Running Bear's October 2019 Coffee Shop


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chadbag said:
I doin't know anything about it but anything with the name "Mercedes" is bound to be expensive to maintain. Probably runs great.
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Thank you Chad, and your absolutely correct, if I was going to keep the Mercedes Metris from the "cradle to the grave". In my case I will only use it for 5 years, at the most. I'll have less than 100,000 miles on it before I trade it in. These modern vehicles don't even need to have the spark plugs replaced in that mileage. The dealer tells me the oil only needs to be changed every 20,000 miles. With an extended warranty I won't buy much more than; fluids, filters, tires, brakes and wiper blades. Other than the tires I will do the little bit maintenance myself and buy the parts wholesale.

My main concern is about down time, I hate (I seldom ever use that word) waiting on dealers to do warranty work! The best warranty is the one you never use. I'm also concerned with fuel economy.

My Chevy City Express only had some minor recall and the heater/AC control module needed to be replaced. Both at no charge but cost me 4 days total. They gave me a really nice Impala, loaner car, but a sedan is not a cargo van. They offered me a full size cargo van, but I'm not driving some monster with a 6.0L engine to deliver packages for Amazon. Fortunately, I don't have to work so I took 4 days off instead.

The only reason I thought of trading in my 2015 City Express a year early, 4 years, rather than 5, is because it needed tires and brakes. I already replaced the tires and I have the parts for the brakes. Speaking of brakes, I got OE parts from Amazon at almost as low a price as the wholesaler and they came right to me door!

The only reason the idea of trading in came back up was I heard on the radio, I like advertising :) that Mercedes is offering 0% financing. I love working on other people's money!
 
PRR Modeler said:
Afternoon All,

The only thing I have accomplished today was going to the library (I still read real books). Tomorrow I'll be gone all day at the skunk show.
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Curt, you are not alone, I enjoy a real book and magazines. I do read on the computer and even my phone, but nothing beats a real book!

Have fun at the skunk show. It's been a while since we have seen any photos of your babies. ;)
 
bnsf971 said:
$800 oil changes to start. At least that's what the person trading one in today was complaining about.
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The only oil changes I pay for are the free ones the dealer provides. If they say I can't change the oil, I say "I can't buy the vehicle"

I recently heard... oh hell, I can't remember the name of the car, the English brand James Bond usually drives. Damn, any way they have to be sent back to England for maintenance. Other exotic brands do the same or only authorized dealers can touch them. It's in the sales contract, no getting around it.

Like the old saying goes "if you have to ask how much, you probably can't afford it"

Aston Martin!!! Yeah, that's the ticket!
 
Sirfoldalot said:
I wish that they leased trucks
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Sherrel: They do! As to the other question, back in 2008, I decided that I really didn't need ,my 2004 Silverado, so I traded it on a 2008 Caddie for the wife. I drove the 2002 Monte Carlo. After the Monte was T boned in the rear quarter panel for the second time, I decided it had to go. I leased a new F150. I realized just how much I missed the truck. FWIW: Around here they are advertising Ram 1500s for lease for under $200.

Boris
 
Good morning Everybody!

It's 50 with 69% humidity under clear skies in southeast Baltimore.

Sherrel, the last time I looked at the price of a new pickup I was shocked. It had to be about 5 years ago. I was with my daughter as she bought a new car. I curiously wondered over to a big fancy Chevy pickup, the price was $59K and change! WTF?!

I can't imagine what my 1988 Chevy 2500 with a utility body would cost at today's prices.

Now when I see a big fancy, clean pickup, perfect bed, never did any real work, I wonder how they justify they expense.

Have a great day Everybody!
 
Good Morning - It's 51* on the way to 81* high with sunny skies (it's dark right now).
The record high for this date was 103 in 1999, and the record low was 45 in 2006.

Garry - Congrats on the newest rugrat addition to the fold - the other 6 have relinquished a sizeable percentage of their inheritance! :)

Z78? (whatever) -- Very nice photos of a huge pile of rescued scrap iron. That is a monster. .. I wish I had made the trip to see and ride it ... to tell the truth ... I didn't pin a note to my shirt, and I forgot about it = rats!
Hat;s off to the Union Pacific for supporting their steam program. I know that it costs them a lot of money!
I appreciate all the photos.
 
Steve Hertler - ‎Fans of all steam locos
Henry Dreyfus designed "The 20th Century Limited," another "Deco" masterwork. From Daniel C. Carroll, jr...Railfans of the Pennsylvania and New York Central railroads.
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I have to once again give credit, where credit is due. Milwaukee Road 113 shares many of the pictures I repost on facebook. He is a busy man, but hopefully he will find time to stop by and say hello. A finer man you will not find with a great off the wall sense of humor!
 
Boris said:
I leased a new F150. I realized just how much I missed the truck. FWIW: Around here they are advertising Ram 1500s for lease for under $200.
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Joe - Guess that I just have not seen them advertised - may check into it. I wanted to keep the truck just for the occasional use for the extended family members plus hauling the pups around so they can hang their heads out the window. Ill have to check how much they want down and the license, taxes, etc.

Bruette said:
Sherrel, the last time I looked at the price of a new pickup I was shocked. It had to be about 5 years ago. I was with my daughter as she bought a new car. I curiously wondered over to a big fancy Chevy pickup, the price was $59K and change! WTF?!
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I know, Louis ... Even a strip-down model is 20-30K . I have no desire to be saddled with a 7 year loan - I may not live that long!

Bruette said:
Now when I see a big fancy, clean pickup, perfect bed, never did any real work, I wonder how they justify they expense.
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BMe too! AND I see tons of them out here - almost like everyone's second car is a pickup.
 
Good Morning All. 60° and clear here in beautiful North Central Texas. Looks like we're in for two more 80°+ days and then fall finally comes around with highs between 70° and 78° for the next week or so. Maybe some rain by Friday; that will get the native winter oats to sprout and mowing will resume. Went and partied in Dallas last night with all of my brothers and sisters with spouses; a get-together for my sole surviving aunt of 84 years old. She likes to party and brought along her twin oldest sons with her...well they really brought her! I had seen her and one of my cousins five years ago at a family reunion, but hadn't seen the other in over 20 years. Trip to Dallas was a bitch, normally takes 65 minutes to my brother's house, being as it was Friday, I gave myself an hour and 45 minutes but it actually took two hours. Today is a BBQ celebration with all of the third and fourth generation folks. I say that last night was for the adults, but I am reminded that most of the third generation is now over 30, several including my oldest daughter are over 40 now! My how time flies.

Just some bacon and toast this morning Flo. Put it together with some mayo and cheese and I'll have a sandwich.

Thanks for the likes and comments about yesterday's project photos; Louis, Johnny, Jerome, Sherrel, Patrick, Garry, Clint, Chet, Chad, Phil, Curt, Tom.

Really didn't spend much time in the train shed yesterday but I did sit at the workbench and touch up some paint on a structure. It's a DPM kit called Seymour Building. I put it together about five or six months ago and have just been painting it here and there since then.
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It will eventually reside in another 2' x 16' cityscape that is partially developed right now; lots of placeholder structures and no scenery. I originally had another of this model for there, but I used it in another area last year.
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Mikey - Weeds and brush are next. Life is in the way right now! LOL Farm animals won't really work in this particular locale between two businesses on a highway.
Chet - Your analogy of government control of the Mustang Ranch is a perfect example of government control. Can't even be successful with a commodity that many people want.
Sherrel - For the most part, we don't tolerate NIMBY's in Texas. State government is very business-friendly and they stand behind this HSR project with a lot of enthusiasm. The success of this rail project actually will buy them (legislature) more time to "kick the can down the road" regarding major improvements to IH45.
Garry - Congratulations.
Tom - Looks like a fun job. Good that you were successful.
Z - Great pictures.

Another footnote on the Texas HSR project. Last night I talked with my BIL, who is an independent railroad construction consultant. Right now he is being paid well by Herzog to consult on a light rail project linking North Ft Worth with a North Dallas surburb of Plano, using a right of way that was purchased from SLSF back in the early 90's, when he headed up Dallas's light rail program. On the side he is doing some work with Texas Central in the South Dallas county area, from there up to their eventual link-up with a DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) light rail station in downtown Dallas. He is also optimistic about the completion of the project, although he wishes that there was more government involvement, that is money. But he is a liberal who believes that the government should pay for everything!

I guess that today is Saturday since Johnny isn't posting! So everybody have a great weekend. They're all Saturday's to me.:cool:
 
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