Bruce, ask for the remainder of the Qt You paid for next time. Thats the way it works tell em, u get what u pay for.

 

I no longer do my own oil changes but the independent shop I use is owned by former Lexus master mechanic at my local dealership. I have been using him for about 17 years and trust his work explicitly. I went there for my first oil change at 1K and mentioned that I was concerned about even letting the dealer do my complimentary 5K oil change and he offered to give me a complimentary 5K oil change when the time comes. Doesn't look like the dealership will get any business from me unless it is a warranty issue. I really don't want the dealership touching my car for any reason.

 

Awesome to have that connection O. Give the private guy who has more on the line the business. Better work because its his, cheaper price per hr. Trust and honesty goes a long way in this business.

 

In a couple weeks I'm taking my CRV into such a place in town here. All his techs are factory trained. "We use Honda Parts and Fluids" banner up and all they work on are Hondas and Acuras. The co owner answering the phone drives an Acura RDX.
Bruce in Fl

 

@BruceinFla if I ever move to Florida I will change your car oil now I am waiting when house pricing goes back to normal and make my move.

 

<Whispering> Brevard county Fl. Right on the ocean which moderates our weather. Best kept Fl secret. Don't tell anyone I told you.
Bruce in Melbourne, Fl

 

well thanks , I will check it out. Currently my wife is looking across the peninsula in St. Petersburg area.

 

That's closer to me, Tampa/st. Pete area. There are some nice communities around this area for sure

 

Tampa St P. Older, nastier, way more people cramed into too little space, much more crime, worst drivers in the state.
Yeah. Go there. We really didn't need any more people here.
Bruce in Fl NoReallyPleaseDontMoveHere

 

​​​​​@BruceinFla wow, why such a reaction? I just told you that my wife is looking that area and I already started to look Melbourne area. Can you recommend particular zip code to look at?

 

I think it was tongue in cheek. The population between those two areas is definitely different

 

​​​​​32901, 32935. Beachside is nice but expensive. Lots of downsides there too. The multi story condo situation in Fl now, especially beachside, is in full blown turmoil now. Avoid without asking Lots of questions.

Absolutely Not tongue in cheek.
I've been in state over 60 years. Been pretty much everywhere. East Coast, south of Stuart isn't Earth anymore. Some other planet. Tampa S Pete issue Isn't the retirees it's the Me! Me! Me! Eff You! generationS. St.
​​​​​​Pete has a gadzillion dollar stadium that is now worthless because the morons that built it never thought a hurcun might blow off its Irreplaceable fabric roof. Pretty status quo for that screwed up area.
​​​Lots of the Tampa area is Thugville. Melbourne's Thugville is small and kind of semi fenced off part of the South end of town.
The nicer drivers are around here and Jacksonville.
I need a pretty good reason to go the 60 miles to Holando. A considerably better reason to go the other 70 to Tampa S Pete. Bradenton South isn't bad but really pricey the closer you get to Naples.
There isn't Anything that can get me further South on the East coast than Boca.
The upper and middle Keys maybe but only if I didn't have to drive there.
Everyone should do Key West at least once. Jax and along the water in the panhandle is nice if you don't mind cooler winters. Pic below is out the back window of the North Melbourne library. The causeway bridge is named after my Great Granduncle, one of the 1st Drs in the area and 2 time mayor. He arrived around 1915 or so.

Bruce in Rocketville, Fl

​​​

 

I live in Michigan and have given thought to possibly getting property in Florida. I have much respect for the governor there. It seems that research into the various communities is wise and prudent. Like anywhere else I imagine.

 

My neighbors other house is in Sarasota, he feels the same way. We were looking also until the Hurricanes hit. While I have been through several (spent many years in Beaufort / Savannah) the wife is from here and got cold feet. Waking up this morning was just another reminder, no snow shoveling in Florida!

 

Sad thing is, Cpt. Ron can't run in '26 due to term limits. He leaves in '27. He will be hard to replace. I have never literally cheered out loud for a Gubner before as when The Cpt. grabbed the 2 liberal, weenie, won't Really prosecute the Bad guys State Prosecutors by the collars and tossed their worthless a**es right into the unemployment line. These were Elected positions. They sued him. He won. That takes a set few have.* Disney had also gotten to where they needed a couple tranq darts and a shock collar. Cpt. Ron was happy to oblige them. He sure got them back into the HEEL position.
The Villages gets a lot of press. Their HOA is the 4th Reich. You will Obey or else. You really don't want or else. (Yes they all wear The Glasses.)

When I was in HS we lived in a 5th floor oceanfront condo in Satellite Beach maybe 10 miles from me. The closer I lived to the beach the less I went. Used the condo pool much more. While watching the ocean with morning coffee is very nice, now it comes at a very high price. And I'm not even talking about single family beachfront homes. Those costs will make your eyes squirt blood.
All condos have future maintenance escrow requirements. The multi story collapse in Mijama that killed 100 started the Government weeping and gnashing of teeth. Investigations showed most all condos HOAs were not setting aside the funds they should have. State orders mandatory full blown inspections on all multistory condos and makes sure the proper amount of future repair funds are set aside. This is being done with Mandatory PAY UP NOW! assessments. Many of those Pay NOW! makeup assessments are $20,000 to $100,000. THAT alone has forced many condo owners to bail. Add the highest, hardest to obtain homeowners insurance in the Country and many multi story condo owners are tapping out.
Melbourne is well over 120 years old. There is housing weirdness here. I live in a very nice semi gated neighborhood, probably half the homes have pools, our HOA is very docile and the dues are only $330 a Year.
My house was made in '88 but there is an almost 60 year old development a mile away you really wouldn't want to have to look at out your front window.

If you really have the ***** though, you can go back in time here. There are little cities like Trenton, Alachua, Suwannee that are in the sticks and haven't changed much in the last 70 years. As far as I know Trenton still only has 1 stoplight and no McDonalds. In 1980 I was almost arrested taking late night Christmas light pics downtown. I think they thought I was a Communist spy taking pics. When I told them my Father in Law was the local newpaper reporter THEY CALLED HIM AT 1 AM then let me go. Everyone had antenna boosters in their cars, the closest radio stations were in Gainesville, 35 miles away. But you want quiet and serene? Trenton is for you.

Hurcuns. You need to bone up on them relative to your prospective location. The West coast is statistically more likely to get hit than the East coast. The area 100 miles North and South of me on the East coast are actually very unlikely for a direct hit. The center of the state also gets affected the least. The little island of Cedar Key, West of Ocala however, has a Giant EAT HERE! sign above it that only the Hurcuns can read. The little slice of paradise island just got wiped off the map Again this year.

Yes, due diligence in your pre buy research is very warranted.

[1] Tossed SA Serpent Monique Worrell miraculously managed to get reelected recently and was sworn in last week. I am probably not the only one praying for her to have an immediate rematch with Cpt. Ron. I am really hoping for a Texas Death Cage match.
Bruce in the Funshine state