Re: my $0.02
 

Ford, GM and Chrysler are busy moving their production to Mexico in search of cheaper labor, while Honda, Nissan, Toyota, BMW, and Mercedes are moving their production to the US for the same reason. Wierd isn't it?

Re: my $0.02
 

Our Honda is every 7500 miles, but the Honda dealers still put an official looking sticker on saying warranty invalidated if not serviced every 3000 miles. Queried it with Honda America who said the 3000 miles is not correct, and the dealers are naughty boys, but they can't do anything about it !?!? And servicing costs vary almost 100% between the 3 dealerships in our area - worth shopping around!!

Re: my $0.02
 

Our Accord actually says 5,000 for hard use and 10,000 for ordinary use.

As my commute is on close to level main roads and interstate, I am considering going to a 10,000 mile service cycle, and keeping an eye on the fluid levels and the color of the oil on the dipstick.

Golly you all sound a bit posh :D We live in a rented apartment. The bed we have is the one Garth has had since forever, the dishwasher comes with the place. His mum made our quilts and my mum brought us curtains this Easter. The washing machines are round the corner in the laundry building. They go round and round when you put in enough coins.

Some stuff works better, some stuff doesn't. I brought my cheese slicer, some photos and as many of my kids' toys as I could carry. Does stuff really matter that much?

I didn't come here for a better standard of living. But it turns out I have one. My kids can come in from school, chuck off their clothes and jump in the swimming pool. I don't get rained on everytime I walk outdoors. The girls have seen the SAME doctor every time they've needed care. They get to call her by her first name and she takes the time to talk to them (that NEVER happened in Britain). I've found it hard to come to turns with paying up every time we see a doc, it's true, but I guess you get what you pay for.

They're taught at school to behave respectfully and regardless of the propaganda the education so far is MUCH more comprehensive than the one they got in Britain. Instead of one teacher to cover two year groups for every subject they have homeroom teachers, music teachers, a coach, an art teacher, librarian (and a LIBRARY!) and computer teacher.

We don't have a car like I did in England and I guess that's been the toughest change. But it only really bothers me when the kids are sick and I don't want to drag them on a train and fortunately there's usually someone willing to give us a lift.

The school bus system is ace. The afterschool care means when I finally get that SSN (grrrr) I'll be able to work.

I know, I know, I'm way off topic but I'll tell you FWIW what's expensive. Expensive is your kid needing surgery and you getting it free but having to wait months on end in Britain. Cheap at the price for me is paying your hundred bucks co-pay and getting it done next week by people who treat your kid like a kid rather than something on a production line.

No contest!

I like it here - can you tell?

Regards
-=-
Scarlett

If I didn't know better I would say the SS# situation is begining to get to you.

Naaaaaw~!!!!!!

SSSSSSSS'not getting to me?
Why would you think ssssssuch a thing?????

I am calm
I am collected
But mainly I am ignoring the fact I have an essay due. I can feel the contractions but I just keep right on typing

ssssssssssssso ner!

;)

Regards
-=-
Scarlett

I have a Jeep. The first time I slid under it, I noticed MADE IN JAPAN is stamped into the transmission!

The oil changes: the way to do it is to CHECK THE OIL 3000 -5000 miles after you changed it (or after long trips or frequently)to see how darkened it is. Oil that is black and sludgy has obviously lost its properties and requires immediate changing. It would be good to change it before then. You can use the mileage as a guide.

Jeeps have an oil pressure gauge, instead of just an oil light, which is really helpful in knowing how the oil is performing.

DON'T FORGET COOLANT TOPOFF AND REPLACING THE RADIATOR HOSES. The cooling systems always seem to break down after a while when you get the mileage up.. either a hairline fracture on the radiator, a busted thermostat, or a cracked hose. The leaks are not usually easy to spot or only spurt when you rev the engine to 5000 rpm.

.. and get the timing belt changed at 100,000 or the engine won't last

Re: my $0.02
 

DON'T BUY A DOMESTIC CAR. THEY ARE JUNK.

If you bought something like a Ford Taurus in 2000 it would have cost you over $21,000 new. You'd be lucky to get 5 or 6 grand for it now. Hondas and Toyotas not only are reliable, but have a high resale value. Even something from 91 with lots of mileage goes for several grand.

Anyone have a URL with a good and comprehensive rundown of the personal tax system in the US? (NY area). I understand how it basically works, I want to just clarify a few things.

As an aside, if you earn over £34,000 in the UK, personal tax becomes quite bad. The Govt take 40% of anything over £34k.

Playing golf is expensive, in the UK I could get membership for the equivalent of $1100 per year........not here.

No public courses where you are located? We have loads here and they don't require memberships, but usually run about $20 - 30 for 18. A little more if you won't walk the course and have to rent/hire a golf cart.

Lisa

I thought the bracket started at £28,000 in the UK and you where only taxed 40% on anything you earned over that - so if you earned £30,000 you paid 24% on the first £28,000 and 40% on the last £2,000. If thats not the case then I was getting ripped off - or beating the system somewhere along the line

Patrick

in england the tax rate starts at something like 10% - goes up to 24% and for anything above £28,000 is 40%

plus in the uk national nsurance tax is mandatory - this is something like 5%

in the us everyone pays federal income tax which is similar in structure but lower than uk income tax

HOWEVER

depending on the state you live in - you also pay STATE income tax

in oregon it is between 5 - 9% whereas in Tennessee there is none.....

If you think that 9% is similar to 5% then you are right! :D .... It doesn't kick in right away, but most people pay 9% on their earnings, up to somewhere around £25k. Above this level there is no NI to be paid.

The 10% tax band is a joke, I think that it is just the first £2k that gets that rate, then there is a 20% band, which is also very narrow; most people have a marginal rate of 23%, which, if I remember correctly stops at about £28K of taxable income, i.e. the personal allowance comes on top of that, so you have to earn about £33k before you pay the higher rate of 40% (I think that this reconciles Patrick's and Def's posts above).