Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations

ruking1 · April 2019

stickguy said:
Snake, that is my theory on leasing. I do the research up front to figure out what I'm willing to pay, and shop the payment. As long as that meets my target I don't care what numbers they have to shuffle around to get there.

Leasing can be good when it can be run for IRS LLC/Corp business purposes. In fact, some of “the best cars/CUV’s” usually come directly off lease. 2x taxation is levied on one vehicle, & depreciations, etc,. Ownership works even better, if one is willing to to drive the vehicle beyond the normal lease periods.

graphicguy · April 2019

oldfarmer50 said:

graphicguy said:

imidazol97 said:

stickguy said:

arrested them. Against PA law to bring in liquor from out of state. I believe there are conditions (around resale) but basically it was crossing state lines. And they were looking for people loading up (stocking a bar type stuff) not some dude coming back from the Jersey shore stopping for a 6 pack (though given how the PA LCB operates, would not put that past them either)
Ohio used to do that because of people going across the bridge in Cincinnati/Covington/Newport to the liquor stores for cigarettes, and liquor too. I haven't heard anything of that type for decades however.

The Ohio tax form has a line to pay sales tax on items purchased out of state on which no Ohio tax has been paid.

Yeah....used to hear of the “revenuers” sitting on the OHIO side of the Ohio River bridge waiting for those sited in KY with OH tags shopping in KY liquor/cigarette stores, so they could fine them.

Haven’t heard of that in a very long while, though. If I happen to be in KY, I’ll shop for bourbon (which, I like, but don’t drink a lot of). Aside from that, I’m not making a special trip just to buy a couple of fifths of something.

Cigarettes? Not sure the price differential between OH and KY since I don’t smoke. But, from what I hear, it’s becoming quite expensive, regardless of where you buy them. What does it cost for a pack/carton these days?
I don’t smoke either but I think it’s about $12 a pack in NY but something around $5 in Virginia. A minivan filled with a hundred cartons could make some real money.

https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/lehigh-county/2014/10/new_york_man_caught_with_938_c.html

So, figuring a pack/day? Not sure how accurate that is for a smoking habit. But in round numbers, someone in NY is paying around $350+/mo to smoke. Can get a pretty decent car for that.

Then again, if I can buy cigs in VA for $5/pack and sell them in NY for $10/pack...might rent me a cargo van once/mo and load it up with cigs to drive back to NY and sell them out of the back and make a pretty good living.

carnaught · April 2019

As for Sirius, I’m okay with $5/mo. plus fees.

explorerx4 · April 2019

@carnaught,
I have couple of those deals, but I prefer to get year long subscriptions, if I can.

cdnpinhead · April 2019

graphicguy said:
So, figuring a pack/day? Not sure how accurate that is for a smoking habit. But in round numbers, someone in NY is paying around $350+/mo to smoke. Can get a pretty decent car for that.

Well, times change. I can remember seeing cigarette vending machines in Grand Junction, CO, in the mid '50s that allowed anyone with 35 cents to buy a pack.

I can also remember when I could buy a dozen Old Style in Vancouver for under $4.

Oh well. . .

carnaught · April 2019

explorerx4 said:
@carnaught,
I have couple of those deals, but I prefer to get year long subscriptions, if I can.

Sure. I’m talking about ~$60/yr. + fees for Sirius. For that, I think it’s worth it.

fintail · April 2019

I have the $5/month Sirius All Access - that's fine. Anything more, and not so much.

abacomike · April 2019

carnaught said:

@carnaught, I have couple of those deals, but I prefer to get year long subscriptions, if I can.
Sure. I’m talking about ~$60/yr. + fees for Sirius. For that, I think it’s worth it.

My subscription ends May 10th. I have the deluxe package with internet radio and all channels. I figure I will call them May 1st. If I can’t get the subscription I now have for $100 for 12 months, I’ll just cancel it. I don’t listen that often to satellite.

My traffic info which is coordinated with my GPS is good for 5 years so that won’t be affected by my cancellation.

jmonroe1 · April 2019

carnaught said:
Speaking of salesmen and sales managers, it has been said that dealerships have hidden microphones. While the salesman makes the trip to the manager, they can listen in on the conversations taking place while they’re away. I for one tend to believe it, as Mrs. Carnaught and I have based our discussions on this very premise. Often, for example, we play “good cop, bad cop”, with one of us saying we’re not so in love with the car that we would be willing to pay more than our offer for the car. Most of the time, in our experience, it seems to be successful. The offer I make is always the “out the door” price.

Any other opinions on this?

I'm pretty sure I had an occasion like that in 1995.

I was living in SC at the time and I was shopping for a used car but nothing really appealed to me until I saw a nice '95 Bonneville with just under 7K miles on it at a Pontiac dealer. It was on the high side because it was a '95 in '95 (late July IIRC) but I figured I'd give it a try. It was a Friday night and they were closing at 6 PM. Got there just before 5 PM, took a test drive and was at the negotiating table at 5:30 PM and the game started. After some back and forth we are now about 300 bucks apart and I'm holding firm to my price. The salesman gets up for one final trip to his manager. Mrs. j and I are alone in the office for about 10 minutes. Me doing some calculating and Mrs. j reading a magazine. She breaks the silence and starts to say something about the guys last offer. I quickly stop her and said, "I think we ought to go see Ronnie at the Buick store tomorrow and see what we can do on that '93 Buick we saw the other day" and I motion to her to be quiet. In a couple minutes they start to turn off some of the lights so I stood up and said, "lets go". We didn't take 10 steps when the salesman comes running over and said, "congratulations, you just bought that car for your last offer". I said, "why the game playing? Why couldn't you agree to my offer 20 minutes ago". He gave me what I thought was a pretty honest answer saying, "tomorrow is Saturday and even though that is our busiest day and we MIGHT be able to sell that car tomorrow that is only a maybe but this is the last time we can make a sure sale of it today".

Was there a mike in that room? I'm betting YES.

jmonroe

venture · April 2019

graphicguy said:

oldfarmer50 said:

graphicguy said:

imidazol97 said:

stickguy said:

arrested them. Against PA law to bring in liquor from out of state. I believe there are conditions (around resale) but basically it was crossing state lines. And they were looking for people loading up (stocking a bar type stuff) not some dude coming back from the Jersey shore stopping for a 6 pack (though given how the PA LCB operates, would not put that past them either)
Ohio used to do that because of people going across the bridge in Cincinnati/Covington/Newport to the liquor stores for cigarettes, and liquor too. I haven't heard anything of that type for decades however.

The Ohio tax form has a line to pay sales tax on items purchased out of state on which no Ohio tax has been paid.

Yeah....used to hear of the “revenuers” sitting on the OHIO side of the Ohio River bridge waiting for those sited in KY with OH tags shopping in KY liquor/cigarette stores, so they could fine them.

Haven’t heard of that in a very long while, though. If I happen to be in KY, I’ll shop for bourbon (which, I like, but don’t drink a lot of). Aside from that, I’m not making a special trip just to buy a couple of fifths of something.

Cigarettes? Not sure the price differential between OH and KY since I don’t smoke. But, from what I hear, it’s becoming quite expensive, regardless of where you buy them. What does it cost for a pack/carton these days?
I don’t smoke either but I think it’s about $12 a pack in NY but something around $5 in Virginia. A minivan filled with a hundred cartons could make some real money.

https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/lehigh-county/2014/10/new_york_man_caught_with_938_c.html
So, figuring a pack/day? Not sure how accurate that is for a smoking habit. But in round numbers, someone in NY is paying around $350+/mo to smoke. Can get a pretty decent car for that.

Then again, if I can buy cigs in VA for $5/pack and sell them in NY for $10/pack...might rent me a cargo van once/mo and load it up with cigs to drive back to NY and sell them out of the back and make a pretty good living.

I haven't smoked in more than 2 years now. I didn't realize how much money I was wasting until I started throwing my pay envelopes from my baseball field grounds keeping job in the glove compartment of my car. After Mrs. Venture noticed them in there, she "suggested" I get them out of there. There was over $2,000 that I would have probably spent most of on weeds.

ronsteve · April 2019

driver100 said:

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

GG....were you asking about laser eye surgery?
I heard a story on the news a few days later about this weather lady who had the surgery and the results were so bad she committed suicide. It doesn't happen often, but, there is a risk. She had a slightly different procedure done called LASIK Smile surgery.
FOX NEWS METEOROLIGIST
I had mine done over 20 years ago and so far so good.

It was me that was asking. The weather lady sounds like an urban legend.

I don't think it is an urban legend....it has been on legit sites including ABC News....well, semi-legit.

Not urban legend. Speculative as far as it being the cause of her suicide, but she did have some nasty complications.

ab348 · April 2019

The savings you may ultimately get from playing the games that Sirius/XM forces you into in order to get their best rates are offset by the cost of all that hot water you use in taking the numerous showers that are required to make you not feel dirty afterwards.

driver100 · April 2019

Mrs D and I were looking at one of our bathroom sinks and we were wondering if we should replace it and get new taps. We didn't look up anything yet....but, suddenly we start getting ads for new sinks!
Maybe my Alexis sends back messages......is that possible?

tjc78 · April 2019

Yes it is! I get emails from Amazon and Ebay asking me if I'm still interested in X item you browsed.

They track everything...

tjc78 · April 2019

ab348 said:
The savings you may ultimately get from playing the games that Sirius/XM forces you into in order to get their best rates are offset by the cost of all that hot water you use in taking the numerous showers that are required to make you not feel dirty afterwards.

Confession... most of the time I end up overpaying for XM because I don't want to deal with them. Then when I get sick of seeing it on the CC statement I make them give me the six month deal

ab348 · April 2019

tjc78 said:
Yes it is! I get emails from Amazon and Ebay asking me if I'm still interested in X item you browsed.

They track everything...

But if I understand Driver correctly, he hadn't browsed anything yet. He and Mrs. D. were just talking about it at home. The walls literally have ears...

driver100 · April 2019

On Monday I returned from pickleball. I let Trixie out in the yard and I looked out and see her in the neighbors yard. She somehow got on her belly and squeezed through a 2 inch gap in the wire fence. I rushed out with a Milkbone treat and she came back....and I plugged the gap with rocks.
I took her for a walk around the block and I took her out at 9:30 before going to bed.
When I emptied my pockets at 10 p.m. I was missing my car key. I retraced my steps about 6 times, I checked all possible clothes, closet floors, everything....can't find my key.
I had put a War Amps tag on them - I do this every year and just put on a new one - so hopefully someone found them and put them in a mail box.
I took the car in for service on Tuesday, and I asked how much a key would cost.
Any guesses?

It would take 2 to 3 weeks to order one, then 3 or 4 days to program it.
Cost, $495 + $85 to program.
I'll wait a few days and see if it shows up in the mail.

If a new key costs $600 can you imagine how much it would cost to build a car with individual parts.

driver100 · April 2019

ab348 said:

tjc78 said:
Yes it is! I get emails from Amazon and Ebay asking me if I'm still interested in X item you browsed.

They track everything...
But if I understand Driver correctly, he hadn't browsed anything yet. He and Mrs. D. were just talking about it at home. The walls literally have ears...

Exactly. The only thing I wonder is if Alexis acts as a computer, and listens in for key words.

stickguy · April 2019

Look under the rocks

driver100 · April 2019

I will do that......right now

driver100 · April 2019

Stick....you may be "they obviously never met a passive-aggressive tightwad with attachment issues", but you do have good common sense logic. It was a good idea to check there but the keys weren't under the rocks...and so I checked where I picked up the rocks too - not there either.

Maybe Trixie found them and dragged buried them or something.

There should be an option for us senile seniors.....if you lose your keys you press a button and the keys have an alarm that rings!

jmonroe1 · April 2019

driver100 said:

ab348 said:

tjc78 said:
Yes it is! I get emails from Amazon and Ebay asking me if I'm still interested in X item you browsed.

They track everything...
But if I understand Driver correctly, he hadn't browsed anything yet. He and Mrs. D. were just talking about it at home. The walls literally have ears...
Exactly. The only thing I wonder is if Alexis acts as a computer, and listens in for key words.

If Alexis can "listen in on key words", then I have to believe just the click of another button will provide the whole conversation to whomever is doing the listening. And people wonder why I don't take advantage of all the tech we have today; especially bank account info. Once it's out there it's out there. Then the good guys have to figure out how the bad guys got their info. Then they do and the game starts all over again.

jmonroe

snakeweasel · April 2019

ab348 said:

The savings you may ultimately get from playing the games that Sirius/XM forces you into in order to get their best rates are offset by the cost of all that hot water you use in taking the numerous showers that are required to make you not feel dirty afterwards.

I really cant see using them, especially for a fee. We had the free subscription when we got the car but pretty much stopped listening once the novelty wore out (maybe after a week). Seeing over the air radio is free, we have unlimited data for streaming services and I have enough music on my phone to cover me on a cross country trip I cant see using satellite radio.

driver100 · April 2019

Someone just sent me a video from the Hackers Convention in Las Vegas. One hacker could phone the commentators bank, get his email address, find out his password, change the password and have access to all his banking info....and now he couldn't get into his own account - did it in less than 5 minutes.

One hacker said he could make the commentator homeless and penniless, he could take over his life.

snakeweasel · April 2019

driver100 said:

On Monday I returned from pickleball. I let Trixie out in the yard and I looked out and see her in the neighbors yard. She somehow got on her belly and squeezed through a 2 inch gap in the wire fence. I rushed out with a Milkbone treat and she came back....and I plugged the gap with rocks. I took her for a walk around the block and I took her out at 9:30 before going to bed. When I emptied my pockets at 10 p.m. I was missing my car key. I retraced my steps about 6 times, I checked all possible clothes, closet floors, everything....can't find my key. I had put a War Amps tag on them - I do this every year and just put on a new one - so hopefully someone found them and put them in a mail box. I took the car in for service on Tuesday, and I asked how much a key would cost. Any guesses? It would take 2 to 3 weeks to order one, then 3 or 4 days to program it. Cost, $495 + $85 to program. I'll wait a few days and see if it shows up in the mail. If a new key costs $600 can you imagine how much it would cost to build a car with individual parts.

It likely has a hefty markup due to there being no competition where you can get the key and have it programmed

qbrozen · April 2019

driver100 said:

Someone just sent me a video from the Hackers Convention in Las Vegas. One hacker could phone the commentators bank, get his email address, find out his password, change the password and have access to all his banking info....and now he couldn't get into his own account - did it in less than 5 minutes. One hacker said he could make the commentator homeless and penniless, he could take over his life.

Buuutt... how would he know which bank? And then how does he figure out the password?

snakeweasel · April 2019

driver100 said:

Stick....you may be "they obviously never met a passive-aggressive tightwad with attachment issues", but you do have good common sense logic. It was a good idea to check there but the keys weren't under the rocks...and so I checked where I picked up the rocks too - not there either. Maybe Trixie found them and dragged buried them or something. There should be an option for us senile seniors.....if you lose your keys you press a button and the keys have an alarm that rings!

https://www.thetileapp.com/en-us/store/tiles/mate?utm_campaign=702894687&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=213401926926&utm_term=-&adgroup=47867352387&gclid=CjwKCAjwy7vlBRACEiwAZvdx9qEZpy9DS-D2HZl-CPt6xWSMiHd6NsXIgMGb0kuwMXiC76L8TVKGaRoCiuoQAvD_BwE

pensfan83 · April 2019

driver100 said:
Someone just sent me a video from the Hackers Convention in Las Vegas. One hacker could phone the commentators bank, get his email address, find out his password, change the password and have access to all his banking info....and now he couldn't get into his own account - did it in less than 5 minutes.

One hacker said he could make the commentator homeless and penniless, he could take over his life.

Any bank that releases that information without verifying the caller's identity isn't a bank worth giving one's business to.

stickguy · April 2019

Snake beat me too it. Get a GPS tracker fob for your keys.

I like XM for variety and hearing new music (my iTunes is stale). That and convenience. Radio comes on when I start car, and I can thumb through genres without ever looking at my phone. Much easier to change stations.

ab348 · April 2019

stickguy said:
Snake beat me too it. Get a GPS tracker fob for your keys.

I like XM for variety and hearing new music (my iTunes is stale). That and convenience. Radio comes on when I start car, and I can thumb through genres without ever looking at my phone. Much easier to change stations.

I have all the music I like on a USB drive permanently plugged in to one of the ports of the ATS. Multiple playlists for different types if I want that. Don't have to do anything, it plays automatically.

I have not heard any new music I would care to hear a second time in many years. This is likely why traditional OTA radio is dying.

ab348 · April 2019

driver100 said:
I will do that......right now

Driver, try to get into your car and if you can, try starting it. Maybe the fob fell under the seat.

jmonroe1 · April 2019

driver100 said:
Stick....you may be "they obviously never met a passive-aggressive tightwad with attachment issues", but you do have good common sense logic. It was a good idea to check there but the keys weren't under the rocks...and so I checked where I picked up the rocks too - not there either.

Maybe Trixie found them and dragged buried them or something.

There should be an option for us senile seniors.....if you lose your keys you press a button and the keys have an alarm that rings!

Trixie huh? Since you have turned over a few rocks with no success, how about turning Trixie over and checking her belly for an Alexis button or something similar.

jmonroe

Mr_Shiftright · April 2019

driver100 said:
Mrs D and I were looking at one of our bathroom sinks and we were wondering if we should replace it and get new taps. We didn't look up anything yet....but, suddenly we start getting ads for new sinks!
Maybe my Alexis sends back messages......is that possible?

YEP! If you "search", either on PC, pad or phone or Dot or whatever, you will start seeing suspiciously relevant ads.

This is why I have resistance to autonomous driving features on cars--it's a great way to tempt you to start surfing the web while the car drives, thereby giving our Amazon robot masters more opportunity to suck on our brains.

ruking1 · April 2019

Mr_Shiftright said:

driver100 said:
Mrs D and I were looking at one of our bathroom sinks and we were wondering if we should replace it and get new taps. We didn't look up anything yet....but, suddenly we start getting ads for new sinks!
Maybe my Alexis sends back messages......is that possible?
YEP! If you "search", either on PC, pad or phone or Dot or whatever, you will start seeing suspiciously relevant ads.

This is why I have resistance to autonomous driving features on cars--it's a great way to tempt you to start surfing the web while the car drives, thereby giving our Amazon robot masters more opportunity to suck on our brains.

It’s amazing the costs associated with trying to duplicate & miniaturize those Google WiFi compute 45 passenger tour style buses from San Francisco, to Mountain View, CA. & return.😉

I also think that autonomous cars both increases the pressure and demand for even bigger 6 passenger +, plus driver vehicles.

driver100 · April 2019

pensfan83 said:

driver100 said:
Someone just sent me a video from the Hackers Convention in Las Vegas. One hacker could phone the commentators bank, get his email address, find out his password, change the password and have access to all his banking info....and now he couldn't get into his own account - did it in less than 5 minutes.

One hacker said he could make the commentator homeless and penniless, he could take over his life.
Any bank that releases that information without verifying the caller's identity isn't a bank worth giving one's business to.

My mistake....they got it from his cell phone provider. here is how the hacker did it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc7scxvKQOo

driver100 · April 2019

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:
Stick....you may be "they obviously never met a passive-aggressive tightwad with attachment issues", but you do have good common sense logic. It was a good idea to check there but the keys weren't under the rocks...and so I checked where I picked up the rocks too - not there either.

Maybe Trixie found them and dragged buried them or something.

There should be an option for us senile seniors.....if you lose your keys you press a button and the keys have an alarm that rings!
Trixie huh? Since you have turned over a few rocks with no success, how about turning Trixie over and checking her belly for an Alexis button or something similar.

jmonroe

It hasn't passed through her yet.

driver100 · April 2019

ab348 said:

driver100 said:
I will do that......right now
Driver, try to get into your car and if you can, try starting it. Maybe the fob fell under the seat.

Ab, I thought the same....tried that a few times.

driver100 · April 2019

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

Stick....you may be "they obviously never met a passive-aggressive tightwad with attachment issues", but you do have good common sense logic. It was a good idea to check there but the keys weren't under the rocks...and so I checked where I picked up the rocks too - not there either.

Maybe Trixie found them and dragged buried them or something.

There should be an option for us senile seniors.....if you lose your keys you press a button and the keys have an alarm that rings!

https://www.thetileapp.com/en-us/store/tiles/mate?utm_campaign=702894687&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=213401926926&utm_term=-&adgroup=47867352387&gclid=CjwKCAjwy7vlBRACEiwAZvdx9qEZpy9DS-D2HZl-CPt6xWSMiHd6NsXIgMGb0kuwMXiC76L8TVKGaRoCiuoQAvD_BwE

What a great idea!

snakeweasel · April 2019

Mr_Shiftright said:

Mrs D and I were looking at one of our bathroom sinks and we were wondering if we should replace it and get new taps. We didn't look up anything yet....but, suddenly we start getting ads for new sinks! Maybe my Alexis sends back messages......is that possible?
YEP! If you "search", either on PC, pad or phone or Dot or whatever, you will start seeing suspiciously relevant ads. This is why I have resistance to autonomous driving features on cars--it's a great way to tempt you to start surfing the web while the car drives, thereby giving our Amazon robot masters more opportunity to suck on our brains.

Not only that but how long will it be before they start taking you places based on your browser history.

ruking1 · April 2019

snakeweasel said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

driver100 said:
Mrs D and I were looking at one of our bathroom sinks and we were wondering if we should replace it and get new taps. We didn't look up anything yet....but, suddenly we start getting ads for new sinks!
Maybe my Alexis sends back messages......is that possible?
YEP! If you "search", either on PC, pad or phone or Dot or whatever, you will start seeing suspiciously relevant ads.

This is why I have resistance to autonomous driving features on cars--it's a great way to tempt you to start surfing the web while the car drives, thereby giving our Amazon robot masters more opportunity to suck on our brains.

Not only that but how long will it be before they start taking you places based on your browser history.

It’s just a “command/sequence” away........IF anything, it will be like: one will have to access a complex “opt out” sequence to ...abort. More probably one will have to: no, no, no, no, no, @ each hidden site.

Google is monetizing its’ “Google Maps” GPS products. https://news.yahoo.com/google-wants-start-making-more-230535658.html

jmonroe1 · April 2019

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

On Monday I returned from pickleball. I let Trixie out in the yard and I looked out and see her in the neighbors yard. She somehow got on her belly and squeezed through a 2 inch gap in the wire fence. I rushed out with a Milkbone treat and she came back....and I plugged the gap with rocks.
I took her for a walk around the block and I took her out at 9:30 before going to bed.
When I emptied my pockets at 10 p.m. I was missing my car key. I retraced my steps about 6 times, I checked all possible clothes, closet floors, everything....can't find my key.
I had put a War Amps tag on them - I do this every year and just put on a new one - so hopefully someone found them and put them in a mail box.
I took the car in for service on Tuesday, and I asked how much a key would cost.
Any guesses?

It would take 2 to 3 weeks to order one, then 3 or 4 days to program it.
Cost, $495 + $85 to program.
I'll wait a few days and see if it shows up in the mail.

If a new key costs $600 can you imagine how much it would cost to build a car with individual parts.

It likely has a hefty markup due to there being no competition where you can get the key and have it programmed

I thought I heard in here that locksmiths can do this kind of stuff today. If not in here, I know I heard it somewhere. Not sure if that is accurate but it might be worth it for @driver100 to check it out.

jmonroe

henryn · April 2019

I was out mowing and trimming yesterday, after work, before dark. When I finished, I gassed up the mower and then could not for the life of me find the screw on cap for the gas can. I pushed the mower aside and looked, moved the gas can and looked some more, no joy. Then a light went off and I went looking for the #%$@$# dog. She was on the other side of the house, chewing on the gas can cap.

And looking very proud of herself, I might add.

PF_Flyer · April 2019

ab348 said:
I looked at the Streetview for Bus. 322 in State College. It looks like a drag strip along there, no stop signs or signals, nice and straight, nothing to slow anyone down except local traffic entering/exiting. It badly needs some traffic calming.

Bus. 322 (Atherton Street) is not the drag strip around here. Especially not in the area where the two wrecks happened. There are stretches further east that are fairly open, but not anything like some of the more rural roads in the area. Once you get to downtown and the accident site, heading west on Atherton leads you into the death construction zone. There is endless construction going on and the road surface WILL cause anything on your vehicle that's even remotely loose to be shaken off.

driver100 · April 2019

jmonroe1 said:

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

On Monday I returned from pickleball. I let Trixie out in the yard and I looked out and see her in the neighbors yard. She somehow got on her belly and squeezed through a 2 inch gap in the wire fence. I rushed out with a Milkbone treat and she came back....and I plugged the gap with rocks.
I took her for a walk around the block and I took her out at 9:30 before going to bed.
When I emptied my pockets at 10 p.m. I was missing my car key. I retraced my steps about 6 times, I checked all possible clothes, closet floors, everything....can't find my key.
I had put a War Amps tag on them - I do this every year and just put on a new one - so hopefully someone found them and put them in a mail box.
I took the car in for service on Tuesday, and I asked how much a key would cost.
Any guesses?

It would take 2 to 3 weeks to order one, then 3 or 4 days to program it.
Cost, $495 + $85 to program.
I'll wait a few days and see if it shows up in the mail.

If a new key costs $600 can you imagine how much it would cost to build a car with individual parts.

It likely has a hefty markup due to there being no competition where you can get the key and have it programmed

I thought I heard in here that locksmiths can do this kind of stuff today. If not in here, I know I heard it somewhere. Not sure if that is accurate but it might be worth it for @driver100 to check it out.

jmonroe

I was told a really good locksmith can make a key for any car. It may be true, I find it hard to believe MB would enable their keys to be made by someone else. For one thing, they told me to make a key to bring in a birth certificate, license and ownership papers....even though they know who I am.
For another....will these copies store the information and do codes correctly etc.?

driver100 · April 2019

henryn said:
I was out mowing and trimming yesterday, after work, before dark. When I finished, I gassed up the mower and then could not for the life of me find the screw on cap for the gas can. I pushed the mower aside and looked, moved the gas can and looked some more, no joy. Then a light went off and I went looking for the #%$@$# dog. She was on the other side of the house, chewing on the gas can cap.

And looking very proud of herself, I might add.

It's funny how dogs can do things like that. We found a cap on the floor, that Trixie removed from one of the bases of a toilet (not the Feister).

houdini2 · April 2019

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

On Monday I returned from pickleball. I let Trixie out in the yard and I looked out and see her in the neighbors yard. She somehow got on her belly and squeezed through a 2 inch gap in the wire fence. I rushed out with a Milkbone treat and she came back....and I plugged the gap with rocks.
I took her for a walk around the block and I took her out at 9:30 before going to bed.
When I emptied my pockets at 10 p.m. I was missing my car key. I retraced my steps about 6 times, I checked all possible clothes, closet floors, everything....can't find my key.
I had put a War Amps tag on them - I do this every year and just put on a new one - so hopefully someone found them and put them in a mail box.
I took the car in for service on Tuesday, and I asked how much a key would cost.
Any guesses?

It would take 2 to 3 weeks to order one, then 3 or 4 days to program it.
Cost, $495 + $85 to program.
I'll wait a few days and see if it shows up in the mail.

If a new key costs $600 can you imagine how much it would cost to build a car with individual parts.

It likely has a hefty markup due to there being no competition where you can get the key and have it programmed
I thought I heard in here that locksmiths can do this kind of stuff today. If not in here, I know I heard it somewhere. Not sure if that is accurate but it might be worth it for @driver100 to check it out.

jmonroe

I was told a really good locksmith can make a key for any car. It may be true, I find it hard to believe MB would enable their keys to be made by someone else. For one thing, they told me to make a key to bring in a birth certificate, license and ownership papers....even though they know who I am.
For another....will these copies store the information and do codes correctly etc.?

Driver, my Lexus LS, in addition to having a key fob, also has a key card available. I have one. Looks just like a credit card. Just put it in your wallet and you are good to go. You can't put the windows up or down with it, etc. but very handy for most other functions. Costs less than half what a fob costs. Mercedes might have this available.

driver100 · April 2019

I would never think to put windows up or down with the MB key. How does the card keep track of your preferences etc? For example, if I use my key the seats automatically adjust to my settings, Mrs D's key does the same for her. It sores information they read for service. Can the card do that, or is it more like if you are out of town, lose your key, at least you can get home OK?

jmonroe1 · April 2019

driver100 said:

jmonroe1 said:

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

On Monday I returned from pickleball. I let Trixie out in the yard and I looked out and see her in the neighbors yard. She somehow got on her belly and squeezed through a 2 inch gap in the wire fence. I rushed out with a Milkbone treat and she came back....and I plugged the gap with rocks.
I took her for a walk around the block and I took her out at 9:30 before going to bed.
When I emptied my pockets at 10 p.m. I was missing my car key. I retraced my steps about 6 times, I checked all possible clothes, closet floors, everything....can't find my key.
I had put a War Amps tag on them - I do this every year and just put on a new one - so hopefully someone found them and put them in a mail box.
I took the car in for service on Tuesday, and I asked how much a key would cost.
Any guesses?

It would take 2 to 3 weeks to order one, then 3 or 4 days to program it.
Cost, $495 + $85 to program.
I'll wait a few days and see if it shows up in the mail.

If a new key costs $600 can you imagine how much it would cost to build a car with individual parts.

It likely has a hefty markup due to there being no competition where you can get the key and have it programmed
I thought I heard in here that locksmiths can do this kind of stuff today. If not in here, I know I heard it somewhere. Not sure if that is accurate but it might be worth it for @driver100 to check it out.

jmonroe

I was told a really good locksmith can make a key for any car. It may be true, I find it hard to believe MB would enable their keys to be made by someone else. For one thing, they told me to make a key to bring in a birth certificate, license and ownership papers....even though they know who I am.
For another....will these copies store the information and do codes correctly etc.?

I guess I didn't explain it right. A locksmith can order an official MB fob (which you can also do on-line) , then with the VIN and other info he programs the new fob. Maybe you can by a new fob yourself then have the dealer or locksmith do the programing. If the dealer gouges you (probably likely) then you know what kind of a dealership you're dealing with.

jmonroe

houdini2 · April 2019

driver100 said:
I would never think to put windows up or down with the MB key. How does the card keep track of your preferences etc? For example, if I use my key the seats automatically adjust to my settings, Mrs D's key does the same for her. It sores information they read for service. Can the card do that, or is it more like if you are out of town, lose your key, at least you can get home OK?

I just now googled Mercedes Key Card. They have them. $125. Don't know about the preferences, etc. wife never drives my car. Might explain it on google.

ruking1 · April 2019

driver100 said:
I would never think to put windows up or down with the MB key. How does the card keep track of your preferences etc? For example, if I use my key the seats automatically adjust to my settings, Mrs D's key does the same for her. It sores information they read for service. Can the card do that, or is it more like if you are out of town, lose your key, at least you can get home OK?

Yes, to all of the above. Meaning no disrespect, but you are under utilizing the capabilities of your key fob. But hey, if you’re happy with it, you’re happy with it. Sometimes there is a STEEP learning curve to learn that decision tree & practice procedures that is/are literally at your fingertips.

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