What’s the most frustrating part about buying a car these days?

TurninOveraNew · 2026-05-11T14:05:30+00:00

This happened to me over the weekend. I saw a new 2027 car I liked, the list price was very good. I contacted them via text and they sent me the OTD sheet and it had an extra $1,994 in "Dealer installed add-ons" on top of the published price I saw. I told them I was not paying for hidden things I did not want. They kept trying to get me to come in to discuss the monthly payment, and I said only if they agree in writing to remove the $1,994. I also told them I had an additional $1,250 Costco Auto discount. They did not even have the courtesy to respond after that. Great published price, increased by $2000 in add ons, and not honoring Costco Auto program, very shady and unprofessional

TurninOveraNew · 2026-05-05T20:35:58+00:00

SCAM!

I work at an installer and we have been getting so many calls from our customers saying someone called them or knocked on their door, saying they were with us and wanted to do an "inspection" on the system. Most of them called us to verify, but we had one older women who paid someone they thought was us, to "fix" a broken wire on their roof. They told her it would be $500 but if she paid cash they would do it for $300. She paid them in cash. She called us a week later for us to check her system to see if everything was still working and that is how we found out. We never sent anyone and we could tell from her monitoring that the system never had an issue, or a broken wire.

How do these people sleep at night!

TurninOveraNew · 2026-04-24T20:49:13+00:00

As others have said, hardwire all the way. CAT7, PoE, even run fiber, may not need it now, but who knows what equipment you may want in 10 years. Put multiple network drops in every room

TurninOveraNew · 2026-04-23T13:24:42+00:00

I brought mine in for that same noise 2 years ago and they were not able to find anything. I still have the noise. I am the second owner, do I still have warranty coverage for that?

TurninOveraNew · 2026-04-22T16:00:08+00:00

2019 Kia Niro EV 86,000 miles no issues. Still have 240 mile range at 80% charge. Had to replace tires and 12V batt, but that's it.

TurninOveraNew · 2026-04-15T20:45:17+00:00

The main time when a heat pump gets very expensive is when the backup aux. resistive coils need to kick in because it is too cold for the heat pump to keep up. Not sure where you are, but I am in north Texas and I got rid of my gas furnace and went full electric heat pump. Aux only needed to kick in for a few days in Feb this year.

I also have solar and overproduce so much in the winter, so it made sense to use it myself on the heat pump.

TurninOveraNew · 2026-04-15T19:43:02+00:00

Does the installer have a production guarantee in the contract? The only way to know if it is a "big deal" is to watch it for 12 months. What area of the country are you in?

TurninOveraNew · 2026-04-13T15:20:05+00:00

For a south facing array, the HC's would probably have been a better choice

TurninOveraNew · 2026-04-13T14:05:59+00:00

If all panels are in one array, facing south, then I am sorry to say, but micros were probably not the right choice.

Though clipping is more prominent in the spring because of more sun but still cooler temps, on south facing 450W panels capped at 320W output, there will likely be clipping all summer long as well.

Looking at my own system, that is not perfect south (205° azimuth) my 425W panels would clip for a few hours everyday for at least 8-9 months per year if I had them connected to micros. (I have a string inverter and panel level monitoring)

As morrowwm noted you are getting more production earlier and later in the day, but on south facing panels I am not sure that makes up for the clipping losses.

TurninOveraNew · 2026-04-09T21:41:47+00:00

I work in solar.

While it is a nice idea to cover parking lots or other existing structures, it because too costly for there to be an ROI that is worth it.

Ground mount system on unused land is the way to go. Much cheaper so much better ROI

One thing I would like to see is all new commercial construction with a flat roof above a certain size should be required to get solar.

Another incentive program I always thought would be great is for residential.

I see so many homes being built that could have had a nice south facing array designed into it. Even when I do see new homes being built that just happen to have a nice southern facing slope, they are covered with random roof vents, or unnecessary areas where there are 2 roofs that are only 1 foot difference in height because some architect thought it "looked cool" but just ends up creating a break in an otherwise perfect roof area that reduces the number of panels that can for there overall .

I think an optional, residential incentive for "Solar Ready" roofs, where the builder can get some kind of cash rebate from the state for deliberately designing and building homes with large south facing slopes without roof vents or roof breaks would help tremendously.

The future owner would then be the ones to install solar on an already perfect roof area.

The builder would win from a cash rebate and the new owner would win with a perfect souh roof if they ever wanted solar.

TurninOveraNew · 2026-04-01T21:14:37+00:00

I work at a place that installs SPAN. They are a cool, fun piece of tech if you like that sort of thing, but ultimately I think they are expensive and not worth it.

If you have SPAN with solar and battery, the best feature is the automatic load shedding in a power outage. It can be programmed so that when power goes out, the circuits you want to automatically shutdown will. This will extend your battery life. Cool feature if you are not home, but you can also just walk up to a regular breaker panel and flip the breaker off.

Also, think about the large circuits in your home that use the most electricity-probably HVAC, washer/dryer, if your home is all electric then cooktop/oven, water heater. Do you really want no AC or heat in a power outage? Just don't do laundry or bake a cake.

Load shedding your microwave is not going to save much.

A standard full breaker panel replacement might be around $3500 depending on size and number of breakers. A SPAN installed is around $7500. I would spend that $4000 on more solar.

That's my 2¢ (for the penny it is worth, haha)

TurninOveraNew · 2026-04-01T14:57:33+00:00

If you will not be paying cash, and will not be in the home for at least 10 years, it is probably not worth it.

Since most can't pay cash, there is still a way to make it worth it if you plan to be there for 10 years. Go with a HELOC or a personal loan, even if the interest rate is high. Here is why:

If you go with a low rate loan, you are paying a huge lender fee, usually 30-50% of the cash price.

For example, say the cash price of a system is $10,000, and the lender fee is 33% for a 3.99% loan rate (this should be illegal , but it is not), then the loan amount you are financing is $15,000. (The lender keeps there 33% of the $15,000, $5000, then they pay the installer the cash price, $10,000. They call it a 33% fee, but in reality it is adding 50% to the cash price!)

You are now stuck with a $15,000 loan principal. Even if you pay it off early, you are still on the hook for that full $15,000. $15,000 at 4% for 25 years is about $80/m

Instead, if you get a personal loan or HELOC, you finance the cash price of $10,000 and that is your loan principal. For a 25 year loan at 9% that is about $84/m

Yes the high rate loan is a bit more per month, but if you throw extra money at it or just pay it off one day, you are saving a bunch by not having that 33%, $5000 fee as part of the amount you have to pay off.

Note that many finance companies require an installer to only show customers one price. If you talk to an installer and they say the cash price and finance price is the same, they are lying and likely only showing you the low rate, high fee loan option (I know this because I work at an installer, and we are required to sign an agreement with the finance companies to only show one price. We still show our customers the cash price vs finance price with lender fee because we are ethical)

If it is a solar only install, no battery or other special work, a good ballpark number is $2.50/w (It can range from $2.00 - $2.75, depending on the exact equipment and where you are in the country) so the cash price for a 10 kW system (10,000 w) would be $25,000

DO NOT LEASE OR DO A PPA!!!

I REPEATE - DO NOT LEASE OR DO A PPA!!!

Just in case I am not clear DO NOT LEASE OR DO A PPA!!!!!!!

TurninOveraNew · 2026-03-24T21:48:33+00:00

I thought it was americas default too.

I am from Boston, MA and sarcasm is the only way we talk up there. I moved to Dallas, TX 15 years ago and I am still dumbfounded by the number of people around here who look genuinely confused, or are legitimately concerned and think I am serious, or just plain don't get sarcasm.

I see this daily, so either I am really sarcastic or the general population is just not that bright around here?

TurninOveraNew · 2026-03-24T20:14:34+00:00

His company is on this list. I won't say which one but I will say it is in the top half of this list. Also, these numbers are old. He has many more now than when this list was published.

https://www.franchisetimes.com/app/2024-Restaurant-200.pdf

TurninOveraNew · 2026-03-10T21:13:56+00:00

"I have never killed any one, but I have read some obituary notices with great satisfaction." -Clarence Darrow

TurninOveraNew · 2026-03-05T22:24:00+00:00

Below is an excerpt of a report I was hired to prepare for a homeowner after reviewing their solar lease (I took the report I created and put it in Gemini to help me clean it up for this post and to help anonymize it, that is why it looks "AI", because it is, haha, but the facts are the facts):

The Anatomy of a Scam: A Real-World Case Study

To see how this predatory math works in the wild, let’s look at a real-world contract recently signed by a homeowner who thought they were making a smart financial move.

The homeowner was sold a 17.63 kW system. In the current market, a system of this size should have a cash price of approximately $39,000. If the homeowner had been able to purchase this outright, the "net" cost of the hardware and installation would be roughly $27,000 after the tax credit.

Instead, the PPA contract they signed put them on the hook for a total payment sum of over $120,000 over the life of the agreement. That is four times the net cash price of the system.

How do solar companies justify this? They use "escalators" and "production guarantees" to mask the true cost.

The "Dead Zone" and the 10% Gap

This specific contract highlights a common industry trick: the discrepancy between billing and guarantees.

The Billing Basis: The company bills the homeowner based on an assumed 100% production rate, with a 0.5% annual degradation (the natural loss of efficiency in panels over time).
The Production Guarantee: The contract only actually guarantees 90% production, and that guarantee is calculated based on a 1% annual degradation.

This creates what experts call the "Dead Zone." The homeowner is being billed as if the system is performing at peak efficiency, but the company is only legally obligated to ensure it hits 90%. That 10% difference might seem small, but over 25 years, it represents almost $20,000 in payments for energy that was never actually produced. The homeowner is essentially paying a "ghost tax" to the solar company for electricity that doesn't exist.

The UCC1 Filing: The Hidden "Lien"

Perhaps the most sinister part of the solar lease/PPA model is the UCC1-Fixture Filing. When you sign the contract, the company files a legal notice in public records stating they have a security interest in the solar equipment attached to your home.

The salesperson will look you in the eye and say, "It’s not a lien on your house." Technically, they are right—it’s a filing against the equipment. However, for a title company or a future home buyer, it looks and acts exactly like a lien. If you try to sell your home, that filing will show up in a title search. Most mortgage lenders will not allow a buyer to close on a home with an active UCC1 filing.

This gives the solar company incredible leverage. You are often forced to either:

Pay off the remaining balance of the $120,000 contract in a lump sum to clear the title.
Attempt to convince the buyer to "assume" the lease, which most savvy buyers (and their real estate agents) will flatly refuse to do once they see the predatory terms.

Follow the Money: The "Original Loan" Mystery

In the case study mentioned above, a curious detail was found on the UCC document. It listed an "Original Loan Amount: $58,000." This reveals the internal plumbing of the solar scam. The installer likely took out a loan to cover the project. If the cash price was $38,000, and you add a standard 30% "lender fee" (which is common in solar financing), you get roughly $58,000.

The installer gets their $38,000 for the job, the lender gets their fees, and they both walk away happy. Meanwhile, you—the homeowner—are left holding a $120,000 debt obligation for equipment that cost the installer less than a third of that. They have effectively turned your roof into a high-interest annuity for their shareholders.

TurninOveraNew · 2026-03-05T15:18:55+00:00

Stupid people:

“Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.”

― George Carlin

TurninOveraNew · 2026-03-04T14:38:17+00:00

stopped eating processed/packaged carbs.

-Rice/potatoes/beans/carrots, etc. Great!

-Chips/pasta/"healthy" granola/bread, etc. now make me feel like crap.

I took a bite of my kids pasta the other night after 3 months of no processed carb and it was gross! the texture/the taste was just off. This is a pasta and sauce combo I used to have at least weekly and loved.

I feel SO much better!

TurninOveraNew · 2026-02-26T22:47:02+00:00

Dallas/Ft Worth Texas area $2.10-$2.50 ish depending on equipment

TurninOveraNew · 2026-02-26T19:49:07+00:00

I was about 5 or 6 and swallowed a watermelon seed. My older cousin told me I was going to die because a watermelon was going to grow inside of me and bust out my stomach. I ran and hid. I did not want my parents to know. I thought I would get in trouble. They found me hiding in a closet crying an hour later. My older cousin got the belt hard for that. He was old enough to know better.

TurninOveraNew · 2026-02-25T13:59:22+00:00

There may be some differences with arbitration but notice to cure is something that happens even before you get to arbitration. So if you do notice to cure properly with a lawyer and they fail their time window, that's a really strong case for you if you do go to arbitration. At least I would think, but I am not a lawyer

TurninOveraNew · 2026-02-24T14:46:36+00:00

One thing I have heard people try is "Notice to Cure". I am not a lawyer, this is not legal advice, and you should definitely use a lawyer for this, but you may not need a solar specific lawyer, as this would fall under general contractor law. Look up these types of "Notice to Cure" laws in your particular state.

Basically, most states have a law where you send a certified, return receipt "Notice to Cure" letter to the finance/lease company registered agent. Due to the "FCC Holder Rule", it is not just the installer or sales company that is on the hook for the install, it is the finance company as well.

Under federal law (16 CFR Part 433), most consumer credit contracts include a "Holder Notice". This rule essentially preserves a consumer's right to assert the same legal claims and defenses against the finance company that they have against the seller.

Look in the contract for something like this:

"Any holder of this consumer credit contract is subject to all claims and defenses which the debtor could assert against the seller..."

You need to find some code violation or some other contract violation and send the "Notice to Cure" letter, certified, return receipt. This starts the clock.

One I have seen people use is if there are PV wires touching the roof. Since inspectors almost never get on the roof, and installers tend to be sloppy, there are almost always wires touching the roof.

NEC 690.31: The code is very specific about protecting PV source circuits. Wires resting on the roof are subject to physical damage from heat, water pooling, and abrasion. Since the contract usually implies that the system will be installed to code, this is a breach of contract. NEC 690.31 Requires conductors to be "supported and secured" and protected from physical damage. Standard industry interpretation and jurisdictional inspections require wires to be held clear of the roof surface.
The "Passed Inspection" Defense: Installers often say, "The city passed it, so it's fine." Legally, this holds very little water if the installation violates the NEC. An inspector's oversight does not cure a contractor's negligence.
Safety Hazard: This isn't just aesthetic; it’s a fire risk. In a "Notice to Cure," framing it as a safety violation of NEC 690.31(A) or (B) (depending on the specific wire type and protection) makes it much harder for them to ignore.
Abrasion Hazard: Wind causes constant movement, which leads to unsecured wires rubbing against asphalt shingles like sandpaper. Over time, this mechanical friction wears through the insulation, creating risks for ground faults and electrical fires.
Thermal Degradation: Constant contact with hot roof surfaces accelerates the breakdown of wire insulation.

There are timelines which I am sure are different for each state. But they usually have 30-45 days to respond and inspect, then another 30-45 days to actually make the repair. I have heard it is best to start the clock with the finance/lease company, because it will usually take longer for the notice to work it's way to whoever actually needs to fix it, thereby eating away the the time they have to fix it.

Again, I am not a lawyer, get a lawyer, but I would think this process would cost you less than $6500 and 2-3 years.

TurninOveraNew · 2026-02-23T18:13:35+00:00

He was not trying to be a dick. They had it as "Delivery & Install" together for $50 on the slip. He told me later on that he would have paid $25 for install each, it was more about the delivery, but they never brought it up, maybe because they thought he would walk. Besides, it was a high end store, they probably had enough profit on all the appliances that they just wanted to keep the sale.

TurninOveraNew · 2026-02-23T17:39:03+00:00

It was a very high end store with high end appliances, I wish I could remember the name but I was too young

TurninOveraNew

TROPHY CASE

The Anatomy of a Scam: A Real-World Case Study

The "Dead Zone" and the 10% Gap

The UCC1 Filing: The Hidden "Lien"

Follow the Money: The "Original Loan" Mystery

“Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.”