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RE: Fuel station asking for Zip codes and we are Canadian
This works. Take your postal code ie. P3E 3R8 ..... take the numbers 338 and add two zeros 33800 put in as zip code. It
won't compromise the postal code on your credit card and it satisfies the US zip code request.
This only works sometimes and then only when the address verification system (AVS) has not been fully implemented at the station in question. AVS compares the zip code you enter at the pump with the zip code on file with your credit card issuer. There is no zip code or postal code on the credit card itself. There are a number of solutions. I put a US address on my credit card for the time I am in the states and this works all the time everywhere. Some, but not all, CDN debit cards with PIN will work at some stations (both the bank issuing the card and the station must be associated with the NYCE network). CDN banks generally levy a fee for using a debit card in the US. No fee for using a US bank issued debit card with PIN and it will work at all stations.
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Lorne&Lorraine
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02/07/12 05:17pm |
Snowbirds
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RE: Ford 350 "stutttering" over 50mph - Pleasureway XL TD
My 5.4 did similar then degraded to where increased throttle always caused misfire.
A coil was bad. I think water had gotten to it.
Might not be. On a diagnostic scope or whatever it will show up quickly.
My 03 Ford Excel TD 5.4 l did exactly the same thing. It would come and go but got steadily worse over time. Tried many things. No code was set. Finally decided to replace all the plugs and COPs. That solved the problem. In replacing the plugs and coils there was evidence of water (rusty stain along the plug and COP) in the rear most plug hole on the passenger side so it was probably that COP that went bad. Apparently no code being said is not uncommon with this problem on this engine. And water getting into the plug recesses is also not uncommon. By far best to use Ford OEM plugs and COPS. Too many reports of problems with 3rd party parts. Even though we did the work ourselves it was expensive since the OEM parts are not cheap. My brother had the same problem with two of his Ford engines. I could have reduced costs by replacing COPS one at a time to isolate the issue cylinder, but I had wrestled with diagnosing this thing so long that I just wanted to get it over and be done with it. I also wanted to replace all the plugs and since it's such a tight and knuckle scraping job I felt I might as well just replace all the COPS while I was at it. I kept the old ones as spares.
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Lorne&Lorraine
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01/24/12 04:46pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Prepaid SIM for Canadian for internet access in the US?
I should have mentioned the T-Mobile SIM. My son just got back from the US and he got a SIM and prepaid plan from T-Mobile to use in his Rogers smart phone.
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Lorne&Lorraine
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01/04/12 10:28pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: Prepaid SIM for Canadian for internet access in the US?
We use this: Virgin Broadband2GO
Need to check coverage map though.
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Lorne&Lorraine
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01/04/12 11:47am |
Technology Corner
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RE: pleasureway excel leak
Renee, there was no visible sign of dripping/seeping with my tail light leaks either (nor with the side window leak until I looked closely with the inside trim removed). Just dampness on the carpet as you noted.
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Lorne&Lorraine
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12/28/11 08:30am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: pleasureway excel leak
I had water inside the rear storage area on my 03 PW Excel and found that it was entering the camper from the around the tail light gasket material. Tried unsuccessfully to beef up the gasket seal to stop the leaking but ended up drilling three small (1/8 inch) holes in the bottom part of the rubber tail light molding to let the water drain out of the tail light cavity before it entered the camper. Been dry for years now and the holes are not noticeable.
Last year after a heavy rain I noticed it was a bit wet under the driver's side twin bed and found that water was seeping past the rubber gasket around the window beside the bed. Removal of the inside window molding showed a slow seeping water leak at the gasket at the top of the window. Rather than try and remove the window and reinstall with a new gasket, from outside the camper I applied to the leak area some of the silicone sealant designed to seep into very small spaces and topped off with a run of black RV Proflex sealant along the entire top part of the window and down each side for a few inches. The black Proflex color matches the rubber gasket and rubber molding and is visually unobtrusive. Probably no need for the double sealant approach but I wanted to eliminate as much as possible the potential for recurrence.
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Lorne&Lorraine
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12/27/11 09:28am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Need help for Canuk friend
.................I did run into issues with the zip thing. Some of the fuel pumps were asking for a zip even for debit cards ............
Cool Canuck, the pump wanted a Zip even if you pressed the debit button? It should ask for a PIN if you press debit and a zip if you press credit.
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Lorne&Lorraine
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12/18/11 11:59am |
Snowbirds
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RE: Need help for Canuk friend
moisheh, RBC Bank will reimburse ATM fees (up to $2 each) for 2 ATM withdrawals a month at any third party ATM anywhere in the US. I used Bank of America's ATM's ($2 a pop) throughout the southwest and California last winter and never paid a cent in ATM fees (besides use of check and credit cards plus ability for cash backs at retailers significantly reduces need for ATM cash). I've never had any reason to step inside a bricks and mortar RBC Bank branch because internet banking works just fine for us but if one had more extensive USA banking needs than we do, then another approach might be better. And yes there are alternate ways to move money around (hence my use of the word convoluted in my other post and I like your approach) but I also like the single on-line sign-in at RBC and the instant transfers. And RBC does give us a genuine USA credit card.
I need to keep a certain minimum balance in my RBC Bank checking account to avoid monthly account fees but some Canadian account holders have been able to switch over to the no-fee version available only to US residents and still keep the great on-line integration with their Canadian accounts. This option will disappear with the sale of the existing RBC Bank to PNC. The RBC Bank option may not be absolutely perfect in its totality but it's the closest option to it for me at this time
I use my Good Sam mail forwarding address for my billing address and have had no problem with my numerous on-line purchases from merchants that don't accept non-US credit cards or cards with a non-USA billing address. Also great for those merchants that won't ship to Canada.
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Lorne&Lorraine
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12/04/11 06:19pm |
Snowbirds
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RE: Need help for Canuk friend
I opened a chequing account at a US bank and they issued me a debit/credit Visa card. They explained to me that it can be used as a debit with a pin ($205 daily limit) or a credit card ($1000 limit)if there is money in your account. I have never tried using it as a credit card without money in the account. I have used it across the US as a credit card and it works exactly like a credit card except the money comes out of your account right away like a debit card. I put my post office box number as my address on the card so I just use the zip for that post office box number. At the checkout it comes usually comes up as a debit purchase and you have to change it to a credit purchase but that is just a keystroke or two.
Your USA debit card has a VISA symbol on it because, in the USA unlike Canada, the VISA/ Mastercard system is used to process debit/check transactions. So even though you can use your US debit card like a credit card, it's not really a CREDIT card since the funds come out of your checking account just as if you had written a check. Hence the term "check card" is often used.
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Lorne&Lorraine
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12/04/11 11:46am |
Snowbirds
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RE: Need help for Canuk friend
Lorne and Lorraine: Would you mind explaining how you got a USA bank isuued CC? They always tell me I need a Social Security # or no card. I have the USA address and even a USA bank account. A secured card is of course available.
Moisheh
RBC's USA affiliate, RBC Bank, will issue a USA bank Visa card to Canadians who have an RBC Access checking account. RBC Access USA. I have the basic account but they offered me a no fee Visa Card anyway and I believe they do that for all.
My RBC set-up works extremely well and RBC's on-line integration with its US counterpart can't be matched. However, as you may know, RBC has sold its US banking operation to a Pittsburgh based bank, PNC Bank. But RBC is keeping all its Canadian based USA accounts and they will be transferred in February 2012 to a separate entity called RBC Bank (Georgia), N.A.(but will also be called RBC Bank). They will be issuing us with new check/debit cards, Visa credit cards, paper checks etc in February.
Since we will be in Florida at that time and just don't want to deal with a change in banking while we are away, we recently opened accounts with the Desjardins Caisse. They are based mainly in Quebec and eastern Ontario. Desjardins has a USA affiliate, Desjardins Bank, with three branches in south Florida (yes only three branches. They were set up years back to mainly service Quebecers who winter in the area). We now have a USA based Mastercard from Desjardins.
The nice thing about both the RBC and Desjardins USA accounts is that you can set them up by visiting their respective outlets in Canada. One can also get USA accounts with a couple of other US banks without visiting one of their branches in the US (eg Harris bank and probably a couple of others) but none of them have the on-line account integration that RBC and Desjardins have. Also, having used both now, RBC's set-up is by far the best. Desjardins' set-up does the job but is not as user friendly as RBC's.
Some people have reported that without a US SSN they couldn't even open a US based bank account (US bank staff at branches away from the Canadian border often just aren't aware of the procedure or even that it can be done) and, if they were able to open an account, they then couldn't get on-line access and/or a US credit card. Plus moving funds from Canada to the USA and vice versa could be a bit convoluted. All of these things can be done and are relatively easy with RBC and Desjardins, with RBC being the better of the two.
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Lorne&Lorraine
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12/04/11 11:36am |
Snowbirds
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RE: Need help for Canuk friend
DHDW&2dogs, as I noted in the other thread that method works all the time with my BMO US $ card. But a friend tried it a while back with his TD Bank US $ card and it wouldn't work for him. I once added a US address as a secondary address on a CIBC US $ card and it wouldn't work. So once again it depends, maybe. Not too long ago not all CDN banks participated with the address verification system (AVS) (whether they do now or not I don't know) which meant the zip on the card could not be compared with the zip on file and therefore no dice at the pump. I now have several methods which always work for me at the pump:
BMO US $ card with US address (my preferred)USA bank issued credit cards with US addressUSA bank issued debit/check cards with PIN (no fee)Scotiabank/Royal Bank/Desjardins issued debit cards with PIN (fee, and only works at stations affiliated with the NYCE network)
Based on my experience and the comments of others in this forum, the so-called tricks work only sometime (probably only when AVS has not been fully implemented at the stations in question).
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Lorne&Lorraine
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12/03/11 12:23pm |
Snowbirds
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RE: Campgrounds near or in San Antonio
We stayed at the KOA for a few days last February. Very conveniently located. Real handy bus ride downtown. Wonderful meals on the River Walk!!
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Lorne&Lorraine
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12/02/11 12:58pm |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: Need help for Canuk friend
Yup, it's a******shoot. Depends on the station. Only way to know is try it. I've encountered situations where the "trick" would work with one CDN card at a station but not with another CDN card at the same station. Some CDN cards (like my BMO US$ card, but not cards from all CDN banks apparently) will work at the pump at all US stations if the cards have a US address on file and the associated zip is used (CDN debit cards with PIN from some CDN banks will also work at some stations, but not all in either case). More details in the other thread.
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Lorne&Lorraine
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12/02/11 12:39pm |
Snowbirds
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RE: Need help for Canuk friend
Don't be surprised if the two zeros thing doesn't work (all the time anyway). See the other thread for solutions that always work.
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Lorne&Lorraine
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12/01/11 11:18am |
Snowbirds
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RE: What Was That Trick ....
The postal code zeros thing will not work if the address verification system (AVS) is fully functional at a station in question. If AVS has been fully implemented (which it has not been at all stations) the computer compares the ZIP code you have entered at the pump with the ZIP that is on file with your credit card issuer. If they don't match, the pump will not turn on. I have tried different credit cards with different "tricks" all across the US and some of them work some of the time but none of them work all of the time.
Now I just put my US mailing address on one of my Canadian bank issued US $ cards and that works at the pump every time. You can also use a Canadian debit card with PIN at the pump at stations associated with the NYCE network. Not all Canadian bank cards will work and not all US stations participate. The Canadian banks were charging a fee each time their debit cards were used in this fashion. I see CIBC is now advertising international transactions with their Canadian debit card but I don't know if they are charging a fee or if they are just catching up with the other banks. I can also use my USA bank issued debit card and PIN at the pump (no transaction fee) but I prefer using a credit card.
So there are several ways to deal with this issue other than going inside and waiting in the slurpee/lottery ticket line. Of course, some profess to like the exercise and change of pace.
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Lorne&Lorraine
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11/28/11 11:56am |
Snowbirds
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RE: Virgin Mobile Broadband
Our Virgin Mobile Broadband2GO worked great during our travels around Florida (but we didn't go to the the Keys) two years ago. We were able to use it in several State Parks and even got a usable signal for checking e-mail at the Long Pine Key campground in Everglades National Park (this was well outside the coverage area shown on their map). BUT............it worked dismally, if at all, during our trip across the south last winter to California. Often we would be well within the map coverage area and have full signal bars yet get no more than dial-up speed (if we were lucky). We did get download speeds above 1 Mbs a couple of times (out of 27 different campgrounds). We were very disappointed with this. We will try it again in Florida this winter and, if the performance is not satisfactory, we will be looking for an alternative.
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Lorne&Lorraine
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11/28/11 11:24am |
Technology Corner
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RE: Tracfone Calls to Canada - How?
dieharder, I'm guessing you have a CDMA Tracfone (that doesn't use a SIM card). Unlike a GSM Tracfone, from some reports it seems a CDMA Tracfone may get a signal through a Canadian cell phone provider (although Tracfone doesn't like it) which might explain why you can get minutes added to your phone while in Canada. Your location is too far away from a US tower to get a US signal. My GSM Tracfone phone will not show any signal from any Canadian cell provider. I can get a signal from a US tower if I am in certain parts of Cornwall and east of there very close to the St Lawrence River.
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Lorne&Lorraine
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11/22/11 01:43pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Tracfone Calls to Canada - How?
Unless you use a VPN, Tracfone could easily tell from your IP address that you are accessing it's web site from outside the US. But unlike some other US internet sites, Tracfone doesn't seem to care.
I wonder if things work differently with a GSM phone with a SIM card versus a CDMA phone when the expiration date (plus 30 days grace?) is reached and the phone cannot connect to Tracfone's computers to get new minutes/time previously added over the internet. If a SIM card expires, one must get a new SIM card. Tracfone will not ship SIM cards to Canada and one loses any unused minutes. I don't know if a SIM card automatically expires if the expiration date on the phone is reached (which I think is likely) or does it wait until the next time the phone gets a signal and connects to check if any time has been added before biting the dust. Unlike a CDMA phone, I don't think Tracfone can or will resurrect an expired SIM card.
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Lorne&Lorraine
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11/21/11 02:18pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Tracfone Calls to Canada - How?
How do you keep your Tracphone active from year to year or do you buy new each year?
We buy four 60 minute "cards" on-line on Tracfone's web site (about $80 in total) that gives us 360 (4 x 90 days) days of time. With double minutes on our phone and using promo codes (found on-line) we get over 700 minutes this way. Some just buy a new phone but we like keeping the same telephone number and our 1-800 numbers that are set up for calls to Canada.
We have added on-line time/minutes to our Tracfone while in Canada but since our GSM Tracfone does not get a signal here, the time/minutes were not added to the phone until the next time we crossed the border. The one time we did it this way, when we next entered the US and turned the phone on, we were prompted to enter several very long strings of codes into the phone before it would operate but that requirement may have just been a co-incidence and not related to our web purchase in Canada. The original time on our phone had not yet expired when we had next entered the US. Since, as I understand it, the time record is kept on the phone itself I don't know what happens if the time record on the phone expires before one next crosses into the US. Would just adding the time on the web site keep the phone alive or not if the phone cannot communicate with Tracfone's computers before the expiration date?
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Lorne&Lorraine
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11/19/11 11:36am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Tracfone Calls to Canada - How?
It appears Tracfone does not accommodate international text messaging. This from Tracfone's web site:
"TRACFONE service does not allow international text messages. Attempting to send international messages could result in service deactivation."
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Lorne&Lorraine
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11/18/11 03:46pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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