goes the 3 kids get a payment equal to about 10% of total at that time....at least they will get something.

    My concern was I would die, my wife would meet some boytoy, he would get a hold of her money, and kids would be left out. Of course, it could happen the other way around....I mean I meet a young lady and get scammed.

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • abacomikeabacomike Member Posts: 12,388
    stickguy said:
    Good news Mike. Hopefully you get back soon.
    Let's hope so.  It's the aftermath of a storm like Irma that takes every last vestige of courage and perseverance out of you.  Electricity is working, so that's one less stressful thing to worry about.  The next is to be able to buy food.  Another is to be able to drive home without being detoured due to downed trees and power lines.

    My guess is that I will stop off at Publix up here and by canned goods and dry goods as well as bread just before I leave to go home Tuesday or very early Wednesday morning.  Milk is my next need - but that might not be possible.  I hope I can get some frozen goods when I get home along with milk.

    I will check to see if all access roads are open before I leave.  I-95 and the Turnpike at Ft. Pierce are my major routes.

    2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger

  • abacomikeabacomike Member Posts: 12,388
    ab348 said:
    My wife says "what about leaving our money to the kids". Um, that's not my goal in life. I didn't inherit much when my mother died. My father is still living and I know that (wicked) stepmom will not us leave anything. I won't spend it all, but I'm not scrimping on life just for my grown kids.
    That sounds much like my case. I didn't get a dime when my dad passed away because of the gold digger woman he had gotten involved with the last few years of his life. Of course the only "kids" I have to leave anything to after I go are my cats... :D
    Those cats will have to be conservative with their inheritance from you, ab - after all, they have to stretch the proceeds over 9 lives - right?  :D

    2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,171
    buy or borrow an inexpensive cooler up there, and if you can get ice, get the milk, etc. too and pack it in the cooler.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,181
    Maybe a cheap styrofoam cooler, a bag of ice and some milk could be bought there before you leave.

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    Are you sure about the 49 foot elevation upper extreme?  Most places in Florida south of I-10 are between 3 and 15 foot above sea level

    Florida is flat, but if memory serves me Orlando International has an elevation a bit under 100ft. Now Tampa and Miami are a different story.
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    stickguy said:the
    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. 
    Honda made motorcycles in the 80's that had fully automatic transmissions. They made them in 400 or 750cc models. You could leave them in drive and simply twist the grip to move out of for quicker acceleration you could start out in low, wind them out a bit and shift into drive. I bought a 400cc one at a garage sale that was just like new with something like 800 miles on it. I registered it, insured it but I never got my endorsement. After getting scared on it a couple of times I realized that it would be a matter of time. I sold it for a profit as I recall. I don't know why they quit making these. Probably not enough demand.
    IIRC there wasn't enough demand for them. Times do change and while up to 2016 Honda made the CTX700 in both Manual and a DCT, in 2017 it was only DCT's. Not sure what 2018 will bring. 
    does the DCT tranny have a normal clutch/shift lever, or is it actually automatic? Or just no clutch lever but still with shifter?
    The DCT is just like the DCT's in cars, the clutch is automatic so no clutch level and there are paddel shifters for shifting or you can let the system do the shifting. 

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • murphydogmurphydog Member Posts: 735
    Side note. Got a coat of wax on today, wow lots of sheet metal to cover on a full sized truck!


  • bwiabwia Member Posts: 2,913
    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!

    Congrats on the purchase of your new ATS. It looks premium and substantial and the color is immaculate. Curious though about your choice of financing were there better incentives in the buy vs lease transaction?
  • bwiabwia Member Posts: 2,913
    tjc78 said:

    Cross posted from CCBA, but a punch to report.  

    Nice interior tjc, is this another Buick? Since I don't hang out at CCBA I'm not sure whether the brand and model was discussed there. Congrats and enjoy the ride.
  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,108
    edited September 2017
    ab348 said:

    sb55 said:


    My wife says "what about leaving our money to the kids". Um, that's not my goal in life. I didn't inherit much when my mother died. My father is still living and I know that (wicked) stepmom will not us leave anything.
    I won't spend it all, but I'm not scrimping on life just for my grown kids.

    That sounds much like my case. I didn't get a dime when my dad passed away because of the gold digger woman he had gotten involved with the last few years of his life. Of course the only "kids" I have to leave anything to after I go are my cats... :D
    That's why cats always get under your feet. Trying to knock you down the stairs to bump you off and collect.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,108
    driver100 said:

    abacomike said:


    driver100 said:

    Oldfarmer. I stand corrected. Elevation of our place in Florida is between 3 and 49 feet, but, I tend to think it is in the middle of that range as a large area touches Tampa Bay and so is very low at that point.

    When we bought in 2012 we thought about buying closer to the water....but, that would have cost 2 to 3X more. We decided our priority for being in Florida in the winter was......mainly, not the beach, not the water, not the views, BUT, to get out of the COLD. So, we bought a one story unit....they are in quads - 2 face forward, 2 back, a garage between units. Vaulted ceilings, 2 bdrm, 2 bthrm, lots of Palm Trees last time I looked, clubhouse with pool etc for less than I could buy a garage for back home! See, I do have a practical side for some things! :p

    Are you sure about the 49 foot elevation upper extreme?  Most places in Florida south of I-10 are between 3 and 15 foot above sea level (prior to Irma, that is).  The State is flat as a pancake.  Only 3+ story buildings are above the usual land elevation
    s.

    P.S.  The exception would garbage dumps and landfills.   :o
    I have checked about 6 times. If you go West toward Tampa Bay the elevation is 3 ft. According to Wiki we are at 49 ft. If you go a little further West you get 102 ft elevation. I have seen the garbage dumps and they would add another 50 or so ft.
    I copied this from Wiki the town West of us (Wimauma)
    Country United States
    State Florida
    County Hillsborough
    Area
    • Total 25.3 sq mi (65.5 km2)
    • Land 25.0 sq mi (64.8 km2)
    • Water 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km2)
    Elevation 102 ft (31 m)

    I am as surprised as you are :o

    Yes, I did see those idiots running around on the shore....if the big wave came in they would be candidates for a Darwin Award.

    I saw one refference that said the highest point in Pinellas county across the bay is 397'.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,108
    driver100 said:

    ab348 said:

    sb55 said:


    My wife says "what about leaving our money to the kids". Um, that's not my goal in life. I didn't inherit much when my mother died. My father is still living and I know that (wicked) stepmom will not us leave anything.
    I won't spend it all, but I'm not scrimping on life just for my grown kids.

    That sounds much like my case. I didn't get a dime when my dad passed away because of the gold digger woman he had gotten involved with the last few years of his life. Of course the only "kids" I have to leave anything to after I go are my cats... :D
    I think we covered that in our wills, since that happens a lot. One dies, the remaining one remarries and dies first, new spouse gets everything....kids get zero. If one of us goes the 3 kids get a payment equal to about 10% of total at that time....at least they will get something.

    My concern was I would die, my wife would meet some boytoy, he would get a hold of her money, and kids would be left out. Of course, it could happen the other way around....I mean I meet a young lady and get scammed.

    I get emails from a Russian girl named Olga or something who is 22 and desperate to start a relationship with someone "sexy, sexy". I could send you her address, I'm sure she would find a MB sexier than a PT Cruiser. B)

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,108
    edited September 2017
    murphydog said:

    Side note. Got a coat of wax on today, wow lots of sheet metal to cover on a full sized truck!



    Now THAT's a truck! You squeeze it into that little garage? How do you get out once you park?

    When you want to sell it bring it to the Northeast. A rust free truck would be fought over.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,565

    driver100 said:

    ab348 said:

    sb55 said:


    My wife says "what about leaving our money to the kids". Um, that's not my goal in life. I didn't inherit much when my mother died. My father is still living and I know that (wicked) stepmom will not us leave anything.
    I won't spend it all, but I'm not scrimping on life just for my grown kids.

    That sounds much like my case. I didn't get a dime when my dad passed away because of the gold digger woman he had gotten involved with the last few years of his life. Of course the only "kids" I have to leave anything to after I go are my cats... :D
    I think we covered that in our wills, since that happens a lot. One dies, the remaining one remarries and dies first, new spouse gets everything....kids get zero. If one of us goes the 3 kids get a payment equal to about 10% of total at that time....at least they will get something.

    My concern was I would die, my wife would meet some boytoy, he would get a hold of her money, and kids would be left out. Of course, it could happen the other way around....I mean I meet a young lady and get scammed.

    I get emails from a Russian girl named Olga or something who is 22 and desperate to start a relationship with someone "sexy, sexy". I could send you her address, I'm sure she would find a MB sexier than a PT Cruiser. B)
    Thanks OF. Olga sounds like a very nice girl. However, I doubt if Olga would have considered me in the pre-MB days, but my wife did.

    We bought a house in about 1995. Our budget (yes, I have lived on a budget) was $300k. This house was listed for $360K and it was a slow market. We put in a ridiculous offer of $320k which we thought would fall flat. The guy accepted our offer. The reason, he was 84, his daughter and her family were living in the house paying rent to him, BUT, his 30 something girlfriend wanted him to buy a condo in Florida!

    I often wonder how that worked out. And, not to belabor the point but I will, even though the house was over budget it had a great basement....1200 sq ft, and that allowed me to start my business. Sometimes, you get a lot more, by spending a bit more. Today that house would be worth almost $1million CDN!

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • ventureventure Member Posts: 3,158
    driver100 said:

    Oldfarmer. I stand corrected. Elevation of our place in Florida is between 3 and 49 feet, but, I tend to think it is in the middle of that range as a large area touches Tampa Bay and so is very low at that point.

    When we bought in 2012 we thought about buying closer to the water....but, that would have cost 2 to 3X more. We decided our priority for being in Florida in the winter was......mainly, not the beach, not the water, not the views, BUT, to get out of the COLD. So, we bought a one story unit....they are in quads - 2 face forward, 2 back, a garage between units. Vaulted ceilings, 2 bdrm, 2 bthrm, lots of Palm Trees last time I looked, clubhouse with pool etc for less than I could buy a garage for back home! See, I do have a practical side for some things! :p

    2012. Wow. Time really does fly. It doesn't seem that long ago when you were looking for a place.

    2025 Forester Limited, 2024 Subaru Legacy Sport

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,108
    edited September 2017
    Just for a lark I went on the Fort Myers Craigslist to see what cars were still for sale. I was suprised to see that during the height of the hurricane people were happily posting their cars for sale. Of course the Gmail scammers were there but a lot of other cars were posted as the storm raged.

    Now, do you think these were just auto posts from dealers or are these all scammers? I can't imagine someone sitting in a shelter suddenly deciding to sell his car.

    Oh and the TV coverage is getting rediculious. Now they're replaying footage of a day ago to get the big wind shots. Today the reporters are standing in front of undamaged buildings hyperventilating as they point to a few Palm fronds laying in the street.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 16,843
    edited September 2017
    bwia said:
    Cross posted from CCBA, but a punch to report.  
    Nice interior tjc, is this another Buick? Since I don't hang out at CCBA I'm not sure whether the brand and model was discussed there. Congrats and enjoy the ride.
    Thank you!  Yes 2017 Enclave.  Broke all the rules and bought pretty much the exact same car twice in a row.   Wife and I are lukewarm on the redesign coming and since the Enclave fits the bill for us in almost every respect we rolled right into another 3 year lease.  

    Deal was strong 5 remaining payments waived and exact same monthly with true zero (not even first month) out of pocket. 

    2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic

  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,181
    edited September 2017
    bwia said:


    Congrats on the purchase of your new ATS. It looks premium and substantial and the color is immaculate. Curious though about your choice of financing were there better incentives in the buy vs lease transaction?

    Thanks! Yes, there were better purchase incentives versus leasing. $8000 in Cadillac cash plus 0% financing, plus additional dealer incentives. Seems like the residuals on leases were also much lower this time than 3 years ago, as the payments were significantly higher. I now prefer a purchase after having a few leases.

    Posted some impressions following the first road trip over in CCBA here.

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,171
    If I end up finding something with really good deals, I would consider taking cheap LT financing instead of leasing. Especially if getting something nice.

    one thing I am looking at this week is a leftover 2017 Accord V6 EXL. So, a nice, loaded up car. With some strong lease support, and quite possibly heavy purchase discounts. If they wanted to pony it up at a sale price equal to the discounted lease price, with something like 60 months financing at .9%, I would consider paying a bit more per month to just own it at the end.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,353
    If anything, historical hype to flop. I suspect future "cones" will be wider now, to cover some bases/rear ends. However, it created some ad revenue, and I guess in this world, that's what matters most.


    It is very inexact. Nature does what she wants. Still, it was (is) a storm that made history.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,353
    It must be fun using a ladder to clean the roof of a car :) That would be one plus of having a truck - I would feel less desire to keep it spotless, as trucks are meant to be a little dirty.

    Nice "Model T garage", your rig is likely the largest ever to occupy that spot.
    murphydog said:

    Side note. Got a coat of wax on today, wow lots of sheet metal to cover on a full sized truck!

  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 16,843
    I need a step stool for the roof of the Enclave and I'm 6' tall!

    2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,171
    I used one too for the minivans. Fin, one good thing is you can skip waxing the roof, since you can't actually see it!

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 17,407
    I had to pick up the kids' rental skis for the season yesterday.  Yes I could have laid their skis down behind the Pilot's 3rd row, but where's the fun in that?


    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD, 2025 Toyota Camry SE AWD

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,353
    I am surprised it hasn't appreciated more, must be in an outlying area. I don't know a ton about ON real estate, but 320K in Vancouver in 1995 can easily be 7 figures now. Heck, it would be in some areas in the Seattle metro, too, and that's USD.

    driver100 said:



    We bought a house in about 1995. Our budget (yes, I have lived on a budget) was $300k. This house was listed for $360K and it was a slow market. We put in a ridiculous offer of $320k which we thought would fall flat. The guy accepted our offer. The reason, he was 84, his daughter and her family were living in the house paying rent to him, BUT, his 30 something girlfriend wanted him to buy a condo in Florida!

    I often wonder how that worked out. And, not to belabor the point but I will, even though the house was over budget it had a great basement....1200 sq ft, and that allowed me to start my business. Sometimes, you get a lot more, by spending a bit more. Today that house would be worth almost $1million CDN!

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,171
    I should have moved to Seattle when I thought about it in the late 80s, when there were lots of good jobs popping up, but still cheap houses.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    Just for a lark I went on the Fort Myers Craigslist to see what cars were still for sale. I was suprised to see that during the height of the hurricane people were happily posting their cars for sale. Of course the Gmail scammers were there but a lot of other cars were posted as the storm raged. Now, do you think these were just auto posts from dealers or are these all scammers? I can't imagine someone sitting in a shelter suddenly deciding to sell his car. Oh and the TV coverage is getting rediculious. Now they're replaying footage of a day ago to get the big wind shots. Today the reporters are standing in front of undamaged buildings hyperventilating as they point to a few Palm fronds laying in the street.
    My daughter in Orlando this morning told me all they have are some shingles missing but other than that no damage. Her neighborhood had some localized flooding but she was good. 

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • MichaellMichaell Moderator Posts: 261,116
    I've checked in with my employee who lives in the Orlando area.

    Also has some shingles missing, and a small leak upstairs. He's contacted his insurance agency, and they've already responded back to him.

    Guess there is a curfew in effect until 6PM today.

    Edmunds Price Checker
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    2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    fintail said:

    If anything, historical hype to flop. I suspect future "cones" will be wider now, to cover some bases/rear ends. However, it created some ad revenue, and I guess in this world, that's what matters most.


    It is very inexact. Nature does what she wants. Still, it was (is) a storm that made history.

    Strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean.
  • murphydogmurphydog Member Posts: 735

    murphydog said:

    Side note. Got a coat of wax on today, wow lots of sheet metal to cover on a full sized truck!



    Now THAT's a truck! You squeeze it into that little garage? How do you get out once you park?

    When you want to sell it bring it to the Northeast. A rust free truck would be fought over.
    LOL - my garage is almost wide enough for 2 cars, so getting in and out is not a problem. It is the depth that challenges my parking skills. I have about an inch to spare front and back when the door is closed. When I rebuilt the garage ~ 12 years ago I made the door bigger, and raised the roof a foot, but I never thought to make it deeper.
  • asafonovasafonov Member Posts: 401
    Perhaps offtopic here, but I searched Townhall far and wide for comments on the Edmunds site and came up with nothing.

    Why is Edmunds making changes to its site layout(s) that are (IMHO) make it harder to use and to find things. My comments refer to (https://www.edmunds.com/toyota/camry-hybrid/2018/) Specifically,
    - What happened to the Build-and-Price (TM) - a very useful feature that appears to have gone AWOL
    - Why is there so much white space on the vehicle information pages (leading to the next question)
    - Why is it necessary to make small jumps to navigate between (mostly empty, see above) sections of the huge vehicle information page.

    I realize that some of my comments may be due to my habits, but I tried to be objective. Why spoil a good thing?
  • abacomikeabacomike Member Posts: 12,388
    We lost electricity at 10:15 PM last night.  Still no power and no timeframe as to when it will come back on.  Very dark in the house because the hurricane shutters are in place so I am using a candle right now.  At least I have access to data from T-Mobile, but battery power is getting low on my iPhone.  I will have to venture outdoors to get into my car so I can charge the phone.

    My brother and his SO have no access to data from Verizon and MetroPC for their phones.

    No flooding here and, as far as I can tell, no damage to the house or roof.  I will try to return to South Florida tomorrow or early Wednesday.  I have a full tank of gas but with the horrendous traffic I am expecting from those returning south, I hope it will be enough.


    2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,353
    Aren't there lots of qualifiers in this - Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic Basin, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, strongest by what measure, etc?


    Strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean.

  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,353
    Definitely a lucky time to be around here. 100K in local RE 30 years ago could easily be 1MM now, depending on where you bought.

    Minivan roofs, I guess with modern paint, waxing isn't so necessary anyway, I bet some of the spray stuff is useful enough.
    stickguy said:

    I should have moved to Seattle when I thought about it in the late 80s, when there were lots of good jobs popping up, but still cheap houses.

  • ab348ab348 Member Posts: 20,181
    fintail said:

    Aren't there lots of qualifiers in this - Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic Basin, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, strongest by what measure, etc?

    The question that came to my mind was "How long have they been recording data from the middle of the Atlantic?"

    I'm not trying to minimize the magnitude of this storm, as it was large and powerful. But it fizzled out quickly over land and was not "the end of the world" as my neighbor called it the other day, thanks to him lapping up the media hype. The Labor Day hurricane of 1935, Camille in 1969, Andrew, Katrina, Sandy... all did incredible damage and took many lives. Hurricanes are always very dangerous but the damage depends on many factors.

    We had a hurricane hit here 14 years ago. Juan did a lot of damage but it was mostly on the immediate coastline and due to old city trees with shallow root structures being toppled by winds, which then took out power lines. We still are not burying our power lines here, BTW. This is a good album of pictures (not mine) of the aftermath:

    http://imgur.com/a/rV8u6#GY9U9gB

    2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6

  • 28firefighter28firefighter Member Posts: 9,761
    stickguy said:

    I should have moved to Seattle when I thought about it in the late 80s, when there were lots of good jobs popping up, but still cheap houses.

    Definitely should have. Wife and I are house hunting right now for a bigger place in the suburbs (we live in Seattle proper right now) and the cost is astounding. That said, our current house has appreciated almost 40 percent in the 3.5 years we have owned it, so it isn't all bad...

    2025 Jetta GLI Autobahn, 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xE
  • berriberri Member Posts: 10,165
    I think you have to look at the entire hurricane impact which includes a number of locations outside of the US.

    Seattle now has near SoCal and Silicon Valley prices without the climate. Kind of amazing really.
  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,108
    tjc78 said:


    bwia said:

    Cross posted from CCBA, but a punch to report.  
    Nice interior tjc, is this another Buick? Since I don't hang out at CCBA I'm not sure whether the brand and model was discussed there. Congrats and enjoy the ride.

    Thank you!  Yes 2017 Enclave.  Broke all the rules and bought pretty much the exact same car twice in a row.   Wife and I are lukewarm on the redesign coming and since the Enclave fits the bill for us in almost every respect we rolled right into another 3 year lease.  

    Deal was strong 5 remaining payments waived and exact same monthly with true zero (not even first month) out of pocket. 

    I'm wondering, how close were you to the mileage limits of your lease? Would you have made it 5 more months or did the dealer get an extra low mile car? In many ways leases are a mystery to me since the numbers can be fuzzy and the terms are often fluid.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,565
    fintail said:

    I am surprised it hasn't appreciated more, must be in an outlying area. I don't know a ton about ON real estate, but 320K in Vancouver in 1995 can easily be 7 figures now. Heck, it would be in some areas in the Seattle metro, too, and that's USD.



    driver100 said:



    We bought a house in about 1995. Our budget (yes, I have lived on a budget) was $300k. This house was listed for $360K and it was a slow market. We put in a ridiculous offer of $320k which we thought would fall flat. The guy accepted our offer. The reason, he was 84, his daughter and her family were living in the house paying rent to him, BUT, his 30 something girlfriend wanted him to buy a condo in Florida!

    I often wonder how that worked out. And, not to belabor the point but I will, even though the house was over budget it had a great basement....1200 sq ft, and that allowed me to start my business. Sometimes, you get a lot more, by spending a bit more. Today that house would be worth almost $1million CDN!

    Vancouver and Toronto are very different markets. No more space to build in those cities, and lots of foreign money!

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,565
    Michaell said:

    I've checked in with my employee who lives in the Orlando area.

    Also has some shingles missing, and a small leak upstairs. He's contacted his insurance agency, and they've already responded back to him.

    Guess there is a curfew in effect until 6PM today.

    Our neighbors in Florida sent an email. Power was out for a few hours yesterday evening....our homes are fine, even the screens are still there. We really dodged a bullet, Irma went more to the East, and it went from a 3 to a category 1.....whewwwwwwww!

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • Karen_SKaren_S Member Posts: 5,092
    Just thought I'd leave this here

    https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/47032/general/x/mr-shiftright-20-year-ride-in-edmunds-forums#latest

    Please stop by the above discussion and give Joe a high five. :smile:
  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,108

    stickguy said:

    I should have moved to Seattle when I thought about it in the late 80s, when there were lots of good jobs popping up, but still cheap houses.

    Definitely should have. Wife and I are house hunting right now for a bigger place in the suburbs (we live in Seattle proper right now) and the cost is astounding. That said, our current house has appreciated almost 40 percent in the 3.5 years we have owned it, so it isn't all bad...


    I'd sell now and wait a few years for the bubble to burst. Look at the killing driver100 made in Florida. The condos in my BIL's development went from $80k in 2004 to $160k in 2008. By 2010 they were $60k and are now back up to $100k.

    Timing is important when there's a tulip mania going on.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • 28firefighter28firefighter Member Posts: 9,761

    stickguy said:

    I should have moved to Seattle when I thought about it in the late 80s, when there were lots of good jobs popping up, but still cheap houses.

    Definitely should have. Wife and I are house hunting right now for a bigger place in the suburbs (we live in Seattle proper right now) and the cost is astounding. That said, our current house has appreciated almost 40 percent in the 3.5 years we have owned it, so it isn't all bad...


    I'd sell now and wait a few years for the bubble to burst. Look at the killing driver100 made in Florida. The condos in my BIL's development went from $80k in 2004 to $160k in 2008. By 2010 they were $60k and are now back up to $100k.

    Timing is important when there's a tulip mania going on.
    Seattle experienced a similar housing bust in 2008 from the mortgage crisis. The difference now is that the housing market is supported by actual demand - there are too many people moving to the area looking for housing and not enough inventory. Most experts are saying this is not likely to change anytime soon.
    2025 Jetta GLI Autobahn, 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xE
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I see that Amazon is shopping for a second home as well. Many bets are on Denver. What's ironic is that Amazon is also shopping for tax breaks and perks like free land---pretty nervy if you ask me.
  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,565
    Not really nervy, just smart business practice. They got big enough to call the shots....they wouldn't be where they are if they didn't get concessions.

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,171
    Driver, based on the astounding number of condo towers going up downtown, Toronto is finding ways to build!

    Shifty, Philly is making a big push for amazon. Makes a ton of sense in many ways, but likely gets scuttled by local taxes and politics.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,565

    stickguy said:

    I should have moved to Seattle when I thought about it in the late 80s, when there were lots of good jobs popping up, but still cheap houses.

    Definitely should have. Wife and I are house hunting right now for a bigger place in the suburbs (we live in Seattle proper right now) and the cost is astounding. That said, our current house has appreciated almost 40 percent in the 3.5 years we have owned it, so it isn't all bad...


    I'd sell now and wait a few years for the bubble to burst. Look at the killing driver100 made in Florida. The condos in my BIL's development went from $80k in 2004 to $160k in 2008. By 2010 they were $60k and are now back up to $100k.

    Timing is important when there's a tulip mania going on.
    Most experts are saying this is not likely to change anytime soon.
    Famous last words....and experts! Why are they consultants and experts and not multi-millionaires predicting the trends and buying up property when it was cheap.

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    driver100 said:

    Not really nervy, just smart business practice. They got big enough to call the shots....they wouldn't be where they are if they didn't get concessions.

    I dunno Driver...does Amazon really need my tax dollars to succeed? I'd rather see it put into potholes and education. I already give Amazon plenty of opportunities to succeed.

    On the other hand, if Amazon moved to Detroit, I might reconsider my position.
This discussion has been closed.