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NHRATA01

Trex I believe has changed a bit in the past 10 years, my in laws did a deck in '08 and it has not held up well. But I believe that was the bare composite they made back then, and I think have since moved to a capped composite like others. I did a Timbertech capped composite deck in 2013 after getti...

NHRATA01

Best I can tell, this is a Direct Inject engine. Direct Inject engines tend to suffer from carbon buildup on the intake valves. It is a hotly debated issue as to whether to proactively clean the valves or not. That said, putting a cleaner in the fuel tank will not clean this carbon off, because in ...

NHRATA01

Is it worth considering bumping the deductible up to $1K and seeing what the annual costs drops to?

NHRATA01

Recent year Buick LaCrosse or Regal will get you what you want at pretty reasonable mileage for $15K vs a comparable Lexus or Acura. Buick has done well in the reliability rankings for the past few years.

NHRATA01

Sounds like he wants a mid/large "personal coupe" which once the Monte Carlo was put to pasture, hasn't existed at GM. You can get the pony cars, 2 door ATS, Buick Cascada (convertible) and that's about it. I also pretty much stick with the American brands but I have to say, the Accord Coupe is prob...

NHRATA01

You get more traction with FWD/winter tires vs AWD/all seasons. The tires matter more in most cases. I disagree with this frequently quoted opinion, particularly in OP's case of trying to get up an incline. I drive a RWD car with winter tires and prior owned a FWD car with winter tires, while the w...

NHRATA01

The worst 2 brands to buy almost new (especially Toyotas). They have incredibly high resale value, so you're going to pay almost new price for someone else's vehicle. Great brands but two times to buy them IMO are: 1. New 2. Several years old because you need to pay as little as possible for a car ...

NHRATA01

If it is purely for maintenance such as the brakes you mentioned, I would have the work done. With that amount of mileage routine maintenance is going to be a constant and a new car won't change that. If the car is mechanically sound, being that it is fairly efficient for such annual mileage, I woul...

NHRATA01

20 minute drive to save $10k? Not sure you made the right choice. Considering I know someone who was in his 30s and perfect health without a history of stones, had one strike while driving, then had to pull over and passed out on the side of the road (luckily had fully stopped the car) from the pai...

NHRATA01

The only time we did was for a honeymoon to the Caribbean, but it was on one of their local airlines on an older 737 so it really wasn't a first class experience, just wider seats and priority boarding. Think maybe a small plastic flute of economy champagne. I don't think the tickets cost us much of...

NHRATA01

I think you made a good choice and did well. For comparison I had to install a new 4ton unit 2 springs ago, it was 4200 for the condenser, air handler, lineset and some miscellaneous parts. Install was 3k. $3k for installation, did it take more than a day? Yes...probably took a good 12 hours all sa...

NHRATA01

Just giving an update, finally after atleast 10 HVAC quotes and multiple technicians, I'm back to the first technician and decided to just replace the AC condenser unit, change everything to R410a and clean the furnace thoroughly. The furnace seemed to be in good condition and I hope I can ride it ...

NHRATA01

Buy an older (pre 1970) vehicle. All mechanical (no computers) and appreciation in value is much more solid than a 10 year old Honda. For $50k you could easily find a late 60's restored convertible Vette. It won't appreciate much though if he'd like it to be a driver. And I'll take the reliability ...

NHRATA01

Well, do you want a fun daily that is large enough to be practical? Or are you considering just a separate toy that can be impractical? If it's just a toy for the weekend, the sky is pretty much the limit (or, moreso the pocketbook but you get the picture). A Miata, particularly used is fairly econo...

NHRATA01

I would say if you're going to keep the vehicle, use a high quality synthetic and keep EVERY receipt for your oil changes. This way if there is an engine issue within the warranty period they can't claim you haven't been doing maintenance. Also you never know, years later they may announce a special...

NHRATA01

As I always point out in these discussions where the assumption is that size is always better for vehicular safety, it is often neglected that the smaller more nimble vehicle will be more likely to avoid the accident in the first place. Braking, handling, rollover potential and loss of control avoid...

NHRATA01

For buying used 10 years/100K miles and then drive it til it dies, yes I would probably say a Lexus ES or GS, maybe an IS (getting small). Best value... I would argue take advantage of the steep depreciation curve of something like a Buick LaCrosse or Regal, combined with the transferrable 4/50 fact...

NHRATA01

I generally don't like CUVs (more of a sport sedan guy but those are becoming unicorns these days) but I have to say the CX-5 is about the only one I'd willingly drive. Drives great for a CUV, IMO the sharpest looker out there, and interior design and quality are far better than you'd expect for thi...

NHRATA01

Full synthetic every 10k on a Toyota. YMMV, depends on car and use. Me too. Toyotas...synthetic...10K miles.... I never change it early...after reading a study done by Consumer Reports long ago.....I don't worry if I run over. I do check my oil frequently...but in 20 years and several Toyotas, I've...

NHRATA01

I was looking at a 2014 truck with a gasoline engine today, and noticed a sticker on the door that said it was not legal for sale in California. Curious, I thought all the major manufacturers built to the toughest EPA standards, which would match CA. Does anybody know what could be different betwee...

NHRATA01

Youtube is a great tool but also if you have a common vehicle (say a Civic, Camry, any of the big 3 trucks/SUVs) the vehicle specific forums are a great resource for repairs, especially common ones. Besides general guidance, for some repairs people are nice enough to post step by step DIY with pictu...

NHRATA01

From your list, brake pads are very easy, but you do need a specialized tool to compress the calipers. I "rented" it for free from the auto parts store the first time, and then just bought my own after that. Or just use a block of wood and a C clamp. Or just use the old pads you pulled out to lever...

NHRATA01

If I can make a simple recommendation to start, as far as checking your form - bring your phone and either set it up or ask someone to record you for a set. Particularly if we are talking compound free weight lifts such as the squat or deadlift, or any of the olympic type lifts (which are very advan...

NHRATA01

If you have an Android with the ability, you can chose to screen the call and an automatic response will answer and then transcribe the caller's response so you can tell if they're a real person or a spammer.

NHRATA01

I just realized, people are actually deciding to boycott Gillette because they released a commercial that offended them :P :P :P Yeah, I thought it was about blades. Oops. I had to google the commercial since I hadn't seen it. Indeed. This thread has repeatedly shifted into medical advice, which pe...

NHRATA01

Strange direction this thread has gone in. I just realized, people are actually deciding to boycott Gillette because they released a commercial that offended them :P :P :P Yeah, I thought it was about blades. Oops. I had to google the commercial since I hadn't seen it. Indeed. This thread has repea...

NHRATA01

3 kids in child seats (especially any rear facing), it's tough to do. We had a Traverse with a 2nd row bench and were able to fit the 3 seats across - but that is a rather wide vehicle even for the class and it was very tight to the doors. With the 3rd row down we had a lot of cargo room in the back...

NHRATA01

I would not write off direct injection and turbocharging just because this particular application is having problems. Yes, DI tends to be a bit harder on the oil than port injection - but not commonly to the extent where the fuel content actual raises the level in the oil pan. More typical the manuf...

NHRATA01

I'm pretty frugal, but I've never fought a ticket where I knew I was at fault. You can't preach personal responsibility then try to weasel out of paying a fine you deserve. This is what I mean by morality. You don't "deserve" anything. First understand is that the traffic system is a money generato...

NHRATA01

Always, always plead not guilty, especially if you have a clean record (and then I wouldn't bother with a lawyer either). They may very well toss the ticket or at minimum knock it to a non moving violation with no points. All they really want at the end of the day is the money. Show up in court dres...

NHRATA01

Oh, all the new cars have microscopic engines with Turbos. They rev really high. So they will wear out very soon. So expensive to fix that you must buy a new car instead. The only cars with decent cubic inches and normal cruising rpm are the PPVs. My 1994 3.8 L engine still has good compression. It...

NHRATA01

Not to be fresh, but I see A3/S3 and the first thing I think of is a Jetta with a nice markup.

NHRATA01

So you asked this same question almost exactly a year ago. I believe at that time I googled and found that you could get a Ford Police Interceptor, which is a Explorer body and Crown Vic chassis with a hard plastic back seat. And you were also told then that most taxis are Toyota Prius’. What resea...

NHRATA01

You won't find a dealer that will sell the public a fleet vehicle because the manufacturer will not allow it. Primarily because the margins are slim so batch orders are typically required, but also in the case of police/fire vehicles, etc they are outfit in spartan fashion. As anyone who's bought a ...

NHRATA01

There's a lot of efficiency to be gained by using heat only when and where it is needed. My alternative to using a few hundred watts of electric resistance heating (in the form of light bulbs) for a fraction of an hour a day would be to turn up the central heating for the whole house by a couple of...

NHRATA01

Going by the dates I labeled on the bulbs, I started migrating to LEDs in '12-'13 with those ugly early year Philips tri-element bulbs (60W equivalent) in my highest use family room overhead fixture. They're still going strong but now in lampshaded fixtures so I don't have to look at them. Then in '...

NHRATA01

Sigh, take an IR gun to the exhaust manifold at the closest point to the cylinder head of a hot engine that is not running. It will be much less than 500F which is roughly the temperature it takes to ignite gasoline. You will not create a mushroom cloud in your driveway refilling a mower/snowblower...

NHRATA01

Sigh, take an IR gun to the exhaust manifold at the closest point to the cylinder head of a hot engine that is not running. It will be much less than 500F which is roughly the temperature it takes to ignite gasoline. You will not create a mushroom cloud in your driveway refilling a mower/snowblower ...

NHRATA01

I would say don't go by the "I have a brand xxx that's 20, 25, 30 years old" stories, as a lot has changed since then. Like mowers the majority of the popular ones and almost all the ones from the big box stores (Craftsman included) have been MTD units for the past 10 years or so. Few manufacturers ...

NHRATA01

This is coming from a person who has bought 90% Asian vehicles. Skip the Nissan and Toyota and pick one from the Big 3. The domestic brands know that this is their bread and butter and can't afford to make a bad truck. All 3 are good so I would drive all 3 and see what you like and buy it. This. Th...

NHRATA01

Thanks for the responses. That helps. On a side note, would you say most cars would retrieve at least $1k regardless of age or mileage or even condition as long as they run and are functional? I would say a running car that can pass inspection, or do so with minor maintenance (say brake pads/tires)...

NHRATA01

Investigate Classical Stretch ! Miranda Esmonde White is on many PBS channels & she has a website with DVDs for sale but there are free routines on youtube. Website has tips about where beginners should start. Check with your doctor first, go slowly at first, go at your own pace. As someone else po...

NHRATA01

They are a terrible idea for his reasons. However he neglects the fact that in most cases an automobile is a net contributor to your income: that is, you often can't get to a job and make money without incurring transportation costs. You could live in the city and walk, however it is more likely you...

NHRATA01

I've kind of never been of the opinion that 87 is sufficient for all of these modern high specific output (ie high power levels from small displacement) engines running turbochargers despite the manufacturers saying it is ok. GM was using, maybe still does, the "premium recommended not required" cav...

NHRATA01

We know that all engines use a rich mixture when they are cold. Put an eye on heavy load conditions say, a loaded up CRV against a strong wind or uphill, after warm up. I wonder if the air fuel ratio would dip way below 14.6:1 as the CVT tends to keep the rpm low and put the engine in the LSPI regi...

NHRATA01

From what I can find (still not 100% sure), this CRV has a 172F thermostat. If that's the case, that's amazingly low operating temperature. Back when I had my Lotus Elise, I replaced the garbage, plastic Toyota 190F thermostat with an Auto Zone all metal 180F thermostat as there was far more proble...

NHRATA01

Own a 2010 Honda Civic and the dealer seems to keep finding new problems and each service runs me 500 or so. Thinking of switching dealers. Any suggestions on where to take my car? Currently I use a Honda dealer. Can you list the problems you've had (describe them) and the ones the dealer found? Ho...

NHRATA01

I've known of a few to try, and can't recall a case (including current top politician mentioned earlier) where it came off looking good. And regarding the pills, I've also read of too many cases of side effects - they do mess with testosterone/dihydrotestosterone (dht is what influences baldness) wh...

NHRATA01

Probably cross the Cross-trek off your list. I repeatedly read that they are slow and small. My sister-in-law owns one, and I've driven it. I was pleasantly surprised by the pep of that little 2.0L -- it actually puts out more horsepower than the 2.2L in my '96 Outback. If a family of four thinks i...

NHRATA01

A fun car need not be a fancy car.

I paid roughly a $5K premium for a 2016 Chevy SS sedan ($40K, thanks GM for 20% off

) over about what an equivalently optioned Toyota Camry
XLE V6 ($35K) would have cost.

Best legal $5K I could have spent!

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