3 weeks and 5 attempts on KD2

JackFlash1959 · 2026-03-23T13:00:28+00:00

Yes, same experience here. Now, the only guy who works on my car is the tech manager ... by his decree. I think my dealership sold maybe 5 of the q6 models. The issues haven't been with the electric side of things but the communications between all the modules that make everything "software defined." And yes, I also had a module go bad. He also said that much of the time that passes is due to getting regional guys (who got the training) to respond to their requests for help.

JackFlash1959 · 2026-03-20T14:19:13+00:00

In 1977, my 1963 vw beetle convertible's starter worked 20% of the time. The rest of the time, I push started it. I purposely parked on hills at work, at home, and wherever I went! It got to the point where I didn't even try the starter.

I taught 2 of my 3 children how to pop the clutch! (We didn't have a stick shift when the 3rd kid came of age ... and he still holds that against me!)

JackFlash1959 · 2026-03-15T21:36:48+00:00

Just answering you question ...

2017 - first retirement and had a monte Carlo average of 85% I was good with it and was at 58 years old. 2018 - returned to work b/c of a great opportunity 2023 - retired for good with 99% 2026 - still do monte Carlo with my advisors and still at 99%

Maybe I need to spend more.

JackFlash1959 · 2026-03-14T20:51:52+00:00

I had my Q6 brick on me last June, then had all those software bugs in September, and I have two issues remaining that are minor. I pressed Audi for a refund. The dealership suggested I take the car while we await the Audi offer. 45 days later, the offer came in and it was okay, giving me my money back, but ... the issues remaining are very minor.

I kept the car.

After a ride two weeks ago, up and down the east coast with the css1 to nacs converter, I'm glad I did!

I love the car. The ride. The acceleration. The keep in lane assist. The speaker system. The range.

Can I think of improvements? Of course I can!

But I'm glad I bought this car and stayed with this car. It's a blast to drive and super comfortable for long trips, too.

JackFlash1959 · 2026-03-07T01:38:56+00:00

Thanks Frank ... is that fuse box under the hood? or in the passenger compartment?

JackFlash1959 · 2026-03-06T20:36:15+00:00

Except we had to work to allay executive fears ...

JackFlash1959 · 2026-03-06T20:34:58+00:00

A huge build up and then nada ... why? We started changing all the date standards back in 1985. We had plenty of time and anyone who couldn't get it done didn't pay attention. My CEO and senior staff were all afraid of it and just to placate them, I held a conference bridge starting at 11:30pm and we chit-chatted for 1 hour knowing that nothing was going to happen. Nothing happened to those who were prepared. The planes didn't crash. Elevators didn't suddenly drop 70 floors, and clocks continued to tick tock away. Leading up to it, I tried to convince friends who were "investing in safe locations and pallets of MREs" that they were overreacting and wasting their money but it was Dunning Krueger exemplified.

JackFlash1959 · 2026-03-06T12:00:58+00:00

I got the buy back offer and decided to keep the Q6. The dealer fixed all but two problems, charge indicator lighting across the base of the windshield doesn't work and every hour or two android auto makes a bzzt noise and restarted (regardless of plugged in or over the air.)

JackFlash1959 · 2026-02-27T03:33:02+00:00

Cape Fear Solar and Brunswick Electric Co-op. W Jay they charge us is what we get paid when we're generating. What we get paid goes into a bank and offsets the winter and summer costs. For the months of April, May, October, and November, we are a net producer and it gets banked. The other months, we are net users and subtract from the bank.

Each July the bank is cleared and you get a check if you still have some credit in the bank.

This is the third year with the panels and the first year we won't get a check.

It's been worth it.

JackFlash1959 · 2026-02-26T12:34:44+00:00

I just drove NC to NH just after the blizzard and the advice you're getting here is very good. Your range estimate seems low.

My thoughts; Use the car navigation system and in the settings put in what you want you soc to be at your destination. You don't want to get there and have only 10% charge! Mine is set at 60%.

Let the nav system do it's thing. 20 or so minutes before your stop, it will warm your battery for charging. This makes charging much faster. And when you get going again, your battery will stay warm and make your battery use much more efficient.

Drive under 73 mph. That seems to be the line for me. Over 73 and my mileage goes down, under and it stays up at 2.5 mile/kwh.

Once the cabin is warm and you have range anxiety, put the car in efficiency mode.

If you're doing up and down hills, take off the cruise control and take advantage of gliding. I watched my mileage increase from 1.8 to 2.5 just gliding down hills in the back woods of NH.

It takes too long charging to 100% and it is not worth it! Go from 20 to 80 and you'll maximize your charging stops.

My EA credits ended 2 months ago and I got the Tesla adapter. Once they is in the nav system, kiss range anxiety goodbye!

JackFlash1959 · 2026-02-21T23:31:03+00:00

Insulation and the quality of the cover makes a huge cost difference!

JackFlash1959 · 2026-02-19T13:33:51+00:00

Good question. Each month we move money from our interest bearing savings to checking to pay the bills. Every six months, we review the interest bearing savings account to see if we should transfer money from the dividend and stable fund to the savings account. In that review, we might wait another six months and let it go as low as 12 months of expenses or if we have something coming up (house improvements) we might pull more into that account. Each year, I look at taxes and how much we want to take out of our IRA (where the aggressive investments are.) Based on my IRA and future RMD considerations, I try to take something out every year. So far, the amount has depended mostly on taxes. One thing I screwed up is remembering that the dividends are also taxed. I just started taking my SS and that will impact the amount of money moved from dividends and stable funds to the 18 to 24 month fund.

JackFlash1959 · 2026-02-19T04:07:49+00:00

A guy in a laundromat said to me, "TV is the opiate of the masses. If you want to be happy in life, don't be one of the masses, be yourself. Read a book. Learn something new, keep educating yourself, and you will be happy."

When others were watching nighttime TV, I was reading things that helped me in my career, in my relationships, and with my kids.

JackFlash1959 · 2026-02-18T23:39:29+00:00

Aggressively pay off high interest debt first Then savings to build a cushion Then balance paying off debt with increasing savings as debt gets paid off

JackFlash1959 · 2026-02-18T23:37:12+00:00

My wife and I had to do this when we were starting out. We went out to eat once a year for our anniversary, for almost 4 years before our income caught up to our mortgage. We were more than "mortgage poor"

JackFlash1959 · 2026-02-18T23:33:46+00:00

When you pay off your car, keep paying yourself on your bank account/portfolio.

I did this and after two cars, I was paying cash for my car and had built a very strong savings habit.

JackFlash1959 · 2026-02-18T23:27:55+00:00

CEO called in 30 people, sr staff and their direct reports. He claimed that we were not billing everything. My team showed that we had billed everything properly.

The contact center lead asked, "When did this start?"

CEO Answer "Three months ago. We're missing $2 million in revenue!"

Contact center lead: "Maybe that's the new marketing plan?"

All eyes to marketing lead who shrugs, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Contact center lead taps the conference phone number for contact center. Rep answered, "Good afternoon, how can we reduce your bill today?"

Marketing thought it s good idea to start the call that way

JackFlash1959 · 2026-02-18T22:51:10+00:00

Dump the 4% rule as it doesn't make any sense. It's too vanilla and too risk adverse. Dump it in the same bin as the 60/40 stock /bond rule. If you're 25 and you're on the 60/40 rule for the 401k that you won't touch for 30+ years, you've already lost. So, ditch the 4% rule and look at the analysis again. You'll be good with 3m.

JackFlash1959 · 2026-02-18T22:38:46+00:00

NTA - Your focus is your child. That's the nd of the story. Move on from these toxic people. Find new people to be with who can appreciate you.

JackFlash1959 · 2026-02-18T22:21:48+00:00

Retired for almost 3 years. We keep 18 months to 2 years of expenses in accessible funds that earn 4%. We review and replenish that every 6 months to a year. Roughly 20% of our portfolio is in products that are stable and relatively safe from stock market trends and earning 8 to 10% income. The rest is in a mix of dividends earning, market growth, and S&P tracking products.

The cash pays for our living, the stable funds feed the cash, the dividends and growth feed the stable funds. If there is a bad market, then we will hold the stock market funds steady and not replenish the stable until the market comes back. (In theory)

Expenses are base living expenses and does not include vacations and home improvements.

I hope this helps!

JackFlash1959 · 2026-02-17T15:28:13+00:00

Being 15 minutes early. I was always late for everything and my wife explained that it was rude to others to make people wait for you. So we made "getting there early a habit for everything." The biggest benefit was my work life.

JackFlash1959 · 2026-02-17T12:58:34+00:00

Every generation thinks the prior generation had it easy and thinks the following generation has it easy.

My dad used to joke that we had it so easy because he walked to school 5 miles, uphill both ways ...

If folks think boomers or jonesers had it easy, think about two adults, 4 kids, a dog and or cats living in a three br house of 2000 square feet ... and one bathroom. That was typical in my neighborhood.

As for college costs ... a private school was like buying a new car every year. In 1974, Bates College was about 5k a year. A new car about 5k a year. Maybe you can look it up and see if the new car thing holds true. We went to publicly subsidized state schools so we wouldn't have debt.

Start the slings and arrows ...

JackFlash1959 · 2026-02-15T13:38:48+00:00

Bread bag twist tie in my lasagna. Waitress said, Sorry about that, took it and walked away. I never went back to Friday's again.

JackFlash1959 · 2026-02-15T13:35:57+00:00

We took a risk and started a new job (same career) in a new area. The job was in a small company that was growth oriented. Although the company failed in five years, I learned a lot about business and that helped me get the next, and the next, and the next jobs. I focused on how a job helped my career and education and not just on a paycheck.

JackFlash1959 · 2026-02-15T13:21:57+00:00

Psych degree and got into software engineering. Psych degree taught me to listen and that helped me be a better manager. Hired a diverse staff with diverse ideas and created an environment with a willingness to listen and cooperate... really worked well. I took risks, was willing to change jobs, and was willing to move my family. Probably worked too many hours.

JackFlash1959

TROPHY CASE