Rude posters?

This relates to poster Scott in SF.

These forums get more wacky as time goes on.
Seems some people here don't know the differnce between facts, fiction, and what "telling a lie" is.

I come here mostly for fun, but also to share what I know, and get info from others who know something I do not.

Some of the latest replies to my comments take the cake for rudeness, ignornace, and who knows what else?

The nice thing about a written forum, is just that. You cannot deny "saying" something when it's still there to be read.

This relates to the "diesel car" post and replies to me by "Scott in SF."

He stated (Scott in SF):

"The VW diesel is a great car but having to change the timming belt and all those pullies
every 40 K to the tune of $800 or so gets old and negates any savings in fuel economey "

"special oil it takes is mostly a dealer only thing, and VW parts are pricy."

"I put a rebuilt alternator in a diesel Jetta, it cost $371. "

I replied at thus:

"I change cam belts every 120K. I do it in one evening and it costs me around $30 each
time. "
"I have also had to fix the Bosch alternators several times. Never cost me more than $20
for each repair, except for one regulator that cost me $30 "

Note that I called nobody a liar. I stated facts that are easily verifiable. I told NO lies, Scott. Yes, I can change a belt in one evening and I don't charge myself $80 per hour labor.

Scott in SF then gracefully replied:

"Your claim, that you you maintained this thing, and changed the timing belt, the pulleys,
and the gaskets for $30 is absurd!"
To say someone lied is harsh, but you are not telling the truth.
Why don't you tell us, never mind the pullies, where we can get a timing belt and the gasket kit for $39 ."

So, here Scott in SF is a parts price list. Note please that I shop around, prebuy, and usually buy my parts even cheaper then listed. I just bought brand new injectors for my Isuzu diesel for $3 apiece and timing belts for $2 each. Also got new glow plugs for $1.20 each.

Here are today's prices from Rock Auto for my 1991 Volkswagen Jetta 1.6 diesels.

Timing belt - Beck Arnley - Part # 0260256 $5.57
Water pump - Part # 5583116 $18.15
Timing belt tensioner - DAYCO# 84005 $17.79
Fuel injector BOSCH Part #0434250159 $32.00
Radiator -SPECTRA PREMIUM Part #CU837 $60.99
Rebuilt alternator - Part #14995 $99.79
Voltage reg for alternator # VR169 $20.79

Note also that I use the same oil in all my diesels including big ones and small ones. None is "special" other than it is diesel rated oil with good ZDDP content. I pay about $2 per quart.

I apologized down where that was posted. I am sorry. You are sill missing recommended parts , idler rollers ect, and if I didn't do it all it would have voided the warrenty.

Not much Warrantee left at 120,000 miles Scott.

Althought your costs are in line for the average person who cannot do their own maintenance. And it it these people that drive the demand for a vehicle not us DIY folks...

Recommended doesn't mean absolutely required. Dave

I spoke about my vehicles, not other makes and years. For the 1991 Volkswagen Jetta diesels, there was NO requirement from Volkswagen to change belts to keep warranty. Local dealer told me it's a good idea to check them every 100K.

Not that it matters to me, since the last new car or truck I bought was in 1970, and I'd never do it again. Today, just the sales tax alone is more then I'm willing to pay for any car or truck.
When I can buy 50 acres of land, or another house for less then the price of a new car- I'll buy the land and/or house every time.

I just bought a nice farm house on 5 acres of wooded land along with a 50'X 30' pole barn for $28,000. How much truck or SUV would that buy me today, and which is going to last longer?

I paid $3300 for my diesel 4WD extended cab Ford F250 and thought I was being extravagant.
I paid $2200 for my diesel Dodge-Cummins W200 4WD ex-cab.
My wife and I bought the pair of diesel Jetta many years ago for $1800 total.
My diesel Chevettes cost less then $1000 each many years ago.

If someone out there makes enough money that they can afford to pay others to do the work, that's is fine with me. I could never bring myself to do it as long as I'm still standing and still have my wits about me. I don't have the skills or personality to wear clean clothes, answer to a boss, and make high dollars at a career-type job somewhere. Other's do. So, I use what I've got.

Also "recommended changes" are meaningless. A trained mechanic does not need such recommendations, since he/she will know what parts need replacement, and what parts might have another 100K miles left in them.

$28,000, for your land, good for you, $28000 for a new car = $2240.00 just in New York State sales tax. Its 8% here, near Albany. $2240 can get you a good used truck or car like you posted. What I cant figure out(will I know why) NY said well be broke by Christmas, yet were one of the highest taxed people in any State. JayinNY

It's simple and very disappointing math. When things are good, they keep expanding the government and much goes unnoticed. When things are bad, they cut nothing and say we're broke.

Our Town and County governments are run the same. Otsego County NY is crying the blues and just raised taxes by 7% to 30% depending on exactly what town. And, at the same time they gave 5 year, retroactive raises to all the county workers to settle with the labor union (CSEA).
So, we tax-payers now have to support five years of raises going backwards along with all the forward raise promises. This at at time when they could fire everybody, cut pay and benefits by 20%, and there would be lines a mile long full of people wanting those jobs.
Unemployment in the USA right now is hovering around 20%, not the make-believe numbers the government uses. That's a lot of people looking for work if their unempoyment benefits ever run out.
By the way the house and five acres I bought is in northern Michigan. Another government going broke and refusing to make real cuts. I also had a chance to buy a large farm house, five arces of tilled fields, two large pole barns and a huge dairy barn and silo - all for $15,000. I was tempted but don't want to take on any more tax burdens. $15,000 though was one heck of a deal.

Sounds like the farm was a great deal. I don't see anything like that in central SC. We do have a huge tax advantage here though. We pay 6% on a new/used vehicle "up to $300 maximum". So a used car at 2000 bucks costs $120 in tax and about $40 to register/license. Farm land taxes are relitively cheap also. (of course, we can't raise 200 bushel corn either) Unimproved land within 30 miles or so of any big towns down here goes for $6-7000 an acre and waaaay up.

The sick thing is here in NY, every time a car or truck is sold, and registered by the next owner sales tax is collected on the vehicle. So if a car is sold 12 times thats 12 times worth of tax for the state, different amounts thought.
You have to collect sals tax for cutting someones lawn, keep track of it, and turn it in to the state 4 times a year, or every quarter. Any service or goods, are taxable.

Generally I don't talk to folks I know about my affliction, and hope that they don't notice, but Uncle Ernie, and jdemarias, seem to also be affected, with the Cheap's, even worse cases, than mine! I have been working for the Boeing Co., for 28 yr's, and could have the nice vehicles, and tractors that I see around me, owned by my co-workers, I have been blessed with a good job, and good benifits, and after two layoffs in said period, have came to the conclusion that I either owe it to the good lord, or some great luck, it sure wasn't cause I was smart!The first 45 yr's of my life we were pretty poor, but thought that was the normal way of things. Now I just can't see buying something to drive, that I can't work on. To each his own, and I don't want to start a brand argument, but I have always had good luck with Dodge and ford cars& trucks, so that is what I have, and I don;t usually buy anything with a computer control in it, because I cant fix it. That has kept me in the 1970's and 80's. I have a 75 Dodge for my 3/4 ton flatbed (very handy on a small farm)and an 80 dodge short bed pu. for my commuter, and all around use. I have a 75 Ford LN 800, for my large dump use, and heavy equipment hauler. All of these vehicles I have had for many years, and keep maintained, to where they are always ready to go, and would trust any one of them to go back to the midwest, and bring home machinery. I did get tempted, at an auction in eastern washington last spring, and bought the wife, a plymouth sundance that I can't work on the ignition aspect, of it, but it was a low mileage (90 thou) 1994 car with all the records, maintained by a county rd. dept, and only $600. There is a lot to be said for doing it yourself! EXCEPT at 70 yr's it is a little harder to remove a heater, or work under a dashbord.

We ought to have some sort tax cap on these kind of sales.

But, it seems every state has its own special pitfalls. If they don't get you one way, they do it another. That being said, NY and CA must be the overall worse.

Last summer I bought a Deere tractor at MacFaddens auction for a friend who is farm exempt. It was one of those deals where he asked me to buy it if it went low enough. Well, I bought it and they hit me with 8.25% tax even after I told them the buyer was farm exempt. I was the only one registed at the auction, not my friend. So, $272.25 to the county so they can waste it somewhere.

One thing that NY and MI have over the rest of the country is great buys on rural properties. Lousy weather and high taxes, but still some great deals on land and homes and some gorgepous views. Especially during that 10 minutes each year when the sun comes out.

I still find well wooded property here in NY for $600-$700 per acre, but $2000 and up is more the norm. I bought 30 acres of mature hardwoods last year for $18,000 and it might be the last of the bargains around here.

Ten years ago a farmer-friend of mine offered me some of his hill-top land. Half was tilled fields and half sugarbush (mature hard maples). He offered me the land at $800 an acre and I didn't jump on it. Just sold this summer for $2800 per acre. Oh well.

I agree with you jd, we can talk about this until we are blue in the face, but this state will only get worse, if its not one thing its something else. Ye know, car inspections are a joke, now you have to pass without a check engine light on, just a bunch of bull.
Case in point, my wifes car had the CE light come on, my friend has a snap on diganostic tool, so he checked it. Gas cap was on to loose, or rusty so it was losing vapor... We put some grease on the threads and the light stayed off. Can you believe with that problem the car would have failed inspection. Also big bucks to fix this problem the right way?? Sorry for the rant. J

Accually its $400 max. Are you the same Jim who hashad some Farmall Ms in Due West?

JD,
Your talent, skill and honesty is well regarded in this forum. One of the most respected in this place. Please do not let someone from SF ruffle your feathers.

It was the #1 reason why I refused for years to buy any vehicle made after 1995. That law only applies to 1996 and up. But, I finally had to give up. Can't find replacement vehicles that old that aren't rusted to death. At least not for winter rigs that will make it up our hill. our 1992 (4WD) and 1995 (AWD)Subarus are our last hold-outs they're both ready to break in half.
Got a 2000 Kia 4WD Sportage in "storage" to take over when one Subaru falls apart. And that "check engine light" comes on ever few months. I stick the code reader in and cancel it, just to pass inspection.

Yet in Michigan, no inspection at all. That is amazing. And trailer registration plates? You buy once and they're good for a lifetime. So, even Michigan has New York beat. But, we've got much nicer mountains, and the Adirondacks are prettier then the U.P.