Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

michaellno · June 2013

Poking around today I find a nice 2009 128i. 34k and only $22,000. Seems minimally equipped but does have 3 pedals.

The only downside (well, other than not having the budget) is that the car is at Sweeney's in Cincinnati.

roadburner · June 2013

The only downside (well, other than not having the budget) is that the car is at Sweeney's in Cincinnati.

In addition to the Sedona Red 128i Weenie has a 135i M Sport. If it wasn't black on black I'd probably hold my nose and go look at it. Its service history is good- based on what my BMW source told me. The 128i isn't a SP car which makes it a non-starter for me.

kyfdx · June 2013

The only downside (well, other than not having the budget) is that the car is at Sweeney's in Cincinnati.

Pretty sure we can work with that..

fintail · June 2013

Not a car, but a local bike dealer got a couple Honda CB500 series bikes in, and I looked at them yesterday. I like what I see.

Debating whether I'd want the F (naked) or X (kind of a dual sport/street hybrid) more - I don't think I'd want the faired version. I rode a dual sport last weekend (an older Yamaha with a very touchy throttle and loud non-existent exhaust system), my first time on one - and I was surprised how comfortable it was, and easy to do precise maneuvers.

michaellno · June 2013

I figure that, for me, any BMW will be sporty enough even without the Sport package.

qbrozen · June 2013

Personally, I found the non-sport seat unbearable.

michaellno · June 2013

When the 1-series was first introduced, I took a test drive of one. Can't remember if it was a Sport edition or not, but didn't find anything to complain about regarding the seats.

The car I test drove was an automatic; am thinking the stick shift would be more engaging to drive.

breld · June 2013

I haven't driven one myself, but that 128i, particularly with a stick, should be plenty fun to drive. We drove up to Ft. Collins over the weekend for their "Taste of Ft. Collins" and took my wife's 328 - I drove back home and thought to myself how fun it is to drive that car. I like the pull of my 335, but there's definitely something engaging to n/a inline-6 and a stick shift.

If you like the non-sports seats Michael, it would certainly be a nice option for you (whether it's that one or you find one local).

breld · June 2013

So I've had like 5-6 legitimately interested buyers on the 530i, and only one has been local. I've had callers from California, Tennessee, Vermont and Maryland. The latest is from Vermont - seems really interested and tentatively plans to fly out with a friend the first weekend of July to drive it back, assuming we come to terms on the price.

We'll see - I'm not surprised this has turned into a long-distance sale, but those always provide some challenges. Though the 318ti was an out of state sale, and it worked out just fine.

michaellno · June 2013

but there's definitely something engaging to n/a inline-6 and a stick shift.

I have test driven a 3-series coupe with a stick and was amazed at how much pull there is from "only" 230HP. Just so smooth.

I know that many folks don't like the odd proportions of the 1-series, but I think that's part of the attraction to me. I think it will be the "odd man out" as time passes - the next gen 1-series will be FWD, and the direct replacement (2-series) will most likely be larger, heavier and have less feel than the current car. And, will probably have the turbo-4 rather than the inline-6.

And, the 1-series is only available in RWD, which limits the appeal in those parts of the country who have to live with poor weather part of the year.

corvette · June 2013

"I have test driven a 3-series coupe with a stick and was amazed at how much pull there is from "only" 230HP. Just so smooth."

I think kyfdx has said that BMW uses bigger horses than everyone else. :P

kyfdx · June 2013

I can't take credit for that, but I'm sure I've repeated it..

Mine got a short-shift kit on Friday, and new struts, tires and alignment, today (along with control arm bushings)..

Total bill for everything was nearly $3000. :surprise:

Yes,
I really, really like this car...

corvette · June 2013

Congratulations! How do you like the short shift kit, new struts, and tires?

michaellno · June 2013

Mine got a short-shift kit on Friday, and new struts, tires and alignment, today (along with control arm bushings)..

Total bill for everything was nearly $3000.

I suspect you'll enjoy the car for many many years now that you've done a few upgrades.

My BIL still has his 330i ZHP (I think it's an '05 or '06). My nephew just got his permit and my sister told me he'll probably inherit it at the end of next year, when dad will get a new (or newer) car for himself.

graphicguy · June 2013

Sweeney is relatively close to me (and my preferred BMW dealer). LEt me know if you want someone to check out that 1 Series for you.

kyfdx · June 2013

The short-shift kit is perfect... It's the BMW Performance Kit (you'd think the Performance Package would have this, but no...).

I picked it based on reviews from other ZHP owners... I was a little worried because I didn't want to ruin a good thing, but it's really, really nice... throws are about 20% shorter while shifting effort is only up about 5%... Old shifter was notchy in a good way, and this one doesn't seem any different..... A win all around..

Only have the 20 mile ride home on the struts and tires... so, not much to say there.... Old tires were worn out... so, tramlining is gone, and seems to handle expansion joints and bumps a lot better... Have to get everything worn in a little to really tell about the tires (Michelin Pilot SuperSports with Koni FSD struts)

My son drove it last night... I'm sure he could tell you things I don't want to know.. :surprise:

rayainsw · June 2013

I drove the BMW north to a couple of my favorite hiking spots in North Georgia  West and North of Helen.

I have not driven the Tail of the Dragon, but there are 2 roads of particular note in this area that I think are worthy of driving by anyone who enjoys that sort of thing.

They certainly are not as famous as the Tail of the Dragon,
but they are really fun, surface well maintained, and in my experience - not nearly so much traffic as the Tail....

1 = route 11 / 19 / 129 around Desoto Falls.
and
2 = route 348 around Dukes Falls.

Excellent.
- Ray
Also, nice hikes . . .

stever · June 2013

Lots of fun roads around there. One friend of mine would take me cruising in his Karman Ghia down that way back in the 70s. I bought a canoe in Helen one year (and plenty of grits at Nora Mill - Helen's too busy of a place now though).

Had planned to drive down to Amicalola Falls in 2 weeks but conflicts arose.

nyccarguy · June 2013

A friend of mine competed in the BULL RUN last week driving his 2013 ///M5. He ran "The Tail" as part of one of the routes. He loved it!

breld · June 2013

One of the July issue car mags (Car & Driver, I believe) has a section on the best summer drives in the country, and even recommends the "best car" for each drive (i.e., a Shelby GT500 for one particular drive, an Audi TT for another, etc.).

I'm thinking of keeping that issue and maybe making it a "bucket list" type thing to drive each of them (they ranged all the way from California out to the east coast).

Or, maybe a more challenging bucket list would be to take it to the next level and actually purchase the car they recommended for each drive. :P

breld · June 2013

So, I'm completing the sale of my 530i later today - to my mother-in-law.

She was interested when I first mentioned I was selling it, but I sort of warned her off of it, thinking a sport suspension, stick shift BMW wasn't necessarily the thing she was after (perhaps a Lexus, or Buick). She decided to hold off for other reasons anyway, but they went car shopping over the weekend and decided, for the money, they'd much rather have our 530i than anything they looked at (can't really argue with that).

So, I knocked $1k off my lowest price for the "family" deal and only half-jokingly claimed a first right of refusal if she ever wanted to sell it in the future.

Had to tell the interested party from Vermont that it sold - he's disappointed and I feel a little bad, but we never finalized anything. After pointing out there were other examples nearer to him for less money (then why not buy those?), he finally tentatively agreed on the price I offered, but said he'd get with me at the end of the week about some "favors" he was gonna ask for at that price. In that e-mail he even said he hoped it would still be available by the end of the week, so I took that as he wasn't committed yet.

Anyhow - we'll be down to 4 cars after today, but I should have some visitation rights on the 530i.

nyccarguy · June 2013

Nice! Congrats on the sale of your 530i to your mother in law. Down to 4 cars? Time to go shopping & punch that CCBA card!

breld · June 2013

Yeah - seems so wrong to sell a car and not go shopping. I think I'll try to stick with the 3 purchases already made for the year.

Besides, the new Golf and Mazda3 won't be out until 2014 - that's why I like the idea of the Veloster so much. It gives me an economical hatch until that time, when the stepdaughter will take it over.

rae52 · June 2013

Hello Sandman,

I've been reading your posts for quite a while. I am in almost the same position that you're in, i.e. retired; too much time on my hands and a love of cars.

If it's not an imposition on you, would you please email me at richep52@netzero.com

I would loooove to get a part-time job doing what you do! I don't live far from you.

Thankyou - rae52

stickguy · June 2013

if the weather is good the weekend after next, with any luck I will sell the Integra and go down to 3. I get so little use out of it, and with my son home I can always grab his car if I need to run an errand during the day. Plus, when he finally gets a job I will probably inherit it back anyway.

michaellno · June 2013

if the weather is good the weekend after next, with any luck I will sell the Integra and go down to 3. I get so little use out of it, and with my son home I can always grab his car if I need to run an errand during the day. Plus, when he finally gets a job I will probably inherit it back anyway.

Best of luck on selling it.

How is the job search going for the new graduate? Is he wanting to stay local?

stickguy · June 2013

slow. I can only ride his back so much during the day! He is still in the wants a job, but enjoying vacation too much to work real hard at it. But we will make sure he keeps at it.

does not have to be local, but he hopes to stay in the NE someplace, but I keep reminding him that you need to get the best job, and it may not be where you want it. Get some experience, then you can go for location!

stever · June 2013

Heh, when I got out of school I moved to someplace I wanted to live and then looked around for a job, and took a throw-away job to tide me over. But times have changed I suppose.

michaellno · June 2013

slow. I can only ride his back so much during the day! He is still in the wants a job, but enjoying vacation too much to work real hard at it. But we will make sure he keeps at it.

does not have to be local, but he hopes to stay in the NE someplace, but I keep reminding him that you need to get the best job, and it may not be where you want it. Get some experience, then you can go for location!

What field is his degree in? I seem to remember something about engineering, but what discipline?

If he waits too long, he may miss the prime hiring season.

Of course, this advice is brought to you by a person whose stepdaughter got a degree in English but is working as an assistant director of a corporate child care center and still lives at home 3 years after graduation.

:sick: :sick: :sick:

stickguy · June 2013

he just got a BS in Materials Science engineering. pretty specialized field, but very broad (lots of places you can apply it, but has to be your are of expertise I guess).

I will gently remind him that an IBM engineer said he was missing prime hiring season!

mark156 · June 2013

Anybody heard from Jolie lately? :confuse:

M156

michaellno · June 2013

I will gently remind him that an IBM engineer said he was missing prime hiring season!

I'm not an engineer, just a Business Ops Manager - I play with spreadsheets all day, with an occasional PowerPoint deck to keep things lively.

xwesx · June 2013

Between school and summer in Alaska, I suspect she has her plate overflowing! :P

stickguy · June 2013

well, you are an engineer now. congratulations!

actually, I could use a new job. I should be talking to you instead!

jayrider · June 2013

Did you include the "family" bumper to bumper lifetime warranty for Mom.

michaellno · June 2013

Daughter comes home from work for lunch today and announces to her mother and I that she wants to trade in her MINI (2010 Hardtop, automatic with cold pkg, 22K) on a Cooper Countryman S ALL4.

The dealer has this one in stock, reasonably equipped, for $31K.

She owes about $13K on her car, and between Edmunds, Intellichoice and KBB, I get a trade value of between $14-15K.

She just started a new job where she got a 20% raise and I guess she's getting tired of buying new clothes all the time.

Now, I know nobody here is going to talk me (her) out of this, given the nature of this board. Just gives me a chance to shop with somebody else's money.

EDIT: just checked the dealer website and they have 4 2010 Cooper Hardtops for sale, ranging in price from $18,416 to $19,682. Daughter's car has a scrape on the rear bumper that would need to be fixed - few hundred dollars? Wonder if we could push on the trade value to $16K or more....

breld · June 2013

I've noticed there seems to be a reasonable selection of used Countrymans at this point - a quick look on cars.com in our area shows several in the mid-$20's. Maybe that would be a good option, just to soften the blow a bit?

If she's liked her Mini so far, seems reasonable to want to add the extra functionality of the Countryman. Most of the knocks I've read on it have to do with the unique interior setup (controls, guages, etc.), but she should be used to that.

breld · June 2013

Is it the start of the summer season? Everyone's too busy planning big vacations? It's unusual to get to the forums homepage and NOT have the CCBA thread be among the most active!

Well, in place of what would be a much more interesting review of the new Mustang from Q, I'll throw out my first impressions of Hyundai ownership.

I continue to be impressed with the versatility of the Veloster, considering how small of a car it is. My two boys fit in back without a need for me to adjust the driver's seat, and access through the third door is easy. I can haul their baseball bags, along with my own duffel and other things, in the hatch with no problem. I'm averaging about 34 mpg, which isn't bad considering my highway miles are generally at 80 mph.

It's pretty fun to drive around - acceleration is leisurely and there's a bit more planning involved when merging and turning against traffic (compared to the 335i :P ), but it's a nimble feeling car due to, if nothing else, its size.

The bluetooth "module" is malfunctioning (or I should say, not functioning at all). If you're lucky, you can get the phone system to work within 30 seconds of starting the car, but it ends up "freezing" everytime soon after. Apparently it's a common problem - they are ordering a new stereo system without even looking at the car, once I explained the symptoms.

And the "upshift" paddle doesn't work. I don't care to use it, but obviously will have it fixed.

Annoyances, but the service dept has been easy to talk to, and willing to address the problems quickly. For all the praise Hyundai/Kia get for their warranty, I would point out that the electronics are only covered for 3 years/36k - no better than any other manufacturer.

Overall, I like it enough to certainly keep the Elantra GT on my list for next year.

michaellno · June 2013

The only two used ones at Schomp are both red - a no go for her.

She wants (needs) an automatic. Grey, silver or the coffee brown.

tifighter · June 2013

I drove one of these about a month ago. 13 S All4 with the 6MT. White, black interior. About $30k. Even with the new, improved clutch for 13, it still feels a little soft, but passable. Good room up front (I'm 6'2"), backseat is only for kids behind where my seat was set. Still, its a pretty fun car and just try finding something with 5 doors, AWD and a manual. Pretty scarce. Golf R, WRX, etc.

Dealer had two, both with pano roof, which I don't want. 12 weeks to order, according to them. I'd want it pretty basic: stick, no roof, no leather, but winter package, HIDs.

The first year models had some issues, according to the mini forums. The lease deals in May were pretty meh, haven't looked this month.

Wife and I are moving from SF back to Seattle area at the end of the month. After that, maybe I'll get it figured out.

stever · June 2013

The boards seem quieter in general, but it is getting warm out and light late. Time of y'all to buy some cars!

I thought the "basic" Hyundai warranty was 5/60? Ah, they limit radio, audio, nav and Bluetooth. And paint. Kind of sneaky and I bet most people don't know that. (link)

stickguy · June 2013

I did drive something different. Made a trip from Philly to NY with my sister. Took her car (somehow the 167K Integra was not an enticing option) but I drove. She has a 2009 TSX with 48K on the clock (this is the car that replaced my inherited TL).

nice driving car. felt a lot more powerful than a NA 4 cyl. comfortable too. I could certainly live with one of these, other than paying for it.

When the kid finally lands a real job, might look into one of these in addition to the ILX.

nyccarguy · June 2013

The engine/transmission combo was one of the things I really liked about my TSX. Very smooth for a 4 banger. The 5 speed auto was matched perfectly to it. The seats were thick, well bolstered, and very supportive. It had a nicely finished interior, HID head lights... I just didn't LOVE it. Truthfully, if I hadn't been able to swing a sweet lease deal (pumped up residual, + $3,500 in cash incentives) on my 328xi, I'd still be driving my TSX. I was going to ask, can you change your name from stickguy to acuraguy? :P

stickguy · June 2013

That would be like changing Coke to ferckle. Too much brand worth built up!

funny though, a year ago I was expecting to be pretty much out of the Honda family by now. I knew the Odyssey was going, and the Accord was already gone. Just did not expect to replace them with 2 acuras (never expected the RDX). So having 3 is just strange.

probably listing the Integra next week to free up a space in the driveway. Just don't need 4 guys right now. After that, we will see what happens when Jr. can finally upgrade.

Sandman6472 · June 2013

I'll be the voice of reason here and tell her to just keep it...sure she could probably get the most for it on trade right now but she needs to ask herself does she really need it? At her age, I'm sure she's gonna want to move out/marry in the not to distant future. Might be a better idea to bank the $ for a later day. I understand her wants for a new vehicle, my kid with the Accent wants to trade but she's still in school so basically we shot that idea down. Sometimes one needs to just look at the big picture and not just trade in a perfectly fun vehicle for something very similar. Heck, I'd love to trade myself and get the Elantra Limited or the GT but have decided that it's just not financially prudent at this juncture...funny thing is my daughter told me the same exact thing weeks before she sprang her idea on me!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

michaellno · June 2013

Sandy - in most respects she's good kid. Probably not gonna get married and we have no problems with her living at home.

When I got home last night, she was in the process of "building her own" Countryman. Nav, upgraded stereo and panoramic roof. Over $36k sticker. She understands the difference between want and need so will probably hang on to her car for now and pay it down. Maybe a year or two before she pulls the trigger.

stickguy · June 2013

I am with Sandy in your case. Just on the job, car is so new and low miles, just ride it out.

My son, different story, having an old high mile car with some recent issues. Not what I would want to have to rely on every day.

michaellno · June 2013

Yeah I'm pretty sure she will hang on to Westen for the time being.

Shes had the car for four years now and it has under 30k miles.

mark156 · June 2013

Someone earlier mentioned about horsepower and I have to tell you, when I drive the Bentley with 552 hp, W-12 engine and AWD, I do get to have some fun with it. My street ends at a main hwy where the speed limit is 50 mph.

When I'm in the Bentley (Continental GTC), I can pull out on the hwy when a car is fairly close, match and beat their speed almost instantly. I love it! Punch that baby and you can hear the twin turbo's spool up (in milliseconds) and we're off an running. This car will bury you in the seats.

Now, in the Honda, I have to plan my exit but that little rascal can hold its own for a 4 cylinder.

M156

qbrozen · June 2013

I would definitely introduce her to the USED car habit sooner rather than later.

Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

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