OT: General OT Thread [NO POLITICS, RACE OR RELIGION]

[stellation]

Defending champs in a lot of trouble too. Down 2-0 to the Kraken.

I may have mentioned this before, but a few years ago my kid got pretty into hockey (I think during lockdown, and with watching Stanley Cup games) and that carried over into the Kraken's inaugural season and they thought "yep, I'll follow a team- here's a new one" (helps that they're very into music and like a lot of bands from the PNW area, so were pretty across Washington state/Seattle in general).

They've watched every Kraken game since then, I've learnt way more about hockey than I thought I would- and yesterday I found myself on the edge of my seat watching that Game 7 with them. What a great sport, twirly- you were right all along! As an Aussie Rules fan a lot of the dynamics are remarkably familiar to my own favourite sport.

[trwi7]

What a great sport, twirly- you were right all along!

[JayMKE]

I had mine out in HS and got a raging infection (not dry sockets) that made my right cheek swell up so large it looked like a softball. Couldn’t open my mouth at all or eat anything, they had to drain it twice. Worst experience ever, do not recommend.

got an infection myself now I guess in my cheek, its swelled up pretty big and hard, had to go to ER last night about it fun fun fun

[buckboy]

I have a 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn. Tons of bells and whistles, beautiful brown leather interior, 12" touchscreen, etc. I use the bed probably 6-8 times a year for projects. However, I drive 40 miles total for work daily and 16MPG isn't that fun.

Would I be stupid to sell it for $45k, then take the $30k I'd have left over after paying off the rest of the loan, and putting it on a 2023 Kia Telluride for about $50k? Which would actually reduce my monthly payments (although would add 3 more years of payments on).

Those Tellurides are dope. Do you need a car that large? I assume so since that's where you're looking, but I can't imagine you're really going to save all that much on gas.

If you do need (or want) that and the gas savings make enough sense, I'd absolutely do it.

I have a wife, one kid, 2nd on the way, and two dogs. We use my truck almost always as my wife's car is pretty small. While my truck is very large in the cabin (biggest in class), 2 car seats would mean dogs HAVE to sit on the floor (one does anyways). Not a deal breaker, but something to consider.

CarMax does a gas savings calculator. I get 16MPG in the summer, closer to 14/15 in the winter. Says I'd save about $500/year if I got 4MPG better.

I was in the same situation around 8 years ago, but with 3 kids.

Just buy a minivan. You'll never regret it. They're HUGE inside and mine (Honda Odyssey), is as luxurious as any SUV.

Yeah, you'll look like a dork, but you'll be a very comfortable dork.

[midranger]

Yep. People hate minivans until they have one. They are amazing. Sienna has all wheel drive if needed.

[buckboy]

Yep. People hate minivans until they have one. They are amazing. Sienna has all wheel drive if needed.

My wife drove that AWD Sienna for 3 or 4 years. Rock solid vehicle.

She wanted out of the minivan game because reasons, bought a Yukon XL, drove it for a year, traded it in for an Odyssey.

[Finn]

I've been intrigued by the Chrysler Pacifica ever since I read it'll haul a full sheet of plywood. But for now I still have my GMC Canyon.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

Bug supporter of mini vans


I've been anchored so bad with this **** weather that I'm out of this world excited for 50 degrees and sun in May tomorrow. Finally able to get my kid outside with 3 inches of layered clothing.

[Be Here Now]

Got my wife to finally consider a van when I drove home an Odyssey for a few nights (I own a used car dealership). They don't look like our parents minivans anymore, and the 3rd row is actually usable. She was sold after one day. My wife was finally no longer one of the 'I'll never drive a minivan" people, which are probably the most annoying customers to deal with for me. Traded in my Pilot, bought the Odyssey and put my name on a list for a new Sienna

I had heard rumors that there was a 2 year wait for the Sienna in my area (Fox Valley) but was not able to confirm because my local Toyota dealer (Bergstrom) doesn't apparently return phone calls, I got in touch with someone at Wilde in Milwaukee and basically said any color besides brown, fwd or awd, and just no base trim. 4 months later I had an XLE Premium FWD in red. I personally feel like if you live/stay south of Wausau all wheel drive is overkill. We get like one snowstorm per year for the last decade. I would have still went with awd, I just think the wait may be longer and for most people not very necessary.

After owning both a Sienna and Odyssey I would recommend the SIenna. It rides smoother and the gas mileage is double in the city. Odyssey is solid but Honda's reliability past 5 years or so has been on a downward trend. Toyota has mastered the CVT transmission, and Honda's 9 speed is kind of a POS.

[buckboy]

I've been intrigued by the Chrysler Pacifica ever since I read it'll haul a full sheet of plywood. But for now I still have my GMC Canyon.

Had a Pacifica. Loved it for the 3 months we had it. Unfortunately we moved, and our driveway required a 4wd van. That's when we got the Sienna AWD.

That Pacifica was the best ride of any of them other than the newer Odyssey. Really nice van. I prefer the Odyssey, but the Pacifica is really nice.

Wrt the plywood, a lot of people don't realize how huge these vans are. It's incredible how much stuff goes in them. Plus those sliding doors are key for kids that like to swing doors open into other cars or inanimate objects.

[buckboy]

Got my wife to finally consider a van when I drove home an Odyssey for a few nights (I own a used car dealership). They don't look like our parents minivans anymore, and the 3rd row is actually usable. She was sold after one day. My wife was finally no longer one of the 'I'll never drive a minivan" people, which are probably the most annoying customers to deal with for me. Traded in my Pilot, bought the Odyssey and put my name on a list for a new Sienna

I had heard rumors that there was a 2 year wait for the Sienna in my area (Fox Valley) but was not able to confirm because my local Toyota dealer (Bergstrom) doesn't apparently return phone calls, I got in touch with someone at Wilde in Milwaukee and basically said any color besides brown, fwd or awd, and just no base trim. 4 months later I had an XLE Premium FWD in red. I personally feel like if you live/stay south of Wausau all wheel drive is overkill. We get like one snowstorm per year for the last decade. I would have still went with awd, I just think the wait may be longer and for most people not very necessary.

After owning both a Sienna and Odyssey I would recommend the SIenna. It rides smoother and the gas mileage is double in the city. Odyssey is solid but Honda's reliability past 5 years or so has been on a downward trend. Toyota has mastered the CVT transmission, and Honda's 9 speed is kind of a POS.

My experience Odyssey/Sienna is the opposite. Sienna felt rigid compared to the Odyssey. Of course the Sienna was a 2015 and the Odyssey is a 2022, which may account for some of it.

Not thrilled to hear about the odyssey's reliability issue. May have to do something at the 75k mark or so. The Odyssey I drive is a 2007 with 335k miles so I guess mine's ok.

[jschligs]

I'd absolutely consider a minivan. I'm all about practicality and comfort and my truck isn't doing that for me anymore, at least the practicality.

I would want AWD. There were 4 Thursday's in a row we got inches of snow and I drive 25 miles to work/daycare with my peanuts and for peace of mind would feel better in AWD. The Kia Carnival's look slick, but feel like it's all flash. They also don't do AWD.

Now to go look at Sienna, Odyssey, and Pacifica's.

Edit: it annoys me that some don't offer seats other than black. My stupid shedding dogs with white/brown hair don't mix with black.

[chile]

I am now convinced a mini van is ok but I have to convert wife. She is on the SUV kick.

[WeekapaugGroove]

I feel like the lines between SUVs and minivan's are pretty blurry these days. I drive a Toyota Highlander and other than the doors opening differently it's basically a minivan.

Also it's cliche but Toyotas are crazy reliable, had this for 5 years and I haven't had a single non regular maintenance issue. Not one. (Now I jinxed myself)

Sent from my SM-G986U using RealGM mobile app

[DanoMac]

Any other sneakerheads here?

[MikeIsGood]

Got some Cocchi Americano for the first time, both to try Corpse Revivers, but also to try it in a spritz since I'd fallen in love with the Campari Spritz.

Happy to confirm that a Cocchi Americano Spritz is fantastic. I've tried with orange, since that is the pairing for a Campari Spritz, but think I will try grapefruit next as it seems like it would lend well to it. Man, love spritzes. So light, perfect for the porch on a nice day. ABV around that of a light beer, too, which I really like.

[ReasonablySober]

I love Campari. Haven't had it in a while, but that's gonna change this weekend.

[Be Here Now]

My experience Odyssey/Sienna is the opposite. Sienna felt rigid compared to the Odyssey. Of course the Sienna was a 2015 and the Odyssey is a 2022, which may account for some of it.

Not thrilled to hear about the odyssey's reliability issue. May have to do something at the 75k mark or so. The Odyssey I drive is a 2007 with 335k miles so I guess mine's ok.

Pre 2021 Sienna I would agree with you 100%. In 21 they went to standard Hybrid and changed the body style I'm pretty floored at the ride quality of it.

Odyssey is still pretty solid, customers just really hate the 9 speed. You're supposed to change the fluid every 30k which a lot of people probably do not do. The 3.5L has been around forever and is rock solid. The only downside is really the timing belt compared to the chain, so it should be replaced every 60k-100k. The 1.5 turbo is what's really starting to tarnish Honda's brand a bit. Very troublesome and it's still fairly new.

I'm a firm believer in staying under warranty on these newer vehicles pretty much regardless of brand. There's just so much to go wrong on them. Not uncommon to see $5-10k repair bills anymore. It sucks.

[buckboy]

My experience Odyssey/Sienna is the opposite. Sienna felt rigid compared to the Odyssey. Of course the Sienna was a 2015 and the Odyssey is a 2022, which may account for some of it.

Not thrilled to hear about the odyssey's reliability issue. May have to do something at the 75k mark or so. The Odyssey I drive is a 2007 with 335k miles so I guess mine's ok.

Pre 2021 Sienna I would agree with you 100%. In 21 they went to standard Hybrid and changed the body style I'm pretty floored at the ride quality of it.

Odyssey is still pretty solid, customers just really hate the 9 speed. You're supposed to change the fluid every 30k which a lot of people probably do not do. The 3.5L has been around forever and is rock solid. The only downside is really the timing belt compared to the chain, so it should be replaced every 60k-100k. The 1.5 turbo is what's really starting to tarnish Honda's brand a bit. Very troublesome and it's still fairly new.

I'm a firm believer in staying under warranty on these newer vehicles pretty much regardless of brand. There's just so much to go wrong on them. Not uncommon to see $5-10k repair bills anymore. It sucks.

Hmmm.......we probably should've done more research. When she went back to the Odyssey we pretty much just based it on previous experience. She drove the Odyssey and loved it so that was pretty much it.

I have always known about the timing belt thing. The local Honda service shop is on top of it (another reason we chose the Odyssey), and that engine still runs like a top. My 2007 has almost no rust on it. I'm going for 500K. And even then I'll keep it as a spare van (hopefully).

[ReasonablySober]

Read on Twitter

Comes a couple days after this:

Ohio gambling regulators on Monday instructed the state's licensed sportsbooks to halt betting on college baseball games involving Alabama after suspicious wagering activity was detected on the Crimson Tide's game against top-ranked LSU on Friday.

The directive, issued by Ohio Casino Control Commission executive director Matthew T. Schuler and obtained by ESPN, prohibits "the acceptance of any wagers on University of Alabama baseball effective immediately."

Hooo boy.