Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations

oldfarmer50 · September 2019

graphicguy said:
I follow a young lady singer in the local area. She has a couple of bands, one a pop band, the other a Big Band. Either way, she’s quite talented.

That’s a prelude into what I did last night. I was watching her performance this past weekend and saw someone who does a lot of Hyundai commercials in the audience (small venue...we were sitting at tables next to each other). He is the GM of one of the local Hyundai/Genesis/Acura dealerships in the area and come to find out, he’s the singer’s brother. The venue was a fairly nice restaurant, and the singer was performing with her jazz trio outside on their patio. You can see the parking lot from this patio.

So, when I pulled up, people can see you approach. I sat down with my friends next to this signer’s brother’s group. He saw me pull up my TLX with his competitor’s license frame on the car.

When I sat down, the singer was performing but waived at me. During her break, she introduced me to her brother. Making small talk he asked how I liked my car. I recognized him, but couldn’t place him until he told me he was the GM of the competing dealership.

Cut to the chase, I asked him about the Genesis and why there were no dealerships in the area. He corrected me and said his Hyundai Dealership did indeed sell Genesis. Matter of fact, he said his store was the highest volume Genesis store in the country (maybe they didn’t have to sell many of them to make that claim). We went on for a while talking about how the whole Genesis brand and having separate dealerships really didn’t seem to be working. He agreed. He said Hyundai wasn’t offering much in the way of incentives for the dealerships to build new facilities like Acura did when they first offered dealerships.

Plus, he said Genesis has been caught in another sales trend moving more towards SUVs. His number one seller is now the RDX followed closely by the MDX in all the stores he manages.

We talked about the upcoming TLX Type-S and said I should give him a call when they’re released and he’d get me one of the first test drives (yay!). I also mentioned I thought the Kia Stinger was quite a car. He laughed and said he agreed except for one problem.....they’re being sold by Kia dealerships. He invited me to take a test drive in a G70, which I did last night.

Can’t believe I’m saying this, but it feels like a much different car than the Stinger. It feels lighter and more balanced. It certainly is much nicer, inside and out. The two Stingers I’ve driven all had some squeaks. The G70 was as solid as could be. Plus, the MSRP is the same as a Stinger only with a better warranty and a nicer car all the way around.

Told him I wasn’t in the market, yet. But, he did say he’d offer me any G70 at invoice and that he’d a apply a $3,500 conquest cash credit too since Genesis considers Acura a competitor. Pretty compelling!

While I was in the area, I test drove an ES350 and a Camry XSE V6 back to back. In all honesty, I thought the Camry drove better and was more fun, by a pretty big margin. Plus, there was about a $17K delta between the price of the ES350 and the Camry. I’d choose the Camry. Toyota always made high quality cars, but they’ve really upped their game with the new Camry.....very refined....good steering heft (understeers a bit, though)...quiet and felt about as quick as my TLX.

REally a good time to compare the segment leaders in the Accord and Camry. Both, extremely nice cars for the money.

Before I knew it, what started out as casual tire kicking at 6:00 p.m. lasted until it was dark, and me taking myself out to dinner after test driving. Fun night.

Sorry, I can’t see you being happy in anything but an Acura. That does sound like a fun night though.

ab348 · September 2019

I was behind a G70 in traffic the other day, first one I've noticed around here. Styling was fairly muted, I thought, and you could see the Hyundai family resemblance. The one thing that struck me odd was that it still used an incandescent bulb for the rear turn signals. That seemed out of place on a premium car these days (though far better if one fails!).

pensfan83 · September 2019

I'm hearing more advertising by local stores for the Genesis brand though I also suspect they are operating out of an existing Hyundai store. With more inventory becoming available I'm hoping to fit a test drive in soon.

graphicguy · September 2019

@oldfarmer50 ....you're probably right. Not in the market....at least until the new Acura comes out.

Still, I'm amazed at how good some of these cars have become in the short time I've been out of the market (2.5 years). And, how good some of the cars are in that $30K-$35K range (which is about $10K less than what my TLX came in at). I was particularly impressed with the Camry...something I thought I'd never say. Lexus dealership was nice and they had a "different" feel. But, with the ES350 vs the XSE V6, there's no way I'd pick the ES350. The Camry is that good.

Move up the ladder in the upper $40sK, and you're into some serious sports sedan like the Genesis.

Personally, being someone who loved the Stinger, I can't see any reason whatsoever to buy one of those when you can buy the Genesis for the same price.

Interesting note on walking into a Kia store and dealing with Genesis, Kia sales people have dogged me since last January to "come in and make a deal". The most recent one was typical "grind it out" telling me the Stinger was a hot car and MSRP was the price, but to make them an offer (I didn't and they had 13 of them sitting on the lot).

Genesis (who did have a separate office and waiting area in the same building as the Hyundai dealership) on the other hand gave me "boutique" coffee and Vitamin Water while talking to the GM who was a joy to talk to. That said, he also didn't hand me over to a sales person. He made a point of telling me that once I decided on the car, he'd have it delivered to me at home and that all the paperwork could be done via email. Nice touch.

sb55 · September 2019

oldfarmer50 said:

sb55 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:
Fascinating to see how they load the cars on to a ship. They are 4 inches apart....driver can only open the door of the last car parked. Drivers are taken by van back to get more cars. Now there is a fun job! Worth 2 minutes to see how they do it.
https://youtu.be/u_OSnioeFjY
That’s kind of like my job except they don’t get to sleep in the van. On the other hand I’m sure they get longshoreman’s union wages.

Yesterday made up for my puny pay. We were sent to Plattsburgh to pick up cars which meant 2+ hours of napping and drinking coffee. We then spent the day cruising Lake Champlain on the ferry as we went back and forth to Burlington VT. It was like a paid vacation.

You drove right past me in South Hero. I would've bought you lunch!
Counting me you’d have to treat 6 grumpy old men. What’s better, Wally’s or the Blue Paddle?

I'm a grumpy old man myself.
Wally's is bagels and deli. Blue Paddle is expensive sit down. Seb's is fried snack bar.

laurasdada · September 2019

thebean said:
I have been puzzling over a Mercedes situation. Anecdotal data says you really don’t want to own a Merc that is out of warranty, especially if it’s your daily driver (unlike driver100, who only uses each one of his for 6-7 months/year max), due to a lot of issues that could and do go wrong. My experience, albeit from 20 years ago, with my 1999 E-Class mirrors this. Even though I sold it before warranty ran out, there were quite a few smaller things (primarily electrical) that necessitated trips to the dealer. And I didn’t put a ton of miles on it during my ownership.

Now, here is the question. I have seen views of Germany and there are tons of Mercs serving as taxis. Taxicab companies use their vehicles at least 16 hours/day. They don’t want to have even moderate downtime with their vehicles. So, the Mercs they use must be pretty robust. What’s the difference between those cars and the Mercs we get here in the States? Are they “strippers” with none of the electronic “gee-gaws” on the US cars. Are they diesel cars and does that make a difference?

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I hope this doesn’t qualify as a @jmonroe1 length post.

This is kinda where I am with my XF. Out of warranty since the beginning of '18, but no overt signs of trouble. Besides the failing rear turn signal LED that is; a full tail lamp replacement. Is this just a harbinger of (electrical) issues to come? Probably not, it is a British car...

driver100 · September 2019

oldfarmer50 said:

graphicguy said:

oldfarmer50 said:

graphicguy said:
This was a few hears ago, but when Cadillac bought my CTS back, I was in the market for a car quickly. Before I went to a new lot, I was looking for something I could buy quickly on CL. Guy was advertising a 1 year old G37-S that looked really good in the pics. He was in Columbus (about a 1.5-2 hour drive for me), so I called him to get info.

Drove to take a look at it, and it looked good from the outside. Took it for a test drive and realized I couldn’t adjust the seat. Owner said it was the seat motor, which he would replace for free if I bought it. Also noticed that “musty” smell in the car, mixed with the Lysol smell coming out of the HVAC vents. It ran fine. But, I quizzed him on the smell. He said it was from leaving one of the windows open when it rained.

By this time, I knew to look a little harder. Sure enough, there were damp areas in the back seat carpet, under the bottom of the front seat backs, and actually a little puddle of water under the driver’s seat (which explained the seat motor being inoperative). I also noticed one of the drain plugs was missing.

I asked him if the car was a flood car. He said he had no idea. Digging a little deeper, he said he bought it because it needed “a little work” which he could do himself, and give it to his wife, but she didn’t want the car. You’re giving her a $45K car and she said “no”? Strange indeed!

Finally, I asked for the VIN, which he insisted he’d give me (he did, but it was one digit off). I finally got the VIN from the plate in the front window, and it ended up being a flood car from the east coast.

I asked him if the title was clean. He said the work he had to do caused the car to have a rebuilt title, but everything was fixed. I punted.

He was obviously trying to hide the truth from me. And, while it was priced under market, it wasn’t priced nearly to where it should have been with a rebuilt title.

He called me every day for a week lowering the price. I finally told him I knew he wasn’t being straight with me and I wouldn’t buy the car from him for $1. He cussed me out and hung up on me.
Guys like that should be in jail for fraud. Did you look it up in the federal data base (NICB) to confirm that it was a total lost flood car? Did the seller list the rebuilt title in his CL ad? If he listed it as clean title he was a crook.

I bet the next buyer didn’t have your street smarts and got taken.
Not sure about street smarts. I just know when something doesn’t smell right (literally).

I did look up the (correct) VIN. It was a flood car from the East Coast. IIRC it was a car that was caught in a flooded area on the Eastern Seaboard.

Never saw the title, but the seller did his level best to hide the fact that it was a salvage title that had to be rebuilt. Not exactly what he (or someone else) had to do to it to get the Rebuilt Title. But, I wanted nothing to do with it.

It was black with tan leather interior. If it had black interior, I may not have noticed some of the tell-tale signs. The smell made me leary, though.
Hey, when someone lies about the VIN and conceals a rebuilt title, that’s a crook pure and simple.

No, he is just a glass is half full type of guy. Always looking for the positive

driver100 · September 2019

GG While I was in the area, I test drove an ES350 and a Camry XSE V6 back to back.

Quite a day GG, you sure did accomplish a lot including some interesting car comparisons. The new Toyotas look pretty substantial and look nice........I was hoping they also improved the driving dynamics and it sounds like they have.

G70 sounds like it could be a winner too considering the price.

Enjoyed reading your perceptions of these cars.

driver100 · September 2019

laurasdada said:

thebean said:
I have been puzzling over a Mercedes situation. Anecdotal data says you really don’t want to own a Merc that is out of warranty, especially if it’s your daily driver (unlike driver100, who only uses each one of his for 6-7 months/year max), due to a lot of issues that could and do go wrong. My experience, albeit from 20 years ago, with my 1999 E-Class mirrors this. Even though I sold it before warranty ran out, there were quite a few smaller things (primarily electrical) that necessitated trips to the dealer. And I didn’t put a ton of miles on it during my ownership.

Now, here is the question. I have seen views of Germany and there are tons of Mercs serving as taxis. Taxicab companies use their vehicles at least 16 hours/day. They don’t want to have even moderate downtime with their vehicles. So, the Mercs they use must be pretty robust. What’s the difference between those cars and the Mercs we get here in the States? Are they “strippers” with none of the electronic “gee-gaws” on the US cars. Are they diesel cars and does that make a difference?

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I hope this doesn’t qualify as a @jmonroe1 length post.
This is kinda where I am with my XF. Out of warranty since the beginning of '18, but no overt signs of trouble. Besides the failing rear turn signal LED that is; a full tail lamp replacement. Is this just a harbinger of (electrical) issues to come? Probably not, it is a British car...

Is Jaguar still considered British....or Chinese, Tata Motors? One tailight mishap after 6 or 7 years is not a big deal, 2 or 3 things going wrong could be a signal of more problems. It depends more, I would say, at this stage if you want a new car. You may want to get an idea of what new ones are selling for, and what yours is worth.

I am coming to the conclusion that if you buy a luxury car, you should be prepared to keep it for the long haul, as the depreciation is more than ever these days.

laurasdada · September 2019

Tata is actually of India, driver. But, Jag is British as always! Tata has been fairly hands-off.

No, the turn signal isn't a biggie, found (used) replacement units online for as low as $180. But, there were other issues, during the warranty period. Perhaps all that was to go wrong, has.

6 years is the long haul, isn't it?

Liking the '20 XE, it's like a 7/8 XF, but more modern, agile, economical and fun! But, not many on the ground, enjoyed my test drive. Probably would have to order to my liking. Being a '20, no deals for a while...probably.

Hail, Britannia!

abacomike · September 2019

Well, I was at the eye doctor this morning to have my lenses measured for replacement prior to my cataract surgery. It’s scheduled for November 26th. I am going to have to pay $1675 per eye to have laser surgery instead of the surgeon using a scalpel, as strongly suggested by my brother. I am having regular lenses put in - otherwise it would have cost me $2500 more per eye. I have worn glasses all my life (started when I was 9 years old) so I decided to not have the corrective lenses put in.

I am just concerned about getting around without being able to drive until both eyes are done.

imidazol97 · September 2019

I had surgery where part was paid by insurance, but I had to pay for the astigmatism correction which I understood to be similar to lasik. The computer scored my cornea in a manner that corrected almost all astigmatism.

AFter I had one eye done, I removed the lens from that side of my glasses and wore them part of the time with my new eye and my glass lens working. It was a little dizzying at times. But the first eye was given too strong a lens so I focus at about 2 feet--great for reading. So it was fuzzy and my old eye and glasses were sharp.

suydam · September 2019

I also opted to pay for the laser cataract, and I’m glad I did. used a contact lens in the uncorrected eye until they did th second one. The eye folks gave me a couple similar to my vision requirements.

oldfarmer50 · September 2019

abacomike said:
Well, I was at the eye doctor this morning to have my lenses measured for replacement prior to my cataract surgery. It’s scheduled for November 26th. I am going to have to pay $1675 per eye to have laser surgery instead of the surgeon using a scalpel, as strongly suggested by my brother. I am having regular lenses put in - otherwise it would have cost me $2500 more per eye. I have worn glasses all my life (started when I was 9 years old) so I decided to not have the corrective lenses put in.

I am just concerned about getting around without being able to drive until both eyes are done.

I thought laser surgery had pretty much replaced the scalpel. That’s what my wife got on both eyes.

imidazol97 · September 2019

oldfarmer50 said:

abacomike said:
Well, I was at the eye doctor this morning to have my lenses measured for replacement prior to my cataract surgery. It’s scheduled for November 26th. I am going to have to pay $1675 per eye to have laser surgery instead of the surgeon using a scalpel, as strongly suggested by my brother. I am having regular lenses put in - otherwise it would have cost me $2500 more per eye. I have worn glasses all my life (started when I was 9 years old) so I decided to not have the corrective lenses put in.

I am just concerned about getting around without being able to drive until both eyes are done.
I thought laser surgery had pretty much replaced the scalpel. That’s what my wife got on both eyes.

I thought that too. The key for mine was whether I wanted the LaserX, I think it was called, which corrected the astigmagtism as best it could. I had the standard lenses installed. I didn't think I would like trying to train my eyes to adjust to different distances through different parts of the same lens. I used to get dizzy from the distortion of my glass lenses at angles through them which made door frames curve, etc.. Luckily because of the bad outcome on my first eye and the focus being too close, with the regular lenses I have one eye for close reading and the other for normal room distance viewing. My brain ignores the interference from the other eye.

I still laugh about the optometrist who examined my eye the second day after surgery. I told him I could read the shampoo bottle ingredients through the plastic eye shield. He insisted I was getting the pin hole camera effect, implying that I was too dumb to know what I was saying. Turned out I was right and my focus was close on that eye. I saw throught the smooth plastic between the air holes in the eye cover.

I was studying pin hole camera effects reading books about optics in physics before that optometrist was born. And he was lecturing me.

When I saw the surgeon a few days later, he panicked and had all the tests rerun before they did the other eye. He thinks the person doing the testing did something wrong. (Blame the little guy.)

driver100 · September 2019

laurasdada said:
Tata is actually of India, driver. But, Jag is British as always! Tata has been fairly hands-off.

No, the turn signal isn't a biggie, found (used) replacement units online for as low as $180. But, there were other issues, during the warranty period. Perhaps all that was to go wrong, has.

6 years is the long haul, isn't it?

Liking the '20 XE, it's like a 7/8 XF, but more modern, agile, economical and fun! But, not many on the ground, enjoyed my test drive. Probably would have to order to my liking. Being a '20, no deals for a while...probably.

Hail, Britannia!

Thanks for the info. Actually quite an interesting transfer from Ford. Yes, Tata is Indian.
The parent company was renamed to Jaguar Land Rover Automotive PLC, Jaguar Cars Limited was renamed to Jaguar Land Rover Limited and the assets (excluding certain Chinese interests) of Land Rover were transferred to it. The consequence was that Jaguar Land Rover Limited became responsible in the UK for the design, manufacture and marketing of both Jaguar and Land Rover products
WIKIPEDIA

Glad they didn't call Jaguars Tatas!
And, I am glad Daimler decided to call his cars Mercedes.

driver100 · September 2019

oldfarmer50 said:

abacomike said:
Well, I was at the eye doctor this morning to have my lenses measured for replacement prior to my cataract surgery. It’s scheduled for November 26th. I am going to have to pay $1675 per eye to have laser surgery instead of the surgeon using a scalpel, as strongly suggested by my brother. I am having regular lenses put in - otherwise it would have cost me $2500 more per eye. I have worn glasses all my life (started when I was 9 years old) so I decided to not have the corrective lenses put in.

I am just concerned about getting around without being able to drive until both eyes are done.
I thought laser surgery had pretty much replaced the scalpel. That’s what my wife got on both eyes.

Don't they still have to make an incision with a scalpel? If they do it is nothing....eye has no nerves. I had laser corrective surgery (not a lens...just laser) in 1996 and it has been fine since then.
I know lots of people who have had lenses for cataracts put in and they all love their new sight...better than ever. One friend had one eye done last week, will have another eye done in a few weeks......wore a patch for a day is all.
Lenses are done in Canada at no cost, unless you want upgraded lenses like bifocal lenses.

Sandman6472 · September 2019

I had cataract surgery back in 2013 and a touch up in 2017. I was myopic before the surgery and wire glasses. Basically read out if my left eye and saw distance out of the right one. Desperately wanted the glasses gone, so gad the surgery. Was off the charts beforehand but a day later, was at 20/25, which even surprised them!
Only downfall was I need reading glasses to read now! Kinda sucks, but can read most smallish print without if necessary but not for very long. Was it worth it??? Absofrickinlutely!!!

laurasdada · September 2019

sb55 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:
Fascinating to see how they load the cars on to a ship. They are 4 inches apart....driver can only open the door of the last car parked. Drivers are taken by van back to get more cars. Now there is a fun job! Worth 2 minutes to see how they do it.
https://youtu.be/u_OSnioeFjY
That’s kind of like my job except they don’t get to sleep in the van. On the other hand I’m sure they get longshoreman’s union wages.

Yesterday made up for my puny pay. We were sent to Plattsburgh to pick up cars which meant 2+ hours of napping and drinking coffee. We then spent the day cruising Lake Champlain on the ferry as we went back and forth to Burlington VT. It was like a paid vacation.

You drove right past me in South Hero. I would've bought you lunch!

One of my favorite trips during my travelling salesman days. Called on IBM in Essex Junction and IP Ticonderoga. So, enjoyed the ferry to/from Plattsburgh. As well as living in Burlington for ~5 months after college. Wannabe ski bum, it didn't snow that winter.

cdnpinhead · September 2019

The reality is that they need to get the old lens out, which in my case was a real pain with one eye, the other one not so much. The lenses they put in its place are shaped to bring your vision back to normal. That's the magic part -- the measurements they took of my eyes prior to the surgery were what made the new lenses so good. The surgery can be difficult, but the result is very much worth it.

snakeweasel · September 2019

graphicguy said:

Cut to the chase, I asked him about the Genesis and why there were no dealerships in the area. He corrected me and said his Hyundai Dealership did indeed sell Genesis. Matter of fact, he said his store was the highest volume Genesis store in the country (maybe they didn’t have to sell many of them to make that claim). We went on for a while talking about how the whole Genesis brand and having separate dealerships really didn’t seem to be working. He agreed. He said Hyundai wasn’t offering much in the way of incentives for the dealerships to build new facilities like Acura did when they first offered dealerships.

There is a stand alone Genesis place near me. It's actually an extension of a Hyundai dealership but it's in it's own separate location with it's own building and small lot two doors down the road. There is a unrelated retail business separating the two.

abacomike · September 2019

cdnpinhead said:
The reality is that they need to get the old lens out, which in my case was a real pain with one eye, the other one not so much. The lenses they put in its place are shaped to bring your vision back to normal. That's the magic part -- the measurements they took of my eyes prior to the surgery were what made the new lenses so good. The surgery can be difficult, but the result is very much worth it.

Yes, they measured my lenses and then my acuity so the new lenses would align with my corrected vision when inserted. They told me I would probably need glasses for medium vision (like seeing the speedometer in the car) and reading vision. I just worry about being able to drive in order to shop for food after they do each eye and until I can have glasses made.

abacomike · September 2019

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

abacomike said:
Well, I was at the eye doctor this morning to have my lenses measured for replacement prior to my cataract surgery. It’s scheduled for November 26th. I am going to have to pay $1675 per eye to have laser surgery instead of the surgeon using a scalpel, as strongly suggested by my brother. I am having regular lenses put in - otherwise it would have cost me $2500 more per eye. I have worn glasses all my life (started when I was 9 years old) so I decided to not have the corrective lenses put in.

I am just concerned about getting around without being able to drive until both eyes are done.
I thought laser surgery had pretty much replaced the scalpel. That’s what my wife got on both eyes.
Don't they still have to make an incision with a scalpel? If they do it is nothing....eye has no nerves. I had laser corrective surgery (not a lens...just laser) in 1996 and it has been fine since then.
I know lots of people who have had lenses for cataracts put in and they all love their new sight...better than ever. One friend had one eye done last week, will have another eye done in a few weeks......wore a patch for a day is all.
Lenses are done in Canada at no cost, unless you want upgraded lenses like bifocal lenses.

The laser surgery is preferred over use of a scalpel because it reduces the possibility of infection post-op.

driver100 · September 2019

abacomike said:

cdnpinhead said:
The reality is that they need to get the old lens out, which in my case was a real pain with one eye, the other one not so much. The lenses they put in its place are shaped to bring your vision back to normal. That's the magic part -- the measurements they took of my eyes prior to the surgery were what made the new lenses so good. The surgery can be difficult, but the result is very much worth it.
Yes, they measured my lenses and then my acuity so the new lenses would align with my corrected vision when inserted. They told me I would probably need glasses for medium vision (like seeing the speedometer in the car) and reading vision. I just worry about being able to drive in order to shop for food after they do each eye and until I can have glasses made.

Order groceries from one of those home delivery companies....or sign up for Uber.

Some surgeons prefer using the blade, some laser.....cases made for each if you care to read a lot of info;
https://www.allaboutvision.com/visionsurgery/blade-vs-bladeless.htm
Friend who just had a lens put in one eye says he is amazed at the clarity and brightness of colors. Having the other eye done soon....one at a time.

stickguy · September 2019

Just get some inexpensive readers at Walmart to tide you over.

driver100 · September 2019

OK, I was debating about telling the story of my very foolish gas station mishap or not....but, hey, I'm not proud.

So I go to one of these stations where you fill up your car with gas and you can get a car wash for $10. I fill it with gas, but the receipt doesn't come out of the gas pump. I push buttons, pound the glass.....finally it comes out. When I was there 2 weeks before they had a number on the receipt....you use the 5 digit number to use the car wash. I usually write the numbers down in ink, so I can actually see them when I get to the panel for the wash.

I don't see numbers but there is one of those square computer symbols on the back. While I am staring at that I kind of close the gas cover but, I guess not all the way.

I go through the car wash....leave. After about 15 minutes on the way home I see the message on my dash, gas cover not closed. I stop and see the cover is missing.

My MB dealer is 5 minutes away, I go in. They say they can get me a new cover, but it will have to be painted then installed. If I want the decals that go inside the cover....tire pressure, octane etc that is $30. Probably cost $300 to $400 complete. He says if I can find my old cover it would save a lot of money.

So, I drive back, 15 minutes to the car wash. I look inside and I can see my cover and the inner liner inside on the floor....I run in to get them and there is all this whirring noises, and then I think....WHAT IF THIS THING SUDDENLY STARTS UP, or what if a car enters. I pick up the pieces and run out, jump in the car and go to MB dealer.

They order a hinge, tell me if they can use the original piece they would do that. If for some reason I need a new door they will order that later...one day to arrive, one day to paint, but, they would try to fix it first.

Took it in yesterday. Expected it would cost $300 to $400. They shuttled me home at 1:30, picked me up at 3:30, car was completely washed inside and out......cost was $150.

I am so pleased....I haven't had a ticket in over 8 years....so this was probably less than a traffic ticket. And, from now on, I will double check the gas cover door is closed before going into a car wash.

Mercedes might be expensive to keep, but, I wonder if another dealer would have tried to use my old part, or would have the expertise to repair the car using the original part. I am impressed by their honesty and nice work.

graphicguy · September 2019

snakeweasel said:

graphicguy said:

Cut to the chase, I asked him about the Genesis and why there were no dealerships in the area. He corrected me and said his Hyundai Dealership did indeed sell Genesis. Matter of fact, he said his store was the highest volume Genesis store in the country (maybe they didn’t have to sell many of them to make that claim). We went on for a while talking about how the whole Genesis brand and having separate dealerships really didn’t seem to be working. He agreed. He said Hyundai wasn’t offering much in the way of incentives for the dealerships to build new facilities like Acura did when they first offered dealerships.

There is a stand alone Genesis place near me. It's actually an extension of a Hyundai dealership but it's in it's own separate location with it's own building and small lot two doors down the road. There is a unrelated retail business separating the two.

Loved talking to the GM of the dealership. He wasn’t all roses when talking about the Genesis handling of the new rollout as a separate, stand alone dealership. He pointed out the same foibles that most of us pointed out in these threads.

He said he doubted his ownership group (one of the large dealership groups in the area) would even consider a separate, standalone building for Genesis for 5 years. And, that may be a pipe dream, too. He stated the volume of the Genesis brand just won’t support a standalone store. So, given they’re the number one volume dealer for Genesis, they will probably not be forced to make that sort of investment any time in the foreseeable future.

By the way, he said they’ve sold more Hyundai Palisades than any other dealership in the country. Embarrassed, I told him I didn’t even know what that was. It’s their large SUV.

Who knew?

driver100 · September 2019

Palisade looks really nice and reviews seem to be good. KIA has a competing new SUV, but, it seems most favor the Palisade. I guess they can sell more cars having 2 separate brands...but, wonder if they would be better off concentrating on one?

ab348 · September 2019

driver100 said:

So I go to one of these stations where you fill up your car with gas and you can get a car wash for $10. I fill it with gas, but the receipt doesn't come out of the gas pump. I push buttons, pound the glass.....finally it comes out. When I was there 2 weeks before they had a number on the receipt....you use the 5 digit number to use the car wash. I usually write the numbers down in ink, so I can actually see them when I get to the panel for the wash.

I don't see numbers but there is one of those square computer symbols on the back. While I am staring at that I kind of close the gas cover but, I guess not all the way.

I go through the car wash....leave. After about 15 minutes on the way home I see the message on my dash, gas cover not closed. I stop and see the cover is missing.

My MB dealer is 5 minutes away, I go in. They say they can get me a new cover, but it will have to be painted then installed. If I want the decals that go inside the cover....tire pressure, octane etc that is $30. Probably cost $300 to $400 complete. He says if I can find my old cover it would save a lot of money.

So, I drive back, 15 minutes to the car wash. I look inside and I can see my cover and the inner liner inside on the floor....I run in to get them and there is all this whirring noises, and then I think....WHAT IF THIS THING SUDDENLY STARTS UP, or what if a car enters. I pick up the pieces and run out, jump in the car and go to MB dealer.

Look on the bright side, could be worse, at least you remembered to close the windows and sunroof. :laughing:

Normally I find that if the pump doesn't spit out a receipt you can go inside and they will print one there.

How did you get the car wash to operate without the 5-digit number code?

stickguy · September 2019

Another reason I never take my car in a car wash with brushes!

On my TLX that would be a much bigger issue. It was capless filler. The seal is basically the underside of the lid.

driver100 · September 2019

Going inside would have been my next move........but, I didn't want to go in, wait in line and explain if I could get the receipt from the pump.
They changed the 5 digit number code to a bar-code type....you slide the bar code into the machine before the wash....the old one had buttons you pressed.

driver100 · September 2019

stickguy said:
Another reason I never take my car in a car wash with brushes!

On my TLX that would be a much bigger issue. It was capless filler. The seal is basically the underside of the lid.

I usually go to the DIY car wash.....but, it is hard to do the wheels that well. It ends up costing $5 to do the car properly, for an extra $4 or $5 it comes out a lot better in the auto one, unless you have to replace a gas cover.

stickguy · September 2019

Driveway. Bucket. Mitt. Hose.

Simple, and cheap!

Just like me.

tjc78 · September 2019

I used to never bring my cars through an automatic. Now with 2 little ones and not much free time, I use the auto.

What do I care about some swirl marks? It's going back in three years anyway. I do from time to time a full bucket wash and detail, but for quick cleanups the automatic it is.

28firefighter · September 2019

Before Sam was born I used to wash both cars by hand weekly - a ritual. Then right after he was born, I started using automatic washes because I didn't have time. Now he likes to do it with me, so I'm back to washing by hand as a means of keeping his little hands occupied.

ab348 · September 2019

I dunno if we still have any of the old spinning-bush automatic washes here. Every one I've seen in recent years is touchhless. Seem to do an OK job.

suydam · September 2019

abacomike said:

cdnpinhead said:
The reality is that they need to get the old lens out, which in my case was a real pain with one eye, the other one not so much. The lenses they put in its place are shaped to bring your vision back to normal. That's the magic part -- the measurements they took of my eyes prior to the surgery were what made the new lenses so good. The surgery can be difficult, but the result is very much worth it.
Yes, they measured my lenses and then my acuity so the new lenses would align with my corrected vision when inserted. They told me I would probably need glasses for medium vision (like seeing the speedometer in the car) and reading vision. I just worry about being able to drive in order to shop for food after they do each eye and until I can have glasses made.

If you’re over 65 Medicare only pays the amount of the traditional cataract surgery, so the laser cost is much more. Some people don’t have the money for it. In my case the laser corrected all 3 distances — far, middle and close up. The only catch is I can’t read in low light situations, like at a nice restaurant, without turning the phone flashlight on. But I don’t need glasses at all. It’s pretty amazing.

carnaught · September 2019

driver100 said:
OK, I was debating about telling the story of my very foolish gas station mishap or not....but, hey, I'm not proud.

So I go to one of these stations where you fill up your car with gas and you can get a car wash for $10. I fill it with gas, but the receipt doesn't come out of the gas pump. I push buttons, pound the glass.....finally it comes out. When I was there 2 weeks before they had a number on the receipt....you use the 5 digit number to use the car wash. I usually write the numbers down in ink, so I can actually see them when I get to the panel for the wash.

I don't see numbers but there is one of those square computer symbols on the back. While I am staring at that I kind of close the gas cover but, I guess not all the way.

I go through the car wash....leave. After about 15 minutes on the way home I see the message on my dash, gas cover not closed. I stop and see the cover is missing.

My MB dealer is 5 minutes away, I go in. They say they can get me a new cover, but it will have to be painted then installed. If I want the decals that go inside the cover....tire pressure, octane etc that is $30. Probably cost $300 to $400 complete. He says if I can find my old cover it would save a lot of money.

So, I drive back, 15 minutes to the car wash. I look inside and I can see my cover and the inner liner inside on the floor....I run in to get them and there is all this whirring noises, and then I think....WHAT IF THIS THING SUDDENLY STARTS UP, or what if a car enters. I pick up the pieces and run out, jump in the car and go to MB dealer.

They order a hinge, tell me if they can use the original piece they would do that. If for some reason I need a new door they will order that later...one day to arrive, one day to paint, but, they would try to fix it first.

Took it in yesterday. Expected it would cost $300 to $400. They shuttled me home at 1:30, picked me up at 3:30, car was completely washed inside and out......cost was $150.

I am so pleased....I haven't had a ticket in over 8 years....so this was probably less than a traffic ticket. And, from now on, I will double check the gas cover door is closed before going into a car wash.

Mercedes might be expensive to keep, but, I wonder if another dealer would have tried to use my old part, or would have the expertise to repair the car using the original part. I am impressed by their honesty and nice work.

So, to summarize, you ended up getting a ($10+$150) $160 car wash

.

oldfarmer50 · September 2019

driver100 said:
OK, I was debating about telling the story of my very foolish gas station mishap or not....but, hey, I'm not proud.

So I go to one of these stations where you fill up your car with gas and you can get a car wash for $10. I fill it with gas, but the receipt doesn't come out of the gas pump. I push buttons, pound the glass.....finally it comes out. When I was there 2 weeks before they had a number on the receipt....you use the 5 digit number to use the car wash. I usually write the numbers down in ink, so I can actually see them when I get to the panel for the wash.

I don't see numbers but there is one of those square computer symbols on the back. While I am staring at that I kind of close the gas cover but, I guess not all the way.

I go through the car wash....leave. After about 15 minutes on the way home I see the message on my dash, gas cover not closed. I stop and see the cover is missing.

My MB dealer is 5 minutes away, I go in. They say they can get me a new cover, but it will have to be painted then installed. If I want the decals that go inside the cover....tire pressure, octane etc that is $30. Probably cost $300 to $400 complete. He says if I can find my old cover it would save a lot of money.

So, I drive back, 15 minutes to the car wash. I look inside and I can see my cover and the inner liner inside on the floor....I run in to get them and there is all this whirring noises, and then I think....WHAT IF THIS THING SUDDENLY STARTS UP, or what if a car enters. I pick up the pieces and run out, jump in the car and go to MB dealer.

They order a hinge, tell me if they can use the original piece they would do that. If for some reason I need a new door they will order that later...one day to arrive, one day to paint, but, they would try to fix it first.

Took it in yesterday. Expected it would cost $300 to $400. They shuttled me home at 1:30, picked me up at 3:30, car was completely washed inside and out......cost was $150.

I am so pleased....I haven't had a ticket in over 8 years....so this was probably less than a traffic ticket. And, from now on, I will double check the gas cover door is closed before going into a car wash.

Mercedes might be expensive to keep, but, I wonder if another dealer would have tried to use my old part, or would have the expertise to repair the car using the original part. I am impressed by their honesty and nice work.

So if the dealer washed you car inside and out why didn’t you just rip the gas door off and take it to the dealer in the first place?

When the door handle broke on my 95’ Lincoln my indie guy had no trouble ordering the part but it had to be painted. The idiot who did it painted it white but the car was beige. Big waste of 40 bucks. I went to auto zone, picked out the closest rattle can color (Chevy) and painted it myself. I think I matched it pretty good.

abacomike · September 2019

Today, we were inundated with rain and wind as another tropical wave moves toward Florida and the northern Bahamas. I was driving on the Turnpike north and had to pull over it was raining so hard. It’s supposed to continue like this through Sunday. Ahhh, summer in South Florida! 🤪😜😗

jmonroe1 · September 2019

driver100 said:

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:
Some of my tennis guys were talking about memory yesterday. This was something I was amazed at, but didn't think anyone else thought about it. We decided really good car salesmen have terrific memories!

I last saw my sales rep about 2 years ago. I saw him working at his desk when I was there for service, and I thought I would say hello, and I started to explain who I was and he said he knew who I was and he asked me how Mrs D was (by name). I would be terrible at being able to do that.

Mike....do you have a good memory for people's names? Are there some tricks you can use to recall who someone is?
I stopped by the Hyundai dealer where I bought my Elantra many decades ago maybe 5 years after buying it. The salesman remembered me after all those years and referred to me by name.

The lady who owns the tax firm I work at has a fantastic memory for clients. Even clients she saw once and she remembers even the most mundane details about them. Yet she often forgets things like where she put her keys that morning.
Sometimes the guys go to a restaurant for breakfast. 6 of us order different things, eggs over easy, well done bacon, rye toast etc., Jenna will remember everything, doesn't write it down, and never make a mistake.

I feel sorry for her husband, if he ever does something wrong she will never let him forget it!

How did you remember Mrs. j's first name?

jmonroe

snakeweasel · September 2019

what say you?
https://www.spartanburgchryslerdodgejeep.com/new/Dodge/2019-Dodge-Charger-Spartanburg-c6b3392a0a0e0ae9288f411fe10e080c.htm?utm_campaign=deeplink&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=cars.com&utm_campaign=deeplink&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=cars.com

stickguy · September 2019

yuck. Though I see it is only a wrap.

driver100 · September 2019

carnaught said:

driver100 said:
OK, I was debating about telling the story of my very foolish gas station mishap or not....but, hey, I'm not proud.

So I go to one of these stations where you fill up your car with gas and you can get a car wash for $10. I fill it with gas, but the receipt doesn't come out of the gas pump. I push buttons, pound the glass.....finally it comes out. When I was there 2 weeks before they had a number on the receipt....you use the 5 digit number to use the car wash. I usually write the numbers down in ink, so I can actually see them when I get to the panel for the wash.

I don't see numbers but there is one of those square computer symbols on the back. While I am staring at that I kind of close the gas cover but, I guess not all the way.

I go through the car wash....leave. After about 15 minutes on the way home I see the message on my dash, gas cover not closed. I stop and see the cover is missing.

My MB dealer is 5 minutes away, I go in. They say they can get me a new cover, but it will have to be painted then installed. If I want the decals that go inside the cover....tire pressure, octane etc that is $30. Probably cost $300 to $400 complete. He says if I can find my old cover it would save a lot of money.

So, I drive back, 15 minutes to the car wash. I look inside and I can see my cover and the inner liner inside on the floor....I run in to get them and there is all this whirring noises, and then I think....WHAT IF THIS THING SUDDENLY STARTS UP, or what if a car enters. I pick up the pieces and run out, jump in the car and go to MB dealer.

They order a hinge, tell me if they can use the original piece they would do that. If for some reason I need a new door they will order that later...one day to arrive, one day to paint, but, they would try to fix it first.

Took it in yesterday. Expected it would cost $300 to $400. They shuttled me home at 1:30, picked me up at 3:30, car was completely washed inside and out......cost was $150.

I am so pleased....I haven't had a ticket in over 8 years....so this was probably less than a traffic ticket. And, from now on, I will double check the gas cover door is closed before going into a car wash.

Mercedes might be expensive to keep, but, I wonder if another dealer would have tried to use my old part, or would have the expertise to repair the car using the original part. I am impressed by their honesty and nice work.

So, to summarize, you ended up getting a ($10+$150) $160 car wash .

lol........If the dealer didn't take over an hour to wash my car the last time I took it there for a complimentary wash I would have taken it there in the first place and saved $160.

driver100 · September 2019

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:
OK, I was debating about telling the story of my very foolish gas station mishap or not....but, hey, I'm not proud.

So I go to one of these stations where you fill up your car with gas and you can get a car wash for $10. I fill it with gas, but the receipt doesn't come out of the gas pump. I push buttons, pound the glass.....finally it comes out. When I was there 2 weeks before they had a number on the receipt....you use the 5 digit number to use the car wash. I usually write the numbers down in ink, so I can actually see them when I get to the panel for the wash.

I don't see numbers but there is one of those square computer symbols on the back. While I am staring at that I kind of close the gas cover but, I guess not all the way.

I go through the car wash....leave. After about 15 minutes on the way home I see the message on my dash, gas cover not closed. I stop and see the cover is missing.

My MB dealer is 5 minutes away, I go in. They say they can get me a new cover, but it will have to be painted then installed. If I want the decals that go inside the cover....tire pressure, octane etc that is $30. Probably cost $300 to $400 complete. He says if I can find my old cover it would save a lot of money.

So, I drive back, 15 minutes to the car wash. I look inside and I can see my cover and the inner liner inside on the floor....I run in to get them and there is all this whirring noises, and then I think....WHAT IF THIS THING SUDDENLY STARTS UP, or what if a car enters. I pick up the pieces and run out, jump in the car and go to MB dealer.

They order a hinge, tell me if they can use the original piece they would do that. If for some reason I need a new door they will order that later...one day to arrive, one day to paint, but, they would try to fix it first.

Took it in yesterday. Expected it would cost $300 to $400. They shuttled me home at 1:30, picked me up at 3:30, car was completely washed inside and out......cost was $150.

I am so pleased....I haven't had a ticket in over 8 years....so this was probably less than a traffic ticket. And, from now on, I will double check the gas cover door is closed before going into a car wash.

Mercedes might be expensive to keep, but, I wonder if another dealer would have tried to use my old part, or would have the expertise to repair the car using the original part. I am impressed by their honesty and nice work.
So if the dealer washed you car inside and out why didn’t you just rip the gas door off and take it to the dealer in the first place?

When the door handle broke on my 95’ Lincoln my indie guy had no trouble ordering the part but it had to be painted. The idiot who did it painted it white but the car was beige. Big waste of 40 bucks. I went to auto zone, picked out the closest rattle can color (Chevy) and painted it myself. I think I matched it pretty good.

Matches great....the gas cap cover is completely hidden....can't see it at all.

driver100 · September 2019

jmonroe1 said:

driver100 said:

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:
Some of my tennis guys were talking about memory yesterday. This was something I was amazed at, but didn't think anyone else thought about it. We decided really good car salesmen have terrific memories!

I last saw my sales rep about 2 years ago. I saw him working at his desk when I was there for service, and I thought I would say hello, and I started to explain who I was and he said he knew who I was and he asked me how Mrs D was (by name). I would be terrible at being able to do that.

Mike....do you have a good memory for people's names? Are there some tricks you can use to recall who someone is?
I stopped by the Hyundai dealer where I bought my Elantra many decades ago maybe 5 years after buying it. The salesman remembered me after all those years and referred to me by name.

The lady who owns the tax firm I work at has a fantastic memory for clients. Even clients she saw once and she remembers even the most mundane details about them. Yet she often forgets things like where she put her keys that morning.
Sometimes the guys go to a restaurant for breakfast. 6 of us order different things, eggs over easy, well done bacon, rye toast etc., Jenna will remember everything, doesn't write it down, and never make a mistake.

I feel sorry for her husband, if he ever does something wrong she will never let him forget it!
How did you remember Mrs. j's first name?

jmonroe

I refuse to answer on the grounds it may incriminate me.

Some things just stick in your mind........

driver100 · September 2019

snakeweasel said:
what say you?
https://www.spartanburgchryslerdodgejeep.com/new/Dodge/2019-Dodge-Charger-Spartanburg-c6b3392a0a0e0ae9288f411fe10e080c.htm?utm_campaign=deeplink&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=cars.com&utm_campaign=deeplink&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=cars.com

Do you have to pay for that?
My car looks like that after I drive down an unpaved road in the winter time.

oldfarmer50 · September 2019

snakeweasel said:
what say you?
https://www.spartanburgchryslerdodgejeep.com/new/Dodge/2019-Dodge-Charger-Spartanburg-c6b3392a0a0e0ae9288f411fe10e080c.htm?utm_campaign=deeplink&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=cars.com&utm_campaign=deeplink&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=cars.com

Well let’s see, a model year old with only a $700 discount, looked like a junkyard rust bucket and depreciates like the Titanic floats. Time to get out the checkbook.

snakeweasel · September 2019

stickguy said:
yuck. Though I see it is only a wrap.

yeah it's a wrap but why?

houdini2 · September 2019

driver100 said:
Palisade looks really nice and reviews seem to be good. KIA has a competing new SUV, but, it seems most favor the Palisade. I guess they can sell more cars having 2 separate brands...but, wonder if they would be better off concentrating on one?

Hyundai/Kia/Genesis needs to be completely revamped. Take the best of Kia and Hyundai, cars and personnel, and blend them together in one company and operation. Then use the savings to make Genesis a true luxury marq. They could be a force to be reckoned with. I suppose there must be some internal problem that keeps them from going this route, but they need to fix it.

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