Noel, Is that "Onstar" or does Toyota provide their own service?

34 minutes ago, birdguy said:

I can already do all that with the button on the roof that connects me with the Toyota operator.  She even has my GPS location.  And if I'm in a serious accident over a certain amount of Gs and I don't call the operator and she gets no response from me she calls the police and emergency services and gives them the GPS location.

 

And what about when you are on foot? Or in danger for some reason, have a fall while on foot? I'm not talking about just driving, presumably you Americans do get out of your cars? 😁

34 minutes ago, birdguy said:

There are so many phones out there there's no need for me to carry one.

 

Until the day when nobody else is around... and you find yourself in trouble, on foot, with no help. Or someone says "get lost, buy your own!" You aren't a celebrity with body guards Noel. Or are you??? 😲

 

34 minutes ago, birdguy said:

Besides, I got along without a phone in my pocket for over 80 years and survived.

 

I got on okay without one too but there have certainly been occasions when one would have been very advantageous. Before mobile phones, in the UK, if you needed to make an urgent call, it was a a case of tracking down a BT phone box. You usually found they had a strange odour inside, courtesy of the drunk that occupied it in the early hours of the morning. A bit of vandalism was common too, with some impressive profanities to read inside. 😲😀 Touching the handset was required of course, which was somewhat alarming.

Below is a nice countryside one, I wouldn't want you to become nauseous by showing you an example in the city. 🤔

These days they are sort after as mini greenhouses. 

 

 

 

Edited May 20, 20224 yr by martin-w

There isn't a payphone to be found here in San Francisco! 😳

It is getting harder and harder for Dr. Who to place the Tardis inconspicuously when he travels to our time.

3 hours ago, charliearon said:

There isn't a payphone to be found here in San Francisco! 😳

Clark Kent has a hard time transforming to Superman these days. 😁

4 hours ago, birdguy said:

Besides, I got along without a phone in my pocket for over 80 years and survived.  I don't figure I need that annoyance in the remaining time I have left.

I enjoy the looks of abject horror on the faces of young folks these days when I tell them I got along fine without a cell phone, a tablet and Netflix!  

10 minutes ago, n4gix said:

I enjoy the looks of abject horror on the faces of young folks these days when I tell them I got along fine without a cell phone, a tablet and Netflix!  

But you did have a 2m HT!!  😜

1 minute ago, Bob Scott said:

But you did have a 2m HT!!  😜

Not to mention 1.25m, 70cm and HF... 🤑

3 hours ago, charliearon said:

There isn't a payphone to be found here in San Francisco! 😳

That's because in the 60s they were used as toilets, pretty sure that continued until they v were removed. 

9 hours ago, birdguy said:

Not the case these days Matthew.

The lease on my 2013 Prius (top of the line Limited model) was up last month.  The residual on it was 14,000 dollars.  I checked Kelly Blue Book and they valued it at 26,000 dollars.  Carvana offered 29,000 dollars trade in.  The sticker price when I leased it was 33,000 dollars.

Anyway I borrowed 14,000 dollars and paid off the lease.  So now I own a 26,000 dollar car I paid 14,000 dollars for. 

Noel

You've done well then, but those Toyota's do hold great resale values and last a long time. I remember the worst cycle of lease depreciation was those Pontiac Sunfires back in the 90s, they depreciated faster then the buyout's, and they also kept lowering the sticker price of brand new Sunfires year after year so when your lease was up, the value of your vehicle was much low then your buyout, and the price of a new one was slightly higher then your buyout, putting you in that entrapment cycle, this was of course be design by GMC. That was never an issue with Toyota's or Honda's you can always trust the resale value on those cars. 

I don't trust these mobile companies either I've always bought a second hand iPhone and just get a pay as you go plan, I never sign up for anything because I trust no one 😄

Old Bill the "Ratchet Jaw"!   😀  Any CB before the ham radios?

2 hours ago, Matthew Kane said:

You've done well then, but those Toyota's do hold great resale values and last a long time

I should also mention the car's three years old and has less than 2500 miles on it.  Didn't drive much during the pandemic (can I use that word?).  Just to the store and back.

Noel

Charlie:  Toyota has its own system.  This is the announcement they made in 2009.

A telematics service that connects you to a GPS system in case of an emergency — sound familiar? Toyota will introduce its answer to OnStar, which it calls Lexus Enform — yes they spell it that way — in its Lexus luxury brand, and Safety Connect in select Toyota vehicles.

The service includes Automatic Collision Notification, an SOS button, Stolen Vehicle Location and roadside assistance. The Lexus Enform service also includes Destination Assist, which connects drivers to a live operator who can help with directions, or find the best Thai food in your neighborhood (which is what we would use it for).  It also includes eDestination, which can be accessed from any PC and uploaded to the satellite navigation system.

Martin:  I can't remember the last time I was alone anywhere.  The only time I'm on foot anymore is from the handicapped parking space at WalMart where I use my cane to walk into the store and then use a shopping cart as a walker.  I have bad feet and a balance problem so walking is a thing of the past for me.  Leaving the annoyance of a phone on my desk when I go out is worth any risk I might encounter.

Noel

13 hours ago, birdguy said:

Me too Stans.  During my senior year in high school I worked part time at a garage.  We installed carburetor kits, gapped the plugs changed the condenser and points, and then used a timing light to set the timing on the engine.

Remember when you were letting the oil drain from the crankcase you got the grease gun and lubricated the ball joints?  

Noel

When  I was young we changed our spark plugs every 15000 km or so.  My last car at 10000 they were still almost as good as new.  

13 hours ago, birdguy said:

Not the case these days Matthew.

The lease on my 2013 Prius (top of the line Limited model) was up last month.  The residual on it was 14,000 dollars.  I checked Kelly Blue Book and they valued it at 26,000 dollars.  Carvana offered 29,000 dollars trade in.  The sticker price when I leased it was 33,000 dollars.

Anyway I borrowed 14,000 dollars and paid off the lease.  So now I own a 26,000 dollar car I paid 14,000 dollars for. 

Noel

I reenlisted in 82 and decided to by a new car. Price was $8,000+ for a RS 5.0 for 48 months which I payed off in 32.  It is still in my driveway. Drove it for 37 years daily until I retired. Parts are cheap, insurance, and I can work on it which I'm replacing the water pump and while I'm at it replacing the timing chain.

Edited May 21, 20224 yr by TuFun