New Car

[traceimage]

I have to meet you one day. If Zovall plans an IHB / TI party, would you come?

The Genesis isn't a bad car for the money if you can get over the Hyundai factor. 

"I know somebody paying child support for one of his kids,
His baby mama car crib bigger than his!
You see him on TV, any given Sunday,
Win the Super Bowl, drive off in a Hyundai..."

Thanks, Socal. It sounds silly, but this really cheered me up. I had one of those lousy, nobody-likes-me-wah-wah-wah days and this made me smile.

My general policy is not to go to events like this because I think relative anonymity helps me be more honest and open when I post...but I'll think about it. Would love to meet you as well!

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Oh sure... you like your anonymity but I have to post my comp card or you send PS9 to photo-stalk me.

 

[traceimage]

Oh sure... you like your anonymity but I have to post my comp card or you send PS9 to photo-stalk me.

Well, it's kind of your fault for intriguing me with your "I'm so ugly, I'm so gigantic, nobody wants to look at me" nonsense...

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Shhh... ancient IHO secret.

Lower the expectations... and you come out looking like Brad Pitt.

 

[socal78]

Thanks, Socal. It sounds silly, but this really cheered me up. I had one of those lousy, nobody-likes-me-wah-wah-wah days and this made me smile.

My general policy is not to go to events like this because I think relative anonymity helps me be more honest and open when I post...but I'll think about it. Would love to meet you as well!

If you don't want the whole world to know you, maybe we could just set up a play-date on our own if you're ever up for it / bored out of your gourd.

As for IHO, well - just like you, I want to be able to say I ran into his ugly mug as well. It's been what - 4 YEARS - and I still don't have a face to go with the name. It's not my life's mission to meet him, of course (talking about him like he's not here) but he's a genuinely nice person and the curiosity is forcing me to want to identify him . Trace, the good news is I've recently obtained a voice sample of his! Yes, that's right! It's currently at the lab being processed where it will be matched against a database and the suspect's profile will be generated. I will e-mail the results over to you at once! Unfortunately, no matter what the results read, he will still not want to meet us because apparently we are all just chopped livuh.

 

[traceimage]

Thanks, Socal. It sounds silly, but this really cheered me up. I had one of those lousy, nobody-likes-me-wah-wah-wah days and this made me smile.

My general policy is not to go to events like this because I think relative anonymity helps me be more honest and open when I post...but I'll think about it. Would love to meet you as well!

If you don't want the whole world to know you, maybe we could just set up a play-date on our own if you're ever up for it / bored out of your gourd.

As for IHO, well - just like you, I want to be able to say I ran into his ugly mug as well. It's been what - 4 YEARS - and I still don't have a face to go with the name. It's not my life's mission to meet him, of course (talking about him like he's not here) but he's a genuinely nice person and the curiosity is forcing me to want to identify him . Trace, the good news is I've recently obtained a voice sample of his! Yes, that's right! It's currently at the lab being processed where it will be matched against a database and the suspect's profile will be generated. I will e-mail the results over to you at once! Unfortunately, no matter what the results read, he will still not want to meet us because apparently we are all just chopped livuh.

You have a voice sample AND a name? Not just IHO (which I pronounce "eeeho" in my head for some reason)? That's a lot to go on! Yes, please send me the results of the voice analysis when it is done. I think it actually might be my new life's mission to identify him. I picture him as hot in a slightly nerdy way, with washboard abs, because I think the "I'm huge" stuff is a red herring designed to throw us off. I'm sure he's not reading this right now, so it's ok to speculate, right?

Maybe we could do a playdate someday, though...I like that idea! My son is 4. I think your kids are a bit older? Would that still work?

 

[socal78]

Well, technically I have a "name", sure. Whether it's his real name or just another pseudonym remains to be known. With respect to his desire for privacy, I shall keep that info to myself and leave it to him to reveal at a time that's good for him. While I can't say I've really ever fantasized about him (you're welcome, Mrs. IHO), I too get the impression he's on the better side of average. I won't go so far as to guess he's drop-dead gorgeous. He's too nice and smart to be that and not quite self-absorbed enough. In my experience, men who are that handsome usually know it and don't spend a ton of time on social networks. There's only been one person (from IHB, actually) who didn't fit that description. I expected a 55 year old + nerdy guy... a very savvy, seasoned / older gentleman... and he turned out to look like a young Elvis!  He was very bright and even a fairly nice person. My eyes popped out of my head. If IHO is like that, I thank him for not letting me meet him. My biggest flaw is I do not have a poker face. My expressions reveal everything I am thinking and that's not always a good thing. Anyway, back to IHO. I've detected a very slight accent... ever-so-slight... or unusual pattern of speech. I have my guess as to ancestry pinned down. Not sure if I should share that. I don't think he'd prefer that so I'll have to refrain. I agree with the nerdy factor. I am thinking more along the lines of Dustin Hoffman's character in The Rain Man. As you can tell from his writing, he is very sharp. I bet he can memorize a shuffled deck of cards in order. Nothing gets by this guy.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Heh... you detected the Australian ancestry.

And about the "washboard abs"... no lowering of expectations there... the last time I had those was when I was in a Restoration Hardware, picked up some old-time laundering device and put it on my gut.

Enough with the "GuessTheIHO Channel" (although I am waiting for my "The Real Home Owners of Irvine" reality series)... back to cars... how about one of those crossovers for Mrs. PS9? Like the Honda Crosstour or the Toyota Venza?

 

[socal78]

Maybe we could do a playdate someday, though...I like that idea! My son is 4. I think your kids are a bit older? Would that still work?

5 & 8 here. The older one is really good with younger kids, too, since his brother is near that age. They can play. We can chat - allll about IHO and his "Aboriginal" roots (kidding!). Maybe at a park some Friday after school gets out or go to Pump It Up... they love it there.

Back to cars. Ah, yes. Honda has been so good to me that I could never think of owning anything else. However, the time has come that I'm in the market for a new car. We already have two Hondas and I haven't seen anything that catches my eye. I am just so bored to death with what they offer but the cars are so reliable... I'm stuck. Thinking about an Acura, though. However, yesterday I drove past a car that really made me look twice. It turned out to be the Crosstour. It looks much better in person than it did on Honda's website. I wish it came with the option for a manual transmission but none of the models do. I keep hoping something new will pop up but I've waited long enough. It's time to decide. I just can't do a minivan and don't really need one.

 

[ps99472]

Just saw pics of a '11 Avalon limited cocoa bean colored with ivory interior...  Basically a big brown boat with seats that will be dirty in a month.. But I like

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Dang... that driveway and 3rd car garage is awesome!

(the cars are nice too )

 

[socal78]

Nice selection, P. Star. A very wise choice. I wish more people appreciated Acura.

 

[socal78]

Yup. I catch your drift, P. Star. So true... so true.

 

[25inirvine]

Have you guys seen this?

http://blog.caranddriver.com/acura-rl-replacement-coming-in-april-tl-or-tsx-to-get-axed/#more-71672

I'm guessing the TL is going to get axed.  They simply killed it with the latest generation while making the TSX much better.  I have a last gen TL, and I would pick the new TSX (probably the wagon) over the current TL anyday.  Only thing i wish my TL had really was fold down rear seats but other than that, I think the last gen TL was an amazing value.

I remember test driving the old TSX and the main thing that bothered me was that it was too small and narrow (shoulder room sucked) and basically they made it the same size of last gen TL.  Then they just made the TL uglier and more expensive.  The only thing I really wish the current TSX had was an AC vent to the backseat, but other than that I think it basically replaced the last gen TL.

But I will agree, although our next car will probably not be an Acura, I love the value.  One quote I will never forget when I was shopping, I asked Lexus why their IS 250 is more expensive yet smaller and less features than both the TSX and the TL.  Their reply "well we don't compete with Acura, so we don't look at their prices."  Made the choice easy for me.

I am hoping they just can the RL and fix the TL instead

 

[traceimage]

Heh... you detected the Australian ancestry.

And about the "washboard abs"... no lowering of expectations there... the last time I had those was when I was in a Restoration Hardware, picked up some old-time laundering device and put it on my gut.

Enough with the "GuessTheIHO Channel" (although I am waiting for my "The Real Home Owners of Irvine" reality series)... back to cars... how about one of those crossovers for Mrs. PS9? Like the Honda Crosstour or the Toyota Venza?

SERIOUSLY? Australian? For real? Because you MUST know that an Australian accent instantly adds about 12394823097 hotness points to any man. You torment me, Eeeeeeho.

Anyway. Cold shower. All right, I'll try to stop ruminating about you now...but it will be hard.

Back to cars. You know what I don't like about Hyundai? How they changed their logo to kind of look like a Bentley logo, with those little wings. They used to have an italics-y little "H," which I thought was fine and respectable. But then they went and changed it, so it would look more upscale, perhaps? I don't know. But when I see one, I always get tricked and think, "Ooh, a Bentley, could that be Paris Hilton rolling in the OC?" And then I realize it's some Korean lady wearing a sun visor thingie, driving a Genesis.

Socal, what is Pump It Up? Sounds cool.

 

[Boston2theBay]

I just picked up a new Acura TSX for ~$27K. After significant research I determined there is no better value in a sedan. I see used ones going for more than I paid, similar to our MDX. Resale value and reliability are off the charts for Acura. I am donating my early 90s Japanese luxury sedan with close to 300K miles to a local animal shelter, and plan to drive this one for 20 yrs as well.

Whaaa, are you stalking Patrick Star's driveway?

But I obviously have to second that recommendation.  Absolutely love me some Acura --- far and away the best content/performance value available.

Dude - I have the same 2 cars. MDX is 2010, TSX is 2012. Ridiculous values.

 

[Boston2theBay]

Have you guys seen this?

http://blog.caranddriver.com/acura-rl-replacement-coming-in-april-tl-or-tsx-to-get-axed/#more-71672

I'm guessing the TL is going to get axed.  They simply killed it with the latest generation while making the TSX much better.  I have a last gen TL, and I would pick the new TSX (probably the wagon) over the current TL anyday.  Only thing i wish my TL had really was fold down rear seats but other than that, I think the last gen TL was an amazing value.

I remember test driving the old TSX and the main thing that bothered me was that it was too small and narrow (shoulder room sucked) and basically they made it the same size of last gen TL.  Then they just made the TL uglier and more expensive.  The only thing I really wish the current TSX had was an AC vent to the backseat, but other than that I think it basically replaced the last gen TL.

But I will agree, although our next car will probably not be an Acura, I love the value.  One quote I will never forget when I was shopping, I asked Lexus why their IS 250 is more expensive yet smaller and less features than both the TSX and the TL.  Their reply "well we don't compete with Acura, so we don't look at their prices."  Made the choice easy for me.

My sister drives a 2006 TL...nice choice. With respect to the new TSX, the rear air was added with the mid-cycle refresh in 2011.  I can tell you for sure my 2012 TSX has rear air vents.  For the record, my TSX feels every bit as big as my sisters 2006 TL.  I believe it is only about 3 or 4 inches shorter, but is definitely wider.  We also considered an IS, but given the size and price difference that was quickly put to rest.

The backseat legroom is the biggest surprise. The seatbacks are significantly reclined to help achieve this effect.

 

[socal78]

Austrian. He meant Austrian. Yes, that's it. That's what I detected in his voice. An Austrian accent. Much less sexy than Australian. There. Now everyone is happy. Keep your lederhosen on.

You've never been to Pump It Up?!  It's... you know... like Jumping Jacks. An indoor inflatable bounce house play room thing. Kids love it. Oh. You've got to go. You've just got to.

SERIOUSLY? Australian? For real? Because you MUST know that an Australian accent instantly adds about 12394823097 hotness points to any man. You torment me, Eeeeeeho.

Anyway. Cold shower. All right, I'll try to stop ruminating about you now...but it will be hard.

Back to cars. You know what I don't like about Hyundai? How they changed their logo to kind of look like a Bentley logo, with those little wings. They used to have an italics-y little "H," which I thought was fine and respectable. But then they went and changed it, so it would look more upscale, perhaps? I don't know. But when I see one, I always get tricked and think, "Ooh, a Bentley, could that be Paris Hilton rolling in the OC?" And then I realize it's some Korean lady wearing a sun visor thingie, driving a Genesis.

Socal, what is Pump It Up? Sounds cool.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Austrian?

"I am SoCal." "Und I am trace." "Und ve just vant to go to... Pump... (clap) ...IT UP!"

 

[ps99472]

Heading out to the dealers today... gotta get ready to play the game... once every 5-7 years and the dealer does this for a living.. wonder who has the advantage?  My starting bid will be invoice - 5% - cash back.  I'm gonna send out this lowball offer to a bunch of dealers....  hopefully they don't pull the good cop/bad cop routine on me.. 

Last time I bought a car, I emailed a bunch of internet/fleet managers and the price was settle before I walked into the dealership..probably go that route again.