What positive can you list today?

[Boggled]

My good news is that I've been forced to make a decision to buy a new car.  Turns out the batteries for 2012 Volt were discontinued by GM and are now prohibitively expensive even online.  Dealership ended up telling me $17,100 for whole new set of batteries, NOT cost effective.  My husband was never deeply into the Volt like I was.  I can handle losing it.  If I buy a "new-ish" car, I can travel ... if I want, and that is something I was hesitant to do, worrying something might break down.  So now I'm learning about the new cars.  Man, things have changed since 2013.  

I needed to be forced into this!  Being forced works, for little ole hesitant non-decision-making me.

[KayC]

I am sorry your old one can't be fixed, you can still sell the volt for parts to someone who has one.  So hard to be forced because they discontinued making them.   I wish you well, I am sold on Hondas, have had Civics for many years, had a Volvo for a year but the parts were expensive and something was always going wrong.  Me and Honda's go way back.  My son's a Chevrolet man, and I did have a 78 Chevrolet that was mint, but couldn't afford the gas mileage. No longer use my Nissan PU for the same reason.  So if the weather is good, I drive, if not, I don't.  If I could afford it I'd get a CR-V but can't so I live within my means or stay home.

[Boggled]

Kay, I've got Honda CR-V Sport Hybrid on the list I started yesterday:   (so MUCH to figure out!!!)

Toyota RAV4 (Adventure?)

Hyundai Ionic (5?)

Kia Niro

Kia Sportage

Toyota Prius hatchback

Subaru Outback 

Honda CR-V (sport hybrid?)

Mazda CX-50

Subaru Forester

Chevrolet Equinox

Toyota Prius V

Subaru Solterra

[KayC]

All good brands. 

[Gail 8588]

I really wanted to get a Rav4 Prime.  It's all electric for the first 40 miles, then it is a hybrid. For most days I don't drive 40 miles, so it would be all electric all day and plug-in charge over night.  When I wanted to drive to Atlanta or wherever, I'd fill up the gas tank and it drives as a hybrid, no need to find charging stations along the way.

While in Atlanta I could charge up over night and be all electric for local driving. 

It seemed like the best option to be all electric 360 days a year and a hybrid just for travel days.  Sadly none were available when I was  in the market.  (I had $1,000 down on a Rav4Prime for over a year and finally gave up.)  I bought a Rav4 hybrid which is nice, but I wish I had the Prime. 

Good luck on your hunt.

Gail

[Boggled]

Gail that RAV4 Prime sounds wonderful.  But availability is nil where I live.  One thing I'm now wondering about is "discontinued batteries;"  are all the cars that are now running on their particular batteries subject to having them be "discontinued??"  ... For my 2012 Volt, yes, it's 11 years old, but the batteries being discontinued, essentially, totalled it when ONE CELL of the multitude in its base died.  Batteries being "discontinued" is a big hazard, seems to me now.

[Gail 8588]

I agree that 'discontinued batteries' is a worrisome issue.  I don't know how you can guard against it though.  

[DMB]

I hope my old car out lives me.  I couldn't bear having to get another.

My son has a 2014 truck that he waited 10 months for a part.  One you had to have to drive the thing.  He also had to buy 2 new batteries for it.  It's finally back road worthy.  I was wondering what he would do if the part never became available?  Can you file an insurance claim?

 

[KayC]

I have to drive a long ways to get groceries (100+ miles) three times that to go to my son's.  Can't sit and charge up, besides, electricity goes out often here.  Nope!

[widower2]

1 hour ago, Gail 8588 said:

I agree that 'discontinued batteries' is a worrisome issue.  I don't know how you can guard against it though.  

Easy: buy a car that runs on gas.  I'll get interested in elec cars when most gas stations also have charging stations

[KayC]

Still not interested because of where I live and also the batteries cost so much.
 

Positive today:

We have a full afternoon, so went to Jazzy's early for Kodie and her to play...she was gone. We were just getting into our car when Iris drove up! So Kodie and her got to play after all and Iris went somewhere so we were able to keep her out of her kennel for an hour.

[RichS]

Central North Carolina was minimally affected by Hurricane Idalia. No power outages, downed large branches, flooding, etc. Thankful we dodged this one!

[WithoutHer]

6 hours ago, Gator M said:

I love electric motors.  They are clean, fast, simple, and a lot of torque.

Batteries are a HUGE bummer.  This has been the issue...physics. 

I am baffled we push electric.  Why not LNG?  OR hydrogen?

And we buy into this and can't get parts.  

It makes no sense.  

This is the problem with the electric car world as well as some of the tech running today's cars. People have been restoring and repairing cars of the past and keeping them on the road as well as creating enormous collectors value. This will all die with these cars. There will be no pre-owned market with the cost of keeping them running.

[KayC]

4 hours ago, RichS said:

Central North Carolina was minimally affected by Hurricane Idalia. No power outages, downed large branches, flooding, etc. Thankful we dodged this one!

I am so glad!

[shawnt]

Eventually there will be a standard.battery (10 years?) until then it's a crap shoot.

Hydrogen will never make it to retail as it wants to blow up.

My positive is I woke up looking forward to the day,1st time in a long, long time. 

So here we go.

[Gail 8588]

LNG is not "super clean" when you consider the entire production and delivery. Releases lots of methane.  Liquefying the gas takes lots of energy. Fracking has a whole host of problems. You're still taking long sequestered hydrocarbons and releasing  greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Not the right way to go.

[widower2]

So anyway....back to the topic....

Beautiful day outside, warm but not super hot or humid. And last night was actually a crispness in the air. Taking advantage of it to do some weeding in the driveway believe it or not; gravel driveway and weeds/grass love it. Yet there are spots in my yard where grass refuses to grow. 

[RichS]

Is Joe Burroughs and his sidekick still living rent free on your property?

[KayC]

1 hour ago, widower2 said:

Yet there are spots in my yard where grass refuses to grow. 

Me too, ever since last winter.  

Okay, my positive today is being HERE instead of FB!    Neighbor coming at me repeatedly, about 20 times because she wanted me to share something publicly...nope, not doing. That's how you get some random guy  coming at you from now to years from now.   It's shareable and she's arguing.  I took a picture of where it says share, she argued. I took a picture of FB's instructions on sharing with friends, nope, still argued. Finally after walking my dog for 45 min. she was still arguing and messaging me...so I deleted the damn post.

I  come here, everyone's getting along and not arguing, it's pleasant!

[widower2]

19 minutes ago, RichS said:

Is Joe Burroughs and his sidekick still living rent free on your property?

Took a second for it to register that was aimed at me  As far as I know the little SOB is, yes, but not sure. No damage lately, but still want him out. My fault, I've let it go for awhile.

15 minutes ago, KayC said:

Me too, ever since last winter.  

Okay, my positive today is being HERE instead of FB!    Neighbor coming at me repeatedly, about 20 times because she wanted me to share something publicly...nope, not doing. That's how you get some random guy  coming at you from now to years from now.   It's shareable and she's arguing.  I took a picture of where it says share, she argued. I took a picture of FB's instructions on sharing with friends, nope, still argued. Finally after walking my dog for 45 min. she was still arguing and messaging me...so I deleted the damn post.

I  come here, everyone's getting along and not arguing, it's pleasant!

What is wrong with people...

Push comes to shove I'd just block her. 

[KayC]

59 minutes ago, widower2 said:

Push comes to shove I'd just block her. 

We've been neighbors for about 26 years.  I did "unfollow her" and deleted my post.

And I'm still dealing with Blue Jays pooping on my covered patio and stealing Panther's catfood , as well as skunks joining in now.  

[RichS]

56 minutes ago, KayC said:

And I'm still dealing with Blue Jays pooping on my covered patio and stealing Panther's catfood , as well as skunks joining in now. 

I guess these critters have taken over from where the yellow jackets left off. Or are they still there as well? Between you and widower2 (ground hogs and moles), I think your property is more of a challenge.

A Haitian co-worker had a similar opinion of our work environment ("DEES PLAYS EASE AY ZU"). Won't mention the company. They pay me a pension every month.

[widower2]

5 minutes ago, RichS said:

I guess these critters have taken over from where the yellow jackets left off. Or are they still there as well? Between you and widower2 (ground hogs and moles), I think your property is more of a challenge.

Not really. Animals/insects are rarely a thing. The biggest challenge is mowing the huge yard and my idiot neighbor blasting his "music."

[KayC]

Yes but I love it and this is my sanctuary.

[Gail 8588]

10 hours ago, Gator M said:

You want to eliminate greenhouse gasses?. .plants

No till farming, cover crops, reclaim marginal land, plant mangroves, . . . 

 

I agree 100%. We need no till ag and to plant as much as we can.

But we also have to stop pumping greenhouse gasses into the air. 

[Gail 8588]

My positive for today, as I drove around town and saw the occasional house with a blue tarp for a roof and a huge pile of tree debris stacked at the curb, I am so grateful my house suffered no damage in Idalia.  I have had my share of hurricane damage in years past.  It is a big relief to have avoided it this time.  

[KayC]

We are so glad as well, Gail!

[Boggled]

On 8/31/2023 at 8:49 AM, KayC said:

I wish you well, I am sold on Hondas, have had Civics for many years

Should I get an ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicle?  ... we seem to be living in a time of huge changes regarding "sustainability," regardless of our politics.  It's really, REALLY hard to figure out what kind of vehicle to buy ... that will hopefully last?  maybe 15 years?  If all it takes is for a company to "discontinue" their particularly shaped and configured batteries?  ... then wham, no more batteries? as soon as ONE CELL dies,  end of car?  

ForeverHis, your post made me look again at Mazda CX-30, an ICE vehicle.  It only has a 3-year warranty(??)  It gets 26/33/29 mpg.  After the Volt, the idea of buying gas all the time is kind of a bummer for me.  I've LOVED running for @ 35 miles at a time on electricity.  LOVED it.  So whut car company is unlikely to discontinue the batteries for a newish at-least-partly-electric vehicle?  I am NOT impressed with GMC!!!  Mebbe ... some company the Fed Gubmint is buying cars from?  I noticed on a site discussing which electric vehicles "they" will give a tax credit for this year if you buy, that Volt is included.  ?????   Does that mean that GMC will NOT "discontinue" Volt batteries for, say, 15 years????  When the Volt itself is already "discontinued as of 2019?"  don't see anything that says THAT.  

White House comes out with statements but this one, for instance, does NOT mention that batteries for electric vehicles do not come in a "standard" shape and size ... they want them to be "recyclable," but what about the concerns of the end consumer, when a car company just WHAM! decides to "discontinue" some particular but totally-necessary-for-a-particular-vehicle battery?  FACT SHEET: The Biden-Harris Electric Vehicle Charging Action Plan | The White House  and there's the consumer, going arrrrghhhhh ... one cell in my car died and I can't replace it, and now I have to buy a whole new car?????   With ICE vehicles, their one battery is pretty much standard and can be bought quick and easy all over the place!  but with electric vehicles, batteries are NOT standard, come in all sorts of "packs" and conformations, and from what I've read, batteries themselves are in a state of development-flux! and the batteries they're making today may be outdated by tomorrow!     

what to do?  what to buy?  I hate the idea of having to buy gas all the time, having to run on gas all the time.  I myself really like the idea of "solar" and "wind power" and "alternative" energy, and yeah, fracking seems to be pretty darned bad, running gas lines underground seems hazardous!  but if I can't have some kind of guarantee that the batteries in an electric vehicle will still be (relatively) inexpensive and AVAILABLE 15 years in the future, I am no longer secure with the idea of buying a newish electric car now.   We are living in a time of flux.  A lot of flux.  Maybe I should just buy a used ICE vehicle and only expect it to survive about 6 or 7 years.  By that time, DEPENDING ON POLITICS again, MAYBE someone will standardize batteries?????   

 

[shawnt]

I think that is right. The technology is advancing so fast no one knows where it will lead. It is marvellous but scarey. I don't want to get stuck with another beta mac machine.

[widower2]

So anyway, back to the topic.....

Heading out to a winery this afternoon for a bit. Will toast Jimmy Buffett, who I just learned passed away. RIP! Love his stuff

[Gail 8588]

Boggled, 

You might consider leasing a car for a few years and then the picture may be clearer.

My husband leased a Nissan Leaf for 3 years just before he died.  I really enjoyed driving that all electric vehicle for 3 years and I learned a lot about advantages and disadvantages of all electric.  I rented a gas powered car for the few times I took a long trip.

Just a thought. 

Gail

[Boggled]

well this is a good thing that happened today, I found a guy way down in the "comments" who pointed out this website on a site called .. thedrive.com ... anyhoo, the guy said there's a whole growing "cottage industry" of people fixing car batteries.  Link to the car battery fixers he mentioned (in Chicago, but they have a page with a lot of garages that will install them):  About Us - Best Hybrid Batteries

But they're all over 200 miles away from here.  Anyway, I'm realizing I haven't trusted the Volt for long drives and maybe I'll want to go for more drives.  all on my lonesome.  Or maybe with my one good friend.   man though, so hard to spend the $$, and so hard to choose what car?   Gail, that renting a car for long drives idea had occurred to me too.  

I don't understand leasing a car.  How is it worth it?  You end up with nothing(??)  I'm realizing a whole lot of "things."   I don't have to drive anywhere much, but when I do it'll be about 60 miles per trip to town and back.   This car thing has just made me think, it takes my mind off of grief!  It's making me sort of "renew."  

And widower2, hope you've enjoyed your winery trip.   

[widower2]

Guys can we please move all the car talk to the "This and That" topic? Thanks!

[SSC]

My positive for today…while trying to install a bidet attachment on my loo and having many issues, I have learned all new things about plumbing, toilets, not all bidet hoses are defect free, returning items to Amazon, emailing companies when realizing 30 day return window has expired, small mom and pop hardware stores are much more helpful than big box stores, patience AND I can do hard things!!

[Gail 8588]

Lovely cooler temperatures this evening. 75 now, low will be 68.  Burned quite a few of the small sticks that littered my yard after Idalia.  I can almost imagine a cool fall evening.  Nice.

[widower2]

Yeah there was actually a nip in the air last night, nice change of pace. I love the weather when it's warm but not super hot and humid.

[KayC]

What happened to the positives this thread is for?!

[shawnt]

I spent the day sitting on a dock with good friends, had a fine meal and to much wine. Slept like a baby. That's my positive, even in grief life can give you something sweet.

[KayC]

I went to my church potluck and the only thing I could eat was what I brought, everything else high in carbs.

I came home and Jack was here, mowing, weedwhacking and blew off my roof and in front of my carport.  It looks so nice now! I scooped up the DF needles near my carport and disposed of them so they wouldn't be in the trough first wind storm.  Picked up some branches.

Just got back from taking Kodie to his play date, had a cup of tea with Iris and zipped her into her compression chamber.  I love living alone, she's got to be social all the time, not me, I love my sanctuary, I loved living with George, he's the only one I've been that comfortable with.  I sure miss him.

[widower2]

8 minutes ago, KayC said:

I scooped up the DF needles

Hey watch the language!

 

 

[KayC]

39 minutes ago, widower2 said:

Hey watch the language!

 

 

I hope you're kidding!  doug fir?

[widower2]

Of course....did you miss the winky smiley   

This is the South, we aint got none o them fancy firs!

[widower2]

Thanks and I would but I can't move posts from one thread to another, hence the request - no big just trying to keep things more or less "on track" 

[Gail 8588]

I have my 4 year old grandson for an overnight. He helped me pick up more sticks and tonight we had a little bonfire in my metal fire pit.  He loved tossing sticks and pine cones on the fire.  I made him some hot chocolate with marshmallows and he sat sipping his cocoa and watching the fire and he said "Grandma this is a great day".

Life is good. 

[KayC]

Oh, I love this age.  Thank you for sharing that Gail.

Widower, DF are not "fancy,"  just prevalent here.  I have a ton of them.

[foreverhis]

So here’s my positive for yesterday. A friend’s husband grows catnip. We have our private yoga gals class on their huge protected patio during good weather. He was thinning the sprigs and asked who wanted some. Of course, we who are owned by cats all said yes, please.

Miss Cosi had her first fresh catnip experience. Hysterical. I have good quality dried for her, so I already knew she would like it, but oh my did she go nuts.  Her eyes were wild and she couldn’t contain her joy. Afterward, she collapsed into a post-catnip coma and napped for more than an hour. So fun and so precious.

[KayC]

3 hours ago, foreverhis said:

Well shoot. I figured that “the power of the moderator” would include that.😁

You'd think!

So my positive today is when I walked Kodie, a big dog was on the loose, made me nervous, but he sniffed Kodie and didn't attack, was so relieved! Kodie, on the other hand, didn't think he should be around! I agree.  No idea who he belongs to, not someone on our street...he followed us home and the German Shepherds across the street were sure sorry they were fenced up!

[KayC]

1 hour ago, foreverhis said:

Miss Cosi had her first fresh catnip experience. Hysterical.

So cute!  I gave a catnip toy to Panther once, he carted it off, I never saw it again, he seemed to like it though!

[RichS]

41 minutes ago, KayC said:

So my positive today is when I walked Kodie, a big dog was on the loose, made me nervous, but he sniffed Kodie and didn't attack, was so relieved! Kodie, on the other hand, didn't think he should be around! I agree.  No idea who he belongs to, not someone on our street...he followed us home and the German Shepherds across the street were sure sorry they were fenced up!

Boy, you live in a rough neighborhood :)---------------My positive for today was we saw three baby deer in the 280 acre park near our house. Also, my grief has been toned down the last several days. I wondered why, then it hit me: My sciatica pain is distracting me. My relief is sitting on a small pillow everywhere in the house. Could have used that in church yesterday. Probably would have gotten some funny looks as I was sitting and kneeling. Ain't life funny

[KayC]

I had to use my "donut" pillow when I had my kids, church or not!  Sometimes circumstance calls for it.  

@foreverhis Your post to Rich posted twice so I deleted one...they both disappeared!  Sorry...