Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

qbrozen

sooo... let's see ... "odometer fraud" and "new vehicle." I got the only warning sign you need: if you are buying a "new vehicle" that is old enough to be subjected to odometer fraud, you are doing something very wrong.

jwm40517

When did making something illegal ever put crooks out of business. I would consider someone who altered mileage before it was officially illegal to still be a crook.

oldfarmer50

qbrozen said:

sooo... let's see ... "odometer fraud" and "new vehicle." I got the only warning sign you need: if you are buying a "new vehicle" that is old enough to be subjected to odometer fraud, you are doing something very wrong.

I’m guessing he meant “new to you” but what about those service loaners that are never titled and run up considerable mileage. They’re sold as new cars.

stickguy

Farmer, yes, Carly is the OBD dongle and software, and you see the results on your phone using the app. If you don't have a phone, you can always buy a real scanner which should be able to do the same thing.

qbrozen

@oldfarmer50 said:
I’m guessing he meant “new to you” but what about those service loaners that are never titled and run up considerable mileage. They’re sold as new cars.

I was being facetious. ;b

snakeweasel

@oldfarmer50 said:
I’m guessing he meant “new to you” but what about those service loaners that are never titled and run up considerable mileage. They’re sold as new cars.

My Sonata was like that, 7 or 8K miles never titled and used as a loaner. They were pricing it as "new" I was on my phone looking at nearby dealerships sites with like used cars saying that I could save money going down the street and get the exact same car. Them saying it was new was pretty much meaningless as as soon as I drive off I have a used car with close to 8K miles either way. They came down to what I wanted to pay.

driver100

If it has 8000 miles on it when you buy it, and it is supposedly "new", do you still pay the transportation and DOC fees?

snakeweasel

@driver100 said:
If it has 8000 miles on it when you buy it, and it is supposedly "new", do you still pay the transportation and DOC fees?

Don't really know as they gave it to us at a used car price. And you still have to pay doc fees on used cars.

sda

It didn’t faze me when the doc fee was less than $100. Some local dealers are now charging $999 and find other ways to add additional fees. Crazy.

jwm40517

When we bought the RAV4 last year we went to Cincinnati instead of Lexington as the doc fee was $799 here and $250 in Ohio. Also same sticker car was about $400 less. Saved $949 total.

snakeweasel

sda said:

It didn’t faze me when the doc fee was less than $100. Some local dealers are now charging $999 and find other ways to add additional fees. Crazy.

Don't really care what the doc fee is but rather what the total price is. Charge me a $100 DOC fee and $24,900 for the car or $1,000 for the DOC fee and $24,000 for the car I don't care as it's $25K either way. Heck you can charge me a $25K DOC fee and just give me the car for free.

Just negotiate the OTD price and let the dealer fill in what figures to put in the line charges.

jmonroe1

@snakeweasel said:
Don't really care what the doc fee is but rather what the total price is. Charge me a $100 DOC fee and $24,900 for the car or $1,000 for the DOC fee and $24,000 for the car I don't care as it's $25K either way. Heck you can charge me a $25K DOC fee and just give me the car for free.

Just negotiate the OTD price and let the dealer fill in what figures to put in the line charges.

————————————————-
I like that idea of charging $25K for a doc fee and paying nothing for the car itself. BUT, since car dealers have made us so accustomed to negotiating and because I’d probably miss that part of the transaction, I think I’d ask for 2 free tank fill-ups and an oil change just to make me feel like I got a good deal.

jmonroe

oldfarmer50

snakeweasel said:

sda said:

It didn’t faze me when the doc fee was less than $100. Some local dealers are now charging $999 and find other ways to add additional fees. Crazy.

Don't really care what the doc fee is but rather what the total price is. Charge me a $100 DOC fee and $24,900 for the car or $1,000 for the DOC fee and $24,000 for the car I don't care as it's $25K either way. Heck you can charge me a $25K DOC fee and just give me the car for free.

Just negotiate the OTD price and let the dealer fill in what figures to put in the line charges.

That’s if you’re smart enough to negotiate an all in price. Most people think they know the price only to get hit with a doc fee at the end.

We picked up a bunch of new Toyotas from a dealer last week and the sticker was still inside. It looked like we paid full price plus there was a notation of $1300 in “conveyance and administration” fees. So it looks like even the big guys can get hosed.

stickguy

I can't recall for sure, but I think you don't get hit with sales tax on the doc fee?

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

I can't recall for sure, but I think you don't get hit with sales tax on the doc fee?

That’s a good question. I’ll have to look up some old car paperwork to see.

qbrozen

You do. Dealer fees are taxed. Gov fees are not.

tjc78

47 degree, cloudy damp morning. Take the car or the golf cart? Of course the cart! Yes my temp rate is long expired, but they messed the title up twice now and we can’t register it. Waiting on another replacement

venture

tjc78 said:

47 degree, cloudy damp morning. Take the car or the golf cart? Of course the cart! Yes my temp rate is long expired, but they messed the title up twice now and we can’t register it. Waiting on another replacement

Welcome to the club. I've been waiting since mid-August for the title to the Ascent.

I've contacted Chase Auto Finance, the DMV, and my dealer (Chase said they screwed up the initial paperwork) numerous times with no resolution yet.

venture

I was going to Home Depot yesterday on a 2 lane in each direction road through the shopping complex HD is located in. It was sort of warm so I had my window down a little.

I was in the right lane at a red light when I heard what sounded like an old, loud muffler, muscle car approaching, but I couldn’t see it. That’s when the noise pulled up along side of me in the left lane.

Here it was an Audi. Surprising! I looked over to see who was driving it since it sounded so juvenile. He must have taken it as a challenge because when the light turned green, he took off as fast as he could; making quite a racket.

Now, up ahead about 400 or 500’ was another traffic signal which was red. He got into the left turn lane – I suppose to turn before the rest of the people who saw his antics caught up. Unfortunately, he didn’t get there in time to trip the loop detector so he sat there as all the witnesses drove by.

snakeweasel

@stickguy said:
I can't recall for sure, but I think you don't get hit with sales tax on the doc fee?

That depends on the state, here in illinois you do pay taxes on DOC fees.

snakeweasel

@venture said:
I was going to Home Depot yesterday on a 2 lane in each direction road through the shopping complex HD is located in. It was sort of warm so I had my window down a little.

I was in the right lane at a red light when I heard what sounded like an old, loud muffler, muscle car approaching, but I couldn’t see it. That’s when the noise pulled up along side of me in the left lane.

Here it was an Audi. Surprising! I looked over to see who was driving it since it sounded so juvenile. He must have taken it as a challenge because when the light turned green, he took off as fast as he could; making quite a racket.

Now, up ahead about 400 or 500’ was another traffic signal which was red. He got into the left turn lane – I suppose to turn before the rest of the people who saw his antics caught up. Unfortunately, he didn’t get there in time to trip the loop detector so he sat there as all the witnesses drove by.

Maybe he was familiar with the timings of the lights and was trying to get there in time to trip the loop detector and make the turn.

driver100

venture said:

Unfortunately, he didn’t get there in time to trip the loop detector so he sat there as all the witnesses drove by.

I love it when that happens....I had one the other day that was similar. I was in the left lane on a 55 mph 4 laner with 2 lanes going North. A pickup truck was on my bumper......and I am going the same speed as the car ahead of me. The first chance he gets the PU goes to the right, wedges into the space ahead of me, and in about 50 yards he comes to the red light and is 10th in line....I go into the left turning lane and the advanced green goes just as I get there....while he is sitting waiting for the light.....even if it was green he would have got to his destination 10 seconds sooner by going around me.

driver100

Speaking of pick up trucks....it seems that Hillsborough County FL uses them as police cars. I don't see police pick ups back home. They provide extra protection I suppose;

stickguy

Is that cart battery powered?

100percent Jake on Youtube just had a video up on a recent purchase where he could not get a title because carmax had messed up some odometer paperwork (and they were not even the dealer he bought it from) and it was a nightmare to finally get resolved (required Carmax to care, and track down the person that they bought it from).

tjc78

@stickguy said:
Is that cart battery powered?

100percent Jake on Youtube just had a video up on a recent purchase where he could not get a title because carmax had messed up some odometer paperwork (and they were not even the dealer he bought it from) and it was a nightmare to finally get resolved (required Carmax to care, and track down the person that they bought it from).

Yes it’s considered an LSV (low speed vehicle). First title was lost. Second title didn’t specify LSV which is a must in NJ. So we are waiting for the third title. I didn’t even bother getting the dealer to extend the tag as it’s off season here and they aren’t going to care. It was bought right in town.

laurasdada

Forgive me if I'm repeating myself...
We were to leave for SF on Thursday, then Hawaii Saturday. Wife began getting a cold last Sunday, which, of course, morphed into Covid. Bad cold, and elevated heart rate/BP for her, but she quarantined and sort of relaxed (she's type A, shark, can't stop moving). She's feeling better, but the heart remains a concern, although Drs seem ok with it.
She began to feel better, saw Dr. yesterday who cleared her to fly, we were to leave for SF tomorrow and then Hawaii on Tuesday, meeting her kids who went as scheduled (her son got food poising the day before they left for Maui, get the feeling this trip is cursed?).
I began noting a mild cold on Friday, and, well the streak appears to be over. No longer Covid-free since 'Twenty... Other than mild cold, not noticing anything else (although I'm wondering if I've lost some sense of taste?). I'm four-Covid shotted, Flu shot, Shingrix and a lifetime consumer of Twinkees and Diet Coke, so I figure I'm so full of artificial ingredients, no disease will stick.
So, Aloha Hawaii, until we meet again.
Two week vacation from work, Mr. Murphy remains undefeated.
But, as long as we return to full health, all's well.

henryn

Speaking of a loud car ... Yesterday I was mowing one of the big vacant lots in my neighborhood with the ZTR. Not a lot of grass growing, but some weeds, and I like to keep it looking good for the kids to play on.

Anyway, I'm zipping along on the ZTR, which is fairly noisy so that I don't hear very much, when I hear a strange loud screeching / scratching kind of noise. Definitely not coming from the mower, so I look around to see where it is coming from. Driving down the street is an older white SUV, some kind of Jeep, perhaps a Cherokee? He was moving at a fairly good clip, 35 or 40, on a residential street, and apparently dragging something underneath. For me to hear that over the 20 horsepower engine on my mower, and from a distance of several hundred feet, it must have been really loud up close.

abacomike

Good news/bad news! Results of MRI’s shows no cancer at T-12. But results also show fluid encapsulation at L-2/L-3 which is causing the pain when standing and sitting. Bulging discs in 2 lumbar vertebrae, which also is causing pain.

My PCP is going to contact the neurosurgeon to determine the best route to relieve the pain. I think they can remove fluids with syringes in a sterile environment with a fluoroscope to show where needle goes into spine without damaging spinal nerves. As for discs, probable surgical solution, which I am very concerned about after surgery a year ago.

More to follow.

stickguy

good luck Mike. keep hanging in there. Good news at least that it isn't the big C. and knowing the root cause at least gives hope they can resolve it (at least enough to help quality of life).

explorerx4

Mike,
Good to hear form you and best of luck.

jmonroe1

@mike, we’re in your corner and hoping next year will be your best ever all-time heath year.

jmonroe

oldfarmer50

venture said:

tjc78 said:

47 degree, cloudy damp morning. Take the car or the golf cart? Of course the cart! Yes my temp rate is long expired, but they messed the title up twice now and we can’t register it. Waiting on another replacement

Welcome to the club. I've been waiting since mid-August for the title to the Ascent.

I've contacted Chase Auto Finance, the DMV, and my dealer (Chase said they screwed up the initial paperwork) numerous times with no resolution yet.

Don’t feel bad, I just saw a video from Australia where a guy’s bank emptied his account of $580,000 and refuses to give him an explanation. He says he’s been on the phone with customer service for 20 hours with no answers.

oldfarmer50

abacomike said:

Good news/bad news! Results of MRI’s shows no cancer at T-12. But results also show fluid encapsulation at L-2/L-3 which is causing the pain when standing and sitting. Bulging discs in 2 lumbar vertebrae, which also is causing pain.

My PCP is going to contact the neurosurgeon to determine the best route to relieve the pain. I think they can remove fluids with syringes in a sterile environment with a fluoroscope to show where needle goes into spine without damaging spinal nerves. As for discs, probable surgical solution, which I am very concerned about after surgery a year ago.

More to follow.

Well, if you subscribe to the various religious beliefs that suffering in this life pays dividends in the next, I’m guessing you’ll be driving a solid gold flying Rolls Royce in your next life.

I mean, even your encounters with crazy old ladies in the supermarket should get you first in line.😇

driver100

@abacomike A Big +1 to all the above comments
@laurasdada Hope the trip goes well and without any more glitches.

driver100

Went to a small Classic Cars Meeting in Ellenton FL today. These are one of my favorites of all time. I like it a lot more than the Tesla next to it.

oldfarmer50

It looks like we’re getting our first snowstorm that won’t melt by the afternoon and as usual people forget how to drive in snow. I was rounding a corner behind the big box place and a large Lexus/MB SUV was coming the other way on the inside of the curve.

She’s going too fast (since it’s still July in her mind) and loses traction. Her ABS must have been broken because she locks up her wheels and slides straight towards me. I couldn’t gun it or slam on the brakes because of the snow so I just goosed it a little and she slid behind me with inches to spare. She bounced up against the opposite curb, probably with a few extra grey hairs.

A so it begins.

stickguy

that is why I will be staying in the house most of the winter hibernating.

that and I have been watching too many youtube videos from south main auto and seeing his horror stories of what cars up here look like after just a few years thanks to the salt and chemicals they pour on the road. I can really see the reason to have a winter car to come out whenever the roads are wet and treated.

that and switching back to leasing and forget the pipe dream of keeping a car for 10 years and having it still look pristine! Maybe go lease a bigger PU with AWD and all terrain tires, park it outside, and just give it back in 3 years before the undercarriage rot gets too bad. Treat the Acura like a summer only toy car.

plus I have to pick one of our 2 to sacrifice when I have to go out and I know it will get slopped up.

stickguy

been snowing since breakfast up here. probably up to about 3" and should keep up until close to midnight. predicted 4-6" which seems about right. No need to dig out the snow blower for that.

snakeweasel

a lifetime consumer of Twinkees and Diet Coke

So do you think the diet coke cancels out the sugar in the twinkees?

Anyways enjoy South Fargo and the rest of your vacation.

snakeweasel

@abacomike said:
Good news/bad news! Results of MRI’s shows no cancer at T-12. But results also show fluid encapsulation at L-2/L-3 which is causing the pain when standing and sitting. Bulging discs in 2 lumbar vertebrae, which also is causing pain.

My PCP is going to contact the neurosurgeon to determine the best route to relieve the pain. I think they can remove fluids with syringes in a sterile environment with a fluoroscope to show where needle goes into spine without damaging spinal nerves. As for discs, probable surgical solution, which I am very concerned about after surgery a year ago.

More to follow.

The best of luck Mike, we are all pulling for you.

tjc78

@snakeweasel said:

@abacomike said:
Good news/bad news! Results of MRI’s shows no cancer at T-12. But results also show fluid encapsulation at L-2/L-3 which is causing the pain when standing and sitting. Bulging discs in 2 lumbar vertebrae, which also is causing pain.

My PCP is going to contact the neurosurgeon to determine the best route to relieve the pain. I think they can remove fluids with syringes in a sterile environment with a fluoroscope to show where needle goes into spine without damaging spinal nerves. As for discs, probable surgical solution, which I am very concerned about after surgery a year ago.

More to follow.

The best of luck Mike, we are all pulling for you.

+1.

fintail

driver100 said:

Went to a small Classic Cars Meeting in Ellenton FL today. These are one of my favorites of all time. I like it a lot more than the Tesla next to it.

That Tesla has as much place in a classic car show as an accordion has in a demolition derby.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

that is why I will be staying in the house most of the winter hibernating.

that and I have been watching too many youtube videos from south main auto and seeing his horror stories of what cars up here look like after just a few years thanks to the salt and chemicals they pour on the road. I can really see the reason to have a winter car to come out whenever the roads are wet and treated.

that and switching back to leasing and forget the pipe dream of keeping a car for 10 years and having it still look pristine! Maybe go lease a bigger PU with AWD and all terrain tires, park it outside, and just give it back in 3 years before the undercarriage rot gets too bad. Treat the Acura like a summer only toy car.

plus I have to pick one of our 2 to sacrifice when I have to go out and I know it will get slopped up.

Look up SMA’s video on spraying Fluid Film rust proofing. There are a few places locally that will do it. You can even get a garden sprayer and reuse your old motor oil if you want to do it cheap.

If all else fails, here’s your winter truck candidate:

https://albany.craigslist.org/cto/d/ballston-spa-2001-250-plow-truck-lot/7562976128.html

A fine example of what upstate has to offer.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

been snowing since breakfast up here. probably up to about 3" and should keep up until close to midnight. predicted 4-6" which seems about right. No need to dig out the snow blower for that.

That’s drive over it until it packs down amounts.

tjc78

@oldfarmer50 said:
Look up SMA’s video on spraying Fluid Film rust proofing. There are a few places locally that will do it. You can even get a garden sprayer and reuse your old motor oil if you want to do it cheap.

If all else fails, here’s your winter truck candidate:

https://albany.craigslist.org/cto/d/ballston-spa-2001-250-plow-truck-lot/7562976128.html

A fine example of what upstate has to offer.

Wow. Looks like it could literally snap in half.

stickguy

well, just finished the first shovel of the season. . Only about 4-5 inches but it was fairly heavy snow, and I am out of practice. And regret buying a house on the side of the street with a sidewalk (but at least I have the southern exposure so get the sun to help melt the leftover).

that truck actually looks a lot better than some I have seen out running around. though it must be bad if they are admitting the frame is rusty. I am sure it will mostly just crumble in your hands. I would not even consider buying a used truck from up here. would need to roadtrip south and buy something that was local down there.

I still hope to trade the current maverick in on a new one next year, but who knows. If I was considering keeping it for 10 years I might coat it. doubt I would ever do the Acura though. I will just do my best to avoiding the roads when they are nasty, and if I do get the bottom messy, will just keep forking out the $ to go through the car wash with the underbody sprays.

ab348

stickguy said:

I still hope to trade the current maverick in on a new one next year, but who knows. If I was considering keeping it for 10 years I might coat it. doubt I would ever do the Acura though. I will just do my best to avoiding the roads when they are nasty, and if I do get the bottom messy, will just keep forking out the $ to go through the car wash with the underbody sprays.

Don’t automatic car washes use recycled water for the initial wetting and underbody spray? That would be quite salty in that part of the world.

stickguy

they claim it is multiple times filtered. but it still has to be better than all the coated on stuff that would be under there after a run on the highway after brining and salting.

in NJ I just waited for the first day above freezing and dragged the hose out. Plenty of times I was washing the car with the hose running across snow, and driveways across the road (the shady side) still covered.

when it got coated, if it was not warm enough, I would just go to the DIY wash and use the high pressure wand. always fun when the floor was covered in ice. but that did a pretty good job getting underneath.

roadburner

Season 2!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rOPA8VfVn8

explorerx4

I'm working my way through the Slow Horse books. I can' imagine who would play Jackson Lamb if the character is like the books.