Recent content by Ben

I also think people forget how heavy water can be. We've been around sound and ocean waves when a huge storm kicked up, and it's unreal how pounding and relentless those waves can be. My heart aches for this lady and her family.

I've asked people not to buy me things because I really don't want them to waste money on trinkets and clothes I know won't use or wear. Since they do it any way, I always tell them a few stamps or a small grocery store or Lowe's gift card would be perfect.

I didn't realize a heater could affect the power of the entire engine. This is good to know. We have one car that is really sluggish in the winter. I may just need to get it checked. It's really getting cold around here.

I keep having thoughts about the woman in Hurricane Sandy whose children were swept away after her car stalled in the advancing waters. Besides evacuating earlier, is there any extra thing people can do is these situations to guard against such tragedies?

About the only thing I do is watch my speed when taking off at lights and when slowing down. I try to keep my foot off the accelerator as much as possible. I also use cruise control.

I've been able to locate a few parts online, too. I've used both Craigslist and eBay and picked up some small parts for a fair price. Good luck with the junk yard search. We don't have many junk yards where I live.

Car insurance coverage I have a vehicle that is 12 years old and am still paying for full insurance coverage. I hadn't thought of it from your point of view. Thanks for bringing it up. I'll be looking to see what others are saying. I'd love to save on my insurance, too.

I had an issue with an older car I traded in. The person buying the car said he knew exactly how to fix the problem. It didn't keep him from giving me a fair price for the car. It's probably something like Hotrod25 experienced.

It looks like the people affected the most by the hurricane are in for even more cold temperatures and rain over the next few days. It's going to be a long winter for many people who have lost so much.

It breaks my heart to see all those cars in heaps and flood waters in the Northeast. Of course, I feel even more so for the people, but all those cars are a horrendous sight. I'm hoping they had lots of the right kinds of insurance.

We have had this happen at least four times in the last 15 years, so we don't take any hurricanes or snow storms lightly. We have a hurricane drawer and keep it stocked with flashlights and batteries. I also have a list of items we restock each season for our emergency supplies. The last time we...

I think there was an arctic blast coming down. The Jet Stream was involved, too, and when the hurricane tropical winds joined in, it was like hitting the fast features on the garden hose. Everything was amplified. You must be receiving some of that. We've finally had the winds die down in NC...

We're missing this one, but we have gone through many hurricanes. Be sure you have access to water for flushing toilets. A mechanical can opener is vital. Wash out those coolers before you lose water. Do all the laundry and fill the tubs and washing machine with water. If you're without water...

Snow vehicle We don't get enough snow and ice around here to justify a vehicle for those conditions. We don't even need snow chains. I usually just plan to stay inside when it snows. I'm lucky in that my job allows me to do so. If I do venture out in bad weather, I stay far away from cars...

OnStar I would not spring for the extra expense of having OnStar. My driving habits are such that I don't need the service. For older people, women and others who have different patterns of driving, the service could pay for itself should an emergency arise.