What's the stupidest thing you're lusting after right now?

[ROF Expat]

In American terms, I agree that to grill something and to barbecue something are technically not the same thing.  I think both are understood to mean cooking with open flame (traditionally wood or charcoal, although it has expanded to include gas).  Grilling, as has been pointed out by others, usually involves cooking quickly over direct heat, whereas barbecue usually means cooking for a longer period over indirect heat.  You would generally grill a thin steak or a hamburger, but you would barbecue a whole pig or a leg of lamb.  (As always, there are exceptions.)  You can use either of these methods on something like a Weber kettle.  If you cook a steak directly over charcoal, you are grilling it.  If you pile the coals in a corner and put a rack of ribs on the other side for hours, you are barbecuing. 

The differences are real for people who care, but I think that is a small group of people.  For most people, the terms grilling and barbecuing have become more or less synonymous, and the item you cook it on is interchangeably called a grill or a barbecue (or a barbecue grill).  To correct someone would be pretty pedantic (this is the nicest word I could come up with).  If my neighbor invites me over and says he's going to barbecue hamburgers and hot dogs, I am going to say "thank you" not "you're grilling, not barbecuing."  If he says he's had ribs on the grill for hours, I will ask if I can bring a side dish not "you know you're barbecuing, right?"

I don't think any of these terms necessarily apply outside of the United States. 

[Republic DC-9]

An aquarium - have had two in my life so far.

I get this urge every time I visit the Shedd in Chicago.

A bunch of cherry barbs might be relaxing (or just a lot of work and $).

[Luke Warm]

In American terms, I agree that to grill something and to barbecue something are technically not the same thing.  I think both are understood to mean cooking with open flame (traditionally wood or charcoal, although it has expanded to include gas).  Grilling, as has been pointed out by others, usually involves cooking quickly over direct heat, whereas barbecue usually means cooking for a longer period over indirect heat.  You would generally grill a thin steak or a hamburger, but you would barbecue a whole pig or a leg of lamb.  (As always, there are exceptions.)  You can use either of these methods on something like a Weber kettle.  If you cook a steak directly over charcoal, you are grilling it.  If you pile the coals in a corner and put a rack of ribs on the other side for hours, you are barbecuing. 

The differences are real for people who care, but I think that is a small group of people.  For most people, the terms grilling and barbecuing have become more or less synonymous, and the item you cook it on is interchangeably called a grill or a barbecue (or a barbecue grill).  To correct someone would be pretty pedantic (this is the nicest word I could come up with).  If my neighbor invites me over and says he's going to barbecue hamburgers and hot dogs, I am going to say "thank you" not "you're grilling, not barbecuing."  If he says he's had ribs on the grill for hours, I will ask if I can bring a side dish not "you know you're barbecuing, right?"

I don't think any of these terms necessarily apply outside of the United States.

I think it's regional. Like coke, soda and pop.

[sonofsven]

A grill is jewelry for your teeth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grill_(jewelry)

I've not listed for that type of grill, but I have always wanted a visible gold tooth, for some reason.

[Arbitrage]

In American terms, I agree that to grill something and to barbecue something are technically not the same thing.  I think both are understood to mean cooking with open flame (traditionally wood or charcoal, although it has expanded to include gas).  Grilling, as has been pointed out by others, usually involves cooking quickly over direct heat, whereas barbecue usually means cooking for a longer period over indirect heat.  You would generally grill a thin steak or a hamburger, but you would barbecue a whole pig or a leg of lamb.  (As always, there are exceptions.)  You can use either of these methods on something like a Weber kettle.  If you cook a steak directly over charcoal, you are grilling it.  If you pile the coals in a corner and put a rack of ribs on the other side for hours, you are barbecuing. 

The differences are real for people who care, but I think that is a small group of people.  For most people, the terms grilling and barbecuing have become more or less synonymous, and the item you cook it on is interchangeably called a grill or a barbecue (or a barbecue grill).  To correct someone would be pretty pedantic (this is the nicest word I could come up with).  If my neighbor invites me over and says he's going to barbecue hamburgers and hot dogs, I am going to say "thank you" not "you're grilling, not barbecuing."  If he says he's had ribs on the grill for hours, I will ask if I can bring a side dish not "you know you're barbecuing, right?"

I don't think any of these terms necessarily apply outside of the United States.

I think it's regional. Like coke, soda and pop.

You should've seen how disappointed my new Georgia-born and bred grad school classmate was the first time she showed up to a 'BBQ' in California.  Hamburgers and hot dogs definitely weren't what she showed up to eat.

[ChpBstrd]

A grill is jewelry for your teeth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grill_(jewelry)

I've not listed for that type of grill, but I have always wanted a visible gold tooth, for some reason.

The reason:

[Luke Warm]

A grill is jewelry for your teeth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grill_(jewelry)

I've not listed for that type of grill, but I have always wanted a visible gold tooth, for some reason.

me too

[GuitarStv]

A grill is jewelry for your teeth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grill_(jewelry)

I've not listed for that type of grill, but I have always wanted a visible gold tooth, for some reason.

The reason:

Ah yes, the underrated and short lived '70s Sesame Street character 'Kermit the Pimp'.

[ChickenStash]

A grill is jewelry for your teeth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grill_(jewelry)

I've not listed for that type of grill, but I have always wanted a visible gold tooth, for some reason.

me too

Same.

Way back when I got a cavity filled the dentist gave me the option for a gold filling and I was really thinking it would be cool. It was an upper molar that couldn't be easily seen, though, so gold would have been a waste. If I'm going to get some bling I want to be able to enjoy it.

[sonofsven]

A grill is jewelry for your teeth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grill_(jewelry)

I've not listed for that type of grill, but I have always wanted a visible gold tooth, for some reason.

The reason:

He's ready for Mardi Gras!

[ROF Expat]

In American terms, I agree that to grill something and to barbecue something are technically not the same thing.  I think both are understood to mean cooking with open flame (traditionally wood or charcoal, although it has expanded to include gas).  Grilling, as has been pointed out by others, usually involves cooking quickly over direct heat, whereas barbecue usually means cooking for a longer period over indirect heat.  You would generally grill a thin steak or a hamburger, but you would barbecue a whole pig or a leg of lamb.  (As always, there are exceptions.)  You can use either of these methods on something like a Weber kettle.  If you cook a steak directly over charcoal, you are grilling it.  If you pile the coals in a corner and put a rack of ribs on the other side for hours, you are barbecuing. 

The differences are real for people who care, but I think that is a small group of people.  For most people, the terms grilling and barbecuing have become more or less synonymous, and the item you cook it on is interchangeably called a grill or a barbecue (or a barbecue grill).  To correct someone would be pretty pedantic (this is the nicest word I could come up with).  If my neighbor invites me over and says he's going to barbecue hamburgers and hot dogs, I am going to say "thank you" not "you're grilling, not barbecuing."  If he says he's had ribs on the grill for hours, I will ask if I can bring a side dish not "you know you're barbecuing, right?"

I don't think any of these terms necessarily apply outside of the United States.

I think it's regional. Like coke, soda and pop.

You should've seen how disappointed my new Georgia-born and bred grad school classmate was the first time she showed up to a 'BBQ' in California.  Hamburgers and hot dogs definitely weren't what she showed up to eat.

Where I grew up (in the Southeast), "barbecue" without any further explanation means pork (preferably, a whole pig) cooked long and slow over charcoal and basted with a vinegar and pepper mixture.  Where  my wife grew up (in Texas), "barbecue" without any further explanation means beef.  In both places, they'd recognize (and even respect) the other product, but they'd qualify it by calling it "Carolina BBQ" or "Texas BBQ." 

Whatever you call  it, I thought we Americans took cooking meat over open flame seriously until I went to South Africa.  They call it "Braai" and a lot of people elevate it to a level I associate more with religion than a hobby. 

[rothwem]

Where I grew up (in the Southeast), "barbecue" without any further explanation means pork (preferably, a whole pig) cooked long and slow over charcoal and basted with a vinegar and pepper mixture.  Where  my wife grew up (in Texas), "barbecue" without any further explanation means beef.  In both places, they'd recognize (and even respect) the other product, but they'd qualify it by calling it "Carolina BBQ" or "Texas BBQ." 

Whatever you call  it, I thought we Americans took cooking meat over open flame seriously until I went to South Africa.  They call it "Braai" and a lot of people elevate it to a level I associate more with religion than a hobby.

Vinegar BBQ is a very specific regional dish...I'm guessing that you're from somewhere in NC between Greensboro and the beach?

[zolotiyeruki]

*sigh* At times, I want a new car.  Or just fewer old cars.  I'm in the middle of rebuilding our kitchen floor (because both our dishwasher and kitchen faucet sprung significant leaks in rapid succession), and I got a call from DD saying that the car (a '97 Geo Prizm) was leaking fuel on the ground when she filled it up today.  It's probably just a rusty fuel filler neck ($50 part, an hour or two to replace it), but it's just another project on an endless list, and I'm starting to feel overwhelmed.  I suppose I could count it as a MPP:  I'm so stubbornly attached to insourcing and DIYing that there are times when I can't keep up.

Following up.  DD and I replaced the fuel filler neck last night (a "really unpleasant experience" according to her).  As we unbolted the old one, it broke in half.  Literally.  Also, the jack point crumbled to dust when we went to jack it up.  Did I mention this car is really really rusty, and only cost us $1750 two years ago?

It'll be interesting to see if the gas mileage goes up.  I figure it *has* to, since it's no longer spilling fuel on the ground with every fill-up.

[jinga nation]

Whatever you call  it, I thought we Americans took cooking meat over open flame seriously until I went to South Africa.  They call it "Braai" and a lot of people elevate it to a level I associate more with religion than a hobby.

For real. Braai is an all-day affair, lots of drinking, talking, eating, socializing. Serious business. And then there's beer wars - Castle vs Namib, etc.
And then there's biltong to supress that braai hunger...

Smoking meats is also somewhat a religion, in my area. Families will patronize a specific "BBQ restaurant" because the owner is from a specific place, cooks certain cuts to a specific style, uses specific wood and fuel, uses specific seasonings/sauces... it's just like church, but tastier and better.

[Just Joe]

*sigh* At times, I want a new car.  Or just fewer old cars.  I'm in the middle of rebuilding our kitchen floor (because both our dishwasher and kitchen faucet sprung significant leaks in rapid succession), and I got a call from DD saying that the car (a '97 Geo Prizm) was leaking fuel on the ground when she filled it up today.  It's probably just a rusty fuel filler neck ($50 part, an hour or two to replace it), but it's just another project on an endless list, and I'm starting to feel overwhelmed.  I suppose I could count it as a MPP:  I'm so stubbornly attached to insourcing and DIYing that there are times when I can't keep up.

Following up.  DD and I replaced the fuel filler neck last night (a "really unpleasant experience" according to her).  As we unbolted the old one, it broke in half.  Literally.  Also, the jack point crumbled to dust when we went to jack it up.  Did I mention this car is really really rusty, and only cost us $1750 two years ago?

It'll be interesting to see if the gas mileage goes up.  I figure it *has* to, since it's no longer spilling fuel on the ground with every fill-up.

Glad you repaired that. Leaky fuel systems are one of those topics I don't mess around with. Maybe this will lead DD to more schooling/harder working/more frugality so she has newer/better cars.

That is the lesson I am hoping for with our offspring. OS#1 seems to like driving low cost older vehicles, also avoiding college. OS#2 is driving an older but nice vehicle that is a thirsty beast. Already plotting to buy something newer and more frugal in the future. And college > job > income > nicer vehicle. Mission accomplished - maybe if current dating situation doesn't derail OS#2.

[zolotiyeruki]

*sigh* At times, I want a new car.  Or just fewer old cars.  I'm in the middle of rebuilding our kitchen floor (because both our dishwasher and kitchen faucet sprung significant leaks in rapid succession), and I got a call from DD saying that the car (a '97 Geo Prizm) was leaking fuel on the ground when she filled it up today.  It's probably just a rusty fuel filler neck ($50 part, an hour or two to replace it), but it's just another project on an endless list, and I'm starting to feel overwhelmed.  I suppose I could count it as a MPP:  I'm so stubbornly attached to insourcing and DIYing that there are times when I can't keep up.

Following up.  DD and I replaced the fuel filler neck last night (a "really unpleasant experience" according to her).  As we unbolted the old one, it broke in half.  Literally.  Also, the jack point crumbled to dust when we went to jack it up.  Did I mention this car is really really rusty, and only cost us $1750 two years ago?

It'll be interesting to see if the gas mileage goes up.  I figure it *has* to, since it's no longer spilling fuel on the ground with every fill-up.

Glad you repaired that. Leaky fuel systems are one of those topics I don't mess around with. Maybe this will lead DD to more schooling/harder working/more frugality so she has newer/better cars.

It's a bit of a tightrope to walk, though.  I want my kids to recognize the value of frugality and DIY, but I also want them to have the drive to achieve, so they can afford the things that will improve their lives.

[crocheted_stache]

*sigh* At times, I want a new car.  Or just fewer old cars.  I'm in the middle of rebuilding our kitchen floor (because both our dishwasher and kitchen faucet sprung significant leaks in rapid succession), and I got a call from DD saying that the car (a '97 Geo Prizm) was leaking fuel on the ground when she filled it up today.  It's probably just a rusty fuel filler neck ($50 part, an hour or two to replace it), but it's just another project on an endless list, and I'm starting to feel overwhelmed.  I suppose I could count it as a MPP:  I'm so stubbornly attached to insourcing and DIYing that there are times when I can't keep up.

Following up.  DD and I replaced the fuel filler neck last night (a "really unpleasant experience" according to her).  As we unbolted the old one, it broke in half.  Literally.  Also, the jack point crumbled to dust when we went to jack it up.  Did I mention this car is really really rusty, and only cost us $1750 two years ago?

It'll be interesting to see if the gas mileage goes up.  I figure it *has* to, since it's no longer spilling fuel on the ground with every fill-up.

Glad you repaired that. Leaky fuel systems are one of those topics I don't mess around with. Maybe this will lead DD to more schooling/harder working/more frugality so she has newer/better cars.

It's a bit of a tightrope to walk, though.  I want my kids to recognize the value of frugality and DIY, but I also want them to have the drive to achieve, so they can afford the things that will improve their lives.

A car that's merely old or ugly is frugal, but if it's unreliable, dangerous, or costing more to fix than to replace, it's a false economy.

[reeshau]

[Then some people muck it up even further by adding sauces which they call "bbq sauce" (though bbq sauce is far from the only flavorful liquid used to make bbq, and is arguably not even necessary. 

I started understanding that I was getting somewhere with my smoker, when I realized that all the sauces I liked seemed to detract from my smoked brisket.  So, I had to up my sauce game in response.  Or, I am finally becoming Texan.  Although, that would be West Texan, where dry brisket (no sauce) is common.

[ROF Expat]

Vinegar BBQ is a very specific regional dish...I'm guessing that you're from somewhere in NC between Greensboro and the beach?

It is definitely Eastern Carolina bbq.  I grew up in Tidewater, Virginia.   Virginians can be snobby about a lot of things, but there's not even a pretense that there's a Virginia equivalent that would compare with "Carolina barbecue." 

[ROF Expat]

For real. Braai is an all-day affair, lots of drinking, talking, eating, socializing. Serious business. And then there's beer wars - Castle vs Namib, etc.
And then there's biltong to supress that braai hunger...

As an American, it hurts  me to admit that biltong and droewors are better than beef jerky.  But they are...

For widely available beer, I'm a Windhoek drinker.  There are a lot of good microbreweries around these days, though. 

[rothwem]

So, for all the cyclists out there, is it killing you seeing all these sales on bike stuff and...not needing any of it?  Even Specialized, which is kind of the BMW of the bicycle market is marking things down like crazy, a legit really good frame that's normally $2100 frame for $999!?

Gah.

[nereo]

So, for all the cyclists out there, is it killing you seeing all these sales on bike stuff and...not needing any of it?  Even Specialized, which is kind of the BMW of the bicycle market is marking things down like crazy, a legit really good frame that's normally $2100 frame for $999!?

Gah.

Huh.  I had no idea this was going on... any particular reason why this is happening?  Post-COVID surplus?

[Askel]

So, for all the cyclists out there, is it killing you seeing all these sales on bike stuff and...not needing any of it?  Even Specialized, which is kind of the BMW of the bicycle market is marking things down like crazy, a legit really good frame that's normally $2100 frame for $999!?

Gah.

If it was truly a good frame, would they need to mark it down that much?  Sure, a lot of the gimmicky, techy, dedicated race/trail machinery is seeing crazy markdowns, but you can usually pick that stuff up for pennies on the dollar in 10 years after everybody gets all excited about the next big thing anyway. 

There was a really nice, top of the line, full suspension Gary Fisher for sale just up the road from me last week.  Was at least 15 years old, probably older. Perfect condition. $100.   

Was going to go back and get it for parts (XTR 3x9!), but somebody beat me to it.   

[rothwem]

So, for all the cyclists out there, is it killing you seeing all these sales on bike stuff and...not needing any of it?  Even Specialized, which is kind of the BMW of the bicycle market is marking things down like crazy, a legit really good frame that's normally $2100 frame for $999!?

Gah.

Huh.  I had no idea this was going on... any particular reason why this is happening?  Post-COVID surplus?

Yup, that's exactly why.  There was a big boom at the start of Covid, lots of orders got placed with suppliers and by the time the orders were filled, everyone had to start working again and couldn't ride bikes all day so there's a bunch of stock left to sell.  The sales really started up last summer but they've really ratcheted up recently, I guess there's new model stuff coming out and they're trying to clear out existing inventory. 

It kinda sucks for the bike industry, but if we're being honest, it was getting a little bloated and expensive anyways. 

[ChpBstrd]

So, for all the cyclists out there, is it killing you seeing all these sales on bike stuff and...not needing any of it?  Even Specialized, which is kind of the BMW of the bicycle market is marking things down like crazy, a legit really good frame that's normally $2100 frame for $999!?

Gah.

Yea the bikepacalypse is in full force. Some crazy deals out there. E.g. Intense 951's at costcos for less than 2 grand.
https://www.reddit.com/r/mountainbiking/comments/1cszba1/got_a_crazy_deal_today_check_costcos_near_you/

This is giving me FOMO. Prices are going to rise and I'll miss the era of great deals.

[Luke Warm]

So, for all the cyclists out there, is it killing you seeing all these sales on bike stuff and...not needing any of it?  Even Specialized, which is kind of the BMW of the bicycle market is marking things down like crazy, a legit really good frame that's normally $2100 frame for $999!?

Gah.

Yes. I can't ride right now and I won't buy one without a test ride. Killing me. Maybe the will still be on sale in a few months.

[curious_george]

Still lusting after a Tesla model 3 and trying to mentally justify it with the assumption that America will hit peak oil in the next 3-5 years and the price of gas will go up significantly then as well as the price of used model 3's so now must be the time to buy buy buy! Lol.

But really I know (think?) it's a silly thing to lust after.

[Sandi_k]

Still lusting after a Tesla model 3 and trying to mentally justify it with the assumption that America will hit peak oil in the next 3-5 years and the price of gas will go up significantly then as well as the price of used model 3's so now must be the time to buy buy buy! Lol.

But really I know (think?) it's a silly thing to lust after.

The requirement to have repairs done in a Tesla-authorized facility, and their unwillingness to have parts available makes it a big "no" from me. One of our best friends' Tesla was hit sitting at the curb in front of our house. It was 10 months old at the time.

It took 9 months to get the parts to repair it. And since it had messed up the driver's side rear quarter panel, the charging port was crunched a bit (making charging hard), so he went back to driving a 15 year old family Prius.

Did I mention that he had a car loan? So he paid for 9 months of ownership while he was not able to drive it. Gah! Tesla isn't a car company - it's a tech company who uses a car to deliver the tech.

[Askel]

Still lusting after a Tesla model 3 and trying to mentally justify it with the assumption that America will hit peak oil in the next 3-5 years and the price of gas will go up significantly then as well as the price of used model 3's so now must be the time to buy buy buy! Lol.

But really I know (think?) it's a silly thing to lust after.

3-5 years you say?

I should buy more bicycles while they are cheap! 

[curious_george]

Still lusting after a Tesla model 3 and trying to mentally justify it with the assumption that America will hit peak oil in the next 3-5 years and the price of gas will go up significantly then as well as the price of used model 3's so now must be the time to buy buy buy! Lol.

But really I know (think?) it's a silly thing to lust after.

The requirement to have repairs done in a Tesla-authorized facility, and their unwillingness to have parts available makes it a big "no" from me. One of our best friends' Tesla was hit sitting at the curb in front of our house. It was 10 months old at the time.

It took 9 months to get the parts to repair it. And since it had messed up the driver's side rear quarter panel, the charging port was crunched a bit (making charging hard), so he went back to driving a 15 year old family Prius.

Did I mention that he had a car loan? So he paid for 9 months of ownership while he was not able to drive it. Gah! Tesla isn't a car company - it's a tech company who uses a car to deliver the tech.

Thanks for this.

I hear stories like this and suddenly I come back to reality and don't want the Tesla anymore and am fine driving my old Toyota.

At least I can get parts for my car. :)

[ChpBstrd]

Still lusting after a Tesla model 3 and trying to mentally justify it with the assumption that America will hit peak oil in the next 3-5 years and the price of gas will go up significantly then as well as the price of used model 3's so now must be the time to buy buy buy! Lol.

But really I know (think?) it's a silly thing to lust after.

The requirement to have repairs done in a Tesla-authorized facility, and their unwillingness to have parts available makes it a big "no" from me. One of our best friends' Tesla was hit sitting at the curb in front of our house. It was 10 months old at the time.

It took 9 months to get the parts to repair it. And since it had messed up the driver's side rear quarter panel, the charging port was crunched a bit (making charging hard), so he went back to driving a 15 year old family Prius.

Did I mention that he had a car loan? So he paid for 9 months of ownership while he was not able to drive it. Gah! Tesla isn't a car company - it's a tech company who uses a car to deliver the tech.

Maybe the rational reason to buy Teslas is to part them out on Ebay for massive profits. Body panels in particular seem nearly impossible to obtain. Probably the screens get bashed on a regular basis. Airbags... OMFG. Sell the battery and drivetrain for ~$10k to people doing conversions of old ICE cars. Wheels and tires... $2k. Upholstery pieces... another $3k. Suspension... $2k. Wouldn't be too hard to exceed the $20k price they're selling for whole because people and body shops have no other options.

[crocheted_stache]

Still lusting after a Tesla model 3 and trying to mentally justify it with the assumption that America will hit peak oil in the next 3-5 years and the price of gas will go up significantly then as well as the price of used model 3's so now must be the time to buy buy buy! Lol.

But really I know (think?) it's a silly thing to lust after.

The requirement to have repairs done in a Tesla-authorized facility, and their unwillingness to have parts available makes it a big "no" from me. One of our best friends' Tesla was hit sitting at the curb in front of our house. It was 10 months old at the time.

It took 9 months to get the parts to repair it. And since it had messed up the driver's side rear quarter panel, the charging port was crunched a bit (making charging hard), so he went back to driving a 15 year old family Prius.

Did I mention that he had a car loan? So he paid for 9 months of ownership while he was not able to drive it. Gah! Tesla isn't a car company - it's a tech company who uses a car to deliver the tech.

Thanks for this.

I hear stories like this and suddenly I come back to reality and don't want the Tesla anymore and am fine driving my old Toyota.

At least I can get parts for my car. :)

I can get parts for my old Toyota, and I can install many of the "easy" ones myself (headlights, cabin air filter).

I also know a Tesla owner who got rear-ended and ended up waiting months for repairs.

Maybe the rational reason to buy Teslas is to part them out on Ebay for massive profits. Body panels in particular seem nearly impossible to obtain. Probably the screens get bashed on a regular basis. Airbags... OMFG. Sell the battery and drivetrain for ~$10k to people doing conversions of old ICE cars. Wheels and tires... $2k. Upholstery pieces... another $3k. Suspension... $2k. Wouldn't be too hard to exceed the $20k price they're selling for whole because people and body shops have no other options.

If that worked even as a side hustle, why aren't more people doing it by now? Does Tesla ban people they find doing this stuff, for doing an end run around their EULA and/or trying to defeat their artificial scarcity? Is it not actually profitable? Or is it just that the car price is high enough to be a barrier to entry for most folks who would otherwise benefit by this sort of extra income enough to be worth the effort?

[Alternatepriorities]

Still lusting after a Tesla model 3 and trying to mentally justify it with the assumption that America will hit peak oil in the next 3-5 years and the price of gas will go up significantly then as well as the price of used model 3's so now must be the time to buy buy buy! Lol.

But really I know (think?) it's a silly thing to lust after.

The requirement to have repairs done in a Tesla-authorized facility, and their unwillingness to have parts available makes it a big "no" from me. One of our best friends' Tesla was hit sitting at the curb in front of our house. It was 10 months old at the time.

It took 9 months to get the parts to repair it. And since it had messed up the driver's side rear quarter panel, the charging port was crunched a bit (making charging hard), so he went back to driving a 15 year old family Prius.

Did I mention that he had a car loan? So he paid for 9 months of ownership while he was not able to drive it. Gah! Tesla isn't a car company - it's a tech company who uses a car to deliver the tech.

Thanks for this.

I hear stories like this and suddenly I come back to reality and don't want the Tesla anymore and am fine driving my old Toyota.

At least I can get parts for my car. :)

I can get parts for my old Toyota, and I can install many of the "easy" ones myself (headlights, cabin air filter).

I also know a Tesla owner who got rear-ended and ended up waiting months for repairs.

Maybe the rational reason to buy Teslas is to part them out on Ebay for massive profits. Body panels in particular seem nearly impossible to obtain. Probably the screens get bashed on a regular basis. Airbags... OMFG. Sell the battery and drivetrain for ~$10k to people doing conversions of old ICE cars. Wheels and tires... $2k. Upholstery pieces... another $3k. Suspension... $2k. Wouldn't be too hard to exceed the $20k price they're selling for whole because people and body shops have no other options.

If that worked even as a side hustle, why aren't more people doing it by now? Does Tesla ban people they find doing this stuff, for doing an end run around their EULA and/or trying to defeat their artificial scarcity? Is it not actually profitable? Or is it just that the car price is high enough to be a barrier to entry for most folks who would otherwise benefit by this sort of extra income enough to be worth the effort?

To be fair to Tesla, a lot of manufactures are pulling this BS now. I just saw a repair shop video on '18 Nissan claiming they could not buy a basic seal for the transmission because it's proprietary and Nissan will only sell the whole transmission for 12k. My Brother-in-law is a mechanic and I've heard a few rants from him along the same lines. I haven't yet run into anything that bad personally.

To give the devil his due, I suspect that Tesla's success with this approach is making other manufactures a lot bolder. I'm not sure BMW would have had to guts to offer "heated steering whee"l as a subscription before Tesla...

To bring myself back on topic, all this no right to repair idiocy kind of makes me want to fix up the rusted out 1975 dodge ram I inherited and drive it forever. Heck, for the price of a Tesla I'll probably be able to buy a 3D printer capable of making the parts for it before they stop selling them...

[jinga nation]

After watching https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbra-p-y-uE&t=424s

I'm seriously lusting after the new Toyota J70 series with 4.5L diesel and manual transmission. Million mile/km vehicles.
In reality, Toyota never sold them here, so the only way is to get an older one either via gray market, or buy one from someone who did that.

Instead, I'm thinking of an older J80/100/200 series (the wagon variant spinoffs of the J70) - namely the Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX series.

[Sugaree]

I'm somewhat seriously considering buying some land.  Not to build on.  At least not anytime in the near future.  Possibly a retirement location.  It's 4.4 acres with creek access about 30 minutes away from my house.  I really just want it as somewhere to pull the kayaks out of the creek.  And maybe run beehives from the upper portion of it.  I've run the numbers and I think I can make it work by selling some VTSAX in my brokerage account and cashflowing the rest (funny enough this is the part that makes me the most nervous, but also has the least in opportunity costs). 

[rothwem]

I'm somewhat seriously considering buying some land.  Not to build on.  At least not anytime in the near future.  Possibly a retirement location.  It's 4.4 acres with creek access about 30 minutes away from my house.  I really just want it as somewhere to pull the kayaks out of the creek.  And maybe run beehives from the upper portion of it.  I've run the numbers and I think I can make it work by selling some VTSAX in my brokerage account and cashflowing the rest (funny enough this is the part that makes me the most nervous, but also has the least in opportunity costs).

Enh, I don’t think I’d do it. My inlaws have land that they’ve had in the family for a long time, they grow timber on it and hunt deer there. It’s also a massive pain in the ass for them keeping people off of it. My initial thought is, “who cares?”, but if someone hurts themselves while trespassing, it can be a real pain in the ass for the landowner.

I don’t think I’d want to own any land that I’m not occupying or renting out to someone else to occupy.

[Taran Wanderer]

If you’ll use it regularly and you have a chance of appreciation, go for it.  They’re not making more land (except maybe China in the South China Sea or in Dubai…).

[nereo]

  They’re not making more land ...

I hear this cliché thrown about in RE discussions, and I think it's misguided.  True, land is finite, but overall population growth is slowing and is negative in many areas.  Throughout the 20th century almost every decade had double-digit growth (some decades it was >20%).  Projections for the next two decades are in the low single digits.  There's also a constant re-shuffling of where people live, and the decades-long trend has been towards more urban centers (and recently smaller cities) and away from more rural regions. There's also the well known inflation of home sizes, but often under appreciated decrease in lot sizes - basically more people are comfortable owning less land overall. 

Put that all together and we aren't in a situation where "land" is less available now than it was a few decades ago, nor will it be harder to come by a quarter century from now (at least from a US perspective).  Large-scale shifts in immigration along with climate change are going to have some serious impacts.

[Dancin'Dog]

  They’re not making more land ...

I hear this cliché thrown about in RE discussions, and I think it's misguided.  True, land is finite, but overall population growth is slowing and is negative in many areas.  Throughout the 20th century almost every decade had double-digit growth (some decades it was >20%).  Projections for the next two decades are in the low single digits.  There's also a constant re-shuffling of where people live, and the decades-long trend has been towards more urban centers (and recently smaller cities) and away from more rural regions. There's also the well known inflation of home sizes, but often under appreciated decrease in lot sizes - basically more people are comfortable owning less land overall. 

Put that all together and we aren't in a situation where "land" is less available now than it was a few decades ago, nor will it be harder to come by a quarter century from now (at least from a US perspective).  Large-scale shifts in immigration along with climate change are going to have some serious impacts.

I'd argue that regardless of population decline the "winners" are buying the board.  The demand for land will increase because the supply is being consolidated.  The prices for real estate may stagnate at times but are unlikely to fall. 

[nereo]

  They’re not making more land ...

I hear this cliché thrown about in RE discussions, and I think it's misguided.  True, land is finite, but overall population growth is slowing and is negative in many areas.  Throughout the 20th century almost every decade had double-digit growth (some decades it was >20%).  Projections for the next two decades are in the low single digits.  There's also a constant re-shuffling of where people live, and the decades-long trend has been towards more urban centers (and recently smaller cities) and away from more rural regions. There's also the well known inflation of home sizes, but often under appreciated decrease in lot sizes - basically more people are comfortable owning less land overall. 

Put that all together and we aren't in a situation where "land" is less available now than it was a few decades ago, nor will it be harder to come by a quarter century from now (at least from a US perspective).  Large-scale shifts in immigration along with climate change are going to have some serious impacts.

I'd argue that regardless of population decline the "winners" are buying the board.  The demand for land will increase because the supply is being consolidated.  The prices for real estate may stagnate at times but are unlikely to fall.

But if we are talking about land, prices have fallen in many regions in the recent past.  In a bunch of places (particularly rural) land values peaked just before the great recession in 2007, and in real terms have still not recovered. Farm land in particular is most valuable when it is or was recently an active farm -- dormant former farms that have secondary growth are worth a fraction of what they were because they can take eye-watering sums to get them back to a productive asset.  See posts above.  Plus the value of the land is always influenced by the infrastructure around it, and in areas with acute depopulation the value of the land also takes a nose-dive, because everything from the schools to the roads are under supported. Much of northern New England has gone this way

[Just Joe]

I'm somewhat seriously considering buying some land.  Not to build on.  At least not anytime in the near future.  Possibly a retirement location.  It's 4.4 acres with creek access about 30 minutes away from my house.  I really just want it as somewhere to pull the kayaks out of the creek.  And maybe run beehives from the upper portion of it.  I've run the numbers and I think I can make it work by selling some VTSAX in my brokerage account and cashflowing the rest (funny enough this is the part that makes me the most nervous, but also has the least in opportunity costs).

Do it. If you can afford it. We missed out on 5 acres next to our patch of ground by days. We love to keep this land more or less natural. True we have a big patch of grass as well but I do nothing but cut it with an electric lawn tractor. Don't fertilize it, don't seed it. Former dairy farm land from the 1940s. We're not causing detectable sprawl. We're ten minutes on a rural road from work/shopping/entertainment.

This isn't like the southwest or metro sprawl. This is us allowing trees and other greenery to do their thing. Also deer, foxes, a list of birds, coyotes, etc etc coexists with us here. 

[TimCFJ40]

After watching https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbra-p-y-uE&t=424s

I'm seriously lusting after the new Toyota J70 series with 4.5L diesel and manual transmission. Million mile/km vehicles.
In reality, Toyota never sold them here, so the only way is to get an older one either via gray market, or buy one from someone who did that.

Instead, I'm thinking of an older J80/100/200 series (the wagon variant spinoffs of the J70) - namely the Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX series.

Have had two US Cruisers.  2000 100 series, bought with 300k miles for $5k, sold with 328k miles for $6k.  Current family adventure vehicle is a 2008 200 series bought for $20k with 200k miles, currently has 281k miles.  Haven't had any major issues. 

They're great trucks, and hold their value really well.  Best bet is finding a local soccer mom vehicle 10ish years old and well cared for.

The only downside is they get terrible MPG.  15 mpg or less. 

I'm debating what the replacement for our 08 will be in the next few years.  The price spread between a few year old 200 series, and a base model 2024 Land Cruiser is almost none.  They are different vehicles, but both would be a suitable replacement for us.  We put about 10k miles a year on our Cruiser, so theoretically a new truck could last us 20+ years. 

[SnipTheDog]

Lusting after a Trek Rail 7.  Need to get in shape and that would be a good chariot.

[Glenstache]

I'm somewhat seriously considering buying some land.  Not to build on.  At least not anytime in the near future.  Possibly a retirement location.  It's 4.4 acres with creek access about 30 minutes away from my house.  I really just want it as somewhere to pull the kayaks out of the creek.  And maybe run beehives from the upper portion of it.  I've run the numbers and I think I can make it work by selling some VTSAX in my brokerage account and cashflowing the rest (funny enough this is the part that makes me the most nervous, but also has the least in opportunity costs).

Think of it as an expensive car that still requires both maintenance and insurance.

[Sugaree]

As mentioned in another thread, I'm building a home bar in a 1920s speakeasy style.  I've really been lusting after all the art deco light fixtures lately.  I did find one on FB marketplace for about 1/4 of the price of all the ones that I looked at online, and now I want stamped tin ceilings and wood-look floors.  But at just over 450 sq. ft. both of those options are a little out of the budget right now.

What you need is a 1936 Philco Radiobar... Put a bluetooth receiver inside and pipe music through it. I know, a little late for speakeasies but...

https://artdecocollection.com/furniture/sold-items-bars/spectacular-art-deco-philco-radiobar-1936/?slider=1
https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/storage-case-pieces/dry-bars/art-deco-philco-radio-bar-1936/id-f_2974442/

Only - apparently - about $11,000.

I ran across this on Marketplace this afternoon and thought about this.  It's a little too late for Prohibition Era and not in the best shape, but I'm definitely thinking a Bluetooth receiver in it would be nice. And under $100 instead of $11k, lol.

[Sugaree]

I'm somewhat seriously considering buying some land.  Not to build on.  At least not anytime in the near future.  Possibly a retirement location.  It's 4.4 acres with creek access about 30 minutes away from my house.  I really just want it as somewhere to pull the kayaks out of the creek.  And maybe run beehives from the upper portion of it.  I've run the numbers and I think I can make it work by selling some VTSAX in my brokerage account and cashflowing the rest (funny enough this is the part that makes me the most nervous, but also has the least in opportunity costs).

Think of it as an expensive car that still requires both maintenance and insurance.

I did find out that 75% of it sits in a flood plain, so that's going to be a hard pass for me. 

[GuitarStv]

As mentioned in another thread, I'm building a home bar in a 1920s speakeasy style.  I've really been lusting after all the art deco light fixtures lately.  I did find one on FB marketplace for about 1/4 of the price of all the ones that I looked at online, and now I want stamped tin ceilings and wood-look floors.  But at just over 450 sq. ft. both of those options are a little out of the budget right now.

What you need is a 1936 Philco Radiobar... Put a bluetooth receiver inside and pipe music through it. I know, a little late for speakeasies but...

https://artdecocollection.com/furniture/sold-items-bars/spectacular-art-deco-philco-radiobar-1936/?slider=1
https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/storage-case-pieces/dry-bars/art-deco-philco-radio-bar-1936/id-f_2974442/

Only - apparently - about $11,000.

I ran across this on Marketplace this afternoon and thought about this.  It's a little too late for Prohibition Era and not in the best shape, but I'm definitely thinking a Bluetooth receiver in it would be nice. And under $100 instead of $11k, lol.

That's a beautiful radio.

[Glenstache]

As mentioned in another thread, I'm building a home bar in a 1920s speakeasy style.  I've really been lusting after all the art deco light fixtures lately.  I did find one on FB marketplace for about 1/4 of the price of all the ones that I looked at online, and now I want stamped tin ceilings and wood-look floors.  But at just over 450 sq. ft. both of those options are a little out of the budget right now.

What you need is a 1936 Philco Radiobar... Put a bluetooth receiver inside and pipe music through it. I know, a little late for speakeasies but...

https://artdecocollection.com/furniture/sold-items-bars/spectacular-art-deco-philco-radiobar-1936/?slider=1
https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/storage-case-pieces/dry-bars/art-deco-philco-radio-bar-1936/id-f_2974442/

Only - apparently - about $11,000.

I ran across this on Marketplace this afternoon and thought about this.  It's a little too late for Prohibition Era and not in the best shape, but I'm definitely thinking a Bluetooth receiver in it would be nice. And under $100 instead of $11k, lol.

A crafty friend of mine took one these and made it so the top would open up into a speakeasy-ish wet bar with cabinet below. It was not an easy project, but very cool. Wish I had a picture to share of it.

[Sugaree]

As mentioned in another thread, I'm building a home bar in a 1920s speakeasy style.  I've really been lusting after all the art deco light fixtures lately.  I did find one on FB marketplace for about 1/4 of the price of all the ones that I looked at online, and now I want stamped tin ceilings and wood-look floors.  But at just over 450 sq. ft. both of those options are a little out of the budget right now.

What you need is a 1936 Philco Radiobar... Put a bluetooth receiver inside and pipe music through it. I know, a little late for speakeasies but...

https://artdecocollection.com/furniture/sold-items-bars/spectacular-art-deco-philco-radiobar-1936/?slider=1
https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/storage-case-pieces/dry-bars/art-deco-philco-radio-bar-1936/id-f_2974442/

Only - apparently - about $11,000.

I ran across this on Marketplace this afternoon and thought about this.  It's a little too late for Prohibition Era and not in the best shape, but I'm definitely thinking a Bluetooth receiver in it would be nice. And under $100 instead of $11k, lol.

That's a beautiful radio.

It is.  And now it's mine, lol.

[Sugaree]

A crafty friend of mine took one these and made it so the top would open up into a speakeasy-ish wet bar with cabinet below. It was not an easy project, but very cool. Wish I had a picture to share of it.

I had a friend that turned an upright piano into a bar.  She got it for free on Marketplace.  It turned out very cool, but she said that she probably wouldn't consider doing it again because it was a LOT of work.