Bob, I'm sorry to hear this because, frankly, TPMS is one of the best safety features that has been added to automobiles since I was a child. What really constitutes a rant here is that it shouldn't be so expensive to maintain and fix.
ROTD thread
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adorshki
Reverential Member
Do you get a classical too? They're about all I ever listen to when driving anymore.
bobouz
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Agreed Charlie, these features are not bad things. But the cost of repairs for both labor & parts has just gone crazy. Because of these costs and the level of complexity in our new hybrid, for the first time ever we bought an extended warranty. Although I’d always shunned these as money grabs, nowadays it could pretty much pay for itself with one onboard computer chip failure. And btw, on our Subaru, there’s supposedly a tire sensor in the spare, too!
JohnW63
Enlightened Member
Got a rant...
We have a 1992 Jeep with a 4.0 liter 6 cylinder. Great little Wrangler. Until a fuel line in the engine bay lets go. No problem right? Parts stores, Jeep supply stores, the whole internet. Nobody sells the fuel lines from the bottom of the firewall to the top of the engine. Somebody on eBay wants 300 bucks for used ones. I guess it's in the age range of too new for classic and to old to stock certain parts. It sucks! I'll probably have to have new lines made. I tried having the hoses replaces between the hard lines a few years ago. They didn't last, did they. That means taking a day off and driving an hour down the freeway and see if this hotrod guy, who makes hoses for lots of things can do it.
We have a 1992 Jeep with a 4.0 liter 6 cylinder. Great little Wrangler. Until a fuel line in the engine bay lets go. No problem right? Parts stores, Jeep supply stores, the whole internet. Nobody sells the fuel lines from the bottom of the firewall to the top of the engine. Somebody on eBay wants 300 bucks for used ones. I guess it's in the age range of too new for classic and to old to stock certain parts. It sucks! I'll probably have to have new lines made. I tried having the hoses replaces between the hard lines a few years ago. They didn't last, did they. That means taking a day off and driving an hour down the freeway and see if this hotrod guy, who makes hoses for lots of things can do it.
Cars are a whole big subject for ranting. I guess we all have a love/hate relationship with them.
So, once again, I've got nuthin' for today's rant. The weather's supposed to get crappy again today, though, so I'm sure something will pop up!
So, once again, I've got nuthin' for today's rant. The weather's supposed to get crappy again today, though, so I'm sure something will pop up!
Opsimath
Senior Member
Thanks, Mikey. I needed that as you will see when I post my rant.
Opsimath
Senior Member
Yeah, I got one.
I've been trying to grow some of our own food for a few years now, generally met with fails but I keep trying. (As an explanation, yes, I live on a farm but I grew up in a small town and never tried to grow anything until the last few years so all in all I'm relatively new at this.)
This year I decided to try the three sisters garden so I ordered heirloom non-GMO seeds for a small plot of corn, beans, and melons - both watermelon and cantaloupe. The melons in lieu the traditional squash.
So, I have three 50 to 60 foot rows of two kinds of corn, Stowell's Evergreen sweet corn on one end and Kentucky Rainbow dent corn on the other. Alabama blackeye limas cllimbing the sweet corn and Chinese Red noodle beans running up the dent corn. Florida Giant and Carolina Cross watermelons, along with cantaloupe and a honeydew (can't remember the names) in the fourth row, vines sprawling into the corn, and in every other direction, too. (It's true, watermelons really do take a lot of space.)
When a storm came through some weeks back and laid all the corn on the ground, including husband's entire field of Silver Queen sweet corn, I went out and set each and every one of my stalks back up, scraped and packed dirt around the roots to hold them up. By hand.
I kept it virtually weed free, pulling weeds by hand, or using a stirrup hoe to cut them off. My little patch was a sight to behold!
Then finally! The corn has ears getting almost ready. I pulled a sweet corn ear yesterday to see how close to ready it was. It was still immature, the kernels needed to fill out, but I ate it raw and it was sweet and delicious, certainly looking forward to more!
Last night I took the dog out at about midnight. We generally go out to the garden, and all was well. Then.
This morning I took the dog out, again back to the garden, and all was not well. A number of the stalks were on the ground. They weren't like that yesterday. Did they get top heavy?
No.
The young corn was pulled off and half eaten, and the watermelon vines had been trampled by the vermin.
I didn't see any tracks, but signature work of raccoons!
I was livid! I knew they will be back tonight and we'll never see a single ear of corn so I pulled every stinkin' ear off of every stinkin' stalk. We won't get any anyway but they sure won't get anymore.
I came to the house and told my husband I want a gun! A big gun! With a laser sight because I'm going to kill each and every one of them! I hate them, I hate them, I hate them!
I don't mean any offense to those who might side with the wildlife, but in my world they are pure evil encased in fur. And there are too d**n many of them.
I ranted for a while, and then I cried. And I'm still crying. I worked so hard just trying to grow a little bit of fresh produce and this time it looked like I might have a bit of success.
I was very mad. Now I'm just very sad.
Excuse me, I need more tissues.
Edit: To clarify, the tears were not from loss of corn but from six years of food growing attempts that didn't grow much food, a feeling of defeat after trying so hard. I'll try again. Maybe next go round will be better.
Thanks for listening.
I've been trying to grow some of our own food for a few years now, generally met with fails but I keep trying. (As an explanation, yes, I live on a farm but I grew up in a small town and never tried to grow anything until the last few years so all in all I'm relatively new at this.)
This year I decided to try the three sisters garden so I ordered heirloom non-GMO seeds for a small plot of corn, beans, and melons - both watermelon and cantaloupe. The melons in lieu the traditional squash.
So, I have three 50 to 60 foot rows of two kinds of corn, Stowell's Evergreen sweet corn on one end and Kentucky Rainbow dent corn on the other. Alabama blackeye limas cllimbing the sweet corn and Chinese Red noodle beans running up the dent corn. Florida Giant and Carolina Cross watermelons, along with cantaloupe and a honeydew (can't remember the names) in the fourth row, vines sprawling into the corn, and in every other direction, too. (It's true, watermelons really do take a lot of space.)
When a storm came through some weeks back and laid all the corn on the ground, including husband's entire field of Silver Queen sweet corn, I went out and set each and every one of my stalks back up, scraped and packed dirt around the roots to hold them up. By hand.
I kept it virtually weed free, pulling weeds by hand, or using a stirrup hoe to cut them off. My little patch was a sight to behold!
Then finally! The corn has ears getting almost ready. I pulled a sweet corn ear yesterday to see how close to ready it was. It was still immature, the kernels needed to fill out, but I ate it raw and it was sweet and delicious, certainly looking forward to more!
Last night I took the dog out at about midnight. We generally go out to the garden, and all was well. Then.
This morning I took the dog out, again back to the garden, and all was not well. A number of the stalks were on the ground. They weren't like that yesterday. Did they get top heavy?
No.
The young corn was pulled off and half eaten, and the watermelon vines had been trampled by the vermin.
I didn't see any tracks, but signature work of raccoons!
I was livid! I knew they will be back tonight and we'll never see a single ear of corn so I pulled every stinkin' ear off of every stinkin' stalk. We won't get any anyway but they sure won't get anymore.
I came to the house and told my husband I want a gun! A big gun! With a laser sight because I'm going to kill each and every one of them! I hate them, I hate them, I hate them!
I don't mean any offense to those who might side with the wildlife, but in my world they are pure evil encased in fur. And there are too d**n many of them.
I ranted for a while, and then I cried. And I'm still crying. I worked so hard just trying to grow a little bit of fresh produce and this time it looked like I might have a bit of success.
I was very mad. Now I'm just very sad.
Excuse me, I need more tissues.
Edit: To clarify, the tears were not from loss of corn but from six years of food growing attempts that didn't grow much food, a feeling of defeat after trying so hard. I'll try again. Maybe next go round will be better.
Thanks for listening.
Last edited:
fronobulax
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We stopped growing human edible plants because the groundhogs, rabbits and deer got to them before we could harvest anything. We might consider raised beds when we get motivated enough to try again.
The car parts rant can be extended to other products as well. I had to replace a furnace because a control board failed, was no longer made and no one was willing to troubleshoot the board in hopes the problem was a bad component. Right now am looking at an HVAC replacement because the failing parts are special order and not expected to be available in the next six months.
The car parts rant can be extended to other products as well. I had to replace a furnace because a control board failed, was no longer made and no one was willing to troubleshoot the board in hopes the problem was a bad component. Right now am looking at an HVAC replacement because the failing parts are special order and not expected to be available in the next six months.
HeyMikey
Enlightened Member
We have the same problem. We are not growing food any longer, but have large flower gardens. I often start with a Have-a-heart trap but quite often it ends in more leathal options. There are also predator granuals, noise emitters, etc. that help a little, but ultimately varmints gonna do what varmints do.
HeyMikey
Enlightened Member
I’ve been waiting for nearly a year for two door handle/lock parts for my 2008 Odyssey. Good chance It will not pass inspection next month because dealers and repop manufacturers don’t have the parts, and they’re too costly for used resellers to pull the the parts.
adorshki
Reverential Member
Back pain. Impossible to disprove.
FNG
Enlightened Member
I always talk myself out of a vegetable garden, and just hit the local farmers market, buy a lot, and freeze it. Our local folks usually have purple hull peas but they said the deer were eating them. They did have cream peas, which I've never had, so only bought a half bushel. Mistake! They are really good.
I dunno... When I realize I'm old enough to (easily) be a grandfather, it doesn't really bother me.
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REALLY depends on what part of the country you're talking about here.
And doctor's offices!
Let me add to this that people are starting to hold the door for me! Yikes!
walrus
adorshki
Reverential Member
Thought it was supposed to be for truckers in roadside cafes.
adorshki
Reverential Member
I started getting offered senior discounts just for trying to be friendly. Hey, whatever works.
Here? In Massachusetts? You and I must be hanging out at different places, walrus!!!!!!!!