Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

Sandman6472 · December 2022

Breld, what happened to the wagon? Were the wheels crooked or out of alignment?

Sandman6472 · December 2022

They opened up two Discount Tire locations in West Palm Beach a few years ago. A bit far for me to go but might try them next time I need new sneakers for my ride. Wish they'd open up down here in the Ft. Lauderdale area one day soon. Not that happy with Tires Plus anymore now that my friend retired last year.
On the garage door size, get the biggest you can, I've hit my side view mirror with every vehicle I've owned while living here. Being forced to park on the right side, have to always be very careful pulling in/out and unfortunately, have never had a vehicle that had the option where one could fold in those outside mirrors with the push of a button. It would be so much easier if I had such an option. Guess I could fold them bot manually before I pull in but not sure I'd always remember either. I know at work when moving a new vehicle with the passenger side side view mirror not open, I just open the window and use my cane to push it into position, makes it very easy.
Lately due to my wife tearing something in her knee, she's been leaving the A3 outside at night so just easier for me to pull in/out of the garage. And leaving my car outside for more than a couple of nights is just not going to happen as that's the reason I wanted a two car garage...to use it everyday!

au1994 · December 2022

28firefighter said:

@tjc78 said:

@roadburner said:

“You gotta deal with flakes and idiots in any profession.”

That is the absolute truth.

I had a conversation with a sales rep the other day that truly questions how people even get out of bed in the morning.

Literally every day at my job.

Note for all the sales types out there. If I don’t answer its because I’m on the other line, in a meeting or yes, screening. Had a guy call my 3x in the space of a minute and a half last week. Needless to say I wasn’t kind to him when I finally got free and called him back.

Do they really think that tactic will work?

pensfan83 · December 2022

Then there's the sympathy tactic from sales you're called out as the responsible party, on a call with 10 other people from multiple LOBs, for making someone lose out on a significant quarterly bonus in very brazen (and unprofessional) way to get me or my group to change its decision on an investigation.

I'm sure we could start an entirely separate thread on this topic.

oldfarmer50 · December 2022

pensfan83 said:
Then there's the sympathy tactic from sales you're called out as the responsible party, on a call with 10 other people from multiple LOBs, for making someone lose out on a significant quarterly bonus in very brazen (and unprofessional) way to get me or my group to change its decision on an investigation.

I'm sure we could start an entirely separate thread on this topic.

You think that’s bad, how would you like to be the low level grunt delivery boy who gets chewed out by a car dealer for every little scratch even though you had nothing to do with the sale other than driving the car?

roadburner · December 2022

tjc78 said:

@roadburner said:

“You gotta deal with flakes and idiots in any profession.”

That is the absolute truth.

I had a conversation with a sales rep the other day that truly questions how people even get out of bed in the morning.

I told this story in another topic:
I was in the middle of a hearing where I'm wanting to revoke a guy’s probation. Against his attorney’s advice the guy wanted to testify. When it was my turn to cross examine him I asked him just one question:
“So you are telling this court that aside from failing two drug tests, picking up a new felony arrest, and not reporting to your probation officer, you have done exceptionally well on probation?”
His reply? “Yes!”

corvette · December 2022

As an introvert and someone who generally works better without outside interruptions, I detest incoming phone calls and dread having to make outgoing ones. Particularly annoying are people who feel the need to call to provide an update on an ongoing matter when a one sentence email would have sufficed. I've also proposed changing our phone system so that incoming calls are blocked 30 minutes before the office closes to avoid having things that you are wrapping up at the end of the day getting derailed.

roadburner · December 2022

I was lucky at BMW; I can only recall a couple of customers who were unpleasant/unreasonable/moronic.

pensfan83 · December 2022

corvette said:
As an introvert and someone who generally works better without outside interruptions, I detest incoming phone calls and dread having to make outgoing ones. Particularly annoying are people who feel the need to call to provide an update on an ongoing matter when a one sentence email would have sufficed. I've also proposed changing our phone system so that incoming calls are blocked 30 minutes before the office closes to avoid having things that you are wrapping up at the end of the day getting derailed.

Oh the times I've said in my head "an email or IM would have sufficed"

ab348 · December 2022

tjc78 said:

I had a conversation with a sales rep the other day that truly questions how people even get out of bed in the morning.

Indeed. I experienced something similar earlier today. Ugly weather, below freezing, windy, snow/ice pellets spitting down. After almost 3 days of torrential rain I needed a few perishables, but not a lot, so I decided I would run to the nearest grocery store to grab them as quickly as I could and get back home.

This place is called No Frills for a reason. It attracts a certain clientele who don’t have a whole lot of money, also for a reason. That was on full display there today. What a gong show. I had that same thought of “how do these people get through a day?” Couldn’t get out of there fast enough.

mjfloyd1 · December 2022

@Sandman6472 said:
Breld, what happened to the wagon? Were the wheels crooked or out of alignment?

He had two wheels straightened

jmonroe1 · December 2022

@kyfdx said:
Let me tell you about online forums moderation….

————————————————-
Some day when it’s slow in here fire away. Better yet, since it’s that time of the year, give us a few as Christmas gifts.

jmonroe

jmonroe1 · December 2022

@roadburner said:
I told this story in another topic:
I was in the middle of a hearing where I'm wanting to revoke a guy’s probation. Against his attorney’s advice the guy wanted to testify. When it was my turn to cross examine him I asked him just one question:
“So you are telling this court that aside from failing two drug tests, picking up a new felony arrest, and not reporting to your probation officer, you have done exceptionally well on probation?”
His reply? “Yes!”

————————————————-
Yes, you’ve told that story before but don’t hesitate to tell it again when we hit on similar subjects about clueless folks that we have to deal with in our life. I think your story gets funnier each time I hear it.

Keep up the good work.

jmonroe

cdnpinhead · December 2022

But the best part is that all these people can vote.

Explains quite a bit.

jmonroe1 · December 2022

@cdnpinhead said:
But the best part is that all these people can vote.

Explains quite a bit.

————————————————
It sure does. Scary ain’t it?

jmonroe

corvette · December 2022

ab348 said:
This place is called No Frills for a reason. It attracts a certain clientele who don’t have a whole lot of money, also for a reason.

That reminds me of my experiences observing demographics at various local Aldi stores... Most of them seem like regular grocery stores, but the ones in the wealthier parts of town, I can frequently snag a free cart because someone didn't care about getting their quarter back (and knock $0.25 off my grocery bill when I return the cart).

jmonroe1 · December 2022

@corvette said:
That reminds me of my experiences observing demographics at various local Aldi stores... Most of them seem like regular grocery stores, but the ones in the wealthier parts of town, I can frequently snag a free cart because someone didn't care about getting their quarter back (and knock $0.25 off my grocery bill when I return the cart).

————————————————
I never thought of it but maybe that explains it. I go to an Aldi store that must be frequented by above average income earners. Just yesterday when I went to Aldi as I was about to get a cart with the quarter I had in my hand a smiling pleasant woman said, “oh, here take mine”. When I stuck out my hand with the quarter, she said, “forget it. Pass it on”. I planned on doing that but when I left no one was coming in so I kept her quarter when I returned the cart. As I got back to the car I thought I should have just left the cart with the quarter in it but I was to slow about thinking about doing that.

There have been several times when I gathered up a few carts left in the parking lot on my way to either get a cart or return my cart after shopping and have made 50 cents and one time 75 cents for being a good samaritan by not leaving those fender scratchers roll around the parking lot.

Rich folks should start thinking about other folks cars when they don’t return their carts.

jmonroe

oldfarmer50 · December 2022

jmonroe1 said:

@corvette said:

That reminds me of my experiences observing demographics at various local Aldi stores... Most of them seem like regular grocery stores, but the ones in the wealthier parts of town, I can frequently snag a free cart because someone didn't care about getting their quarter back (and knock $0.25 off my grocery bill when I return the cart).

————————————————

I never thought of it but maybe that explains it. I go to an Aldi store that must be frequented by above average income earners. Just yesterday when I went to Aldi as I was about to get a cart with the quarter I had in my hand a smiling pleasant woman said, “oh, here take mine”. When I stuck out my hand with the quarter, she said, “forget it. Pass it on”. I planned on doing that but when I left no one was coming in so I kept her quarter when I returned the cart. As I got back to the car I thought I should have just left the cart with the quarter in it but I was to slow about thinking about doing that.

There have been several times when I gathered up a few carts left in the parking lot on my way to either get a cart or return my cart after shopping and have made 50 cents and one time 75 cents for being a good samaritan by not leaving those fender scratchers roll around the parking lot.

Rich folks should start thinking about other folks cars when they don’t return their carts.

jmonroe

I always grab a cart that’s rolling around the parking lot and then when I’m done I bring it back in the store so they don’t send the 75 year old bag boy out to get them.

BTW, if you’re getting paid, you’re not a Good Samaritan, you just work cheap.🤪

corvette · December 2022

@jmonroe1 - I do try to pay it forward when I've had someone just give me a cart with a quarter in it. If I've risked life and limb to dig a cart out of a drainage ditch, I keep the quarter.

stickguy · December 2022

always one of the highlights to my week to score a free cart at Aldis. But I always pass it along when someone gives me a freebie so I don't feel like a scumball.

but policing the lot? Those quarters belong to me!

plus I collect carts at other stores that don't charge you for the cart, just to keep the evil away from my car.

qbrozen · December 2022

I haven’t been to a place with quarter-required carts in decades

tjc78 · December 2022

It costs us a few bucks more with the monthly fee and tipping, but we have largely moved to online ordering and grocery delivery/pickup. We still have to hit the wholesale club the old fashioned way, but that’s only once a month if that.

sda · December 2022

We gave up our membership of Costco/Sams some years ago as either store was a 30 minute+ drive and the temptation to buy more than what we intended often got the better of us. As much as I don’t care for them we have a large Walmart 10 minutes away. I make our monthly tp, paper towels, laundry detergent, etc. purchases there.

tjc78 · December 2022

@sda
Unit price at Walmart compared to BJ’s is not all that much different for many items. They just happen to have some proprietary items we like too.

ab348 · December 2022

jmonroe1 said:

I never thought of it but maybe that explains it. I go to an Aldi store that must be frequented by above average income earners. Just yesterday when I went to Aldi as I was about to get a cart with the quarter I had in my hand a smiling pleasant woman said, “oh, here take mine”. When I stuck out my hand with the quarter, she said, “forget it. Pass it on”. I planned on doing that but when I left no one was coming in so I kept her quarter when I returned the cart. As I got back to the car I thought I should have just left the cart with the quarter in it but I was to slow about thinking about doing that.

I had just the reverse happen the other day. Up here a quarter is essentially worthless so the coin-op carts require a loonie ($1). I usually take the small carts instead of the big battleship-sized ones but they are often in short supply. This day the small-cart corral was empty but as I was about to get one of the Suburban-style ones I saw a lady walking across the laneway with a little one. Loonie in hand, I said "Can I take that?" and showed her the coin. She gave it to me and I took the cart as she pocketed my Loonie. It wasn't until I was inside for a while that I saw this cart had no coin in the slot. She stole my $1. Some people...

stickguy · December 2022

usually at Aldi the cart you leave with is not the one you bring in. so a good way to swap out to get your missing quarter!

breld · December 2022

I finally got what people were talking about through the context. So, it has become customary to pay a quarter (or more) to use a cart at a grocery store?

That hasn’t made its way to Colorado yet, as far as I know. And we don’t pay the nickel or whatever for bags yet either.

stickguy · December 2022

it has if you have Aldi's out there!

carts are free. you basically put in a quarter as a deposit and get it back when you return it to the cart row in front of the store. Keeps the lot clear of ~~instruments of terror~~ stray carts which is a huge plus.

corvette · December 2022

Aldi also charges for bags, or you can bring your own or (often) find empty boxes throughout the store for free. Supposedly, that is one of the ways they keep prices low. Stores do not have published incoming phone numbers, I presume because they don't want people calling to see whether something is in stock.

Michaell · December 2022

breld said:
I finally got what people were talking about through the context. So, it has become customary to pay a quarter (or more) to use a cart at a grocery store?

That hasn’t made its way to Colorado yet, as far as I know. And we don’t pay the nickel or whatever for bags yet either.

True, but I just read where all eggs in Colorado must be from cage free chickens, starting 1/1/23. Will likely bump up those prices.

And, the cost for natural gas just doubled in December. Everybody is complaining about their utility bills this month.

henryn · December 2022

I have been going to grocery stores for more years than I care to remember, and I never encountered the practice of requiring a quarter to get a shopping cart until Aldi came to town a few years ago. And it's still the only store I know of that does so. Most often when I run into Aldi, I just grab a paper bag, stuff my items in that, and then check out. If I'm planning to buy very many things, I go to either HEB or WalMart, as Aldi carries a very limited stock.

The cost for natural gas has increased here, but it's not bothering me. I use very little of it, mainly just hot water and clothes dryer. I don't cook, and I seldom run the central heat.

sda · December 2022

On my Sunday walk thru car lots I found these two Tesla 3s parked side by side at CarMax, both about a year old with moisture in the left tail light. Is this a common issue? I imagine it will be covered by warranty but what an annoyance

jmonroe1 · December 2022

@qbrozen said:
I haven’t been to a place with quarter-required carts in decades

————————————————-
If you went to places that charged a quarter for carts decades ago they were thieves. I don’t blame you for not going back to those places.

jmonroe

sda · December 2022

On my walk thru of car lots this morning I noticed an increase in new vehicle inventory and the Honda dealer is not marking up as much. Cadillac had the best inventory in months

jmonroe1 · December 2022

@ab348 said:
I had just the reverse happen the other day. Up here a quarter is essentially worthless so the coin-op carts require a loonie ($1). I usually take the small carts instead of the big battleship-sized ones but they are often in short supply. This day the small-cart corral was empty but as I was about to get one of the Suburban-style ones I saw a lady walking across the laneway with a little one. Loonie in hand, I said "Can I take that?" and showed her the coin. She gave it to me and I took the cart as she pocketed my Loonie. It wasn't until I was inside for a while that I saw this cart had no coin in the slot. She stole my $1. Some people...

————————————————
One time when I was at Aldi I got screwed out of a quarter. Here what happened:

For those that don’t shop at Aldi (at least the Aldi stores I’ve gone to), you don’t leave the store with the cart you got before entering. To keep the line moving while you’re taking your items out of your cart and placing them on the belt, they use the cart that the previous shopper used. By the time you get to the register they’ve already loaded a lot of your groceries in that cart. So, I insert my card get my receipt and off I go to load up the car. However, this one time as I’m taking the cart back to the cart return area I noticed the cart didn’t have a quarter in it. The only thing I can think of is that someone figured out a way to get the quarter out of it without using the gizmo on the end of the chain attached to the cart in front of the cart you return.

I was tempted to go back into the store and raise hell but I didn’t want them to think I was a cheap old man that needed that quarter.

jmonroe

ab348 · December 2022

breld said:
I finally got what people were talking about through the context. So, it has become customary to pay a quarter (or more) to use a cart at a grocery store?

That hasn’t made its way to Colorado yet, as far as I know. And we don’t pay the nickel or whatever for bags yet either.

Up here stores like the one I visited yesterday in a low-income part of town use the deposit system. The carts were irresstible to juvenile delinquents and recycling pirates. I do question whether the $1 deposit does much to discourage that, but whatever.

Up here our virtue-signaling govts were quick to ban plastic shopping bags (along with plastic drinking straws) after environmental activists showed videos of tossed-out bags in the ocean (in the far east but they never told anyone that) and plastic straws stuck in the nostrils of turtles (same). You can't even buy one of those bags now. Stores are happy to sell you a paper bag for a dime. Most people bring reusable bags (also made of plastic, but shhh). PITA.

sda · December 2022

One last post from my walk thru today. Again at CarMax, two Broncos. White one priced at $73k, black $46k. Black one was a two door, looked to be a base model and is a 6sp manual.

oldfarmer50 · December 2022

breld said:
I finally got what people were talking about through the context. So, it has become customary to pay a quarter (or more) to use a cart at a grocery store?

That hasn’t made its way to Colorado yet, as far as I know. And we don’t pay the nickel or whatever for bags yet either.

Not anywhere I shop. Maybe Aldi’s. We have stupid plastic bag ban here in NY and I guess you have to pay a nickel for paper. I saved a few case of plastic bags from my farmer’s market days so I don’t have to play that game. I’m old enough to remember paper bags being banned to save the trees.

I guess the trees need a better lobbyist.

oldfarmer50 · December 2022

sda said:
On my Sunday walk thru car lots I found these two Tesla 3s parked side by side at CarMax, both about a year old with moisture in the left tail light. Is this a common issue? I imagine it will be covered by warranty but what an annoyance

Chevy Impalas used to leak through the tail lights and fill the trunk with water.

qbrozen · December 2022

Forgot to mention I picked up the Opel on Friday. We are thrilled with it. Lovely little car. Wonderful condition all around. My son is so happy with it.

tjc78 · December 2022

@qbrozen said:
Forgot to mention I picked up the Opel on Friday. We are thrilled with it. Lovely little car. Wonderful condition all around. My son is so happy with it.

Pics or it didn’t happen

fintail · December 2022

jmonroe1 said:

@ab348 said:

I had just the reverse happen the other day. Up here a quarter is essentially worthless so the coin-op carts require a loonie ($1). I usually take the small carts instead of the big battleship-sized ones but they are often in short supply. This day the small-cart corral was empty but as I was about to get one of the Suburban-style ones I saw a lady walking across the laneway with a little one. Loonie in hand, I said "Can I take that?" and showed her the coin. She gave it to me and I took the cart as she pocketed my Loonie. It wasn't until I was inside for a while that I saw this cart had no coin in the slot. She stole my $1. Some people...

————————————————

One time when I was at Aldi I got screwed out of a quarter. Here what happened:

For those that don’t shop at Aldi (at least the Aldi stores I’ve gone to), you don’t leave the store with the cart you got before entering. To keep the line moving while you’re taking your items out of your cart and placing them on the belt, they use the cart that the previous shopper used. By the time you get to the register they’ve already loaded a lot of your groceries in that cart. So, I insert my card get my receipt and off I go to load up the car. However, this one time as I’m taking the cart back to the cart return area I noticed the cart didn’t have a quarter in it. The only thing I can think of is that someone figured out a way to get the quarter out of it without using the gizmo on the end of the chain attached to the cart in front of the cart you return.

I was tempted to go back into the store and raise hell but I didn’t want them to think I was a cheap old man that needed that quarter.

jmonroe

I wish we had Aldi here, they carry some odd Euro stuff, and IIRC they let the checkers sit like is the norm in places that care about workers.

My nearby Safeway has discontinued hand baskets, as they were being stolen. The nearby Wal Mart, a non-superstore that can be a real people watching extravaganza, still has hand baskets.

corvette · December 2022

The weekly “Aldi finds” are sometimes good deals on things like outdoor furniture, or just unique products. I got some delicious sriracha flavored plantain croutons a couple months back.

tjc78 · December 2022

Aldi is great. They have some good products and if you are into charcuterie boards you can buy everything there on a budget.

tjc78 · December 2022

This thing is cool

https://carsandbids.com/auctions/3oln72Ya/1991-nissan-vanette-largo

I’d daily this.

https://carsandbids.com/auctions/K1xRM4pd/2003-lincoln-town-car-executive

explorerx4 · December 2022

I watched Doug's review of that Town Car. Pretty nice work building it.

jmonroe1 · December 2022

@corvette said:
The weekly “Aldi finds” are sometimes good deals on things like outdoor furniture, or just unique products. I got some delicious sriracha flavored plantain croutons a couple months back.

————————————————-
There was a time that I was hesitant to shop at Aldi but that changed one day a few years ago when I had to go a Home Depot that was right around the corner from an Aldi store. All we needed was some milk, bread and a few staples like that. So, while I was there I decided to try a few Aldi items (you can’t find very many name brand items), I was even more hesitant when I saw their low price but I forced myself.

One time I was so brazen I even bought one of their Angus beef vacuum packed rib eye steaks. It was at least as good as what I’ve been buying for years at Sam’s Club (which also surprised me). Now I’ll buy almost anything with their name on it.

jmonroe

corvette · December 2022

I don't think I would daily a Panther platform car... I know many here are not a fan of him, but Jack Baruth and his (now) wife had a severe crash in his LTC when it fishtailed on an icy road and was broadsided by a car in the oncoming lane. Something was said about not having yet switched from all seasons to winter tires, but IMO, had the car been equipped with stability control (no Panther platform vehicles were), it is unlikely the crash would have occurred, regardless of tire choice. And had the car been based on a newer platform, it likely would have offered better side impact protection. I know that is some Monday morning quarterbacking, but it just seems like one of those "edge case" events which would have gone much less poorly (and might have just been only a twitch and a blinking stability control light) in a newer vehicle.

jmonroe1 · December 2022

@tjc78 said:

I’d daily this.

https://carsandbids.com/auctions/K1xRM4pd/2003-lincoln-town-car-executive

————————————————
How did we know you’d find one of those?

jmonroe

qbrozen · December 2022

@tjc78 said:

@qbrozen said:
Forgot to mention I picked up the Opel on Friday. We are thrilled with it. Lovely little car. Wonderful condition all around. My son is so happy with it.

Pics or it didn’t happen

We’ll see. I took a video of it for him when I picked it up. Not really any good freeze frame angles to share.

Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

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