Covid19 Spare time

Donstar · August 25, 2021

I saw a Tesla pulling a utility trailer yesterday. The funny thing is it appeared normal! The debate over EV's, like with most new things, and will carry on until they no longer exist or they are our only choice. I remember avoiding new cars that came with a sticker "unleaded fuel only" and trucks with automatic transmissions until I didn't have the choice. We all knew about batteries and electric motors long before "lithium-ion" became a household term. Personally, I believe improvements in battery technology has more future potential than improving gas powered engines to zero emissions. I am simply sharing how my spare time is spent. I can't ignore the proliferation of EV's on the lots and on the roads. Today a recently lifted mask mandate goes back into effect today for all public venues in my area. I will continue to have time to "over-think" all of my purchases from shoes to trucks!

KARNUT · August 25, 2021

Battery technology will probably get better. Power plants will probably get better. It’s a long ways off. After 20 years of having direct tv and getting tired of the ever increasing cost. I went with the latest and greatest. Wi-Fi based tv. Except in a bad rain storm I never had a problem. I could always watch a TiVo recording. I can’t recall a single problem growing up with over the air TV. It’s already giving me more problems in 3 months than I ever had before, rain storms included. In recent events we had a power failure this winter. In 40 years of living in Texas something I never experienced. It was blamed mostly on the complete failure of our recent conversion to solar and windmills. Taking over some of the grid. Listening to my favorite Saturday radio show, car-pro. It seems he was made aware of lifter problems in GM trucks last week. Being an ex car dealer with connections. He did some research and reported it was wide spread. Another so called advancement that seems to offer no real benefit to the end user. Even Honda. Start Stop technology in an CRV, really? I got 32 MPGs on my last trip, 30 in town. More parts and technology to fail for how many MPGs? It seems so called improvements and technology are increasingly not well thought out.

Grumpy Bear · August 26, 2021

14 hours ago, Donstar said:

We all knew about batteries and electric motors long before "lithium-ion" became a household term.

You mean lead acid? :crackup: Fork truck batteries? Lord.

Grumpy Bear · August 26, 2021

Donstar · August 26, 2021

You mean lead acid? :crackup: Fork truck batteries? Lord.

Good example. I do the same comparisons with gasoline engines. I often muse about my revered 300 6cyl trucks. They produced considerably less than half of the horsepower and burned about twice the fuel of our current 262 6cyl trucks! Time has witnessed a lot of changes! I see no reason for this rate of progress not to continue and accelerate in EV's, gas engines and alternative fuels. I had to check the date on the video clip above because it would have resonated with me more a year ago. I know that we are all influenced by our surroundings and appreciate the arguments against adopting EV technology as our daily driver. Where I live, and how I drive, there is a larger pro column for me to go electric. Our final obstacle was "range". The reality is EV's are available to travel distances greater than I would need to between charges. The marathon type road trips we once took have been replaced with a plane and car rental trip! As an aside, the video pokes a jab at pickup owners justifying their purchase for the occasional load of bark mulch. I chuckled because I don't even have that as a reason. I use my trailer for the dirty stuff and drive a pickup because of their size and comfort. Silverado's and F150's will soon be available with electric powertrains and I predict the demand will exceed production for awhile. I can use the time to save money to reduce the need for a vehicle payment!

Edited August 26, 2021 by Donstar

KARNUT · August 26, 2021

16 minutes ago, Donstar said:

You mean lead acid? Fork truck batteries? Lord.

Good example. I do the same comparisons with gasoline engines. I often muse about my revered 300 6cyl trucks. They produced considerably less than half of the horsepower and burned about twice the fuel of our current 262 6cyl trucks! Time has witnessed a lot of changes! I see no reason for this rate of progress not to continue and accelerate in EV's, gas engines and alternative fuels. I had to check the date on the video clip above because it would have resonated with me more a year ago. I know that we are all influenced by our surroundings and appreciate the arguments against adopting EV technology as our daily driver. Where I live, and how I drive, there is a larger pro column for me to go electric. Our final obstacle was "range". The reality is EV's are available to travel distances greater than I would need to between charges. The marathon type road trips we once took have been replaced with a plane and car rental trip! As an aside, the video pokes a jab at pickup owners justifying their purchase for the occasional load of bark mulch. I chuckled because I don't even have that as a reason. I use my trailer for the dirty stuff and drive a pickup because of their size and comfort. Silverado's and F150's will soon be available with electric powertrains and I predict the demand will exceed production for awhile. I can use the time to save money to reduce the need for a vehicle payment!

My brother buys old dodge trucks and restores them. He bought a low mileage city truck that has the natural gas conversion. He’s only repainted that one. It just sit there waiting it’s turn. No telling how long the gas has been sitting in the big tank behind the cab. But it starts right up like old faithful every time he tries.

Grumpy Bear · August 26, 2021

I drive way to much to be tethered to a wall socket. Some people fish in retirement. Some golf. I go for 300-500 mile drives.

However, I would find an EV useful running to and around town. About 30 miles round trip and say another 20 around town. That is were EV's make sense to me. City driving. Urban settings. But for the number of trips I would make a month justifying the buy, it would still be a hard no.

That's were a hybrid makes it's bones. Neighbor has a Lincoln that runs electric up to something like 30 mph and regens once on gas.

When these conversations happen it is always one or the other...both is rarely in the conversation.

BTW, I've never driven any truck that is more comfortable than a mid to full sized sedan. Buick LaCrosse/Lucerne, Caddy CTS/DTS, Lincoln Continental. I don't haul mulch in mine either

Anyway thanks for actually taking the time to view the videos.

Donstar · August 28, 2021

On 8/26/2021 at 8:10 AM, Grumpy Bear said:

I've never driven any truck that is more comfortable than a mid to full sized sedan. Buick LaCrosse/Lucerne, Caddy CTS/DTS, Lincoln Continental. I don't haul mulch in mine either

Anyway thanks for actually taking the time to view the videos.

I appreciate the type of comfort from a luxury sedan and have owned my share. A pickup is more comfortable for me because of space and ease of egress. I also don't panic if the interior becomes a little messy after a trip to the beach with my dog. Coffee spills aren't met with a sleepless night. A trip to the car wash and a once over with my shop vac results in compliments from my neighbor! The view and the metal around me also enhances my driving comfort. In fairness to my wife, I have seriously researched and looked for a mid-sized SUV for us to share. I don't have a problem sharing, but her definition of comfort is as you describe. The closest compromise is a base model Suburban but she doesn't like the size and I don't like the price!

Grumpy Bear · August 28, 2021

2 minutes ago, Donstar said:

I appreciate the type of comfort from a luxury sedan and have owned my share. A pickup is more comfortable for me because of space and ease of egress. I also don't panic if the interior becomes a little messy after a trip to the beach with my dog. Coffee spills aren't met with a sleepless night. A trip to the car wash and a once over with my shop vac results in compliments from my neighbor! The view and the metal around me also enhances my driving comfort. In fairness to my wife, I have seriously researched and looked for a mid-sized SUV for us to share. I don't have a problem sharing, but her definition of comfort is as you describe. The closest compromise is a base model Suburban but she doesn't like the size and I don't like the price!

Have you considered a Tahoe? The lightest Tahoe weighs more than the largest 1500. Sit's as high and rides somewhere between car like and pickup truck. My neighbor and his wife and two kids and dogs love theirs and both of these people are LARGE. Joe says he has as much 'room' as his Dodge 4500 work truck. We've ridden in it and I have to say if the price tag were not in the nosebleed section I'd own one. Still cheaper, most of the time, than a Suburban. Just a thought.

I didn't even leave the dealers lot on day one and a bump popped a soda from the carrier to the seat bottoms up. Spills happen. I live with a dog who is my shadow and believes the truck is his. He just lets me do the driving. I keep the insides well covered knowing all this. De-trashing is part of a road trip.

No, I don't make the wife take her shoes off to ride shotgun but I have told her to keep her feet off the dash/seat.

We don't drive the Buicks much. They are not building any more. Her 14 still smells new. Only 14K on the clock. Mine is a Road Trip car and/or special nights. My mechanic calls it Marty's Church car. Weddings, funerals, church yes...trips over one day in length. Once or twice a year the 400 mile day trip to Dad's. Yes, ingress/egress is tighter as it sits lower. But the truck needs a step bar and an A pillar handle to climb UP to. Think I'm talking myself into that Tahoe.

KARNUT · August 28, 2021

23 minutes ago, Donstar said:

I appreciate the type of comfort from a luxury sedan and have owned my share. A pickup is more comfortable for me because of space and ease of egress. I also don't panic if the interior becomes a little messy after a trip to the beach with my dog. Coffee spills aren't met with a sleepless night. A trip to the car wash and a once over with my shop vac results in compliments from my neighbor! The view and the metal around me also enhances my driving comfort. In fairness to my wife, I have seriously researched and looked for a mid-sized SUV for us to share. I don't have a problem sharing, but her definition of comfort is as you describe. The closest compromise is a base model Suburban but she doesn't like the size and I don't like the price!

All my current vehicles are paid for. In my area and with my driving record it’s cheaper for me to have four used vehicles than one new one. My vehicles are like my music it depends on the day and destination. I own my favorite truck, my wife drives her favorite car. They aren’t used on trips. A good mid sized SUV is a good compromise. Iv owned a couple. Even had 2 performance ones. Fuel mileage, safety utility and price. I can understand the popularity. If I had to choose one it still would be a car like my wife’s Genesis.

Donstar · August 29, 2021

22 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Have you considered a Tahoe? The lightest Tahoe weighs more than the largest 1500. Sit's as high and rides somewhere between car like and pickup truck. My neighbor and his wife and two kids and dogs love theirs and both of these people are LARGE. Joe says he has as much 'room' as his Dodge 4500 work truck. We've ridden in it and I have to say if the price tag were not in the nosebleed section I'd own one. Still cheaper, most of the time, than a Suburban. Just a thought.

A base Tahoe or Yukon/Suburban or Yukon XL would work fine for me but all are expensive. We owned a new '86 Sierra Classic Suburban that my wife loved to drive. Somehow she couldn't master the rusty '76 GMC 25 that was my daily driver at the time! Most of the enjoyment of buying the right vehicle is the shopping. I don't know many who don't search for their dream motorized toy when they have spare time. I know I could whine my way into a new suv/truck but I know I'd miss my current truck too much. If I drive at the same rate for the next six years I'll only be around 100k miles!

KARNUT · August 29, 2021

9 minutes ago, Donstar said:

A base Tahoe or Yukon/Suburban or Yukon XL would work fine for me but all are expensive. We owned a new '86 Sierra Classic Suburban that my wife loved to drive. Somehow she couldn't master the rusty '76 GMC 25 that was my daily driver at the time! Most of the enjoyment of buying the right vehicle is the shopping. I don't know many who don't search for their dream motorized toy when they have spare time. I know I could whine my way into a new suv/truck but I know I'd miss my current truck too much. If I drive at the same rate for the next six years I'll only be around 100k miles!

For the first time in my wife’s driving life she drives a vehicle with over 100K miles as a daily driver. Will not part with it. My daily is one of my favorites trucks an 02 Avalanche has 176K. In comparison to new very cheap to maintain. My mother in law quit driving and gave her a 15 CRV with 6K miles on it. Our trip vehicle. I wouldn’t be afraid to use either one of the old ones for trip vehicles. As far as Tahoe or suburbans, very plentiful in my area as used and CPOs. Most lightly used. And very reasonably priced. The Avalanche is suburban based. Personally I’ll never buy a full size GM past 06 without extended warranty. Or any other brand for that matter.

Donstar · August 29, 2021

23 hours ago, KARNUT said:

All my current vehicles are paid for. In my area and with my driving record it’s cheaper for me to have four used vehicles than one new one. My vehicles are like my music it depends on the day and destination. I own my favorite truck, my wife drives her favorite car. They aren’t used on trips. A good mid sized SUV is a good compromise. Iv owned a couple. Even had 2 performance ones. Fuel mileage, safety utility and price. I can understand the popularity. If I had to choose one it still would be a car like my wife’s Genesis.

Your plan is good but my obstacles are space and insurance costs. I would really like a "mid-century" unmolested base pickup as a recreational activity. The more work to drive, the better! You remember when power brakes, power steering, automatic transmissions, air conditioning and radios were options for the well established! I'd like one where there is some well earned patina but not eaten up. However, such a vehicle in my driveway would receive considerable ire from my neighbors, but more significantly, my wife! I have to continue to search for the one that is worth me moving! If I want my wife to move with me, it will be a never ending search!

Donstar · August 30, 2021

Heat, Covid and a new pedometer have played havoc on my daily step count. My new pedometer is very discriminating. It is excellent at accurately counting intentional walking steps but ignores incidental steps. I went for a few years with a daily minimum target of 10k steps which was not too difficult when all steps taken in a day are included. Now its a good day if I hit 8k! I am going to return to my 10k daily target but it will require much more intentionality. Walking is perhaps the most widely accepted and cheapest spare time activity. It is also a great social activity that seldom gets turned down when you invite a friend. I remember how my mother who couldn't walk for the last decade of her life beamed every time I invited her for a walk. Just the preparation of getting her ready and out in the fresh air was invigorating for her!

KARNUT · August 30, 2021

2 hours ago, Donstar said:

Heat, Covid and a new pedometer have played havoc on my daily step count. My new pedometer is very discriminating. It is excellent at accurately counting intentional walking steps but ignores incidental steps. I went for a few years with a daily minimum target of 10k steps which was not too difficult when all steps taken in a day are included. Now its a good day if I hit 8k! I am going to return to my 10k daily target but it will require much more intentionality. Walking is perhaps the most widely accepted and cheapest spare time activity. It is also a great social activity that seldom gets turned down when you invite a friend. I remember how my mother who couldn't walk for the last decade of her life beamed every time I invited her for a walk. Just the preparation of getting her ready and out in the fresh air was invigorating for her!

I was pretty abusive to my body building a business. Started on a farm at 12. Then a family business for most of my life. My father’s famous saying if it’s daylight we’re working. Six - seven days a week. Up until I was 40 that was the rule. We retired him cut our hours. The results is 4 to 7K steps is the limit for exercise before the joints start to scream and on goes the bio freeze. My cardiologist says that’s plenty. I don’t want hip or knee replacement. I can imagine not too far in the future 10K plus steps are going to be deemed excessive, who knows. Same with my weight on weight watchers. There’s living weight. Took many years before I realized I wasn’t going to be skinny and happy. Misery. Soo, a few lbs over and happy is the compromise.