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bigdav160

dm200 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 14, 2019 8:32 am Another approach would be to state that the price will go up 25% from the early bird rate to the regular rate.

That's exactly what I was going to say. "Act Now! prices go up 25% by [date]"

bigdav160

I know nothing about rent rates inside the loop but I would guess 2K isn't going to cut it in a decent area. Outside the loop: Far North, West, Southwest, Spring Branch are all areas experiencing plenty of growth with decent schools. Cy Fair, Katy, Fort Bend, Klein, Tomball have plenty of schools wi...

bigdav160

The previous post linked to the Texas webpage. With a learners permit: You must have a licensed adult 21 years or older in the front passenger seat when driving. You must hold this license for at least six months, unless you turn 18. The 21 year old or over is the person assigned to give the teen le...

bigdav160

I am not sure why the constant dealership disrespect on this board. I've been in the automotive repair business for almost 40 years and worked at, or with, several types of repair facilities. By far, the best trained, the highest credentialed, and most ethical have been dealership technicians. The s...

bigdav160

You tell me. I am a professor by day but a non stop DIY all the rest of the time. I've put a large second story on my prior house. Banged every nail, soldered every plumbing joint, pulled wire and even installed the central air myself. In my new house I built a swimming pool. If I could have sprayed...

bigdav160

Most of the lawn tractors are made by AYP (american yard products) or MTD regardless of the brand label. Of the gasoline models Briggs and Stratton, Kohler and Kawasaki engines are very similar, if not exactly the same design. They do have slightly different versions depending if it is a 'residentia...

bigdav160

There are very few cars that I've owned that I didn't make money on when I sold. But I buy old and do repairs as needed. I keep the ones I really like. Two old Chevrolets in the garage now. One I paid $2000 for and is worth about $60000 today. The other I paid $1500 in 1988 and today is worth $25000...

bigdav160

I'll buck the trend and say I love our big house.

~4500 sq/ft
5 bedroom
5 baths
3 fireplaces
15 exterior doors
swimming pool w/1200 sq/ft outdoor living space and outdoor kitchen
1200 sq/ft garage with a car lift.

And this house was built 50 years ago.
paid 163k for it 10 years ago.

bigdav160

OK, I'll play Professor at a State funded college on 10.5 month contract for $75k a year. Spouse has never worked and never will. Last year premiums for family of 5 me = $7200 year, employer = $15500 year No deductibles but co-pays $6500 oop ind, $13100 Family No vision no dental. Very likely to wor...

bigdav160

Nissan, this year, started servicing CVT's, at the dealers. Prior to this it was replacement only. I don't remember the cost of the kit but the labor is much less than rebuilding an ordinary automatic transmission. Diagnosis of the CVT failure requires a little bit of teardown (valve body removed) a...

bigdav160

It's controlled by Rupert Murdoch--same guy that controls Fox News.

How is that relevant?

bigdav160

I am not a professional stucco person although I did stucco my own garage one time. My 50 year old stucco only has cracks where the substrate is starting to deteriorate due to water penetration. i have roughly 2000 sq/ft that needs to be redone as the metal lathe has gotten so rusty the stucco has p...

bigdav160

I ditched my Keens for Crocs Swiftwater which I like much better.

bigdav160

That's the type of refrigerator my spouse wanted. (with french doors on top)

After we vacationed in a home with that type of refrigerator she changed her mind. I don't know why other than we have a side-by-side now.

bigdav160

Congratulations on your success and forethought. Perhaps my own story will help. My father was very successful. When he learned he had a terminal illness (62 years old) he hurriedly put his assets in Trust to take care of his wife (of 20 years) and my sister and I. (all income beneficiaries but Dad ...

bigdav160

i just looked it up.

Customer pay time for the intake manifold replacement is 2.3 hours.

I would say you were overcharged.

bigdav160

Never understood why pool hater feel the need to reply to the thread about pools. :? I did my own pool contracting and saved about 1/2. I was also done quicker as most pool companies slow down construction and move to a new job once they tap enough money to be profitable. I was paying cash so the su...

bigdav160

What was wrong with the condenser? It's really a simple part that rarely has issues with normal use. The condenser gets rid of the heat removed from inside of the vehicle. It could be argued that if it malfunctioned the increased pressures (or in case a leak - oil loss) could have caused the compres...

bigdav160

I am lucky when I get 6 hours of sleep.

My spouse is a drinker and a TV watcher and has never worked. When she collapses into bed at 3:30am that usually wakes me up.

My BMI is 24 so I don't think the lack of sleep causes me to gain weight.

bigdav160

JPH wrote: ↑Sat Jul 07, 2018 9:50 am
Jack FFR1846 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 07, 2018 8:22 am Necessary? I'd say none of that. Those are all "wants".

My top safety picks:

Seat belts.
air bags.

/thread
Not duct tape?

My vehicle has lap belts. I am seriously thinking of upgrading to retractable 3 point belts.

I would rather not rely on technology to drive.

bigdav160

Texas Blue title? Interesting. I've bought,sold, traded-in several vehicles with lien holder name still on the title without any problem. Always a Blue title. A dark blue one not the pastel blue you might get while you are paying off the loan. But always in State. Must be a California thing Let me a...

bigdav160

This is the only way to properly repair a tire:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QR1vag1N9Q

All other methods are temporary fixes. The first shop should have added air before driving it into the shop.

bigdav160

What's the upside of using BoA over your local credit union? (legit question) I was a member of a credit union until the teller lied to me. When I challenged the associated fees with the branch manager about the teller's mistake, the manager took the word of the teller and refused to refund. ($25 o...

bigdav160

I have a rhetorical question. Why would anyone want to "retire" at age 40? What possibly would you do with all that time (that doesn't cost a lot of money)? Because when I turned 40 I saw my older sister hitting 50 have a suspected heart attack, my stepfather drop dead 6 months into retir...

bigdav160

I have a rhetorical question.

Why would anyone want to "retire" at age 40?
What possibly would you do with all that time (that doesn't cost a lot of money)?

bigdav160

Call me a fool if you like but I dropped my homeowners insurance, on a similar valued home, 10 years ago when the premiums went to $4500 year. And this was with a 5% deductible.

I don't regret it. It does cause me to be much more diligent on maintenance and upkeep.

bigdav160

I've installed several roofs myself (rent houses) with ridge vents. While unsightly, I do not see any reason for the vent not to function properly. It appears the fasteners were overdriven. I would think it an easy fix for the roofer. I am not sure why they would not address it. On second look of th...

bigdav160

I am building a FFR now with a Coyote/Tremec combination. The mechanicals are done and I am doing the body work now. There are many hours of massaging the body to make the doors/hood/trunk lid fit properly and look good. As mentioned (and maybe it's the width of the Coyote) the cockpit and pedal box...

bigdav160

The people that replied that wide, shallow or counter depth does not add anything haven't owned such a refrigerator. We have a 48" KitchenAid for 10 years and going strong. The compressor is on top freeing up space in the freezer. The shallow depth keeps items from getting lost in the back of f...

bigdav160

I have never purchased a new car. Most of my vehicle buys have been 10-20 year old models. I drive them for a while and usually resell them for a profit.

It works for me

bigdav160

In the larger Counties of Texas it is a yearly sporting event much like championship boxing. Some choose not to participate and pay the price in higher and higher taxes. Other's pay a proxy (service) to fight for them. Still others, like me, get beat up year after year with an occasional split decis...

bigdav160

Perhaps I am not smart enough but without a heating/A/C system how is insulation going to warm or cool the space?

I understand it can slow the temperature swings but won't it always return to ambient temp?

On warmer day won't it also hold the moisture in?

bigdav160

If I had to guess you are using a service? Pool maintenance and water chemistry should not be expensive. As far as electricity goes, most people run their pumps way too much.

bigdav160

I didn't read the other responses but my experience is people love to complain about pools and soon the pool haters dominate the discussion. Inground plaster/gunite pool here. Love it! and swim daily when weather permits. I installed higher end automated controls (salt generator/acid dispenser/robot...

bigdav160

I cannot add much other than I am going through the same thing with my oldest daughter. The difference might be my daugher is a National Merit Honor Society runner up (high SAT scores), highly motivated in and out of school individual (involved with the Church, works and plays/sings in a band) and w...

bigdav160

Those small compact lithium Ion ones are great. Get one over 8000 mAh and you'll be good. I've bought one for every car in the household. They claim to hold their charge for a year. I have started numerous vehicles with mine and I am still amazed how well it works. Harbor Freight sells for `$70 that...

bigdav160

I purchased a cooktop and dishwasher from them. No problems with the transaction.

I was able to get higher end models than what is typically sold locally.

bigdav160

With "thousands of coins" you should educate yourself or lose out on much of it's value. With that many coins Dealers are not going to take the time to do a proper appraisal and will likely low ball you and offer a pittance of it's true worth. Two coins can look the same, one can be valued...

bigdav160

Most likely your warranty will be tied to your installing dealer.

The hardware? Internally there's not that much difference between them.

bigdav160

I have several including a couple classic Corvettes, a Camaro Z28,a '50 Ford Coupe plus a few rare trucks. Love them.I drive them every chance I get. Of course I love motorcycles too and ride many days out of the year. Different strokes as they say. I never purchased a vehicle with safety as a consi...

bigdav160

Should be the same price at Amazon. I got email from Amazon today for their Gold Box Deal of the Day, TurboTax w/$10 Amazon gift card. I thought it was going to beat the Costco deal, but it turns out it's $10 more than the price of the software without the gift card! Figured I'd mention it here to ...

bigdav160

I am amazed at the slow speeds that people find adequate in this thread.

I just checked my connection with the link above:

2.50 Mbps download 1.95 Mbps upload.

This, in one of the most populated counties in the country, for $40 a month.

it sounds like I am not getting my monies worth?

bigdav160

I can only dream of premiums so low.

bigdav160

WhiteMaxima wrote: ↑Tue Dec 12, 2017 8:04 pm We knew we are all migrated from Africa not too long ago.

Of course the Dali Skull might upset that "fact"

bigdav160

I did my spouses genealogy the old fashion way and managed to get back to the pilgrims. Mine, on the other hand is a bit of a mystery. I have no fear that someone is going to use my DNA against me anymore than they might use my address or phone number. My parents died young and even though I have no...

bigdav160

The OP seems to have realistic expectations and most of the relevant concerns have been addressed. Plus there are many videos on Youtube addressing security concerns with these types of safes. I'll add, that in my home, I have two safes (residential security containers), both bolted into closets whe...

bigdav160

The best? I would say Festool, then Fein, then Metabo but those are priced towards the professional.

I've been very happy with my Makita products. One of their small drill/impact sets is perfect for homeowner use

bigdav160

I wore a Fitbit Flex for two years before upgrading to a Charge HR a year a go.

I never had an issue with either product and I am an extremely active person.

bigdav160

What area are you in?

I think this is important. Stucco seems to have durability issues in wet and humid climates.

bigdav160

That is a terrible idea

Maybe so but that is what I do.

Everyone has their own tolerance for risk and insurance is a hedge against that risk.

When my HO premiums reached $4500 several years ago (on a house the County says is worth $200k) I decided I had enough and would self insure.

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