Reviews by dmontag

dmontag says "A real workhorse, very comfortable, not very stylish" about Dodge Grand Caravan - 2004

dmontag — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:19:58 GMT

I bought my 2004 Dodge Grand Caravan used in 2005, with 15,000 miles on it. I bought it because it had all the features I wanted, and very few that I didn't care about. I now have 92,000 miles on it, and I've been very happy with it. It has been very dependable (always starts, even in our cold Michigan winters), and very inexpensive to own and maintain. I have a wife, a 13-year-old son, and 2 dogs, and we all fit in it very comfortably when we drive to our cottage for a long weekend, even when my son brings a friend or two along. Our van has the 2 "captain's chairs" in the middle row, and we really like that arrangement. We got the more substantial seats, not the "stow-and-go" seats, and they're much more comfortable than the thinner, lighter seats, especially for 3-4 hour rides across the state.

So far, we've gotten decent gas mileage from our Grand Caravan. I have a short (5 mile) commute for work, with all backroads and no freeways, so I'm not surprised when I get about...

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dmontag says "Great Digital SLR, fun and easy to use" about Nikon - D50 Digital Camera

dmontag — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:05:13 GMT

I've been using my Nikon D-50 (a lot) since March 2006, and I just love it. I take an average of almost 10,000 photos per year (27,800 so far in just over 3 years). I bought the 2-lens kit that comes with the 18-55mm and 55-200mm lens, and I use the 18-55 most of the time. I also bought a 3rd Nikon lens (28-80mm), and that's my current favorite. When I go to University of Michigan baseball games, I switch to my 55-200mm lens and get photos as good as the professionals covering the games.

It took me a while to figure out some of the more obscure features of the camera, but not that long to become comfortable with the features I use 95% of the time. The viewfinder and status screen are both easy to view and understand, and the menu system is pretty easy to navigate. The viewfinder is clear and bright, and it contains enough information so I don't need to take my eye off of it to look at the status screen.

Some people have complained about the size/weight of the camera, but I...

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dmontag says "Great features, slightly dim picture" about LG RC897T DVD Recorder / VCR Combo

dmontag — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 19:51:31 GMT

I bought the LG RC897T DVD Recorder / VCR Combo in November 2008 from the Best Buy Outlet store on EBay. It was a "floor model", and it was in great shape, with all the accessories.

I had previously owned a more basic DVD Recorder, made by CyberHome, and I pretty much wore it out. It started skipping and stuttering, so I decided to replace it. The LG model is much more solid and robust, with a lot more features. In particular, I like the 1080p upconvert feature, and the built-in digital tuner. These are features that are usually found on much more expensive units.

I haven't used the VCR section that much, but when I have used it, it worked fine. I mostly use the unit to play DVDs (both pre-recorded and homemade) and to record old University of Michigan football and basketball games from VHS to DVD. I have used both the built-in VCR and a separate VCR to provide the signal for recording the DVDs, and I got similar results with each of them.

My only complaint about the LG...

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dmontag says "Lowest rates for combined auto and home insurance" about State Farm

dmontag — Wed, 07 May 2008 15:25:48 GMT

Over the years, I occasionally got quotes on my auto insurance, which I used to have through American Express (now Ameriprise). No one could touch the rates I got with AmEx until a year ago, when I got a combined auto/home quote from State Farm. It wasn't a lot lower (maybe $150/year), but it was enough to make me switch.

I'm like the people in the local State Farm office, and I'm happy with the service they've provided.

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dmontag says "Good basic G wireless router, at a bargain price" about D-Link eHome EH-100 Wireless Router

dmontag — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:07:25 GMT

This is a very good budget wireless G router. It has all the basic functions that you'd expect to find in a router, along with the ability to connect to the D-Link ANT24-0700 external antenna for extended range. The eHome brand is owned by D-Link, so that shouldn't be too surprising.
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