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Sab0921 posted:I have 3 kids and I work 70ish hours a week - that's not going to happen - it will have to ship to Texas but it's all within the budget. I presume you will be fine with being without this car for like, potentially weeks at a time. If no, may want to reconsider.
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Apr 11, 2023 11:45
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Ethics_Gradient posted:I was actually thinking of a Fit, or maybe a Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe, although I'm hoping to avoid it. The Yaris was really not fun to set up and now that I've had a dedicated space it's gonna be hard to go back to all that jank and inconvenience. Four doors would definitely help though, and I'm optimistic I could get the darkbox more dialed in for a quick setup. I can only speak about the Fit but it's pretty versatile as far as small cars go especially if 2 seats are enough for you. People have made little campers out of them  and I designed (but not built... yet) a shelf with a sink / stove area that slides out under the hatch area https://i.imgur.com/xmYlC9m.mp4 So maybe that's something that you could make work if you like the overall package. In any case it's definitely a good idea to wait for something with cosmetic or other fixable damage, I got my Fit/Jazz for $600 because it was in limp mode due to a single snipped wire.
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Apr 11, 2023 14:50
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Why so many tiniest camper conversions insist on having a sink? The quality of that setup is equivalent to squeezing a water bottle, it's not going to be equal to your home plumbing in any way. Don't Honda Fit have an option of laying down the front seats she you have a completely flat surface across the entire car? Or is it just the element? I have camped out of a Chrysler Town and country, it's a ridiculous level of comfort.
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Apr 11, 2023 15:01
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Nitrox posted:Why so many tiniest camper conversions insist on having a sink? The quality of that setup is equivalent to squeezing a water bottle, it's not going to be equal to your home plumbing in any way.  Yeah you can fol the front seats flat (doesn't work on my EU version somehow) which is ok for sleeping I guess  But for OP's purpose it'd be more useful to fold the rear ones forward (or up... or take them out entirely):  
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Apr 11, 2023 15:22
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Are you a Mogwai?
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Apr 11, 2023 16:37
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Nitrox posted:Why so many tiniest camper conversions insist on having a sink? The quality of that setup is equivalent to squeezing a water bottle, it's not going to be equal to your home plumbing in any way. The basin is the important part. Making it a part of your camper conversion even if small is for human factors and ergonomics as mentioned. Running water into any size basin is a luxury if you have an improved connection. Otherwise you just need a way to fill a basin and stick it somewhere you won't throw your back out. We'd probably see a lot less focus on it being built in waist/chest height while standing or sitting if we were still a squatting culture that can fill a basin and just work with it on the ground without fatigue. As for the size if you ever want to wash your gigantic balls you don't need running water or even a basin that is larger. For example you can practice the ancient tradition of dipping fluffy absorbent sea creatures into the basin to wet and strategically scrub your gigantic balls with the minimum water needed.
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Apr 11, 2023 16:58
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Wash them giant nuts with cold water and they'll magically get smaller.
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Apr 11, 2023 17:26
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Loan Dusty Road posted:Are you a Mogwai? E: speaking of Germlins, have you considered the AMC Gremlin, OP?
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Apr 11, 2023 22:05
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re sink chat, I made a big one for the van out of an old commercial baking tray I got on Marketplace for cheap, it drains into a 15L jerrycan. Works a treat. mobby_6kl posted:I'm not completely clear on what the setup for the darkbox or how you're using it, but seems like a bigger van would be better. But of course it's going to be more expensive to buy and run vs a hatchback, more difficult to park, etc., so I guess it depends on what kind of tradeoff you'd prefer. What is the height like in the back of the Fit (floor to ceiling)? I hadn't actually thought I could do the darkroom inside it, but that'd be nice if I could. My sister had a JDM version of the Fit (IIRC) when she lived in Tokyo and I remember it had insanely versatile seating. Definitely only need 2 seats, we can borrow a car from my partner's family or rent one if needed. The darkbox I had was a big gear case (I think for a commercial display) - it was pretty flat so while this meant I could store plenty of stuff on top of it, I couldn't actually leave the chemicals inside, which added a lot of PITA to the setup.  This was the one I was working on that was meant as an all-in-one, the silver tank (black thing in the middle) stays in place, and I added a pair of little hatches on the right that gave access to an area to store chemicals/plates, which would make for much quicker setup. The main issue was making the shroud fit was a lot more complicated than my original design with the flat one (I can't sew), but my MiL or one of her friends can probably sort me there. It pulls out on the same frame I used for the old one.
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Apr 12, 2023 00:34
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:I presume you will be fine with being without this car for like, potentially weeks at a time. If no, may want to reconsider. Ok - so I can't have it be gone for weeks at a time on a regular basis. But I really don't want to like...lease a new Grand Cherokee that sounds like it sucks and is very boring
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Apr 12, 2023 00:42
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lmao, all the Prius chat and I'm leaning heavily back to a Prius instead of a TDI. The Prius just makes too much sense. Prices coming down does a lot of work here.
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Apr 12, 2023 02:02
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Sab0921 posted:Ok - so I can't have it be gone for weeks at a time on a regular basis. Look for a Golf Alltrack or, to really class it up, a Golf Sportwagen. Not quite as fancy no, but at least a bit less of a headache to own.
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Apr 12, 2023 03:02
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nitsuga posted:Look for a Golf Alltrack or, to really class it up, a Golf Sportwagen. Not quite as fancy no, but at least a bit less of a headache to own. I have an alltrack with a mild tune (~230hp) and it’s a great car. You won’t mistake it for a sports car, though. Tires will help, the stock tires are not good. The clutch and shifter are fine; an S2000 this is not but compared to the Legacies I learned on as a kid it’s very good. Beyond that, GTi and Golf R parts pretty much bolt up. You might do better with the sportwagen since I think the suspension geometry is more similar if you want to do a lot of mods. One note - the alltrack has a manual available on all trim levels. The sportwagen only had it available on the S trim. So if you want nice interior features the alltrack is a better bet.
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Apr 12, 2023 03:31
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Ethics_Gradient posted:re sink chat, I made a big one for the van out of an old commercial baking tray I got on Marketplace for cheap, it drains into a 15L jerrycan. Works a treat.  Your new blackbox looks pretty large and might not fit in the trunk area by itself but maybe you could make it work.
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Apr 12, 2023 08:57
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mobby_6kl posted:Here are some dimensions I found on google. I could check or measure another area later if you need. Ah dang, probably too short. I designed the darkbox specifically around the Yaris so could do the same for another vehicle. As it turns out, partner's grandmother has a decent size driveway with plenty of space, so I may have free trailer parking after all! If I was looking to tow a 10-14' caravan or double horse float, what sort of vehicles should I be looking at?
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Apr 12, 2023 09:15
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nitsuga posted:Look for a Golf Alltrack or, to really class it up, a Golf Sportwagen. Not quite as fancy no, but at least a bit less of a headache to own. Or - just hear me out here. https://twitter.com/Bringatrailer/status/1646488618347921408?t=u1DLTUHGpWN9xRrg9MqzwQ&s=19
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Apr 13, 2023 13:54
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i mean if you're open to getting an auto just get an E wagon
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Apr 13, 2023 14:35
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My used car got destroyed by some idiot and it's a write off so now I'm in need of a new car. With how expensive used cars are, I'm considering buying a new vehicle so I'm hoping you guys can provide some suggestions as a starting point for me to do research: Note: I live in Ontario, Canada Proposed Budget: Under CAD$28k, ideally. Looking for something on the cheaper end New or Used: New Body type: Midsized hatchback preferably, but I'll take a sedan or small SUV/crossover if you feel it's really good How will you be using the car:? Short work commutes primarily but we like to occasionally do road trips or go to cottage country so having decent storage space is desired. What aspects are most important to you?: Reliability and cost of maintenance are important to me. While I will follow recommended maintenance schedules, I'm not the most knowledgeable about cars so something not too complex or annoying to own is important. My last car was a Mazda 3 (2012) which I was happy with, so I'm looking at the newer Mazda 3 hatchbacks which seem to be pretty affordable. I hope I can get some suggestions for comparable vehicles.
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Apr 13, 2023 16:41
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Civic hatch, Golf, Corolla hatch, Elantra hatch, Rio 5 are all pretty competitive. I think all of those are in the Canadian market.
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Apr 13, 2023 16:55
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Ethics_Gradient posted:Ah dang, probably too short. I designed the darkbox specifically around the Yaris so could do the same for another vehicle. https://www.kbb.com/car-advice/towing-capacity-guide/ has a lot of useful info. Apparently an empty 2-horse float weighs 2-3000 lb, which is the same sort of weight range as a pop-up caravan, which means you need at least a Class III hitch. You might be able to get away with a small SUV (Ford Escape 2021 apparently has a 3500lb towing capacity) but if mountains are involved you need something a bit beefier. TBH if I were in your shoes I'd look for a Ford Transit or similar. Much easier to park, plenty of headroom, the cheaper models have fewer windows, etc.
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Apr 13, 2023 17:04
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thepopmonster posted:https://www.kbb.com/car-advice/towing-capacity-guide/ has a lot of useful info. Apparently an empty 2-horse float weighs 2-3000 lb, which is the same sort of weight range as a pop-up caravan, which means you need at least a Class III hitch. You might be able to get away with a small SUV (Ford Escape 2021 apparently has a 3500lb towing capacity) but if mountains are involved you need something a bit beefier. Oof, yeah, was doing some research on towing capacities and trailer weights this evening (the Element clocks in at a meagre 1500lbs). Meanwhile a 2005 Sienna can reportedly handle 3500lbs. But I had the same thought, I'll be making plenty of enemies going uphill with such a marginal setup. US Transits look to be well out of my price range. We've had the them here in Australia since I want to say the late 90s, I don't think it came to the US until relatively recently. While I'd love something I could stand up in, they command much higher prices thanks to the #vanlife crowd. I also wouldn't touch any Sprinter I could afford on a 5k budget, that would only end in misery. We have a fair few small cargo vans here like the Transit Connect if that's what you mean (VW, Renault, Citroen, and the Holden Combo for a bit of domestic flavour) but the Connect also looks to be too new/pricey to consider and doesn't do much a minivan can't already. I'm kinda torn now with the trailer now that I know there's free parking! What sort of cheap workhorse tow vehicles are there in the US? (Bonus if it could potentially double as a darkroom itself).
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Apr 14, 2023 10:21
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Chevy Suburban/Tahoe are what come to mind. Bonus if they're 4wd.
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Apr 14, 2023 13:41
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There are the Ford E vans and the Chevrolet Express etc as well.
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Apr 14, 2023 13:55
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Mustache Ride posted:Chevy Suburban/Tahoe are what come to mind. Bonus if they're 4wd. KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:There are the Ford E vans and the Chevrolet Express etc as well. Hm... let's see... Sydney gas prices are USD 1.22/litre, there are 3.78 litres/US gallon ... so $4.50/gallon. Colorado cheapest gas prices are currently just under $3/gallon, so while your Yaris gets 2x the mpg a truck chassis SUV (e.g. 200x Explorer) does you will only (currently) pay 1.5x the fuel costs. Try searching for 4x8 and 5x8 cargo trailers, too - those are a lot lighter than a horse box (U-haul sez empty weight of 900lb for the 5x8: https://www.uhaul.com/Trailers/5x8-Cargo-Trailer-Rental/AV/, shows interior dimensions, change the dropdown to see the weights/sizes on the other cargo trailers) , and probably a lot cheaper (e.g. new 5x8 trailers are $5k from Lowes, used horse boxes look like maybe 20k+?) Looks like they salt, or have salted, in colorado (it's not clear from https://www.codot.gov/travel/winter-driving/maintenance-faq when or if they have completely switched from sodium chloride to magnesium chloride) so rust is going to be a thing on most older vehicles - e.g. a quick look on cars.com for Explorers under 10k within 75 miles from a Denver zip returns the most recent being a 2014 ex-rental - so hit up your partner's people for good mechanic recommendations for the pre-sale inspection.
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Apr 15, 2023 15:25
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Hello, thread. Proposed Budget: ~40k New or Used: New Body Style: Compact/Mid sized SUV How will you be using the car?: Commuting/Family Hauler What aspects are most important to you? Cargo Space & driver comfort. Gadgets are nice but not a priority Currently I drive a '07 Honda Fit, I love the poo poo out of it but it's starting to fall apart and isn't worth maintaining anymore. We also have a 2nd kid on the way and I'm not confident I can fit a second car seat behind the driver's seat. I commute to work 2x a week but it's a long commute (over an hour). The car's going to be a combo family hauler and commuter car for me. My wife has a '14 Explorer and I hate it so we're looking at something that can fill the same role but doesn't destroy my ankles on a 30 minute drive. It'll also be nice if it was slightly larger than the explorer. Doesn't have to be huge, but no smaller. I have no strong opinions on Hybrids, I'll get one if it's an option but I don't really care. Probably going to end up with a boring CRV Hybrid but I was wondering if there's anything else out there I should consider? Was also eyeing the Mazda CX-5 but that's purely an emotional decision, I've wanted a Mazda 3 for a long time but that's not happening anymore. My big problem with my wife's escape is that despite being a "bigger" car than my Fit, it feels significantly more cramped in the driver's space and the pedals are at an angle where I just can't find a comfortable way to drive it. I did a NYC to Chicago road trip in my fit twice and only stopped when I needed gas, but I can't do more than an hour in my wife's car before I need to get out for a break. Renegret fucked around with this message at 11:56 on Apr 17, 2023 |
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Apr 17, 2023 11:43
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You said Explorer twice (mid-size 3row) and Escape once (compact SUV) — those are very different cars. Based on the commentary in your post, I think you mean Escape, right?
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Apr 17, 2023 13:49
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Assuming you meant Escape and are looking at midsize CUV this thread is big on the CX-5 as the least compromised handling and most lux interior short of a luxury brand. Is the worst cargo space in the segment though. Sticking a car seat behind my driver seat would cramp my stance a bit but probably not enough to be uncomfortable. Rav 4, CR-V, CX-5 are all well regarded in the segment you're landing in and you can get them loaded in your price range. CX-50 is positioned as a CX-5 replacement better in every way and most reports are that it is. It's also model year 1 (but based on the proven CX-30/3 platform) so no telling how it handles aging. E. Pedal placement and stance is all personal and you will need to test drive more than anything we'll be able to confirm here. zedprime fucked around with this message at 14:35 on Apr 17, 2023 |
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Apr 17, 2023 14:30
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DNK posted:You said Explorer twice (mid-size 3row) and Escape once (compact SUV) — those are very different cars. Based on the commentary in your post, I think you mean Escape, right? yeah it's an Escape. I mix them up all the time because I'm an idiot I'll look into the Rav4 too, my BIL has a brand new one so I'll see if he'll let me drive it for a bit.
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Apr 17, 2023 15:01
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Renegret posted:My big problem with my wife's escape is that despite being a "bigger" car than my Fit, it feels significantly more cramped in the driver's space and the pedals are at an angle where I just can't find a comfortable way to drive it. I did a NYC to Chicago road trip in my fit twice and only stopped when I needed gas, but I can't do more than an hour in my wife's car before I need to get out for a break. This is why test-driving cars is still critical. Case in point, I have a Kia Rio as a rental right now. I think it's a perfectly decent super-basic commuter that gets near-hybrid MPG, and in theory it has plenty of room for my tall goony figure. In practice, if I was looking at buying it, I'd have rejected it before I even drove it because the ergonomics just do not work for me. I can't get the seat far enough back to not have my right leg firmly against the center console while driving, with a small enough contact patch that it borders on painful. And yet the steering wheel doesn't telescope so I can't get my upper body comfortable either. I was more comfortable in my old NB Miata where if I sat fully upright I would be looking straight at the header bar on the windshield frame. I really don't think you could go wrong (other than paying a giant amount over sticker) on a CR-V / CX-5 / RAV4, just go see which one feels best.
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Apr 17, 2023 16:40
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We just rented a CX-5 for a week while seeing family. It was surprising how little room it had for a family of three. Totally doable, but the kid's car seat really reduced the leg room of the front passenger, and the rear trunk filled very fast with groceries or luggage. Not horrible by any means, but maybe wasn't the ideal choice for a rental while traveling. Having said that, it was super fun to drive and felt great just to be in. I found myself looking forward to having to run little errands like grabbing takeout or whatever. And I really grew to love the non-touchscreen dial navigation of the entertainment system. After just a week it became second nature and far better than our 2020 Toyota's laggy touchscreen.
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Apr 17, 2023 17:23
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I have a CX-5 and it's fine, but my kids are older and only one needs a booster. Base engine is great on the freeway even if I have to pass. But, yes, if you need to carry more than a stroller and some luggage, good luck. You should probably triple check the cargo area during test drives, or be ready to install a cargo carrier.
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Apr 17, 2023 20:09
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So this might be out of scope for the thread but hopefully someone here has some insight. I moved from GA to NY in January 2023. At the time I called Geico and told them about this and they issued me a NY state ID for the purposes of registration. Due to a new job I kept pushing the trip to the DMV. I finally registered the car in 03/06/2023. I never stopped making insurance payments during that time. Today I received a Suspension Order from the NY DMV because Geico wouldn't confirm I had coverage. I called Geico and they essentially said that the NY state ID was for the purpose of registration, but that my car had still been insured in GA during this time. The NY DMV has a website to upload proof of insurance and lift the suspension order. I currently have two ID cards from Geico:   What I'm unclear on is if I was actually covered in NY during the time period of the first card, or if that was just for the purposes of registration and NY would not consider it valid. I'd rather eat the lapsed insurance fine than dig myself into a world of poo poo by making false statements. Geico was not very helpful and just said to talk to the DMV.
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Apr 18, 2023 02:11
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dpkg chopra posted:So this might be out of scope for the thread but hopefully someone here has some insight. This seems over complicated through no fault of your own really. Can you call GEICO back? They have a bunch of reps just explain it in a few sentences and see if they can generate historical proof of coverage with the dates you need. It should be a routine request they get from customers I would imagine. If they seem confused I’d politely ask to escalate and I would be surprised if whoever the escalation point is cannot generate a document that would satisfy the DMV, but who knows this is kafkaesque. Pro tip is to use their phone app, GEICO in particular cuts so much touch tone and voice recognition stuff if you tap the support button in their phone app. I always skip that stuff when I call other companies to talk to a person generally.
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Apr 18, 2023 02:37
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States can be really difficult with insurance stuff. Call a local Geico agent and get your policy transferred to NY. That will put you in their database and should set you straight.
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Apr 18, 2023 02:39
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Deteriorata posted:States can be really difficult with insurance stuff. Call a local Geico agent and get your policy transferred to NY. That will put you in their database and should set you straight. I unfortunately panicked and got it transferred over the phone so I don’t know how if I actually have a local agent assigned to me or if my stuff now gets handled directly by the corporate office.
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Apr 18, 2023 02:55
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I think, if you use their mobile app and log in, the support button will automatically send you to the correct place where there are people licensed in the state your insurance is / was active in to generate your historical proof of coverage. They may be local agents or licensed corporate agents / brokers depending on how GEICO operates in your state. Just my .02 If you don’t want to go through all that you can just call the general number and you’ll have to explain it to one or two more people before they transfer you to the right one. Inner Light fucked around with this message at 03:16 on Apr 18, 2023 |
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Apr 18, 2023 03:14
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Thanks, I'll give that a shot tomorrow.
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Apr 18, 2023 03:51
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What are my towing options if I'd like to be able to tow 5K lbs that isn't a truck or a giant SUV? I'll be towing frequently enough that just renting a truck doesn't really work, but I'm trying to avoid the need to daily a huge vehicle. The functionality of a bed would be nice, but I can get the same effect with a small utility trailer. We're looking at new vehicles, in Canada, that would cross shop around an F150 Lariat price point (so figure $75K CAD). Preference is to spend less if we can, and will consider up to 2-3 years old. I'd look at the ranger for a smaller option, but no heated seats (wife requirement). I'm just not finding much that isn't a truck or massive SUV with that towing capacity, and wondering what else people are using to tow. I'd consider any SUV with a 3rd row of seating to be huge. I suspect I'm going to wind up with a small truck of some sort (the new colorado maybe?), but I'm trying to see if that's avoidable.
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Apr 18, 2023 22:32
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A 4 runner isn't a *giant* SUV. Though a quick google search suggests that 5k is the limit for one of those and you typically don';t want to tow something thats right at the limit of your towing capacity.
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Apr 19, 2023 00:04
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Grand Cherokee can do 7200 Dodge Durango SRT can do 8700 Tahoe/Yukon can do 8400 Nissan Armada can do 8500 A couple of Audi Qs can do 7700 One of the bigger Mercs can do 7700 Out of these choices I'd look at a Grand Cherokee or a Tahoe/Yukon
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Apr 19, 2023 00:15
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