Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

tbirdmarco

 So stick guy know are looking with your son today anymore? How about with the daughter said in that stinger when I was at the New York auto show back in April but it was nice 

Michaell

I have an itch today, that I can't scratch.

Somebody give me pros and cons of this:

CPO TLX

iluvmysephia1

2013 Ford Focus ST Turbo

Recaro racing seats, 6-speed, turbo, selling for $11,500 in town. 61,000 miles - it looks to be in great shape. No dings, no dents or scuffs. I like the gold color.

Michaell

iluvmysephia1 said:

2013 Ford Focus ST Turbo

Recaro racing seats, 6-speed, turbo, selling for $11,500 in town. 61,000 miles - it looks to be in great shape. No dings, no dents or scuffs. I like the gold color.

Now that is a better choice than the Sentra.

benjaminh

Michaell said:

I have an itch today, that I can't scratch.

Somebody give me pros and cons of this:

CPO TLX

I like the style of that 2015 TLX, but the tech on it is already outdated. It lacks AcuraWatch, AndroidAuto/CarPlay, remote start, etc., all of which you'll find on a brand new Accord EX for just a few thousand more. Or, if you can live with a Civic EX, you might be able to get all that tech for the same price.

Also, the interior room of the TLX is, unfortunately, not that impressive for some reason. Interior volume for a 2015 TLX is about equal to the current Civic, and significantly less than an Accord.

Finally, the price is good but well short of a screaming bargain.

My 2 cents: pass.

benjaminh

We've already put about 900 miles on my wife's new CR-V, mostly because we had to pick up our daughter at a summer camp in another city. Having now driven it for several hours in different conditions, I'm impressed. The 2013 Accord EXL Navi that we traded in for it seemed so state-of-the-art at the time, but it's amazing how after just 5 years it was really outdated. Honda, like everyone else, has thrown billions of dollars into redoing quite a few things in their vehicles in just the last few years. For instance, most of the cars I've owned in my life have had a hand operated parking brake, usually one with a fairly long handle with a chromed button at the end. I had no problem with that design, and I didn't think anything was wrong with it. But that design has been ditched in almost all models with instead a small electronically controlled lever. Perhaps there are drawbacks with this design and system should something fail, but the benefit is clear in this photo of our somewhat dusty dash from our trip just today—it frees up space. Rather than having a big handle in-between the front seats taking up valuable space, instead you can have more room for your phone, cups of coffee, snacks, etc. etc.



And the built-in navi that was so state-of-the art in 2013 seems almost useless compared to AndroidAuto with Google maps.

I never thought the gas cap needed to be rethought. How could you improve on that? But, it turns out you can just get rid of the whole thing and have capless fuel filling that's better, faster, and cleaner.

Add to those things adaptive cruise, lane keeping, blind spot info system with warnings, etc.

Finally there's turbo power, which may have its own issues and long-term reliability, but for now gives good power and pretty good mpg.

I wonder if there will be as many useful changes in the next five years? I don't see how that's possible at the moment.

corvette

I love the capless refueling on the Mustang. You can't put in additives without using the funnel adapter though.

ab348

Michaell said:

I have an itch today, that I can't scratch.

Somebody give me pros and cons of this:

CPO TLX

On the plus side, they finally got the beak-nose right on that. And the interior color is very nice.

But weren't those 4-cyl/automatics criticized for feeling sluggish with a transmission that had all sorts of issues? Plus everything @benjaminh said.

xwesx

iluvmysephia1 said:

2013 Ford Focus ST Turbo

Recaro racing seats, 6-speed, turbo, selling for $11,500 in town. 61,000 miles - it looks to be in great shape. No dings, no dents or scuffs. I like the gold color.

Those ST's are slick cars. FWD, but they have an LSD up there, if I recall correctly. I like the color, too. I think they called it screaming tangerine or some nonsense! Price seems reasonable. I sold my Fiesta for $10,200 with about 56,000 miles on it. A year newer at the time, but otherwise pretty similar, and a Focus ST would be quite a bit more fun than my Fiesta was (not ST).

stickguy

ILuv, from everything you have posted, I would bet that your wife would hate that car with a passion.

stickguy

Michael, that is the interior color I love on a TLX. But pass on that one. I don't think you want a first year model, but mostly, you don't want one without the tech package.

I have driven both. The V6 is way faster, but the 4 is not bad. Just, not as good!

super comfy seats though.

also seems a bit pricey for a base model 2015.

Michaell

Thanks, guys! I knew I could count on you for an honest assessment. 

Just starting to weigh my my options for when my lease expires. 

I’ve driven an Accord 1.5T Sport and looked at, but not driven, a Civic EX-T. Also tested the Elantra Sport. Starting to research CPO programs, as well. 

henryn

corvette said:

I love the capless refueling on the Mustang. You can't put in additives without using the funnel adapter though.

Yes, Ford has been doing this for a number of years now. I thought it was kinda weird at first, but it is actually better (in my opinion, anyway). I'm surprised it took so long for others to pick up on it.

Fuel additives? What fuel additives? You buy top tier gasoline, what additives do you need?

corvette

I put Fuel Power (which used to be well regarded on the Bob is The Oil Guy forums) in the Tahoe (120,000+ miles) as a preventative to make sure everything was cleaned out. I tried putting some in the Mustang, as well.

roadburner

iluvmysephia1 said:

2013 Ford Focus ST Turbo

Recaro racing seats, 6-speed, turbo, selling for $11,500 in town. 61,000 miles - it looks to be in great shape. No dings, no dents or scuffs. I like the gold color.

I think that they are pretty decent cars; might have tried one if my Mazdaspeed 3
hadn't completely satisfied my curiosity with respect to relatively high powered FWD cars.

elias

Chronic two-at-a-time-car-buyers club:

in 2006 I bought two new diesel cars in one month, a VW beetle and a VW jetta.

Last month #1 son bought two new diesel vehicles, a chevy cruze and a gmc canyon as his work truck since he got promoted to 'petroleum supervisor'.

Daddy is proud.

#1 son and his wife are almost done gestating a 2nd grandchild too. I'll be visiting via another 3000 mile round trip drive. Road trip!

graphicguy

Michaell.....being an Acura lover, it seems the mileage is great on the TLX. 4 cyl is sluggish but lighter than the V6 and fun to drive as a result.

They had issues with the transmissionshift mapping in the V6, but not the I4. That’s a really good trans. They finally got the shifting pattern down in the most recent V6 TLXs, however.

But, while fairly well equipped as a base model, the Tech Package really does make it a whole lot better.

Still, good mileage and looks to be in really good shape. They hold their value really well, too.

Love the “espresso” interior color, too.

benjaminh

stickguy said:

I think my RDX AWD weighs about 3,600. But at least it has a 275HP V6 to make up for it.

According to Honda/Acura a 2017 RDX AWD with Tech weighs 3946 with a cargo area of 26 cubic feet.

Our 2018 CR-V EX AWD weights 3472. No doubt a CR-V is slower, but it has 39 cubic feet of cargo area behind the rear seats.

An RDX is, of course, more luxurious, faster, etc., etc.

And the all-new 2019 RDX takes it to a whole new level.

Mr_Shiftright

elias said:

Chronic two-at-a-time-car-buyers club:

in 2006 I bought two new diesel cars in one month, a VW beetle and a VW jetta.

Last month #1 son bought two new diesel vehicles, a chevy cruze and a gmc canyon as his work truck since he got promoted to 'petroleum supervisor'.

Daddy is proud.

#1 son and his wife are almost done gestating a 2nd grandchild too. I'll be visiting via another 3000 mile round trip drive. Road trip!

I'd like to hear feedback on that diesel Cruze.

kyfdx

3500 lbs is the new 3000 lbs.

rny421

Michaell said:

I have an itch today, that I can't scratch.

Somebody give me pros and cons of this:

CPO TLX

That's like my TLX. The brown interior is definitely a negative though . I paid $20K for mine back in January. Roughly the same amount of miles, and mine is CPO. They don't seem to hold their value that well.

I really like how quiet it is, which historically wasn't Acura's strong suit. I get about 30 mpg on average, with a 80/20 highway/city split. The seats are very comfy.

The sound system isn't that great, and the DCT is a little clunky, even after a transmission software update, which is disappointing. Before the update it was awful - it would slam into reverse, and shift hard into second gear. I'm glad I have the extended powertrain warranty for peace of mind.

I had a V6 TLX as a rental, and truth be told - I liked the 4 cylinder better. The 4 cylinder isn't fast, but it isn't slow either. For me, the fuel economy/power balance is just right for daily driving.

Michaell

@graphicguy and @rny421 - thanks for the feedback. I’m in no rush, since I’ve got 14 months to look. Just starting to poke around and see what’s out there. I saw a low mile ES350 for $30k, and a couple of Q50’s for around $25k each. 

Also thought about a new GTI; the SE trim stickers for about $32k before discounts. 

What else do do you all recommend, new or used, for up to $30k, that I can buy and keep for 10 years?

stickguy

take a look at the new Jetta. Especially if you want something with a little more room. From 2 test drives (riding only) seems to be a noticeable improvement over the old style. ride and handling, quieter and smoother. Much nicer interior and better tech stuff. R Line has the nice 2 tone seats and bigger wheels. and of course, 6 year BtoB warranty too. That stickers for $24,150ish. No, not as fast as the gti. but a lot cheaper, roomier, and better mileage. and rides on the same platform now.

stickguy

how about a 2017 TLX. Get the V6 tech, can be under $30k, and will last forever.

ab348

Michaell said:

What else do do you all recommend, new or used, for up to $30k, that I can buy and keep for 10 years?

You realize where you are posting, don't you? 10 YEARS?!? Is it even possible for people here to keep a car for 10 months? 10 years is crazy talk.

au1994

Hi all,

Thought I’d informally poll the group for opinions. We are beginning to look for a replacement for the X6 at the end of the year. Buying it off the lease doesn’t seem like the best deal, plus I can’t count that as a punch. The contenders so far are:

- another X6. We really like it and my wife would be good with it since its her DD
- MDX
- F Pace although these seem be terrible to lease
- XC90 and XC60

She doesn’t like the Infiniti SUV’s, I;m neutral on them but I think a good deal could be had there. She’s also not a fan of the Grand Cherokee. Neither of us are big on any of the MB SUV’s. We are both open to a Stelvio but I’m still scared of Alfa reliability. I know it would be under warranty the life of the lease but the Alfa dealer is about 25 miles away should problems arise.

I’m hoping to do this in December so there may be some aggressive deals around. We got a good one on the X6 in December of 15.

Open to opinions and suggestions!

stickguy

take a look at the new style RDX. I really liked it.

roadburner

au1994 said:

Hi all,

Thought I’d informally poll the group for opinions. We are beginning to look for a replacement for the X6 at the end of the year. Buying it off the lease doesn’t seem like the best deal, plus I can’t count that as a punch. The contenders so far are:

- another X6. We really like it and my wife would be good with it since its her DD
- MDX
- F Pace although these seem be terrible to lease
- XC90 and XC60

She doesn’t like the Infiniti SUV’s, I;m neutral on them but I think a good deal could be had there. She’s also not a fan of the Grand Cherokee. Neither of us are big on any of the MB SUV’s. We are both open to a Stelvio but I’m still scared of Alfa reliability. I know it would be under warranty the life of the lease but the Alfa dealer is about 25 miles away should problems arise.

I’m hoping to do this in December so there may be some aggressive deals around. We got a good one on the X6 in December of 15.

Open to opinions and suggestions!

The only ones I'd consider are:
X3/X4 M40i
Stelvio ti or Quadrifoglio
Macan

au1994

BTW..haven’t heard anything from the lady with the ZHP so that little dream is probably gone

Michaell

ab348 said:

What else do do you all recommend, new or used, for up to $30k, that I can buy and keep for 10 years?

You realize where you are posting, don't you? 10 YEARS?!? Is it even possible for people here to keep a car for 10 months? 10 years is crazy talk.

Hey, I get it. Path of lease resistance is another inexpensive lease.

But, I’m starting to think backwards from a possible retirement date, and what I’d like to drive until then. If I could find a car I’d be happy with for that long - new or CPO - I’d be open to that idea. 

If that happens, call me the anti @breld

au1994

roadburner said:

au1994 said:

Hi all,

Thought I’d informally poll the group for opinions. We are beginning to look for a replacement for the X6 at the end of the year. Buying it off the lease doesn’t seem like the best deal, plus I can’t count that as a punch. The contenders so far are:

- another X6. We really like it and my wife would be good with it since its her DD
- MDX
- F Pace although these seem be terrible to lease
- XC90 and XC60

She doesn’t like the Infiniti SUV’s, I;m neutral on them but I think a good deal could be had there. She’s also not a fan of the Grand Cherokee. Neither of us are big on any of the MB SUV’s. We are both open to a Stelvio but I’m still scared of Alfa reliability. I know it would be under warranty the life of the lease but the Alfa dealer is about 25 miles away should problems arise.

I’m hoping to do this in December so there may be some aggressive deals around. We got a good one on the X6 in December of 15.

Open to opinions and suggestions!

The only ones I'd consider are:
X3/X4 M40i
Stelvio ti or Quadrifoglio
Macan

X4 will get a look. For some reason she does not like the X3 or X5. Rolling into another BMW lease has its advantages.

New RDX will get a look. She is concerned about the size but that is based on seeing the previous gen.

She’d love a Macan. Her dad was a Porsche guy. For some reason they just don’t do it for me but I’m sure its a riot to drive. Like BMW’s they can get expensive in a hurry.

Mr_Shiftright

For anyone tired of parking lot dings or people flaunting their Mercedes G65:

Bring A Trailer

breld

I drove my stepdaughter up to Fort Collins to grab the last things out of her college apartment yesterday (she’s moving to a new unit in the fall).  

On the way back I spied this in a parking lot to the side of the road with a for sale sign on it and just had to turn around to take a closer look.



110k miles, 3 owners, asking $8,200.  

Automatic and the beige interior (not saddle brown) are sort of turn offs.  And that front bumper could use some work getting realigned.  

Not horrible, but not the gem I was hoping to find. 

au1994

breld said:

I drove my stepdaughter up to Fort Collins to grab the last things out of her college apartment yesterday (she’s moving to a new unit in the fall).  

On the way back I spied this in a parking lot to the side of the road with a for sale sign on it and just had to turn around to take a closer look.



110k miles, 3 owners, asking $8,200.  

Automatic and the beige interior (not saddle brown) are sort of turn offs.  And that front bumper could use some work getting realigned.  

Not horrible, but not the gem I was hoping to find. 

Not great but not bad either. 7k would likely take it. I never thought the E46 looked good in white.

ab348

Mr_Shiftright said:

For anyone tired of parking lot dings or people flaunting their Mercedes G65:

Bring A Trailer

Something along the same lines for sale locally here:

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/cole-harbour/1977-alvis-striker-fv102/1364228590

A news story about it:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/anti-tank-missile-launcher-for-sale-for-48k-1.4720629

fintail

I'd love to see the typical local large SUV driver park that.

Speaking of BaT and G-Wagens (always one there), here's an early one in the best color combo, green on plaid:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1981-mercedes-benz-280ge-w460-g-wagen/

Mr_Shiftright said:

For anyone tired of parking lot dings or people flaunting their Mercedes G65:

Bring A Trailer

graphicguy

@au1994 ....enviable group of SUV/CUVs. Would love a Macan. The ones that need nothing cost more than I want to spend. The ones that have needs, which might be in my range will have ongoing bills on the back side. Never seen a Porsche that was cheap to fix.

I’m an Acura fan. As mentioned, they last a long time. And, they’re cheap to maintain. They drive well. They just seem to work.

Mr_Shiftright

fintail said:

I'd love to see the typical local large SUV driver park that.

Speaking of BaT and G-Wagens (always one there), here's an early one in the best color combo, green on plaid:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1981-mercedes-benz-280ge-w460-g-wagen/

Mr_Shiftright said:

For anyone tired of parking lot dings or people flaunting their Mercedes G65:

Bring A Trailer

Looks like something the East Germans would have built in 1956.

stickguy

speaking of G wagons, saw a newer one parked at target. my son was so amused he went over to get a picture. An AMG 63 I think. In a dark mustard yellow. It was, to put it charitably, interesting.

fintail

The latest run of Gs seem to often be spec'd in loud colors. My local dealer had a G63 in the showroom in Mauritius Blue - I like blue, but I wouldn't choose this:



I've seen yellow ones, too. I suppose in the new Belle Epoque, brash is good.

I think every 1979 4x4 was old fashioned.

Michaell

Speaking of colors, my wife made an automotive related comment to me yesterday.

I guess her and my daughter have started to notice the trend of "flat" colors - and they both like it.

xwesx

ab348 said:

Michaell said:

What else do do you all recommend, new or used, for up to $30k, that I can buy and keep for 10 years?

You realize where you are posting, don't you? 10 YEARS?!? Is it even possible for people here to keep a car for 10 months? 10 years is crazy talk.

How long have you had that Skylark?

tommister2

fintail said:

The latest run of Gs seem to often be spec'd in loud colors. My local dealer had a G63 in the showroom in Mauritius Blue - I like blue, but I wouldn't choose this: I've seen yellow ones, too. I suppose in the new Belle Epoque, brash is good. I think every 1979 4x4 was old fashioned.

Wow. I like that blue but not on this vehicle. It’s just too much.

au1994

graphicguy said:

@au1994 ....enviable group of SUV/CUVs. Would love a Macan. The ones that need nothing cost more than I want to spend. The ones that have needs, which might be in my range will have ongoing bills on the back side. Never seen a Porsche that was cheap to fix.

I’m an Acura fan. As mentioned, they last a long time. And, they’re cheap to maintain. They drive well. They just seem to work.

Yes, I like them too. I had a TSX before I took the BMW pill and she had an MDX, 2010 or 11 I believe. The MDX is much more likely to hit the 1% target on a lease. A new X6 will probably be out of our price range unless a smokin’ year end deal can be had. I’d be happy with another Acura. Great reliability, good looks and luxury for a pretty fair price.

She’s pretty high on the Volvos at the moment and I would be good with that too. I think the XC90 is nice looking. I wouldn’t want to DD it but that’s just because I prefer a smaller vehicle now.

graphicguy

@Michaell ...can’t wrap my arms around those vehicles that sport “flat” paint. Cars are meant to be all shiny and bright.

pensfan83

Oh man.....I want this so bad.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1987-buick-grand-national-gnx/

pensfan83

For all the wagon lovers. This has to be an extremely rare combination.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2006-bmw-530-7/

kyfdx

pensfan83 said:

For all the wagon lovers. This has to be an extremely rare combination.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2006-bmw-530-7/

The stick-shift would help, and that's a nice engine... but, the drive is uninspiring. Test drove a few of these, when new.

fintail

It seemed to pop up now and then on prior generation E and S class, I have seen a couple. Like this:





Better, but still maybe bright. One of those colors very sensitive to lighting and angles.

Not really into flat paint either. May be a good way to not clean the car so much, but sometimes it seems overly aggressive on an otherwise calm car. There's a matte paint new 7-series in my area, doesn't work IMO.

tommister2 said:

Wow. I like that blue but not on this vehicle. It’s just too much.

stickguy

I like the wagon. But reading the comments, don’t feel like dealing with the litany of aging BMW foibles.