Search found 142 matches

by Oilburner
Wed Sep 14, 2016 12:26 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Any Car expert out there : Check Engine Light on
Replies: 27
Views: 3365

Re: Any Car expert out there : Check Engine Light on

I am clueless about cars, and this is probably not pertinent, but whatever. When my car was in for service a year or so ago, the dealer replaced the gas cap, saying that that was needed for some reason I forget. Perhaps to pass the emissions test. That gas cap was an invention of the devil. I could not get it off by myself and had to ask whatever male person happened to be around when I got gas. Finally I bought an old style cap off the web. Now when I get gas, it is not unusual for the check engine light to come on afterwards, until I park the car. Then the next time I drive the car, the light is off and stays off until I get gas again. (If anyone knows what is going on then, I would be interested to know. Fumes left over that dissipate?)...
by Oilburner
Wed Sep 14, 2016 12:12 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Any Car expert out there : Check Engine Light on
Replies: 27
Views: 3365

Re: Any Car expert out there : Check Engine Light on

The short answer is you can wait to fix this if you do not have to pass an emissions test. You might get slightly reduced fuel economy, but it should not harm your engine. What this code is telling you is the small heating element (filament) in the heated oxygen sensor failed. The sensor is heated to help it reach operating temperature quicker to begin "closed loop" mode, which further reduces emissions. The oxygen sensor needs to be replaced to fix this (there is a remote possibility it is a wiring problem. You can eliminate or confirm this possibility by checking the suspect oxygen sensor plug/connector using an ohm meter on the correct 2 pins. Ohm meters are inexpensive ($10 - 20 for a basic one and a Google search will bring u...
by Oilburner
Mon Mar 14, 2016 11:35 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Any suggestions for cooling solution for Florida garage?
Replies: 22
Views: 11296

Re: Any suggestions for cooling solution for Florida garage?

If it were me and if it were allowed by the community association (HOA), I would securely mount through the wall a small (5000 - 6000 BTU/hr, 115 volt) window A/C unit in the least conspicuous location possible. This means cutting a rectangular mounting hole through the wall.
by Oilburner
Thu Jan 14, 2016 12:58 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: My Car Broke. Buy New Car or Fix?
Replies: 50
Views: 7612

Re: My Car Broke. Buy New Car or Fix?

Have you considered purchasing a used engine from a salvage yard? I did this for my son's car and luckily found an engine from a newer (same make and model) car with 8000 miles on it for $1600 delivered to my door. Yes, 8000 miles (a basically brand new car got totaled: I got really lucky finding it). Add $1000 for labor or so to install it and you save quite a bit. See car-part.com. Many of the American salvage yards belong to this network.
by Oilburner
Tue Jan 12, 2016 11:37 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Oil Changes turns into a disaster. What to do?
Replies: 62
Views: 13745

Re: Oil Changes turns into a disaster. What to do?

This quick-lube place is called nicknamed "Iffy Lube" for a good reason. You did the right thing for having your vehicle towed to the Toyota dealer. You now have an independent expert diagnosis. If this were me, I would send a certified letter to the manager of the Jiffy Lube where your Toyota was "serviced" and state I would like either the engine replaced at a shop of my choice (you DO NOT want Jiffy Lube employees ever touching your car again) with a used engine (under warranty for 90 days), at Jiffy Lube's expense, or I would demand the fair market retail value of the car. For either choice, I would also demand to be reimbursed for all additional expenses from Toyota for the diagnosis and for any lost time from work,...
by Oilburner
Wed Aug 26, 2015 11:42 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Time to upgrade my HVAC?
Replies: 22
Views: 3520

Re: Time to upgrade my HVAC?

Use a window air conditioner. Perhaps one on each floor and you can have some zone control. I am in Nova too and that is what I have done. The central A/C is 20 plus years old and the furnace was replaced just before I bought the house and since the central A/C did not work well at all I went the window unit route instead of shelling out for a new A/C system. Electricity (Dominion Virginia Power) is at most $100 a month in the summer. Have a 1700 square foot Cape Cod single-family home. Use three window units, two are upstairs and are 5500 BTU/hr. and the one downstairs is 7500 BTU/hr capacity, all use 120 volts. I do remove the air conditioners from the windows in the fall and install them the spring, though.
by Oilburner
Wed Aug 26, 2015 11:25 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Tire rotation
Replies: 59
Views: 10562

Re: Tire rotation

Yes, they should be rotated. It is fairly easy to do yourself. You should invest in a decent floor jack, pair of jack stands, 1/2 inch drive breaker bar with short extension and 6-point socket to fit the lug nuts/bolts and torque wrench. Know where to place the jack and jack stands (I place the front of the car on jack stands and leave the rear on one side supported by the floor jack and move the rear tire to the front and front to the rear on the same side). It is probably better to get an extra set of jack stands and also support the rear in case the jack fails. That way you won't have damage. Remember: NEVER place any parts of your body underneath a car supported only by a floor jack. NEVER. Hydraulic floor jacks can fail suddenly and wi...
by Oilburner
Wed May 13, 2015 10:04 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Replace timing belt on old car with multiple issues?
Replies: 13
Views: 2078

Re: Replace timing belt on old car with multiple issues?

Having replaced a few timing belts on the A4 Jetta (body style you have) and driving VWs for 40 plus years, I say you should sell the car and move on to possibly a good used vehicle that will fit the needs of your growing family. If you have the timing belt replaced it will be expensive (my guess is $1500 plus) and it is a VERY easy job to mess up on a VW and the failure could happen several months later. For this job, there are several bolts that MUST be replaced, the engine mount bolts cover a few of them, as the timing belt runs around the engine mount on the right side and the mount must be removed (as the engine is held by a cross brace or floor jack). Many shops, dealers included, won't do this and this error makes it somewhat likely ...
by Oilburner
Tue Dec 30, 2014 12:26 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Buying gasoline
Replies: 7
Views: 1850

Re: Buying gasoline

This must be a regional occurrence. There are not cash discounts for gasoline where I live. I use a 5% cash back CC too :happy
by Oilburner
Mon Dec 29, 2014 8:43 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Snow blower maintenance and repair
Replies: 26
Views: 5033

Re: Snow blower maintenance and repair

I'll add that please be careful when cleaning out carburetor jets. Don't use a small wire or needle to clear a plugged jet if you can avoid it. It is easy to damage them by enlarging the orifice since they are (usually) brass and this causes the engine to then run rich. If the jet is obviously clogged, use a wooden pointed toothpick if you can.
by Oilburner
Mon Dec 29, 2014 8:30 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Snow blower maintenance and repair
Replies: 26
Views: 5033

Re: Snow blower maintenance and repair

My opinion is the mechanic is partly correct. I don't think the 10% ethanol in the gasoline is the culprit. Most likely the issue is plugged carburetor jets due to gums formed from gasoline left in the snow blower for extended periods. A sure way to verify this is if the snow blower runs on a prime. Remove the air cleaner and pour about a half teaspoon of gasoline into the carburetor throat and then try to start the engine. If it runs for a few seconds and then quickly quits, the engine has a good spark, but is not pulling fuel from the fuel tank. It is only running on the gas you primed the engine with. But if it does not fire, probably there is no spark at the spark plug and you need to troubleshoot the ignition system. For a fuel starvat...
by Oilburner
Wed Jul 16, 2014 11:02 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Another reason I am my own advisor
Replies: 15
Views: 6289

Re: Another reason I am my own advisor

This is why I like being a Boglehead. When I switched jobs I was able to, without even thinking about it, simply roll-over my 1.68 ER 401K to Vanguard and enjoy a $5000 savings in fees per year and be invested in the exact same funds (yes, I paid a 1.68 ER on the Vanguard 2030 Target Date fund, branded by Transamerica Insurance Corp via a "subaccount", thus a wrap fee, while at my old employer).

The other thing you can do as your own advisor is tax loss harvesting if you have a taxable account.
by Oilburner
Wed Jul 16, 2014 10:54 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: boglehead botanists...is this poison ivy?
Replies: 32
Views: 3714

Re: boglehead botanists...is this poison ivy?

No, it is not posion ivy. Not sure what it is though.
by Oilburner
Fri Jun 06, 2014 10:39 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Anyone here own a safe?
Replies: 91
Views: 17797

Re: Anyone here own a safe?

I was considering getting one of those smaller safes for things like jewelry, cash, important documents, etc. But I wonder how secure one of these things would be. Seems like it would just draw attention, and a robber could easily just carry the entire safe out and deal with opening it later. I can see how those huge $1000 safes would be safe, but that's beyond my budget and would be overkill anyways. I was thinking of one of those $150 smaller safes. But considering the concern I have above, is it better just hiding stuff around the house instead? Well, why not buy a safe, put a few bricks in it and a note asking how long it took the person stealing it to break into it and hide your valuables somewhere else in the house. That way the thie...
by Oilburner
Mon May 05, 2014 12:38 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do Honda Mowers Leave Un-cut Grass Strips? [YES, but...]
Replies: 101
Views: 64066

Re: Do Honda Mowers Leave Un-cut Grass Strips? [YES, but...]

I have a variable-speed, self-propelled rear bagger model Honda and it exhibits all the major problems listed--leaves unmowen strips, hard to start (I also us starting fluid), etc. I live in the mountains and my yard is very steep. Add to the pro list, that the variable speed drive works flawlessly. I couldn't mow my grass without it. Add to the con list that the mower deck drags on any slight imperfection in the yard, scalping off the grass--even with the wheels set in the third notch up--fairly annoying. Also the fuel shutoff valve is almost impossible to turn off or on by hand--minor annoyance. Lastly, when I bought the mower, it was apparently missing a locking pin and a minor part fell off. I asked to dealer to order me a replacement ...
by Oilburner
Mon May 05, 2014 12:36 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do Honda Mowers Leave Un-cut Grass Strips? [YES, but...]
Replies: 101
Views: 64066

Duplicate Post
by Oilburner
Mon May 05, 2014 12:28 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do Honda Mowers Leave Un-cut Grass Strips? [YES, but...]
Replies: 101
Views: 64066

Re: Do Honda Mowers Leave Un-cut Grass Strips? [YES, but...]

I think Honda push mowers are great and I've no complaints. My experience is that my now 79 year old mother has a Honda mower that is at least 14 years old and it has the same twin blade pictured on the mower in OP's link. I used her mower regularly each summer to mow her half-acre yard several times each year and never noticed uncut grass strips. It cuts the deepest of grass too and without stalling. This is a self-propelled model (so maybe it is a "walk-behind" mower and not a "push" mower") and I never used the bag. Perhaps some people's issues are when the bag fills and they continue to mow. Sharpening the blade will cost more, since you have in essence, two blades to sharpen. Also, if you use the bag, the mower...
by Oilburner
Wed Mar 19, 2014 1:12 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Gas Grill - Natural Gas vs Liquid Propane
Replies: 46
Views: 17477

Re: Gas Grill - Natural Gas vs Liquid Propane

yatesd wrote:Propane has these potential safety hazards:

- Spouse gets mad when fuel runs out
- Get in car accident with a LP tank in the vehicle
- Back injury while changing out propane tank
- Robbed at local store while paying for propane tank
- Someone steals your LP tank on the back deck and then sees all the cool stuff inside your house

:sharebeer :D
Another is propane is heavier than air. NG is lighter than air. In confined places, leaking propane flows along the floor and collects (pools) in low spots and can be ignited by an ignition source, where as NG can leak can harmlessly into the air (won't pool and ignite) (provided the leak is not too big and in a confined space).
by Oilburner
Wed Mar 19, 2014 12:57 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Gas Grill - Natural Gas vs Liquid Propane
Replies: 46
Views: 17477

Re: Gas Grill - Natural Gas vs Liquid Propane

The cost to convert the grill to natural gas should be minimal if you do it yourself. There are probably kits out there to do this conversion (different burner orifice and possibly regulator) for about $25. A general rule of thumb is propane in the 4-gallon BBQ tanks cost roughly 3 - 4 times what natural gas does for the same heating value. Figure you use a tank a year, you would save about $22 a year. If that is all you use it is hardly worth the effort to convert and is not cost effective if you have to have a plumber run a gas line (I got quoted $30 a foot for half-inch line for a gas log set). Running black iron gas pipe is amazingly simple to do (do pull a permit if required, though). It simply screws together (use pipe wrenches and th...
by Oilburner
Thu Feb 27, 2014 10:54 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: what's your number?? (for married couples)
Replies: 70
Views: 8949

Re: what's your number?? (for married couples)

Anything over 2 million would make me and my wife feel pretty comfortable. The more the better.
by Oilburner
Wed Feb 19, 2014 12:28 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Issues with small employer 401K
Replies: 27
Views: 4510

Re: Issues with small employer 401K

I feel for you. I was in the same boat last year, at a 3-person office that used Transamercia (an insurance company) branded common funds with a wrap fee for their 401k. I was paying about 2% for Vanguard index funds. My 401k balance had grown to the point that the 2% was really painful. This is what I learned: She can participate up to the match and then max out a Roth or Traditional IRA (depending on income limits) as starters, but it still may be advantageous to participate in a 401k at a 1.5% fee structure. She should read the Summary Plan Description (which she has a right to receive) to see what the terms of the plan are for withdrawals. By law, small employers companies must file annualy Form 5500/5500 SF (Short Form Annual Return/Re...
by Oilburner
Thu Jan 30, 2014 1:05 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: preventing rust on car exhaust system
Replies: 28
Views: 24173

Re: preventing rust on car exhaust system

[/quote] I remember those days well. I think lots of short trips where the engine never get up to temp contributes to this corrosion. Also think the introduction of unleaded gas has something to do with the long life of today's exhaust systems. On a different note, a lot of Northeast states have switched to a liquid pre-treat when storms are expected. This is supposedly very corrosive to metal parts like suspension parts and especially brake lines. Had to replace the brake lines on my 2004 Expedition last summer to the tune of $800.[/quote]My wife's 2001 MY Buick suffered the same fate three years ago. She stepped on the brakes while approaching a red light and the brake pedal let loose and the car stopped IN the intersection. The front bra...
by Oilburner
Thu Jan 30, 2014 9:22 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: preventing rust on car exhaust system
Replies: 28
Views: 24173

Re: preventing rust on car exhaust system

The neighbors probably think I'm nuts, but after I get road salt on my car, right when the temperature gets to 32 degrees F, or above, outside, I thoroughly spray off the entire car and especially all parts of the underside (engine compartment included, covering the master cylinder reservoir with aluminum foil to prevent any water infiltration into the brake fluid and not spraying certain areas of the engine very long (like electrical connectors and the alternator). I spend probably 45 minutes hosing it down and drying the car off. For the engine compartment, I make sure the engine is somewhat warm (not hot, you will crack exhaust manifolds) when I spray it off quickly and I use a leaf blower to blow water out of the engine compartment. If ...
by Oilburner
Thu Jan 30, 2014 8:57 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Sell my financed luxury car to free up cash?
Replies: 18
Views: 2830

Re: Sell my financed luxury car to free up cash?

I would sell the car, but try to get a fair price for it. Cars are bad investments (generally), so don't hang onto it as an investment. You have a cost to keep (store) them, even if it is in your garage, there is an opportunity cost because you can't use the space for something else. And cars depreciate, things wear on them and they can bring less money (or their value may not keep up with inflation) over the years. Then there is maintenance to keep it running and other costs if you ever drive it (legally). And insurance and property taxes, possibly. Don't rationalize keeping the car because you can't stomach selling it at a loss. This is a loosing proposition. The purchase price is a sunk cost and is irrelevant in making your decision. Als...
by Oilburner
Tue Jan 28, 2014 11:00 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Most Efficient Way to Heat a Home
Replies: 86
Views: 9364

Re: Most Efficient Way to Heat a Home

Oil heat is one of the more expensive forms of heat. You will spend about four times on oil heat, than you will for natural gas, after factoring the added furnace maintenance (usually yearly) that oil burners require. One thing you can do is make sure your house is properly insulated and sealed to maximize heat retention and minimize air infiltration. Payback can be pretty quick sometimes.

Also, have you considered other heating sources, such as a wood-burning stove? Oil heat can make these attractive, from a cost standpoint.
by Oilburner
Mon Jan 27, 2014 10:22 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Bought in, and then they start tumbling
Replies: 67
Views: 12047

Re: Bought in, and then they start tumbling

Just be glad you HAVE the money to buy into the stock market. The average person does not.
by Oilburner
Wed Jan 15, 2014 1:02 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: devices to maximize a car's fuel economy
Replies: 64
Views: 5476

Re: devices to maximize a car's fuel economy

TRC wrote:A "K&N Airfilter" will help a little.
I have read that the oil that the K & N filter uses (you have to periodically oil the foam filter) slowly evaporates into the intake air and can ruin (fowl) the MAF (mass air flow) sensor. MAFs sometimes can not be cleaned (with tuner cleaner) and will need replacement. They are pretty pricy. You should look into this if you are planning on using a K & N filter. I won't use them.
by Oilburner
Tue Jan 14, 2014 10:54 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: devices to maximize a car's fuel economy
Replies: 64
Views: 5476

Re: devices to maximize a car's fuel economy

The best device to increase fuel economy is the vehicle owner/driver. Maintain the car per the owner's manual. The following have a bearing on fuel economy: air filter, spark plugs, valve adjustment (if car has mechanical lifters), tire pressure (higher is better, but too high is dangerous), vehicle alignment, A/C use, speed, gear selection (if an automatic a light foot on the accelerator), type of fuel used (if the gasoline contains 10% ethanol, mileage drops about 3%). Light use of brakes (I still have the original brakes on my car at 170,000 miles and about 30% of the pad is left and this is with lots of stop & go driving. On a previous car my brakes were so old the metal pad backing rusted between the backing and pad and the pad fel...
by Oilburner
Mon Jan 13, 2014 9:06 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: HSBC 5% Cash Rebate Master Card: Looks Like It's History
Replies: 1
Views: 814

HSBC 5% Cash Rebate Master Card: Looks Like It's History

Who here has an HSBC Master Card that gives a 5% cash rebate on automotive (including gasoline), groceries and healthcare expenditures? I've had this card for years and every month I get back about $40 in cash (as a statement credit), at least four times more than any other cash-back credit card I own. My wife gets about $25 back every month on hers. I charge on this card everything I buy that falls in the 5% category and nothing else. For years I've been wondering when the plug was going to be pulled on this great deal. Well, it looks like that day is not far off. Capital One bought all the HSBC accounts several months ago. Yesterday I received an e-mail from Capital One announcing some changes. Excerpts are below: "You may know that ...
by Oilburner
Mon Jan 13, 2014 8:34 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Good/ enjoy math, but dislike programming: College major?
Replies: 65
Views: 14146

Re: Good/ enjoy math, but dislike programming: College major

I would suggest he take another look at engineering, and ideally petroleum engineering or geology. But only if he is interested by the subject matter. If uninterested, it will be painful to pursue an engineering degree. I say this because I am in the oil industry and know firsthand the petroleum industry in the US is experiencing a "renaissance" on the production side due to the discovery of cost-effective ways to extract oil and natural gas from shale. America has more oil and gas than we know what do do with. The key is extracting it in environmentally friendly, cost effective manner. At some point in the not-to-distant future we will become the largest oil and gas producer in the world and there will be very good opportunity fo...
by Oilburner
Fri Jan 10, 2014 9:24 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How do I establish a retirement "number"?
Replies: 47
Views: 6981

Re: How do I establish a retirement "number"?

ajcp wrote:Personally, I don't. I have a (very) rough estimate assuming I'll need 100% of my current income, but I mainly just use that for fun, because I don't know what my expenses will be either. I just save as much as I can and figure in 30 years when I'm 55 I will have a good idea of what my expenses are. Then I'll go from there.
This is the way I look at it too. My number is "as much as possible"; being late starters, by wife and I currently max out our 401k and Roth IRA contributions each year.
by Oilburner
Mon Dec 02, 2013 10:45 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Heat Pump Replacement Advice Please
Replies: 20
Views: 3251

Re: Heat Pump Replacement Advice Please

This caught my attention: "the current unit has serious trouble keeping up during the extreme (for our area) hot and cold temps,..." This may or may not be indicative of a need to replace the heat pump. Although at 20 years of age, that in itself would probably warrant replacement. As part of the replacement process did you look at the possible need to upgrade the house insulation and/or decrease air leaks in the house/ductwork? If you have insulation voids and air leaks, the new equipment may have trouble heating and cooling adequately too. Even if acceptable, it would be more expensive to operate. The contractor should do a heating/cooling analysis with possibly an air leakage test. Half a ton capacity difference is cooling betw...
by Oilburner
Wed Nov 27, 2013 1:26 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: This Article Made Me Laugh, Re: Rollovers
Replies: 18
Views: 2736

Re: This Article Made Me Laugh, Re: Rollovers

Well early this year I left that employer for a better job (one of the big reasons I left was the employer turned his nose up at a Vanguard proposal for a small company 401k plan I gave him) and within a week had my sizable 401k in a Vanguard Rollover IRA in the same 2030 Target Date fund, but at 0.18% ER. I took half the company plan retirement savings balance with me (per the department of Labor filing data I saw).:D Ha! That's fantastic. I wouldn't have been able to handle it either. I made the mistake of rolling my wife's over to her next employer 401k pre-bogleheads, but we're talking about a small number at that time so it doesn't bother me too much. Yes, it was a three-person office. That is one of the few times in life where I got ...
by Oilburner
Wed Nov 27, 2013 1:22 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: How do you keep all your important documents?
Replies: 43
Views: 5782

Re: How do you keep all your important documents?

Bankrate.com said the following for IRAs: "[Keep records] Permanently If you made a nondeductible contribution to an IRA, keep the records indefinitely to prove that you already paid tax on this money when the time comes to withdraw." Does this include Roth IRAs? Or by the very nature of it being a Roth preclude the need to keep purchase records? If records need to be kept, does Vanguard do this adequately? My Roths are at Vanguard. Thanks,
by Oilburner
Wed Nov 27, 2013 1:07 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Bitcoins as investment
Replies: 210
Views: 22785

Re: Bitcoins as investment

My 26 year old son called me a couple nights ago and asked if I was going to invest money in Bitcoin. And then suggested I do if I had not planned to. I said, "Bit what?" Well, I was not quite that uninformed about Bitcoin, but have heard the name and read a few paragraph article on it. He actually explained it well to me and then I imparted some of the Bogleheads wisdom on him and said I'd pass due to the speculative nature.

My son said he put $500 an one of the alternates to Bitcoin that recently popped up. It's at $1500 he said. I suggested he take the profit, all of it. But who knows, he may get lucky.
by Oilburner
Tue Nov 26, 2013 12:05 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Buying Wall-to-Wall Carpet: What Do I Need to Know?
Replies: 38
Views: 9404

Re: Buying Wall-to-Wall Carpet: What Do I Need to Know?

Measure your carpeted area. I did before buying new wall-to-wall carpet. The estimates I got were based on up to 50% more carpet than my measured amount. This can give you some bargaining power. 10 - 12% would be the most overage you should pay for.
by Oilburner
Tue Nov 26, 2013 11:51 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: This Article Made Me Laugh, Re: Rollovers
Replies: 18
Views: 2736

Re: This Article Made Me Laugh, Re: Rollovers

12 years ago I was naive and rolled my 401k from my previous employer to my new employer. I thought that is just what people did. Several years later I embraced the Bogleheads philosophy and realized what a mistake I made. And I could not correct this error unless I died or left the company, one that ended up costing me $4500 per year in added fees (based on my 401k $300k balance). I could not withdraw my money from this plan until I reached 59.5 years of age and I was about 43 at the time. This small business employer used Transamerica branded funds (aka commonly-available funds with an insurance company wrap fee). I paid 1.68% ER for a Vanguard 2030 Target Date fund. Well early this year I left that employer for a better job (one of the b...
by Oilburner
Mon Nov 25, 2013 6:32 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Vanguard Mutual Fund Price When Exchanging Funds
Replies: 3
Views: 538

Vanguard Mutual Fund Price When Exchanging Funds

I've looked all over Vanguard's web site and I can not find the answer to this seemingly simple question: When I exchange Vanguard mutual funds on-line after hours, are the fund transaction prices their previous close prices, or are the prices the following business day's closing prices? Thank you.
by Oilburner
Fri Nov 22, 2013 2:34 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Success Stories of Bogleheads
Replies: 62
Views: 9661

Re: Success Stories of Bogleheads

I discovered the Boggleheads a couple of years after I received a sizable (for me anyway) inheritance and put it with a financial planner (overall ER of about 3.5%) because I did not know any better. Invested in all stock funds. This was in 2007. Then after the bottom fell out of the market I thought, "There has to be a better way" and I then found the Boggleheads and I embraced their principles AND removed my investments from under the management of the financial adviser and sent them over to Vanguard. I had about $200,000 saved at the time (inheritance included) to show for my labors at age 49 when I changed my ways and now just a few years later I am close to being a member in the "double comma club." :beer I could no...
by Oilburner
Sun Nov 10, 2013 9:13 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Living in Arlington, VA
Replies: 63
Views: 5382

Re: Living in Arlington, VA

Arlington is very expensive for rent and condo prices. Vienna has a Metrorail (subway) stop and although still not inexpensive, should be less than Arlington, VA to live.

Here is the Metrorail web site:

http://www.wmata.com/rail/

On the plus side if he lives in Arlington, VA he will be going against the rush hour traffic flow. Traffic is horrendous i n Northern, VA.
by Oilburner
Mon Nov 04, 2013 8:44 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: FSA gains $500 rollover feature
Replies: 42
Views: 9287

Re: FSA gains $500 rollover feature

We participate in the medical FSA through my wife's employer, but my new employer offers one (my old employer did not), so I will compare plans. I did not see the following mentioned above: My wife's FSA DOES NOT have a grace period where two and a half months in the following year can be used to purchase qualifying items with the previous year's monies set aside, but lets participants file expenses up until March 15, 2014. All eligible expenses must be incurred in 2013. Her plan is very specific on this. Also, as I understand it, for those employers that offer FSAs, the new Federal provision of either allowing participants to purchase qualifying items 2.5 months into the following year with the previous year's allotment, or allowing a $500...
by Oilburner
Thu Oct 31, 2013 7:46 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 401k Overcontribution
Replies: 19
Views: 1977

Re: 401k Overcontribution

You and your wife won't miss out on much. Since matches are by pay period, the forgone match will be about 2/12 X 0.75 X 0.06 of her salary. This represents November and December. Let's say she was hired at 100,000 per year. The forgone amount would be $750.
by Oilburner
Wed Oct 16, 2013 7:14 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Home security ideas
Replies: 31
Views: 3562

Re: Home security ideas

Locks don't mean crap to a determined criminal. Anything "passive" is just that. A good German Shepherd. Great family dogs - excellent with small children and women in general - brutal with unknown intruders and highly suspicious of strange adult males who come onto the family turf. I used to have two and once the male dog came in real handy when someone bad showed up on a dark winter night at my front door. I can't explain it - but I trusted my male dog's opinion of people. He was well-behaved but if he didn't like someone he would let it be known and I kept my guard up. Get one of those dogs - raise them properly as part of the family pack and you'll have plenty of time on short notice in the middle of the night to grab a loade...
by Oilburner
Wed Oct 16, 2013 7:00 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Young Guys [and Gals] Making Good Money
Replies: 242
Views: 36152

Re: Young Guys Making Good Money

Just curious, where do you work? That sounds like a great place to work. The specific company isn't important...it is a large energy company, of which there are many in Houston. If you start rattling off names like Exxon, Shell, BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Marathon, Halliburton, Schlumberger, Anadarko, Baker Hughes and Apache.....you would be very warm. :D We all benchmark our compensation against each other, so I am awful confident that these companies all pay reasonably comparable compensation (otherwise, people would flood from the lowest to the highest payers). Best wishes. Ahh, but Exxon hasn't moved to Houston yet, they are in Irving, Tx. Anadarko is in The Woodlands, Tx. Chevron is in El Ramon, California. BP is headquartered in Lo...
by Oilburner
Thu Oct 10, 2013 10:19 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: [Considering solar power] - How do these #s look?
Replies: 32
Views: 3753

Re: [Considering solar power] - How do these #s look?

I just did a one-minute calculation, assuming 12 cents a KW hour, 8 hours a day of sunlight average at full power and half of the days being sunny and I come up with a 15-year payback, which is a lot better than I would have thought.
by Oilburner
Fri Oct 04, 2013 8:09 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Car dealer refusing to repair car
Replies: 54
Views: 8562

Re: Car dealer refusing to repair car

climber2020 wrote:Another (and hopefully final) update:

The engineer from Nissan visited the dealership earlier today, looked at the car, and figured out the problem. My girlfriend couldn't relay to me exactly what was wrong with the car, but they have decided to replace the entire engine. The car should be good to go by the middle of next week. In the meantime, she keeps the loaner car from the dealership at no cost to her.

Thanks again to everyone for the helpful suggestions! :beer
Excellent. Let's hope the engine replacement is correctly done.
by Oilburner
Fri Oct 04, 2013 7:33 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Car dealer refusing to repair car
Replies: 54
Views: 8562

Re: Car dealer refusing to repair car

I've performed ALL the maintenance and repairs on my cars ever since I have been driving (for about 38 years), so my comments come with experience. What make and model is this? Sometimes internet searches will divulge a common problem, so it is worth a search on "coolant loss year, make, model". How much coolant is lost over what period of time? Why does your independent mechanic think it is a head gasket issue (reason I ask is that a lot of internal coolant loss incidents are from internal head gasket leaks, but can be other things on certain models, such as EGR cooler leaks). Other areas include leaking heater core (when the heat is on so the windows fog up (A/C must be off. When in "defrost" mode, the A/C compressor e...
by Oilburner
Tue Sep 24, 2013 7:56 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Landlord will not return rent deposit check ($1500)
Replies: 41
Views: 7803

Re: Landlord will not return rent deposit check ($1500)

I take it you left on good terms and did not break the lease and that the lease states you are to get your security deposit back under the lease conditions. Note that in some states interest must be paid and the deposit must be held in escrow. You have been nice, but its time to play hard ball. Send the ex landlord a Certified Letter, return receipt requested. State in the letter you wish your security deposit (and interest, if due) back because you abided by the lease and if by thirty days you don't get the money you will take legal action. Next, file a Warrant in Debt with the jurisdiction where you lived (usually in General District Court) and have the landlord issued proper service and set the return (hearing) date to right after the 30...
by Oilburner
Wed Sep 18, 2013 9:44 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: The Incredible Importance of Social Security
Replies: 97
Views: 15654

Re: The Incredible Importance of Social Security

Wow, I never thought I would be in the top 10%, the 10th decile. Just shows it pays to stay the course and save more than you spend. I have about eight years left until retirement too. :happy