Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

Mr_Shiftright

I think all car horns should sound like gunshots instead.

dino001

Mr_Shiftright said:

There are studies that suggest that over-confidence in the safety of a car leads to more accidents.

Long time ago I read a tongue-in-cheek article stating that if we REALLY wanted safe cars, we shoild place a driver seat in front on the bumper in a glass canopy, so the driver has no doubt he's going to die in case of an accident.

oldfarmer50

abacomike said:

"PIN-STRIPES AND VINYL ROOFS"

A few weeks ago, we were discussing pin-stripes and vinyl roofs and the fact that, for the most part, they are a bit passe. But just as I was coming in to our community through one of the security gates, I saw a brand new White Buick LaCrosse checking in with the security guard that had this curvy black pin-stripe from nose to rear and a black vinyl roof. The pin-stripe looked like it was hand-painted which mine always were.

I would think that between the pin-stripes and the vinyl roof, the guy must have paid $1500+ more for his car. The Buick dealership must have seen him coming, if you know what I mean. Of course, each to his/her own, but it totally ruined the beautiful lines of the new LaCrosse. Only in South Florida where the average age of the retirees is "deceased" would you find a car like that.

Ha ha that sounds just like the one I saw outside the eye center. Maybe he went south for the winter.

I remember a few years ago seeing a new Chrysler 300 in the dealer's showroom with a vinyl roof (dealer installed) for an additional $3000. Totally ruined the lines of the car.

oldfarmer50

Mr_Shiftright said:

If you look at the safety issue with a cold rational eye, there is really no such thing as "a safe car". At best, and given the premise of a good driver, you could possibly say "some cars are less dangerous than others".

But a "safe car"? That's like saying "a safe shark tank". I mean, 32,000 highway deaths a year---that's almost a full football stadium full of people every year.

Would anyone call some other apparatus "safe" if 32,000 people a year died using it?

I totally appreciate modern safety features but I wouldn't want my kids to be operating under the delusion that their 2015 car is totally "safe".

There's plenty of evidence that the safer cars become the more reckless drivers act because they figure the car will save them. One safety expert actually said that if you wanted to prevent all accidents you should tie dynamite to the bumpers and affix a bayonet to the steering wheel so that any accident was instantly fatal. That, he said, would make everyone drive extremely carefully so there would be no accidents.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

I decided to call a Honda dealer to see what I could do on the phone. I got a very nice salesman. I told him what I was doing and why, and explained I have quite a bit of experience buying cars, and I am trying to help someone.

He said the 2014s were sold out. My friend wants automatic and a/c. He suggested an LX model, it comes with that pluse cruise, rear camera, bluetooth, heated seats. The price he gave me was $20980. I asked if that was the sticker price or discounted price. He said he took $500 off.

He said if he buys the car by January 2nd Honda will take off an additional Holiday Sale amount of $500.

He has to pay sales tax and for a license.....prep was built in.

I could check more dealers but that sounds very reasonable to me. With tax it comes to $23707 less $500 if buys before Jan 2nd. I thought the car would be closer to $23000+$3000 tax.

I could phone around to see if there are any 2014s.

I found a 2009 that had 60k miles and they wanted $10000 for it. That's like 5 years of driving and it is only about half the price, with no warranty. Used prices are insane.

I tried another dealer with live chat and it broke down....I asked about 2014s and I think it messed them up when they went to check. I tried looking at new car inventory at another dealer and you have to call to find a price. Seems like a con.

Any opinions?

Wait, a 2002 with 100k miles is worth only $2,000 but a 2009 with 60k miles is worth $10,000? That's strange. I agree that used Hondas are way too pricey. Either go new or shop for some othe Japanese brand.

Did you check Edmunds TMV for a comparison on the new Honda? $500 off sticker seems light unless it is a new design.

oldfarmer50

Dang!
Should have read to the end of the thread. All you guys beat me to the brilliant advice and even the amusing anecdotes.

oldfarmer50

Last word on vinyl roofs. One that I think looks good, one not good.

Mr_Shiftright

RE: Safety----there is data to indicate that a disproportionate number of teenager deaths in cars occur in older vehicles, at least 11 years and older. However, such statistics are suspect because we don't know the severity of the accidents, case to case. I'm sure in some cases the poor kids would have done no better in a new car. Also we don't know anything about the personalities or skills of the fatalities in question.

Of course, it does make sense to get your kids into as modern a car as you can afford. On the other hand, giving a kid a very expensive cars as their first one is probably not a good idea. They need at least 6 months to get their sea legs so to speak.

stever

U.S. Says Traffic Deaths Have Dropped Nearly 25 Percent Since 2004

Some other link that I've lost said that newer SUVs were good cars now for teens, since in addition to their size, the electronic stability control systems lessen their risk of rollover.

Mr_Shiftright

Actually this is a very interesting subject for parents to pursue further. Another study I read said that cars without back seats--that is, cars that cannot hold a bunch of the teenager's friends, are safer for the driver.

So to summarize, we should buy them 2-seat SUVs younger than 11 years.

stever

Bring back the Sidekick convertible. (Found that link btw).

graphicguy

Just got back from visiting my wife's brother in San Francisco. Had a great holiday. Hope everyone else had a great one, too.

While driving on the 101, I saw what looked to be an "S Class" with a half landau roof. It was in the next lane, two cars in front of me. I wanted to catch up to it to see who was driving and take a pic, but couldn't.. My wife and I were betting it was either a very young guy, or an Ocotegenarian plus.

I don't get this stuff. But, seeing what dealerships will do to add to the profit on a car, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. I am surprised someone would buy a car like that, though.

Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year to all of my Edmunds friends.

abacomike

graphicguy said:

Just got back from visiting my wife's brother in San Francisco. Had a great holiday. Hope everyone else had a great one, too. While driving on the 101, I saw what looked to be an "S Class" with a half landau roof. It was in the next lane, two cars in front of me. I wanted to catch up to it to see who was driving and take a pic, but couldn't.. My wife and I were betting it was either a very young guy, or an Ocotegenarian plus. I don't get this stuff. But, seeing what dealerships will do to add to the profit on a car, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. I am surprised someone would buy a car like that, though. Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year to all of my Edmunds friends.

I used to live in Chatsworth which is in the far northern part of Los Angeles County and a stones throw from the 101 Freeway which is called the Ventura Freeway along the coast north of Los Angeles.  I would frequently use the 101 to drive north from Malibu to Santa Barbara.

If any of you are familiar with the area, you would know that if you saw an S Class with a vinyl roof driving on the 101 it was either a producer, director, older actor or a millionaire who would not buy the car unless it had a vinyl roof.  The car dealer probably tried to talk him out of it, but was unsuccessful.

When I lived in the Palm Springs area, it was not uncommon to be sitting in a restaurant next to a TV or movie star.  That happened to me a few times - once with Frank Sinatra in an Italian Restaurant on Palm Canyon Drive, once in Rancho Mirage with Tim Conway and his wife, once in Cathedral City in an Italian Resaurant with Gene Barry, and once in La Quinta with Jerry Lewis in a Steak House.

Also, once each year my school (I was the headmaster) would run a huge fund raising event with a golf tournament.  I had the pleasure of playing with Dennis James, Buddy Rogers, and Ralph Kiner one year.  It's a totally different kind of life out there.

Don Drysdale was on our Advisory Board (he was the broadcaster for the LA Dodgers and a former pitcher) as was Dorothy Hammel (ice skating champion and Olympic star) because their kids went to my school.  John McVey (Fleetwood Mac) had his daughter at my school.  John Laughlane (trumpeter for the group Chicago) had his kids at my school as well.

It was an interesting life out there in Southern California.  My son still lives out there in La Quinta.

Thanks for letting me reminisce for a few minutes.

abacomike

@graphicguy‌

Happy New year to you toO, GG, and your wife.

I wish all of you fellow posters a great and Happy New Year with Wishes for a year of Health and enough Prosperity so you can buy the car you always wanted!

graphicguy

abacomike said:

@graphicguy‌

Happy New year to you toO, GG, and your wife.

I wish all of you fellow posters a great and Happy New Year with Wishes for a year of Health and enough Prosperity so you can buy the car you always wanted!

Mike....and to you, too.

Funny, the wife wondered whether the landau roof belonged to a rock person or a sports star.

ab348

Mike - interesting story. Talk about reminiscing, you mention Dorothy Hamel, the figure skater. I had a crush on her ever since the '76 Olympics. Back then she was a teen idol, America's Sweetheart, with her trendy wedge haircut. I discovered a few years later that her and I are the exact same age, sharing the same birthday. She went through a number of rough stages in her life over the years yet she always remained gracious and pleasant in her public appearances. In her immediate post Olympic years she went through a party phase where she was involved with and eventually married bad boy Dino Paul Martin (Dean's son) and shocked her fans by smoking, drinking, and generally raising hell with him. Later she settled down, marrying a doctor who eventually cheated on her and they divorced. Then her Ice Capades operation went bankrupt, she suffered from depression, and more recently she was treated for breast cancer. Through all this I have never lost my attraction to her - maybe it is the shared birth date. I have always really admired her and the most recent pics I have seen of her still look good. Just a lovely lady.

thebean

abacomike said:

I used to live in Chatsworth which is in the far northern part of Los Angeles County and a stones throw from the 101 Freeway which is called the Ventura Freeway along the coast north of Los Angeles.  I would frequently use the 101 to drive north from Malibu to Santa Barbara.

If any of you are familiar with the area, you would know that if you saw an S Class with a vinyl roof driving on the 101 it was either a producer, director, older actor or a millionaire who would not buy the car unless it had a vinyl roof.  The car dealer probably tried to talk him out of it, but was unsuccessful.

When I lived in the Palm Springs area, it was not uncommon to be sitting in a restaurant next to a TV or movie star.  That happened to me a few times - once with Frank Sinatra in an Italian Restaurant on Palm Canyon Drive, once in Rancho Mirage with Tim Conway and his wife, once in Cathedral City in an Italian Resaurant with Gene Barry, and once in La Quinta with Jerry Lewis in a Steak House.

Also, once each year my school (I was the headmaster) would run a huge fund raising event with a golf tournament.  I had the pleasure of playing with Dennis James, Buddy Rogers, and Ralph Kiner one year.  It's a totally different kind of life out there.

Don Drysdale was on our Advisory Board (he was the broadcaster for the LA Dodgers and a former pitcher) as was Dorothy Hammel (ice skating champion and Olympic star) because their kids went to my school.  John McVey (Fleetwood Mac) had his daughter at my school.  John Laughlane (trumpeter for the group Chicago) had his kids at my school as well.

It was an interesting life out there in Southern California.  My son still lives out there in La Quinta.

Thanks for letting me reminisce for a few minutes.

I know all of these names except for Buddy Rogers.  Who might that be?  I'm nearly 61 and feel like I should know, but I don't.  Thanks Mike.

Bean

abacomike

ab348 said:

Mike - interesting story. Talk about reminiscing, you mention Dorothy Hamel, the figure skater. I had a crush on her ever since the '76 Olympics. Back then she was a teen idol, America's Sweetheart, with her trendy wedge haircut. I discovered a few years later that her and I are the exact same age, sharing the same birthday. She went through a number of rough stages in her life over the years yet she always remained gracious and pleasant in her public appearances. In her immediate post Olympic years she went through a party phase where she was involved with and eventually married bad boy Dino Paul Martin (Dean's son) and shocked her fans by smoking, drinking, and generally raising hell with him. Later she settled down, marrying a doctor who eventually cheated on her and they divorced. Then her Ice Capades operation went bankrupt, she suffered from depression, and more recently she was treated for breast cancer. Through all this I have never lost my attraction to her - maybe it is the shared birth date. I have always really admired her and the most recent pics I have seen of her still look good. Just a lovely lady.

I was pretty close to Dorothy.  I remember when she moved from the California Desert back to the east coast for business.  She had trouble getting her daughter into a private school in Baltimore, if I remember correctly.  She asked me if I could help her, which of course I did.  I called the Heamaster of the school she wanted her daughter to go to and convinced him to admit her daughter.

I remember her X husband who frequented my office about his daughter.  And yes, she was married to "Dino" Martin, Dean Martin's son.  I believe he died in s plane crease if I am not mistaken.  The Doctor husband (I forgot his name) managed Dorothy for some time and he did not practice medicine at the time.

During our our auctions for our evening fundraisers each year at our golf dinners, some of the celebrities whose kids went to my school would donate live auction items.  The last year she was in the desert, she donated the ice skates she wore at the Winter Olympics and we sold them for thousands of dollars.  Ralph Kiner donated a glove he used and his son, Scott Kiner, donated a famous home run baseball autographed by Ralph.

My son was in the school office one day with Darryl Strawberry and Don Drysdale - my son played ball as s pitcher for the Palm Springs AA team - and he talked Don Drysdale into signing two baseballs they had brought in.  He still has those baseballs.

Tommy Lasorda used to visit my school frequently after Don Drysdale passed away (he was a close friend of the Drysdsle family).  Tommy was close to Don's kids and Annie Meyers Drysdale (Don's wife at the time).  Don had three little boys with Annie Meyers Drysdale who herself was a Silver Medal winner in women's basketball in the Olympics.

I was at Don's funeral at Forest Lawn Cemetary near Dodger Stadium.  I was sitting next to Sandy Koufax and my son was sitting next to Roosevelt Greer.  Red Barber was there as was Vin Scully who was the MC at the Memorial.  

Again, thanks for letting me reminisce.

abacomike

@thebean‌

Buddy Rogers was a silent and later talkie film star who was married to Mary Pickford, another great silent film star.  Buddy died in Racho Mirage where he lived (and where my school was located) in 1999.  They named a street after him.

I remember sitting with President Gerald Ford a couple of times at fund raisers as well.

I knew Sonny Bono (he was Mayor of Palm Springs and later our Congressman) and his lovely wife Mary.  I remember meeting his x wife Cher at Sonny's funeral in Palm Springs.  Cher gave the eulogy.  Sonny Bono was some character.

There I go again - digressing.

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

Last word on vinyl roofs. One that I think looks good, one not good.

Which one looked good and which one not good?

From Tampa Florida. Plane travel was incredible today, 2 hours just to get tickets and thru security. I-75 going South is like a parking lot. Seems a lot of people headed to south Florida after Christmas....have no idea where all those people will stay.

thebean

abacomike said:

@thebean‌

Buddy Rogers was a silent and later talkie film star who was married to Mary Pickford, another great silent film star.  Buddy died in Racho Mirage where he lived (and where my school was located) in 1999.  They named a street after him.

I remember sitting with President Gerald Ford a couple of times at fund raisers as well.

I knew Sonny Bono (he was Mayor of Palm Springs and later our Congressman) and his lovely wife Mary.  I remember meeting his x wife Cher at Sonny's funeral in Palm Springs.  Cher gave the eulogy.  Sonny Bono was some character.

There I go again - digressing.

Thank you, sir. Appreciate the info.

Bean

graphicguy

MIke....cool stories. Thanks!

My sister actually had an album by the group Dino, Desi, and Billy. Apparently, a group that had a few hits in the mid '60s. Dino (Martin Jr), Desi, (Arnez Jr), and Bill (Hinsche) were the players. I guess they were something of a minor hit making group.

This is from reading album liner notes from long ago, so I might be wrong on some of those "facts".

ab348

abacomike said:

I remember her X husband who frequented my office about his daughter.  And yes, she was married to "Dino" Martin, Dean Martin's son.  I believe he died in s plane crease if I am not mistaken.  The Doctor husband (I forgot his name) managed Dorothy for some time and he did not practice medicine at the time.

His name was Ken Forsythe. I can't believe I misspelled Dorothy's last name like I did in my post! Hamill, of course.

Enough of "Lives of the Rich and Famous", let's get back to car-buying experiences...

abacomike

ab348 said:

I remember her X husband who frequented my office about his daughter.  And yes, she was married to "Dino" Martin, Dean Martin's son.  I believe he died in s plane crease if I am not mistaken.  The Doctor husband (I forgot his name) managed Dorothy for some time and he did not practice medicine at the time.

His name was Ken Forsythe. I can't believe I misspelled Dorothy's last name like I did in my post! Hamill, of course. Enough of "Lives of the Rich and Famous", let's get back to car-buying experiences...

Yes, that was his name - Ken Forsythe.  I remember him as being very demanding.

Speaking of car-buying experiences, I was up at my dealership this morning for a car wash.  The showroom floor has about 7 new cars displayed, 7 pre-owned cars displayed and a special AMG area with 5 models displayed.  Right in the middle was a 2014 Mercedes CLS 550 in Palladium Silver with only 9800 miles on it.  Sharp looking car I said to my salesman and he responded that it should be because it's your trade.  He said he had a customer coming in next week from Canada who wanted to buy the car.  I think he said they are asking $66,900 for it but would be flexible with any reasonable offer.

They always do well with my trades because of the low miles on them.  Should be interesting to see what they end up getting for the car.  They usually make $3000+ on my trades.

robr2

abacomike said:

And yes, she was married to "Dino" Martin, Dean Martin's son.  I believe he died in s plane crease if I am not mistaken.

He was a Captain in the CA Air National Guard and his F4 crashed into the top of a ravine at 400 mph.

driver100

My IT friend who was looking at Honda Civics went to look at them today. Some of you sugested that he should look at a Honda Fit as well. I didn't want to complicate things, so I didn't mention the Fit to him. However, he saw a Fit and liked it more. The cost comes out the same, but the Fit has a hatchback and fold down seats so he will have more storage space for his computer business.

Here are the details:

Fit (lx) includes things like automatic, air conditioning etc, (the next one up includes things like GPS and moonroof costs an additional $2k)

vehicle price $18,595
Freight: $1495
Other fees: $433.95
Total: $20,523.95
Lease is for 12K mi.a yr

The base montly payment would be $270.93 for 4 years, or $306.15 with tax..

Then at the end of the 48 months the buyback would be $9,297.50

the lease (and financing) is currently 2.99% though they are changing that after the new year - so the salesman said if I were to buy it after friday/saturday, when the rates change (before I pick up the car) I would get the lesser of the two rates. He said likely the rates are going to go down anyways, so that would help with the lease rate as well.

I think the Fit does suit him more...it looks more spaceagey and techno looking which he would like. It will get better mileage which he likes a lot (he is a green guy), but I would guess that would be minimal.

I get the impression Honda has learned to give a standard $500 off the MSRP and all dealers will sell for about the same price. It is probably a good strategy.

venture

driver100 said:

My IT friend who was looking at Honda Civics went to look at them today. Some of you sugested that he should look at a Honda Fit as well. I didn't want to complicate things, so I didn't mention the Fit to him. However, he saw a Fit and liked it more. The cost comes out the same, but the Fit has a hatchback and fold down seats so he will have more storage space for his computer business.

Here are the details:

Fit (lx) includes things like automatic, air conditioning etc, (the next one up includes things like GPS and moonroof costs an additional $2k)

vehicle price $18,595
Freight: $1495
Other fees: $433.95
Total: $20,523.95
Lease is for 12K mi.a yr

The base montly payment would be $270.93 for 4 years, or $306.15 with tax..

Then at the end of the 48 months the buyback would be $9,297.50

the lease (and financing) is currently 2.99% though they are changing that after the new year - so the salesman said if I were to buy it after friday/saturday, when the rates change (before I pick up the car) I would get the lesser of the two rates. He said likely the rates are going to go down anyways, so that would help with the lease rate as well.

I think the Fit does suit him more...it looks more spaceagey and techno looking which he would like. It will get better mileage which he likes a lot (he is a green guy), but I would guess that would be minimal.

I get the impression Honda has learned to give a standard $500 off the MSRP and all dealers will sell for about the same price. It is probably a good strategy.

Freight $1495? ¡Ay, caramba!

abacomike

@venture‌

That $1495.00 for freight is in Canadian Dollars.  It's not as bad as you think.  Most U.S. cars have a freight add-on of about $900 now.  It's close to what Canadian freight is.

imidazol97

I'm confused. At the current cited rate of $1 Canadian = .86 US Dollar, that means a freight charge of $1495 would be $1733.60 in US dollars. Do I have that backwards Driver?

abacomike

imidazol97 said:

I'm confused. At the current cited rate of $1 Canadian = .86 US Dollar, that means a freight charge of $1495 would be $1733.60 in US dollars. Do I have that backwards Driver?

The Canadian dollar is worth less than the U.S. dollar.  Your conversion shows that a Canadian dollar is 86% of a U.S. Dollar.  You have it the reverse.

So for every Canadian dollar you convert to a U.S. Currency, you would receive $.86 US.

imidazol97

Using Bloomberg's converter I got 1,290.01 US for the shipping in Canadian at $1495.

That is probably correct then. That's still about 30% higher than the nominal $900 shipping someone mentioned.

abacomike

imidazol97 said:

Using Bloomberg's converter I got 1,290.01 US for the shipping in Canadian at $1495. That is probably correct then. That's still about 30% higher than the nominal $900 shipping someone mentioned.

Perhaps.  But now you have the conversion correct.  My Mercedes had a shipping cost of $925.00.  But the point I was trying to make was that the $1495 was Canadian, not US.

driver100

imidazol97 said:

I'm confused. At the current cited rate of $1 Canadian = .86 US Dollar, that means a freight charge of $1495 would be $1733.60 in US dollars. Do I have that backwards Driver?

Yes, exactly backwards. It is confusing. $1 US = .85 cents Cdn
$1495 US = $1237 U.S.
Then conversion rates are an extra 1 to 2%.
Costs are generally 20% more on top of exchange for Canada. Greater shipping costs....large country with sparse population, wages are higher, build in extra taxes for medicare etc., land costs more, etc. I think the Mercedes was $1995 for shipping....you kind of get your moneys worth if the car costs way more...shipping stays about the same.

I used this converter:
CONVERT CDN $s TO US $s

abacomike

driver100 said:

I'm confused. At the current cited rate of $1 Canadian = .86 US Dollar, that means a freight charge of $1495 would be $1733.60 in US dollars. Do I have that backwards Driver?

Yes, exactly backwards. It is confusing. $1 US = .85 cents Cdn $1495 US = $1237 U.S. Then conversion rates are an extra 1 to 2%. Costs are generally 20% more on top of exchange for Canada. Greater shipping costs....large country with sparse population, wages are higher, build in extra taxes for medicare etc., land costs more, etc. I think the Mercedes was $1995 for shipping....you kind of get your moneys worth if the car costs way more...shipping stays about the same. I used this converter: CONVERT CDN $s TO US $s

It won't be long before freight on US cars will be closer to what you pay in Canada.  The basic freight is what car carriers charge to bring the car from the distribution point or port of entry to the dealership.  It is an average of truck transportation costs.  To ship a car from Georgia to Western Tennessee is the same cost as shipping it from Georgia to Jacksonville even though Jacksonville is 500 miles closer to the port of entry in Georgia.

The freight charge does not include the cost of shipping a car from Japan or Europe to the U.S. - those costs are built in to the cost of the car.

driver100

The guy next to me on the plane traded Audi stories with me. I told him about the clutch problem and he told me about his Audi A8. He brought it to Florida, went out to dinner, when he came back he started it, and it shook and shuddered.

He didn't feel safe driving it but they insisted he drive it back to Canada......he was ready to head back anyway. It shook and sputtered but he got it back, it used 6 quarts of oil on the way.

When he came back they said one piston wasn't functioning and because the oil ran out it scorched the motor and they replaced the engine. It took 6 weeks to get one from Germany, and they gave him a rental car for the full 6 weeks.

Next he wanted a larger SUV with 7 seats to carry grandchildren and everything. He checked an Audi Q7 but thought last 2 seats were ridiculously small. A friend told him to try a Buick Enclave. He said he loves it...he has had it for 3 years and it has been a perfect car. Lots of room. He wasn't too sure about getting a Buick after having German cars but he really likes it. He says he's not good with electronics so OnStar guides him everywhere, with a real person.

He gets a print out from onstar that tells him if he needs oil or if a tire is low in air. He says it is miles ahead technologically than the Audi, and best of all, it cost $20k less.

driver100

abacomike said:

driver100 said:

imidazol97 said:

I'm confused. At the current cited rate of $1 Canadian = .86 US Dollar, that means a freight charge of $1495 would be $1733.60 in US dollars. Do I have that backwards Driver?

Yes, exactly backwards. It is confusing. $1 US = .85 cents Cdn
$1495 US = $1237 U.S.
Then conversion rates are an extra 1 to 2%.
Costs are generally 20% more on top of exchange for Canada. Greater shipping costs....large country with sparse population, wages are higher, build in extra taxes for medicare etc., land costs more, etc. I think the Mercedes was $1995 for shipping....you kind of get your moneys worth if the car costs way more...shipping stays about the same.

I used this converter:
CONVERT CDN $s TO US $s

It is an average of truck transportation costs.  To ship a car from Georgia to Western Tennessee is the same cost as shipping it from Georgia to Jacksonville even though Jacksonville is 500 miles closer to the port of entry in Georgia.

The freight charge does not include the cost of shipping a car from Japan or Europe to the U.S. - those costs are built in to the cost of the car.

Interesting about the cost of Europe to America being built in, I thought that was part of the charged cost. But, I am pretty certain they wanted to even out shipping costs across Canada, so you pay the same amount no matter where in Canada your car is shipped from. If they make your Camaro in Oshawa Ontario freight is the same in Oshawa as it is in Vancouver.

Not sure if that is the same in the US. Shipping sure adds a big chunk to the cost of buying a car.

abacomike

driver100 said:

The guy next to me on the plane traded Audi stories with me. I told him about the clutch problem and he told me about his Audi A8. He brought it to Florida, went out to dinner, when he came back he started it, and it shook and shuddered. He didn't feel safe driving it but they insisted he drive it back to Canada......he was ready to head back anyway. It shook and sputtered but he got it back, it used 6 quarts of oil on the way. When he came back they said one piston wasn't functioning and because the oil ran out it scorched the motor and they replaced the engine. It took 6 weeks to get one from Germany, and they gave him a rental car for the full 6 weeks. Next he wanted a larger SUV with 7 seats to carry grandchildren and everything. He checked an Audi Q7 but thought last 2 seats were ridiculously small. A friend told him to try a Buick Enclave. He said he loves it...he has had it for 3 years and it has been a perfect car. Lots of room. He wasn't too sure about getting a Buick after having German cars but he really likes it. He says he's not good with electronics so OnStar guides him everywhere, with a real person. He gets a print out from onstar that tells him if he needs oil or if a tire is low in air. He says it is miles ahead technologically than the Audi, and best of all, it cost $20k less.

Your Mercedes Mbrace can do the same thing.  They will talk you to a specific destination.  You can also get a read out of how your car is performing.

You can call Mbrace - all you need is your account number and PIN.  If it was not set up by your dealer in Canada, the dealer in Tampa or St. Petersburg can do it for you.

fezo

I miss the days of the 66 cent Canadian Dollar. Made for way cheap vacations. My wife and I honeymooned in Nova Scotia on little money. Good thing because we hardly had any.

Was going to take her back for our our 30th the June but I think she can only get one week off. Anybody have anything to say about Block Island? I know it's not in Canada but neither of us has been there which suits us fine.

I remember seeing some Chevy up there was badges a Pontiac Tempest.

ab348

fezo said:

I miss the days of the 66 cent Canadian Dollar. Made for way cheap vacations. My wife and I honeymooned in Nova Scotia on little money. Good thing because we hardly had any.

Was going to take her back for our our 30th the June but I think she can only get one week off. Anybody have anything to say about Block Island? I know it's not in Canada but neither of us has been there which suits us fine.

I remember seeing some Chevy up there was badges a Pontiac Tempest.

Yes, GM Canada rebadged the Chevy Corsica as a Pontiac Tempest to give Pontiac dealers, which were about as numerous as Chevy dealers up here, something comparable. In Canada, Pontiac and Chevy were almost interchangeable in people's minds since for many years they were built here on Chevy chassis with Chevy engines.

The days of 66 cent dollars are gone, thankfully, but the dollar is about 20% cheaper than the Greenback now so Nova Scotia might still be doable next year.

venture

driver100 said:

imidazol97 said:

I'm confused. At the current cited rate of $1 Canadian = .86 US Dollar, that means a freight charge of $1495 would be $1733.60 in US dollars. Do I have that backwards Driver?

Yes, exactly backwards. It is confusing. $1 US = .85 cents Cdn
$1495 US = $1237 U.S.
Then conversion rates are an extra 1 to 2%.
Costs are generally 20% more on top of exchange for Canada. Greater shipping costs....large country with sparse population, wages are higher, build in extra taxes for medicare etc., land costs more, etc. I think the Mercedes was $1995 for shipping....you kind of get your moneys worth if the car costs way more...shipping stays about the same.

I used this converter:
CONVERT CDN $s TO US $s

I know that is Canadian dollars, but shipping in the US is $820. Using $820 and adding the mysterious 20% only gets you to $984 US or $1,141 Canadian.

Man! You guys don't get any breaks.

dino001

venture said:

I know that is Canadian dollars, but shipping in the US is $820. Using $820 and adding the mysterious 20% only gets you to $984 US or $1,141 Canadian.

Man! You guys don't get any breaks.

Free healthcare, welfare and other stuff tend to be quite expensive. Add small market size (in comparison with the US) with its own unique regulations and certifications and cars have to be significantly more expensive.

venture

dino001 said:

venture said:

I know that is Canadian dollars, but shipping in the US is $820. Using $820 and adding the mysterious 20% only gets you to $984 US or $1,141 Canadian.

Man! You guys don't get any breaks.

Free healthcare, welfare and other stuff tend to be quite expensive. Add small market size (in comparison with the US) with its own unique regulations and certifications and cars have to be significantly more expensive.

I don't know what "free" healthcare, welfare and other stuff has to do with transporting a car.

Driving a car onto a train or truck shouldn't cost much more than anywhere else, except for the price of fuel.

Although, assuming everyone makes higher wages compered to the US that would make sense; higher wages generally means higher prices. You can lease a base Fit here for $149 plus tax and title with $2,699 at lease signing.

driver100

Your Mercedes Mbrace can do the same thing.  They will talk you to a specific destination.  You can also get a read out of how your car is performing.

You can call Mbrace - all you need is your account number and PIN.  If it was not set up by your dealer in Canada, the dealer in Tampa or St. Petersburg can do it for you.

Do you pay for Mbrace? BMW had "concierage Service" and it was free for the first year, then went to about $150. They would find restaurants and book a reservation for you etc. I didn't use it once in a year, so I didn't feel the need to want it or pay for it.

I know people buy and pay for what suits them, so I am sure if someone needs help finding a restaurant and making a reservation by all means go for it. I think when I get to that stage I will pack it in.

Same with the readout. He got a report that one tire needed 3 pounds of air. Won't I get a warning in the car? If it needs oil I will probably see the light come on. Whats next, Mercedes baby sitting service or seniors watch...tell you when you need new Depends.

driver100

fezo said:

I miss the days of the 66 cent Canadian Dollar. Made for way cheap vacations. My wife and I honeymooned in Nova Scotia on little money. Good thing because we hardly had any.

Was going to take her back for our our 30th the June but I think she can only get one week off. Anybody have anything to say about Block Island? I know it's not in Canada but neither of us has been there which suits us fine.

I remember seeing some Chevy up there was badges a Pontiac Tempest.

And Mercury dealers sold Meteors which were Fords with fancier grills and tailights, a bit of extra chrome. The idea was to give the Mercury dealers a popular seller too. Because the population is 1/10th of the US, dealers were given more car lines to sell.

I remember a story about the 66 cent Canadian dollar. Lee Trevino the golfer was in a hotel and he went to the shop in the hotel and bought a magazine for $2. He gave them a US $10 bill and they gave him the magazine plus change in Cdn money...which came to more than $10. He said that Canada was a great country...you spend money and you make money when you spend it!

driver100

venture said:

driver100 said:

imidazol97 said:

I'm confused. At the current cited rate of $1 Canadian = .86 US Dollar, that means a freight charge of $1495 would be $1733.60 in US dollars. Do I have that backwards Driver?

Yes, exactly backwards. It is confusing. $1 US = .85 cents Cdn
$1495 US = $1237 U.S.
Then conversion rates are an extra 1 to 2%.
Costs are generally 20% more on top of exchange for Canada. Greater shipping costs....large country with sparse population, wages are higher, build in extra taxes for medicare etc., land costs more, etc. I think the Mercedes was $1995 for shipping....you kind of get your moneys worth if the car costs way more...shipping stays about the same.

I used this converter:
CONVERT CDN $s TO US $s

I know that is Canadian dollars, but shipping in the US is $820. Using $820 and adding the mysterious 20% only gets you to $984 US or $1,141 Canadian.

Man! You guys don't get any breaks.

We do get ripped off. But, wages are higher in Canada, $11 in Ontario, we have health coverage (I just had a friend who was in Florida, rushed to hospital for gall bladder operation - cost $50000! In Canada he would have paid $0), expenses are greater, cost of property, heating, electricity etc., transportation is greater....larger area, much smaller population.

We don't get a break very often. We often comment we pay more for toilet paper and tissues, and it is all made and produced in Canada.

Gas is about $4 a gallon in Canada...mostly due to taxes.

We really don't get a break!

robr2

The exchange rate has little affect on the freight cost. In Canada, the transportation is negotiated with Honda Canada and the cost is what the cost is.

Freight costs in the US are same whether you are in Florida or Washington state (except for Toyota and Subaru that have "distributors".) But it costs more to ship an MB ML than it does a Honda Pilot even though both are made and shipped from Alabama.

As for the overseas freight being part of the car cost, that makes sense. You buy the car from Mercedes Benz of North America and they bought it from Daimler GMbH. Their cost includes the overseas freight.

abacomike

@driver100‌

Mbrace concierge is is free for 3 months.  Mbrace basic is free for 6 months.

I pay $270 a year for basic which includes stolen vehicle assist with the police department with jurisdiction.  It also includes emergency access and airbag deployment notification.  Also, I have had them make phone calls for me when my cell phone stopped working a year ago.

You can also take an 18 month contract, 2 year or 3 year contract.  I like to keep the basic services.  They refund unused amounts if I buy a new car.

venture

abacomike said:

@driver100‌

Mbrace concierge is is free for 3 months.  Mbrace basic is free for 6 months.

I pay $270 a year for basic which includes stolen vehicle assist with the police department with jurisdiction.  It also includes emergency access and airbag deployment notification.  Also, I have had them make phone calls for me when my cell phone stopped working a year ago.

You can also take an 18 month contract, 2 year or 3 year contract.  I like to keep the basic services.  They refund unused amounts if I buy a new car.

If?

driver100

venture said:

dino001 said:

venture said:

I know that is Canadian dollars, but shipping in the US is $820. Using $820 and adding the mysterious 20% only gets you to $984 US or $1,141 Canadian.

Man! You guys don't get any breaks.

Free healthcare, welfare and other stuff tend to be quite expensive. Add small market size (in comparison with the US) with its own unique regulations and certifications and cars have to be significantly more expensive.

I don't know what "free" healthcare, welfare and other stuff has to do with transporting a car.

Driving a car onto a train or truck shouldn't cost much more than anywhere else, except for the price of fuel.

Although, assuming everyone makes higher wages compered to the US that would make sense; higher wages generally means higher prices. You can lease a base Fit here for $149 plus tax and title with $2,699 at lease signing.

Free healthcare and welfare has a lot to do with higher costs. We pay 13% taxes on almost everything. Not sure what the tax is in US across state lines...I believe Florida is 6%. That 13% is on meals etc. In Canada there are things like maternity leave with pay and emplyers have to pay severance pay if they can you from your job. But, "free" healthcare gobbles up a huge chunk of money, and it has to come from somewhere.

Personally, I prefer paying a bit more for everything I buy, and not having to face a $100k medical bill, but, that's just me and probably 98% of the Cdn population.

On a 48 month lease with $2700 down the Fit would cost $43 a week in Canada....just slightly more. Interesting a 54 month lease with the same down would cost $44 a month - how does that happen*? I guess 5th year is at a much higher rate!

*I just went back and checked, at 54 months the % increased from 2.99 to 3.74! That's incredible, if you choose the longer term to lower rates you actually pay more! You have to read and study carefully.

driver100

abacomike said:

@driver100‌

Mbrace concierge is is free for 3 months.  Mbrace basic is free for 6 months.

I pay $270 a year for basic which includes stolen vehicle assist with the police department with jurisdiction.  It also includes emergency access and airbag deployment notification.  Also, I have had them make phone calls for me when my cell phone stopped working a year ago.

You can also take an 18 month contract, 2 year or 3 year contract.  I like to keep the basic services.  They refund unused amounts if I buy a new car.

Mike, you pay $270 a year for services you haven't used and will probably never need. If you don't use them in 10 years you will have paid over $3000 with interest. I haven't used them in aover 40 years so I have saved over $12000...that will buy a lot of extra phones you can carry with you in the glove compartment. If I am in an accident and the airbags deploy someone will probably call 9-1-1 for me.

$270 is cheap compared to what you save buying an MB with all the discounts, but, for us common folks it is very expensive insurance.