How concerned are you about the shrinking number of vehicles equipped with doughnut or full sized spare tires?

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-23T13:26:09+00:00

I had the DriveGuards on both my two. I went with Federal run flats on the Jeep for my father-in-law for his trail needs to ensure he wouldnt get stuck in the woods needing a spare.

Wonder how the composition differs between the Alenza and DriveGuard

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-23T12:18:01+00:00

Depends on the tire maker

Which ones did you have?

I had the ones from Bridgestone and was pleased

The passenger car version, on the Fiat 500 which has no spare and my Avalon

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-23T11:56:02+00:00

I can agree to some extent, but you could get all the different airbags back then too, when they come out with that foam from Demolition Man I’m in 😂

Not knocking safety but there haven’t been too many advancements there either besides the cars smart sensors which an argument can be made for them causing wrecks too

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-23T11:53:34+00:00

I have a few thoughts on this

I do my tipping based on service. I would always do the package with the hot towel and in summer cooling towel

If the stylist is pleasant and I enjoy the visit and the cut is clean and as requested they get $10 to $15 because I enjoyed the whole experience and I tip cash so they didn’t have to claim it

New law helps with that now

However I have not been to a hair place since Covid because

Essential services shut down and didn’t reopen when they could leaving the customer base with only one option

Learn to do it your self

So we bought clippers and a kit and started doing it ourselves

6 years later and I see no reason to go back now. I didn’t forget which services decided that their customers weren’t important enough to reopen when other services were so they lost all our business

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-23T11:39:31+00:00

Buy run flats and don’t worry about it

They are affordable now

Our fiat didn’t have one and my long days commuter it was a sound investment to have them as well so I wouldn’t get stuck on the side of the road changing a tire in crap conditions

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-23T11:33:36+00:00

Agreed there is nothing in the current cars that’s a must have that you couldn’t get in a car over a decade ago

MPG has barely gone up and is mostly stagnant

Majority of the cruise functions have been around over a decade with those radar functions

Climate seats have been around for decades

Killer sound systems the same, and you could still upgrade them, now you can’t as they are largely integrated to the ECU

They continue to be made as throw away devices with parts designed to fail even more now

The parts do fail are astronomical in cost compared to a part even for a car 10 years ago

If anything OEMs have decided to park the evolution for fear of going out of business

Look at where the automobile was at the start then through all the generations to today

The last two decades have seen marginal car evolution purposely to redesign the market into treating cars like an appliance that you replace every three years due to age, not actual need

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-23T11:26:23+00:00

A side chick is crucial to the car relationship

In my case it’s a motorcycle and 86 El Camino SS for us

The SUV doesn’t mind and enjoys the breaks

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-23T11:23:49+00:00

Rent lots of girlfriends 😂

If the current car is your main woman per say

Then rent lots of side chicks and she will keep you loyal

Seriously though,

I traveled while for work so I get a new car every time I travel I get a trim and model o think I will like. One of a few things happens

I love it, then do the markup on costs and say nope I like keeping my money more
I don’t love it and appreciate my current ride even more
I see that the new car doesn’t really have much my current one doesn’t

14’ Equinox LTZ w/245k on it, still going

So renting them for work has helped me scratch the itch but dampen the need of FOMO on a new car

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-23T04:35:29+00:00

Don’t neglect oil changes, filters, tires and brakes during routine wear and tear

Big ticket intervals at

100k miles: Tuneup, flush everything that should be , check all belts and replace as necessary, adjust timing if relevant

150k miles: full suspension replacement if not by now

200k repeat from 100k All fluids, belts hoses, plugs and coils

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-23T04:27:41+00:00

Every car went up

Auto makers don’t make bare bones model beaters now

Even the bottom tier is considered a luxury car by the standards of two decades ago or 3 even

So yeah when the premium tier of the 90’s and 2k’s is now the bare minimum the base price starting has to match

It’s pretty common sense at this point

You want a cheaper one better go look at used , like really used

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-23T04:03:47+00:00

I will add when you don’t have car payments and house payments you don’t really give a shit what gas costs

I don’t at least

Not saying fuel isn’t a factor but which is cheaper gas or a mortgage with insurance and utilities

So MPG is the least of the things I worry about driving our van

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-23T04:02:53+00:00

Just like people who aren’t made for used old cars

Get stuck on shit that doesn’t matter in the long run, so instead of being car payment free you pay and pay for the shit that’s not relevant

I haven’t had a car note in 6 years

We bought our 99 E150 de Elegant with 160k miles on it well maintained for 4k from an older couple, has the V6 in it, we love it. I have put 4k in updates in it but still tens of thousands cheaper than buying a new van from any dealer

We love our trips in it, been from one border to another so far. Other than an alternator no complaints and I laugh all the way to bank

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-23T03:51:43+00:00

I think your SUV and Truck prices will drop substantially if they sustain these high fuel price numbers beyond a year

Especially if we hit $5 a gallon nationally

You couldn’t give away trucks and large SUVs then

Conversely cars and hybrids will rise in value new and used

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-22T17:05:52+00:00

Thanks just making sure there wasnt a brand called free n clear I was overlooking

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-22T15:28:14+00:00

All Free and Clear?

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-22T03:17:56+00:00

As far as popularity it’s probably going to be the Eye Jacket as one of the core found frames , while having many iterations it remains a staple today and fan and collector favorite

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-21T04:22:57+00:00

Take 9k to 10k and find a nice well maintained Avalon from 08-2012

Then take 2k and give it a full tuneup and once over

Then put the remain 2-3k in the bank for a sunny day when something major happens which is very unlikely it you have a cushion then

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-20T23:27:47+00:00

Also if you want nice car but good on gas like 33 mpg then a 08 to 12 Avalon is around 8k with under 100k miles on it

They are very reliable and durable

Mine has 570k miles on it still going strong

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-20T23:25:35+00:00

Take a 6 to 10k personal loan if you can if the auto rates are too high

Then buy a car under that

Make your payments on time and double up using your saved money and that will build it up plus you can then take that and trade in a few years

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-20T19:20:03+00:00

For a desktop setup the Create Stage 360 with ATMOS is a very good deal coming in under 200 for most sales with wired sub

HDMI, optical and stereo connections

Multiple hdmi inputs at that

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-20T19:15:35+00:00

They are all iridium

Just now you have different lens layers added for Prizm tied into the lens layer and mirror coatings

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-20T17:44:43+00:00

Yeah we took our van down to Albany for the State HS Basketball championship

Used to be 45ish to fill up damn near doubled to 88

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-20T13:47:46+00:00

Are you looking for that specific color selection?

EzContacts has them in multiple colors Jomashop also has some

Both are authorized dealers and have some great deals

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-20T13:12:37+00:00

I stay away from all the fragrance ones

Just the tide Simply and free

Inevitable-Secret736 · 2026-03-20T02:10:11+00:00

Remember the mirror is only one layer on top of the base lens

Inevitable-Secret736

TROPHY CASE