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Topic: OT - What made you happy today?
(Read 81488 times)

utee94 · « **Reply #1442 on:** **Today** at 11:26:30 AM »

Quote from: 847badgerfan on Today at 11:21:39 AM

Make sure you drive it - quite a bit, as much as the dealer will allow. I do not like the way Acura rides and drives.

When I was looking to buy my truck back in 2018, I insisted on taking each one home overnight. It took me weeks to settle on what I wanted but it also absolutely helped me clue in on what exactly I wanted.

Don't tell the dealers, but I actually hooked each one up to my RV and towed them up one of the biggest hills in town. That's how I knew the turbocharged Ford ecoboost was far superior to all of the V8 gassers. Only the 250 and 2500 diesels towed better, but they also drove like dumptrucks and the truck was not only going to be my daily driver, but also our main family car.

Cincydawg · « **Reply #1443 on:** **Today** at 11:26:47 AM »

The Tucson has a nice quiet ride on the freeway (relative to the GTI). It doesn't lend itself to spirited driving of course. I didn't drive the Sante Fe, too large for us. I can sit behind "me" in the Tucson reasonably well for 30 minutes or so.

On a day like today I think about convertibles.

utee94 · « **Reply #1444 on:** **Today** at 11:28:16 AM »

Quote from: 847badgerfan on Today at 11:24:21 AM

That's borderline grumpy right there.

No way! I was happy. My daughter can be a really picky eater, especially with textures. I was worried she wouldn't like the way the seared scallops chewed, but she loved them. She loves shrimp and other seafood but she'd never had scallops.

betarhoalphadelta · « **Reply #1445 on:** **Today** at 11:43:57 AM »

Quote from: 847badgerfan on Today at 11:16:37 AM

1.49 is nothing. Do it.

Yeah, just ran a simple calc assuming $50K. 1.49% would cost me just under $52K over 60 months. Investing $50K at a relatively conservative 7% RoR would be worth about $70K after 60 months...

MikeDeTiger · « **Reply #1446 on:** **Today** at 12:31:12 PM »

Quote from: utee94 on Today at 11:23:00 AM

Steak and scallops last night were out of this world, best I've ever done. Au gratin and broccolini were tasty too. My kids ate it ALL.

Nice.

I think the weather dictates it might be time to fire up the smoker this weekend. Thinking about that makes me happy. Got a pork butt in the freezer. Think I'll start it Friday evening and let it go overnight.

MikeDeTiger · « **Reply #1447 on:** **Today** at 12:34:53 PM »

Quote from: betarhoalphadelta on Today at 11:43:57 AM

Yeah, just ran a simple calc assuming $50K. 1.49% would cost me just under $52K over 60 months. Investing $50K at a relatively conservative 7% RoR would be worth about $70K after 60 months...

If you have the lump sum you can invest, and can afford to make monthly payments out of regular income, go for it.

A general word of caution--not specifically to you--I often see people talk about not making principal payments on their homes, citing that they have a great interest rate and they can invest that money at a higher return and so come out ahead. They're thinking along the correct lines, but it's not that simple. There is more to those financial formulas to see where you really come out ahead. It's not necessarily the case that one comes out ahead investing available funds rather than paying down debt faster.

betarhoalphadelta · « **Reply #1448 on:** **Today** at 12:36:20 PM »

Quote from: 847badgerfan on Today at 11:21:39 AM

Make sure you drive it - quite a bit, as much as the dealer will allow. I do not like the way Acura rides and drives.

Out of curiosity, what exactly was it that put you off?

I haven't driven a lot of Mercs. But I've driven a few BMW over the year (all 3-series, so possibly not comparable to the RDX). One of the things I like about the way BMW drive is that it seems a little more "heavy", taut, and sporty. Whereas--and again I haven't driven/ridden Mercs much--the Mercedes feel I recall is a lot of a softer, more cushy, "luxurious" feel. You can probably tell from the way I describe it that I prefer the BMW feeling. Bearing in mind that I haven't driven many of either, especially recently, so maybe I'm completely off base.

Cincydawg · « **Reply #1449 on:** **Today** at 12:44:15 PM »

Historically, Mercedes models would be a bit softer than BMWs of equal size and cost. Both marks now have performance editions that are about comparable, and sportier.

BMW circa 2005 made a decision that American drivers valued comfort over driving skills and softened their cars as a result, I think it was a good business decision. Cadillac oddly went the other direction and their sales of sedans didn't really show much benefit, I think most car buyers were confused.

Today it's all about SUVs anyway.

MikeDeTiger · « **Reply #1450 on:** **Today** at 12:57:33 PM »

We just booked our vacation at a gorgeous property in east Tennessee. We canceled our vacation last year because my diagnosis and treatment fouled everything up. And it's been several years since we did a "big" vacation (to Sedona, AZ--would love to go back there), so I'm looking forward to this. I generally try to stay away from prices like the place we got, but the view in the photos was so staggering and we just got a tax return, so I thought screw it, just gonna splurge this year.

Speaking of taxes and things that make me happy, I adjusted our W-4's over the weekend to try and avoid the big return. Still don't know why that happened, we filled everything out the way you'd want to if you want to aim for 0 owed and 0 returned, but whatevs....I'm no tax guru. If I made the adjustments correctly, the bi-weekly checks should get bigger and won't have much of a return coming next year. It's like getting a raise!

(actually, it won't be like getting a raise....I also adjusted the 401k contributions because hers isn't maxed out yet....so take-home pay should not change. But I'll let her address that in the grumpy thread :-D )

847badgerfan · « **Reply #1451 on:** **Today** at 01:07:37 PM »

Quote from: betarhoalphadelta on Today at 12:36:20 PM

Out of curiosity, what exactly was it that put you off?

I haven't driven a lot of Mercs. But I've driven a few BMW over the year (all 3-series, so possibly not comparable to the RDX). One of the things I like about the way BMW drive is that it seems a little more "heavy", taut, and sporty. Whereas--and again I haven't driven/ridden Mercs much--the Mercedes feel I recall is a lot of a softer, more cushy, "luxurious" feel. You can probably tell from the way I describe it that I prefer the BMW feeling. Bearing in mind that I haven't driven many of either, especially recently, so maybe I'm completely off base.

The setup in the cabin - the steering wheel is in a goofy alignment on the models I've driven, going back to the 1990's. Honda is the same - I could never have one.

The ride in both is too pillow-like to me, like a 1970's Caddy or something.

My wife tested BMW's and M-B's, among others, when looking for an SUV when the Tahoe started to give up. I was with her.

BMW X1 and X3's rode like tin cans. She got into a M-B GLK and that was that. The search over.

The only other SUV brand I would consider is Volvo. The XC-60 is really nice to drive (Inscription version - and one made in Sweden - not China).

Cincydawg · « **Reply #1452 on:** **Today** at 01:14:19 PM »

Quote from: MikeDeTiger on Today at 12:57:33 PM

We just booked our vacation at a gorgeous property in east Tennessee.

My Mom was from east Tennessee, we traveled pretty extensively in that area. I remember what it was like "before", talking about places like Pigeon Force. Certainly places remain that are really nice. The Tricities area is decent. Knoxville is, well, OK.

FearlessF · « **Reply #1453 on:** **Today** at 01:57:15 PM »

Quote from: MikeDeTiger on Today at 12:57:33 PM

Speaking of taxes and things that make me happy, I adjusted our W-4's over the weekend to try and avoid the big return. Still don't know why that happened, we filled everything out the way you'd want to if you want to aim for 0 owed and 0 returned, but whatevs....I'm no tax guru. If I made the adjustments correctly, the bi-weekly checks should get bigger and won't have much of a return coming next year. It's like getting a raise!

Trump is taking credit
hopefully, mine will be larger than I expect - I might splurge on something

Cincydawg · « **Reply #1454 on:** **Today** at 02:00:57 PM »

FearlessF · « **Reply #1455 on:** **Today** at 02:08:02 PM »

expecting some "normal" February weather starting Thursday - then back to global warming

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Topic: OT - What made you happy today?

utee94

Re: OT - What made you happy today?

Cincydawg

Re: OT - What made you happy today?

utee94

Re: OT - What made you happy today?

betarhoalphadelta

Re: OT - What made you happy today?

MikeDeTiger

Re: OT - What made you happy today?

MikeDeTiger

Re: OT - What made you happy today?

betarhoalphadelta

Re: OT - What made you happy today?

Cincydawg

Re: OT - What made you happy today?

MikeDeTiger

Re: OT - What made you happy today?

847badgerfan

Re: OT - What made you happy today?

Cincydawg

Re: OT - What made you happy today?

FearlessF

Re: OT - What made you happy today?

Cincydawg

Re: OT - What made you happy today?

FearlessF

Re: OT - What made you happy today?