Saturday, July 28, 2012

We are Here

Can you say busy? That has been us this summer. I can not remember ever having so much to do in one summer. We have been involved with youth camp 3 weeks.  That is over now so maybe things will slow down a bit. Thursday we bought a new car. It is a New model Toyota hybrid. Named Prius C, it is nothing like the original Prius, in looks. That is the ugliest car I have ever seen. Our friend Rob Allen put the bug in my ear when he found out Toyota had this new hatchback. I drove one Monday. Could not get that dealer to deal. I was armed with all the information I could find before I drove one. Right now these little rigs are the fastest selling cars in the USA. I searched the internet for deals. Very few to be found. We had planned to buy a Chevy Sonic Turbo Hatch. It gets 40 mpg on the road. Hey, this little hybrid will get 15 mpg more on the hiway, easily, and same price as the Chevy. Thursday I found the exact car we were looking for in Poplar Bluff. I drove 2 miles to the dealer and made the deal in 5 minutes. Signed my name and out the door. I knew the salesman and he knew me. I knew he would sell to me and he knew I came to buy. I knew more about the car than he did and he realized it quick. I had to pull a few of his teeth but I got the car, with a few things thrown in, for the price I expected.
Part of our deal was heated leather seats. They are to be installed Monday. I bought 4 new mag wheels and should have them by Tuesday. Thursday we get side mouldings put on, as part of the deal. By Friday, the car will have everything we want, except the tinted windows, which will be within a week or two. So, next weekend I will post a few pictures of the Toyota Pruis C model 2. I think it takes a certain personality to enjoy a car like this as much as I do. Hypermiling is a part of my makeup since fuel has gone sky high over the last few years. I love squeezing every mile from the last drop of fuel. I went out playing this afternoon. Drove 18 miles and got 59.9 miles per gallon over that stretch of local roads. Last night at 10 pm Teri and I took off to Sikeston, 20 miles, and hit the DQ, just to drive the car and enjoy it. Looks a lot like our Vibe gt, which we kept, but a little smaller and lower to the ground. It ain't black but it is silver.
Oh yea, life is good. Come back for the pictures next weekend.
Dan

posted by Dan & Teri Gregg @ 7:53 PM 0 Comments

Thursday, July 12, 2012

GMC Motorhome Stove Top

This is how our kitchen counter has looked since we rebuilt the entire thing a few winters back. Teri wanted all the counter space she could get so we bought a double burner portable stove top. I rigged it so it could plug into our propane system with a quick disconnect. It worked great for us. When we found this flush mount stove top we figured it would be the best of both worlds.

Our Friend Bill made us a template for the hole.

Bill also did the cutting of the hole.

He has his own wood shop and lets Teri use  it, and his tools, anytime she wants. But, Teri was working Monday so I drove the GMC over to Bill's and supervised this job. He is also the one that did a lot of the work on our glass engine cover.

There is the hole and Bill trimming it a little.

Stove top sitting in for final trimming.

Here is the final resting place for the stove top. Ran to the local lumber yard and picked up some sink clamps to secure it.

This is going to be nice. We will need to protect the wall to the left but that won't be hard. I still have the propane line to hook up. We purchased this new for 87 dollars and 15 shipping from a surplus/salvage yard. Well worth the money. Built in ignitor.
One more thing: Last week I mentioned buying American for service, when you can. Well, the ScanGauge was gone exactly one week before it returned. Back light is working and the unit was cleaned and looks like a brand new unit. That is service for a 4 year old piece that we rely on daily. Can't beat that kind of service. When I was selling the LED lights I tried to be the same way. Someone had a problem, no questions asked. Send it back for a free replacement. Those LEDs are assembled in Mesa, Az. and the company stands behind them.
Hope everyone is having a great week. Teri and I are preparing to spend next week in the GMC. Can't wait. Temperatures have finally dropped below 100 and next week should be great sleeping weather at night.
Thanks for stopping by.
Dan

posted by Dan & Teri Gregg @ 5:14 PM 1 Comments

Monday, July 2, 2012

Buy American When You Can

Yes, I admit that I watch my money, but I like quality. When I can, I buy American made products, or at least from an American company. I am a veteran, my son and brother are veterans, and, my father was a Korean War Veteran.  Maybe that is one reason I like American made. Take a look at the above picture. That is a gauge I bought for the Vibe about 5 years ago from a company in Mesa, Az. A couple of years ago the back light failed. Can't read it in the dark. Yesterday I decided it was time to get it fixed. I emailed the support folks for ScanGauge. I got a response early this morning, send it back for free repair. Can't beat that. There is a Chinese meter for half the cost of this one. Ain't no way I will buy it when I am treated like this by the ScanGauge folks. Fantastic Vents are the same way. They make fans for rv's. You buy their fans and you are warrantied for life. I was selling American made LED lights for the rv's. Yes, they cost a little more than the Chinese', but not much. Lifetime warranty. Some of my friends turned up their noses when I gave them the price of a unit. It is beyond me. Why buy junk when you can buy quality, buy it once, and be done?  No, we can not always buy American but when I can, I will.

Check this out, sun rising over the Mississippi River last Friday morning. Was 530 am and we were rolling north. Had motorhome parts to pick up, with a borrowed trailer, and our daughter was meeting us in Bainbridge, In. to get her 12 yr old son back. I do not make a habit of seeing the sun rise. We did almost 700 miles Friday. Was 109 when we came back through Marion. Right after we crossed this bridge, there was a cop writing someone a ticket at 530 in the morning. Make sure that if you drive I-57 to drive the posted speed for the first 30 miles north. Have never not seen police on this section of hiway and I have travelled it a lot.

Two of our favorite boys. It is great to be grandparents. We take the kids for a week or so and then the parents get them back. Life is good.

Who is pooped after a week of camp? Don't tell anyone you spotted this picture, that will tell on me. Teri works very hard and she deserved a little nap.
Hope everyone is doing ok. Very hot in SE Mo. Been seeing at least 105 degrees on the thermometer since Friday. Today marks 9 weeks that I have not mowed our yard. Should you have excess rain, send it our way.
Happy 4th of July.
Dan

posted by Dan & Teri Gregg @ 12:15 PM 0 Comments