Midrsv

Yes, this is very sad news. I only met Dan a couple of times but those times were memorable. My condolences to his family. This reminds me of how quickly life can change and we should always have our affairs in order. RIP Dan. Dennis

I have a couple of Firesticks. They work fine. It turns a regular TV into a smart TV. To get the most out of it, it would help if you have an Amazon Prime account. As more smart TV's are sold I expect the market of Firesticks will go away since the smart TVs I have include an app for Amazon. Dennis

I don't view these features as a crutch for inattentive drivers. I view them as safety enhancements. I would suspect the reaction time of the auto stopping feature is faster than most drivers. Especially older drivers. And the lane assist can help all of us if a driver is drowsy and starts to drift. We've all done that whether we admit it or not. On my Denali when the lane assist kicks in it also vibrates the seat at the same time. It also vibrates my left cheek is someone is in the blindspot on my left if I attempt to change lanes to the left or the the right cheek to to the right. And I do like the backup camera which I think is a requirement on new cars now. I still look behind me but it sure helps when backing up to hook up the trailer. No more getting out to see how close you are to the ball.

I tend to disagree with most of you regarding GM. I've owned their large SUVs since 1999. A 99 Yukon, 2003 Tahoe, 2009 Tahoe and now a 2016 Yukon Denali. I put 100,000 miles each of the ones I traded in. I've only experienced a failed wheel bearing on the 2009 Tahoe and a failed AC compressor on the 2003. I hear people say that they are "old" designs. I disagree. There were improvements with each. Prior to buying my current truck, I looked at BMW X5, the Audi Q7 and the Mercedes GL350. In my research did not find that any of those 3 were more reliable than what I had experienced with GM. The BMW and Audi lacked the tow size and tow capacity that i needed. I really did like the Mercedes with a diesel. I talked with a number of owners and just felt I didn't want to risk the repair costs on the Mercedes once out of warranty. I was told by several owners not to own one without a warranty. So I went back to GM. The Denali pulls like a beast with the 6.2L with direct injection, 8 spd transmission and all of the electronic bells and whistles. I make at least 3 round trips to FL each year and tow a 6000 lb trailer. I get 23 mpg at 75mph on the trips without the trailer. I've got an Infiniti Q60 that barely does that. Speaking of the technology. I like it. I have GPS, bluetooth, iphone integration, etc. At first glance it does look intimidating. However, once you get used to it, 90% of the features can be controlled from the steering wheel without removing your hands from the wheel. I set the climate control to the desired temperature and don't touch it from there. If I need to put a destination into my GPS I just go the iPhone app and before I leave the house and send the destinatioin to the in-dash gps. I don't have to futz with it after I'm underway. Integrated in to all of the electronics are additional safety features. Like blind spot monitoring, lane assist that will nudge the wheel a bit if you start to drift out of your lane, warnings if the car in front of you stops or slows too quickly, rain sensing wipers, automatic high beams. When one compares the progression of features on the new Yukon to the old 1999, I don't see how one could say the design is old. The climate and infotainment systems in the German cars were even more confusing at first glance. I am sure with use they could become more user friendly. Now to the original question regarding GM adding tools to order my next cheeseburger, nah, I don't need that. I've got an iPhone to take care of that. Dennis

I want to install a security camera system at my house. I would like 5 or 6 cameras around the perimeter to watch over the doors and driveway. I've been looking at some of the systems for under $500 that have a 8 cameras and a 1 or 2 TB DVR. In addition to the DVR I want to be able to access it remotely via the internet. I know nothing about the brands. Most I've never heard of. Like Amcrest, Zosi, Fredi, Best Camera, etc. I did see Samsung systems. Have any of you tried one of the systems? Can you recommend one over the other? The online reviews are all mixed. Dennis

I'm in the same boat. I've only ridden about 5000 miles in the last year or so. Interests change. We are enjoying the convertible, recently bought a boat and my wife has little interest in riding anymore. So, I'm debating whether to put the Goldwing up for sale now or in the spring. Dennis

Thanks VideoAZ, I didn't realize that the charts were free electronically. Do you know which chart plotters can use the enc files? Dennis

Condor, I really don't need a fish finder. It was just that the chart plotters I was leaning toward also had sonar capabilities. I've lost interest in the Hummingbird since it doesn't include detail charts as standard. Dennis

I think the Indian River near my house in FL could be quite treacherous. The depth, according to the charts only runs 2 to 7 feet or so with a narrow navigable channel. I have already downloaded the navionics app and charts and it can be a backup. I still want a good hard wired plotter. My boat dealer has a Hummingbird Helix 5 on clearance for $300. Anyone know anything about them?

Thanks for the input. My head is spinning today. I've been reading up on all types of plotters and it seems the sky is the limit. I visited Cabella's today to get a hands on look at some units. The Garmin Echo 44C looked interesting to me. More research to do. Dennis

I'm getting back into boating. Picking up a 23' Sea Ray Select this week for use in Florida. Navigating the intra-coastal waterways will be new to me. So, I'm going to need a chart plotter. Does anyone have a recommendation for a reasonably priced unit? I won't fishing so it doesn't need to find any fish. I've been out of boating for 13 years so I have to go out and buy all new gear. Dennis

I've done a fair amount of riding in 100+ temps and I usually cruise around 80 mph. I rarely hit triple digits, at least not two up. Dennis

Puc I used Dynabeads for 4 or 5 years when I was riding the Venture and they worked fine for me. When I switched to the Goldwing I went with Centramatics front and rear. Same concept only they're bolt on with the wheel. I expect the beads will do just fine for you. Dennis

I like the looks and feature set. I am disappointed in the air cooled engine. Here's a link to the product brochure. https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/content/common/dpg/files/2018_yamaha_Star_Venture.pdf Dennis

I know what you're going through. When my parents passed my brother and I had to deal with their stuff. We each kept a couple of things, a lot of things went to the trash and the remaining went to an auction house. That was a mistake. The auctioneer took 35% and sold all of my mother's antiques in lots instead of each piece. It was easier for him. If I were doing it again I would call the Salvation Army of some other charitable organization and give everything to them. The tax deduction I could have claimed would have given us a better return. Good luck! Dennis