Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

imidazol97 · August 2018

thebean said:

stickguy said:
I believe there are a lot of offset rules baked into SS. Also for earned income. It makes sense since people in the public sector did not pay SS on those wages.

Bean, I don't think you can make that blanket statement about teachers. It really depends where you are. In most NE states, if you are teaching in a suburban district, the pay is quite good with excellent benefits (on top of the pension). and of course, lots of days off. Different story in some other parts of the country, or in many inner cities. But, that is the same for most jobs.

and of course, if it is a job that is so thankless that you don't want to do it, you should find a different profession.
@stickguy, even if the pay is what you might consider "good", I doubt many of us would even think of doing a teachers job. It's way different than when we were in school. Teachers can't even mildly discipline students; most parents go ballistic if their "angel" were disciplined. Then there is the stupid standardized tests that have tied teachers hands on how they structure their curriculum. Plus constant budget cutting from the school boards. I think I can make that as a blanket statement - teaching has sadly become a dead-end job due to what society has done to it. It's a decent situation in only the top 5% of wealthy districts. For the remainder, we have made teaching a profession that smart dynamic people would not want to do, so they go into other professions.

I doubt seriously if any of us here could last a month in a teaching job without quitting or getting fired for smacking a smart aleck student.

Dittos.

imidazol97 · August 2018

stickguy said:
I believe there are a lot of offset rules baked into SS. Also for earned income. It makes sense since people in the public sector did not pay SS on those wages.

I'm not clear on what "...also for earned income" means.

In some states teachers/public employees pay into social security; in some they don't pay into the pyramid scheme. Those that do not pay into SS likely have a state system that has them paying more from their salary into the retirement plan than they would were they paying into SS and the state plan.

It's difficult to compare plans between states just as it is to compare taxes from state-to-state.

berri · August 2018

Lawsuit potential probably put the kibosh on those overnight trips. I don't know what is going on with all the different levels of gov in education. Federal, State and on down. All I can see is wasting teachers time on politically correct training to either game the system or reduce potential legal liabilities. Personally, I can see a limited role in Fed or State to set up general performance expectations and publicize district performance, but the methods and the like I believe should be firmly entrenched in the local school district and its elected board. . Also, this country has got to cut down on all the litigation. It is becoming a drag on the country. All the different levels of gov and reports in education is driving up school district overhead costs. But politicians talk one game and then pile more on to brush up their campaign PR. These are real issues and impacts that just get lip service and hurt the constituency.

driver100 · August 2018

Maybe jmonroe isn't as crazy as I thought

. The 2019 Genesis G70 seems to be a pretty good car. It looks great, check exterior and interior;

The models tested – a mix of G70 and G70 Sport – all featured the up-level 3.3L twin-turbo V6. It makes a healthy 365 horsepower and 376 lb.-ft. of torque anywhere between 1,300 and 4,500 rpm. That’s enough pony power to waft the V6-powered G70 Sport from rest to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds.

Won't be sold at a Hyundai dealership. They will have stores, similar to Tesla, and they come to your home for a test drive.

The Genesis experience differs from the norm in that buyers get complimentary maintenance for five years or 60000 miles.

Book an appointment and someone comes to you, picks up your vehicle for maintenance and leaves you a loaner while it’s in the shop. It all boils down to a totally different buying experience – one which Genesis hopes will resonate with the buying public

It all sounds pretty good, but, I think if I were to spend $55000 on a Genesis, I would go just a bit more and get the car I know I will be happy with.

iluvmysephia1 · August 2018

isellhondas - we found out last fall how expensive the Wenatchee area has gotten for real estate, even. Bitcoin hit and helped turn the real estate in to oodles and scaboodles of glistening gold. Lower-cost electricity generated from the Columbia River, don't cha know, proved ta be too irrisistable for them.

stickguy · August 2018

I could live with swapping my Elantra for one of those. But not at that price.

Mr_Shiftright · August 2018

stickguy said:
speaking of accidents, my son texted earlier about a guy where he works. Spent about a year searching for the perfect Porsche. Finally found it last year. a 2012ish Cayman. Yesterday, he got rear ended. Did not seem like a big accident, but it did enough damage to the structure (I assume) that it got totaled. Needless to say, he is really bummed and ticked off.

And no real surprise. Got rammed into by a 19 YO girl who was on her phone texting.

I would be suing the heck out of her parents (who probably own/insure the car). Just for spite.

Yep, my friend's Boxster got totaled in the exact same scenario. I found him another one, though!

They are more plentiful than their coupe-cousins the Cayman.

driver100 · August 2018

stickguy said:
I could live with swapping my Elantra for one of those. But not at that price.

4 cylinder model starts at about $40K, and pretty nicely equipped. They even have a 6 speed manual. Actually $42k CDN, so could be under $38k US with a few incentives.

bwia · August 2018

driver100 said:

Maybe jmonroe isn't as crazy as I thought . The 2019 Genesis G70 seems to be a pretty good car. It looks great, check exterior and interior; The models tested – a mix of G70 and G70 Sport – all featured the up-level 3.3L twin-turbo V6. It makes a healthy 365 horsepower and 376 lb.-ft. of torque anywhere between 1,300 and 4,500 rpm. That’s enough pony power to waft the V6-powered G70 Sport from rest to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds. Won't be sold at a Hyundai dealership. They will have stores, similar to Tesla, and they come to your home for a test drive. The Genesis experience differs from the norm in that buyers get complimentary maintenance for five years or 60000 miles. Book an appointment and someone comes to you, picks up your vehicle for maintenance and leaves you a loaner while it’s in the shop. It all boils down to a totally different buying experience – one which Genesis hopes will resonate with the buying public It all sounds pretty good, but, I think if I were to spend $55000 on a Genesis, I would go just a bit more and get the car I know I will be happy with.

You can get a cheaper and perhaps better copy of the G70 (sans the concierge service) under the brand name Kia Stinger.

ab348 · August 2018

suydam said:
Most teachers I know love their jobs but have a hard time living on the low salary. Even in the Northeast, the pay may be higher than for teachers elsewhere, but so is the cost of living.

Up here it is just the reverse, teacher jobs pay well (many too well) and the benefits and pension are sweet. Their union is constantly butting heads with the government. Their pension plan is only about 60% funded and they are resisting any reforms other than having the government bail it out to the tune of a billion or two.

tbirdmarco · August 2018

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ret9hAc3BYc

cdnpinhead · August 2018

venture said:
I have to replace the cartridges in both Moen faucets in my master bathroom about once a year because they start to drip. The next time I'm going to change brands not innards.

I have a similar situation, though not quite so bad, with the Delta stuff in our house. Apparently we have higher than normal water pressure, but I'm not sure that explains it all.

cdnpinhead · August 2018

driver100 said:
btw.....where is jmonroe?

He may have been sucked into the vortex that my new laptop is enjoying. I can't get into the forums in any way, shape or form on that machine, since it's the new logon, new password and new e-mail address. That machine is deader than Elvis so far as Edmunds is concerned -- oh, but wait, I get junk e-mail regularly, so they at least recognize the new e-mail address, just not for the forums.

cdnpinhead · August 2018

snakeweasel said:
Do people who get a pension from a private corporation have an offset?

Yes, yes they (or at least I) do. My "defined benefit" pension program "adjusts" the monthly benefit with respect to my SS cheque. I'm in the midst of organizing all of this, having retired in the past few weeks, and it's a real trip. Having a defined benefit pension is long gone in private industry -- it's been 15 or 20 years since all the new-hires started getting defined contribution programs.

In the public sector, not so much. California is a case study in whether this house of cards will last. My money is on no. Time will tell.

stickguy · August 2018

I am not collecting, but I thought that if you have a job while on SS, if you make above a certain amount, they reduce your SS payment.

at least with a regular pension, doesn't matter how much you earn elsewhere. you still get it.

berri · August 2018

cdn - try inprivate on your browser. Hit Cntrl, Shift and P together with web address. This worked in Edge on the Windows10 computer I have that wasn't working with site. However, my other Windows 10 computer has no problems with Edge and the site. And yes, the ad block, pop up and security settings are identical. Changing those settings had no effect on the issue. I don't really get it. Your issues may be different, but it is perhaps worth a try at least I suppose.

iluvmysephia1 · August 2018

Ahh, we love a great challenge, don't we? As far as figuring out computers goes, eh? Yeah...right.

ab348 · August 2018

My pension reduces itself automatically when I turn 65 to offset the federal Canada Pension Plan benefits that I will receive (which I contributed to every year I was working) so that the monthly amount I receive stays the same. Seems a bit of a ripoff TBH. The pension plan people say the contribution to that I paid all the time I was working took it into account and that everyone is getting all they are entitled to get. Grumble grumble.

suydam · August 2018

stickguy said:
I am not collecting, but I thought that if you have a job while on SS, if you make above a certain amount, they reduce your SS payment.

at least with a regular pension, doesn't matter how much you earn elsewhere. you still get it.

After 67 you can earn as much as you like and your SS Check won’t be reduced. Then you are considered to be in full retirement.

abacomike · August 2018

I didn’t have much to do today so I decided to drive a Suburu Legacy 3,6R Sedan at my local Suburu Dealership. I’ve read how satisfied nyccarguy and jmonroe have been with their Suburus that I wanted to see if it would fit my needs as a car for the future after my lease is up.

$36,784 was the MSRP of the one I drove, a 2019. It was loaded with just about every available option and was white with black interior. The driver’s seat was fairly comfortable and had plenty of leg and shoulder room. The technology was exceedingly impressive for a car under $40,000.

It was pretty fast and handled quite well on turns and cornering. I found the ride quite stiff and knew almost immediately that I would not want to drive this car on a 300-400 mile road trip - my derrière and back would be very sore on such a long drive. But for a vehicle around town and on short hops, it was more than just satisfying.

I really didn’t discus pricing with the salesman because i didn’t want to waste his time, but he admitted that management was more than willing to discount the vehicle substantially.

I don’t think I would be happy with the Suburu - due mainly to my being spoiled by MB and BMW luxury and technology. But the next car I lease or own is not going to be a $60,000+ car - it’s going to have to be economical and under $45,000. Buick is a possibility but a Suburu is not in my sights for my needs.

xwesx · August 2018

fintail said:
Back to Pendleton?

There will be an exodus of retirees from the more first world coastal cities, especially those not lucky enough to benefit from public sector largesse in terms of retirement income. It's just too expensive for normal people, unless they have a big inheritance or similar. The lucky ones (who bought housing back when it was attainable for normal working people without parental help) are now sometimes moving to points south and east.

xwesx said:

Yes, definitely. My wife and I will likely move to a semi-rural, fairly low-income area at some point. I told her that I am happy to do so as long as I am not tied to the local economy.

Hahah; no. More likely northwestern PA, where she originates, at some point.

fintail · August 2018

Is that concierge service actually in existence anywhere? I've seen it promised since the suddenly-its-2006-style Equus, but never heard of anyone using it. In my area, Genesis dealers appear firmly linked to Hyundai, more like Scion than something really independent. The rest of that reads like a press release from DPRK

driver100 said:

It all sounds pretty good, but, I think if I were to spend $55000 on a Genesis, I would go just a bit more and get the car I know I will be happy with.

fintail · August 2018

I hope you are prepared for rust! (I suppose the snow is a non-issue).

I could see myself retiring to eastern WA, assuming I am lucky enough to make it that far. Definitely won't stick around the Seattle metro, too much of a rat race if I want a quiet life.

xwesx said:

Hahah; no. More likely northwestern PA, where she originates, at some point.

28firefighter · August 2018

I would really like to move us back to Cleveland/Pittsburgh at some point.

driver100 · August 2018

I was reading Dennis O'Sullivan's "Help' column in today's newspaper....this one was kind of fun:

QUESTION

I purchased a set of wiper blades at a local Canadian Tire store and on the way home, after getting gas at a local gas station, I asked the attendant if he would put the wiper blades on the car for me. He told me that he would and I gave him a two-dollar tip for doing so. The next day or two, I had to use the wipers and the wiper blade on the passenger’s side came off. I was still in the driveway so I immediately shut the wipers off. The next day, I went back to the gas station to ask why he had not put the wipers on properly. The kid was very rude and the owner of the garage told me to leave the lot. This email is to alert motorists that they should be very careful of asking anyone at gas stations to do any type of small jobs that require a brain.

A Woman from Arthur

ANSWER

To save you from any type of embarrassment, I have left your name out of this column. You have said your peace but you and I know that you have been far from honest as to what happened with your car’s wiper blades. The young man at the gas station told you that the wiper blades that you’d purchased were the wrong ones and that they were too big for your car. You told him that you wanted to have as much of the window cleaned as you possibly could so he did install them for you. When you went back to the gas station, which is also a garage, you called the lad an imbecile and went on to tell him that you wanted the two dollar tip back and that he should go back to school or he would be pumping gas for the rest of his life. The owner of the garage told you that that kind of talk was unnecessary and he asked one of the technicians to again install the wiper blade for you. In doing so, the wiper blade came back off when the technician told you to put the wipers on. The technician then told you that the wiper blades were too big and hitting one another and that they were not the proper wiper blades for your vehicle. He then offered to sell you the proper wiper blades and that is when you also went ballistic on him. That is also when the owner of the station suggested that you take your business somewhere else. That is the last that they heard from you until I contacted them. So what have we learned? I have learned that a young college person, working the summer at a gas station, should not have been scolded by a woman who was entirely at fault and who should have taken the advice from this young man when he told her that the wiper blades, that she had just purchased, were not the correct ones

isellhondas · August 2018

driver100 said:
We have been watching Goliath on Prime. I like Billy Bob Thornton's 65 Mustang he drives around in....amazing the car still runs:

Not to be a nit picker but that Mustang is a 1966.

isellhondas · August 2018

fintail said:
Back to Pendleton?

There will be an exodus of retirees from the more first world coastal cities, especially those not lucky enough to benefit from public sector largesse in terms of retirement income. It's just too expensive for normal people, unless they have a big inheritance or similar. The lucky ones (who bought housing back when it was attainable for normal working people without parental help) are now sometimes moving to points south and east.

xwesx said:

Yes, definitely. My wife and I will likely move to a semi-rural, fairly low-income area at some point. I told her that I am happy to do so as long as I am not tied to the local economy.

Pendleton? No, too hot!

The demographics are really changing in my neighborhood. Nearly all of the sales are immigrants and many times these sales are for cash! With prices slightly off their peak it just might be time to move...but where?

Stanwood is looking good. Where my mother was born and raised 100 years plus ago!

isellhondas · August 2018

fintail said:
Is that concierge service actually in existence anywhere? I've seen it promised since the suddenly-its-2006-style Equus, but never heard of anyone using it. In my area, Genesis dealers appear firmly linked to Hyundai, more like Scion than something really independent. The rest of that reads like a press release from DPRK

driver100 said:

It all sounds pretty good, but, I think if I were to spend $55000 on a Genesis, I would go just a bit more and get the car I know I will be happy with.

Back when I was a kid growing up in So. California, there was a mom and pop Buick Dealer in our town that offered outstanding service. They would send a guy whose name was Foxy to your house on a three wheeled Harley Davidson. He would attach the motorcycle to the rear bumper and pick up and deliver cars! No charge for this service! He would park your Buick back in the garage and they would send you the bill for the service they did. Foxy loved to go down the hill in front of the high school where a crowd of us were standing before and after school. He would shut off the ignition on his cycle and turn it back on creating an explosion that made us all jump! Then he would LAUGH and cackle and ride off!

venture · August 2018

abacomike said:
I didn’t have much to do today so I decided to drive a Suburu Legacy 3,6R Sedan at my local Suburu Dealership. I’ve read how satisfied nyccarguy and jmonroe have been with their Suburus that I wanted to see if it would fit my needs as a car for the future after my lease is up.

$36,784 was the MSRP of the one I drove, a 2019. It was loaded with just about every available option and was white with black interior. The driver’s seat was fairly comfortable and had plenty of leg and shoulder room. The technology was exceedingly impressive for a car under $40,000.

It was pretty fast and handled quite well on turns and cornering. I found the ride quite stiff and knew almost immediately that I would not want to drive this car on a 300-400 mile road trip - my derrière and back would be very sore on such a long drive. But for a vehicle around town and on short hops, it was more than just satisfying.

I really didn’t discus pricing with the salesman because i didn’t want to waste his time, but he admitted that management was more than willing to discount the vehicle substantially.

I don’t think I would be happy with the Suburu - due mainly to my being spoiled by MB and BMW luxury and technology. But the next car I lease or own is not going to be a $60,000+ car - it’s going to have to be economical and under $45,000. Buick is a possibility but a Suburu is not in my sights for my needs.

That's the car I currently drive except mine is a 2018. I still like a sportier car than you do which is evident by our past choices. I find the ride in the 3.6 a little soft actually.

driver100 · August 2018

isellhondas said:

driver100 said:
We have been watching Goliath on Prime. I like Billy Bob Thornton's 65 Mustang he drives around in....amazing the car still runs:

Not to be a nit picker but that Mustang is a 1966.

How do you know?

I looked it up, and you are right....but, how did you know it was a 66?

qbrozen · August 2018

'66 had the 3 spikes chrome in the side indent and solid chrome gas cap. '65 is a straight side chrome piece and gas cap had a black plastic insert.

tommister2 · August 2018

I’m in Fort Pierce FL for the weekend. We drove down from Virginia today, which took about 12 hours. Our 2015 Subaru Forester Limited is a good size for a party of four. Unfortunately, the seats aren’t very comfortable. We have made this trip many times over the years in various Honda and Toyota products without complaints. Could just be that we are older now. I’m happy with the CVT and the engine power.

We averaged about 27 MPG on the trip here. Mostly cruising at 75-80 MPH. Our college aged daughter usually drives it back and forth to school and she averages over 30 MPG. Probably due to her having a lighter foot than me plus she usually travels alone.

I wouldn't have bought a Subaru - we only wound up with it because my dad can no longer drive and needed money. Other than seats that are no quite as comfortable as I would like, it is a move ride.

tommister2 · August 2018

I’m in Fort Pierce FL for the weekend. We drove down from Virginia today, which took about 12 hours. Our 2015 Subaru Forester Limited is a good size for a party of four. Unfortunately, the seats aren’t very comfortable. We have made this trip many times over the years in various Honda and Toyota products without complaints. Could just be that we are older now. I’m happy with the CVT and the engine power.

We averaged about 27 MPG on the trip here. Mostly cruising at 75-80 MPH. Our college aged daughter usually drives it back and forth to school and she averages over 30 MPG. Probably due to her having a lighter foot than me plus she usually travels alone.

I wouldn't have bought a Subaru - we only wound up with it because my dad can no longer drive and needed money. Other than seats that are no quite as comfortable as I would like, it is a move ride.

imidazol97 · August 2018

fintail said:
Back to Pendleton?

There will be an exodus of retirees from the more first world coastal cities, especially those not lucky enough to benefit from public sector largesse in terms of retirement income. It's just too expensive for normal people, unless they have a big inheritance or similar. The lucky ones (who bought housing back when it was attainable for normal working people without parental help) are now sometimes moving to points south and east.

I had read Fintail's post about Washington residents leaving for the east and south.

I was driving a short trip on I70 to a Walmart after reading that. What did I see but a UHaul.
The UHaul truck towing a trailer with a Mitsubishi on it and the car had Washington plates--heading east toward PA, Maryland, etc., I thought. Nope he turned south on I75. Coincindence? Or part of the migration?

abacomike · August 2018

Grandson called me late last night (about 10:30 PM) to give me all the dope on his first day on a college campus. He said he got into Lincoln NE at about 1:30 PM CDT. There were several buses picking up students waiting for planes to arrive. He got to his dorm room at 2:30 PM and met his roommate. They went over to the main hall for Freshman orientation together.

He said he was very embarrassed when they started introducing the new members of their baseball team. He was introduced as the “...homerun-hitting, 90 mph fastballer from California!” He said that because of that intro, there’s a lot of pressure on him now to perform. I told him that meeting those high expectations is what got him that scholarship. He laughed and said you’re right grandpa.

He thanked me for the $500 I deposited into his checking account - he said he has money for “snacks” now. I wished him the best of luck and told him I would be there for him whenever he needed anything.

Tears started to blur my vision again - he is on his own now.

berri · August 2018

He'll be fine. But kids leaving the nest is often harder on the adults. As for your next vehicle and price range, as you get older you may want something more upright to get in and out of, and you seem to have a German preference. In that price range - maybe a VW Atlas or Tiguan?

driver100 · August 2018

qbrozen said:
'66 had the 3 spikes chrome in the side indent and solid chrome gas cap. '65 is a straight side chrome piece and gas cap had a black plastic insert.

You guys are good!

dino001 · August 2018

abacomike said:
I didn’t have much to do today so I decided to drive a Suburu Legacy 3,6R Sedan at my local Suburu Dealership. I’ve read how satisfied nyccarguy and jmonroe have been with their Suburus that I wanted to see if it would fit my needs as a car for the future after my lease is up.

$36,784 was the MSRP of the one I drove, a 2019. It was loaded with just about every available option and was white with black interior. The driver’s seat was fairly comfortable and had plenty of leg and shoulder room. The technology was exceedingly impressive for a car under $40,000.

It was pretty fast and handled quite well on turns and cornering. I found the ride quite stiff and knew almost immediately that I would not want to drive this car on a 300-400 mile road trip - my derrière and back would be very sore on such a long drive. But for a vehicle around town and on short hops, it was more than just satisfying.

I really didn’t discus pricing with the salesman because i didn’t want to waste his time, but he admitted that management was more than willing to discount the vehicle substantially.

I don’t think I would be happy with the Suburu - due mainly to my being spoiled by MB and BMW luxury and technology. But the next car I lease or own is not going to be a $60,000+ car - it’s going to have to be economical and under $45,000. Buick is a possibility but a Suburu is not in my sights for my needs.

S-class to Legacy? That's a leap, Mike. As you said, you probably wouldn't like it, being used to German high-class sedans, but those are nice enough for majority. But remember, if/when you buy it, remember, it's Subaru.

roadburner · August 2018

qbrozen said:
'66 had the 3 spikes chrome in the side indent and solid chrome gas cap. '65 is a straight side chrome piece and gas cap had a black plastic insert.

Yes. It's ridiculously easy to spot.

fintail · August 2018

There does seem to be a price dip between Marysville/Arlington and Bellingham. Otherwise, you have to go east of the mountains, maybe eastern edges of the Kitsap peninsula, or south of Olympia, to find legitimately affordable property.

I have family on the south coast, and in eastern WA - not always bad places to live, other than local salaries. The commute would be killer though.

isellhondas said:

Stanwood is looking good. Where my mother was born and raised 100 years plus ago!

fintail · August 2018

There's still significant net population growth here, as this is a tech hub, and I don't see than changing in the foreseeable future. However, those not in related industries, those wishing to not live in a rat race, or retirees looking for a more reasonably priced existence (especially those of a lucky demographic who bought houses at 2.5x salary that are now worth 15x salary), will likely be tempted to leave - and I can't blame them.

I know two people who relocated from this area - one moved to Austin and had mixed feelings but enjoys the weather and stayed, the other to suburban Atlanta and loathed many aspects of it, lasted under 5 years and came back.

imidazol97 said:

I had read Fintail's post about Washington residents leaving for the east and south.

I was driving a short trip on I70 to a Walmart after reading that. What did I see but a UHaul.
The UHaul truck towing a trailer with a Mitsubishi on it and the car had Washington plates--heading east toward PA, Maryland, etc., I thought. Nope he turned south on I75. Coincindence? Or part of the migration?

henryn · August 2018

Forgive me if this is a dumb question, but if you like the weather in the Seattle area, but want a lower cost of living and less traffic, with a similar climate, wouldn't somewhere along the Oregon coast be the first place that you would look?

28firefighter · August 2018

Portland Area is almost as hot now as Seattle. The PNW is far from affordable.

fintail · August 2018

Property is a lot cheaper outside of the metro areas, but you have to deal with a lot less amenities - my mom lives in an outlying area, and has to go a couple hours for medical specialists, and even the nearest Costco is over an hour away. Food, fuel, and utilities aren't necessarily cheaper out there, either, but when a house that would be 1MM+ here is 200K there, I guess that makes up for it.

venture · August 2018

abacomike said:
Grandson called me late last night (about 10:30 PM) to give me all the dope on his first day on a college campus. He said he got into Lincoln NE at about 1:30 PM CDT. There were several buses picking up students waiting for planes to arrive. He got to his dorm room at 2:30 PM and met his roommate. They went over to the main hall for Freshman orientation together.

He said he was very embarrassed when they started introducing the new members of their baseball team. He was introduced as the “...homerun-hitting, 90 mph fastballer from California!” He said that because of that intro, there’s a lot of pressure on him now to perform. I told him that meeting those high expectations is what got him that scholarship. He laughed and said you’re right grandpa.

He thanked me for the $500 I deposited into his checking account - he said he has money for “snacks” now. I wished him the best of luck and told him I would be there for him whenever he needed anything.

Tears started to blur my vision again - he is on his own now.

It sounds like he will be just fine Mike. All he has to do in the baseball area is to just keep on doing what he's been doing.

roadburner · August 2018

abacomike said:
Grandson called me late last night (about 10:30 PM) to give me all the dope on his first day on a college campus. He said he got into Lincoln NE at about 1:30 PM CDT. There were several buses picking up students waiting for planes to arrive. He got to his dorm room at 2:30 PM and met his roommate. They went over to the main hall for Freshman orientation together.

He said he was very embarrassed when they started introducing the new members of their baseball team. He was introduced as the “...homerun-hitting, 90 mph fastballer from California!” He said that because of that intro, there’s a lot of pressure on him now to perform. I told him that meeting those high expectations is what got him that scholarship. He laughed and said you’re right grandpa.

He thanked me for the $500 I deposited into his checking account - he said he has money for “snacks” now. I wished him the best of luck and told him I would be there for him whenever he needed anything.

Tears started to blur my vision again - he is on his own now.

It sounds like he's off to a great start- thanks in large part to you.

roadburner · August 2018

As I mentioned in the CCBA topic, my wife has decided that she wants Wrangler- either a JK or JL two door. Thankfully the GLA she had found sold and she really liked the JK she test drove. I just need to find one with LED headlamps, Alpine audio, heated seats, and limited slip. Two years old or newer.

stickguy · August 2018

successful excursion with the U Haul GMC. Actually drove nicely. and apparently will do 75 if you want it to! Got the kid moved in and truck returned no issues.

man, small U Hauls were all over that apartment complex. Not a huge place (I think 5 4 story buildings) but there was a line of them outside a couple of the buildings. some moving in, some moving out. I am just glad to have it over with.

next hurdle, get her Jetta purchased Tuesday night so I can finally get my car back. Need to give it a good cleaning, and some rest. Poor thing has been getting used hard!

abacomike · August 2018

I’ve seen quite a few VW Passats on the road lately. That car is no longer a compact or smallish Sedan - that car is a big car. VW has increased the length of the wheelbase and from the exterior, that back seat looks pretty roomy.

I just don’t know if I would want a car that is not assembled in Germany, Canada or the USA. I read somewhere that they are assembled in Mexico and Brazil. Don’t know if that is accurate.

They have great bumper-to-bumper warranties (6-years/70,000 miles). That might be something I would look into for the future. Their top of the line model with a 6 cylinder engine MSRPs for around $36,000.

Anyone else have an opinion of the Passat?

Michaell · August 2018

abacomike said:
I’ve seen quite a few VW Passats on the road lately. That car is no longer a compact or smallish Sedan - that car is a big car. VW has increased the length of the wheelbase and from the exterior, that back seat looks pretty roomy.

I just don’t know if I would want a car that is not assembled in Germany, Canada or the USA. I read somewhere that they are assembled in Mexico and Brazil. Don’t know if that is accurate.

They have great bumper-to-bumper warranties (6-years/70,000 miles). That might be something I would look into for the future. Their top of the line model with a 6 cylinder engine MSRPs for around $36,000.

Anyone else have an opinion of the Passat?

The Passat is built in Tennessee, and is a big car you should look at the GT trim level.

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