The world according to IdRatherBeSkiing
- Thread starter IdRatherBeSkiing
- Start date
We booked again same resort next year. Hoping my wife will still be around. We both absolutely loved the resort.
In case anybody was wondering, my new avatar is a lighthouse from Ukraine. This particular one is from around Odessa. Thought I would combine my current avatar with my historic one.
It would look better if you added a woodchuck-shaped potato.
Spending a week in Saskatoon visiting my dad and sister starting Saturday. My son will be caregiver for my wife for the little over a week. I am flying there but driving back with my dad's soon to be my van. The van was used by my mom and has a wheelchair lift. Will be easier than taking apart her wheelchair and putting in the trunk. If we were to travel it also means the back seat has to have all the luggage. With the van she will just be able to wheel in.
He is also giving me my mom's old electric wheelchair to replace the one we are renting for my wife now. It is likely more stable. Her current one has toppled once and came close another time. It is not very stable. It's only redeeming feature is that it comes apart and will fit in a car trunk.
He is also giving me my mom's old electric wheelchair to replace the one we are renting for my wife now. It is likely more stable. Her current one has toppled once and came close another time. It is not very stable. It's only redeeming feature is that it comes apart and will fit in a car trunk.
The van worked out good but it was hardly free. It's a 2005 Ford Freestar. The van has a surprising amount of features given it's year. It has about 10 cigarette lighters all over. It has the ability for AUX input but that is not installed. Separate heat and cold for the driver, passenger and back. AC, electric seats, electric vents. No satellite radio so I rigged up my bluetooth speaker to play from my phone.
Had to have an inspection in SK so insurance company would cover it. They found a faulty valve which needed to be replaced. Developed leaks in 2 of the tires on the way home, I bought a portable compressor. But by day 2 i was stopping every hour to fill one tire and every second hour to fill the other one. I stopped in Thunder Bay to have them fixed but they both had to be replaced. Then it had to pass the Ontario safety inspection. I thought this was a formality since it passed the SK one for the insurance. It didn't. It needed some body work, one new tire (and since they didn't have same model in stock 2) some light bulbs, headlight and brakes. But the van works great. My dad did help me with the last bill. He thought it was running fine. I think some of the things they tested for was a bit ludicrous but this was all required to get plates. I also had to fill out a ton of paperwork mainly because I was avoiding paying the tax due to a family gift. Went to ServiceOntario (our DMV) and found out I needed even 1 more form. Fortunately I could fill it out on my own and didn't need my dad. Below is the list of costs needed to get the van. It is all in Canadian $.
But my wife likes the wheelchair and the van works well.
Had to have an inspection in SK so insurance company would cover it. They found a faulty valve which needed to be replaced. Developed leaks in 2 of the tires on the way home, I bought a portable compressor. But by day 2 i was stopping every hour to fill one tire and every second hour to fill the other one. I stopped in Thunder Bay to have them fixed but they both had to be replaced. Then it had to pass the Ontario safety inspection. I thought this was a formality since it passed the SK one for the insurance. It didn't. It needed some body work, one new tire (and since they didn't have same model in stock 2) some light bulbs, headlight and brakes. But the van works great. My dad did help me with the last bill. He thought it was running fine. I think some of the things they tested for was a bit ludicrous but this was all required to get plates. I also had to fill out a ton of paperwork mainly because I was avoiding paying the tax due to a family gift. Went to ServiceOntario (our DMV) and found out I needed even 1 more form. Fortunately I could fill it out on my own and didn't need my dad. Below is the list of costs needed to get the van. It is all in Canadian $.
- AC needed to be charged as it has a slow leak. To fix: $3000 so my dad just does this each spring: $120 (my dad paid this)
- SK inspection + fix check engine light valve: $758
- Notary Republic for form proving my dad is related to me: $20
- Obusform supports for back since Ford car seats suck: $66+$100 (my dad bought me the $100 as a belated birthday gift)
- Air pump in Regina, SK: $2
- Compressor in Regina, SK: $55
- 2 new tires in Thunder Bay, ON: $352
- Ontario Inspection: $2850 (my dad paid this)
- Plates: $59
But my wife likes the wheelchair and the van works well.
When my sister was visiting last fall she invited my son out to visit her in Calgary. The original week they were talking about was in December to see the Leafs play the Flames. Turns out my sister found out she had plans that week and it was just as well as that game was postponed due to covid. They chose this week as my son wanted to see Vegas and the Kraken. He also got to see Arizona. He wound up seeing all 3 games alone as my sister would up with COVID (again). She is triple vaxed and this is her third round. She is starting to feel better. They have been isolating. Her husband had something but it lasted only 1 day and he tested negative. My son has been fine and is flying home tonight.
In other news, I have a bad cold. My first cold since March 2020. Only other time I was sick in that stretch was COVID in Jan 2021.
Do these figures include the repairs? An inspection here ranges from $20 to $75, depending on state.
Yes, all repairs necessary to get a PASS. In both cases the actual inspection was about $100.
A $2800 inspection? that's crazy!
And why do they care about body work for an inspection?
It had a rust hole in the wheel well which is on their government checklist. As I mentioned to Scotch, the inspection was only about $100.
I think I'm reading your post incorrectly, at least I hope. Do you need to get an inspection each time you cross state (province) lines? Like me going from New Hampshire to Maine and needing an inspection?
Looking at those numbers, I think it would have been cheaper to just buy the plane.
The van started out in SK. I was going to drive it home. For my insurance company to cover it, they needed an inspection. I could have had it done in ON but it would not have been ensured for the drive (they added liability without this). So I needed to get inspection in SK. The check engine light was on so they fixed that at the same time.
I literally had a client say that to me once. *Well, almost literally.)
I was in a meeting with a client. He was a hundred year old guy, and the VP was 99 1/2 years old, or 126, I couldn't be quite sure.
They had me do a bunch of extra work on their project. I presented the updates, told them that it was going to be about $5.5 to $6 million in construction costs, and that our additional fee was going to be an extra $70,000. Old guy #1 looks at old guy #2 and said, "Well, that's less than the plane cost. OK." He got up and walked out of the room.
I knew I should have asked for $85 or $90k.