Culling the Clubs

Ah, a painful experience, but definitely needed.

I retired my old 325i. It had 230,000 miles on it, and everything was wearing out. Shocks, struts (I was basically bouncing down the highway!), brake pads, badly warped brake rotor, another timing belt (the weird burning smell was not a good sign), full tuneup, new thermostat (throwing a check engine code), leaking gaskets.....

This is after spending thousands on new alternator, brakes, belt, fuel pump, and lights!

Given the car was cheap to begin with, can't complain. But....to replace everything would have cost (professional, expensive garage) 3-5k!

So the wine clubs are being culled. I am drowning in wine anyway, so. I have way, way too many, but I always tended to join clubs too much on a whim, and the costs are unsustainable given I now have a car payment for the first time in years!

Ach...Can still buy single bottles.

Yeah, clubs are sort of addictive.

I may stop buying so many Kutch and Williams Selyem wines--not because I don't like the wine, but because I have enough bottles of both to last me for a good while. On the other hand, I am thinking of adding a Failla wine club.

I have a very...addictive...personality.

Luckily, "alcoholism" has never been an issue for me* (although it runs back in the family tree). I guess partly because except for a brief period as a youth, I got into wine as an intellectual exercise as much as a search for oblivion.

* We won't talk about sugar. Not to belittle those who struggle with true addictions, but my sugar addiction is my single biggest health threat.

[David M. Bueker]

I may stop buying so many Kutch and Williams Selyem wines--not because I don't like the wine, but because I have enough bottles of both to last me for a good while. On the other hand, I am thinking of adding a Failla wine club.

I added Failla. We'll see.

At no time in my life have I belonged to a wine club. Do I get a good conduct medal? I have always found a way to spend too much money on wine without them.

Aren't you a member of the "Industry Discount Club," Lou?

[Jenise]

I'm in just two. And two is the most I've ever been in at any one time. I really don't like wine showing up at my front door, unwilled.

Brian, what's your new car?

Aren't you a member of the "Industry Discount Club," Lou?

Yes now. I started buying wine in the sixties and eventually became a principal in a wine store just for the interest it gave in my life. I never made a living from it at any time. One needs hobbies in life. Bad investments etc, etc.

I have a major problem with impulsively joining when I like the wines and the people.

Understood. My membership in Teutonic (Oregon) is something like that--had the winemaker over for dinner one night when he was making wine shop visits up here. Then I heard that he was trying to raise money for his new tasting room--give him a grand, and he ships you a bunch of wine every year for three years in repayment of the debt. I thought this a very fair and interesting way to crowdsource, so I did it!

Congrats on the new Ford. I love those little cars--when renting cars, a Focus will be my top choice in that size class. Was not aware that they made sportier versions, I'll have to pay attention! But the electronics--they make me feel old! So complicated and relatively unintuitive to anyone over 25. I still remember getting about three miles from LAX and having to pull over to figure out how to reset something. And I couldn't do it--had to call a dealership for help.

This is weird, Robin.

Somehow, my reply to Jenise got merged with another reply (by Jenise) but with my name as the poster. And the Jenise quote above was actually from me originally, with that original post somehow disappearing!!!!

Thanks for that last note Brian, I was having trouble following the conversation. Did you purchase a Ford Focus?

Thanks for that last note Brian, I was having trouble following the conversation. Did you purchase a Ford Focus?

Yes. A Focus ST. Bright red. Serious midlife crisis car.

I like small, sharp handling cars that emphasize quick steering and stiff suspensions. I also badly want manual transmissions. Ford seems to be the only major manufacturer that caters to those of us who love stick shifts!

I understand in Europe people still vastly prefer manual. But even the German imports emphasize automatics here. My sister had to special order her M235i to get a stick shift!

A Focus ST. Bright red. Serious midlife crisis car.

I like small, sharp handling cars that emphasize quick steering and stiff suspensions. I also badly want manual transmissions. Ford seems to be the only major manufacturer that caters to those of us who love stick shifts!

I understand in Europe people still vastly prefer manual. But even the German imports emphasize automatics here. My sister had to special order her M235i to get a stick shift!

I drive a 2013 Focus ST myself, Brian. In my case, a retirement present to myself. Lovely little car and a great value for the performance delivered. A driver's car, really.

Cool, Steve.

I really enjoy it. It's better on the twisty local roads than as a freeway cruiser (that sport suspension is FIRM!).

The new electronics are fun, but a little distracting.

[Jenise]

Bill Spohn bought his wife the Mazda version of that Focus. There was something about the suspension in the latter than he preferred (race car driver that he is, even on city streets.)