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Why Did I Sell The GT350?

So, if you didn’t hear already, I sold the Mustang GT350 this weekend. I’ve had a bunch of friends ask me why I did it.  So, this post is about 50% explaining that, and 50% reaffirming my decision to make me feel better.

Obviously, it was a tough decision.  I LOVED the Shelby, I never got bored of the sound, the look, the performance.  However, a bunch of things conspired to make it the logical choice to sell:

US Car Market:

COVID has hit inventory HARD.  Plants had to close down (and some are still not producing cars).  Additionally, parts to build cars have been hard for manufacturers to come by as supply chains have been broken, and plants that manufacture some parts have also been closed.

This has caused some spinoff problems, such as:

People not buying new cars = not trading in used

People buying used instead of new due to low inventory.

So, even though demand for cars was suppressed, the sharp drop off of inventory has more than compensated for that.  Because of this, the value of my car shot up about 15% - instant equity.  This equity is temporary, as it’s estimated supply levels will start to return within the next couple months which will drive down new and used car prices.  

Fun fact:  In a 500 mile radius, there were exactly THREE GT350′s for sale.

So, as painful as it was, I decided to cash the equity out of my car while it was there.

Some other reasons/ benefits of selling the Shelby:

$300 savings on car insurance (year)

$250/mo lower car payments

This is all important as I start getting ready to purchase my very first home!  The equity went directly into my down payment fund.  The lower car payment will allow me to afford a larger mortgage as well.

So, what did I buy?

I went with a 2014 Audi S4 Prestige Quattro S-Tronic.  Low miles, impeccibly maintained, really quick, beautiful interior and really cool tech.  It’s also very tuneable - 330 HP base but can pull another 100 out of it with just a few mods and a tune.  It’s already only .3 sec slower 0-60 than the Shelby on dry road, and on less than perfect pavement would pretty much destroy it.

I’ve been looking at newer Audi models (hello RS5 Sportback) so it will be great to live with an Audi for a while to see if I want to do that, or go with a C63 AMG S or 911 Turbo

A couple of other small factors that led to the decision were the fact that Trump is crazy, the USCIS is furloughing 17,000 of their 30,000 workforce at the end of the month, so IF I had to return to Canada, the Audi will be very simple to liquidate with minimal risk. 

Also, the 5.2L flat plane crank Voodoo engine in the Shelby, while gorgeous in sound and performance, is still very unproven. It’s only been around for 4 years, and with Shelby’s being low mileage vehicles, it’s unclear how they will hold up in higher mileage situations. There’s already questions about excessive oil usage - so I was wary of a potentially devastating repair bill in the future.

So, now you know why I sold the Shelby.  I’m definitely sad to see it go, but excited to have my first German sports/ luxury car.

[fantiniastic]

Debunking Florida COVID-19 Myths

There has been a lot of talk about the situation in Florida with COVID-19, and unfortunately a lot of it is based on hearsay, and the recirculation of misinformation.   I wanted to set the record straight and give you an update from the perspective of a Florida resident.

Everyone remembers the viral video that circulated during the early days of the pandemic.  A bunch of college kids, flooding beaches in Southern Florida, saying they just want to have fun, it’s spring break, they don’t care about COVID... etc.  The firestorm of outrage on social media was fierce, with people decrying how irresponsible they were (who woulda thunk college kids were irresponsible?), and how crazy Floridians are.  

To clarify, whilst there were of course Floridians participating in that behavior, the majority of people in that scenario were from out of state (even GASP Canadians).  It’s really not fair to pile that on Florida.

Since then, the entire State has gone on lockdown, with pretty much everything closing down.  With that, the growth of spread of COVID-19 dropped sharply. So much so, that the threat of the medical system in Florida collapsing or being overwhelmed has stabilized.  With that, the State government has introduced the first phase of relaxing social distancing.  Some people still believe that the purpose of social distancing was to eliminate COVID-19, but the fact is that will never happen.  Just like the common cold, or the flu, this virus isn’t going anywhere.  The reason for social distancing was to ensure that people who get ill have timely access to proper treatment, and that supplies are available for it.

Another argument I often see is “They don’t care about people or lives, they just care about money.”  This is extremely disingenuous, and is not a ‘this or that’ issue.  Florida’s number one industry is hospitality and tourism.  So many Floridians depend on this to survive, from the waitress, to the small business owner, to the hundreds of thousands of amusement park workers.  In a perfect world, the government would just keep everything shut down and pay everyone a living wage, but that is neither economically viable, nor sensible from an overall strategy in dealing with this virus.  Just like if you protected your child in a bubble from birth to age 18 from all germs, viruses, and outside risks - when they ended up in the normal world they would be highly susceptible to all manner of danger,  

The cogent strategy in this case is to try to expose the population to the virus in a controlled way in order to build immunity.  

People are now claiming that since Florida relaxed their social distancing rules, that cases and deaths have exploded.  The data does not show that. As a matter of fact, the spread of the virus has remained at the same slow progress it did after the initial peak of curve.  

This leveling of cases led to the phase one of relaxation, and after one week of this new phase, the spike some were predicting has not happened.  Of course, I do not have a crystal ball - we could yet see a spike especially since the incubation period can be up to 14 days, but there are people claiming it’s already happened when the data just hasn’t shown that.

If it does spike, you can be sure that they will tighten up restrictions again, just as the Governor said they will.

I’ve also seen people say that ‘Everything is open in Florida now OMG!’.  This, again, is patently false.  Phase one opened up restaraunts and stores at 25%.  Bars, gyms, amusement parks and government offices remain closed.  Many people are wearing masks, and people are observing the social distancing measures put in place for the most part (open businesses have signage and markers on floors, etc).  For the businesses that are open, the Sherriff’s Departments are visiting often, and monitoring compliance.

Finally, where I am living right now (Pinellas County) where many of the best beaches are, we have few cases and deaths. There are 1 million residents here, and have had 997 cases and 60 deaths.  If you compare that with Manitoba, it is about 3 times as many cases and 8 times as many deaths, true, but it has to be understood that not only is Pinellas County a mere 608 sq miles compared to 250,000+ for Manitoba.  Add to that the fact that there are far more visitors to Pinellas County than Manitoba and it becomes clear why infection rates would be higher.

I’m not saying that the strategy in Florida is ideal, but there has to be a balance struck between protecting people now, and protecting people as we try to return to a normal life and the pursuit of happiness.

[fantiniastic]

The 2020 GT500. In Grabber Green. I think I need a moment alone. 😍🤤💪❤️💋👅💦 https://www.instagram.com/p/BvF48BFA_0nkOImDnnxglTRCdPqH2-45kQQfqI0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=zuvz9bhl9tkq

[fantiniastic]

The magnificent Allure of the Seas. My review in the link in my bio (at Labadee, Haiti - Royal Caribbean's Private Destination) https://www.instagram.com/p/Buf6mbqg9rwpiO8GfPUvhO78oQ809ABmexE1U00/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=clilyoleyxrq

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I am going to GUSH about my experience... WITH CAR INSURANCE!

Before the gushing begins, though - I want to point out that I am a typical Canadian: a socialist leaning capitalist.  I believe that people should be able to build wealth and success through hard work, talent, and even luck. I don’t think this should be limited, but I do believe that everyone should contribute to the success of the people as a whole, including helping those who need it. (I don’t think many Americans understand socialism, actually)

I used to be more socialist when I was younger, as everything was a ‘Crown Corporation’. Health care, utilities, insurance, banks - all owned by the government. Through my experiences, though - I’ve come to realize that while some entities should always be government run (health care, banks), some are best left to private corporations (READ: CAR INSURANCE).

I have had many different car insurance policies, from both private and public insurance providers. I have NEVER had an experience to compare with my most recent one:

I was driving to hockey on the Interstate a few Saturdays ago when the traffic ahead came to a quick stop.  I broke hard, and as I did I looked in my rear view mirror (thanks, defensive driving course at 15). I saw that the Jeep behind me  was not going to be able to stop. So, I veered into the left shoulder, but could not get over fast enough.  BOOM! My precious Mustang GT350 got whacked in the rear bumper.

We got out, assessed the damage, and the driver admitted fault. In order to save time, I just captured his admission on video instead of waiting for the police on the side of a very busy freeway.

A couple weeks later, I got a call from Geico (the other driver’s insurer - I have Progressive [shout out to Flo!!]} She was extremely friendly, empathetic, and was calling to say that they were arranging to fix my vehicle at no cost to me.  WHAT? No trying to place partial fault to claim my deductible against the damage?  What’s this insanity??  She told me they would  be providing a rental car while mine was fixed (they actually gave me a Camaro - they tried to match the Shelby :) ).  She also said it was up to me to pick whatever shop I wanted, but they had a special service called Geico Auto Repair Xpress that streamlines the process with a lifetime guarantee.  I thought, “why not?”.

I booked the appointment for Dattilo’s Collision Center for the next day.  I have never, ever received the level of service I did through this repair:

I pulled up and they were waiting for me

They went over the damage right there and assured me they would contact with their estimate before proceeding

They fully explained the entire process and got my blessing

They walked me to the desk and the Enterprise guy was there

He got me checked into my rental and on my way. 

Dattilo’s was on the way to work, but I was only 8 minutes later to work than usual - amazing!

They did not cheap out on parts, there was a scrape on my valance, and instead of repairing it they replaced the whole thing

They didn’t just wash my car, they DETAILED it, including wheels and polish

They gave me a lifetime guarantee on the work!

Geico has always seemed to me to be the bargain bin of insurance - big and cheap. I was worried about them cutting corners but they did just the opposite.  Everything was fabulous, including the service.

If this was MPI or ICBC (two public insurers I had previously) they would have accused me of being at fault, been rude and short, cut corners, gave me no choices, and returned me a dirty car.  I know this because I have experienced it on more than one occasion.

2 takeaways:  Firstly, its time to do away with public insurance in Canada - you are not getting value for your premiums.  Secondly, Geico is a fantastic company to deal with. I am probably going to switch back to them when my Progressive policy expires (though they have been great, too!)

[fantiniastic]

Me and @koreycreighton had a blast on #royalcarribean recently. See my review of our experience on this megaship. Link in bio #oasisclass (at Allure Of The Seas) https://www.instagram.com/p/BtXP-wRgV8wHrYWLIb85jo_SrL9gpcAsgkNV9M0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=an1sfyor5pxd

[fantiniastic]

My impressions and tips after my first experience on a megaship - Royal Caribbeans Allure of the Seas!

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Really great shoot today #mustang #fordperformance #gt350 #gt350sdaily #gt350only #shelby (at Riverbend (Tampa)) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqEh3ftAitIb7Nqy6fgSfJbZRHTeCvC8HoPmTE0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1km1nt8tslsfj

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Double Rainbow #arthur #reddeadredemption2 #rdr2 (at Horseshoe Bend Overlook) https://www.instagram.com/p/BplJVGzgsQJc58bOm06WxESwVbAsnLuRXHO23Y0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1l8iqkdqaf02

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Lola and Cobie. Great dins with @christampa ❤️❤️❤️ #ferrari #ferraricalifornia #shelby #gt350 (at Ford's Garage) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpftmmPAYcJiNGL7KQTIn1w8VZUACW1Vpzo0aY0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=g1vicq1eq63b

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Starting at left defense, number 6, Chris Zombietini! (at Planet Fitness) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpDh0xCHYNsuf3MLygIMphW5FzxnrkVijPUgoI0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1b5n0gba6vx40

[fantiniastic]

"There's a Hidden Hero in all of us" -Tina, Director of Operations #spiritweek #happinessisanattitude #employeeexperience (at 24-7 Intouch) https://www.instagram.com/p/BoJ19vrnLwOQPzWtPx_wG3gOgPkCH_hW4x36o80/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=9gr0fvhc8fmi

[fantiniastic]

Happy 24-7 Intouch Day!! (at 24-7 Intouch) https://www.instagram.com/p/BoHCXALnMYcY0ebZVtQTcInAnfSYrs9FZoFhaI0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=s6x2ifw8uklm

[fantiniastic]

13 Weird Things to Get Used to About Florida

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A post shared by Chris Fantini (@fantiniastic)

Omg I'm dying 😂😂😂😂😂 https://www.instagram.com/p/BnwIpOWHM3RSReixIiDRJsey3O3W4oR025q1UU0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1wbnurnzcf2h5

[fantiniastic]

It’s Getting Harder to Make a Human Connection

So many things seem to be conspiring against making real connections nowadays. Social Media, online dating, and people less and less willing to take the plunge and go out, with, you know real people, are all working together to make it very hard to build strong relationships.  

Of course, I brought this upon myself as I decided to leave my close friends and family thousands of miles away, but I really thought it would be easier to meet people if I was just a bit more outgoing.

I can’t even get my friends to come down to visit, or go on a cruise. I’m not faulting them, they are all in relationships and it’s not easy to just take a couple of weeks off and spend a boatload of cash.

I’m not going to let it defeat me though. Life is way too short to sit on the sidelines waiting for something to happen.  Solo cruising has become a very big deal recently, and there are even solo dedicated cabins and sections of the ship exclusively for singles.  There’s also a travel company called intrepidtravel.com that specializes in small group itineraries that cater to solo travelers.  They have packages all over the world, and you can pick segments or group them together to do longer sojourns.  They even have itineraries for people who want more alone time, and levels of luxury as well.

Life is what you make of it and I am going to continue to try to get the most out of mine :)

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A post shared by Chris Fantini (@fantiniastic)

This is so sad. #redtide hasn't really impacted my neighborhood until the past few days. Will be posting a video about it on my #youtube channel soon. Search Fantiniastic and please subscribe. (at Treasure Island, Florida) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnugblKH2AfV3WJ0hDVvLJ-XGp6LfwNlATcyUo0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=s8sd9l69v9wi