General discussion - Mom and Dad Esq.

[notcasesensitive]

Originally posted by TexLex
FWIW, I heart my Camry. It's reliable and boring, but it's a good car - there's a reason they sell so damn many of them. The radio is a bit tinny - my only complaint. And it's not so $$$ that you'll freak if the kids spills her juice in it.

I have a little rule that I employ when driving to work - never drive in a lane behind a Camry driver. For some reason 4 out of 5 Camry drivers drive like they are on their way to Sunday church. If you get a Camry, do me a favor and hit the freaking gas every once in a while. What are you, 80?

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
I have a little rule that I employ when driving to work - never drive in a lane behind a Camry driver. For some reason 4 out of 5 Camry drivers drive like they are on their way to Sunday church. If you get a Camry, do me a favor and hit the freaking gas every once in a while. What are you, 80?

Fair enough. I drive a hell of a lot more safely* with the babies in the car. Sometimes I annoy me. But you can be pretty sure I'm not driving to church. NTTAWWT.

*Not necessarily slower, however. More along the lines of waiting and waiing for a HUGE opening before darting across or into traffic from a cross street/parking lot.

[robustpuppy]

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
I have a little rule that I employ when driving to work - never drive in a lane behind a Camry driver. For some reason 4 out of 5 Camry drivers drive like they are on their way to Sunday church. If you get a Camry, do me a favor and hit the freaking gas every once in a while. What are you, 80?

Funny you should say that -- my brother has long held a theory that 9/10 slow and oblivious drivers are in Camrys. The other 1/10 are in Corollas. In my experience I have found this to be true. This discovery gives me a strange sense of relief, as if there's order to the universe.

TexLex, I know you won't take offense b/c this of course does not mean 9/10 Camry drivers are slow and oblivious. Given this theory in the family however, I can never buy a Camry, or even an Avalon or a Lexus or, egads, a Sienna. I would have to go the Honda route, notwithstanding the fact that my first two cars were Toyotas and I would not be surprised if the first -- a Candy Apple Red 1977 Corolla Wagon with manual transmission, no A/C, and a stereo from the Price Club -- is probably still running. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if it were still transporting its owner to the Hicksville LIRR station for his daily commute.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
I have a little rule that I employ when driving to work - never drive in a lane behind a Camry driver. For some reason 4 out of 5 Camry drivers drive like they are on their way to Sunday church. If you get a Camry, do me a favor and hit the freaking gas every once in a while. What are you, 80?

this board has a specific purpose for parents to provide helpful advice to each other. I think you would admit the above is not constructive in any manner.

[baltassoc]

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
I have a little rule that I employ when driving to work - never drive in a lane behind a Camry driver. For some reason 4 out of 5 Camry drivers drive like they are on their way to Sunday church. If you get a Camry, do me a favor and hit the freaking gas every once in a while. What are you, 80?

I have a rule when driving to work - slow down as much as possible in front of Audis.

Nothing is funnier than watching them flip out with impatience. Something about A4s in particular.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
this board has a specific purpose for parents to provide helpful advice to each other. I think you would admit the above is not constructive in any manner.

I now will make sure not to get behind a camry when my child is in the back seat with a poopy diaper.

Thank you ncs!

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by baltassoc
I have a rule when driving to work - slow down as much as possible in front of Audis.

Nothing is funnier than watching them flip out with impatience. Something about A4s in particular.

[note to self] Maintain composure when guy in Hyundai inexplicably slows down [/note to self]

[baltassoc]

Originally posted by Penske_Account
[note to self] Maintain composure when fat guy in Hyundai inexplicably slows down [/note to self]

You forgot the fat part.

[charlie the crocodile]

Originally posted by baltassoc
You forgot the fat part.

Accent or Elantra?

[Penske_Account]

Originally posted by baltassoc
You forgot the fat part.

Sorry, but thanks for the assist. Generally, my compassionate, caring, considerate nature impedes on my ability to fire a zing. That omission being case in point. The babyjesuschristsuperstar is a lover not a hater. Platonically.

[baltassoc]

Originally posted by charlie the crocodile
Accent or Elantra?

Scoupe

Originally posted by robustpuppy
TexLex, I know you won't take offense b/c this of course does not mean 9/10 Camry drivers are slow and oblivious.

None taken. Like it or not, when that kid gets here you will become one of us. You may be driving a sporty little zippy car, but it might as well be a Camry if it is transporting a gorgeous tiny person* that you are 100% responsible for. When she's with the sitter, it will transform back into the speedmobile it was before the kid showed up. Laugh now while you can, but I speak the truth.**

~TL

*And yet smelly and demanding
** Bwahahahaha.

Originally posted by baltassoc
You forgot the fat part.

But you look so thin in your photo.

[pony_trekker]

Originally posted by viet_mom
First of all, thanks so much for the great advice on the thank you notes. I still have to write them but at least I have a plan. I think.

So....eek, more advice if you all don't mind? I got a surprising call from Dad today who says he has to gift 60K from some investment that was realized and he will give each of us 3 kids 20K but only if we use it towards a car. My two siblings drive new cars so this contingency is geared towards me. I drive a 95 Volvo; bought it used for 17K in late 97 (for some time now, it's been fully paid for). I have been keeping up with parts and take good care of it; it has about 110,000 miles but runs fine and I just put in about 2K over the course of 2 years on various parts. I tried to convince him to give me the $$ for Vietbabe's college fund or to go towards our mortgage payments but no go. He views our car as old and insists we get a "new" car (but will consider a used tester car that has only 10K miles on it or so).

So, now I don't know what to do. Some people have said get a Camry - they're safe and the 20K could get me there. But..I've always liked the Volvo b/c I perceive it as being so safe b/c it's boxy and is so heavy and has so much steel and whatever they say about the sturdy frame. Anti-lock breaks and other "safety" features like good air bags and such are fine. But for me, the only criterion for a car is that, in the event of a major accident (like smacked by a big truck) we have the greatest chance of coming out of it alive. With that in mind, does anyone think the Volvo is still the best for that because it's supposedly so heavy and the frame, etc.? I don't know if I can get a starter Volvo for 20K (plus the 4K or so I might be able to get for my current car whose interior is hideosly stained with coffee and ground-in Cheerios and nasty nasty stuff and some interior peeling off). I might consider a wagon but have to see if it would fit in my small garage.

Thanks!!

Try the Subaru Outback. Best of both worlds but probably a hair over 20k. Wagon, Japanese reliability but battleship heavy.

I wouldn't get a new Volvo. The quality has declined since the reliable boxy machines of the mid-1990s. Friend of mine returned his early in the lease because his wife was stuck waiting for roadside assistance in the Bronx too many times.

And I wouldn't buy ANYTHING used w/o paying for a carfax check. If it was ever registered south of the mason/dixon line RUN.

[Sparklehorse]

A family member is looking for good name resources. I seem to remember y'all having a discussion about helpful books and web sites but, alas, my search here is not hepful.

Any recommendations would be very welcome.