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    9th Annual Tax Thread - 2011

    I usually use Turbotax online but I am having a very difficult time with trying to figure out how to input my K-1 schedules in. I have no problem with the overall return (excluding the K-1's): Married filing jointly. Full-time resident of Michigan. Usual income stuff ; two W-2's (1 wife, 1...
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    Ideal Charge Level

    I have a Lenovo Thinkpad X220. Lenovo's power manager allows you to select custom charging thresholds to do exactly what you are asking. I can set my laptop to charge up to say 88%, then it will not charge the battery until it drops down to say 44% despite repeated plugging in/out. As long...
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    Ordered x120e -- Need advice on Antivirus

    I also use Security Essentials. X220 Thinkpad, currently only with 2GB RAM. Will upgrade soon but has been running well.
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    Anyone have a Sony Rewards card?

    They've accidentally given me more points (double points for a couple of months), they figured it out and took them back.
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    At what point do you drop collision insurance? 100k miles?

    You assume that you don't live in a state with no-fault. If so, then you are responsible for your OWN car, regardless of who's fault it is. If you consider yourself a safe driver and willing to take the risk and just do comprehensive, you're screwed if you get in to an accident even if it's...
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    Fraud or stupid?

    Ask him to do a Carfax then and black out the VIN, send the report to you. Current registration, odo, etc should match with what he's provided.
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    Rhino Ramps + RWD= Fail

    Bah, that sucks. My RX7 isn't low enough so it's not a big deal for me. Yeah, I guess you'll need that floor lip. Good luck.
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    Tell me a story about the Prius plug-in

    From what I have heard for EV-only range: Prius plug in ~ 12 miles (I've seen articles stating as low as 8) Volt ~ 40 miles MiEV (Mitsubishi) ~ 90 miles Leaf ~ 100 miles Both the Prius and Volt have a gasoline engine working in different ways to generate power (hybrid Prius vs...
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    Rhino Ramps + RWD= Fail

    Take each rhino ramp and lodge them under your front tires, use your foot, kick it in there and make sure it's centered and straight.... then, creep up slowly with minimal acceleration. You should line up perfectly with minimal slipping.
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    How do I sue someone?

    My suggestion .... fight fire with fire. You won't get her to cover it and her attitude is pretty clear so right before you take your car to get it repainted, let a "pretend" gust of wind catch your door and cause a nice sized dent in her car door. Get it repainted. Also, when you get it...
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    Mustard vs Ketchup

    Ketchup w/ black pepper .... Mayo with any meat. Mustard only works when I've having brats.
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    What is a good place to buy OEM Nissan parts online?

    To the OP, what parts are you trying to find? Depends on the alternative filter quality. I had a 95 Maxima and used to use aftermarket filters because they were comparable and I could even get an oversized filter (the OEM one was tiny).
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    Radar Escort 8500 direct wire, what fuse is safe to plug it into

    $30, let's you keep the LED & mute http://www.amazon.com/Escort-D...tectors/dp/B0003NN83K/ If that's too much coin for you, then you could do the fuse tap method and give up the LED and mute. I don't like the idea of wrapping wire across a blade (I'm an automotive engineer and design the fuse...
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    Why are people so polarized on airbag safety?

    You can build a car with only so much crumple zones and safety cages (to maintain the passenger compartment integrity) but at the end of the day, your body's deceleration during a crash is slowed down by the seat belt and absorbed by the airbag. I'd pick a side/curtain airbag setup over the...
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    I got my new telescope today.

    Candymancan21, I like your feedback. I've been toying with the idea of the galileoscope simply to try it out. I know nothing about astronomy and thought it would be a good way to get my feet wet at a budget and if I got my interest perked up, I'd invest a few hundred dollars to get a nice one...
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    Let's talk curry!

    Corrected. All curries are different, can't say one is better than the other. I like them all. For Indian curry ... try the parampara brand. Comes in packets with all the oil, spices in a sealed bag inside. My experience with the brand: - always add onions to make it better. Cut and pan...
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    What was your top 3 requirements for your car?

    1. Roof rack 2. AWD and higher ground clearance 3. Great interior, features, reliability, utility 2009 Nissan Rogue 1. I needed to haul kayaks, fit the bill. 2. I've only owned FWD or RWD cars and live on a dirt road with a sloped driveway, always icing up. Moving up to a small...
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    [POLL] Motor Oil

    Dyno oil --- Castrol Syntec. I use it on my RX7 and used to on my Ford Escorts. Blends --- I don't really use it, seems like the advantages aren't really there. Synthetic --- Mobil I (most easily available at a reasonable price). I have been trying unsuccessfully to get the Castrol Syntec...
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    "Watermarks" on Instrument Panel

    It might not be watermarks but some type of dash cleaner spray, etc. Like Armor-All. I'd try soap and water, don't work at it too hard or you'll scratch the plastic and get upset with yourself.
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    Help plan my drive between San Diego to San Francisco

    I'm hoping to hit a good Malaysian restaurant somewhere ... I know, weird but I'm originally from Malaysia and Michigan sucks when it comes to food selection. Love bbq, love spicy, love almost everything :) Appreciate all the comments and please keep them coming, I'm going to book my...
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    Help plan my drive between San Diego to San Francisco

    Which sections of Hwy 1 should I definitely not miss? I'm finding tons of guides but it's a lot to digest! (Hwy 1 is something I ABSOLUTELY want to do, metro Detroit roads do nothing for me, wish I could take my RX7 on the trip though)
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    Help plan my drive between San Diego to San Francisco

    I've got a wedding in SF that I am planning to attend (been there once before). Haven't been to other parts of CA. Traveling with a friend. What I've decided so far: Fly Detroit (DTW) > San Diego (SAN) on either Monday 6/15 PM or Tuesday 6/16 (anytime). Spend 2-3 days in and around SD, then...
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    Wayyy tooo go dodge

    Does no one turn the heater to full and the blower to max to reduce engine temps anymore when their light comes on?
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    Locked keys in car

    Nissan's intelligent key system can differentiate whether the ikey is inside or outside the vehicle, so they can't pull a Top Gear on it.
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    What are some good, cheap AWD cars?

    iFX, take a chill pill. OP's looking for advice on an open forum. It IS one of the worst vehicles I have driven compared to other vehicles in its class. I stated my opinion and told the OP to at least rely on his/her own judgment. If OP likes it, then buy one, I won't lose any sleep over it and...
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    What are some good, cheap AWD cars?

    I think you should be looking at something with ground clearance, vs a car if you want to drive through heavy snow. You'll run in to situations where even a couple of inches in ground clearance can make the difference between stuck and go. If you don't want to go the small SUV route, then your...
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    What are some good, cheap AWD cars?

    Please do NOT buy a Caliber, unless you've test driven one and like it. It was the 2nd worst thing I've ever driven, 1st being the Jeep Liberty!
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    Medium sized AWD cars like the Outback and Rogue

    I've never driven a Forrester, but I've driven a CR-V and a Rogue (I own a Rogue now). I live in Michigan, on a sloped dirt road that ices up a lot, and I have a sloped angled driveway that's ice packed a lot. Rogue has never once let me down, CR-V will do fine as well but from what I've read...
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    Medium sized AWD cars like the Outback and Rogue

    Jumpem: - budget - new / used - awd "capability" (i.e. part time or full time) - utility expectation (how many passengers, cargo space, roof rack or tow hitch or towing) - performance & fuel economy expectation - MUST vs WANT features
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    CVT

    Oh, I hated the CVT in the Five Hundred and Caliber, they drove so terribly compared to others I have driven. That's why it's important to test drive the vehicles you're interested in and decide for yourself. I drive a 2008 Nissan Rogue AWD w/ CVT and I average 27+mpg in the summer (85%...
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    CVT

    There will always be complaints and praises for the Nissan CVT depending on who it's coming from. The praises typically come from the people that understand the CVT, know what to expect, how to use it, etc. The complaints come from the opposite. That said ... 1) I've driven a lot of...
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    Purchasing new car for brother...

    blipblop, I'm glad you're test driving all the cars to decide which is the best fit for you. The Altima is the only one with a CVT, so you'll have to adjust the throttle since there are no gears (best way to describe it is to accelerate sufficiently until you get to speed and then back off...
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    Just found out that someone rear-ended my car

    When you say that there are scratches / dents on the bumper, do you mean the fascia (plastic) part or the metal body / trunk lid itself? If hit hard enough, the hinge could get pushed enough but I would think that your damage would be more substantial. You sure you only have a few scratches...
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    Getting into aquariums again.....

    KDOG, I've had two tanks ... a 20 (which has been retired) and a 55. The 55 is a LOT more stable, easier to maintain than the 20. I do african cichlids, they are tropical, have good color, are decently aggressive but can typically hold their ground, swim a lot, rearrange the tank a lot, and...
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    Best way to make a old car look good for the least amount of money

    Is your headlamp glass? if so, you could consider a used part from a junkyard from a later year that is the same style and hasn't suffered much sun damage. Wheels and tires: - If hubcaps are cracked / faded / missing, get new ones. - If wheels, wash first then use this to remove brake dust...
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    Test drove a Yaris today

    I drove a manual Versa all weekend and that thing is reallly zippy! Sat on stock 15" steelies. I was pleasantly surprised. Merging on to highways is a breeze with the manual, tires will chirp if you need to push it and it's definitely a heck of a lot of fun! Something to consider perhaps...
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    Driving the Nissan Maxima SE.. driveability

    I don't believe that it ever came with a 6 speed auto. What year? Tire condition? If the tires offered no grip, it would explain why the TCS would kick in during normal driving. I've driven a fair share of Maximas and can't say I've ever observed what you noticed. The updated D-platform...
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    New razor

    i stopped at 3 blades. mach 3 turbo (the one with the battery so it "vibrates") worked the best for me and had the best blade life. better than the schick fx, sensor excel, etc. the turbo version of the mach3 actually worked really well, i could notice a difference. it cut closer, less...
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    Post pictures of what you think are the best looking cars ever.

    +1 for the RX-7. I personally own a 3rd gen.
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    Almost Tire Time, anyone move from a Goodyear F1 GS-D3 to something else?

    I decided to give Hankook a try and I've been happy for the past 8 months. I got the Ventus V4 ES (ultra high performance all season) so I could use it year round (including Michigan winters). 225/50/17s on my Nissan Maxima. Vehicle is not tracked or raced, I am not aggressive on the road but...