Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

nyccarguy · August 2014

That is THE thing I don't like about that car. It's out of warranty already & there are still 31 months to go on the lease.

I figured you'd like that @roadburner

Cruising through the local Labor Day screamers, I saw a red 2011 Toyota Corolla S with a stick shift. 20K miles. Asking $16,990. How much was that car new?

corvette · August 2014

How are the mods handled at lease turn-in? Do you have to put it back to stock, and is the seller providing the parts to do that? I'd be leery of the lack of warranty. That's one of the whole points of leasing, that the car is never out of warranty.

Michaell · August 2014

Hello folks!

Had the volunteer party for the golf tournament I'm working next week. Saw some of the cars we'll be driving:

X4

X5

X6

435i Gran Coupe

3-series

There was a trailer full of i3's waiting to be unloaded and a couple of i8's in the parking lot .. I suspect those will be for display on the grounds next week.

Also saw a RR (BMW owned) in the parking lot as well. Wonder which lucky exec gets to drive that?

It all starts Monday afternoon for me .. will be working 1-11PM, then 6AM-10PM on Tuesday, as the players who qualify fly in from Boston. I think our duties will be split between retrieving players and shuttling cars to hotels and meeting the players for the courtesy car handoff.

I missed the official training .. can someone provide a quick explanation of how the BMW 'beer tap' gear shift works?

roadburner · August 2014

Apply the brakes, push the button on the left side of the tap, move it forward for reverse and back for drive(so intuitive, no?). Push the top button to place the car in park.
A textbook example of the Germanic penchant for fixing something that wasn't even remotely broken...

Michaell · August 2014

@roadburner said:
Apply the brakes, push the button on the left side of the tap, move it forward for reverse and back for drive(so intuitive, no?). Push the top button to place the car in park.
A textbook example of the Germanic penchant for fixing something that wasn't even remotely broken...

Thanks for being up so late to answer my simple question. No difference between models, I assume. Same with iDrive - it's all the same regardless of which model I am driving?

qbrozen · August 2014

I'm not understanding that MS3 lease. So let's assume it was a 5-yr lease? With a $13k buyout at the end? And $345/mo? I just can't get there. It doesn't add up.

roadburner · August 2014

@‌Michaell Yes, the iDrive now works essentially the same across the model range. The iDrive knob is now surrounded by several direct access buttons, which makes navigating the system infinitely easier.

stickguy · August 2014

Saw my sil last night. The one with the dead odyssey. She finally got test drives done and has decided she wants and (apparently) can afford a forester. Mid level model with pano roof, which should sticker at about 25.8k. So I need to work on pricing, etc. and go test drive it myself! Hey, I am officially in market too.

kyfdx · August 2014

@qbrozen said:
I'm not understanding that MS3 lease. So let's assume it was a 5-yr lease? With a $13k buyout at the end? And $345/mo? I just can't get there. It doesn't add up.

I couldn't either... I think maybe it was a used car when the guy leased it.

Mr_Shiftright · August 2014

Every 16 year old's first car should be made out of solid rubber and be as utterly boring and un-cool as possible. If you carry that far enough, uncool becomes cool. ANYWAY...... If I were this young person, I'd just get "anything decent" for the first year, and postpone the "car of my dreams" reverie for a year or two down the road, after they've gotten their sea legs behind the wheel (rudder? sorry for the mixed metaphor) It will also be easier for them to sneak a Mustang or hot hatch into their insurance policy once they've proven that they can steer around large objects. They'll also know a helluva lot more about cars.

@roadburner said:
I recommended an older Miata; inexpensive to buy/own/maintain and a true sports car to boot.

Sandman6472 · August 2014

I drove the 2013 328i at work the other day and thought the auto tranny shifter was way more complicated than necessary. I did, however, love the instantaneous burst of power when in Sport mode...that rush when I hit the accelerator was something I've never quite felt before in any automobile I've ever driven. For that alone I could see owning one. Unfortunately, I never got the same "rush" from the 1 Series I drove last year so maybe they have different engines or shifters. All I know is I came home and told the wife that I could learn to love owning a 328i and funny thing is, I don't even know if the one I drove had a 6 or the turbo 4 under the hood...all I know that it really has been the most enjoyable vehicle I have ever driven, ever!!! But doubt I'll ever own one unless I win the lottery!!!

The Sandman

Sandman6472 · August 2014

Just looked online and seems that 7.5k is the interval for oil changes and tire rotations. Seems a bit long to me and I did mine around 5k so far but maybe I'll stretch it out a bit longer next time. I basically do a almost 60 mile round trip commute to work 4 days a week now so I know the engine is getting up to proper warm up. I am driving less since I stopped my 2nd gig in West Palm but am on track to be at 15k by the 1st anniversary of ownership. Honestly, I really have no complaints about the Tuscon, none at all. From my calculations, seems that I'm averaging around 33 on the highway and for this size vehicle, don't think that's too bad really. I definitely love the higher seating position and the back up camera though I'd love that to be about 20% bigger. Would love to add another set of speakers to the rear hatch area to improve the overall sound but not sure if that's a wise thing to do here, my stereo guy thinks I should just swap out the factory speakers for a better quality sound.
Overall, at 9 months of ownership, I'm pretty happy with the vehicle and plan to stay the course for the next 4 to 5 years at least. I once said that this would be my last vehicle but now I'm thinking in about 4 years from now, I might want to move a little bit upscale while I'm still working as I plan to stay working part time another 5 or so years, or until I hit 65. Not sure where we'll be going at that time but most likely, I'll want something a bit nicer as my last vehicle.
We used a new Accent at work as our chase vehicle yesterday and to be honest, it wasn't that bad and can see why the wife might want to get one. She's been using the kid's '08 Accent for over a month now and says she's o k with it as a d d. But she has said she definitely will get a vehicle with a back up camera so she might have to be bumped up to the Elantra/Mazda3 size vehicle to get this feature...once she saw how cool mine is and what a useful option it is, she said her next ride will have one. And right now, her plan is still to purchase the last week of December.

The Sandman

roadburner · August 2014

I run Mobil 1 5W-30 for 7,500-8,000 miles in my Mazdaspeed and used oil analysis indicates I could go 10,000 miles. I'd think that you could go 7,500 miles under your driving conditions...

suydam · August 2014

Nearly 10k for my Honda Accord. Everything is different now.

jpp75 · August 2014

@Mr_Shiftright said:
Every 16 year old's first car should be made out of solid rubber and be as utterly boring and un-cool as possible. If you carry that far enough, uncool becomes cool. ANYWAY...... If I were this young person, I'd just get "anything decent" for the first year, and postpone the "car of my dreams" reverie for a year or two down the road, after they've gotten their sea legs behind the wheel (rudder? sorry for the mixed metaphor) It will also be easier for them to sneak a Mustang or hot hatch into their insurance policy once they've proven that they can steer around large objects. They'll also know a helluva lot more about cars.

I recommended an older Miata; inexpensive to buy/own/maintain and a true sports car to boot.

My first driver was a 1987 Ford Bronco. Hardly safe, but something that wasn't cool at the time, but I'd love to have it now.

Mr_Shiftright · August 2014

Not a bad first choice---easy to fix, parts on every street corner or wrecking yard, and good self-defense against Range Rovers with grille guards.

andre1969 · August 2014

Had the volunteer party for the golf tournament I'm working next week. Saw some of the cars we'll be driving:

435i Gran Coupe

Can that Gran Coupe be ordered with a Mod Top and a 440-6 pack?

roadburner · August 2014

@jpp5862 said:
My first driver was a 1987 Ford Bronco. Hardly safe, but something that wasn't cool at the time, but I'd love to have it now.

My dad had a 1973 Bronco V8; what an unmitigated piece of garbage! I inherited it in 1991 and sold it as soon as the estate was final. The only reason I would like to have it back is to experience the pleasure of dousing it in gasoline, striking a match, and watching it burn...

oldfarmer50 · September 2014

@roadburner said:
I run Mobil 1 5W-30 for 7,500-8,000 miles in my Mazdaspeed and used oil analysis indicates I could go 10,000 miles. I'd think that you could go 7,500 miles under your driving conditions...

I'm OCD on oil. My cars that get synthetic I change at 5-6k while my conventional oil cars get it at 3k. Too much I know.

Funny, my Lincoln is the only one with an oil change monitor and I change that when it reads 10%. I guess I must feel that if the car is telling me it's ok to go twice as far, who am I to argue with it.

jpp75 · September 2014

@roadburner said:
My dad had a 1973 Bronco V8; what an unmitigated piece of garbage! I inherited it in 1991 and sold it as soon as the estate was final. The only reason I would like to have it back is to experience the pleasure of dousing it in gasoline, striking a match, and watching it burn...

My dad had one of those too, a red one, but I think it was a 1972. That's how we ended up with the 1987 Bronco. The 70's models seem to be collectors now, but I don't remember it being anything special.

Mr_Shiftright · September 2014

Even more infuriating is that that piece of garbage is now worth more than a BMW 2002Tii. Go figure.

@roadburner said:
My dad had a 1973 Bronco V8; what an unmitigated piece of garbage! I inherited it in 1991 and sold it as soon as the estate was final. The only reason I would like to have it back is to experience the pleasure of dousing it in gasoline, striking a match, and watching it burn...

roadburner · September 2014

I know those Broncos command a premium but I sincerely believe anyone who pays that should receive a competency evaluation. It had NO redeeming qualities except that it was very good off road. That said, I have a 1999 Wrangler TJ and it is LIGHT YEARS ahead of the Bronco in any metric you care to name.

roadburner · September 2014

My buddy at the BMW dealership called his friend who bought his 2011 135i M Sport. The guy wants $27,500. It is Alpine White with a Coral Red leather interior, DCT, and every available option except(possibly) SiriusXM. 30k miles and it comes with a set of lightweight wheels and track tires.
Hmmm...

nyccarguy · September 2014

I'm taking everyone's advice and am also going to look at the new Legacy. For pretty much the same price, I can get the bigger, nicer, newer car with the 2.5 L 175 hp 4 cyl instead of the 2.0L 145 hp 4 cyl in the Impreza. Now granted the Legacy weighs more, but according to the dealer sites that show pricing they seem to be dealing right off the bat. I'm going to be obviously looking at the base 2.5i to start with.

suydam · September 2014

Drive them both and report back! You might like the Impreza better.

jayrider · September 2014

@nyccarguy said:
I'm taking everyone's advice and am also going to look at the new Legacy. For pretty much the same price, I can get the bigger, nicer, newer car with the 2.5 L 175 hp 4 cyl instead of the 2.0L 145 hp 4 cyl in the Impreza. Now granted the Legacy weighs more, but according to the dealer sites that show pricing they seem to be dealing right off the bat. I'm going to be obviously looking at the base 2.5i to start with.

If you really want to go low on a lease -- 2014 Verano auto and rear view camera 188 zero down 39 month lease [ Buick has 48 month warranty] 10k miles per year. Leather LaCrosse is 259 -- has blind spot monitor as well. Both have 2 year oil change package.

nyccarguy · September 2014

@jayrider‌

I've switched gears to focus on a purchase. My main reasons for checking out Subaru are the AWD, long term dependability, & excellent resale value (so I won't be buried even if I take out a 72 month loan).

oldfarmer50 · September 2014

I think Q's is better. Definitely lower miles.

http://albany.craigslist.org/cto/4647098681.html

fintail · September 2014

I swear, half of the later run 300SDs were that color. Funny, that's only "average" miles for one of those. Different driving experience than the 300E.

@oldfarmer50 said:
I think Q's is better. Definitely lower miles.

http://albany.craigslist.org/cto/4647098681.html

stickguy · September 2014

OK, spent much of today car shopping. My wife was even on board with going. I think I am still cashing in my sympathy chips (or she really really missed me when I was gone for most of the last week!).

anyway, more to come a bit later. But for Farmer, at the Ford dealer, was a really sharp looking gray Mustang GT. 6 speed, hood vents. some kind of expensive package on it (at least 4K) that ran an MSRP of 39K+. For a GT, not even a special version like a shelby or boss.

oh, the real kicker? It was a new, untitled, 2013! with the sticker still in the window, and I think no miles. No clue how to even come close to pricing that, but that sales guy off the top mentioned there was at least 4K sitting on the hood, before and negotiations. I was thinking 30K?

but sorry Farmer, no 2015s on the ground yet.

Oh, and a special post coming just for Bradd! And a shocking revelation that is going to blow you all away.

nyccarguy · September 2014

@stickguy‌

How long are you going to make me wait?

corvette · September 2014

@oldfarmer50 said:
I think Q's is better. Definitely lower miles.

http://albany.craigslist.org/cto/4647098681.html

I agree Q's is better, but people go crazy over those old diesels, even though their acceleration is dangerously slow by today's standards and they lack many modern safety features.

fintail · September 2014

That model is a turbo, so it shouldn't be too slow - but it will be relatively noisy, might be smoky, and after 30 years, definitely has a few quirks. It wouldn't be a smooth transition for the driver of a modern car.

@corvette said:
I agree Q's is better, but people go crazy over those old diesels, even though their acceleration is dangerously slow by today's standards and they lack many modern safety features.

stickguy · September 2014

@nyccarguy said:
stickguy‌

How long are you going to make me wait?

calm your jets. took the wife for ice cream (us empty nesters can do whatever we want!) and put garbage at curb, then walked the dog. But I am back.

so, among the stops today was the Sube dealer. as noted earlier, my SIL is actively shopping for a Forrester. Plus, I was looking for me. so made sense. Had a jasmine green limited Forrester on the floor. her color, but wants a premium.

anyway, met a nice sales dude. very friendly. On the floor next to the Forrester was an imprezza and Legacy. wife sat in them all, and as expected (and repeated elsewhere) just found the Legacy size to be better. the compacts were just a little bit tight.

when we arrived and parked, we were next to a nice carbide gray legacy. so the salesguy brought that up to try. So we hop in, and take a spin. This was a premium with the moonroof package. MSRP ~$26.5K Very well equipped really. just missing the fancy eyesight and other nanny stuff. New interior a big improvement. and I like the styling. Very roomy with a huge back seat, and quite comfortable seats.

so off we good. Drives nice. quiet, smooth and even quick. trans was unobtrusive. excellent visibility all around. Just a nice, nice package. impressive MPG ratings for an AWS too. Should be a winner.

yes, more expensive than an imprezza, but vastly more car IMO.

stickguy · September 2014

OK, other stops (not in order, but hey, it is my story!). Ford. Sat in a 2012 Fusion and a 2014. the 12 just seemed old. Probably because it was. could not see myself in one. the 14 was my more stylish, but overall, just didn't speak to us. Not having a back up camera, especially with very limited visibility, was a problem. Plus not quite sure I want to deal with the ecoboost for the kid. Plus, my wife for some reason has a thing about Fords. So that is out.

also stopped at Mazda. sat in a CX5, 3 and 6. Again, she thought the 3 was a bit small. Did like the 6, but they tend to get a bit pricey. Did not drive, but not sure they are going to win. The CX5 is my daughters wish, but I think I will stick with a sedan of some sort. Mazda is also going to be a big of a budget stretch, unless stick with a 3 and don't load it up too much.

stickguy · September 2014

one thing that is still on my mind is conceding that to get new, I might have to give up a moonroof. Hard for me! so used is still a concept. and, still debating used vs. new.

so, last stop (which came first). Toyota. Never did get to stop last week while up in NY, so did it at home. Looked at a Camry on the floor (bright red, odd). Was actually nice inside. also sat in a Corolla, and again seemed too small. So met another nice sales guy (seems to be a theme). walked out on the lot to look at selection. Decided to drive an LE with alloys and power seat (their volume model it seems). No roof, but MSRP just under 25K.

so, off we go. Surprisingly, I liked the way it drove. moved out quick and even steered well. as expected, good ride over the crappy roads we were on. Roomy, and comfy seats. Nice dash, and the touch screen radio was quite well done. We saw it in a dark metallic gray (cosmic) that was quite striking. I think this is a car that looks much better in a dark color. also saw an XLE that had a moonroof and assorted other goodies in that color that was nice. Decided the SE was not as desirable, because to get a roof it came with 18" 45 series tires which seems silly.

went inside and salesdude mentions they are really aggressive on price, and there is a boatload ($2,000) of lease cash too. Or 0% financing for 60 mos. Tough call!

stickguy · September 2014

so to wrap this up, after discussing with the wife, decided that for our needs (likely me to drive for the next year, and ultimately consider giving to my daughter to take to college), a mid size sedan would work best. And of the ones, considering all the factors, she actually liked the Camry the best (darned nice stereo interface!), and I was actually be fine with that. Cost no object, and purely for me, I might go Legacy instead.

key to this of course is the huge discounts. and budget. So, I called the salesman back to ask for a buy and lease quote on an LE and a base XLE (about a 2K difference in sticker). After talking about how to proceed, I think I may go with a lease here, if the monthly nut is too good to pass up. That way I can sell the rest of the fleet, and put all the money into paying off the RDX, and going forward with 2 newer cars and no more dealing with issues.

timing not perfect (4 years of college, 3 years of lease) but also possible that princess will get something different when time comes. Or I will. or something. Who knows? But, if I get an offer tomorrow that sounds good, I may shock the hell out of myself by getting a Camry! The XLE idea was a compromise on a lease, to get something with the moonroof and XM, etc. And get new. And if I like it, can always buy it out at the end!

still not a done deal. There is always the option to sell the Volvo, and just keep the old TL. But what fun is that?

roadburner · September 2014

Camry?

You do realize that you'll go broke drinking coffee and/or Red Bull in order to keep awake behind the wheel, right?

I'd stretch like like I was on a rack during the Spanish Inquisition to get a Mazda6 over a Camry.

But that's just me...

stickguy · September 2014

so RB, how do you really feel?

It surprised me though being nicer than I expected. Plus it will likely serve as the car for my kid to drive back and forth to NC, and use around campus while there. Good for that duty. me? I either drive it up and down the highway, or putt around town. Not like I am taking the TL out to autocross!

Mr_Shiftright · September 2014

Anybody want a 1979 Cadillac Seville with only 25 miles on it?

Mr_Shiftright · September 2014

Anybody want a 1979 Cadillac Seville with 25 verified miles on it?

It's filthy, and moldy inside but I suspect that a massive detailing, some steel wool and a few days in the shop to change fluids and mount tires might get it on the road. It has sustained some damage due to moisture I'm sure.

Personally, I'd leave it just the way it is and trailer it to car shows. It'll get more buzz than anything that's been restored. Yep, that's the original dealer sticker on there. Totals $16,000, a tidy sum in those days.

Mr_Shiftright · September 2014

That black stuff is just a thick layer of dust. As I was examining the car, one of the owner's many cats brushed my ankle. I looked over to give it a gentle shove with my foot and looking up at me was a skunk! I just turned the light on him slowly and he ambled off.

This has been a weird day

jayrider · September 2014

@stickguy said:
so to wrap this up, after discussing with the wife, decided that for our needs (likely me to drive for the next year, and ultimately consider giving to my daughter to take to college), a mid size sedan would work best. And of the ones, considering all the factors, she actually liked the Camry the best (darned nice stereo interface!), and I was actually be fine with that. Cost no object, and purely for me, I might go Legacy instead.

key to this of course is the huge discounts. and budget. So, I called the salesman back to ask for a buy and lease quote on an LE and a base XLE (about a 2K difference in sticker). After talking about how to proceed, I think I may go with a lease here, if the monthly nut is too good to pass up. That way I can sell the rest of the fleet, and put all the money into paying off the RDX, and going forward with 2 newer cars and no more dealing with issues.

timing not perfect (4 years of college, 3 years of lease) but also possible that princess will get something different when time comes. Or I will. or something. Who knows? But, if I get an offer tomorrow that sounds good, I may shock the hell out of myself by getting a Camry! The XLE idea was a compromise on a lease, to get something with the moonroof and XM, etc. And get new. And if I like it, can always buy it out at the end!

still not a done deal. There is always the option to sell the Volvo, and just keep the old TL. But what fun is that?

Mr_Shiftright · September 2014

Another car parked behind it...it's a stick shift, of all things. And a US model, too. Nothing here that $75,000 wouldn't fix.

jayrider · September 2014

@jayrider said:

I'd go check comps on an Accord --- telling the Toyota guy you are looking at them may get you a bit of extra help.

stickguy · September 2014

should have gone to the Honda dealer today too. They were giving out free hotdogs.

Possibly could expand options if I go back to leasing. I do like the Accord quite a bit. But it will be more expensive.

roadburner · September 2014

@stickguy said:
so RB, how do you really feel?

It surprised me though being nicer than I expected. Plus it will likely serve as the car for my kid to drive back and forth to NC, and use around campus while there. Good for that duty. me? I either drive it up and down the highway, or putt around town. Not like I am taking the TL out to autocross!

I agree 100% with how fellow Kentuckian David E. Davis Jr. inscribed my original copy of Turn Your Hymnals to 2002: "NO BORING CARS!" Everything in my garage has to put a smile on my face when I slide behind the wheel- although I have to admit that the 328i is nothing to get excited about, but then it is my wife's sled(come to think of it, I don't think she is all that attached to it either).

I'd take my 1975 2002 or 1999 Wrangler in a heartbeat over the most expensive Camry. Every time.

nyccarguy · September 2014

@stickguy‌

Nice write up on the Legacy. I'll drive one in the next few days and post my findings. Where'd you do all your test driving? By you in NJ or by your parents' place in Rockland?

stickguy · September 2014

Well, I doubt you would toss the keys to either of those cars to your daughter (assuming for a second that your son was a girl!) to take the 8 hours to school and back as needed.

fintail · September 2014

5 speed? Probably not.

@Mr_Shiftright said:
Another car parked behind it...it's a stick shift, of all things. And a US model, too. Nothing here that $75,000 wouldn't fix.

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