<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style></style></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Scion XD – my 2010 has rear seats that fold flat, just enough room for a grand action Around $15K new<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Will Truitt<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Larry Fisher RPT<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, March 02, 2012 11:48 AM<br><b>To:</b> pianotech@ptg.org<br><b>Subject:</b> [pianotech] Service vehicles<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Hi Wim,</span><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>(quote) What other small station wagon has a flat fold down<br>back seat? I only want a new car. None of this use car crap. You wind up<br>buying someone else's problems.  (unquote)</span><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>I’ve been driving Honda products for about 15 years now.  The first one was a Honda Civic wagon and I put a new engine in it and drove it for just under 300,000 miles.  The next Honda was an Accord Wagon and put 360,000 miles on it.  My current one is a Honda Accord wagon and it has about 170,000 miles on it.  It not only functions well as a service vehicle, carrying grand actions, upright actions in a cradle and large boxes of goodies and supplies for the day, but it also serves as a micro motor home providing me with a place to sleep in all weather when I go camping.  I’ve put two kayaks on the top of it (factory luggage rack and kayak adapter) as well as hauled landscaping blocks in the back from the building supply places.  It consistently gets close to 25 mpg and it’s comfortable enough for this 6 foot 220 pounder to sit in for long drives  ..........  sometimes 12 hours at a time.</span><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>I take my Hondas to a mechanic that specializes in Hondas.  He keeps a record on things like timing belts and CV joints.  With every oil change he inspects it real well and tells me what to expect in the future so I can budget for the big stuff.  Dealers have a tendency to over sell parts and charge way too much for lower quality repairs  ..........  in my opinion.</span><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>My other vehicle is a 2005 Ram 2500 4X4 quad cab with a Hemi.  It handles my piano moving trailer with exceptional control and is very comfortable to sit in for long drives.  It’s my second Dodge.  The first one I bought new in 1986 and put 200,000 hard working miles on it.</span><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>I buy used because it’s far more cost effective than buying new but then I have a pretty good knowledge of mechanical things and sense major problems when I test drive them.  Additionally, it helps to have a mechanic that’s really talented to fall back on.  With new car prices in the range of $30K and higher, I can afford to buy a used one for a third of that price and put a new engine and transmission in it for $2000.  (round numbers)  Used cars in the snowy parts of the world suffer from salt eating away at the body parts.  We have some ice here but the rain washes things off quite well except near the coast.  Those cars get what’s called by the locals, “coast cancer”.  Every drip edge develops rust. </span><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></body></html>