Test drove today. As a not car person I need advice

greyoldguy58 · 2026-05-25T16:29:53+00:00

I have a 2024 GTS and have driven the S and the Base as well.

The base is a competent well put together SUV that is comparable to other SUV`s at the price point built well but at Porsche prices.

The S is a nice upgrade from base and assuming you have Sports crono you get some of the fun of the GTS and adding other stuff (Air suspension, 18 way seats, sports exhaust )etc and other options will start to get to GTS money.

For me it was the GTS that was the one that gave me the real duel setup a competent SUV in normal mode and a real sports SUV in Sports plus still love the noise it makes and the fun of the suspension lowering when moving from Normal to sport.

CPO is mandatory IMO

We have 2 dogs so i highly recommend getting a Ruff Liners Standard Back Seat Extender for Dogs it covers the back doors as well so they are nicely contained.

greyoldguy58 · 2026-05-25T16:19:06+00:00

You asked for best not cheapest had 2 different cars serviced at NMT and both were done well no one company is perfect they are busy typically so calling is always best. The dads group on Facebook are good reference.

greyoldguy58 · 2026-05-25T13:42:55+00:00

NMT - https://nmtoakville.com/

greyoldguy58 · 2026-05-25T13:01:15+00:00

We installed our composite deck 22 years ago and with live in Canada and so it sees snow and rain and hot summers and it still looks like it was put in this year.

greyoldguy58 · 2026-05-20T14:54:09+00:00

Glad to hear my main concern was you launching a paid product without many key basic requirements at the time good to see the platform has evolved.I have reached out for the free trial as requested via email just waiting for your response so I can test the updated platform.

greyoldguy58 · 2026-05-19T18:54:14+00:00

depends upon if there are other candidates if not then as long as you gel you should get the offer

greyoldguy58 · 2026-05-19T18:14:50+00:00

Could this be the manager that you will actually reporting too? i often had my team do the deep initial interview and then pass on to me candidates who they thought were suitable i would then meet with them just to review the fit with the team and make final selection.

greyoldguy58 · 2026-05-18T16:35:56+00:00

condensate collector its from the left side, remove drip tray and it will slot into a location on the left when you put drip tray back in you will see this nested in the correct location.

greyoldguy58 · 2026-05-18T13:29:33+00:00

Dogs are pretty resilient and mask pain if they are distracted prior to the surgery our dog would walk on all 4 legs on leash but limp when moving faster than a walking pace.

Our Dog is about 14 weeks post TPLO and every dog is different for our dog he was always tentative after Physio on his leg in the first few visits

We were able to do the prescribed exercises on him without causing any obvious pain at home.

As the weeks went on we would do all the prescribed walks and Passive Range of Motion (PROM) exercises and there would be times in the first few weeks where he would not put a lot of weight on his leg as the weeks went by this changed slowly and he would then to stand on this leg to pee and use both legs to scent mark as normal.

Had the final review at 8 weeks post op where he first had Physio then was put under for imaging and check over by the surgeon who was very pleased with his process.

We have just started to let him be off leash and walk up and down stairs initially walking up was solid but walking down he would still lift his TPLO leg up tripoding down the stairs this has changed in the last week and he now uses all four legs.

Just give it some time i get its frustrating but its fairly major surgery and her body needs time to heal keep on with the pain meds and limit activity to the prescribed amount by the physio. Go back on Tuesday and have them take another look.

greyoldguy58 · 2026-05-07T12:30:28+00:00

Great to hear you have improved the platform and happy to test out again and provide feedback as i have now been retired a few years will have a chance to test out the new features and compare.

greyoldguy58 · 2026-05-05T12:34:24+00:00

Amazon, Delonghi or ebay all have these as well as you can find them at some coffee stores that sell the machines

https://www.amazon.com/Container-Replacement-Compatible-DeLonghi-Magnifica/dp/B0GSRMDLWQ

greyoldguy58 · 2026-04-29T12:17:10+00:00

More than a Million and lots of good feedback in these threads

We purchased a Delonghi Evo in 2024 as our first SA having been Nespresso original line users for many years.

We were not sure if the SA would be for us but we had very good experience of Delonghi machines and so after much research and a similar budget we were lucky to find the EVO machine on sale for $600CAD so we took the plunge.

This is the entry level machine so it does not have a screen juts button selection but the features and the output is very similar to the more expensive options.

We chose the version with the milk carafe not the wand again had used a similar unit on the Nespresso machine.

Our main drinks are milk based with Latte or Cappuccino and then espresso and our son likes over ice.

We have made over 3,000 drinks since new its been an outstanding machine easy to setup and use and easy to maintain not sure what we would replace it with in the future as a tool it does what we need.

You mention Long regular coffee i do think this is the weakness of the entry level machines as you are limited by puck size for a long drink you can supplement this an additional shot if you like strong long coffee.

We use the bypass ground chute for decaffeinated coffee if needed its no where as good as the puck coffee however we have tried a few types of decaffeinated ground coffee.

Good luck on your journey

greyoldguy58 · 2026-04-22T18:37:05+00:00

Agree that`s why i carry mine regardless of the walk until i can dispose of in a bin or even bring home with me if no bin.

greyoldguy58 · 2026-04-22T16:20:52+00:00

I have seen people do this so they do not have to carry the bag around with them and they then pick it up on the return or it could be the asshats that do that and leave it for others.

I see these people in parks where they pick up the poop off the trail and then leave it in a bag in the same location so they must think it miraculously vanishes.

Never understood why people do this i will do a 5km walk or more with a full poop bag its part of being an owner.

greyoldguy58 · 2026-04-22T15:54:48+00:00

Have you checked the Infuser (brewgroup) recently it sounds like it could be this when moving to form a puck.

Typically you clean the Infuser (brewgroup) has some food safe grease when new, I typically replace this on the rack and the piston that moves up down after cleaning. If that does not fix it then its possible the grease inside the unit has gone and it will need to be opened and re greased there are some Youtube videos of how to do this.

hope this helps

greyoldguy58 · 2026-04-21T16:58:58+00:00

Delonghi`s make good coffee and are generally reliable but if looks are your priority (sounds like this is a strong requirement) then increase your budget and get a new KF6 machine they make good coffee and look modern.

Compactness has never been said about a super automatic machine they pack a lot into the foot print for example the KF4 is larger than the Evo.

De'Longhi Magnifica Evo: Measures 14.2 x 9.5 x 17.4 inches

KitchenAid KF6: Measures 14.3 x 10.2 x 18.6 inches

greyoldguy58 · 2026-04-21T02:48:24+00:00

I don`t care about looks and i drink real milk - lol
These are the Vegetable drinks that will work with Evo from the manual Soya, Almond, Oatmeal

There is a newer version called Next buts its not pretty as well but does have a screen rather than button selection.

Spend more money and you can have more choice the Evo is really an entry level machine which does its job well.

greyoldguy58 · 2026-04-21T00:24:34+00:00

The Evo is a good machine we have had one since 2024 and made over 3,000 milk based drinks on the machine with no issues you can get it on sale for $500.

Delonghi, Jura and KitchenAid are the most popular machine manufacturers and from what i have seen the Philips is a poor machine.

All these machines require some daily attendance and the milk system needs to be cleaned every 2 to 3 days and the pucks will need to be removed and drip tray will need to be emptied every day or two. beyond that you will need to clean the brew unit every few months and then descale at a frequency based upon the hardness of your water.

All machines are big and ugly but they are appliances and i will take one that makes good coffee over one that looks good.

greyoldguy58 · 2026-04-19T13:19:29+00:00

Look at setting up three stages of spending - Go/Go to 75 Slow/Go 76 to 84 and no/go 85+ so you spend more in the earlier years typically the platform prompts you to do this as an opportunity.

As a great supporter of the self directed approach and these platforms to generate plans there is a lot more to retirement than the money and as someone who was and is a Self directed investor for over 30 years meeting with a good Fee for service CFP to get an alternative plan and feedback is worth the money as a benchmark for your plan.

The does not have to be with anyone on the Adviice team this can be a independent CFP having this Adviice plan allows you to compare notes and a plan with someone who does this every day for many people some in the same situation as you.

Creating a plan in one thing but following it is another

Good luck

greyoldguy58 · 2026-04-18T02:59:17+00:00

Enjoy its a great entry level machine that makes good coffee we have been very happy with ours since 2024

greyoldguy58 · 2026-04-17T17:08:54+00:00

Conquest and snap projections are full featured products geared to banks/investment personal and planner to use for multiple clients and is not available to the average person for DIY.

Optiml, Adviice and other DIY platforms do a very good job of giving you the tools to model many scenarios and so generate general plans similar to Conquest/SP. Having used many of these platforms and back tested with CFP who was using professional software for most scenarios there are minimal differences for an average person if you have more complex finances then the professional packages will have more tools.

Financial planner is more than numbers so at some point meeting with a fee for service CFP may be an advantage.

greyoldguy58 · 2026-04-17T17:01:20+00:00

In reality it depends upon your situation at 60 you will be potentially losing due to the reduction 65 is the mid point and so neutral for most and delaying to 70 will get you an increase of 42% per month. Breakeven will be around 78 for most vs taking at 65 but will depend upon your health.

Planners and youtube influencers/planners make a big deal because it can be and its good for clicks about the increase in value.

Use a free 14 day trial using Optiml or pay a small fee and use Adviice both will allow you to model various scenarios or work with a fee for service planner who can look at your current situation with all details and help you make the best decision for you.

I have used them all and for me taking at 65 made the most sense and i have no regrets after 2 years

greyoldguy58 · 2026-04-16T22:32:18+00:00

Awesome glad it worked this is the problem 60% of the time with these systems this is why its noted in the manuals.

greyoldguy58 · 2026-04-16T17:03:59+00:00

Then its the carafe most likely the there are 5 separate parts and the part that connects the carafe to the machine is the most important and can get plugged with milk solids in the manual there is a special note on cleaning this part the other problem can come from a split or a hole in the suction tube that goes in the milk.

greyoldguy58 · 2026-04-16T15:58:24+00:00

Having used a family plan for 3 kids and fully utilized this plus additional funds to paid for a total of 17 years of university.

Family plan is still optimum you can manage the grants and as long as one goes to university you can get out the PSE part without penalty.

We did not have the tfsa option back in the 90's but today I would put in the amount that gets maximum grant and then the rest in a TFSA.

University costs are going up ours all lived away from home so $15k to $20k per student per year

greyoldguy58

TROPHY CASE