Jerry said "Really, only the BMW dealer can reset the check-engine light?" Resetting a check engine light, and actually performing the required diagnostics, and repairs are two completely different things. In an answer, yes it is quite possible that only a dealer, or an independent that wants to specialize in BMW's will have the tools and equipment necessary to perform the service properly. FWIW, the BMW factory tool, which includes BMW's factory service information starts at $18,000.00+ and has 1/4ly updates that run another $2,000.00 a year. No I won't be buying one, ever... "My new vehicle has displays to tell you to change the oil, I know that can be reset," Don't wait for that system to tell you when to change the oil if you want to keep this vehicle a long time... JMHO.. "I don't recall anything about a check engine light in the owners manul. If it has one, it is a Chevy Colorado, I'd bet a repair shop with the right GM tools can repair/reset the Chevy, one doesn't have to go to the dealer." Yes a shop with the "right tools" can support that vehicle. As much a factor of market share, plus desire the GM TechII scan tool is widely available, and a number of the top independent shops have stepped up to the plate and purchased one, (approx 1 in 100 independent shops). From there it's a business decision whether or not to purchase reprogramming software and updates, and you will likely only find one in twenty shops that have a TechII are involved in flash reprogramming. There are many aftermarket tools that have varying level of support for GM vehicles, most will support GM 80% of the factory tool or slightly better. For the most part this is what you will find most shops using, one of the Snap-On scan tools. (MT2500, or MODIS, SOLUS) Vetronix Masteretch, (Vetronix made the TechI, and TechII tools for GM), OTC Genysis, Nemysis. Some of the most elite of shops will have more than one of these tools. My GM coverage has me using the TechII first and foremost, but I also have the Vetronix Mastertech, and the Snap-On scan tools which I owned prior to the purchase of the TechII, and end up keeping them up to date because the manufacturer bundles the updates. Average cost per tool is $1100 a year for updates. We'll talk about Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda all of which I have factory tools and support for in some other post.... BTW I do have software support for BMW, but it's not factory level, but it is O.E enhanced. Essentially that means it's not just the generic OBDII that the EPA requires under the clean air act, but it's certaintly not the same as the dealer uses either. It's not beyond the possibility to expect I could start into a diagnostic/repair attempt only to find out the tool ($4,000.00) does not support the particular problem the car is experiencing..... BTW, without going into detail, on one hand you would think every shop would jump at the chance to have the correct tools to do the job, but the reason they don't has to do with the tug of war with many of the customers that occurs as they attempt to run a profitable business. After decades of not turning the kinds of profits that an independent should make, the result is an ever snowballing collapse in the number of independent repair shops, simply because they are not tooled, and trained to keep up with today's cars, and they didn't know how to deal with the situation that is created by (or should I say outlined by) the previous post you and I were involved in.....

In numerous cases, Dell in particular, if you flip over the laptop there is a pushbutton on the battery and a series of LEDs that light up to indicate the level of charge when you push the button (assumes the charge circuit is operational and that the battery can hold a charge). I would start by checking Dell's website to see if the battery is part of any recall, many were. If you rarely use it on battery I wouldn't spend any extra on a larger capacity one. Third party ones should be used with caution, quality is often lacking. Personally I have used Lenmar replacements, for laptops and camcorders, when competitively priced. So far I have been lucky, some reviewers seem to diss them. I would definitely factor in the cost of a new battery vs purchase of a new warrantied unit also.

Wow! This is thought-provoking since we are in the midst of renovating a house and are actually living through all of the must haves, can't haves and what I should work in.... (Wonder if I should start a thread on this, hope this is not too long). Here are the must haves or what I have decided on: Lots and lots of counterspace and storage Large kitchen island with cabinets to both sides plus seating area Separate walk thru pantry with lots of storage for china,extra kitchen equipment and food plus separate freezer Tall drawers for large pots and storage containers for "the dreaded Tupperware drawer" Separate full refrigeratorin kitchen and full freezer in pantry area both with panels - don't want the SS look Two ovens - one being the Miele speed oven which would serve the place of a microwave and a toaster oven, the other will be from under the full range - see below A coffee station behind an appliance garage Garbage/recycling cans to either side and dishwasher Single bowl sink with runyons for drainage My splurge - a Capital Culinarian 48" with grill and most importantly a strong, quiet vent hood (paneled) vented to the outside - here waffling between just getting SS for the stove and never getting tired of it or springing for one in red - will I get tired of it?!Will I end up regretting it several years down the road? Plain, timeless cabinets that I won't get tired of - well made, white without a lot of embellishments Lots and lots of windows to see the view and two skylights above the large island for natural lighting Separate lighting - for amibiance and tasks throughout the kitchen Now for the enigma: I would like natural stone countertops that are easy to maintain - a matt finish, won't etch, won't stain with oil and can be cleaned. Haven't figured this one out yet - would love some ideas/suggestions, I just don't know which way to go. What I envision is a honed or antiqued black granite on the periphery and the island (which has the sink in it) I would like a white marble look without the worries of etching, etc. The people I have been speaking to about the island say that there now is a product that is guanranteed for 15 years against staining and that I could do the marble I wanted, that I don't have to worry. I am worried about "guarantees". We do heavy duty cooking and entertaining---think wine rings, lemon juice, oil ring, etc. on a daily basis.Right now I have white Corian countertops which I have had for 20 years and still looks great since I can clean and bleach the stains and I don't cut on them (don't want this look again, though.....) Looking for somethings different and don't want to do regular granite..... Would love some suggestions - better to start a new thread?

Our library (TV-room, but all bookshelves) sofa is Naugahyde and it looked fine when it was put into storage in 2013. It is sturdy enough that everybody stood on one of the arms and stepped onto the back in order to retrieve books from the top shelves. We were allowed to eat in there once we were old enough to eat without making a mess, but we had to use a little table . One cushion seam came undone and a button or two popped off the back and had to be put back on. But people hate naugahyde now because it's plastic. It's also indestructable and in the finish on this sofa doesn't feel that much different than leather. If I was starting out with young kids I would use naugahyde hands down. I have no problem with it being plastic. Our basement sofas were wide wale corduroy and my parents held parties where everybody ate and drank, sometimes to excess and then the grandchildren played down there with practically no supervision at all. One of the pair was fine from 1975, the other got a rip on the outside corner of one arm. These sofas had arm covers. I am going to recover the smaller one but really it's in pretty good condition. Both living room sofas are in perfect condition and both are almost 50 years old but both were reupholstered in 1987. We did not eat in there, but we were allowed to have drinks in there if we were using the room on holidays. The big sofa got a lot of use because people would read books or nap on it. I may not even recover these, and just use them as is. Kids were not allowed to use markers in the living room. The dog ruined the original crewel on one cushion of the sofa because he would sleep in that spot. No cats in that house. We used our furniture fully but they got vacuumed every week and if we got crumbs or spills we cleaned them up. I don't know what to say. A couple things got more damage when my parents were really elderly and didn't notice spills and things like that than they did when there were kids around, but in general we certainly didn't baby anything. One thing is though that every sofa in that house was heavy and sturdy enough that a adult sized person in our family could stand on the arm or the back without doing any damage at all and the cushions were quality enough that they did not crush. The living room sofa is also an extremely heavy cotton and silk tapestry flame stitch that would be very hard to snag or damage in any way during normal use. We also never kept plastic or a throw or a cover on anything. My parents said if you had something that you had to treat too carefully maybe you shouldn't have it, that most things were bought to be used, and not covered up until company came. They also felt the cover made people more careless. When my dad would see an expensive car straddling two spaces he would say "If you are going to own a Rolls, it should still be just a car to you and you should expect it to get dinged up like a regular car." As for cats: I think more people who had inside cats used to declaw the front paws more frequently and with less guilt than they do now. I personally would never declaw a cat, but then it is luck of the draw as to whether you get a scratcher or not.