working out for Disney

[HouCuseChickie]

This has been my week to try and get back on track. I still haven't been out for a nature walk, but I've hit the gym. I'm trying to work out harder in a shorter period of time to see if that helps. I'm limiting my biking to 45 min + cool down vs. 50-60. No, it's not a huge difference, but I think it's going to make a difference. Tuesday, I biked for 16 miles and then did an arm workout with my 8lb weights. Yesterday, I biked for about 15.05 miles and included 11 sets of light arms with my 5lb weights while biking. I was really rushed after that, but I managed some more barre style leg work after that before having to run up to the softball fields.

It's gorgeous outside today, so maybe I'll walk at lunch or after work. Still waiting to hear back about my vehicle. Last I heard...they confirmed that the a/c is leaking, but they couldn't figure out where. I have all of the lemon law info ready to go as well as the manufacturer contact information to start the process since I've lost all faith in getting this fixed for good, and I believe it's been in the shop enough days for it to qualify, even if they do fix the a/c (again). I think I've also decided on what to buy next if I'm able to lemon law this. Part of me is tempted to go in for a test drive, but I hate anything dealing with sales at car dealerships, so I'll probably save that experience for buying time.

 

[Sans Souci]

At some point, I may hit you up for tips on places to stay. This February was supposed to be our DC trip with the kids, but since our July 2020 Disney trip got pushed and weren't ready to fly, we're probably going to push DC to Feb 2022. I've been several times, but the kids have never been. It's been ages for me and I always stayed with a close college friend who lived in Maryland, so I have no idea where to stay. Still, I loved the museums and just taking in all of the sights.

We always stay at the same hotel. It's where my husband stays when he goes down for work. It's the Residence Inn DC/Capitol. There are other ones, but this one is called DC/Capitol. It's nothing fancy, but it's comfortable and clean. There is no room service, but they have free breakfast. There is a pool and a small gym. There is an outdoor seating area with some grills and a fire pit. The rooms are apartment style with full kitchens. They have studios, 1 BR and 2 BR units. We stay there because it's maybe a 15 minute walk to the National Gallery and maybe 10 minute walk to the Capitol and the Air and Space Museum. We also like the extra room. The sofa pulls out and my son sleeps in the living area, while my husband and me sleep in the bedroom. He stays up much later than we do, so we really like the extra space and privacy.

The only downsides are it's near federal buildings, so it's a ghost town after 6 PM and on weekends. That means most places like Starbucks and Potbelly, etc. close early and/or are not open Sat and Sun. You basically need to walk a few blocks away for a Starbucks, McDonald's that is open. Also, the rear of the hotel faces train tracks that Amtrak uses, so there are trains coming and going at all hours. They don't run frequently, but it is loud when they do.

 

[Sans Souci]

This has been my week to try and get back on track. I still haven't been out for a nature walk, but I've hit the gym. I'm trying to work out harder in a shorter period of time to see if that helps. I'm limiting my biking to 45 min + cool down vs. 50-60. No, it's not a huge difference, but I think it's going to make a difference. Tuesday, I biked for 16 miles and then did an arm workout with my 8lb weights. Yesterday, I biked for about 15.05 miles and included 11 sets of light arms with my 5lb weights while biking. I was really rushed after that, but I managed some more barre style leg work after that before having to run up to the softball fields.

It's gorgeous outside today, so maybe I'll walk at lunch or after work. Still waiting to hear back about my vehicle. Last I heard...they confirmed that the a/c is leaking, but they couldn't figure out where. I have all of the lemon law info ready to go as well as the manufacturer contact information to start the process since I've lost all faith in getting this fixed for good, and I believe it's been in the shop enough days for it to qualify, even if they do fix the a/c (again). I think I've also decided on what to buy next if I'm able to lemon law this. Part of me is tempted to go in for a test drive, but I hate anything dealing with sales at car dealerships, so I'll probably save that experience for buying time.

Wow, good luck with your car. That sounds really frustrating. I hope you are successful with the lemon law. It's not right for a car to be in the shop so frequently.

I hate going into dealerships, too. It's part of the reason I still drive a 2004 Beetle. I don't want to deal with sales people. I'd rather run my car into the ground than deal with sales people. It's never cut and dry. It's always crap like, "I have to see if my manger will approve this." They make you sit and wait. They come back with some nonsense. I don't have the patience for that. I think my next car will be from Carvana. LOL

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Wow, good luck with your car. That sounds really frustrating. I hope you are successful with the lemon law. It's not right for a car to be in the shop so frequently.

I hate going into dealerships, too. It's part of the reason I still drive a 2004 Beetle. I don't want to deal with sales people. I'd rather run my car into the ground than deal with sales people. It's never cut and dry. It's always crap like, "I have to see if my manger will approve this." They make you sit and wait. They come back with some nonsense. I don't have the patience for that. I think my next car will be from Carvana. LOL

I should probably note that I have the most awful luck with vehicles. I have never owned anything that didn't have some kind of critical issues come up.

Car 1- Alternator died (cost about $2500), water pump died (cost about $1500), repairs exceeded value of car at the time so sold it.
Car 2- Would periodically just shut off after starting, but dealer could never duplicate the issue. Oil leak that should have been a $250-350 repair turned into nearly $1900 because the maker stopped making the parts. The quotes to fix the dead a/c and dead radio were too much so the car was sold.
Car 3- Nearly lemon lawed after a 3 week stint in the shop for the a/c condensation draining into the passenger seat foot area. Traded it in when the transmission started to die after 2.5 years (known issue), but the manufacturer refused to initiate a recall.
Car 4- Master cylinder went, which wasn't cheap. Then it just started breaking down randomly. They thought it was a radiator issue, but it turned out to be the computer. It was eventually totaled.
Car 5- Engine cut off several times while I was driving over 60mph. Dealer could never duplicate. Prior to this, had an issue where the breaks failed to engage while in Park. It rolled out of the driveway with the kids in it, hitting my husband's car, and nearly running me over. Traded it in.
Car 6- Totaled in a bad accident after just a little over a year.
Car 7- Would overheat in heavy traffic. Cause could never be determined and repair attempts unsuccessful. Heat also died around the time of the last straw with the overheating. Any major repair attempts to swap out systems would far exceed vehicle value. Traded it in.
Car 8- My current vehicle.

And the really crazy part...these are all different car brands. I think the only ones that are even affiliated are Cars 4 and 5, since Dodge and Jeep have a relationship. I'm running out of makes that aren't tied to a bad experience!

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I should probably note that I have the most awful luck with vehicles. I have never owned anything that didn't have some kind of critical issues come up.

Car 1- Alternator died (cost about $2500), water pump died (cost about $1500), repairs exceeded value of car at the time so sold it.
Car 2- Would periodically just shut off after starting, but dealer could never duplicate the issue. Oil leak that should have been a $250-350 repair turned into nearly $1900 because the maker stopped making the parts. The quotes to fix the dead a/c and dead radio were too much so the car was sold.
Car 3- Nearly lemon lawed after a 3 week stint in the shop for the a/c condensation draining into the passenger seat foot area. Traded it in when the transmission started to die after 2.5 years (known issue), but the manufacturer refused to initiate a recall.
Car 4- Master cylinder went, which wasn't cheap. Then it just started breaking down randomly. They thought it was a radiator issue, but it turned out to be the computer. It was eventually totaled.
Car 5- Engine cut off several times while I was driving over 60mph. Dealer could never duplicate. Prior to this, had an issue where the breaks failed to engage while in Park. It rolled out of the driveway with the kids in it, hitting my husband's car, and nearly running me over. Traded it in.
Car 6- Totaled in a bad accident after just a little over a year.
Car 7- Would overheat in heavy traffic. Cause could never be determined and repair attempts unsuccessful. Heat also died around the time of the last straw with the overheating. Any major repair attempts to swap out systems would far exceed vehicle value. Traded it in.
Car 8- My current vehicle.

And the really crazy part...these are all different car brands. I think the only ones that are even affiliated are Cars 4 and 5, since Dodge and Jeep have a relationship. I'm running out of makes that aren't tied to a bad experience!

What kind of cars just out of curiosity?

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Good afternoon,

February, other then when I was in WDW, was rough. There's no other way to put it. I went off of my workout for a while. Then my migraines started coming back in full force, and I was like, oops, better get back to that. Also trying to eat healthy to maybe drop a few pounds.

This morning's breakfast was avocado toast...

I did my elliptical, which gives me the needed cardio without triggering my asthma. Since it's a mini one, it doesn't have handlebars, so I added hand weights. This was Tuesday while listening to a book, no hand weights...

This was today, listening to Hamilton, with 2 pound hand weights.


I'm trying to convince myself to get up off the floor to take a shower so I can go back to work...

 

[HouCuseChickie]

What kind of cars just out of curiosity?

Car 1- Saab 900 S
Car 2- Honda Accord LXi
Car 3- Mazda 626 S*
Car 4- Dodge Durango Sport**
Car 5- Jeep Patriot Sport***
Car 6- Nissan Pathfinder S
Car 7- Nissan Pathfinder Silver****
Car 8- VW Atlas SE with Tech*****

*Mazda was tied into Ford and Jaguar at this time and the transmission was an issue in Mazdas, Fords, and I believe also the smallest Jaguar sedan of the time.
**Dodge was linked to Daimler at this time, so Mercedes was also part of the mix with parts, design, etc. when this vehicle was built.
***Jeep is part of Dodge, so their products have some overlap there as well. I think Fiat is also linked in with them.
****Nissan is also Infinity, so any issues could have an Infinity overlap.
*****VW is linked to Audi and Porsche.
Saab eventually became part of GM, but my Saab predated that. Honda is also Acura, but I'm not sure how much they shared parts back at that time, so I didn't tie them together for that late 80s vehicle.

It makes it really tough to think "what next if this doesn't work?"

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Car 1- Saab 900 S
Car 2- Honda Accord LXi
Car 3- Mazda 626 S*
Car 4- Dodge Durango Sport**
Car 5- Jeep Patriot Sport***
Car 6- Nissan Pathfinder S
Car 7- Nissan Pathfinder Silver****
Car 8- VW Atlas SE with Tech*****

*Mazda was tied into Ford and Jaguar at this time and the transmission was an issue in Mazdas, Fords, and I believe also the smallest Jaguar sedan of the time.
**Dodge was linked to Daimler at this time, so Mercedes was also part of the mix with parts, design, etc. when this vehicle was built.
***Jeep is part of Dodge, so their products have some overlap there as well. I think Fiat is also linked in with them.
****Nissan is also Infinity, so any issues could have an Infinity overlap.
*****VW is linked to Audi and Porsche.
Saab eventually became part of GM, but my Saab predated that. Honda is also Acura, but I'm not sure how much they shared parts back at that time, so I didn't tie them together for that late 80s vehicle.

It makes it really tough to think "what next if this doesn't work?"

I'm surprised at the Honda; they're usually really reliable, and they fix their recall issues. I have a Civic. My uncle has a Civic from 1994 that has 500,000 miles on it. He's got a newer car with all the bells a whistles; he just keeps it around as a point of pride.

The Dodge...not surprised. I'm not overly impressed with Nissan or VWs either.

Before the Civic I had GM cars. Both of them hit 100,000 miles and just started slowly dying...

 

[Figgy1]

We always stay at the same hotel. It's where my husband stays when he goes down for work. It's the Residence Inn DC/Capitol. There are other ones, but this one is called DC/Capitol. It's nothing fancy, but it's comfortable and clean. There is no room service, but they have free breakfast. There is a pool and a small gym. There is an outdoor seating area with some grills and a fire pit. The rooms are apartment style with full kitchens. They have studios, 1 BR and 2 BR units. We stay there because it's maybe a 15 minute walk to the National Gallery and maybe 10 minute walk to the Capitol and the Air and Space Museum. We also like the extra room. The sofa pulls out and my son sleeps in the living area, while my husband and me sleep in the bedroom. He stays up much later than we do, so we really like the extra space and privacy.

The only downsides are it's near federal buildings, so it's a ghost town after 6 PM and on weekends. That means most places like Starbucks and Potbelly, etc. close early and/or are not open Sat and Sun. You basically need to walk a few blocks away for a Starbucks, McDonald's that is open. Also, the rear of the hotel faces train tracks that Amtrak uses, so there are trains coming and going at all hours. They don't run frequently, but it is loud when they do.

For us it's always depended on the weather. If it's camping weather we stay at the KOA just outside DC just a short drive from the metro. If it's not camping weather and IMHO it's never camping weather we've stayed at the Embassy Suites in Crystal City just outside the city. Walking distance to the metro, Mount Vernon is a short drive so is Bethesda(no DC trip is complete without a stop at one of my favorite fabric stores), Goddard isn't far either.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I'm surprised at the Honda; they're usually really reliable, and they fix their recall issues. I have a Civic. My uncle has a Civic from 1994 that has 500,000 miles on it. He's got a newer car with all the bells a whistles; he just keeps it around as a point of pride.

The Dodge...not surprised. I'm not overly impressed with Nissan or VWs either.

Before the Civic I had GM cars. Both of them hit 100,000 miles and just started slowly dying...

The Honda was really disappointing. It was a 1988 and with brand reliability, we all thought it would be something I could drive into the ground. I think it was around 87K miles when I got rid of it. My friend has a little old Mazda like that...it's over 300k miles, and while she has a new vehicle to drive, she can't part with the Mazda since it still works.

The Dodge and the Jeep definitely worried me from the get go, but man...I loved that Durango. I wasn't as worried about the VW because I know several people who have this same vehicle and they have been issue free. Oh well...not me.

If I wind up lemon lawing this VW, the vehicle at the top of the list is a GM. I have a friend who keeps insisting I go and test drive a Toyota, but there's nothing in their lineup that suits me.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

If I wind up lemon lawing this VW, the vehicle at the top of the list is a GM. I have a friend who keeps insisting I go and test drive a Toyota, but there's nothing in their lineup that suits me.

My parents both drive Buicks. The Lacrosse, which they don't make anymore, is okay. They're on their third Enclave. Both of the other two have had issues. They just got the newest last week and it's a newer model, so we'll see.

I agree with your friend. Test drive the Toyotas. I'd test drive a Honda too. I test drove just about everything when I bought the Civic. Buicks, Chevys, Toyota, Hyundai...I've also had Nissans as rentals and have driven my aunt's Kia. Toyota and Honda were the nicest by far; I just liked the features of the Honda and the way it drove better. Cabin materials in the Chevy were crap.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

My parents both drive Buicks. The Lacrosse, which they don't make anymore, is okay. They're on their third Enclave. Both of the other two have had issues. They just got the newest last week and it's a newer model, so we'll see.

I agree with your friend. Test drive the Toyotas. I'd test drive a Honda too. I test drove just about everything when I bought the Civic. Buicks, Chevys, Toyota, Hyundai...I've also had Nissans as rentals and have driven my aunt's Kia. Toyota and Honda were the nicest by far; I just liked the features of the Honda and the way it drove better. Cabin materials in the Chevy were crap.

Interesting. Well it would be the Enclave I'd be looking at if I go the GM route. I'm curious to see how this one is for them. We had a lot of Buicks growing up and they were great, but so much has changed.

That's part of the problem...the Highlander and the RAV4 are both too small, the Sequoia is too big and in dire need of a makeover, the Landcruiser is too big and too expensive, and I've tested the 4Runner and didn't like it. I had one as a rental once too and couldn't wait to bring it back. I looked at the Honda Pilot recently just to see if it would work. I don't care for the exterior appearance, but it's got the good cargo area. Unfortunately, I have yet to see one at any price point that offers captains chairs in the second row and that's on the top 5 of must haves. A friend suggested I give the Mazda CX-7 a try since they are no longer partnered with Ford...which is funny because my husband has owned several Fords and they've been great, but my Ford/Mazda pairing not so much. I test drove the Hyundai Palisade and didn't care for it. The Telluride is nice, but they are in such high demand that when the dealer site says "make an offer" they mean they're entertaining bidding wars that go above sticker price. No thanks. I have another friend who gets nothing but Chevys, but while the starting price point is low, you pretty much have to start paying Buick and Cadillac prices to get a Chevy with similar add ons. And you're so right about the cabin materials being crap. I have a friend who bought an Escalade over a Tahoe for this reason. I think he actually paid less for his Escalade!

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Interesting. Well it would be the Enclave I'd be looking at if I go the GM route. I'm curious to see how this one is for them. We had a lot of Buicks growing up and they were great, but so much has changed.

The first one had a leaky sunroof. The traded it in when it was going to need a bunch of repairs after 7 years. They'd already had it in several times.

The latest Enclave we were in South Carolina and the check engine light went on. Forget the issue, but it was covered under warranty. Also had a leaky sunroof.

This one we literally got on Monday. I will admit, it's cool.

I don't like my aunt's Forte, but the Sorento is well worth a look (and has Captain's chairs) https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/kia/sorento

US News and World says the same thing I do about the Enclave - low rent cabin materials unless you go with the highest trim.

 

[Songbird76]

I sliced them thinly and sautéed them in olive oil. Then I added stuff like veggie broth, etc, so I had some jus to dip the sandwich in. I don't like raw mushrooms at all, but I love them cooked. I think they have a weird texture when they are raw, too.

I am not sure about the points. I don't know if we will go. But I always enjoy walking around the Mall and the monuments. But everything else is closed, so yeah. We have dinner reservations for two restaurants, but they are for outdoor seating. I am not sure what that would be like at the end of March! LOL I won't dine indoors yet.

I don't think it's ridiculous to miss the things you've mentioned at all. I think we're all feeling the same in one way or another. Even though some things here are opened at reduced capacity, I won't go into them. My husband and I used to go out for breakfast every other Friday and I miss that. I know we can always get it to go, it's not the same. My husband and I have been going to Longwood Gardens, but that's really like a botanical gardens, so we are able to keep our distance from others. We also don't go in their large conservatory, even though they limit the number of people who enter. I don't feel safe with ventilation and these variants that are supposed be more easily transmissible.

Yeah, I can understand not dining in. We did last Summer in Germany....not every place had outdoor seating, but that was when cases were extremely low and Germany had stricter rules than we did. They had had a mask mandate indoors for months where we still didn't have one. And we used hand sanitizer, etc....we were fine. Then a month later, we went out with my in-laws. They had invited us out months before, so we had it in our agenda for a long time. We went out on the Sunday after our anniversary, and then two days later they closed restaurants down again because cases were on the rise. But I was soooo uncomfortable in that restaurant. No one was following the arrows on the floor, no one was distancing, you had to stand and wait for your food at the wok buffet with other people waiting for theirs...it was just obviously not a good situation, and had we known it was going to be like that, we wouldn't have gone. We hadn't wanted to go to that restaurant anyway because we had several experiences in a row there where the food wasn't good and they were out of so much, we had written it off. But that's where my in-laws were going and it was their thing, not ours.

The problem with traveling right now, here at least, is that everything is closed. So yes, you could walk around, but if you have to go to the bathroom, there's no public restroom available. If you are on a day trip, there's nowhere to go. Restaurants are take out only, so you can't go in to use the bathroom there. You'd be stuck. So there's nothing to see, no where to go to the bathroom, and any food you get you have to eat in your car, or in your hotel if you are staying overnight. But I there's a "no unnecessary travel" advisory here...there are some people who still go, and that's part of the problem. In the Summer, everything was back to "Take precautions, but traveling is fine." And still people went to places with high numbers of Covid cases, and they refused to quarantine when they got home, so now we're back to no unnecessary travel, and I can't understand why anyone would WANT to travel right now...what can you possibly do with half the world shut down?? A vacation wouldn't even be fun...all you can do is sit in your hotel room and eat take out and watch TV/Netflix/Disney+. I can do that at home without paying for a hotel room or travel expenses.

 

[Songbird76]

I should probably note that I have the most awful luck with vehicles. I have never owned anything that didn't have some kind of critical issues come up.

Car 1- Alternator died (cost about $2500), water pump died (cost about $1500), repairs exceeded value of car at the time so sold it.
Car 2- Would periodically just shut off after starting, but dealer could never duplicate the issue. Oil leak that should have been a $250-350 repair turned into nearly $1900 because the maker stopped making the parts. The quotes to fix the dead a/c and dead radio were too much so the car was sold.
Car 3- Nearly lemon lawed after a 3 week stint in the shop for the a/c condensation draining into the passenger seat foot area. Traded it in when the transmission started to die after 2.5 years (known issue), but the manufacturer refused to initiate a recall.
Car 4- Master cylinder went, which wasn't cheap. Then it just started breaking down randomly. They thought it was a radiator issue, but it turned out to be the computer. It was eventually totaled.
Car 5- Engine cut off several times while I was driving over 60mph. Dealer could never duplicate. Prior to this, had an issue where the breaks failed to engage while in Park. It rolled out of the driveway with the kids in it, hitting my husband's car, and nearly running me over. Traded it in.
Car 6- Totaled in a bad accident after just a little over a year.
Car 7- Would overheat in heavy traffic. Cause could never be determined and repair attempts unsuccessful. Heat also died around the time of the last straw with the overheating. Any major repair attempts to swap out systems would far exceed vehicle value. Traded it in.
Car 8- My current vehicle.

And the really crazy part...these are all different car brands. I think the only ones that are even affiliated are Cars 4 and 5, since Dodge and Jeep have a relationship. I'm running out of makes that aren't tied to a bad experience!

This is pretty much why we lease our car now. I never had a problem with my car in the US. I bought it used when I was 17 with my own money, and it was a great car. It was a total beast....massive yellow tank we called the banana boat. It had minor issues here and there, but the only major problem was the transmission when I was in college, got that fixed and that was it. I was sad to have to get rid of it when I moved here.

Over here, we borrowed my in-laws' car for a long time since we lived with them and there wasn't room to park a second car anyway. When we got our own place, we bought a little car...I don't remember what it was, but I remember it ended up being too small, because I got pregnant and the seatbelts weren't long enough to put the car seat in properly. When we sold it, we found out it was also leaking oil. The next car...that one was a lemon. When we bought it, they told us it was like we were getting a brand new car, even though it was used, because they had just put a brand new engine in. YAY! After a year or so, we were headed somewhere, got a couple of blocks from our house and it just died. We couldn't get it to start. Had to walk home and have it towed to the dealership. They replaced the engine, for 2000 bucks. In the winter, the door mechanisms would freeze, so sometimes you couldn't get the door open at all and had to crawl in from the trunk. Sometimes you could open it, but then it wouldn't close....my husband had to drive with one hand holding the door closed....not easy to do in a stick shift. One time, I couldn't get my door open from the inside and the window was frozen shut, so I had to wave frantically to a coworker to come out and open my door from the outside to get out. When the 2 year old engine died AGAIN, we decided enough was enough and we got rid of it and started leasing instead. You always have a reliable car, it doesn't cost any more than a car payment, but that also covers insurance and maintenance, and if there's anything wrong with it, it's the lease company's responsibility, not ours. And they are nicer cars than we could afford if we were buying outright. It works well for us.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

The first one had a leaky sunroof. The traded it in when it was going to need a bunch of repairs after 7 years. They'd already had it in several times.

The latest Enclave we were in South Carolina and the check engine light went on. Forget the issue, but it was covered under warranty. Also had a leaky sunroof.

This one we literally got on Monday. I will admit, it's cool.

I don't like my aunt's Forte, but the Sorento is well worth a look (and has Captain's chairs) https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/kia/sorento

US News and World says the same thing I do about the Enclave - low rent cabin materials unless you go with the highest trim.

That's concerning with the sunroof. It's a feature I generally don't want or need, but some vehicles have them standard and they are prone to leaks. I had one in my second Nissan and can count on one hand how many times I used it. Thankfully, it never leaked, but the only good I found in it was that it added to the vehicle's trade in value.

If I were to get a Kia, it would have to be the Telluride, because I need more space. I got to sit in one and it was really nice, but they are in such high demand right now that it's like a bidding war with the dealerships. The sticker may say $42K, but apparently $10k over sticker is the going rate dealers are currently getting. Kia also knows they are in high demand, so they are producing more of the upper end vehicles (vs. base) to bring in more $$$.

From my experiences, GM and Toyota seem to be the worst about stripping down the cabins on their base models. I remember my mom had the most basic Camry in the late 90s and it felt so cheap inside. She drove it into the ground, but it was so blah. I remember looking at some Chevys and feeling the same way...like I could buy the base model, but if I wanted to enjoy my vehicle, I'd have to spend another $12-15K.

Well, who knows how long this will take if I do have to lemon it, but good to have all of this in mind. Then again, I've had awful luck with going based on what's supposed to be good...because even this VW has glowing ratings...so maybe I should just go for what's pretty and be done with it.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

This is pretty much why we lease our car now. I never had a problem with my car in the US. I bought it used when I was 17 with my own money, and it was a great car. It was a total beast....massive yellow tank we called the banana boat. It had minor issues here and there, but the only major problem was the transmission when I was in college, got that fixed and that was it. I was sad to have to get rid of it when I moved here.

Over here, we borrowed my in-laws' car for a long time since we lived with them and there wasn't room to park a second car anyway. When we got our own place, we bought a little car...I don't remember what it was, but I remember it ended up being too small, because I got pregnant and the seatbelts weren't long enough to put the car seat in properly. When we sold it, we found out it was also leaking oil. The next car...that one was a lemon. When we bought it, they told us it was like we were getting a brand new car, even though it was used, because they had just put a brand new engine in. YAY! After a year or so, we were headed somewhere, got a couple of blocks from our house and it just died. We couldn't get it to start. Had to walk home and have it towed to the dealership. They replaced the engine, for 2000 bucks. In the winter, the door mechanisms would freeze, so sometimes you couldn't get the door open at all and had to crawl in from the trunk. Sometimes you could open it, but then it wouldn't close....my husband had to drive with one hand holding the door closed....not easy to do in a stick shift. One time, I couldn't get my door open from the inside and the window was frozen shut, so I had to wave frantically to a coworker to come out and open my door from the outside to get out. When the 2 year old engine died AGAIN, we decided enough was enough and we got rid of it and started leasing instead. You always have a reliable car, it doesn't cost any more than a car payment, but that also covers insurance and maintenance, and if there's anything wrong with it, it's the lease company's responsibility, not ours. And they are nicer cars than we could afford if we were buying outright. It works well for us.

I know there are some people and situations where leasing is a good idea, but for us, it makes more financial sense to buy...especially with the amount of driving we do. I don't know what work will look like when things get back to normal and it's unlikely I'll have to go into the office as frequently as I once did, but it wasn't uncommon for me to put 15,000 miles or more on a vehicle in a year. Heck, even without having to drive to work, I still have put close to 12K miles on this vehicle in just under a year. I do go back and forth between new and used, simply because of the 10-20% depreciation from just driving that vehicle off the lot, but I can't see leasing for us.

The reality is this was purchased new. So just like a new lease, there's no reason I should have an unreliable vehicle at this stage of the game. With the exception of the Saab, my previous vehicles were also either bought new or had some kind of warranty on them when I got them. For this VW, I still haven't even had it for a year. I think it may have had 20 miles on it when I drove it off the lot. It's got a 7 year manufacturer's warranty and a lifetime warranty from the dealer if I keep up with regular service...I just don't want to have to keep bringing it in...especially when it's so new. Even if I were leasing vs. buying, this would still be a potential lemon law matter that would have to be handled the same way, so at this point...I just need to see what the service dept can do and take it from there. I have all of the VW contact info as well as the legal info if I need to go that route. Then it'll just be a matter of what next.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I was tired yesterday and didn't work out. It didn't help that I wound up taking a late call from my bosses and worked late. I didn't sleep well and didn't have the desire to get back in bed after getting the older one to school this morning. So, I biked almost 10 miles before work, did some arms and some ab work. I've at least been better about food this week. I didn't buy traditional sweets for myself this week and have been eating fruit for dessert. I know there's still natural sugars, but banana, strawberry and mango have to be better than Easter candy and ice cream...right?

At least it's Friday. Sure, we have softball, but it's a break from the work routine.

 

[Songbird76]

I was tired yesterday and didn't work out. It didn't help that I wound up taking a late call from my bosses and worked late. I didn't sleep well and didn't have the desire to get back in bed after getting the older one to school this morning. So, I biked almost 10 miles before work, did some arms and some ab work. I've at least been better about food this week. I didn't buy traditional sweets for myself this week and have been eating fruit for dessert. I know there's still natural sugars, but banana, strawberry and mango have to be better than Easter candy and ice cream...right?

At least it's Friday. Sure, we have softball, but it's a break from the work routine.

Well, considering fruits are part of a balanced diet and are rich in vitamins, I'd say they are definitely better than easter candy and ice cream.

I went for a walk today....got several miles in. I'd normally work on a Friday, but my husband wasn't home to drive me, so I was home today and had to get my exercise in another way.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I worked out Friday and Saturday. I've been sticking to the gym and the bike and what got me to a good place last time. So, I'm trying to stick with that. I will either work out today during lunch or after work. The older one was major drama this morning and had a scare with a friend this weekend, plus the great pollening has started here, so I didn't sleep well.

In vehicle news, if you want to call it that, I have realized that I can't lemon law it based on days in the shop because I've been provided with a suitable loaner. That makes sense. That being said, they can't figure out how to fix it. They did all of the normal things to find a leak and found nothing...even though it's very evident that there is one. They have done daily Zooms with guys in the corporate tech offices to try and walk them through other processes to detect it, and so far they've found nothing. So, now they are sending someone from corporate tech in person to try and figure out what's wrong with it. They're HOPING it'll be this week. I guess if they can't fix it, it should be easier to go through the lemon process. SHOULD being the key word.