The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

donaldtoo

donaldtoo

Well-Known Member
Goofyernmost said:
As I stated earlier, my first car was a Plymouth Wagon. Then in the late 80's I had a Dodge caravan which I sold when it had 160K on it and never had anything other then expected maintenance in all that time. I'd see it every morning for the next two year sailing on past me on my way to work. While I still had that one I had a Dodge K-car, another Caravan after I sold the first one, and my wife decided she wanted a Plymouth Laser which was OK but not for a family of four so we later traded that in for a second new K-car. All but the Laser had over 100K on them and had no problems at all. My wife took that one with her after our divorce and it lasted for many years after that. I had good luck, mechanically with all my MOPAR® vehicles. The drivers seat did break on the first caravan, in it's old age, but I was able to replace it from a salvage yard for $24.00. (Hint: attempting to drive a vehicle with a seat with no back is close to as big an athletic feat as any Olympic gold medal contest.)
Click to expand...

:hilarious:
Yep, the drivers seat was also one of the things that broke on the Cherokee, and they wanted some outrageous amount, but, it was actually covered under warranty.
Also, with the Grand Caravan, we waited close to the time when our 100,000 mile extended warranty was up to get a bunch of work done. I asked, and the bill would have been above $9,000 if it hadn’t been covered under the warranty. What a joke.
DWifeys 2010 Toyota Camry, and my “free” 2003 Chevy Malibu have been totally problem-free compared to those 2 mo-sub-par products...sorry, just our factual experience... 🤷‍♂️
 
93boomer

93boomer

Premium Member
creathir said:
@93boomer I was told you garden in the North Carolina area and might have some sage advice on the following.

Looking for shade tree advice.
We are building a new house in North Carolina, specifically the foothills of the mountains.

Our house sits in the middle of a field, intentionally to avoid pine trees which are notorious for falling. We obviously want a solid front yard with shade at some point down the line, so I’ve been researching various fast growing tree varieties which provide a lot of limb spread for shade.

So far, I believe red maple and silver maple trees seem to offer the most bang for your buck (bonus points for some fall foliage colors too) but does anyone have any recommendations for the mid-Atlantic/southeast United States for quick growing shade tree varieties?

Thanks for pointing me towards @93boomer @Figgy1 !
Click to expand...
Hi. The red maple trees are gorgeous and will provide lots of shade. I would go with them. We had silver ones—not as pretty and get spindly and drop limbs. We got rid of them because I didn’t like them any more.
Good luck with the new house and welcome to NC.
 
MySmallWorldof4

MySmallWorldof4

Well-Known Member
Goofyernmost said:
I found that two was perfect. I still had a van, my wonderful Dodge Caravan. I loved that van. It would travel anywhere in any weather (with the V6) and was very comfortable to drive and even to get in and out of. It left enough room for all kinds of baggage and got pretty good gas mileage. I don't think they make them anymore except in the Chrysler line which automatically makes it more expensive. I had two in a row and loved them both. I made many trips to WDW with them and with our family of my wife, my two girls and myself we had plenty of room and comfort. I'd have one now if I wouldn't look silly for me to have a van with just me. The one thing I did miss was being able to lock valuables in the trunk or for our British friends, the boot. I also owned two Dodge K-cars (very dependable and comfortable small cars) (used on our first WDW trip in 1983) and two Dodge Caravans plus a Plymouth Laser... Lee Iacocca had a big part of my 80's and 90's life.

My daughter has had three caravans and currently has one of the ugliest vehicles known to man. It is a Ford something. It looks more like a utility van with 2 laterally opening doors in the back of a huge square block of vehicle. She has three kids ranging from 9 to 19 to 21 and all still live at home and are still going to school. Online college or home school.
Click to expand...
Think that is the Transit? Yep pretty ugly. My husband always jokes how we should get one cause he knows it annoys me.
 
MySmallWorldof4

MySmallWorldof4

Well-Known Member
StarWarsGirl said:
It was very, very lonely. I wasn't in daycare, so I didn't have very many friends my own age. I had 100% of my parents' attention, and I wasn't a fan. Neither is B; we both get tired of it if we have all the attention. I begged my parents for a sibling. They didn't plan B, though, even with the begging. 😂

Now as an adult, I can see how it benefitted me. I definitely had to learn empathy and patience having B as a sibling. Plus he's my buddy who goes and does stuff with me, even though he does drive me crazy.

I mean, I think it's totally cool if you can only have one kid. That's just not something I would want if I had kids. I would want two or none. I know it doesn't always work out where siblings like each other, but I'd want my kids to at least have the opportunity.
Click to expand...
I was an only child growing up. Had step-siblings but didn’t see them often as a kid. Long story. I always was sad when we would go to the beach and other kids had someone to play with and I didn’t. I had a great imagination so always entertained myself but I always wanted a sibling that lived with me.
 
MySmallWorldof4

MySmallWorldof4

Well-Known Member
dryerlintfan said:
Thank you!! I just wanted to make sure it was something I am mitigating if I can, and it is 🥰🥰



The car seats were so so so different back then though. Now they make them all to transition from infant to eight year old and they're bulky as all get out. And if you happen to get the no thrills version, you'll have to constantly defend yourself because they aren't rated to do the "safest things" long enough like backwards facing until their 4 or 5, or five point harness until their 6 or 7.

A's car seat is so large we had to buy a compact SUV with only the one kid.
Click to expand...
We had a Jetta wagon when number two came along. Could not get two car seats behind the front seats. Wouldn’t fit. Had the one in the middle originally. Went out and got a Trailblazer right away.
 
MySmallWorldof4

MySmallWorldof4

Well-Known Member
John park hopper said:
Back when my kids were little car seats were a rarity and we never had one, guess by todays standard I'd be a bad parent. Growing up cars did not have seat belts and my brother and I would fight over who got to lay on the big shelf at the back window. We didn't have bike helmets or knee pads. Played sand lot tackle football with neighborhood kids with no equipment, never had play dates mom would send us out we played with other kids called called in for lunch and back out until supper. Guess we were just lucky to make it to adulthood --times have changed
Click to expand...
I didn’t need to wear a seatbelt as a kid either. I do remember when it became a law in NY. I was probably 10 or a tad older and just was annoyed that I now needed to wear a seat belt. Today I won’t drive anywhere without one and my kids always have theirs on. Still have my youngest in a booster even. She is 58 pounds and I am a tad over protective.
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
donaldtoo said:
:hilarious:
Yep, the drivers seat was also one of the things that broke on the Cherokee, and they wanted some outrageous amount, but, it was actually covered under warranty.
Also, with the Grand Caravan, we waited close to the time when our 100,000 mile extended warranty was up to get a bunch of work done. I asked, and the bill would have been above $9,000 if it hadn’t been covered under the warranty. What a joke.
DWifeys 2010 Toyota Camry, and my “free” 2003 Chevy Malibu have been totally problem-free compared to those 2 mo-sub-par products...sorry, just our factual experience... 🤷‍♂️
Click to expand...
That's OK, everyone experience is different. I could tell you stories about my 2005 $55K Cadillac Deville DHS. Something that for that price should have lasted forever. Physically it did. The body and the interior was spotless after 11 years, but the engine which was sported as practically invincible needed over $6000. worth of repairs at only 120K miles. And that was after I had spent over ten grand during the few years heading up to that time. I loved that car but it took me to the cleaners. After I sold it, it only lasted a few months and became a front yard lawn ornament. No wonder GM had so many financial problems.
 
Last edited:
MySmallWorldof4

MySmallWorldof4

Well-Known Member
donaldtoo said:
We, originally, wanted 4 kiddos (as DWifey and I both come from 4 sib families), but, with special needs DS, we thought it would be prudent to be happy with 3 kiddos, and we are more than happy...!!!!!!! :happy:
As I’ve posted before, I absolutely LOVED our ‘01 Dodge Grand Caravan when we first bought it...all the things you said, plus it looked great. Then, like the Cherokee, it went down the tubes pretty quick, both mechanically, and even little things like visors, trim, etc., in the interior.
Have never bought another Dodge/Chrysler product since, and don’t plan to anytime soon.
Funny, how all of our experiences with different brands differ. But, now that I think about it, I don’t think I followed my own advice on either of those rides to see if they were manufactured on a Monday or Friday...?!!!!! 🤔:hilarious:
Click to expand...
We had two Chrysler Town and Country’s. One was leased and the next one which had stow and go seats we bought. Loved it. We could drop the center seats and then the two kids at the time would be in the back. They were probably 5 and 3 at the time. It was so nice to have them further away. The screaming wasn’t as annoying. 😂. Then number 3 came and one seat got raised in the middle. The empty spot with the seat still stowed held the potty seat for long trips. When number 4 came that seat came up and then transmission issues started. Hence we drove it to Toyota and got the minivan that got totaled two winters ago in a no fault accident (if you all remember).
 
MySmallWorldof4

MySmallWorldof4

Well-Known Member
Goofyernmost said:
The one that closed was completely remodeled about 5 years ago. I don't know how much affect the ending of selling park tickets had on business but, I know I used to buy them from there for myself and and as gifts and always bought some other overpriced stuff at the same time. When they stopped selling what I wanted I almost never went in there again. I wonder just how much the idea of not selling what people wanted for prices they could afford spelled the end of the stores. The only other Disney Store in the state is in Charlotte, about 120 miles away. It is the biggest city but the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill triangle has over two million in population. It should have worked.
Click to expand...
It wasn’t the same once they stopped selling the tickets and got rid of lots of their merchandise sans princess stuff. No idea what they were thinking.
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
MySmallWorldof4 said:
Think that is the Transit? Yep pretty ugly. My husband always jokes how we should get one cause he knows it annoys me.
Click to expand...
You are right, it is the Transit. She's so proud of it, and even as old as I am I wouldn't want to be seen in it. That is when adult parenting becomes difficult because I have so many comments about it that I cannot use. We went golfing this morning and as we were leaving I did ask if she had any deliveries to make on her way home. That's as deep as I dare to go though.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom