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Automotive News & Views Are gas prices fueling your pain? 
10042 messages, Last post on Jul 12, 2008 at 3:07 PM
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"Did everybody move to the suburbs because the cities became crime-infested hell holes or did the cities become crime-infested hell holes because everybody ran away to the suburbs? I think the flight of the middle class to the suburbs greatly contributed to the decline of cities." If that's true, then the decline of the Big 3 is also "our" fault. We didn't quit buying Ford/GM/Chrysler because they made inferior cars. They made inferior cars because we quit buying them. And, of course, that logic works beautifully for our friends in government; Gas tax revenues aren't falling short because the gov't is squandering the money on pork projects. The gov't is squandering it because revenues are falling short. So we all need to pay more. "... in the worst part of San Diego. Yuppies have started buying up these old homes and renovating or rebuilding. This has pushed the poor residents out ..." Are you talking about Logan Heights? That place is long overdue for a "push." Don't forget, those "poor residents" paid a lot less than the $350,000 prices they're getting now. The trip out of the barrio is easy when you have an extra $200,000 in the bank. NOTICE: Any yuppies who want to "push" me out of my neighborhood by paying me a six-figure premium for my house -- I welcome you! .
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Replying to: chuckhoy (Jan 18, 2008 6:55 am) Home Equity Line of Credit. It's like a Home Equity Loan, except not for a fixed amount, and not at a fixed rate. With a Home Equity loan, you borrow a set amount, and it's usually at a fixed rate and you pay it back over 5, 10, or whatever years. With an HELOC, they give you a credit limit, depending on how much equity you have in your house. You take an initial draw amount, and they give you a checkbook that you can use to pull out additional money if you need it. They're usually tied to the prime rate, so they'll adjust every time the Fed plays with rates. I did an HELOC instead of a fixed amount for a few reasons. First, there were no closing costs on the HELOC, whereas the loan would've run about $3K at the time, IIRC. At the time, the initial interest rate was a bit lower on the HELOC, although it soon adjusted upward. Also, I wanted the flexibility of being able to take out more if I wanted, and having that real low payment, if that need ever arose. Thankfully it hasn't...yet. |
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"... during the 1970s - cities continued to lose population. If anything, companies will seek out locations near potential employees if gasoline prices become too onerous, as most ... live in the suburbs." Hold on! I just got through forgiving Andre for burdening our economy and destroying our planet with his '79 gas-guzzler. NOW you tell me that he's destroying our cities by living in the suburbs, too? Andre, you're back on the s--t list, buddy! .
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Replying to: 1stpik (Jan 18, 2008 7:12 am) Hey, I come from a long line of farmers, sharecroppers, and railroad workers. My people were out here before the word "Suburbs" was even invented. We didn't land on the suburbs...the suburbs landed on US!  Once upon a time, I could've walked about 800 feet from my front door to catch the WB&A, an electric railroad that would then whisk me off to DC, Baltimore, or Annapolis, without ever needing to set foot in an automobile. Unfortunately, I was born in 1970. The WB&A discontinued passenger service in 1935. So am I on the S-list for sabotaging mass transit by being born too late, too?
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Andre1969: after a night of pizzas in your car, how did you get the scent out? If I bring home a Donatos from 8 miles, I can smell the pizza the next day. Chicken garlic pizza 
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Replying to: 1stpik (Jan 18, 2008 7:01 am) When you save $100k buying a home that is 675,000 miles worth of gas at $4 per gallon in the average car. You save at least that much for every 10 miles further out you move. It gives you about 180 years worth of commuting gas. Yes I would say moving to the suburbs is worthwhile. My $700,000 home 35 miles from downtown San Diego with a view would be $3,000,000+ in the city. Figure that out for buying gas even for a big SUV. No wonder 2 out of 3 homes have a big PU or SUV parked out front.
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Replying to: imidazol97 (Jan 18, 2008 8:19 am) Easy, I also moonlighted running deliveries for a pet cemetery, and the scents would sort of cancel each other out after awhile. Nah, just kidding on that one! For some reason, the smell never was that much of a problem. However, when I delivered for Little Caesar's, we had this sheeter machine that would roll out the dough, whereas at Papa John's, they'd slap it out. When I wasn't running deliveries, I'd help make the pizzas, and working for Little Caesar's, would end up getting flour all over me. I'd try to clean it off the best I could, but would still end up getting it in the car. When I used to drive my Dart, which had exposed metal on the door panels, that flour actually ATE the paint off the door, down to bare metal! Once I started driving the Newport, it would just sort of cake up on the vinyl of the door panel, and have to be wiped off every so often. Once I went to Papa John's, I never could get the slapping part down very good, so they rarely made me do it. As a result, getting flour on me and then on the car never was a problem. Which was a good thing, because my Monte Carlo and Intrepid had cloth on the doorpanels, so I imagine the flour would've really made a mess there! Maybe I just built up a resistance to the smell of the pizza? Also, as drivers, we'd put the pizzas in hot bags, so that might've kept the aroma from diffusing throughout the car. |
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"So am I on the S-list for sabotaging mass transit by being born too late, too?" Oh, now you're giving me sass? Okay! From now on, everyone, it's not 'blame America,' it's 'blame Andre!" Whatever's wrong with the world, it's HIS fault. Blizzard in New England? Andre. Genocide in the Democratic Republic of the Congo? Andre started it. Partial-birth abortion? All Andre's idea. The fact that I still live in a starter home, drive a cheap car, hate my job, and can't get a date on national holidays? Andre, you bastard! .
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Replying to: 1stpik (Jan 18, 2008 8:53 am) Yeah yeah yeah, and I killed Kenny, too.
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"We really do not have a slum area to brag about." Sure you do: Tijuana. Seriously, San Diego is a nice town, albeit way too expensive. Although, as you say, house prices drop nicely as you get farther from the metro area. You went 35 miles out and saved $2.3 million. I went a little farther -- 1,400 miles east -- and saved $2.85 million. The house is great, but the commute sucks. That's why I bought a hybrid. .
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