I saw a Penske truck drive into my property (long driveway) and thought it was a home invasion robbery and called the cops!

UPS never uses a Penske truck so why is Fedex? Are they poor or something?
Well the bastards gave me a heartattack!

This is why I never order anything via FedEx… only UPS.

But f’n Dell only ships via Fedex.

They are not "poor or something". Sometimes trucks break down and a rental truck is used.

Also during the Christmas "peak" season, they are used more frequently, especially by temporary seasonal workers. I believe even UPS does this.

It took approximately 18 months longer than anticipated to bring satellite radio to the general public. That’s not so bad, actually, considering the complexity of the technology involved. The latest contribution to consumer entertainment has generated significant attention, and as XM and Sirius become more readily available and agreeable to consumers, chances are good they will have a healthy future. So far, XM is leading the charge with more than two million subscribers to Sirius’ roughly half million. Although, unlike the VCR issue, it would appear there won’t be one winner and one loser. Both satellite systems are strong, have incredible programming and talented personnel, on the air and behind the scenes, and possess ambitious and, most importantly, attainable business strategies.

The strength and longevity to each service’s ongoing success are through their multiple automotive alliances. XM is partially owned by General Motors, and its subsidiary, Hughes Electronics. On the other side of the table, Daimler has invested a significant sum of money in Sirius. Both companies count on exclusive partnerships with these OEMs and other retailers to carry their hardware and offer their programming packages to buyers of their partners’/investors’ vehicles. In addition to the Mercedes model and the Chrysler Group lines, Sirius enjoys an exclusive relationship with BMW and MINI and also a strong relationship with the Ford family, including its P A G. Both programmers share Porsche, Nissan and Infiniti and other vehicle models.

For XM, the affiliation with GM is an extremely important one, as the auto manufacturer has pursued an aggressive marketing push to attract customers who will purchase XM-equipped vehicles and ultimately become subscribers. The bottom line is that these impressive content developers are performing what many motorists would consider a community service: providing multiple musical choices and allowing consumers to shut off conventional, mainstream broadcast radio stations filled with mindless commercials, limited play lists and ceaselessly irritating talk shows.

XM offers 68+ channels of commercial-free music programming, along with 33 news, sports and talk show stations, plus 21 dedicated traffic and weather channels, and Sirius featuring roughly the same total number of channels, 120, with 65 commercial-free, including constant traffic and weather reports in the top 20 U.S. markets. These leaves a consumer spoilt for choice. Fortunately, both services offer their proprietary hardware through a number of retail chains enabling the user to easily subscribe, in order to receive all the music, talk and sports that basic AM/FM formats can’t.

Sirius’ offers “plug and play” marketing strategy. This allows a consumer to take the portable-styled unit from the car into the home and connect the unit to his or her stereo receiver. XM on it’s side offers a similar strategy, securing many of the leading audio manufacturers to produce XM-ready radios that can replace existing head units in a customer’s vehicle, as well as the Delphi XM Roady, which includes an XM receiver, micro-antenna and cassette adaptor available for the car or truck in one small package.

There are multiple subscription packages available, and consumers can sign-up for the appropriate service through their dealership and even roll the service’s fee into their monthly car payment. Retail chains such as Circuit City and Best Buy also enable consumers to sign up on-site for one or the other service. XM offers its programming package for $9.95 per month, while Sirius is a bit more expensive at $12.95. However, Sirius gets quite creative with a series of payment structures, offering a number of free months based on the length of a customer’s contract. For a fee of $499.00, a consumer can have Sirius for “the lifetime of the product.” Even Hertz has joined the ranks, offering Sirius in 30,000 rental cars across the country for a nominal daily fee.

Whichever system you prefer, both sound like a good deal. With the depth of material both satellite services present, singing along with Janet Jackson’s, Linking Park or Elton just got pretty easier. But remember that even with the above options present, it won’t eliminate the need for a new auto sound system, though the type of auto sound system may pose some cretain requirements.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/xm-satellite-vs-sirius-electronic-clones-702797.html

After I arrived in Chiang Mai and lived here for several months I never even considered driving here and never had any thoughts of buying a motor vehicle. Why? Because the traffic seemed just too busy with vendors with carts, bicycles, mortorbikes weaving in and out, drivers of cars and trucks not adhering to the rules of the road and with dogs laying out in the streets reluctant to move. And this is from a person who has driven a car since he was 18 years of age.

My means of transportation when I first arrived was the tuk tuk (or touk touk) which is three wheeled motorcycle with a small bench seat at back covered by a canopy. Either that or a red taxi which is pick up truck with two bench seats placed in back and also a canopy. It was red taxi or tuk tuk at first and then on the back of my girlfriends motorbike. It may look at bit odd but it isn’t uncommon here. A lady weighing 40 kilos driving the honda motorbike powered by a 100 cc engine with a big farang “foreigner” sitting on the back of the motorbike.

But then the time came where we needed to rent a car. We wanted to go to Myanmar and this gave me a chance to get my retirement visa stamped close to the one year period of it’s issue date. As the drive would commence at about 4 a.m. in the morning and be primarily highway driving I agreed to rent a car. The car was remted from North Wheels. As usual in my meticulous ways I checked every rental place I could here in Chiang Mai. Prices were close and North Wheels won it. They had the largest fleet, the best insurance, free pick up, and 24 hr. service in case of trouble. Some of their competitors had marginally lower prices but I think it is because there cars are older.

Well it took a little getting used to. First of all where I am from the steering wheel is on the left side of the car and not the right side and the shifter on my right hand side and not on my left as is common here. Also I have to drive on the left side of the road. But off we went and we made it there and returned in once piece. It was about a 4 1/2 drive there and same coming back. Not that much traffic but what you will find is that for half the trip there is nowhere to pass. You will witness reckless drivers passing on turns and up and down hills where they shouldn’t because they cannot see far enough ahead. The trip is up and some hilly terrain- very hilly.

Will you need to rent a car?

The climate here in Chiang Mai is either warm or hot during the day and warm or cool at night. I arrived on November 23 and during the first 3 months I did not see a drop of rain. It was sunny every day, warm during the day and pleasantly cool in the evenings and at night. If you were sleeping with the window open you would require a blanket.

My girlfriend told me that the time would come where we would get rain every day. Hmmm. She must be exaggerating I thought to myself. Perhaps rain every 2 or 3 days but not “every” day.

Well I was proven wrong. Starting in May we got rain every day. At times a quick shower during what seemed like the same time each day and ocassionaly a continuous rainfall. It was at this time that I realized that we should buy a motor vehicle. The drive on the motorbike at the time to here beauty salon was just too far and with rainfall it took even longer. The other consideration was that when we went shopping for groceries we were buying for 4 of us. Her mother, her daughter, her and me. A fair bit of groceries to carry by a big farang on a motorbike. So I went to look at cars or should I say trucks. Motorbikes outnumber cars here about 3-4 to 1 and trucks outnumber cars here by about 7-8 to 1 reason being is that they are taxed less than cars and therefore more affordable.

First of all I went to Nissan to look at their new trucks. The prices ranged from about 360,000 baht or $9,700 U.S. for a truck with one row of seating for 3 people. For seating front and rear for 5 people the price was approximately 460,000 baht or #12,200 U.S. Excellent prices if you are used to buying vehicles in North America. The price gets even better once you take into consideration that the price for the larger vehicle with seating for 5 ncludes first class insurance for one year, it includes a front bumber, rear bumber, includes the alumiunum castings on the side that you would step on to get in and out of the vehicle and a liner for the turck body and also an attachment where someone inside of the body of the truck could hold on to when they are standing up. All in all lots of extras and a great price.

I almost went ahead with that purchase. Now keep in mind that the most popular vehicles makes here are Toyota, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, then Nissan and then Ford way down the list. We decided to look at used vehicles probably because I thought either I or Wan who had yet to learn to drive and would be driving the vehicle may bang up the truck. At one of the dealerships they did an impeccable job of preparing the vehicles. They were cleaned inside and out and including the engine and engine compartment. The color was good as was the mileage which was only 17,000 km. at a price of 400,000 baht. We added the front and rear bumpers for about 4,000 baht and we were ready to cruise. /p>

The truck is mainly used to drive Mommie to school and for grocery shopping. On ocassion we make a trip to the hot springs or reservoir.

So what have I learned that I can pass on:

1/ If you come here on vacation you will probably not need a rented car unless you plan on seeing the sights out of town. If you come here to live long term you may want to buy a vehicle and probably a pick up because of the price. But chances are you will need it that often and you can get by on a motorbike and renting a car on ocassion. That is the case if you live here alone. Should you meet a lady then things change and you may want to buy a vehicle.

2/ Buy a used pick up as the driving will take getting used to and it may get banged up by you or by your girlfriend who may want to learn to drive it.

3/ Buy a popular make as it is easier getting service. So a Isuzu, Mitsubishi, or Toyota pick up or a Honda car. The driving is alot easier for you and the girlfriend or wife if you have an automatic. Hard to find but keep it in mind.

4/ Stay with a small engine as most of the driving will be city driving and you do not need the horsepower. Keep the money in your pocket as the oil Sheiks have enough of our money.

5/ I decided on getting auto insurance and it cost me about 19,000 baht or about $500 U.S. for a year. After one year the insurance contacted me and said if I wanted to renew the rate would be 30% less as I did not have any claims. What? Are they nuts? Don’t they know that in North America if you do not have any claims and have an impeccable driving record for SIX YEARS that the insurance companies will still increase your rates. So this is your call. If you do not feel that comfortable with the traffic then get the insurance and especially if the girlfriend or wife will also be a driver. After a year you can decide to renew or drop. There is a mandatory insurance here for motor vehicles. If I remember correctly it costs about 1-2,000 baht or $30-$55 U.S. and doesn’t cover much but it is mandatory. And should you decide to sell your vehicle and if you have insurance remaining you will not get a refund from the insurance company but rather the insurance is carried forward to the new owner. So that being the case you can ask more for vehicle.

6/ I have written an article about driving here in Chiang Mai. If you want to rent a car or thinking about buying a vehicle I suggest you read the article over.

7/ The driving here some getting used to. But once you do it is reasonably easy. You have to watch for vehicles running red lights VERY COMMON here. You have to watch for vehicles passing where they shouldn’t and expecting you to move out of your lane- VERY COMMON here. You have to watch for vendor, dogs, motorbikes, and more but I have faith in you. If I can do it anybody can do it.

8/ I am recommending North Wheels Rent A Car. Largest fleet, best insurance, newer vehicles and they know how to treat their customers. Recently I decided to recommend a few of the service providers in Chiang Mai. If you are a visitor you can spend half of your time checking out hotels, car rentals, restaurants, and the like. Best to spend it on having a good time and take my recommendations in good faith. My goal is to see that you have a good time here. Good enough to decide to return here in your retirement.

If you are interested in vacationing in, retiring to Thailand or Chiang Mai then you should visit a website designed to help people by providing interesting and essential information and also deals on accommodations and vacation packages.

Just visit:
http://www.retire-on-550-month.com

George Dowhan
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/buying-a-car-in-thailand-53192.html

Thank you in advance!

I rented a Budget commercial lift gate rental truck. It was the largest truck I could rent without a CDL and I found a coupon code on line and printed it out.

New truck and no hassles