What are your next major purchases?

[Daehawk]

As a teen no ac didn't affect me. my first car was already 12 years old and was a 1974 Corolla so no ac. I guess I would have been ok in my 20s and 30s but had ac. Now though i cant take heat and cant take sweating to death going to town and becoming sick . Dont know what ill do if the recharge can wont help.

[Holman]

My son takes piano, but we were able to get off a little easier by buying a nice full range digital keyboard. Those still aren't cheap, but they're a heck of a lot cheaper than buying an actual piano.

huh? people are constantly getting rid of pianos in quite playable shape for free or extremely cheap (you move) - check your local classifieds.

When we decided to offload our inherited standup piano, almost no one wanted it because (1) pianos are a pain in the ass to move and (2) they actually don't have that long a lifespan.

A 40 or 50 year-old piano is probably incapable of being tuned without some of the strings snapping, and the hammer mechanisms are probably slow or warped. There's a reason we have a high-end market for antique violins and antique guitars but not antique pianos.

An old friend of mine used to buy and remove old pianos just to take them apart and repurpose the wood. (Lots of old family pianos are unplayable but are made of beautiful cherry or spruce or other exotic woods.)

[geezer]

I have some friends who recently bought a house near SD and now need to sell their condo in SD. It's a nice place in a good location. It's also considerably more than a million bucks. Housing is crazy expensive there.

Yeah - "luckily" (I feel really bad saying that - as a property owner for the last 25 years I've done well but I feel horrible for someone who wants to buy their first place now) Austin has gone just as crazy, so we can basically make a lateral move - maybe even come out a little ahead.

What’s the word on the potential new place, and whereabouts in San Diego? The boarding school we just started sending our youngest to is in Carlsbad, about 30 minutes north of the city. We’ve been going down a lot to tour, move him in, visit, and we’re becoming really fond of the San Diego area. This weekend, we even started checking out some open houses. But, man, the prices! We went to an open house for a 2 bedroom bungalow, about 1800 sq feet, priced at $2.4M.

But the area has a lot of what we’re really looking for. We both love the ocean and the beach, but the Pacific NW coast doesn’t do it for us at all. It’s all wet sand, cold water, and a constant roar of the ocean instead of waves coming in and out. And it’s usually raining.

The beach in Carlsbad is amazing. Great sand, perfect surf, moderate but warm temps. If we could somehow find (and afford) a place down there somewhere down the road (maybe after the kids get through school), I think it might fit us well.

We looked at Carlsbad, but it was a bit too far from the airport for us. We ended up settling on the north park/hillcrest/mission hills area and we currently have an accepted offer on a place that really meets all our needs, and is extremely walkable to balboa park, a bunch of great restaurants, etc. That said, we need to sell our place in ATX to make it happen.

That 2.7 million bungalow is expensive, but practically oceanfront . (Edit - if it were across the street I’d probably be 1-2 million more. )

[geezer]

I have some friends who recently bought a house near SD and now need to sell their condo in SD. It's a nice place in a good location. It's also considerably more than a million bucks. Housing is crazy expensive there.

Yeah - "luckily" (I feel really bad saying that - as a property owner for the last 25 years I've done well but I feel horrible for someone who wants to buy their first place now) Austin has gone just as crazy, so we can basically make a lateral move - maybe even come out a little ahead.

What’s the word on the potential new place, and whereabouts in San Diego?

This is my friends' condo.

I thought Pali Alto was in the south SF Bay Area?

It is. East coasters don’t realize that CA is as big as half the eastern seaboard. . (I think he just typed SD twice instead of SF)

[Carpet_pissr]

I could try myself but will need to buy a jack.

Check your trunk (will prob have to lift up liner) or POSSIBLY underneath car inside the rim of any spare you might have.

[em2nought]

I could try myself but will need to buy a jack.

Check your trunk (will prob have to lift up liner) or POSSIBLY underneath car inside the rim of any spare you might have.

Ol' timer, I think spares and what not are now extras not included with the car purchase. Well, some anyway.

Those self repairs from the exterior aren't really recommended for a permanent fix or for highway speeds if he wants to be safe. ...and I don't know about run flats at all so maybe nothing I've mention is pertinent.

Dont know what ill do if the recharge can wont help.

Embark on a new adventure and move to Bogota, Colombia. Ditch the car along with home heating and cooling. That's what I think about sometimes anyway.

[Daehawk]

I have no spare or jack...haven't for about 30 years . I do have roadside assistance.

[Kurth]

I have some friends who recently bought a house near SD and now need to sell their condo in SD. It's a nice place in a good location. It's also considerably more than a million bucks. Housing is crazy expensive there.

Yeah - "luckily" (I feel really bad saying that - as a property owner for the last 25 years I've done well but I feel horrible for someone who wants to buy their first place now) Austin has gone just as crazy, so we can basically make a lateral move - maybe even come out a little ahead.

What’s the word on the potential new place, and whereabouts in San Diego?

This is my friends' condo.

I thought Pali Alto was in the south SF Bay Area?

It is. East coasters don’t realize that CA is as big as half the eastern seaboard. . (I think he just typed SD twice instead of SF)

So true. This past summer, I was planning college visits for my oldest in CA. He had a dozen schools he wanted to hit from San Fran to LA to San Diego. With my North East corridor mindset, I had figured we could start in the north in San Fran, rent a car and head south to bang them out in a weekend before actually trying to map it out. Didn't quite figure on how long a drive it is from San Fran to San Diego!

California is like a freaking continent unto itself compared to my piddling little north eastern seaboard states.

[Kraken]

Palo Alto, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose are all the same place because their names aren't in English. I knew my friends lived in a place with two Spanish names. In other words, IDK what I'm talking about. But they're selling a nice condo in Palo Alto and that's in the same state as San Diego, so you should totally buy it.

[Scuzz]

I could try myself but will need to buy a jack.

Check your trunk (will prob have to lift up liner) or POSSIBLY underneath car inside the rim of any spare you might have.

My daughter bought a Jeep Compass. She has liked the car but it did not come with any spare or jack. Even the dealer apologized as they claimed to not know that was part of the deal. We found a tire company (Les Schwab) that found a rim and tire that worked for her.

[Scuzz]

I have no spare or jack...haven't for about 30 years . I do have roadside assistance.

Without a spare that means you get towed somewhere.

[Scuzz]

I have some friends who recently bought a house near SD and now need to sell their condo in SD. It's a nice place in a good location. It's also considerably more than a million bucks. Housing is crazy expensive there.

Yeah - "luckily" (I feel really bad saying that - as a property owner for the last 25 years I've done well but I feel horrible for someone who wants to buy their first place now) Austin has gone just as crazy, so we can basically make a lateral move - maybe even come out a little ahead.

What’s the word on the potential new place, and whereabouts in San Diego?

This is my friends' condo.

I thought Pali Alto was in the south SF Bay Area?

It is. East coasters don’t realize that CA is as big as half the eastern seaboard. . (I think he just typed SD twice instead of SF)

So true. This past summer, I was planning college visits for my oldest in CA. He had a dozen schools he wanted to hit from San Fran to LA to San Diego. With my North East corridor mindset, I had figured we could start in the north in San Fran, rent a car and head south to bang them out in a weekend before actually trying to map it out. Didn't quite figure on how long a drive it is from San Fran to San Diego!

California is like a freaking continent unto itself compared to my piddling little north eastern seaboard states.

Having lived on the west coast all my life I found it weird how I could drive from state to state to state to state on the east coast in a few hours.

[coopasonic]

I could try myself but will need to buy a jack.

Check your trunk (will prob have to lift up liner) or POSSIBLY underneath car inside the rim of any spare you might have.

Ol' timer, I think spares and what not are now extras not included with the car purchase. Well, some anyway.

Particularly on cars with run flats. That's kind of the point.

A spare for my car was a major purchase last year. Of course it is too big to put anywhere in the car reasonably. If only the "undertrunk" were a little (ok , a lot) bigger.

[LawBeefaroni]

I could try myself but will need to buy a jack.

Check your trunk (will prob have to lift up liner) or POSSIBLY underneath car inside the rim of any spare you might have.

Ol' timer, I think spares and what not are now extras not included with the car purchase. Well, some anyway.

Particularly on cars with run flats. That's kind of the point.

A spare for my car was a major purchase last year. Of course it is too big to put anywhere in the car reasonably. If only the "undertrunk" were a little (ok , a lot) bigger.

Yeah, my car definitely does not have a jack. The tire stowage came replaced with compartments containing a compressor/foam dispenser, small safe, and some emergency tools. Definitely not comfortable with this new way of things but it seems to be the standard for "regular" cars.

[Carpet_pissr]

It does seem to be moving that way (no more spares), but in my recent car search and purchase, I saw a lot of people pushing back on that trend (and in some cases getting them). Not sure if they were dealer add-ons or factory options though.

My ‘15 Honda Odyssey has a spare, but my ‘22 Santa Fe does not.

I can totally see myself being very pissed off if I need to change a tire and not having a spare.

The little ‘shit kit’ they gave me I presume designed to placate consumers’ ire at not getting a spare, is not going to cut it.

‘Shit! Just blew out a tire!’
‘Thank God they gave me a shitty tire pressure gauge and $7 Harbor Freight inflator! That should do it!’

At least include a decent plug kit!

I also foresee someone in our uber-litigious world suing a car company for leaving this out when something bad happens as a result (stranded in a dangerous situation and died or was injured as a result).

[disarm]

My 2018 Audi Q7 (three row SUV) came with run-flat tires and was designed without room for a spare, although I will admit that the tire/wheel that needs to be stored is quite large. In it's place, you get a can of fix-a-flat and a tire inflator that plugs into the 12V outlet. I guess that combination should be able to get you to help in a pinch, but then you face another problem...oddball tire sizes that aren't just available on whim (285/45R20), especially when you need another matching run-flat. Hopefully I never need to find one of those in a hurry...

[geezer]

I have some friends who recently bought a house near SD and now need to sell their condo in SD. It's a nice place in a good location. It's also considerably more than a million bucks. Housing is crazy expensive there.

Yeah - "luckily" (I feel really bad saying that - as a property owner for the last 25 years I've done well but I feel horrible for someone who wants to buy their first place now) Austin has gone just as crazy, so we can basically make a lateral move - maybe even come out a little ahead.

What’s the word on the potential new place, and whereabouts in San Diego?

This is my friends' condo.

I thought Pali Alto was in the south SF Bay Area?

It is. East coasters don’t realize that CA is as big as half the eastern seaboard. . (I think he just typed SD twice instead of SF)

So true. This past summer, I was planning college visits for my oldest in CA. He had a dozen schools he wanted to hit from San Fran to LA to San Diego. With my North East corridor mindset, I had figured we could start in the north in San Fran, rent a car and head south to bang them out in a weekend before actually trying to map it out. Didn't quite figure on how long a drive it is from San Fran to San Diego!

California is like a freaking continent unto itself compared to my piddling little north eastern seaboard states.

Having lived on the west coast all my life I found it weird how I could drive from state to state to state to state on the east coast in a few hours.

I was just about to say the same thing. I grew up in DC and my wife lived in and has family in NYC, but we’re so adjusted to life in the west that we have to consciously remember that the trips between the two at the holidays don’t require a multi day plan.

[geezer]

Palo Alto, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose are all the same place because their names aren't in English. I knew my friends lived in a place with two Spanish names. In other words, IDK what I'm talking about. But they're selling a nice condo in Palo Alto and that's in the same state as San Diego, so you should totally buy it.

[geezer]

I have some friends who recently bought a house near SD and now need to sell their condo in SD. It's a nice place in a good location. It's also considerably more than a million bucks. Housing is crazy expensive there.

Yeah - "luckily" (I feel really bad saying that - as a property owner for the last 25 years I've done well but I feel horrible for someone who wants to buy their first place now) Austin has gone just as crazy, so we can basically make a lateral move - maybe even come out a little ahead.

What’s the word on the potential new place, and whereabouts in San Diego?

This is my friends' condo.

I thought Pali Alto was in the south SF Bay Area?

It is. East coasters don’t realize that CA is as big as half the eastern seaboard. . (I think he just typed SD twice instead of SF)

So true. This past summer, I was planning college visits for my oldest in CA. He had a dozen schools he wanted to hit from San Fran to LA to San Diego. With my North East corridor mindset, I had figured we could start in the north in San Fran, rent a car and head south to bang them out in a weekend before actually trying to map it out. Didn't quite figure on how long a drive it is from San Fran to San Diego!

California is like a freaking continent unto itself compared to my piddling little north eastern seaboard states.

What’s weird is that even OR and WA are still huge. The PNW is massive.

[Jaymann]

It does seem to be moving that way (no more spares), but in my recent car search and purchase, I saw a lot of people pushing back on that trend (and in some cases getting them). Not sure if they were dealer add-ons or factory options though.

My ‘15 Honda Odyssey has a spare, but my ‘22 Santa Fe does not.

I can totally see myself being very pissed off if I need to change a tire and not having a spare.

The little ‘shit kit’ they gave me I presume designed to placate consumers’ ire at not getting a spare, is not going to cut it.

‘Shit! Just blew out a tire!’
‘Thank God they gave me a shitty tire pressure gauge and $7 Harbor Freight inflator! That should do it!’

At least include a decent plug kit!

I also foresee someone in our uber-litigious world suing a car company for leaving this out when something bad happens as a result (stranded in a dangerous situation and died or was injured as a result).

I'm sure potential lawsuits are factored in as just a cost of doing business. Maybe if you screw in the back seat of the car while waiting for a tow truck you can sue the insurance company.

I ranted on no spare in the Tesla thread. Others thought they aren't worth lugging around the extra weight. I checked the Tesla website and they sell a pair of wheels as an upgrade for like ~$2,500. I think it sucks to have your car towed due to lack of a spare. Even a donut spare is better than that.

[Carpet_pissr]

Yeah, I don’t want a full size spare either. Personally, put the minimally functional round object in the trunk/under car/frunk and I’m happy. I just want something to use in an emergency to get me home (even if I have to drive under 50 to get there) or at least to the closest mechanic.

Run flat tires and no spare I get. The bad imo trend is equipping cars without run flats AND no spare.

[Daehawk]

I went to take a close look at my car's ac compressor. The clutch actually isn't locked up and I can turn it with my hand only. But it will not engage when the car and ac is running like it should / was. So either somehow all the r134 leaked out or its toast. I was thinking I could replace the compressor myself. A new one is like $220. But no...lots of hard lines and small spaces.

Also I have my fingers totally covered in slimy grease and was wondering why one kept seeming to get more and more grease even though i was wiping it off...blood. Someone simply turning the ac compressor clutch I cut my finger...and grease is in it. Man that is PAINFUL to try and scrub / wash out of the wound. Some still in it. Thats all I need is a 3rd finger with a black line embedded in it. I got the first two being a dumb teenager pulling a prank on a cute girl like and idiot with 3 other idiots. Cut those fingers to the bone and had dirt in the cuts. What did I do? Go inside Hardees and ask for a cup of ice....yup that was it. So have 2 scars with black in them. Hope this one dont turn out the same.

[Unagi]

Are you absolutely positive there is no conceivable way that you can actually earn a pinch of money - specifically - you can't get over wanting to tell people to go to hell?

I feel like you must do that almost every day with someone hear on OO.
And fuck, dude/my friend - you need to try something, IMO - otherwise you are just a flushed turd with access to YouTube. I don't want to be too harsh, but.

[Daehawk]

Im still cleaning the house and lining things up to sell or not sell. Bout it. I mean no car ac isn't the end of the world. This was the best time of year for it to fail too. I have until next summer.

As for doing what is opinionated to me here...I know my health both mental and physical and I know my limits and what I can and cant do.

Im just posting in the chat thread about next purchases same as anyone. Feel free to call out others on money and purchases too plz. Maybe go for mental disabilities too for flavor. Geez Unagi you lately have become downright judgemental and grumpy in your post all over the board but mine especially. Calm down.

[em2nought]

Hopefully you got into that course which was going to pay you to teach you financial tips.
Compressors are more Professor from the Island level, I won't do a compressor there are lots of steps, vacuuming, recharging, replacing other parts too.

I just had my good friend weld up a reese insert that carries two spares and a gas can. My donut exploded, just sitting inside my van, and a new one is $175 so I bought four nice shape tires on rims off a chick who had just put fancy rims on her Sienna. LOL It worked for me $280 for four tires, rims, hub caps, and all the lug nuts. I'm planning on two funny tire covers but I haven't decided on what exactly yet. I was thinking two angry snake eyeballs, one big one on each tire cover.


It seems a good idea to carry extra tires and fuel. Stuff seems harder to find lately. Could end up stuck in the boondocks for days waiting on a tire.

[Daehawk]

[LawBeefaroni]

First quote, $465 per tire, almost $1K to replace both fronts and they don't have them in stock. He'll do one since it's a close match but going to check out my options including no more runflats. Not a fan of an unmatched pair on front.

If I had more time I'd buy from Tire rack and have them installed by one of the mom and pops. But need something in stock.

At another shop recommended by the first, just one down the street. First one won't repair run flats. This place will if they're aren't damaged. Waiting on their inspection. Contemplating a gyro for breakfast....

[Smoove_B]

Contemplating a gyro for breakfast....

[LawBeefaroni]

Not repairable, nail in the sidewall. Fucking nails in this city. Every tire I have replaced here has been due to a nail or to balance one lost to a nail.

So I'm going with 4 decent non-runflats, $960 all-in after taxes and labor. She says I can probably sell the 3 good ones online for a few hundred but I'm just going to let them have them. Would have no idea how to do that. Just wan to be done with it.

Over $100 in fucking taxes, BTW.


Now about that gyro.

[Zarathud]

Replaced 3 tires recently — it’s been 5 years so it was time. The potholes along a stretch along Lower Wacker after getting off LSD didn’t help.

The last one was replaced about 3 years ago after running over a nail.

[LawBeefaroni]

Replaced 3 tires recently — it’s been 5 years so it was time. The potholes along a stretch along Lower Wacker after getting off LSD didn’t help.

The last one was replaced about 3 years ago after running over a nail.

Don't remind me. I just started taking LSD again now that the youngest switched schools. The potholes NB between Fullerton and Foster are ridiculous. And the warped joints. They are basically speed bumps.

[Anonymous Bosch]

Replaced 3 tires recently — it’s been 5 years so it was time. The potholes along a stretch along Lower Wacker after getting off LSD didn’t help.

The last one was replaced about 3 years ago after running over a nail.

Don't remind me. I just started taking LSD again now that the youngest switched schools.

Hey, whatever floats yer goat…

[ImLawBoy]

Had the HVAC ducts cleared out yesterday. Work on the bathroom remodel tentatively starts on Monday. The balance in my bank account keeps going down, down, down.

[stimpy]

Had the HVAC ducts cleared out yesterday. Work on the bathroom remodel tentatively starts on Monday. The balance in my bank account keeps going down, down, down.

Can I ask how the HVAC cleaning was done?
Did they cut a hole in your duct and clean it from there or do it thru the vents?

[ImLawBoy]

Had the HVAC ducts cleared out yesterday. Work on the bathroom remodel tentatively starts on Monday. The balance in my bank account keeps going down, down, down.

Can I ask how the HVAC cleaning was done?
Did they cut a hole in your duct and clean it from there?

Apparently. We've actually got 2 systems - a bigger one for the basement and main floor and a smaller one for the second floor. They hooked up their super vaccuum and I think everything gathered at a low point where they cut the hole (and then patched it, of course). They had mentioned that they might not need to cut a hole depending on how junky it was in there, but I don't think the ducts had ever been cleaned so it was pretty bad.

[stimpy]

Yeah....I've heard that's the best way to do it, but the idea of cutting a hole in the duct work always worried me.
What company did you use?

[ImLawBoy]

ABC. Consider it done!

[Kraken]

Not repairable, nail in the sidewall. Fucking nails in this city. Every tire I have replaced here has been due to a nail or to balance one lost to a nail.

So I'm going with 4 decent non-runflats, $960 all-in after taxes and labor. She says I can probably sell the 3 good ones online for a few hundred but I'm just going to let them have them. Would have no idea how to do that. Just wan to be done with it.

Over $100 in fucking taxes, BTW.


Now about that gyro.

Wife went through a series of tires after ruining the sidewalls by scraping curbs. We have square granite curbs with sharp edges here.

[Daehawk]

Smacking curbs is an old man ailment ...But i have to admit to bumping 2 good ones when I was younger. Lucky I got away with no busted tire or wheel.


Oh....

What are your next major purchases?

Groceries.

[em2nought]

Don't old men use curb feelers to prevent that problem?