Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

oldfarmer50

abacomike said:

graphicguy said:

Mike....for no other reason than the stress factor, I think it might be best to walk away from the deal. There is no good answer to the issue. Take a few weeks, maybe test drive a bunch of cars in the same vertical market. Then, decide what you want to do.

That way you can make a decision without the time crunch, nor the stress of making a hurried decision.

That might be what I do.  I am waiting for the manager to come into my dealership now to determine the best course of action - I am sitting in the lounge waiting for him to arrive.

I am really not sure what I want to do.  It all depends on available options.

Thank you for the input - and thanks to all for your support.  I am just stressed out from this mess, my son, and the pneumonia I am recovering from.

I tell you Mike you're tougher than me. I ran out of the dealer today rather than make a decision while I had a head cold. You're practically on a gurney and you're still wheeling and dealing. My hat's off to you.

abacomike

robr2 said:

Mike - refresh my memory. I thought the MB dealer was mad at you for the discount fiasco in California. Did he reconsider?

I don't know what you are talking about. The Dealer has bent over backwards for me. He ordered a new car for me which will be produced in 2 weeks. Should be here in about 5 weeks give or take a week. He ordered the Driver Assistance Package and Mercedes is paying for that.

As for discounts, it was an even trade, $61,000 for my CLS and I paid $61,000 for the new car. When the new car comes in, I will owe him nothing.

oldfarmer50

I can't remember now why you were looking to do this move, since you seem to actually like your current car. Just got the new car itch, or some fascination with Mustangs?

Yes, all of the above. Ha ha.

Now I'm thinking Miata convertibles. How's that for being all over the place?

abacomike

Well, I have my CLS 550 back and will drive that until late November or so. Once we get to late November, if he has a customer for the car, I will return the car with the title and "pre-trade" the car in. The reason we will wait until the end of November is because I have a 30 day grace period on my policy.

I called Geico and the CLS 550 is back on my policy, as if I never traded it in. So I am fully insured until whenever....

The dealer said (and put in writing) that the CLS 550 will have an ACV of $61,000. If there was a loss in value when I turn the car in, some one will pick up the missing value, but I will not have to.

The advice I received from everyone here surely helped me come to the conclusion and decision I made this afternoon. It was good to get back into my CLS. Yes, it is an effort to get in and out of the car, but once in the car, it's a dream to drive. Yes, it has less than adequate visibility, but the ride and handling are much better than the E350 I was driving.

So, at least I do not have to worry about insurance now and I won't have to worry about the value of the trade, either. So, things are now ironed out until the new E400 arrives here from Germany.

Again, thanks so much for all you feedback and input. Maybe now my stress level will go back to "frazzled" instead of "insanity" like it's been the last week.

My son had his radiation treatments yesterday and has his usual headaches and ear-ringing like he always gets after these treatment. Dad's memory keeps getting worse and worse, and I am slowly still recuperating from pneumonia. Otherwise, things are just wonderful!!!!!

bwia

abacomike said:

robr2 said:

Mike - refresh my memory. I thought the MB dealer was mad at you for the discount fiasco in California. Did he reconsider?

I don't know what you are talking about. The Dealer has bent over backwards for me. He ordered a new car for me which will be produced in 2 weeks. Should be here in about 5 weeks give or take a week. He ordered the Driver Assistance Package and Mercedes is paying for that.

As for discounts, it was an even trade, $61,000 for my CLS and I paid $61,000 for the new car. When the new car comes in, I will owe him nothing.

rob2, I think that was with respect to him getting a sweetheart of a deal for his son as well as cosigning on the note. If I remember correctly, his son also wanted him to get a similar deal for his friend.

robr2

bwia said:

abacomike said:

robr2 said:

Mike - refresh my memory. I thought the MB dealer was mad at you for the discount fiasco in California. Did he reconsider?

I don't know what you are talking about. The Dealer has bent over backwards for me. He ordered a new car for me which will be produced in 2 weeks. Should be here in about 5 weeks give or take a week. He ordered the Driver Assistance Package and Mercedes is paying for that.

As for discounts, it was an even trade, $61,000 for my CLS and I paid $61,000 for the new car. When the new car comes in, I will owe him nothing.

rob2, I think that was with respect to him getting a sweetheart of a deal for his son as well as cosigning on the note. If I remember correctly, his son also wanted him to get a similar deal for his friend.

I thought his dealer blew his stack when Mike's son asked the CA dealer for the same for a friend and said he wouldn't give Mike the sweetheart deals anymore - at least that's what I remember.

houdini1

bwia said:

Since others are bragging about their recent purchases I thought I'd share my nearly new wheels.

It may not be not have the pedigree of Germany's Big Three but my 1999 RAV 4 purchased in Japan and shipped 8,800 miles across the Pacific, has arrived at its new home in the Caribbean. Sorry oldfarmer this one is spoken for.


Note: the steering wheel is on the right since they drive on the wrong side of the road in the Caribbean.

bwia said:

Since others are bragging about their recent purchases I thought I'd share my nearly new wheels.

It may not be not have the pedigree of Germany's Big Three but my 1999 RAV 4 purchased in Japan and shipped 8,800 miles across the Pacific, has arrived at its new home in the Caribbean. Sorry oldfarmer this one is spoken for.


Note: the steering wheel is on the right since they drive on the wrong side of the road in the Caribbean.

Bwia, that looks like a sweet little ride. I always liked that model year Rav. Enjoy. You should be good to go for years and years.

abacomike

@bwia‌

It's hard to believe how far that RAV has traveled to reach its new home.  ENJOY!

driver100

Just reading how used car prices are way too high compared to new car prices. U.S. figures would be 10X these, but look at the dollars in sales of new vs used cars.

New car sales dwarf used car sales. Statistics Canada said there were $8.2-billion in sales at new car dealers in August on a seasonally adjusted basis which compares with $548-million done by used car dealers during the same month

They use this example. A guy is looking for a used Honda Civic. A 2013 former rental car with 30k miles is $16K. A 2011 is $13K. A new one is $18K....with no miles and 3 year warranty.

Few used cars since 2008 when the recession hit. There is a shortage, but, buying new seems to be a better deal in most cases.

driver100

bwia said:

Since others are bragging about their recent purchases I thought I'd share my nearly new wheels.

It may not be not have the pedigree of Germany's Big Three but my 1999 RAV 4 purchased in Japan and shipped 8,800 miles across the Pacific, has arrived at its new home in the Caribbean. Sorry oldfarmer this one is spoken for.


Note: the steering wheel is on the right since they drive on the wrong side of the road in the Caribbean.

Bwia....those early RAV4 models were really cute!

explorerx4

@oldfarmer, Glad you got to at least drive a new Mustang. It's mission seems to have changed, more of a real GT machine now. How about if you go back to the Lame-o dealer and drive a 14 and 15 back to back?

@bwia, It looks like it's in really good condition, and I'm sure the lower body kit add a few horsepower.

oldfarmer50

roadburner said:

This summer I noticed some rust on the top of the fenders of my 1999 Wrangler; I was a bit surprised as I try to keep my vehicles clean. Anyway, I went ahead and had both fenders repaired at an excellent local shop. It turns out that Jeep bolted a reinforcing panel under the fender and sandwiched a piece of foam in between to keep things quiet. Well, water gets in the foam and traps moisture- the result is the rust I found. Needless to say, the panels weren't reinstalled. $600 later it looks like new again- and hopefully it will continue to plug along for another 10-15 years.

And yes, I know it would be less expensive to buy a new Wrangler every three years, but what can I say? I'm just stubborn...

The Wrangler also seems to develop frame rust just to the front of the rear axel. I've seen them in my side yard as new as 2001s as my son's scrapper friend prepares them for the crusher.

oldfarmer50

"...
It may not be not have the pedigree of Germany's Big Three but my 1999 RAV 4 purchased in Japan and shipped 8,800 miles across the Pacific, has arrived at its new home in the Caribbean. Sorry oldfarmer this one is spoken for..."

That's ok it's all yours. Be a bit difficult to use here unless I was a mail carrier.

houdini1

driver100 said:

Just reading how used car prices are way too high compared to new car prices. U.S. figures would be 10X these, but look at the dollars in sales of new vs used cars.

New car sales dwarf used car sales. Statistics Canada said there were $8.2-billion in sales at new car dealers in August on a seasonally adjusted basis which compares with $548-million done by used car dealers during the same month

They use this example. A guy is looking for a used Honda Civic. A 2013 former rental car with 30k miles is $16K. A 2011 is $13K. A new one is $18K....with no miles and 3 year warranty.

Few used cars since 2008 when the recession hit. There is a shortage, but, buying new seems to be a better deal in most cases.

Those numbers look awfully high to me. Are you sure that is not for an entire year ending in August? Or for year to date ending in August?

ab348

driver100 said:

Bwia....those early RAV4 models were really cute!

"Cute" is not the word I would use...

driver100

houdini1 said:

driver100 said:

Just reading how used car prices are way too high compared to new car prices. U.S. figures would be 10X these, but look at the dollars in sales of new vs used cars.

New car sales dwarf used car sales. Statistics Canada said there were $8.2-billion in sales at new car dealers in August on a seasonally adjusted basis which compares with $548-million done by used car dealers during the same month

They use this example. A guy is looking for a used Honda Civic. A 2013 former rental car with 30k miles is $16K. A 2011 is $13K. A new one is $18K....with no miles and 3 year warranty.

Few used cars since 2008 when the recession hit. There is a shortage, but, buying new seems to be a better deal in most cases.

Those numbers look awfully high to me. Are you sure that is not for an entire year ending in August? Or for year to date ending in August?

That was the figure given in the article which I will link for you here.
Gary Marr- Buy a New Car, not a Used One


The Canadian government say $6 Billion worth of cars, in August 2014.
Official web-site gov't Canada - Car Sales by $'s

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

I'm kind of depressed.

Acting on the recommendations of you folks I went Stang hunting today. My first stop was the dealer nearby with the Zombie salesman where I saw a white 4 cyl. 2015 yesterday. It was there in front so I took a look. My initial impression was that it looked Camaroesque from the 1/4 front view (not good). There was also a white 2014 in the lot and I liked the front of that much better. Rear and 3/4 rear of the '15 looked much better The place was dead but it was 8:30 am so maybe they weren't open. I left rather than try to raise the dead.

I then drove to another dealer about 20 miles way because they had a few units with Ceramic interior which looked nice on line. Intended to just look and run.

Within seconds a salesman appeared. He was the opposite of the other salesman, friendly and engaging. He quickly talked me into a test drive.

The car was a GT stick in Ruby Red with black leather. I wasn't crazy about testing a manual because the standards I drive are very different from the short throw in this car and I didn't want getting use to shifting to distract me...but what the heck.

First thing I noticed was that outward visibility wasn't the greatest. I also didn't expect the hood to be so LONG. It was like driving my son's Deville. The combination made me feel like I was driving from a cave. I had trouble with the soft clutch pedal and even stalled it once. Luckily, there was a start stop button so I just hit the button to restart. The car was almost TOO quiet. No rev noise to gage clutch engagement and not the rumble I would have expected from that big V8.

Perhaps it was the quiet nature of the vehicle or my bad clutch work but it didn't seem very fast. I mean not the head snapping acceleration I expected. We were mainly on straight country road with 45mph limits so I never got it over 60 and there was no opportunity to take any turns to judge handling. Car felt more like driving a brick than a sports car.

On the way home I couldn't help but compare the Mustang to the Eclipse and I'm sad to say for visibility, handling and quickness I liked the Eclipse better. I can't believe it.

It's probably not fair to judge one car after a 10 minute drive against one I've driven for 6 years. I'm sure with continued driving I'd learn all the sweet spots on the new car. I just didn't get the tingle up my leg feeling.

The salesman certainly didn't do anything wrong. He was the perfect combination of aggressiveness and cooperation. He offered to change the configuration of an inbound unit to exactly how I wanted it and have it there in a month. He let me know he was hungry without being obnoxious. If I buy it will be from this guy.

But now I'm in a quandary. The car was nice but is it $35k nice. I guess this process is....

.....TO BE CONTINUED.

Oldfarmer.....very interesting review of the Mustang...car of your dreams. I learned in business it is good to make mistakes, you learn more from your mistakes than from your successes. When you make a mistake, it is usually because you are trying something new. That's good, at least you are trying. You tried the Mustang and I don't get the impression it is all you hoped it would be.

It may still have potential, because you may get used to it. I kind of like a big hood...gives me a sense of security, though probably a false one. I don't like squinty little windows that make you feel like you are driving a tank.

At least you know the Mustang might not be the best choice of car for you. Time to move on and find somethinjg that suits you better.

abacomike

When I got my CLS back today, I needed some gasoline so I stopped off at Costco.  Unleaded Premium was $3.30 a gallon.  I honestly cannot remember the last time I paid that for PUG - must be at least 5 or 6 years ago.

The reports in the business section of our local newspaper indicate continued reductions in the retail price of gasoline.  If the Canadian/USA pipeline ever gets the OK, that would not only ensure continued reductions in the future, but the US could become a major oil exporter which would further stabilize prices and have a major political impact on Russia as well as OPEC.  Wouldn't that be interesting?

driver100

abacomike said:

Well, I have my CLS 550 back and will drive that until late November or so. Once we get to late November, if he has a customer for the car, I will return the car with the title and "pre-trade" the car in. The reason we will wait until the end of November is because I have a 30 day grace period on my policy.

I called Geico and the CLS 550 is back on my policy, as if I never traded it in. So I am fully insured until whenever....

The dealer said (and put in writing) that the CLS 550 will have an ACV of $61,000. If there was a loss in value when I turn the car in, some one will pick up the missing value, but I will not have to.

The advice I received from everyone here surely helped me come to the conclusion and decision I made this afternoon. It was good to get back into my CLS. Yes, it is an effort to get in and out of the car, but once in the car, it's a dream to drive. Yes, it has less than adequate visibility, but the ride and handling are much better than the E350 I was driving.

So, at least I do not have to worry about insurance now and I won't have to worry about the value of the trade, either. So, things are now ironed out until the new E400 arrives here from Germany.

Again, thanks so much for all you feedback and input. Maybe now my stress level will go back to "frazzled" instead of "insanity" like it's been the last week.

My son had his radiation treatments yesterday and has his usual headaches and ear-ringing like he always gets after these treatment. Dad's memory keeps getting worse and worse, and I am slowly still recuperating from pneumonia. Otherwise, things are just wonderful!!!!!

Mike, that is the best option right now. The dealer did everything they could. You will not get a comparable deal on another make of car, and I doubt you will find they suit you like a Mercedes will. You know the brand and you like it.

Besides, they ordered the car for you when you didn't expect to even take it. If they hadn't ordered it you wouldn't even have known about it really, and if you had you would just be putting in an order now. They really ordered it as a dealer car - with the option you could take it if you wanted to. They like you and wanted to do something for you....and move a car.

I think you will like the E400 when it arrives. In the meantime, you have a car you like...you only have to drive it for another month or two at the most, and your new car will be there, and you are really going to like it. Also, I think you will find it will be easier for your father to get in and out of the newer larger car.

You have had a lot to contend with lately, so just go with the flow, this should solve itself soon.

bwia

ab348 said:

driver100 said:

Bwia....those early RAV4 models were really cute!

"Cute" is not the word I would use...

It may not be cute but it has no pretense of being anything other than a 4x4 AWD off-roader. There is a French expression for *driver's comment, which I can't spell, but I believe it is something that sounds like "espere mieux." And sorry for bastardizing Napoleon's language.

imidazol97

bwia said:

Since others are bragging about their recent purchases I thought I'd share my nearly new wheels.

It may not be not have the pedigree of Germany's Big Three but my 1999 RAV 4 purchased in Japan and shipped 8,800 miles across the Pacific, has arrived at its new home in the Caribbean. Sorry oldfarmer this one is spoken for.


Note: the steering wheel is on the right since they drive on the wrong side of the road in the Caribbean.

Congratulations on your RAV4. Now that's a _real_ import: from Japan.

ab348

oldfarmer50 said:

I'm kind of depressed.

Acting on the recommendations of you folks I went Stang hunting today. My first stop was the dealer nearby with the Zombie salesman where I saw a white 4 cyl. 2015 yesterday. It was there in front so I took a look. My initial impression was that it looked Camaroesque from the 1/4 front view (not good). There was also a white 2014 in the lot and I liked the front of that much better. Rear and 3/4 rear of the '15 looked much better The place was dead but it was 8:30 am so maybe they weren't open. I left rather than try to raise the dead.

I then drove to another dealer about 20 miles way because they had a few units with Ceramic interior which looked nice on line. Intended to just look and run.

Within seconds a salesman appeared. He was the opposite of the other salesman, friendly and engaging. He quickly talked me into a test drive.

The car was a GT stick in Ruby Red with black leather. I wasn't crazy about testing a manual because the standards I drive are very different from the short throw in this car and I didn't want getting use to shifting to distract me...but what the heck.

First thing I noticed was that outward visibility wasn't the greatest. I also didn't expect the hood to be so LONG. It was like driving my son's Deville. The combination made me feel like I was driving from a cave. I had trouble with the soft clutch pedal and even stalled it once. Luckily, there was a start stop button so I just hit the button to restart. The car was almost TOO quiet. No rev noise to gage clutch engagement and not the rumble I would have expected from that big V8.

Perhaps it was the quiet nature of the vehicle or my bad clutch work but it didn't seem very fast. I mean not the head snapping acceleration I expected. We were mainly on straight country road with 45mph limits so I never got it over 60 and there was no opportunity to take any turns to judge handling. Car felt more like driving a brick than a sports car.

On the way home I couldn't help but compare the Mustang to the Eclipse and I'm sad to say for visibility, handling and quickness I liked the Eclipse better. I can't believe it.

It's probably not fair to judge one car after a 10 minute drive against one I've driven for 6 years. I'm sure with continued driving I'd learn all the sweet spots on the new car. I just didn't get the tingle up my leg feeling.

The salesman certainly didn't do anything wrong. He was the perfect combination of aggressiveness and cooperation. He offered to change the configuration of an inbound unit to exactly how I wanted it and have it there in a month. He let me know he was hungry without being obnoxious. If I buy it will be from this guy.

But now I'm in a quandary. The car was nice but is it $35k nice. I guess this process is....

.....TO BE CONTINUED.

I find your experience a bit unusual. I drove a 2012 GT when they first came out and it was scary powerful on the street. It would break loose with even moderately aggressive throttle. Also that model had a very prominent engine sound in the cockpit. It almost sounded artificial. I read later that they engineered a "sound pipe", whatever that is, from the engine compartment to the cockpit to enable that. The new car is a bit heavier than the old but they also added 20 or so HP so that should be a wash. Odd that it felt slow and was so quiet.

I saw a 2015 yesterday on a lot and I get your "Camaroesque" comment on the front view. All of these cars seem to have poor visibility now too. Actually I find my new ATS to be pretty good for that compared to the Regal. I think good visibility is a rare thing these days.

abacomike

I have purchased over 52 (when my wife was alive, I bought all her cars as well) new vehicles in my lifetime, but this last experience was, without any doubt, the most disappointing, most stressful and the most awful one I have ever experienced.

In this case, it was the dealership and its management that saved the day.  Mercedes corporate was of absolutely no direct assistance or help to me, whatsoever.  The dealership stepped up all the way to make this as right as it could be after taking delivery of an incorrectly manufactured E400.  

I have to to commend Mercedes Benz of Delray for bending over backwards to salvage this fiasco.  I could not have survived this had it not been for them.

driver100

bwia said:

ab348 said:

driver100 said:

Bwia....those early RAV4 models were really cute!

"Cute" is not the word I would use...

It may not be cute but it has no pretense of being anything other than a 4x4 AWD off-roader. There is a French expression for *driver's comment, which I can't spell, but I believe it is something that sounds like "espere mieux." And sorry for bastardizing Napoleon's language.

I am not sure "espere mieux" is the phrase you are looking for. I checked it on a French to English translator site and it means "better hope" or "best hope".

I really do think it is "cute". Sorry, I know it is supposed to be a macho SUV but let's call it a "cute brute". I like it though....it looks like the ideal island holiday car...and it doesn't take itself too seriously, it looks like a fun car for vacation time.

roadburner

oldfarmer50 said:

roadburner said:

This summer I noticed some rust on the top of the fenders of my 1999 Wrangler; I was a bit surprised as I try to keep my vehicles clean. Anyway, I went ahead and had both fenders repaired at an excellent local shop. It turns out that Jeep bolted a reinforcing panel under the fender and sandwiched a piece of foam in between to keep things quiet. Well, water gets in the foam and traps moisture- the result is the rust I found. Needless to say, the panels weren't reinstalled. $600 later it looks like new again- and hopefully it will continue to plug along for another 10-15 years.

And yes, I know it would be less expensive to buy a new Wrangler every three years, but what can I say? I'm just stubborn...

The Wrangler also seems to develop frame rust just to the front of the rear axel. I've seen them in my side yard as new as 2001s as my son's scrapper friend prepares them for the crusher.

No problem with that yet; there are now some repair kits you can get to repair the frame rust. Next summer I'm buying some Eastwood rustproofing and rust converter products and spending a couple of days treating the entire underside of the beast.

roadburner

Spent some quality time with the 2002 today; the turn signal switch has never worked right, so I dug through the trunk full of parts that came with the car and found another switch. Used, but it looked OK and cancelled properly. Plugged it in and it worked! Next I cleaned the bulb sockets so now I have turn signals that cancel properly, working signal bulbs at all four corners AND a functioning turn signal light in the instrument cluster!!!

In my declining years I'm noticing that it takes less and less to make me excited...

roadburner

Some of you may recall that I test drove a 2013 Mustang GT a couple of years ago. My wife was sure I would buy it on the spot when I returned.
Nope. It did nothing for me. No a bad car at all, but it definitely lacked the "Gotta have it" vibe I have to feel before I pull the trigger.

nyccarguy

Chalk this one up to complete & utter stupidity. Completely my own fault. The good news, I did 522.7 miles on my last tank of gas in my Legacy yielding 28.2 mpg. The bad news, I needed 523.7 miles.

I left work this dreary, rainy, & cold afternoon knowing I needed gas. In fact I knew I needed gas when I left for work at 6:30 this morning. Last night when I got off the parkway and my DTE was 50 miles. 1 1/2 miles later pulling into my driveway DTE was 40. I turned around & backed into my driveway and DTE was - - - -. Now I knew from my 1st fill up that the DTE computer isn't exact (I know none of them are exact).

Again, I asked for this. I was trying to get 500 miles to a tank. I got that on my way to work. No traffic, raining, so I took it easy. I left work (passing a gas station 1/2 block away from my store) on my way to Costco which is 10 miles from my store. Now I wasn't specifically going to Costco for gas, my wife gave me a small list so I figured, why not?

I'm on I95 North, less than 4 miles from Costco, going 50 mph (the speed limit), confident that I'd make it. Well, the car stalls out, the dash lights up like a Christmas tree, & I immediately pull over into the shoulder.

Ok, I knew I ran out of gas (2:06 pm). I played with fire & got burned. No problem. I call Subaru roadside assistance. After waiting on hold for 8 minutes, I get a cheery representative on the phone. After answering a barrage of questions, she tells me: "No problem sir, we'll get someone out to you with 2 gallons of gas at no charge within 35 minutes. I apologize for your inconvenience. Try an enjoy the rest of your day."

Ok, no problem. The phone rings 2 minutes later. "Hi, did you just call Subaru Roadside Assistance because you ran out of gas?"

"Yes, that was me."

"There is a problem. We are no authorized to dispense gasoline or tow your car on any road operated by the New York State Thruway Authority. We've contacted THE company Authorized to tow and they have been dispatched. You'll have to pay them to tow you off the highway, then we'll reimburse you.

"Ok, are you sure? I have AAA I can call too"

"They'll tell you the same thing."

"Ok, send the tow truck."

So I hang up & call AAA. They tell me the same thing. So I'm waiting in my car. By the time I got done waiting on hold, giving my info out, and talking to the guy who said he'd send a tow truck, it was 2:30 pm. I figured I'd be waiting for an hour or so. 3:30 rolls around, so I call the tow company to see if they need help locating me.

"Please sit tight and be patient sir. A moving truck wandered on to the Hutch (parkway, no trucks allowed), hit an overpass, & caused a multi-vehicle accident. We didn't forget about you. We'll be there."

nyccarguy

Now it is 4:00 and I call the tow company again. The dispatcher is really nice & says they will be here in 25 minutes tops. I see their company's wrecker haul the crashed moving truck & then another truck towing a car that was damaged in the accident.

4:45 pm help arrives! The driver is super nice & apologized sincerely up & down for the wait. He loads me on to the flat bed & hauls me to the next exit (this is the way to travel) which is about 1 mile away. He drops me down at the pump & even waits for me to fill up to make sure my car starts up. I pull out of the gas station at 5:06 pm. 3 hours later.

I was talking to the driver. He said to me. "I heard it was a Subaru, I figured it must be out of gas." I asked him why. "They don't break down & last forever."

So season learned. Light goes on, go get gas. Thank-you ladies & gentlemen, I'll be here all night. Don't forget to tip your waitress. You've been a wonderful audience.

abacomike

@nyccarguy‌

Squeezing out those last few miles on a tankful of gas never pays.  I never let my fuel gauge go below half a tank.  I don't think I've ever run out of gas in my entire life.  As for my kids when they were teenagers - they did it all the time because they always claimed to be short of cash.  

My wife had a great idea - she made me put a $20 bill in their car's manual on the glove box.  Then when they would call me, "...Dad, I ran out of gas and need you to come out and loan me a few bucks..." All I had to do is tell them where the $20 was.  But they got smart to that solution and always spent the $20 on their girl/boy friends when they went out to the movies.

so when they would call me after they had pilfered the emergency money on non-gas items, I merely hung up on them.  That solved the problem once they knew I was no longer at their neck and call.

stickguy

I support Mike's plan. I put the fear of God in my kids about paying attention. If my son ever did, he never told me. And my daughter is a bit paranoid. It helps that the Volvo has a very pessimistic gas gauge (either that, or it shows pegged full on the gauge when it is 2+ gallons short!).

I do keep a few gas company cards in the car, so no excuse about not having cash, as long as she can find exxon, mobil, shell or Sunoco!

I am not as bad as him though. Once it gets a little below 1/2 I pay attention. And make sure to stop at about 1/4 tank. My wife, she does not pay such close attention, so occasionally she says "oh, the car needs gas, the light just came on". I doubt she stops more than 2 times a year to get gas, and we live in a state where they pump for you!

tommister2

@nyccarguy‌ your story made a question come to mind. What if you run out of gas in New Jersey? Can you put gas in your car from a can or is that illegal?

driver100

roadburner said:

Well, water gets in the foam and traps moisture- the result is the rust I found. Needless to say, the panels weren't reinstalled. $600 later it looks like new again- and hopefully it will continue to plug along for another 10-15 years.

And yes, I know it would be less expensive to buy a new Wrangler every three years, but what can I say? I'm just stubborn...

Yeh, I'd go for a new one...maybe they solved the rusty panel problem by now!

driver100

nyccarguy said:

I was talking to the driver. He said to me. "I heard it was a Subaru, I figured it must be out of gas." I asked him why. "They don't break down & last forever."

So season learned. Light goes on, go get gas. Thank-you ladies & gentlemen, I'll be here all night. Don't forget to tip your waitress. You've been a wonderful audience.

Thanks nyc....you just reminded me of a good reason why I like to fill up at about the 1/4 level, so something like that won't happen. There have been times when there wasn't a station at the critical point...but I really try to get gas when it shows 50 miles left in the tank.

It can happen very easily in the winter if you get stuck in heavy traffic, and of course cars go through gas a lot faster in the winter.

During big power outages the pumps don't work, so best not to let the gas level get too low.

driver100

abacomike said:

@nyccarguy‌

e.  As for my kids when they were teenagers - they did it all the time because they always claimed to be short of cash.  

My wife had a great idea - she made me put a $20 bill in their car's manual on the glove box.  Then when they would call me, "

My BIL is a real joker, and his son likes to use up gas in the car, and never replace it. So, his son takes the family car for the evening, and my BIL gives him a gift card that has $10 printed on it. His son takes the car, which is almost on empty, to the gas station and puts in $10 worth of gas and takes the gift card in to the owner.

The owner swipes the card and says there is only 1 cent left on the card, he owed $9.99. They realized they had been punked. They had a good laugh over that one...and the owner let him bring in the $10 later in the week.

abacomike

If any of you are interested, mbusa.com just added the new 2015 E Class to their site. There are several films available for viewing as well as a way of building a new E400, selecting colors, interiors, options, and explanations of all the available options and what they do. If you do go to the site and spend some time building some of the cars, let me know what you think. I would appreciate your feedback.

jayrider

abacomike said:

If any of you are interested, mbusa.com just added the new 2015 E Class to their site. There are several films available for viewing as well as a way of building a new E400, selecting colors, interiors, options, and explanations of all the available options and what they do. If you do go to the site and spend some time building some of the cars, let me know what you think. I would appreciate your feedback.

Beautiful car for sure.

Mr_Shiftright

Oh c'mon---you'll look like a Shriner driving one of those little things.

oldfarmer50 said:

I can't remember now why you were looking to do this move, since you seem to actually like your current car. Just got the new car itch, or some fascination with Mustangs?

Yes, all of the above. Ha ha.

Now I'm thinking Miata convertibles. How's that for being all over the place?

Mr_Shiftright

In my experience at any rate, if you "love" a car when you buy it, you'll forgive any little stumbles and faults that you may discover. But if you were in doubt when standing at the altar saying "I do", I think you'd tend to be far more critical when the car hiccups and burps and doesn't do what you want it to. I guess it's a form of "buyers remorse" but it's not about the money, it's about the car itself.

roadburner said:

Spent some quality time with the 2002 today; the turn signal switch has never worked right, so I dug through the trunk full of parts that came with the car and found another switch. Used, but it looked OK and cancelled properly. Plugged it in and it worked! Next I cleaned the bulb sockets so now I have turn signals that cancel properly, working signal bulbs at all four corners AND a functioning turn signal light in the instrument cluster!!!

In my declining years I'm noticing that it takes less and less to make me excited...

bwia

abacomike said:

If any of you are interested, mbusa.com just added the new 2015 E Class to their site. There are several films available for viewing as well as a way of building a new E400, selecting colors, interiors, options, and explanations of all the available options and what they do. If you do go to the site and spend some time building some of the cars, let me know what you think. I would appreciate your feedback.

Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's an S550 for? ...

Mr_Shiftright

I'm off today to look at a Dodge Dakota 4X4---older one, 2001. Advertised as "impossible to get smogged", make offer. I always like a challenge. I'm going to definitely low-ball it, so that I can flip it if I hit a stone wall with it. Best case scenario? ignition issues or a new Cat. Worst case? low compression. 5.2V8, automatic.

Mostly I want it to haul trash and to be my "sentinel". When I'm out of town it helps to have a vehicle in the driveway so that it looks like someone's home.

isellhondas

imidazol97 said:

bwia said:

Since others are bragging about their recent purchases I thought I'd share my nearly new wheels.

It may not be not have the pedigree of Germany's Big Three but my 1999 RAV 4 purchased in Japan and shipped 8,800 miles across the Pacific, has arrived at its new home in the Caribbean. Sorry oldfarmer this one is spoken for.


Note: the steering wheel is on the right since they drive on the wrong side of the road in the Caribbean.

Congratulations on your RAV4. Now that's a _real_ import: from Japan.

I always thought those early 2 door Rav 4's looked like a tennis shoe!

driver100

abacomike said:

If any of you are interested, mbusa.com just added the new 2015 E Class to their site. There are several films available for viewing as well as a way of building a new E400, selecting colors, interiors, options, and explanations of all the available options and what they do. If you do go to the site and spend some time building some of the cars, let me know what you think. I would appreciate your feedback.

Great site....easy to use. I built my car on the USA site and it is only about 10% more to buy in Canada, though our dollar is only worth 89 cents to the US dollar. But, even when our money was at par most cars were 20% more here. Not sure why that is. I paid about 5% more for this car than the 2012 535, but it has a lot more features. I think the E400 is really good value all considering.

driver100

isellhondas said:

imidazol97 said:

bwia said:

Since others are bragging about their recent purchases I thought I'd share my nearly new wheels.

It may not be not have the pedigree of Germany's Big Three but my 1999 RAV 4 purchased in Japan and shipped 8,800 miles across the Pacific, has arrived at its new home in the Caribbean. Sorry oldfarmer this one is spoken for.


Note: the steering wheel is on the right since they drive on the wrong side of the road in the Caribbean.

Congratulations on your RAV4. Now that's a _real_ import: from Japan.

I always thought those early 2 door Rav 4's looked like a tennis shoe!

Now that you mention it...............................

graphicguy

nyccarguy said:

Now it is 4:00 and I call the tow company again. The dispatcher is really nice & says they will be here in 25 minutes tops. I see their company's wrecker haul the crashed moving truck & then another truck towing a car that was damaged in the accident.

4:45 pm help arrives! The driver is super nice & apologized sincerely up & down for the wait. He loads me on to the flat bed & hauls me to the next exit (this is the way to travel) which is about 1 mile away. He drops me down at the pump & even waits for me to fill up to make sure my car starts up. I pull out of the gas station at 5:06 pm. 3 hours later.

I was talking to the driver. He said to me. "I heard it was a Subaru, I figured it must be out of gas." I asked him why. "They don't break down & last forever."

So season learned. Light goes on, go get gas. Thank-you ladies & gentlemen, I'll be here all night. Don't forget to tip your waitress. You've been a wonderful audience.

Whoops! I think the last time I ran out of gas was when I was a starving college student living on Velveeta and Hamburger Helper and could only afford a gallon or two of gas at a time.

Now, my DTE reports anything under 100 miles, I'm searching for the nearest station.

As an FYI, getting a tow is never a quick or easy task, unless they're towing parking infractions, in which case they're there within 5 minutes of the call.

If you want to get them to hustle, and they don't show up in the time frame stipulated? Call their dispatcher back after the driver is 10 minutes late. Tell them you'll call another tow company. They hate to lose business to their competition, and tow companies are very competitive.

It's worked for me more than once to spur them on a little.

stever

The last time I ran out was in '99, intentionally trying to see how far the new Quest would go. I was a couple of blocks from home. Was a bit concerned that it'd be hard to restart but there wasn't any issue. The original fuel pump is still going strong afaik.

There's been three recent occasions where we've sweated it out with the Grand Caravan. I think the miles to empty gauge is a bit Kramerish. If it really meant 30 miles when it said 30 miles to empty, fine. But it seems like it goes from 30 to zilch in three or four miles.

Wouldn't work on many of the freeways I guess, but I've heard that you can call a cab and get gas delivered (or a jump start, etc.).

stickguy

state highways and toll roads as Bradd found out are a different animal. Only the company that paid off the politicians the best gets to work out there.

at least in Jersey, there are some service vehicles on certain roads. Not sure who sponsors them. Not tow trucks. More like a pick up that I assume has spare gas, and can help you change a tire. stuff like that. Plus I think they are free.

abacomike

stickguy said:

state highways and toll roads as Bradd found out are a different animal. Only the company that paid off the politicians the best gets to work out there. at least in Jersey, there are some service vehicles on certain roads. Not sure who sponsors them. Not tow trucks. More like a pick up that I assume has spare gas, and can help you change a tire. stuff like that. Plus I think they are free.

Down here on the Florida Turnpike and it tributaries (Dolphin Expressway, Sawgrass Expressway, etc.), State Farm Insurance sponsors all roadside emergency vehicles.  To get help, you dial *xxx and they come to your assistance.

stever

Wasn't there a reality TV show out about dueling tow truck companies fighting over wreck recoveries? They made a big deal about having them cruising around the freeways looking for work and made it sound like they were never more than 5 minutes away from a wreck. Typical scripted fare with no basis in reality.

stickguy

they do that in Philly. maybe not on some highways, but local roads? It is war.