A Few Items
Item #1: Like several folks I'm not receiving LJ email alerts, so if I haven't responded to something or you need to poke me for whatever reason, leave a comment here and I'll check back periodically.
Item #2: I returned the Verizon Hot Spot widget - no complaints about the net service, but seems it likes to turn off automatically after ten minutes or so (there may be a way to adjust this, but I couldn't find it). Which means if I get up and feed critters or clean or whatever, when I come back I have to turn it back on, reconnect, and log in again to all my pages - most annoying. Plus I was obsessively checking my data use all the time, trying to figure out exactly how much is "250 MB" and whether I was going to use it all up and have to pay extra. 'Tis a pity, because I get a nice discount on the plan through work, but I've gone back to my basic AT&T DSL. Other than the short lifespan of the routers it's been sufficient for my purposes.
It's so pretty! :D *pets* 2003 RAV4 with a bit over 100,000 miles on it, needs some work on the battery (looks like the old one exploded in there, yeech), rear tires will need replacing soon, but in the essentials - engine, brakes, frame, exhaust system, etc., it's in great shape according to Awesome Mechanic. Also, the engine has a timing chain, instead of a belt, in the '03 models, which eliminates one of the major maintenance expenses - the timing belts need replacing every 100,000 miles to the tune of approx $600 (which I'd just gotten done on my old RAV last year, along with new tires *sob*).
Purchased from a teeny corner used car lot, from one of the least annoying salesmen in the bunch, for a smashing good price ($7500). Similar 2003 RAV's I saw were $12,000+, although they'd usually been through the service departments in the big dealerships, etc., and were all shiny and fixed up. This one still had stickers from the previous owner's kids stuck all over the back windows, and a faint aroma of stale Cheerios (which I'm sure will be soon overwhelmed by the scent of muddy dog and wet, algae-covered pond dip nets :P).
Barring any mechanical surprises down the road, I think I've got a good, solid vehicle to last the next decade or so *knocks on wood* Maybe by then there'll be some nifty alternative fuel ones I can afford, or awesome public transportation systems, I'd go for that, too.
My 1998 RAV, despite being old and rather battered and 200,000+ miles, was still worth $4000, and the check from the insurance agency arrived yesterday, which turned out to be a good thing because:
Item #3a - Apparently the car loan from the bank that I got pre-approved for? Is only good for cars 2006 or younger. O_o I...was not informed of this when I applied for the loan. Thankfully awesome mom spotted me the difference, because little used car lot is cash only. I'm going to poke around tomorrow and see if I can get a "personal loan" to start paying her back, or see what kind of interest rates she'll offer me. I'm good for it, I promise! And she knows where I live, anyway :P
Item #3b - The brakes and the horn work great. I know this because while driving it home, person in front of me realized they were in the wrong lane and had just missed their exit and CAME TO A FULL STOP ON THE INTERSTATE AT 65MPH SPEEDS! IN THE RAIN! Thank Primus the people in the cars behind me were paying attention. Good freakin' grief *flops*
One big thing crossed off the list! \o/
Now I just need to update my car insurance, make a few copies of the key because I only have one (thankfully not a $200 key, like the rental car had - it had a big plastic tag on the keyring letting you know, you lose it, you pay for it. Eep), make an appointment to get the battery fixed up, go get it registered at the BMV once I get the title in the mail, and start scraping stickers off the windows (although I might leave them for awhile, just for fun ^^).
Item #2: I returned the Verizon Hot Spot widget - no complaints about the net service, but seems it likes to turn off automatically after ten minutes or so (there may be a way to adjust this, but I couldn't find it). Which means if I get up and feed critters or clean or whatever, when I come back I have to turn it back on, reconnect, and log in again to all my pages - most annoying. Plus I was obsessively checking my data use all the time, trying to figure out exactly how much is "250 MB" and whether I was going to use it all up and have to pay extra. 'Tis a pity, because I get a nice discount on the plan through work, but I've gone back to my basic AT&T DSL. Other than the short lifespan of the routers it's been sufficient for my purposes.
It's so pretty! :D *pets* 2003 RAV4 with a bit over 100,000 miles on it, needs some work on the battery (looks like the old one exploded in there, yeech), rear tires will need replacing soon, but in the essentials - engine, brakes, frame, exhaust system, etc., it's in great shape according to Awesome Mechanic. Also, the engine has a timing chain, instead of a belt, in the '03 models, which eliminates one of the major maintenance expenses - the timing belts need replacing every 100,000 miles to the tune of approx $600 (which I'd just gotten done on my old RAV last year, along with new tires *sob*).
Purchased from a teeny corner used car lot, from one of the least annoying salesmen in the bunch, for a smashing good price ($7500). Similar 2003 RAV's I saw were $12,000+, although they'd usually been through the service departments in the big dealerships, etc., and were all shiny and fixed up. This one still had stickers from the previous owner's kids stuck all over the back windows, and a faint aroma of stale Cheerios (which I'm sure will be soon overwhelmed by the scent of muddy dog and wet, algae-covered pond dip nets :P).
Barring any mechanical surprises down the road, I think I've got a good, solid vehicle to last the next decade or so *knocks on wood* Maybe by then there'll be some nifty alternative fuel ones I can afford, or awesome public transportation systems, I'd go for that, too.
My 1998 RAV, despite being old and rather battered and 200,000+ miles, was still worth $4000, and the check from the insurance agency arrived yesterday, which turned out to be a good thing because:
Item #3a - Apparently the car loan from the bank that I got pre-approved for? Is only good for cars 2006 or younger. O_o I...was not informed of this when I applied for the loan. Thankfully awesome mom spotted me the difference, because little used car lot is cash only. I'm going to poke around tomorrow and see if I can get a "personal loan" to start paying her back, or see what kind of interest rates she'll offer me. I'm good for it, I promise! And she knows where I live, anyway :P
Item #3b - The brakes and the horn work great. I know this because while driving it home, person in front of me realized they were in the wrong lane and had just missed their exit and CAME TO A FULL STOP ON THE INTERSTATE AT 65MPH SPEEDS! IN THE RAIN! Thank Primus the people in the cars behind me were paying attention. Good freakin' grief *flops*
One big thing crossed off the list! \o/
Now I just need to update my car insurance, make a few copies of the key because I only have one (thankfully not a $200 key, like the rental car had - it had a big plastic tag on the keyring letting you know, you lose it, you pay for it. Eep), make an appointment to get the battery fixed up, go get it registered at the BMV once I get the title in the mail, and start scraping stickers off the windows (although I might leave them for awhile, just for fun ^^).