iamshack

QUOTE(sox4lifeinPA @ Jan 23, 2008 -> 11:53 AM) Ben Foster needs another trick. We get it, you can act REALLY crazy with tremendous gay undertones. I suppose that's a nice change for him going from "Get Over It" to "Top Dawg" or whatever that Justin Timberlake movie was. Yeah, he did take a page from the book of Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Carribean... But I don't get all the Christian Bale love....he hasn't really done it for me since his awesome performance in American Pyscho...

QUOTE(Texsox @ Jan 23, 2008 -> 01:16 PM) When an engine manufacturer claims their vehicle can go 10,000 miles between changes, what exactly are they saying happens? Are they saying that the oil will sludge up and their engine will keep going or their engine will cause the oil to last longer? I have no idea. I guess I believed they were saying that the engine can run efficiently and without problems (I guess the word we are looking for is "normally") with oil changes only necessary every 10k miles.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 23, 2008 -> 01:13 PM) I guess I am also pretty spoiled in that, in addition to the 3/36 all around warranty, my car has a 10/100 on the entire powertrain. They did that for hybrids because people were so nervous about them, but they included the whole shebang, not just the hybrid parts. Yet another reason to go hybrid! Well, I bought a warranty that covers nearly everything for 3/36 (the original warranty had expired by the time I purchased the vehicle), so I guess I would probably be covered in the extent that the engine did actually explode... But I absolutely love this car and intend to care for it well and drive it for a bazillion miles (I won't trade it in when I get another new car- I just love it that much).

Anyways, sorry to hijack the thread with the oil change stuff. Back to buying a new car, a few more tips I have not seen posted yet: 1) Never buy the first year of a brand new model or a significant design/body change of an existing model. 2) Consider where you park the car on a regular basis.

QUOTE(Texsox @ Jan 23, 2008 -> 01:04 PM) Both, but more on the oil change guys. Audi can not recommend a maintenance program that would result in an engine failure. They would have a massive recall on their hands and ruin themselves in the marketplace. They have to have some data to back that up. In part, what they are measuring is how fast oil breaks down in their engine. So Audi would not make an outlandish claim, and if they did, two guys in an oil change place will not be the guys that figure it out. Now I will also argue a bit on the other side. 10,000 in perfect driving conditions, with a perfectly running engine, with perfect oil, and a great filter, may be possible. But I would never take that chance. Well, Audi makes that claim all the time, as does BMW, Mercedes, and plenty of other auto manufacturers. I'm sure it's a basic guideline, but from what I have heard, the engines in these particular vehicles can more than back up the claim. But you raise a good point- one would think they would not make such a broad statement like that without fully understanding the nature of the oils that go into their engines. And you are correct again in saying that the guys in my local SooperLube would not be the ones to debunk this "myth." So as you have said and NSS has said, the manufacturers of the vehicle probably are the ones to trust. But I also agree with you on the part of taking a risk. I don't want my engine to explode one morning and have to put $7k into the car because I was too cheap or lazy to just get a $50 oil change every 6k miles...(especially considering I only drive about 8k miles a year).

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 23, 2008 -> 12:45 PM) If you think about it, the manufacturer is the one who has the most interest in you having your car kept up - especially in the first few years. It keeps their reliability numbers looking good without any investment on their part, plus their dealers get more maintenance revenue. Well, the manufacturer is also the one who has to sell cars in a really competitive market, NOW, as well. They can almost always pass off failures to their vehicles as the owner "not maintaining it properly." But I understand what you are saying. And believe me, I WANT to believe what the manufacturer is telling me- I'd love to only change my oil once every 10k miles. But I also don't want to cause serious damage relying on something that isn't necessarily true. I don't know, I guess I'll have to do more research...

QUOTE(Texsox @ Jan 23, 2008 -> 12:35 PM) There are a couple problems with this statement. What their engine needs is proper lubrication at a minimum specification. The change interval is based, in part, on how fast the oil falls out of spec. There can't be two independent variables. They can't accurately say X miles without factoring in the oil breakdown. Could you elaborate a bit more? Who is "they"? The car manufacturer or the oil manufacturer?

QUOTE(StrangeSox @ Jan 23, 2008 -> 12:16 PM) Have to call BS on that one. On another automotive forum I frequent, a tribologist (oil expert, basically) did his own tests of synthetic oil in his car. He drained, analyzed, and put back in the oil every 3000 miles or so. After 15,000 miles, the oil showed very little signs of degradation. You want to change your oil after 2-3k on a brand new engine because there's metal that gets worn down. After that, you can 7k+ miles without a change if you're running synthetic. Well, hey, it's not my bs, it's the bs of the oil guys. And I absolutely agree that the oil change guys have reason to get you back in there as often as possible. Which is why I don't know who to believe.... So you're saying I can just go with what the auto manufacturer says?

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 23, 2008 -> 11:39 AM) In this case, both the dealer AND the driver's manual say 3k, then 10k. But I suppose part of that may be the fact that this is a hybrid - the gas engine only runs some of the time. Well the dealer and the driver's manual are playing for the same team. Ask the oil change guy.

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 23, 2008 -> 11:38 AM) There is always one problem with buying a recent used car... why was it sold? You've got to wonder why someone buys a brand new car, which loses 30%+ of its value in the first year, and then sells it or trades it in. Sure, some people just buy a new car every year because they have money to burn, but think about the other more likely scenarios... they all point to a car that probably had problems of some kind or another. That's the big issue with buying used - you are taking a chance (a significant one if the car is only a year old) that the car is problematic. I don't think as much anymore. Many of these used vehicles are vehicles that were leased and the term is up. But as I said, that is certainly something to make sure you look into- is it Carfax or something reports?

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 23, 2008 -> 11:32 AM) I think part of the problem is that there is no firm answer...a lot depends on your driving habits. The performance of oil will vary a lot between different engines being worked at different intensities under different conditions, and there's just no way around it. Well, I'm sure those are factors that go into the equation. But there is a major issue when the dealers are telling us 10k miles and the oil people are telling us their best synthetics can only go 6k miles. That's a real problem.

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Jan 23, 2008 -> 11:21 AM) Buying new is so foolish. The moment you drive that sucker off the lot it loses near 10k in value. Go to cars.com and price the used cars... you can get 2007 models with less than 10k miles on them for a fraction of the price of buying new. Well, I wouldn't say it so bluntly, but he's absolutely correct. I would advise a person to buy themselves a new car once in their life, just to feel what it is like to have a vehicle that has never been driven by anyone else before. But then, never buy another new car again! They are such an absolute ripoff. I have never understood why someone would pay $17 k for a Ford Focus when they could go buy a really, really nice used car, 1-2 years old, with very little mileage on it. As long as you do your research with the accident reports and such, there is nothing to be concerned about when buying a used vehicle. I don't believe I'll ever buy new again....(unless I become filthy rich, of course...

QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ Jan 23, 2008 -> 11:13 AM) On many new cars, actually, 10k is now the normal interval. On our hybrid for example, they recommend doing one at the first 3000, then only going every 10000 after that. I'm not sure about that. I've been in a constant search to find the REAL answer to this question. I drive an Audi TT Coupe, and was told by the dealer that I only needed to change the oil every 10k miles. So after I purchased the car, I think I waited about 6,500 miles before I took it in for an oil change. The guys at the oil place approached me after starting the oil change, and asked me how long it had been since I had the oil changed. I told them never- the dealership told me 10k miles and I had only gone 6.5k since I bought it. They brought out a "certified" Audi tech to explain this catch-22 to me: The Audi engines are built to sustain 10k without an oil change- hell, you could probably even go more than that without problems. But there are no oils manufactured that can sustain 10k miles without getting thick and sludgy and clogging things up. So the car can handle it, but no current oil can. So I ended up buying a synthetic oil that lasts about 6,000 miles before it needs changing. Did a little research on the web, and this seems to be the appropriate oil for my car, and the appropriate time to change it in, but I am still not sure who is telling me the truth- the dealers/manufacturers of the cars, or the oil change franchises that stand to gain by getting you in there every 3k miles.

QUOTE(SoxFan101 @ Jan 23, 2008 -> 02:18 AM) Lol Idonno... Ive lived in the suburbs all my life and dont think I could do the city. I think my entire life Ill probably live in a town like Schaumburg... or If I go to the east coast maybe somewhere like Daytona or Virginia beach I was the same way....A tried and true suburbanite. Then I was forced to move to the City because a job I took. And it was absolutely amazing. You'd never realize how nice it is to not even have to own a car. To be in walking distance of just about anything you could possibly need. To never have to worry about whose driving home from the bar at 1 am... Obviously there are a few disadvantages to City life- but it's just one of those things you can never really understand it until you experience it.

QUOTE(Steve9347 @ Jan 22, 2008 -> 02:47 PM) It was answered at the end. I was like, "it's great he likes Bale's character and all, but he's helping (especially in the end) and will wind up dead." His character was not the type that would sacrifice his life so Bale could get $200 and his son's respect. Once I realized he knew he'd be escaping and it was all a moot point, it all made sense. I thought it was an absolutely awesome movie until the last 20 minutes. I despise cheesy endings like that. Cool movie, some awesome scenes, and Ben Foster's character I thought was particularly underrated, but I guess it was alright for a renter...

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Jan 22, 2008 -> 09:28 PM) Seriously, not to be down or disrespect any of the people that live in the burbs, or love the burbs, but the best life decision I EVER made was living in Chicago from my early 20's and now moving from my middle to my late 20's. If I had to do it all over again, I would do it twice. Absolutely. If at all possible, one thing EVERYONE should do is live in the City for a year or two. It's unlike anything the suburbs can offer, and it's probably one of the best cities to live in in the entire world. I moved there for a year while I was in law school, and absolutely loved it. Moved back to the burbs to sort of help a friend out (he bought his own place and needed a renter he could trust), and to save a little money myself, but I am 100% intending to move back for at least a few years before I get married and have some sort of actual responsibilities.

Anyone good at creating/designing illustrations? I'm involved in the startup of a new company, and for brochures, ads, possibly website, we are looking for, but can not quite find, an illustration for our liking. Trying to come up with an illustration of a house, on a decent sized yard. Something simple and nice looking, nothing obnoxious. I've scoured sites like istockphoto.com, but can't quite find what we are looking for. Anyone here who can point me in the right direction, or who might be interested in creating such a diagram?

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Jan 22, 2008 -> 12:31 PM) And unfortunately, KW totally f***ed this one up. Not sure how he f'd it up, considering Cotts has been in Iowa and we still got another player in the deal...(Vasquez)

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Jan 21, 2008 -> 11:12 PM) Its really based on neighborhoods in the city right now. The south loop has recently been extremely over developed and has lost some of its noteworthy value growth. Other areas are still continuing to appreciate as well. You have to pick the neighborhood as wisely as your actual unit. Also as far as cookie-cutter, there are alot of very interesting units around the city for different tastes. I live in a condo in a neighborhood of lofts, high rises vs rehabs on the northside. There is still plenty of variance. Well, there certainly are units for differing tastes, such as lofts, high rises, rehabs, etc. But no one can deny the proliferation of cookie-cutter, "luxury" condos. They're absolutely EVERYWHERE.

QUOTE(almagest @ Jan 21, 2008 -> 11:00 PM) I think this has started already. A guy I work with is having a heck of a time selling the condo he bought two years ago. He's even lowered the price to below what he bought it for, and still no offers. This is in Logan Square, which is considered one of the up-and-coming areas in the city. It's things like this that are making me consider suburbs that are an hour or less away from downtown by Metra more and more. Yeah, I would think that the key might be to make sure you buy something that isn't the exact same thing as the other 10,000 units in that price-point on the market, but even still, you're playing with fire still. It's going to be really, really interesting to see what happens to the market over the next several years because of the oversaturation...

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Jan 21, 2008 -> 06:00 PM) I bought my first place after being out of school for 2 years, and it couldnt have been a better decision. Of course the housing market was a bit different a few years ago than it is now. IM not too clear on how the appreciation is out in the burbs compared to where I live in the city, but buying could never be a bad idea over renting. Especially if you have several friends that would pay some of your mortgage. RIght now I would say its a buyers market and if you are planning on sitting on the property for several years, you should definitely buy. Ive never been a huge fan of staying in a house while helping pay your landlords mortgage, when I could just be paying my own off. Also the good thing about the chicago area is that it is not quite bottoming out like alot of other markets, its quite insulated from that and only fluctuates a bit, and I would say if you are looking to buy, right now wouldnt be a bad time as houses are staying on the market longer and the winter is a very good time to find someone who is desperate. Agreed, Rock- Chicago is doing fairly well right now compared to others because it is still the pre-eminent place to live if you're anywhere near the City, but eventually that market is going to bottom out a bit. The developers are starting to take the brunt of it now because of that over-saturation of the market by condos but I think the crap will really start to hit the fan in a few years when a lot of those who bought during the "boom" start looking to sell in order to hit the suburbs to raise their families and they realize there are 700 places on the market at their price-point with nearly the exact-same amenities package and so forth. I'm going to be in the market in 8 months to a year but I am somewhat concerned at the thought of buying a condo in the City when they have become so cookie-cutter. I realize there will always be a demand for housing in Chicago but I really think they have passed the threshold a while back.

QUOTE(Pods70Rowand33 @ Jan 21, 2008 -> 09:46 PM) Yes, I'm watching it. Another show I like to watch on the History Channel is The Universe. I just bought the first season of it. I just did as well! The Universe is just awesome- I hope they have enough material to reach a season 3, because season 2 has been great. They usually have quite a few episodes up on On Demand on Comcast, so it's what I watch to fall asleep to every night. But it is honestly a great show. As for Life After People, I'm excited to see it to- going to catch the replay of it tonight in HD. The History Channel just keeps getting better and better programming, which is great news, because it's an awesome channel.

QUOTE(The Critic @ Jan 21, 2008 -> 11:19 AM) Off The Wall Wall Around Your Heart

QUOTE(Reddy @ Jan 15, 2008 -> 05:31 PM) busy semester... Social & Political Philosophy Religion & Society Logic Evolution of Western Thought Guitar (hell yeah) Acting II i've been only a theatre major up till now but i'm THINKING of maybe adding a poly sci minor cuz after being so involved in the campaign this year i'm mulling the law school thing around... hmm. we'll see. Make sure you do mull it around....mull it around really good...