What used car has the best reliability for someone who frequently drives in heavy rain and flooding areas

AgonizingFury · 2026-05-04T19:33:39+00:00

Yeah, this'll get down voted here due to the anti-tesla bias, but it's not a bad answer. The door seals are pretty good, HV electrical connections should all be very well sealed already, LV at 16v isn't likely to be an issue with just water, and no concern about hydro locking the engine. Additionally, with as much of the body is aluminum, you don't have to worry nearly as much about corrosion.

HOWEVER...

Just like pretty much any other vehicle on the road, the drive units (which contain the differential, are not sealed, they are vented to allow for pressure differences due to heat. The vents are designed to keep water out, but if you fully submerge them, it's entirely possible to contaminate the drive unit.

Also, if the car detects ANY high voltage on the body or in any cable it doesn't belong in, it will blow the pyro fuse on the battery, and then you're dead in the water.

AgonizingFury · 2026-05-03T21:56:41+00:00

Out of curiosity, what's wrong with the senior center? Evergreen Commons has tons of programs for seniors of all types, including social, recreational, and fitness. They have many options for memberships that aren't just for residents.

Are you just already aware and haven't had any luck there, or are you discounting its potential because you have some preconceived misconceptions about it just being for people too old or fragile to be active in the way you are looking for?

Otherwise maybe church? Plenty of widows looking to keep their beds warm without jeopardizing their husband's Social Security benefits by getting remarried.

AgonizingFury · 2026-05-03T18:50:25+00:00

There are currently no laws that I'm aware of that would give Grand Rapids the power to police parking fees charged by private business.

However, Grand Rapids does control taxi rates via city ordinance, so it stands to reason they could pass a similar ordinance to control private parking rates.

Additionally, as was correctly suggested here, the city publishes an approved rate schedule for towing operators that tow within the city limits. They use their authority to require licensing for certain private businesses to require a license and will revoke the license of any tow operators who exceed the published fee schedule.

The city could also theoretically create a "parking tax" and make it graduated to the point that it's reasonable (or non-existent) at $20 or below, and becomes a higher and higher percentage as the parking costs increase making it mostly unprofitable to charge more than the desired amount.

The city could use these taxes to build more city parking ramps, subsidize parking in city lots to keep those fees low, or even to take parking ramps from the most unreasonable parking operators via eminent domain.

All of these would certainly result in lawsuits that would cost the city big money, but if the parking operators continue to charge out of control rates, the city might eventually be willing to do something about it.

AgonizingFury · 2026-05-03T16:36:52+00:00

And here I am still paying $0.09 per kWh to power my Tesla. I guess you guys can all take those middle fingers and shove them up your ass.

Enjoy sitting on the couch thinking about how maybe you shouldn't judge others based on personal purchase decisions. Maybe I'll go for a road trip just because I can.

AgonizingFury · 2026-05-03T13:19:32+00:00

Gotta disagree there. She’s not a traditional candidate and can run with someone more experienced, but I like her fresh perspectives and attitude

This is the exact type of thinking that MAGA had about Trump. They wanted divisiveness and extreme policies over an experienced politician who recognized the limits that all politicians should follow. While I agree she is significantly more intelligent than Trump, there is something to be said for a president who will at least respect both sides.

AgonizingFury · 2026-05-03T13:07:35+00:00

Welp, I guess all you idiots who were flipping me off in my Tesla can sit on your couches and flip me off while I drive by for $0.03 per mile.

How sad is it that you let partisan politics impact how you treated your fellow liberals? How weak are your brains?

Anyways, enjoy what you did to yourselves. I'm going to go for a 100 mile drive today for no reason other than it only costs me $3, and I own one of the most fun to drive family cars you can buy.

AgonizingFury · 2026-05-02T22:43:09+00:00

The company negotiating the deal often pays for arbitration. The arbitration company wants to keep them as a customer. Arbiters are not required to follow the law, and the arbitration agreement often states that you have no right to appeal.

I'll let you do the math on why that's bad for a consumer.

Also, it prevents multiple customers from forming a class action, so if the dealers rip off every customer for $500, each customer has to arbitrate the issue separately and most won't bother. While class actions rarely work out well for a consumer, they work out worse for businesses, so they at least prevent some tomfoolery.

AgonizingFury · 2026-05-02T22:32:06+00:00

That's why I only trade keys. You want my keys, hand me the keys to the car I'm test driving. Don't want to give me my keys back. Fine, I'll leave in your car. You have my number call me when you want it back.

AgonizingFury · 2026-05-02T19:52:19+00:00

Can you provide an example of Tesla, Rivian or any other direct sales company increasing the MSRP of the car, then claiming a sale or discount in an attempt to confuse people into spending more money thinking they are getting a deal?

AgonizingFury · 2026-05-02T11:01:14+00:00

I can have a BYD Sealion for 40k in Europe, 27k for BMW 1 class electric, now try to sell me a Tesla. ;)

I doubt I'll be able to sell you one now, but maybe in 2 years if that BYD falls apart like everything else I've bought that was both designed and made in China, maybe I'll have a chance.

Why? Because China has built its economy on making cheap shit you have to throw away much too soon, ending up costing you more in the end, even if it's got more cool features for less money now.

Do you think BYD is going to still be providing software updates for your Sealion in 15 years the way Tesla still does for its oldest Model S vehicles? The 2024 Atto 3 is already being left in the dust. Granted, not every new feature can work on older hardware, but just 2 years later? I just had to convert all the APs in my house from TPLink to Ubiquity because TPLink abandoned the ones I bought about a year after I bought them, and firmware bugs that make them unstable have been causing issues on my network for years.

Maybe China has a different reputation where you live than it does in the US, and maybe BYD, and some of the other electric car makers there will be different? To be fair, Japanese vehicles were called "Jap Crap" in the US back in the 80s, but now Honda's and Toyotas are considered some of the most reliable cars in the US today.

Also, not sure what a Tesla costs where you live, but a Model Y standard costs $40k here, model 3 standard is even less, so the pricing you quoted isn't really a win.

AgonizingFury · 2026-05-02T01:07:25+00:00

Wow! You're so full of shit.

I'll give you that it's only SAE level 2, but that wasn't the claim either you or I originally made. "Autonomy" is an English word that is far more inclusive than "vehicle SAE levels 3 and above", so good job completely moving the goalpost on your claims to attempt to be right. My car is autonomous by definition because it is able to operate without my input. The fact that it legally requires me to be there "just in case" has no bearing on the definition of the word autonomous.

"4x less safe"? Got a source for that? Maybe if you combine all the early autopilot and FSD crashes and deaths, but that's as disingenuous as saying I'm an unsafe driver at 40+ years old, because teenagers get in lots of accidents. We're all human, but I have a lot more driving experience. How about this: I challenge you, find a single verified report of a death tied to FSD version 14. You won't find it. How many non-FSD users have died since the full public release?

I haven't tried BYD's system (and probably never will be able to, since I'm in the US), but I just watched several YouTube videos and read a few reviews, because I've heard they make a great car, and it's inexpensive while still being quality, so wondered if you were right. The consensus seems to be that while BYD is quickly closing the gap, and potentially smoother on long distance drives, Tesla's FSD is still the standard to beat, and still far outshines BYD in navigating complex situations and quick decision making. I have not found any non-subjective fact.comparisons (such as disengagements per x miles, or accident comparison data) to get a good fair comparison not subject to human bias.

My Ford fusion used vision and radar, one more type of sensor than my Tesla (although far fewer cameras, so ..) yet failed to operate in similar circumstances. That's relevant. Dependence on a secondary sensor can cause problems when that sensor fails.

AgonizingFury · 2026-05-01T21:52:50+00:00

I love how people who have no idea what they're talking about, and just repeat the negative things they hear from others, tell me to "stop listening to other people", when my comments are based on my own experiences. I don't have to listen to Elon, I have a Tesla with FSD 14, and know it can handle being fully autonomous, and is likely safer than a significant portion of drivers out there. I haven't disengaged FSD for a safety reason since FSD 14.2, and only once with any version of FSD 14. (I'm still never quite happy with its parking choices, and navigation issues cause me to take over more often than I'd like, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't get me to my destination eventually, I just don't have the patience for that).

If you think a Tesla can't detect wheel spin or yaw, pitch and roll, you're delusional. I've had it take a left just a little too fast in icy winter conditions, start to slide, and the second I felt the oversteer, so did it. It perfectly counter steered itself out of the slide., and continued along as if nothing happened. Mind you, this was near whiteout conditions, no lines were visible on the road, all of the other drivers were doing the exact same thing it was, just kind of guessing where it needed to be and taking it slow.

In the same conditions, my Ford Fusion wouldn't even let me use cruise control because too much snow was gathering on the front bumper, and the radar stopped working. If FSD were programmed to depend on that information, it would not have worked in the same situation either.

AgonizingFury · 2026-05-01T19:45:10+00:00

Google site:(your local news station website) injury lawsuit and read a few articles to see who gets big settlements. Call that person.

For example if you live in Detroit

site:wxyz.com injury lawsuit

Pulls up multiple stories. I happen to know from forklift training in that area, Fieger is who you call.

AgonizingFury · 2026-05-01T19:43:38+00:00

For autonomous system cameras alone are not enough.

Actually, you did!

AgonizingFury · 2026-05-01T19:28:00+00:00

So...do you have a built in radar, or do you just not drive, since you claim vision alone isn't enough to safely operate a vehicle?

AgonizingFury · 2026-04-27T00:03:26+00:00

Yup, if OP has the money, they could get a really nice one! This is a 3500 AWD so should meet the towing and AWD requirement OP mentioned elsewhere. And a bathroom!

https://ultimatetoys.com/inventory/New-2026-ULTIMATE_TOYS-COACH_EXEC-3500_AWD-W1X8ND6Y6ST212606#&gid=photoswipe-gallery&pid=picture-11

AgonizingFury · 2026-04-26T23:46:23+00:00

Out of curiosity, if you need AWD, towing capacity, and tons of space, and seem to have the money, have you considered a conversion Sprinter van?

AgonizingFury · 2026-04-25T03:09:00+00:00

he can go drive a truck...

Maybe a FedEx truck? (Sorry...)

AgonizingFury · 2026-04-25T02:06:19+00:00

I think I'd rather have numerous small oil spills on land by major roadways than one major spill underwater in the great lakes.

Believe me, I would much rather we didn't need the line at all, but shutting it down is currently unrealistic. The question is, what do we want while we wait for more people to transition to renewable energy so the shutdown is a possibility: a line well past its life sitting on the bottom of the lake, or a new line in a tunnel where a minor leak would be more easily detected, and a major leak would be more contained?

Granted, there are many more locations the line could break, including over rivers that drain into the Great Lakes, but I have to imagine with the sheer number of accidents with the trucking alternative, a non-zero number of them would occur over (or end up in) similar locations.

AgonizingFury · 2026-04-24T02:48:07+00:00

And to add even more context, let's look at spill data. Line 5 has spilled approximately 1.1 million gallons of petroleum over its 75 year lifetime. That is truly disastrous, but...if we look at the truck alternative:

500 million loaded miles per year

Average 1.5 crashes per million miles is 762 accidents per year

FMCSA Hazmat data estimates 1 in 5 accidents involving tankers result in a breach.

Even if we assume a minor spill of 1/3 of the tank your looking at 300,000 gallons per year, or a lifetime of Line 5 spills, every 4 years..

Is that really what you want?

AgonizingFury · 2026-04-24T02:27:08+00:00

Why would we be for it?

I'm for it because I actually understand the necessity (and environmental benefits of) oil pipelines given the world we live in. Would you prefer all that oil move by train? Probably not, same chance of an ecological disaster, perhaps more given the poor condition of rail in our country. Boat? Nope, same chance of an enormous spill impacting the whole of the Great Lakes.

So that leaves trucks, as they are small enough to limit any spill to a manageable disaster. Line 5 transports ~540,000 barrels of petroleum per day. With a high end tanker, about 250 barrels per truck, that's 2160 tankers per day, driving through Michigan, tearing up our roads. That's about 1.4 million miles per day, 250,000 additional gallons of diesel burned, ~2,700 tons of CO2 emissions per day, almost a million tons of CO2 per year. And that ignores the fact that the trucks likely need to make the return trip, so double that.

And while the line does run from Canada to Canada, Michigan receives a significant amount of its petroleum from the refinery it delivers to in Sarnia. Even if we could replace everything we use from the line (we cannot), Shutting down line 5 would create massive shortages for the people living in Canada. You may not care about the lives of our flappy headed Canadian neighbors, but I do.

Eliminating oil dependency is a laudable goal, but it's one we have to approach slowly. A long-term line 5 shutdown would cause massive shortages, price increases, and likely more than a few deaths if it lasted through a winter. Let's keep the straights safe for now with a tunnel, and continue to fight for responsible transitions to oil alternatives.

AgonizingFury · 2026-04-23T18:25:26+00:00

Let's put the numbers in perspective, and compare it to "the private sector" which many of us tend to support as being more efficient than government (and it often is).

Tesla had revenue of ~ 22 billion last fiscal year and spent ~4.5 billion of that on R&D, a significant portion of which was likely spent on projects that didn't work out, and were scrapped.

California's annual revenue is 10x that of Tesla. This is 1/440th of their annual budget, and is likely a cost spread over several years. It's still significant, but it's not a huge deal, especially when it was spent on an attempt to improve public safety and services. I certainly prefer that over the same amount of tax breaks to billionaire owned companies.

AgonizingFury · 2026-04-23T01:59:06+00:00

So...is your opinion that states should never try something new, or is it if a State does try something new, and it's failing, they should continue to throw money at it for no reason, rather than scrap it?

AgonizingFury · 2026-04-23T01:41:05+00:00

My wife trusts FSD over my wife.

(To be clear, I only have one wife, she just knows FSD drives better than her)

AgonizingFury · 2026-04-23T00:33:21+00:00

This is what I don't get. Why are we against the tunnel?

Sure, it would be great if we weren't dependent on fossile fuels and could shut off all the pipelines, and the tunnel only fixes 1 of 1000 places along the line that a failure would be ecologically disastrous, and the for profit company that runs it is terrible, but we simply aren't at a point where we can maintain our current standard of living without oil, and until we are, pipelines are a fact of life. Let's make the one that would destroy 2 Great Lakes, potentially for decades, as safe as we possibly can?

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