Mortgage Monday: We Have Gas!

When my wife and I purchased our home we were well aware of the shortcomings of the heating and air conditioning. We also knew that the house ran on a combination of electricity and oil. We were reminded of this throughout the winter each time to boiler switched on and shoot the floor beneath our feet. Being that the house has an always on boiler providing not just the heat coursing through the baseboard elements but also supplying all of our hot water, we were well aware of the fact that it would be a massive undertaking to overhaul these essentials.

After conferring with family and confirming with a few other professionals, the decision was made to switch to propane gas. It was a bit of a shock to hear the total estimate for these projects but, knowing how much we spent on oil the previous year alone, it was clear that this would be a worthwhile investment and something that would solve a multitude of current and future problems. Besides, there was always an outside chance that the antiquated systems would fail sooner rather than later given their condition.

So, with these plans in our minds, I made the calls around to a variety of gas companies in the area, received quotes from them all, and decided on one that simply made the most sense. After a slight delay, they were finally able to make it to the house to install the tank. I actually forgot to mention the logistics of the project which entailed digging a giant hole and installing a sixteen foot, one thousand pound, propane tank… and running the underground gas line to the house. Seems pretty straightforward until you factor in the kind of soil that they had to deal with today.

I warned the sales person who did the estimate a couple of weeks ago that there wasn’t much top soil but it seems as though the message may not have been passed along. About twelve to eighteen inches down and the crew got a nasty surprise… bedrock. Needless to say it was an all-day project but they got it done and they seemed to take a few extra steps to make sure that everything was done right. Even the owner of Great Valley Propane took the time to review everything and discuss what had been done and what he was seeing with my wife. And now I can say with a completely straight face… we have gas!

6,000 Mile Update

VS

A few months ago, following my accident(s) on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, I decided to get a new car. Well, it has been nearly two months and over 6,000 miles since I made the leap from my repaired 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk to my 2016 Mercedes Benz GLC 300 4Matic and, so far, the results have been great. To do a direct comparison on every aspect of these vehicles would be a disservice to both the Jeep and the Mercedes so I am going to stick to some of the basics based on my experiences.

The hard numbers that we can compare side mostly with the Mercedes with the only exceptions being that of maintenance and fuel costs which are, not surprisingly, higher than that of the Jeep. However, Mercedes has a clear advantage in the other categories. To be specific, I averaged about 23.5 miles per gallon combined in the Cherokee over the course of about 22,000 miles. So far, the GLC is averaging about 27.5 miles per gallon combined over this initial 6,000 mile break in period. Basically, the difference in MPG wipes out, almost exactly, the additional cost of premium versus regular gas. With a bigger gas tank and about 60 more horsepower, the GLC has the clear advantage in both of those categories as well.

Now we are going to discuss the subjective aspects of the change from one car to the other. This really comes down to personal preference but, for me, the GLC definitely has a more comfortable ride which is to be expected given the two manufacturers. And since 90-95% of my driving is on the highway this is hugely important. But it is not just more comfortable for me behind the wheel, both my wife and my son have noticed a difference in how the car rides and how much more interior space we have in the GLC over the Cherokee. However, I will say that the Cherokee is a superior off road vehicle but, for me and my use, that really is a non-factor at this point.

Bear in mind that, while the perception of these two brands is completely different, when compared with nearly the same equipment in each (obviously the Mercedes has more things that are standard) the price difference is nominal, about $1,000-2,000 more for the GLC. Many of the dimensions are similar as well including height, width, clearance, and turning radius. Both are great cars but my preference is firmly with the GLC and, at this point, I would be hard pressed to switch to another brand in the future. Clearly, given the initial results and experiences, I would recommend the GLC to anyone looking for a midsized SUV.

Sometimes You Want To Go…

Photo of Ray Tanner Sr. taken from Tanner's Sport Center website.

…where everybody knows your name.

Anyone that is familiar with the show “Cheers” knows the theme song mentioned above and is familiar with the greeting that Norm received when he walked in the bar. However, in life, that is something that not everyone has been able to experience. Over the years there have been to a few places that have greeted me with the same friendly demeanor and familiarity. Recently, the one place beyond work, Rotary, and lodge where that happens to me is when I walk into my favorite, and in my opinion best in the Philadelphia area, gun shop, Tanner’s Sport Center.

The interesting thing is that every time I go there to pick up a small item or two, usually a magazine, ammo, or beef jerky, there are people there spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars all around me. No matter how small the purchase every sales person knows exactly who I am, greets me, and entertains my requests to see firearms that they know I am not going to purchase. It is during these times of window shopping that I have had some excellent conversations with each one of the people working at the store.  

Of course, there have been times when I have gone there to trade and, by the time I left, walked out with something much better. Honestly, I don’t know how it works out, but I find myself getting the better end of the deal every time. I have seen the prices, especially during the gouging period about a year ago, and at no time did the prices skyrocket at Tanner’s. Not surprisingly, this caused the parking lot to overflow onto the grass (if you could even find a spot) and the shelves and cases to look a little to airy. But that is what happens when a store remains equally loyal to their customers as the customers are loyal to the store (that loyalty is also evident through their constant communication on the store's Facebook page).  

I have been to dozens of gun shops throughout the area and outside of the area, especially during this never ending ammo shortage, and I can say with certainty that most are not focused on customer service and that is putting a positive spin on the various situations. Tanner’s has always been a store with a family feel and, while for many people this may be hard to understand, it is somewhere I can go to relax and feel immediately comfortable. I can talk to the people there like friends I have known my entire life and with whom I share a common interest.

There are stores open for the sole purpose of making as much money as possible, even if that means gouging their customers, and there are others that focus on the service of their customers, treating them like friends or family in the process. These are the stores that take the time to know with whom they are speaking, take an interest in the products that are on the shelves, and care enough to remember your name whether or not you are there to buy, sell, or just browse. This is why we need to continue supporting the local stores where community is part of the business plan and sales are fueled by fairness, respect, honesty, and loyalty. It is for these reasons that I am writing this post, the first promotional type post that I have written on this blog (restaurant and travel reviews don't count), and why I encourage you, if you are interested in firearms, to stop by Tanner’s Sport Center and show them your support.