Key Fob Follies

[ShadowsPapa]

I've tried to balance fun and geek for ... shit, 35+ years!

I confirmed, at least via the Viper site, that you can still access the bus enough to start, control locks and lights, and get status. This thread prompted me to consider paying for a pro to help me, I really want to have a motion sensor for when the top and doors are off. I haven't figured out how to add that to the existing system.

On insurance, I'm with Progressive, online quoted and booked. The JK was with American Family at around $90, and they wanted a little more for the Gladiator. They did NOT give any discounts for ACC and emergency braking, Progressive had a huge discount for them. Duh, you almost can't hit anything, and it's so much more relaxed and alert driving with ACC.

I used ACC on our first long trip and the JT slowed down when it got into heavy interstate truck traffic and a big truck was in front of us. I pulled over and passed and it sped up. I made a comment about how cool all that was, all I did was steer and my wife said -that was the truck doing that??
Yup. All I did was signal and change lanes, it picked up speed again.
Then later some fool hit the brakes at the last minute to take an exit and the JT braked and slowed and after they got off the road, we took off again. All I did was keep it going straight.
My wife said - that's cool. I told her - your GC will do that. Then I heard "you have got to show me how!

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[jimbom]

Oh, yeah, I should check on the insurance thing. Mine is ludicrously cheap, partly because of the ACC and auto braking stuff. Believe it or not, $46/mo with $500k liability and $500 deductible. I don't know how much the theft thing plays into that.

Viper is less than 1/4 the price for basic, and less than half the price for full service. And they reverse the packages, so remote start is ALWAYS included and stuff like the tracking that I don't care about is extra.

That is a very good rate. Mine is roughly double and my liability varies between prop damage, personal injury and injury per accident 100k/300k/500k respectively. This is USAA and I get a paltry dividend back every year. Haven't shopped in many years, but don't think I can improve it much with a teenager on the policy. I also pay for umbrella coverage separately to pick where that and homeowners leaves off. I have purposely forgotton and rather not remind myself what I'm paying for that.

Edit: Meant to mention I have none of the safety stuff.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

That is a very good rate. Mine is roughly double and my liability varies between prop damage, personal injury and injury per accident 100k/300k/500k respectively. This is USAA and I get a paltry dividend back every year. Haven't shopped in many years, but don't think I can improve it much with a teenager on the policy. I also pay for umbrella coverage separately to pick where that and homeowners leaves off. I have purposely forgotton and rather not remind myself what I'm paying for that.

We pay 1600/year for:
2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2020 Jeep Gladiator
2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee
1982 AMC Eagle SX4
1973 AMC Javelin
As I recall, the two top Jeeps run us a bit over 450 each per year. I'd have to look - it's all automatic each year (cheaper to pay a year at a time, part of a package deal)

 

[SwampNut]

Yup. All I did was signal and change lanes, it picked up speed again.

Have you read the manual where it specifically talks about "pass assist?" I hadn't read that yet when I did my first long haul, a few days into owning it, so it surprised me. If you signal left, and move left, it applies extra power to get you passing quickly. I thought it was being way aggressive. Doesn't do that in other cases like when a car in front of you just speeds up.

I've had ACC be overly conservative, but never do anything that wasn't totally safe.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Have you read the manual where it specifically talks about "pass assist?" I hadn't read that yet when I did my first long haul, a few days into owning it, so it surprised me. If you signal left, and move left, it applies extra power to get you passing quickly. I thought it was being way aggressive. Doesn't do that in other cases like when a car in front of you just speeds up.

I've had ACC be overly conservative, but never do anything that wasn't totally safe.

LOL - so THAT's what happened! I noticed it seemed to do what I would have done. Now I'll reload that PDF and read that bit........

 

[Mr._Bill]

Serious Question
I had an Audi Key for 8 years that seems identical with the flip out function, never had an issue. Ive had this Jeep fob for months and dont find myself getting poked with it opening. It simply doesnt open. What exactly is everyone doing that has this problem? Is it front pockets that are tighter? Skinny jeans or lycra shorts? I wear old man jeans and baggy shorts, so if thats it then thats why. Im just surprised this is even an issue but I believe you all. Im not saying youre lying. I want to understand why it hasnt been a problem for me for years and now its a pandemic.

I had it pop open a few times a day, but I have a lot of stuff in my pocket. I added one of the silicone covers, and that added just enough thickness to keep the button from getting pressed. I now have it open just a couple times a month instead of multiple times a day.

 

[jimbom]

We write checks to pay what's left of the house payment because the big bank - get this - charges you a $20 fee per payment to do it online or even automatically! YIKES!

Which one is "the big bank?"

Really, I'd like to know which bank charges that outrageous fee so as to avoid doing business with them in the future.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Really, I'd like to know which bank charges that outrageous fee so as to avoid doing business with them in the future.

USBank and my wife can't wait to make the final payment and be DONE with 'em.

 

[eaglerugby04]

Serious Question
I had an Audi Key for 8 years that seems identical with the flip out function, never had an issue. Ive had this Jeep fob for months and dont find myself getting poked with it opening. It simply doesnt open. What exactly is everyone doing that has this problem? Is it front pockets that are tighter? Skinny jeans or lycra shorts? I wear old man jeans and baggy shorts, so if thats it then thats why. Im just surprised this is even an issue but I believe you all. Im not saying youre lying. I want to understand why it hasnt been a problem for me for years and now its a pandemic.

Crazy thing is it is through a belt loop on the outside of my pants. Button facing out on a quick detatch thing. It has the key to the diamondback cover behind it and no other keys. I have no clue how it is popping, my only guess is the back of it smacks against my leg and the mechanism isn't great.

 

[eaglerugby04]

USBank and my wife can't wait to make the final payment and be DONE with 'em.

I never knew mailing paper checks was a thing still. Everything I have ever done business with uses online in some capacity anymore. Especially the size of US bank. I think I had a car loan through them 8 years ago that was online.

 

[eaglerugby04]

I'm sure I can assume you have nailed down your wifi security, changed admin names, secure password that you change now and then, and have the radios turned down so I can't drive by your street with my soupcan and laptop and get into your systems, right?

It's for me not a matter of sitting at home and finding your locks, it's a matter of me cruising around and looking for wifi I can get into. Most I could do from here is mess with ya and lock and unlock things - so what? And not easy if even possible if you've done your part. The weakest link these days is people, not devices. You know exactly what I mean. I read the stolen emails - John Podesta not only shared his personal email account, allowed others on it, he kept his BUILDING SECURITY ADMIN password in a folder in his gmail account - it was there! WOW, what a dope.

Did it at work, man, what I could discover - people bringing in hotspots from home, trying to use their cell phone as a hotspot and router, it was amazing. I got one guy fired and one of the state agencies - believe it or not, the auditor's office, had to change some of their ways after the other network guy and I were done with 'em.

Most people would use a brick or check for unlocked windows before they would go to that point.

I have taken a bunch of pen testing classes, learned a bunch of cool things, but when it comes down to it there is always a simpler soluion. My 8 year old is a pro at figuring out the easy way.

All this being said I have secure wifi, multi factor enabled everywhere, and segmenation of IOT devices from the rest of my network.

 

[jimbom]

USBank and my wife can't wait to make the final payment and be DONE with 'em.

You know what, I have one recurring bill that I actually forgot about. It's to a small, one owner business and they don't want to deal with credit card fees or any kind of electronic transfer. So I have my Billpay set up to send them a paper check automatically every month. Once I set it up years ago, I've had to do nothing else. Billpay generates the check (same amount every month,) they put it in a envelope with their stamp and send it via snail mail. All part of the free Billpay service through my Credit Union at no extra cost to me.

 

[SwampNut]

My RV storage gets a free bank-generated check every month. Dumb, but ok. My yard guy takes Zelle. Great. Now his wife cleans our house, and can't figure out Zelle. WTF!!! So she's my only paper check. Normally I'd just say "adapt or die," but she's been cleaning for us for almost 20 years. She's the only person who gets a pass.

 

[jimbom]

My RV storage gets a free bank-generated check every month. Dumb, but ok. My yard guy takes Zelle. Great. Now his wife cleans our house, and can't figure out Zelle. WTF!!! So she's my only paper check. Normally I'd just say "adapt or die," but she's been cleaning for us for almost 20 years. She's the only person who gets a pass.

Funny you bought that up -- I just did my first Zelle payment to our tree service a couple weeks ago. In the past I always asked if I could pay with Paypal -- they weren't interested. This season, with Covid they don't want their workers going to the door to collect the check so they asked me to use Zelle. Worked great.

I've got a great game processor who only accepts cash or check. Surprising as he's a youngish guy. If and when I get another deer or elk, he definitely gets a pass. In fact I usually stress because his shop sometimes gets too busy to take on more work and the other processors do not compare.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

You know what, I have one recurring bill that I actually forgot about. It's to a small, one owner business and they don't want to deal with credit card fees or any kind of electronic transfer. So I have my Billpay set up to send them a paper check automatically every month. Once I set it up years ago, I've had to do nothing else. Billpay generates the check (same amount every month,) they put it in a envelope with their stamp and send it via snail mail. All part of the free Billpay service through my Credit Union at no extra cost to me.

My wife is ok with sending checks because depending on circumstances, she always likes to send extra principal. Can't do that with other systems. That's how we've paid off in a fraction of the actual term. We take loans for as far out as allowed then pay off early. It's been a life-saver in the past when PFG laid off over 70 of us IT people (cost cutting) and I was unemployed for a while. She simply stopped paying the extra until I got a job again, then started paying the extra again.
She can pay off a 6 year loan in 2, or a 30 in 10 (or less, if she gets in a certain mood, she'll just write a check to finish it off and she's really close on the house)
USBank is a pain to deal with anyway - not so bad the last couple of years or so, but still...........
If you want a pain, deal with Mercy One medical services. Those people have no mercy and are total incompetents.

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