Agree. My dad has been in residential and commercial construction for decades. I am also in construction on the engineering side, mostly commercial though. Owners are notorious (I’m actually an owner’s rep currently), and contractors have really thin profit margins and really high performance expectations.

Their “Concise” and “Polite” tools are pretty neat, too.

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I think a better example is something recurring. Something like “you could be eating out at that $100/plate restaurant every weekend instead of paying $400 a month on credit card interest” - because I agree, a one-time event like a trip is easy to make happen even if you’re still swimming in debt, so for someone…

Construction is a sticky one too because there are a lot of homeowners out there getting work done who don’t have experience with construction (hence the whole hiring a contractor). Just because something isn’t done the way you expected it to be done doesn’t mean the contractor did it wrong.

Those b234 motors are pretty bulletproof. I owned a 9k once (‘95 CSE) and it was a great cruiser. Took it across the US once. Wish I had sprung for the Aero, as the little T25 turbo just loved heatsoak a bit too much.

In a turbo’d car, an overboost function with programmed delay could have some merit (to prevent heat soak). I believe the Focus ST and other cars like it do this automatically (but without an actual button).

More useful powerband, for one. Not gonna argue on it being subjectively boring (to each his own) but low-end torque is well suited to commuting for sure.

...That’s a Jetta pictured there, tho...

I always preferred the W126... such a smooth ride and you get that diplomatic immunity feeling when you sit in the back.

I’ve got a ‘13 FoST ST3 with about 50k miles on it - take it to the car wash and you might mistake it for a new car. Everything about it has stood the test of time. Transmission as crisp and smooth as day 1. Same with the steering, suspension, doors. No rattles at all. Even the paint has held up quite well through 4…

I don’t think Denver’s counts as a replacement; they were sharing with the Broncos before Coors field was built.

For the large majority of use cases, even if AC Level 2 is the highest charge rate available, keeping the car charged will require about as much planning as keeping your average smartphone from running out of juice...

I work at a large airport and occasionally I’ll see a passenger get so frustrated waiting in line they will try to bypass TSA altogether (as in, walk into the sterile area through the exits). It doesn’t end well for them.

Colorado is the best flyover state ever. As a 10-year transplant from the coast I don’t see a reason to leave anytime soon. Overcrowding, maybe.

I’ve seen those grow light controllers connected to lamp cord before - 40A running through a 15A wire. Good recipe for a fire, right there.

It’s very Civic-ish IMO. I test drove one last weekend on a lark, it really is a solid car. I wish they made a bigger one - not quite enough rear legroom for our needs. A plug-in hybrid Malibu maybe?

A friend had one of those 2-door volvos. The turbo ones are fun cars. A little too fun for a teenager I think.

I say a non-turbo 1980s mercedes diesel with a 4-speed manual transmission. 56HP in a car that weighs roughly the same as a WWII tank. That’s what I grew up on and I learned the value of momentum.

This may be an indictment of my own laziness, but I put the gift card toward service, which I do at the local dealer. It barely covered a single oil change/DSG flush. But hey, free money.