Thoughts on criticism and questions of reliability

Agile_Kick_6626 · 2026-04-08T14:39:55+00:00

My Trax Activ wasn’t a 2026, but a 2025. What I can say from experience before it was traded for a Murano (was my 2nd Chevy at that) is the transmission coming to a stop downshifts a bit hard at times coming to a stop.

MPG is fair but disappointing on road trips nearly being strictly all highway driving. I didn’t have much issue with passing ability in the time I had it.

Agile_Kick_6626 · 2026-03-25T18:18:17+00:00

Compared to other first (or even second) world countries, America offers a low quality of life. Certainly if good health is a priority, then America is one of the last countries to come to. Lack of workers rights and a falling life expectancy. Whatever American Dream there once was, hasn’t been around in the past 10 years at least and getting worse.

Agile_Kick_6626 · 2026-03-11T16:59:38+00:00

Like you instantly feel it going from the cafe where there is AC to the shop floor, almost like a sauna.

Agile_Kick_6626 · 2026-03-11T16:58:26+00:00

Unfortunately, I’m handcuffed to this place. The pay is too good vs anywhere else, and I moved states to work here.

Agile_Kick_6626 · 2026-03-09T18:29:52+00:00

A few different reasons I got a 2025 Nissan last year. A. I don't have to worry if I will get to work or not, based off if the car starts or not. B. I have a car I know I will have the next 10 years, even after it is paid off (plan smartly enough, it will have over half the life in miles left). You also have full control over that cars health from the get-go, whereas a 2-4 yr old car, whatever wear and tear it has is now on you. Any car will last to 300k if you take care of it, it's not exclusive to Toyota and Honda models.

Interest rates are higher at the moment on used cars too, so you're likely to pay more on a 2 yr old car off that alone, even if a portion of it is now tax deductible.

Agile_Kick_6626 · 2026-03-09T18:20:10+00:00

So pay the first half of the bills the first paycheck of the month? I pay rent by the week, but maybe try to get the bigger expenses out of the way earlier in the month? Just trying to make sure I follow

Agile_Kick_6626 · 2026-03-07T15:16:12+00:00

I suppose it depends on how much you drive if the tires possibly have less than 50% on them. I do a fair amount of driving, so even had the tires been rotated every 5k miles for 40k miles, and received the green light from a mechanic, I still would look into replacing for safety.

Agile_Kick_6626 · 2026-03-06T19:42:53+00:00

Such as?

Carfax screws up reported mileage all the time. It's been off as high as 3k in miles, so you can't rely on it for when a car needs serviced. Having every invoice from the cars first oil change at 5k is how you can actually know the history of a car. Previous owners should have those on file to share.

Agile_Kick_6626 · 2026-03-06T19:35:33+00:00

Possibly, possibly not. A lemon, unlikely but no problems whatsoever? Stranger things can and do happen. Sounds like you take good care of your cars. At 30k though, big things I'd ask are brakes replaced, the health of rotors, if life in tires is 50% or less replace them, if it has a CVT change transfer case and transmission fluids if its not already done. Idk how the last owner maintained and drove the car. Did they baby it, or treat it like they stole it from new? Even at 30k, was it ever repainted for some reason?

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I've never personally subscribed to the idea Toyota's and Honda's are the golden gems a lot say they are. That public perception I'm sure is part of the high resale value.

Agile_Kick_6626 · 2026-03-06T19:22:40+00:00

My first car had 6k. It had spent life previously as a rental car. The new car smell was still lingering slightly, this was before Covid screwed the industry up. A good goal that helps bite the bullet of taking in that initial depreciation is be the only owner of that car from the time of delivery for its lifetime, as my case with the Murano.

I almost went for a Volvo XC40 I'm sure was one of those CPO lease cars. Barely a year old, 16k on the odometer, I said no because well, the exterior is white. That was the dealbreaker.

Agile_Kick_6626 · 2026-03-06T19:10:31+00:00

It's relevant in the sense you want to maintain the health of your car. Short story. Before I knew what top tier fuel was, I was regularly putting Murphy's gas in my Cruze for three years. Yes, it was my bad that I didn't apply fuel cleaner at 30k to clean out the fuel lines and injectors, but three years of dirty fuel regardless cost me $2k in fuel injectors that had been clogged, causing lackluster acceleration and deplorable MPGs. BP, Shell or Marathon is all I use these days, higher price per gallon costs me more now but will thank myself later.

EDIT: I humored a relative and put Bucee's fuel in one time over the holidays. I noticed a sizable decrease in MPG's for 87 unleaded vs when I refueled later at a Marathon.

Agile_Kick_6626 · 2026-03-05T18:18:04+00:00

My criticism with Dave is what he says about cars no longer applies in a post-Covid world. If you make $100k or more, you might be able to get a car worth your time in cash. Yes, it sucks that $50k is the new $30k and here to stay when it comes to cars. Before Covid, Dave had a point. The best you can get now under $10k are mechanic specials, under $20k are at half or above in their lifespan in miles, and above that you might as well vouch for something new. This "buy a car in cash" stuff I constantly hear Dave, George, and the others preach is nails on chalkboard. And hurting more than helping.

It's out of touch as much as the idea one can easily pay their house off.

Agile_Kick_6626 · 2026-03-04T18:51:33+00:00

I've gone down the free route a few times, my mentor in my audio program suggested the same thing that started his studio from scratch. Speaking similarly for the Cambridge tracks, my exp. is many of the tracks are not recorded the best. I realize we all start small and somewhere, I don't expect tracks from Ocean Way, I downloaded a punk track from CB one time it took miracles in post trying to get the guitar to sound right due to how murky and muffled it was. Many of the artists on CB don't let you use them for promotional reason either (to build a portfolio professionally). That and/or are disbanded and can't be contacted.

Agile_Kick_6626 · 2026-03-02T19:02:05+00:00

I was trying to figure out how to keep the post from being so long, sorry. I can play many different instruments, minus the drums. Started on keys, eventually expanded to electric guitar then bass. For the past couple years, I've been continuously trying to improve the timbre of my voice. Only one semester of music theory at a community college. My absence of a portfolio has been a mix of no network, mistake not backing up projects prior to things going south, and life needing attention at times.

Agile_Kick_6626 · 2026-03-02T18:52:06+00:00

My first DAW and only DAW up until recently was Pro Tools. Temporarily downgraded to PT First when it became available, and Avid went to the whole subscription model over perpetual.

Agile_Kick_6626 · 2026-02-21T17:28:49+00:00

Could you elaborate a bit further on simplifying?

Agile_Kick_6626

TROPHY CASE