Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

xwesx

henryn said:

Makes me think maybe they should alternate, 6 months as a police officer, 6 months as a firefighter or something entirely different.

Grade school teacher? Oh, wait. We're saying we need to avoid dehumanizing them. Never mind my suggestion, then!

roadburner

suydam said:

roadburner said:

snakeweasel said:

I think the bitterness comes not from people using the "safety net" but from people abusing it. as much as 50% of those funds are wasted due to corruption, think of what we could do for the truly needy if it wasn't for the corruption. 

Back in the 80's I recall reading that it would be less expensive for the US government to simply send a check to each impoverished adult that was large enough to raise them above the poverty level than it was to continue to fund the government bureaucracies that allegedly address the problem.

And how would they identify these impoverished adults? And know how some are more impoverished than others? There will always be a few who manage to game the system. But the vast majority of people in our ragged safety net are truly, desperately poor and our system makes it very difficult to climb out of that poverty.

I'm not agreeing that it would be a good idea, I only thought it demonstrated how must inefficiency and waste permeates the current system.

graphicguy

roadburner said:

graphicguy said:

RB...how are you preparing for your new job? Anything in particular you have to get done before taking office?

I've hired my staff; I kept the victim's advocate and detective from the current office and I'm adding my own receptionist/administrative assistant. I'm bringing in two prosecutors, one who used to work in that office and the other is a friend who served several terms as Commonwealth's Attorney for one of the largest counties in the state(he's retired and wants back in the game). One of my assistants and I spent a day with a Commonwealth's Attorney I knew from my time as a Senior Judge. He's been a CWA for 30 years and has a similar caseload to what I will have. He gave us several very good ideas on how to handle cases more efficiently.

The first year will be tough because I will spend a lot of time straightening out the mess my predecessor will be leaving me. She called the Grand Jury in every week and let officers directly submit cases rather than going through a preliminary hearing. As a result she has indicted everything but a ham sandwich and the caseload has increased 50%. A large percentage of those cases should never have been charged as felonies if at all.

WOW! You are on it! You’re going to be great!

thebean

xwesx said:

iluvmysephia1 said:

Now you need to take that quote to the dealer in Las Cruces - which is even closer - and see if they can match the El Paso dealer offer.

Also, there is a $1500 customer incentive and 0% financing for up to 60 months; 2.9% for 61-72 months.

Not that I'm enabling you or anything ….

Yes - and I want to use the Nissan 0% financing for 60 months. Reviews of the base model on Cars.com are overwhelmingly positive. The base model has Nissan Connect, which is their version of Android Auto.

You're looking to unload your Kia? I wouldn't give up my soul over this. I doubt it is worth much on trade, and probably will end up being far more useful to you and your wife as a second vehicle.

His wife doesn't drive, so it will be useful only as a boat anchor if he keeps it.

xwesx

thebean said:

His wife doesn't drive, so it will be useful only as a boat anchor if he keeps it.

Oooh.. That's interesting. I never picked up on that in all these years...

ab348

suydam said:

My son is a police officer. It is a dangerous job precisely because it can go from being perfectly ordinary to life threatening in a heartbeat. It’s very stressful. He is not on a power trip and he does not make a six figure salary. I do not understand why some here need to generalize about whole categories of people — police, poor people, teachers — and assume that the worst examples are typical of the whole. The bad apples make news because they are unusual, not because they are the norm.
Can we return to talking about phones and refrigerators and sometimes, cars?

I was not generalizing about the salary levels here as they are published as part of the public record. I believe the figure was 286 police officers making a minimum of $100K here. The other comments are as I said - my observations. I know that being a P.O. is much more dangerous in the USA which is why I prefaced my comments with that point.

driver100

iluvmysephia1 said:

@iluvmysephia - here you go. It shouldn't be too far out of the way to take a test drive:

https://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/cto/d/2011-mini-cooper-turbo-fully/6700784512.html

I said $13,500 OTD and he said "when would you like to come in?"

He didn't say he would sell you a car for $13,500 - all he said was, "when would you like to come in?"

Reminds me of the Hyundai dealer I too k my brothers 2012 Accent to....on the phone he said he would give me $6000, in real life he offered $4000.

dino001

driver100 said:

iluvmysephia1 said:

@iluvmysephia - here you go. It shouldn't be too far out of the way to take a test drive:

https://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/cto/d/2011-mini-cooper-turbo-fully/6700784512.html

I said $13,500 OTD and he said "when would you like to come in?"

He didn't say he would sell you a car for $13,500 - all he said was, "when would you like to come in?"

Reminds me of the Hyundai dealer I too k my brothers 2012 Accent to....on the phone he said he would give me $6000, in real life he offered $4000.

Not to mention how did he get to 22 grand in his first "offer"? I still can't get around that. If Iluv goes there, it's going to be a grinder.

driver100

btw....most of the reviews I am looking at for the Sentra give it 3 stars out of 5. Edmunds sums it up pretty nicely;

That said, nothing about the Sentra stands out in the class. Its base engine is one of the slowest available, and even the optional turbocharged engine lags behind some competitors in terms of outright performance. There are also rival sedans that offer nicer interiors and greater degrees of comfort and technology.

A good example is the Kia Forte, which has an extensive list of optional features for a reasonable price. There's also the all-wheel-drive Subaru Impreza that has many excellent active safety features and driver aids available. Finally, the Honda Civic, when equipped with its available turbocharged 1.5-liter engine, is our overall favorite vehicle in the class

EDMUNDS REVIEW

I will say Cars.com gives it glowing reviews. U.S. News rates it high but says there are much better cars in this class, with #1 being a Kia Soul.

Car & Driver with 2 1/2 stars had this to say;
The Sentra has a reputation as a reliable ride at an affordable price, but driving fun is lacking. The SR Turbo has more pep, but it can’t completely hide the car’s basic shortcomings. The tall, boxy body rolls in turns, while the steering is too light, and the brakes do not inspire confidence. Numerous options allow you to tailor the Sentra to your tastes, and the back seat is roomy, but the interior design is plain. Infotainment is good, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not offered.

dino001

driver100 said:

btw....most of the reviews I am looking at for the Sentra give it 3 stars out of 5. Edmunds sums it up pretty nicely;

That said, nothing about the Sentra stands out in the class. Its base engine is one of the slowest available, and even the optional turbocharged engine lags behind some competitors in terms of outright performance. There are also rival sedans that offer nicer interiors and greater degrees of comfort and technology.

A good example is the Kia Forte, which has an extensive list of optional features for a reasonable price. There's also the all-wheel-drive Subaru Impreza that has many excellent active safety features and driver aids available. Finally, the Honda Civic, when equipped with its available turbocharged 1.5-liter engine, is our overall favorite vehicle in the class

EDMUNDS REVIEW

I will say Cars.com gives it glowing reviews. U.S. News rates it high but says there are much better cars in this class, with #1 being a Kia Soul.

Car & Driver with 2 1/2 stars had this to say;
The Sentra has a reputation as a reliable ride at an affordable price, but driving fun is lacking. The SR Turbo has more pep, but it can’t completely hide the car’s basic shortcomings. The tall, boxy body rolls in turns, while the steering is too light, and the brakes do not inspire confidence. Numerous options allow you to tailor the Sentra to your tastes, and the back seat is roomy, but the interior design is plain. Infotainment is good, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not offered.

Let the man have it, or we won't hear the end of it, ever :laughing:

driver100

dino001 said:

driver100 said:

btw....most of the reviews I am looking at for the Sentra give it 3 stars out of 5. Edmunds sums it up pretty nicely;

That said, nothing about the Sentra stands out in the class. Its base engine is one of the slowest available, and even the optional turbocharged engine lags behind some competitors in terms of outright performance. There are also rival sedans that offer nicer interiors and greater degrees of comfort and technology.

A good example is the Kia Forte, which has an extensive list of optional features for a reasonable price. There's also the all-wheel-drive Subaru Impreza that has many excellent active safety features and driver aids available. Finally, the Honda Civic, when equipped with its available turbocharged 1.5-liter engine, is our overall favorite vehicle in the class

EDMUNDS REVIEW

I will say Cars.com gives it glowing reviews. U.S. News rates it high but says there are much better cars in this class, with #1 being a Kia Soul.

Car & Driver with 2 1/2 stars had this to say;
The Sentra has a reputation as a reliable ride at an affordable price, but driving fun is lacking. The SR Turbo has more pep, but it can’t completely hide the car’s basic shortcomings. The tall, boxy body rolls in turns, while the steering is too light, and the brakes do not inspire confidence. Numerous options allow you to tailor the Sentra to your tastes, and the back seat is roomy, but the interior design is plain. Infotainment is good, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not offered.

Let the man have it, or we won't hear the end of it, ever :laughing:

+1

henryn

graphicguy said:

If a deal is made for a Sentra, at first blush, here’s the way I see it getting done, if you are really good at the negotiation table.

2018 Sentra base w/manual trans.....$15,000 (probably closer to $16,000 given the dealer will have to overallow on the trade)+ TTL.

2011 Kia Soul base w/manual trans (not sure the mileage, but let’s average 12K/year for 84K miles)......$2K trade (and you’re going to have to work hard to get that). I say the dealer comes in between $1,200 and $1,500 trade on first pencil.

It's a good deal worse then that. If I recall correctly, he owes about $5k on the Kia Soul, putting him upside down about $3k. And it doesn't sound like he has the money to pay off the Kia, so he will have to fold that into the next purchase.

A bad position to be in, all around.

roadburner

dino001 said:

Let the man have it, or we won't hear the end of it, ever :laughing:

I don't think we'll hear the end of it either way.

graphicguy

henryn said:

graphicguy said:

If a deal is made for a Sentra, at first blush, here’s the way I see it getting done, if you are really good at the negotiation table.

2018 Sentra base w/manual trans.....$15,000 (probably closer to $16,000 given the dealer will have to overallow on the trade)+ TTL.

2011 Kia Soul base w/manual trans (not sure the mileage, but let’s average 12K/year for 84K miles)......$2K trade (and you’re going to have to work hard to get that). I say the dealer comes in between $1,200 and $1,500 trade on first pencil.

It's a good deal worse then that. If I recall correctly, he owes about $5k on the Kia Soul, putting him upside down about $3k. And it doesn't sound like he has the money to pay off the Kia, so he will have to fold that into the next purchase.

A bad position to be in, all around.

Not sure where lending institutions are coming from these days, but that deal may not be approved without hefty out of pocket. Maybe subprime, but even there, a bad situation would be made even worse.

roadburner

henryn said:

It's a good deal worse then that. If I recall correctly, he owes about $5k on the Kia Soul, putting him upside down about $3k. And it doesn't sound like he has the money to pay off the Kia, so he will have to fold that into the next purchase.

A bad position to be in, all around.

I'm betting Mrs. iluv knows nothing about his cunning plan- and will take a rolling pin to his head before she lets him put his dream machine in the driveway.

dino001

graphicguy said:

henryn said:

graphicguy said:

If a deal is made for a Sentra, at first blush, here’s the way I see it getting done, if you are really good at the negotiation table.

2018 Sentra base w/manual trans.....$15,000 (probably closer to $16,000 given the dealer will have to overallow on the trade)+ TTL.

2011 Kia Soul base w/manual trans (not sure the mileage, but let’s average 12K/year for 84K miles)......$2K trade (and you’re going to have to work hard to get that). I say the dealer comes in between $1,200 and $1,500 trade on first pencil.

It's a good deal worse then that. If I recall correctly, he owes about $5k on the Kia Soul, putting him upside down about $3k. And it doesn't sound like he has the money to pay off the Kia, so he will have to fold that into the next purchase.

A bad position to be in, all around.

Not sure where lending institutions are coming from these days, but that deal may not be approved without hefty out of pocket. Maybe subprime, but even there, a bad situation would be made even worse.

Yeah, I almost forgot about that. An old rule of thumb was 120 percent MSRP as a maximum loan amount, provided the credit score was right. Not sure what it is today. I still scratch my head on 5 grand loan balance on a seven-year-old Soul, but that's I guess just me. I guess if the car was bought used couple of years ago... Oh, well. One can always try. So, can anybody enlighten me how do we get from $16.9K MSRP and 3+ grand negative equity to $13.5K OTD? Giant slot machine next to the car? Uncle Jim paying for the difference? First born added to the trade? Secret handshake I don't know about? Am I misunderstanding the target?

stickguy

the 13.5K was not including disposal of the Kia. that was just the Nissan, so probably doable with discounts.

the low sales price seems to be a bigger driver (along with how it looks in pictures) than anything dynamics related.

The Kia would be a whole lot more modern car I bet. Features wise, no comparison. Even a base stickshift elantra offers a lot (basically same car as the Forte).

abacomike

Michaell said:

@iluvmysephia - here you go. It shouldn't be too far out of the way to take a test drive: https://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/cto/d/2011-mini-cooper-turbo-fully/6700784512.html Nah - I want the cosier ride of the Sentra, great Japanese build quality and a new car Warranty. I have a guy in El Paso texting me now. He wanted to charge me $21,890 for a base Sentra S manual. I said that's way too much and he asked what would you want to pay? I said $13,500 OTD and he said "when would you like to come in?" This is only 90 miles away from us instead of 600 miles away!

Now you need to take that quote to the dealer in Las Cruces - which is even closer - and see if they can match the El Paso dealer offer. Also, there is a $1500 customer incentive and 0% financing for up to 60 months; 2.9% for 61-72 months. Not that I'm enabling you or anything ….

The “...he said when would you like to come in...” line is part of the curriculum for all new car salesmen!  He didn’t say, “...$13,999 out the door is a deal.  When would you like to come in?...” means something totally different!” 

pensfan83

I've seen loans as high as 145% LTV come across my desk but that takes into account anything added on the backend from F&I. I've also seen that our markup from buy rate ranges from 2% to 3% depending on credit tier. Very rare is the dealer who doesn't mark up it up the full amount.

roadburner

abacomike said:

The “...he said when would you like to come in...” line is part of the curriculum for all new car salesmen!  He didn’t say, “...$13,999 out the door is a deal.  When would you like to come in?...” means something totally different!” 

Which is why I wouldn't last long at 99% of the mass market dealerships. The deals I made over the phone and via email were solid- with no surprises for the customer when he/she came to pick up the car.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall when/if iluv actually shows up in person.

driver100

stickguy said:

The Kia would be a whole lot more modern car I bet. Features wise, no comparison. Even a base stickshift elantra offers a lot (basically same car as the Forte).

The Kia Soul has #1 ranking in U.S. News and has a lower MSRP. The Sentra has a ranking of 23, almost every other compact car is rated higher.

Should we place bets on this deal actually happening?

U.S. News - Ranking of Compact Cars

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

btw....most of the reviews I am looking at for the Sentra give it 3 stars out of 5. Edmunds sums it up pretty nicely; That said, nothing about the Sentra stands out in the class. Its base engine is one of the slowest available, and even the optional turbocharged engine lags behind some competitors in terms of outright performance. There are also rival sedans that offer nicer interiors and greater degrees of comfort and technology. A good example is the Kia Forte, which has an extensive list of optional features for a reasonable price. There's also the all-wheel-drive Subaru Impreza that has many excellent active safety features and driver aids available. Finally, the Honda Civic, when equipped with its available turbocharged 1.5-liter engine, is our overall favorite vehicle in the class EDMUNDS REVIEW I will say Cars.com gives it glowing reviews. U.S. News rates it high but says there are much better cars in this class, with #1 being a Kia Soul. Car & Driver with 2 1/2 stars had this to say; The Sentra has a reputation as a reliable ride at an affordable price, but driving fun is lacking. The SR Turbo has more pep, but it can’t completely hide the car’s basic shortcomings. The tall, boxy body rolls in turns, while the steering is too light, and the brakes do not inspire confidence. Numerous options allow you to tailor the Sentra to your tastes, and the back seat is roomy, but the interior design is plain. Infotainment is good, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not offered.

Doesn't matter, if he likes the car what does it matter what the reviews are. Drive what you like.

roadburner

snakeweasel said:

Doesn't matter, if he likes the car what does it matter what the reviews are. Drive what you like.

I agree, but I'm always surprised at how a person can lust after a vehicle that most every reviewer thinks is uninspiring at best.
Well, they say that there's a butt for every seat...

iluvmysephia1

That's right, snake, I will drive what I like! Duh.

The price of the base 6-speed Sentra I'm going for is $13,490. My trade will add to that amount, yes. I think I can strike a do-able deal still.

Also, not all car write-ups are written honestly. I don't believe about 80% of those reviews of the Sentra. They're rubbish!

houdini2

Well I am back with a new improved name, Houdini2. Doesn't look like I've missed much, but I just read the last couple of pages. I am on pins and needles hoping the best deal Iluv can get on the Sentra is around $30,000. so he will change gears and check out that Kia Forte that driver mentioned.

28firefighter

houdini2 said:

Well I am back with a new improved name, Houdini2. Doesn't look like I've missed much, but I just read the last couple of pages. I am on pins and needles hoping the best deal Iluv can get on the Sentra is around $30,000. so he will change gears and check out that Kia Forte that driver mentioned.

Jumping right into the fray, I see. Welcome back!

sda

As my father in law loves to say "hard head, soft bottom"!

dino001

iluvmysephia1 said:

That's right, snake, I will drive what I like! Duh.

The price of the base 6-speed Sentra I'm going for is $13,490. My trade will add to that amount, yes. I think I can strike a do-able deal still.

Also, not all car write-ups are written honestly. I don't believe about 80% of those reviews of the Sentra. They're rubbish!

I woudn't go so far. I think they are written from certain point of view. It's about reviewer's opinion if there are better products for the same price. The issue is sometimes they use wrong reference points, e.g. MSRP, not actual "street price". Some manufacturers price things much closer to street prices than others. Nissan seems to be middle of the road in that department. Its price list usually is on par with say Honda or Toyota product, but the transaction prices are often lower by some decent margin. The reviewers are too lazy (or don't know enough) to account for that. That being said, if somebody thinks that Kia is better (and those often sell at even greater discounts), then this could be a sign.

Another aspect is, small sedan is a very dull segment with cutthroat competition, so the reviewers look for differentiation. It could be looks, equipment, performance, handling, or utility. Sentra is competent evewhere, but does not seem to excel anywhere, so it gets knocked down by people who look for "something special" at that price point. It's not malicious, corrupt, or wrong. It's just a different expectations.

If that Sentra was so wrong, it would not sell in those numbers. I say the same - drive what you like, even if it's something I wouldn't want.

stickguy

one other thing to keep in mind, is most tests/reviews are on the auto trans models. Comparing with a stick (where even available) could make a reasonable difference. Some cars get hammered for a crappy trans.

dino001

stickguy said:

one other thing to keep in mind, is most tests/reviews are on the auto trans models. Comparing with a stick (where even available) could make a reasonable difference. Some cars get hammered for a crappy trans.

Especially in the small sedan category. Some of those transmissions are real dogs.

iluvmysephia1

Well, I remember years and years ago sticking up for Kia on Edmunds.com. Basically I was told to go fly a kite. And look what's happened, gentlemen. Kia is now right up there and selling well. I know a good sedan when I see one. And the Nissan Sentra S at $13,490 is a bargain. Period. 

I appreciate your review on car reviews, dino001. I've gotten used to punting them. Not your review, dino001. I mean the mainstream media reviews. They're rubbish. You really have to do your own evaluation of the car you're interested in. Do not put your trust in men. History shows they'll string you up and fry you for dinner instead of helping you.

jmonroe1

iluvmysephia1 said:

That's right, snake, I will drive what I like! Duh.

The price of the base 6-speed Sentra I'm going for is $13,490. My trade will add to that amount, yes. I think I can strike a do-able deal still.

Also, not all car write-ups are written honestly. I don't believe about 80% of those reviews of the Sentra. They're rubbish!

Sounds like the classic case of...I don't want to hear what I don't want to hear.

jmonroe

roadburner

jmonroe1 said:

Sounds like the classic case of...I don't want to hear what I don't want to hear.

jmonroe

imidazol97

I saw a Stinger live in my fair village today. I had to get closer to figure out what kind of Kia it was. Didn't look like an Optima.

dino001

imidazol97 said:

I saw a Stinger live in my fair village today. I had to get closer to figure out what kind of Kia it was. Didn't look like an Optima.

It's a nice car, lots of praise. Looks a bit "heavy" to me, but I still will take a test drive when time comes. I guess actually knowing how it drives is worth taking a long hot shower after the upscale experience of our local Kia dealers. I don't care for its gas mileage, but for 10 grand price difference (from other candidates) I could buy a lot of gas.

driver100

I use car reviews the way I use most reviews. If 90% of the reviewers find the same fault...it is usually true. If 90% say driving the car is not a fun experience, then that carries some weight. If it is a fault I don't care about, like a small glove compartment....then I toss that information out of the equation.

What stick said is true, a manual is usually more entertaining than an automatic, which is what they usually test. But, lack of power can be really frustrating in a manual too, as we found out in the Passat.

I haven't heard the expression " History shows they'll string you up and fry you for dinner instead of helping you", not sure who came to that conclusion.....is that pertaining to cannibals?

dino001

roadburner said:

abacomike said:

The “...he said when would you like to come in...” line is part of the curriculum for all new car salesmen!  He didn’t say, “...$13,999 out the door is a deal.  When would you like to come in?...” means something totally different!” 

Which is why I wouldn't last long at 99% of the mass market dealerships. The deals I made over the phone and via email were solid- with no surprises for the customer when he/she came to pick up the car.
I'd love to be a fly on the wall when/if iluv actually shows up in person.

I have the same problem going to those. Since I bought my 2003 WRX, I was spoiled by a straightforward experience I got in both Subaru and BMW dealerships. I didn't always hear what I wanted to hear, but I never had anybody going back on anything. On the other hand, stories I heard from others about their experiences buying their "mainstream" cars were just appalling. Korean and Japanese seem to be worst offenders, by far - at least anecdotally. I truly abhor Honda places - they give me real creeps, every time I step in. More even so than Hyundai or Kia. Don't even know exactly why. Perhaps it's those shameless worthless add-ons and ADM stickers still lingering there on some vehicles. Recently our new employee, a young UF masters grad bought a new CRV (nice vehicle) with one of those "packages" and the thing wasn't even put on the vehicle. Won't even mention how the whole "dealing" went when he was buying. It took him to go to a manager to execute on that stuff. His salesman wouldn't take a call and was gone within couple of weeks, anyway. Just plain awful stuff, but they get away with it, because... you guessed it, "it's a Honda".

I just learned to limit my exposure to those places to bare minimum, which ended up being four-five times in last 15 years, when I thought I was shopping for something (then changed my mind). Lucky me, I can afford to be picky.

ab348

iluvmysephia1 said:

That's right, snake, I will drive what I like! Duh.

The price of the base 6-speed Sentra I'm going for is $13,490. My trade will add to that amount, yes. I think I can strike a do-able deal still.

Also, not all car write-ups are written honestly. I don't believe about 80% of those reviews of the Sentra. They're rubbish!

Have you ever driven a new Sentra?

stickguy

my take on the reviews is to read the comments, and ignore the results (rankings). Especially with sources that have a narrow focus. Car and Driver is like that. Not wrong or bad necessarily, just the way it is. They will always pick the car that is sportiest (best handling, whatever).

better to look at what they find, and rank based on your own criteria. So if they put a car last that is quiet, comfortable, and soft handling, if that is exactly what you want you might rank it first over something that is noisy and rough but handles like a go cart.

somethings though are pretty cut and dried. performance numbers, lousy brakes, tons of road noise.

berri

I think its his money and his preferences - so be it. Time to move on.

My opinion is that most reviews are naturally going to reflect the reviewers leanings no matter how hard they try to avoid that. So it is a good idea to read a group of different reviews, just like on things like Amazon where it is a good idea to read the "average" reviews more than the excellent or terrible ones.

berri

PS - I know most are trying to help iluv, but I think it may unintentionally sound instead like piling on.

iluvmysephia1

 I haven't heard the expression " History shows they'll string you up and fry you for dinner instead of helping you", not sure who came to that conclusion.....is that pertaining to cannibals?


driver100 - have you not read this story before? 

A man was going down the road from the city of Jerusalem to Jericho. This man was a Jew. As he was walking along, robbers grabbed him. They knocked him down and took his money and his clothes. The robbers beat him up and left him half dead beside the road.

 A short time later, a priest came along that road. He saw the man who was badly hurt. What would you have done?— Well, the priest just went by on the opposite side of the road. He didn’t even stop. He didn’t do anything at all to help the man.

Did you catch the point, driver100? The priest didn't do anything to help the downed Jewish man. Now, you guys know me, I'm not going to get all religious on ya. But that old account from thousands of years ago totally describes what's happening now on the earth. Most people would rather spit on you than help you when you're down. For that poor Jewish man, he was already robbed and beaten. I'll bet that priest would gladly take your tithe on Sunday morning, yet he wouldn't stop and help a man beaten and left for dead on the side of the road. There's a huge moral story told by that one Bible account.

oldfarmer50

thebean said:

xwesx said:

iluvmysephia1 said:

Now you need to take that quote to the dealer in Las Cruces - which is even closer - and see if they can match the El Paso dealer offer.

Also, there is a $1500 customer incentive and 0% financing for up to 60 months; 2.9% for 61-72 months.

Not that I'm enabling you or anything ….

Yes - and I want to use the Nissan 0% financing for 60 months. Reviews of the base model on Cars.com are overwhelmingly positive. The base model has Nissan Connect, which is their version of Android Auto.

You're looking to unload your Kia? I wouldn't give up my soul over this. I doubt it is worth much on trade, and probably will end up being far more useful to you and your wife as a second vehicle.

His wife doesn't drive, so it will be useful only as a boat anchor if he keeps it.

So what? I own 4 vehicles and I'm the only one who drives them. If he can swing the expense I say go for it.. At least he'll have a back up for when the Sentra is in the shop.

qbrozen

My scrolling thumb is getting quite the workout today. ;b

pensfan83

I'm just going to keep on keeping on...

oldfarmer50

dino001 said:

driver100 said:

iluvmysephia1 said:

@iluvmysephia - here you go. It shouldn't be too far out of the way to take a test drive:

https://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/cto/d/2011-mini-cooper-turbo-fully/6700784512.html

I said $13,500 OTD and he said "when would you like to come in?"

He didn't say he would sell you a car for $13,500 - all he said was, "when would you like to come in?"

Reminds me of the Hyundai dealer I too k my brothers 2012 Accent to....on the phone he said he would give me $6000, in real life he offered $4000.

Not to mention how did he get to 22 grand in his first "offer"? I still can't get around that. If Iluv goes there, it's going to be a grinder.

How about negotiating by email first.? Even I got information on line before I traveled for my last purchase. At least you'd have some proof if the salesman changes his tune once you arrive.

iluvmysephia1

I'm already doing that now. I am also negotiating for a 2017 Nissan Sentra SR Turbo with 15,XXX miles on it. The base model is at Avondale Nissan. The SR Turbo is at an independent used car dealer. Things are heating up because I've got them bucking against each other to win my bid-ness.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

btw....most of the reviews I am looking at for the Sentra give it 3 stars out of 5. Edmunds sums it up pretty nicely;

That said, nothing about the Sentra stands out in the class. Its base engine is one of the slowest available, and even the optional turbocharged engine lags behind some competitors in terms of outright performance. There are also rival sedans that offer nicer interiors and greater degrees of comfort and technology.

A good example is the Kia Forte, which has an extensive list of optional features for a reasonable price. There's also the all-wheel-drive Subaru Impreza that has many excellent active safety features and driver aids available. Finally, the Honda Civic, when equipped with its available turbocharged 1.5-liter engine, is our overall favorite vehicle in the class

EDMUNDS REVIEW

I will say Cars.com gives it glowing reviews. U.S. News rates it high but says there are much better cars in this class, with #1 being a Kia Soul.

Car & Driver with 2 1/2 stars had this to say;
The Sentra has a reputation as a reliable ride at an affordable price, but driving fun is lacking. The SR Turbo has more pep, but it can’t completely hide the car’s basic shortcomings. The tall, boxy body rolls in turns, while the steering is too light, and the brakes do not inspire confidence. Numerous options allow you to tailor the Sentra to your tastes, and the back seat is roomy, but the interior design is plain. Infotainment is good, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not offered.

That sounds like the same faint praise that Mitsubishi gets from the auto press. Maybe those two companies don't grease the right palms. I personally find the Altima much superior but there's nothing wrong with the Sentra.

BTW, can someone walk me through updating my cars owned list on here? I did it in my profile but forget how I did it to get the car to show under my posts.

explorerx4

I think I burned out the scroll wheel.

oldfarmer50

graphicguy said:

henryn said:

graphicguy said:

If a deal is made for a Sentra, at first blush, here’s the way I see it getting done, if you are really good at the negotiation table.

2018 Sentra base w/manual trans.....$15,000 (probably closer to $16,000 given the dealer will have to overallow on the trade)+ TTL.

2011 Kia Soul base w/manual trans (not sure the mileage, but let’s average 12K/year for 84K miles)......$2K trade (and you’re going to have to work hard to get that). I say the dealer comes in between $1,200 and $1,500 trade on first pencil.

It's a good deal worse then that. If I recall correctly, he owes about $5k on the Kia Soul, putting him upside down about $3k. And it doesn't sound like he has the money to pay off the Kia, so he will have to fold that into the next purchase.

A bad position to be in, all around.

Not sure where lending institutions are coming from these days, but that deal may not be approved without hefty out of pocket. Maybe subprime, but even there, a bad situation would be made even worse.

How's this for a complicated deal......my niece wants to buy her brother's 2017 Civic. Brother bought it in Maryland and rolled negative equity from his trade into the loan. Loan is from Maryland and in that state I understand the bank keeps the title. Indications are he owes $22k on a car worth maybe $16k. Niece has no credit history to speak of so her parents need to cosign. They have tier 1credit but are carrying a lot of debt.

I told them they might have to put in some cash but I'm not sure how much. Are credit unions loaning more than 100% on used cars these days?