So the wife killed a deer last night with the new-to-us Rover. She says it was a big fella, and considering she killed it, the damage isn't all that bad. Still, though, you know how things are these days, so it is probably a good $3k or more repair bill. Front bumper is destroyed, which is all one piece including the grille surround on that vehicle, along with the driver's fog light, headlight housing, and headlight washer. Front fender is ever so slightly misaligned but appeared damage free at first. Upon closer inspection, I found some hairline cracks in the paint where it appears the headlight impacted it.
After thinking about it for a little while, I decided to have her call the insurance company. They said it falls under our Comprehensive, which has $100 deductible, and because its a no-fault incident, it won't affect our rates at all. So that's all good news. I do cringe at thinking what might need to be done on this previously pristine truck. I'm wondering if the whole fender needs to be repainted. That would suck.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
In my quest for a manual transmission I initially narrowed my search down to the Mazda 6 iTouring and Honda Accord Sport after web-based research. My ideal vehicle didn't exist, which would be a newer AWD wagon with a manual, tight suspension, punchy turbo 4-cylinder motor for decent fuel economy, and a tasteful, quiet interior. I'll have to move to Europe for something like that, which coincidentally could happen in the future after a discussion I had with the German HR folks last week. That'd only happen after our daughter starts college.
So, without the ideal car in practical reach, I made compromises. The CTS-V wagon was tempting, but the RWD and MPG sacrifices were too much. A coupe was out of the question, so I settled on sedans, and targeted the used market since manual transmission sedans depreciate quickly with so few buyers out there.
I started the search by driving a 2016 Mazda 6 the local dealer had on their lot (the only manual iTouring they had). The Mazda checked the box on the tasteful interior in a big way, a nice and taught suspension, and excellent manual. The misses included a noisy interior, so-so motor response, and inability to add seat heaters to the vinyl interior (a serious sin in cold states).
I found a barely used manual Honda Accord Sport in Denver and we made the trek down for a test drive. I knew I'd love the car. I've owned two Honda models in the past, a CR-V and a manual transmission Accord, and I particularly enjoyed the Accord.
To my surprise I didn't like the latest gen Accord in the least. I guess I've fallen out of love with Honda. I found the interior even louder than the Mazda, the engine didn't have any more punch, the stick shift was very uncomfortable in the hand, the interior was spartan and dated, the seats didn't support me well, and after 8,500 miles the interior was already rattling away like the last couple of generation Accords I've rented. Prior to the test drive I walked into the dealership ready to write a check, but afterwards walked out a bit perplexed on what to do next.
I have been there. Twice. It really does suck. Yes you will probably have a significant repair bill. The good news is if you use a good body shop then it probably will look like nothing ever happened to it. It is unlikely to affect resale value. I was quite upfront when I sold mine and the buyer didn't even blink because it looked pristine. Keep the records in case anyone wants to know what was done. Most buyers feel better knowing it was properly taken care of than if your uncle down the road "fixed" it.
Re seat heaters. I had them added aftermarket to my '04 Mazda6 wagon and they were great! Actually I negotiated adding them with the dealer as part of the price. Can't do anything about the noise factor though. Try VW maybe?
Maybe its just me, but these strong dollar travel advantages like right now in Canada don't always seem to work out as you'd think. The hotel is cheaper, but basics like food and gas often just seemed marked up in the foreign currency and convert out similar to US when converted to US dollars. Maybe that's because commodities are international in market or maybe its taxes, I don't really know. Now if you travel to a cheap wage country that offsets some of this.
Continuing the quest for a manual transmission vehicle, I went back to the used market search tools and simply opened it up to manual transmission vehicles with 4 or 5 doors. The BMW 3 series was eliminated because I didn't want RWD. The cheapie compacts were out since they only checked the boxes for a manual and 4 doors, but missed everywhere else. I did look at a new WRX, but the NVH didn't meet my desires and I wanted something a bit more mature.
And then I came across a 2013 A4 at a local dealership with the Premium Plus package. My daughter was at a friend's house when I found it online, so I mentioned it to my wife and she was game for quick test drive. In 10 miles I knew I'd found the vehicle that would most meet my wants. My wife particularly liked the idea of another AWD vehicle. I loved the interior, the engine response, the composed and quiet ride, the exterior styling, and all the features. It's an overall nice package.
That's when I last posted about the ownership cost differences between the Audi and the Mazda. Thank you for the great feedback and it factored into my decision. There were opinions both ways, and in the end I let emotion win out of logic this time around. The Audi was my pick.
The used car manager wasn't available at the time, so negotiations for trade-in and purchase price didn't pick up until the next week, and what it came down to was price. The Audi was $3,500 over NADA retail, one of the most expensive listed in the used car shopping sites, and they wouldn't budge. I thanked them for their time and moved on. The next week I was in Florida for business when another 2013 Audi A4 hit the market. It, too, was Premium Plus, which I started targeting after the test drive, and it came with a bonus I really wanted, the Sport Package. And the price was more than fair. In fact, it was under priced from what I could tell and that made me nervous.
There were two other caveats that made me a bit hesitant, first, it was factory Audi Brilliant Black, which, while I find it the prettiest color when clean, can be difficult to maintain, and second (here's a big one), it was in New York. Ugh.
So, I called them expecting to hear the bad news that it had been re-painted, been in a wreck, flooded, stolen, something. I wanted it to fall through in some way. Except it didn't. It was a lease return, had been purchased at that dealership, maintained there with all records, and then returned and offered for sale at the same place. No accidents or seedy history in any way. Factory paint all around. No dents or dings. Never smoked in. The interior was perfect. The paint was in decent shape considering it was Brilliant Black. I could find nothing wrong. And then suddenly I was excited. Except I live in Colorado, I was on business in Florida, and the car was in New York.
To be continued (one last time; gotta' run an errand).
Maybe its just me, but these strong dollar travel advantages like right now in Canada don't always seem to work out as you'd think. The hotel is cheaper, but basics like food and gas often just seemed marked up in the foreign currency and convert out similar to US when converted to US dollars. Maybe that's because commodities are international in market or maybe its taxes, I don't really know. Now if you travel to a cheap wage country that offsets some of this.
In developed countries it is mostly taxes, not just directly on goods/services, but also embedded in labor (their equivalents of social security are usually twice of American) and taxation on fuel and other forms of energy. It all adds up to huge surcharge on basic materials, labor and energy required to perform the activity.
Basic non-college level labor is also paid higher in likes of Germany or France (the purchasing power is not necessarily higher, but raw amount of money often is), especially in service industries, as their laws mandate living wages paid to waiters and such out if business account, not forcing the customer to make compensation decisions. I'm not opposed to a tip, but it should be a true gratuity, not a compensation to essentially free labor "employed" by a restaurateur.
On that subject, I understand it's cultural, but I always ask myself how one calls themselves an employer, when they don't actually pay their employees. Americans think it's "always" been like that, but that's not true, either - in 19th century there were many states, where tips were actually prohibited by law, as they were considered bribes. I would not go that far, obviously, if somebody wants to add something for the staff, why not. I just oppose the false advertising. Of course philosophically, as I conform to the customs, just don't like it. I also noticed that tip expectations are constantly creeping up, used to be 10 percent long time ago, and it was on amount before tax, then it became 10 after, then 15, today you see credit card terminals with 18 percent minimum option (20, 25 percent as others) as "convenienece" numbers (you can input your own number, but it clearly creates an uncomfortable "moral extortion" scheme, if you happen to think it should be less) and payment often made before the service is even performed. I think this is not sustainable, reminds me those fees charged by dealers on top of the price. Used to be 100 bucks, now it's pushing 1000 here in Florida in some places.
I find this really dishonest and abusive to both employee and customer. To put it in simple terms, it's deceptive advertising - the meal is not really 20 dollars, never was, there wa no intent of it being 20 dollars, but the menus says it js 20. It is really 22, or even more. You simply didn't pay your employees and now you tell me I should pay them instead, however much I think, but for my convenience it is at least X more. I hate it. I was raised in the world, where ten means ten, not maybe 11, 12, or 13. Those poor waiters that take it sometimes on the stingy customers on Facebook, should be angry at their employers for not paying them what is owed. Then tip would be a true gratuity, not payment that's owed and expected and employers would be worth their name.
Maybe its just me, but these strong dollar travel advantages like right now in Canada don't always seem to work out as you'd think. The hotel is cheaper, but basics like food and gas often just seemed marked up in the foreign currency and convert out similar to US when converted to US dollars. Maybe that's because commodities are international in market or maybe its taxes, I don't really know. Now if you travel to a cheap wage country that offsets some of this.
Canada is a high-tax nation, paying for our healthcare system, lots of social programs, and a huge dependency on big government, so that spills over into a lot of things. Gasoline is the most obvious example, as we tax gas somewhere in between the low levels in the US and the absurdly high levels they have in Euroland. Most consumer products attract a national goods and services sales tax and a provincial sales tax that can be 15% in combined total. Minimum wage rates tend to be higher, which affect prices of things like food and drink in restaurants and bars. Alcohol taxes and government markups are significantly higher than in the USA. Since we are a big country without a whole lot of people, that sources lots of stuff from outside, freight costs can be high. And in general it costs more to run a business here for all sorts of other tax-related reasons. All of that does indeed translate into higher costs when you visit. But still, you're getting a 30% discount on things here right now paying with your US dollars. C'mon up and visit.
Well that sucks. I hope you at least got to put the deer in your freezer. I almost ran into two in front of my house last night bringing home pizza. If one ever wrecks my car they better be dead.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Continuing the quest for a manual transmission vehicle, I went back to the used market search tools and simply opened it up to manual transmission vehicles with 4 or 5 doors. The BMW 3 series was eliminated because I didn't want RWD. The cheapie compacts were out since they only checked the boxes for a manual and 4 doors, but missed everywhere else. I did look at a new WRX, but the NVH didn't meet my desires and I wanted something a bit more mature.
And then I came across a 2013 A4 at a local dealership with the Premium Plus package. My daughter was at a friend's house when I found it online, so I mentioned it to my wife and she was game for quick test drive. In 10 miles I knew I'd found the vehicle that would most meet my wants. My wife particularly liked the idea of another AWD vehicle. I loved the interior, the engine response, the composed and quiet ride, the exterior styling, and all the features. It's an overall nice package.
That's when I last posted about the ownership cost differences between the Audi and the Mazda. Thank you for the great feedback and it factored into my decision. There were opinions both ways, and in the end I let emotion win out of logic this time around. The Audi was my pick.
The used car manager wasn't available at the time, so negotiations for trade-in and purchase price didn't pick up until the next week, and what it came down to was price. The Audi was $3,500 over NADA retail, one of the most expensive listed in the used car shopping sites, and they wouldn't budge. I thanked them for their time and moved on. The next week I was in Florida for business when another 2013 Audi A4 hit the market. It, too, was Premium Plus, which I started targeting after the test drive, and it came with a bonus I really wanted, the Sport Package. And the price was more than fair. In fact, it was under priced from what I could tell and that made me nervous.
There were two other caveats that made me a bit hesitant, first, it was factory Audi Brilliant Black, which, while I find it the prettiest color when clean, can be difficult to maintain, and second (here's a big one), it was in New York. Ugh.
So, I called them expecting to hear the bad news that it had been re-painted, been in a wreck, flooded, stolen, something. I wanted it to fall through in some way. Except it didn't. It was a lease return, had been purchased at that dealership, maintained there with all records, and then returned and offered for sale at the same place. No accidents or seedy history in any way. Factory paint all around. No dents or dings. Never smoked in. The interior was perfect. The paint was in decent shape considering it was Brilliant Black. I could find nothing wrong. And then suddenly I was excited. Except I live in Colorado, I was on business in Florida, and the car was in New York.
To be continued (one last time; gotta' run an errand).
Yeah, where in NY? You have your own personal transporter here with a CDL and a good safety record at your beck and call.
Seriously, if it lived it's whole life in upstate NY have it thoroughly inspected for rust. If it lived in NYC do the same inspection on suspension components.
People don't respect leased cars. Today I saw what looked like a new BMW M3 riding around covered in salt. In my mind I heard "LEASE".
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
A couple of months ago I encountered a lady who had just struck a deer on an offramp of the highway. She was driving a Pontiac Torrent and the impact was hard enough to cave in the front facia, damage the radiator and set off the airbags. I called 911 and stayed with her until emergency services arrived.
She was fine, just shaken up, but the car wasn't going anywhere without a flatbed.
Sometimes you just get lucky. It just so happened I was heading to Philly the next week for business (this week), and the dealer agreed to hold the car with a refundable deposit until I finished with a go/no-go inspection. The dealer is located in Long Island and the car was registered in the eastern part of Long Island where it's not so population dense.
Wednesday night I wrapped up the business needs for my trip and drove to Long Island where I arrived late and stayed in a hotel. Thursday turned crazy. The dealer was installing a clear bra on the assumption I would want the car (their risk), and the installer wasn't yet finished when we scheduled the inspection for early morning.
I wound up putting the delay to good use. I was able to catch up on emails and prepare a business proposal until early afternoon when the car was finally finished. I also inspected the parts of the car accessible to me while the installer worked on laminating the bumper.
The panels were all original, there were no dings or dents, no sign of rust on any panel or the unibody, the paint was original, the interior literally looked new, the previous owner left both the carpet and all-season mats, the trunk was protected with an all-season mat, the wheels had no scrapes or scratches, the wheels were protected with theft-resistant wheel lugs, and the tires were showing even wear. All I could find in terms of defects were some light scratches on the roof where people placed their hands to pull themselves in/out of the low-slung car, and two rock chips.
Once the installer finished I was able to finish the visual inspections with no additional findings. I then had the car pulled out of the inspection bay into the sunlight for more visuals and noted the swirls I expected to find in the Brilliant Black paint. I couldn't see them well in the inspection bay with the artificial lighting, but in the sunlight the spider webs were much more visible. No surprise there. Very few people actually realize how swirled their paint is, and I could tell the dealer lot workers had performed a light polishing, which only added to the swirls. With a little TLC on my OCD part, the paint will come to life and do what black does best.
Looking over the suspension and brakes I noted a ton of brake pad life left, a shocking amount actually, and all the components looked good.
The last inspection piece was the test drive. I tested the tracking, braking, aggressive cornering, light acceleration, heavy acceleration, and clutch resistance to pulling out of gear with the clutch engaged. Everything drove perfect.
So, back to the dealer we went and completed the paperwork, I handed over a check, returned the rental car, picked up my new-to-me Audi from the dealer, and then did something really crazy. I drove. Across Long Island into Pennsylvania. In rush hour. Yes, I'm an idiot. You NYC people are nuts.
I spent 10 hours on the road that day and arrived somewhere in Ohio early Thursday AM and crashed in a hotel room for some rest. After some abbreviated sleep I ate breakfast, hopped in the car, and kept driving with the intention of finding a hotel somewhere in Nebraska. Yeah, that never happened. Call it excitement over the new car, or a truly exceptional seat, but I felt great and kept going. All remaining 20 hours to get home early this morning.
I slept about 6 hours and today I'm working on a deep scrub of the interior. Everything might look new, but I know there's 27,000 miles of use, so there's dirt. And I was right. While scrubbing the leather seats I noted my rinse water turned a bit gray, so I know dirt was coming out. Everything is getting the special treatment. I'll have to wait on the paint correction, though, for the clear bra to heal and then the weather to cooperate enough for a decent washing. Once I wash the paint I'll be able to complete the paint correction in the garage regardless of weather. For an OCD guy like me, knowing the car is filthy with 1,800 miles of dirt as well as those swirls, equates to pure torture. Must wait....
The car drove amazing across the US, and now I can say I've driven every mile of I-80. Effortless power from the engine, an engaging manual transmission, taught suspension, grippy tires, a cabin insulated from NVH, and seats that kept me comfortable for a 20-hour stent. Average MPG for the trip was 32 despite some headwinds and New York traffic. My only two complaints: first, Ohio and Indiana charge tolls on I-80, what's up with that? And second, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Nebraska gas stations really punish Premium gas buyers with $.60 to $.80 more than RUG. Not cool. In Colorado Premium is $.30 to $.40 more.
So, the car and I have bonded. And I'm smiling as I write this.
Audi looks great. Your "saga" seems like it was written by a seasoned author/writer - rare to see such mastery of the written language. Kudos to you for your "non-fiction novel" covering your purchase and subsequent safari across this great country of ours.
I wish you many wonderful and exciting years as the owner of a 3-pedal black Audi.
There's something very appealing about getting a car out of state and driving it back home. Had fun doing that when we got the '97 Outback from an old friend (we were fortunate in being able to avoid most Interstates driving it home).
So the wife killed a deer last night with the new-to-us Rover. She says it was a big fella, and considering she killed it, the damage isn't all that bad. Still, though, you know how things are these days, so it is probably a good $3k or more repair bill. Front bumper is destroyed, which is all one piece including the grille surround on that vehicle, along with the driver's fog light, headlight housing, and headlight washer. Front fender is ever so slightly misaligned but appeared damage free at first. Upon closer inspection, I found some hairline cracks in the paint where it appears the headlight impacted it.
After thinking about it for a little while, I decided to have her call the insurance company. They said it falls under our Comprehensive, which has $100 deductible, and because its a no-fault incident, it won't affect our rates at all. So that's all good news. I do cringe at thinking what might need to be done on this previously pristine truck. I'm wondering if the whole fender needs to be repainted. That would suck.
Gee Q, that looks like an easy $3K if the fender needs a repaint and the grille and fender are in fact damaged.
So, anyone who has a recent vintage GM vehicle knows you get reports (I get emails) from OnStar once/mo telling you the condition of the car. OnStar monitors the Odometer reading, oil level/condition, coolant level/condition, tire air pressure, emissions, MPG, etc, etc.
Anyway, my old '14 CTS OnStar just sent me a report. Seems hardly anyone has driven it. It only has a couple hundred miles from when I turned it in. Report says everything is fine, except the rear two tires are underinflated. So, it's still being monitored, wherever it is. And, no one is really driving it.
So, anyone who has a recent vintage GM vehicle knows you get reports (I get emails) from OnStar once/mo telling you the condition of the car. OnStar monitors the Odometer reading, oil level/condition, coolant level/condition, tire air pressure, emissions, MPG, etc, etc.
Anyway, my old '14 CTS OnStar just sent me a report. Seems hardly anyone has driven it. It only has a couple hundred miles from when I turned it in. Report says everything is fine, except the rear two tires are underinflated. So, it's still being monitored, wherever it is. And, no one is really driving it.
I meant to ask you, GG, are you still enjoying the new CTS? I have not had many white cars in my lifetime - maybe two - but I am very pleased with the Diamond White Metallic. What about your take on the white? Any problems with the 2016? I know you would have mentioned to us if there were any problems.
Anyway, my old '14 CTS OnStar just sent me a report. Seems hardly anyone has driven it. It only has a couple hundred miles from when I turned it in. Report says everything is fine, except the rear two tires are underinflated. So, it's still being monitored, wherever it is. And, no one is really driving it.
If it's sending you reports, did you sign up for OnStar? If it still has you listed with a sign in for the internet page, sign up for family link for $3.99 for one month and cancel after the first month. It will locate the car accurate within about 10 minutes. It would be worth it to know where it' located. A dealer? A GM facility?
Thank you for the support, everyone. I appreciate the positive comments.
Mike, your comments are particularly meaningful given your background and own eloquence. I do love to write. I just need more excuses to do so :-)
When the opportunity arises to start the paint correction, I'll take photos so you can see what the paint really looks like, and then the change after the appropriate TLC.
So the wife killed a deer last night with the new-to-us Rover. She says it was a big fella, and considering she killed it, the damage isn't all that bad. Still, though, you know how things are these days, so it is probably a good $3k or more repair bill. Front bumper is destroyed, which is all one piece including the grille surround on that vehicle, along with the driver's fog light, headlight housing, and headlight washer. Front fender is ever so slightly misaligned but appeared damage free at first. Upon closer inspection, I found some hairline cracks in the paint where it appears the headlight impacted it.
After thinking about it for a little while, I decided to have her call the insurance company. They said it falls under our Comprehensive, which has $100 deductible, and because its a no-fault incident, it won't affect our rates at all. So that's all good news. I do cringe at thinking what might need to be done on this previously pristine truck. I'm wondering if the whole fender needs to be repainted. That would suck.
I think it is lucky she was driving a big strong Rover. Could have been much worse in an Accent or Smart Car!
Maybe its just me, but these strong dollar travel advantages like right now in Canada don't always seem to work out as you'd think. The hotel is cheaper, but basics like food and gas often just seemed marked up in the foreign currency and convert out similar to US when converted to US dollars. Maybe that's because commodities are international in market or maybe its taxes, I don't really know. Now if you travel to a cheap wage country that offsets some of this.
I think it is true. Most things including hotel rooms in Canada are going to be 40 or 50% more minimum, food the same. Air fare can be almost double, and taxes add a lot. You have to be selective to come out ahead.
When we flew to Detroit we paid $175 each return on Spirit. If we flew to Toronto it would have been about $500 each. Extra costs are taxes and Canada has highest landing fees. Parking at Tampa airport was $12 a day, parking at Toronto airport $30 a day.
But, in some cases it does work....very selective.
Thank you for the support, everyone. I appreciate the positive comments.
Mike, your comments are particularly meaningful given your background and own eloquence. I do love to write. I just need more excuses to do so :-)
When the opportunity arises to start the paint correction, I'll take photos so you can see what the paint really looks like, and then the change after the appropriate TLC.
Time to sell the Subaru Impreza!
-Ty
Great looking car Ty. One thing I really liked in the Audi is the dash has a light that tells you what gear you are in, and it indicates what gear you could be in.....I liked that feature. I always saying the Audi is as much fun as you can have driving a car (manual transmission).
I hit a deer about 25 years ago. Dumb thing ran right out in front of me. Almost stopped. But, not quite.
apparently did not kill him, because when I went back that way (before animal control would have gotten there) he was gone. Though maybe a local came for the meat!
lucky I was driving my Nissam PU. Hit him flush and bounced him back in front of me. Slightly dented the front lip of the hood, and cracked a bar in the grill. Might have made a minor dent in the front bumper? Had to buy a couple of trim pieces I put on myself.
Pretty sure if we had been driving the 323 instead, it would have flipped him up and rolled over the hood. Though given how close I came to stopping, I may have stopped before hitting him, given how crappy the stopping distance in an unloaded 1991 Nissan PU was!
There are huge differences in the price of goods and services in the US, from city to city and State to State. Much of the difference is due to sales taxes.
When my son was here in September with his SO, we went shopping for some food at Publix and Walmart. His SO remarked that the prices of foodstuffs are 20%-30% less here in South Florida than in California. The same was true for the price of a gallon of gasoline.
We then went to Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise (largest indoor discount "mills" in the US and second most visited attraction in the State behind Disney World). His SO was amazed at how inexpensive clothing was compared to their Ontario Mills in Ontario, CA. She spent over $400 there. I also bought my son shoes, sneakers and clothes - all 30% less than it would have cost them in CA.
Airfares are different as well depending on the airline and the airport. It is more expensive to fly from Chicago to Miami and Palm Beach than if you fly into Ft. Lauderdale. All three airports are within 35 miles of me with FLL only 20 minutes away.
Our sales tax rate is 6% in Broward, but it's 7% in Miami.
Wow, Mike, the difference in pricing is enormous. During my recent trip I noticed the gas prices in California were particularly bad at over $3.00/gallon. I'd hate to see their prices if we were paying $3.
Thank you for the support, everyone. I appreciate the positive comments.
Mike, your comments are particularly meaningful given your background and own eloquence. I do love to write. I just need more excuses to do so :-)
When the opportunity arises to start the paint correction, I'll take photos so you can see what the paint really looks like, and then the change after the appropriate TLC.
Time to sell the Subaru Impreza!
-Ty
Great looking car Ty. One thing I really liked in the Audi is the dash has a light that tells you what gear you are in, and it indicates what gear you could be in.....I liked that feature. I always saying the Audi is as much fun as you can have driving a car (manual transmission).
Thanks Driver. I've been using that gear readout to learn what the car wants. During non-aggressive driving the computer is trying to keep the RPMs below 2,000, which I think is possible because of the plentiful and low-end torque. It's amazing how fast the motor transforms from quiet cruiser to redline beast.
Wow, Mike, the difference in pricing is enormous. During my recent trip I noticed the gas prices in California were particularly bad at over $3.00/gallon. I'd hate to see their prices if we were paying $3.
The prices of new automobiles are also quite a bit less down here in South Florida. We have some of the highest volume dealers in the US down here.
We have the highest volume VW, Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, Honda, Audi, Infiniti, Mini and Porsche dealerships in the country. Additionally, the national headquarters for AutoNation is located in Ft. Lauderdale. They are the largest dealership organization in the US with over 70 dealerships here in Florida (350+ nationwide).
Wow, Mike, the difference in pricing is enormous. During my recent trip I noticed the gas prices in California were particularly bad at over $3.00/gallon. I'd hate to see their prices if we were paying $3.
The prices of new automobiles are also quite a bit less down here in South Florida. We have some of the highest volume dealers in the US down here.
We have the highest volume VW, Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, Honda, Audi, Infiniti, Mini and Porsche dealerships in the country. Additionally, the national headquarters for AutoNation is located in Ft. Lauderdale. They are the largest dealership organization in the US with over 70 dealerships here in Florida (350+ nationwide).
But also some of the highest dealer fees to go along with it. $600, $700, $800!
Even with the dealer fees, OTD pricing is exceptional. When you buy from a very high volume dealer, they receive large amounts of incentives from the manufacturer which makes them more competitive.
So the wife killed a deer last night with the new-to-us Rover. She says it was a big fella, and considering she killed it, the damage isn't all that bad. Still, though, you know how things are these days, so it is probably a good $3k or more repair bill. Front bumper is destroyed, which is all one piece including the grille surround on that vehicle, along with the driver's fog light, headlight housing, and headlight washer. Front fender is ever so slightly misaligned but appeared damage free at first. Upon closer inspection, I found some hairline cracks in the paint where it appears the headlight impacted it.
After thinking about it for a little while, I decided to have her call the insurance company. They said it falls under our Comprehensive, which has $100 deductible, and because its a no-fault incident, it won't affect our rates at all. So that's all good news. I do cringe at thinking what might need to be done on this previously pristine truck. I'm wondering if the whole fender needs to be repainted. That would suck.
My sympathies. I hate bodywork!
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
When I lived in Pennsylvania, it was a common occurrence - I hit a deer on my right front end late at night. The headlights of the car cause the deer to freeze - fear probably. The doe came out of nowhere. Very dangerous up there.
I guess things change over time. When I was based out of Orlando back in the 80's it seemed like FL dealers had all kinds of sticker add-ons. If you wanted a Toyota you were also stuck with that money grubbing Southeastern Toyota wholesaler that had its own add-ons. Vehicles were noticeably cheaper out the door in Chicago back then.
I guess things change over time. When I was based out of Orlando back in the 80's it seemed like FL dealers had all kinds of sticker add-ons. If you wanted a Toyota you were also stuck with that money grubbing Southeastern Toyota wholesaler that had its own add-ons. Vehicles were noticeably cheaper out the door in Chicago back then.
Southeast Toyota is owned by JM Family Enterpises located in Deerfield Beach, FL, about 3 miles from where I live. They also own JM Lexus right here in Margate - 1-1/2 miles from here. I started in the car business with JM Family. JM stands for Jim Moran who started in the car business in Chicago - Courtesy Ford.
They are well known in the business for adding all kinds of extras to their Toyotas to build up the selling price.
Jim Moran the Courtesy Man. Now there's an interesting and maybe controversial figure. Depending on what you article you read about him, he was either a genius or a crook.
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After thinking about it for a little while, I decided to have her call the insurance company. They said it falls under our Comprehensive, which has $100 deductible, and because its a no-fault incident, it won't affect our rates at all. So that's all good news. I do cringe at thinking what might need to be done on this previously pristine truck. I'm wondering if the whole fender needs to be repainted. That would suck.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
So, without the ideal car in practical reach, I made compromises. The CTS-V wagon was tempting, but the RWD and MPG sacrifices were too much. A coupe was out of the question, so I settled on sedans, and targeted the used market since manual transmission sedans depreciate quickly with so few buyers out there.
I started the search by driving a 2016 Mazda 6 the local dealer had on their lot (the only manual iTouring they had). The Mazda checked the box on the tasteful interior in a big way, a nice and taught suspension, and excellent manual. The misses included a noisy interior, so-so motor response, and inability to add seat heaters to the vinyl interior (a serious sin in cold states).
I found a barely used manual Honda Accord Sport in Denver and we made the trek down for a test drive. I knew I'd love the car. I've owned two Honda models in the past, a CR-V and a manual transmission Accord, and I particularly enjoyed the Accord.
To my surprise I didn't like the latest gen Accord in the least. I guess I've fallen out of love with Honda. I found the interior even louder than the Mazda, the engine didn't have any more punch, the stick shift was very uncomfortable in the hand, the interior was spartan and dated, the seats didn't support me well, and after 8,500 miles the interior was already rattling away like the last couple of generation Accords I've rented. Prior to the test drive I walked into the dealership ready to write a check, but afterwards walked out a bit perplexed on what to do next.
To be continued....
'24 Chevy Blazer EV 2LT
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Glad it was just property damage.
'24 Chevy Blazer EV 2LT
And then I came across a 2013 A4 at a local dealership with the Premium Plus package. My daughter was at a friend's house when I found it online, so I mentioned it to my wife and she was game for quick test drive. In 10 miles I knew I'd found the vehicle that would most meet my wants. My wife particularly liked the idea of another AWD vehicle. I loved the interior, the engine response, the composed and quiet ride, the exterior styling, and all the features. It's an overall nice package.
That's when I last posted about the ownership cost differences between the Audi and the Mazda. Thank you for the great feedback and it factored into my decision. There were opinions both ways, and in the end I let emotion win out of logic this time around. The Audi was my pick.
The used car manager wasn't available at the time, so negotiations for trade-in and purchase price didn't pick up until the next week, and what it came down to was price. The Audi was $3,500 over NADA retail, one of the most expensive listed in the used car shopping sites, and they wouldn't budge. I thanked them for their time and moved on. The next week I was in Florida for business when another 2013 Audi A4 hit the market. It, too, was Premium Plus, which I started targeting after the test drive, and it came with a bonus I really wanted, the Sport Package. And the price was more than fair. In fact, it was under priced from what I could tell and that made me nervous.
There were two other caveats that made me a bit hesitant, first, it was factory Audi Brilliant Black, which, while I find it the prettiest color when clean, can be difficult to maintain, and second (here's a big one), it was in New York. Ugh.
So, I called them expecting to hear the bad news that it had been re-painted, been in a wreck, flooded, stolen, something. I wanted it to fall through in some way. Except it didn't. It was a lease return, had been purchased at that dealership, maintained there with all records, and then returned and offered for sale at the same place. No accidents or seedy history in any way. Factory paint all around. No dents or dings. Never smoked in. The interior was perfect. The paint was in decent shape considering it was Brilliant Black. I could find nothing wrong. And then suddenly I was excited. Except I live in Colorado, I was on business in Florida, and the car was in New York.
To be continued (one last time; gotta' run an errand).
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Basic non-college level labor is also paid higher in likes of Germany or France (the purchasing power is not necessarily higher, but raw amount of money often is), especially in service industries, as their laws mandate living wages paid to waiters and such out if business account, not forcing the customer to make compensation decisions. I'm not opposed to a tip, but it should be a true gratuity, not a compensation to essentially free labor "employed" by a restaurateur.
On that subject, I understand it's cultural, but I always ask myself how one calls themselves an employer, when they don't actually pay their employees. Americans think it's "always" been like that, but that's not true, either - in 19th century there were many states, where tips were actually prohibited by law, as they were considered bribes. I would not go that far, obviously, if somebody wants to add something for the staff, why not. I just oppose the false advertising. Of course philosophically, as I conform to the customs, just don't like it. I also noticed that tip expectations are constantly creeping up, used to be 10 percent long time ago, and it was on amount before tax, then it became 10 after, then 15, today you see credit card terminals with 18 percent minimum option (20, 25 percent as others) as "convenienece" numbers (you can input your own number, but it clearly creates an uncomfortable "moral extortion" scheme, if you happen to think it should be less) and payment often made before the service is even performed. I think this is not sustainable, reminds me those fees charged by dealers on top of the price. Used to be 100 bucks, now it's pushing 1000 here in Florida in some places.
I find this really dishonest and abusive to both employee and customer. To put it in simple terms, it's deceptive advertising - the meal is not really 20 dollars, never was, there wa no intent of it being 20 dollars, but the menus says it js 20. It is really 22, or even more. You simply didn't pay your employees and now you tell me I should pay them instead, however much I think, but for my convenience it is at least X more. I hate it. I was raised in the world, where ten means ten, not maybe 11, 12, or 13. Those poor waiters that take it sometimes on the stingy customers on Facebook, should be angry at their employers for not paying them what is owed. Then tip would be a true gratuity, not payment that's owed and expected and employers would be worth their name.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
@qbrozen - glad to know your wife wasn't hurt!
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Seriously, if it lived it's whole life in upstate NY have it thoroughly inspected for rust. If it lived in NYC do the same inspection on suspension components.
People don't respect leased cars. Today I saw what looked like a new BMW M3 riding around covered in salt. In my mind I heard "LEASE".
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
She was fine, just shaken up, but the car wasn't going anywhere without a flatbed.
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
Wednesday night I wrapped up the business needs for my trip and drove to Long Island where I arrived late and stayed in a hotel. Thursday turned crazy. The dealer was installing a clear bra on the assumption I would want the car (their risk), and the installer wasn't yet finished when we scheduled the inspection for early morning.
I wound up putting the delay to good use. I was able to catch up on emails and prepare a business proposal until early afternoon when the car was finally finished. I also inspected the parts of the car accessible to me while the installer worked on laminating the bumper.
The panels were all original, there were no dings or dents, no sign of rust on any panel or the unibody, the paint was original, the interior literally looked new, the previous owner left both the carpet and all-season mats, the trunk was protected with an all-season mat, the wheels had no scrapes or scratches, the wheels were protected with theft-resistant wheel lugs, and the tires were showing even wear. All I could find in terms of defects were some light scratches on the roof where people placed their hands to pull themselves in/out of the low-slung car, and two rock chips.
Once the installer finished I was able to finish the visual inspections with no additional findings. I then had the car pulled out of the inspection bay into the sunlight for more visuals and noted the swirls I expected to find in the Brilliant Black paint. I couldn't see them well in the inspection bay with the artificial lighting, but in the sunlight the spider webs were much more visible. No surprise there. Very few people actually realize how swirled their paint is, and I could tell the dealer lot workers had performed a light polishing, which only added to the swirls. With a little TLC on my OCD part, the paint will come to life and do what black does best.
Looking over the suspension and brakes I noted a ton of brake pad life left, a shocking amount actually, and all the components looked good.
The last inspection piece was the test drive. I tested the tracking, braking, aggressive cornering, light acceleration, heavy acceleration, and clutch resistance to pulling out of gear with the clutch engaged. Everything drove perfect.
So, back to the dealer we went and completed the paperwork, I handed over a check, returned the rental car, picked up my new-to-me Audi from the dealer, and then did something really crazy. I drove. Across Long Island into Pennsylvania. In rush hour. Yes, I'm an idiot. You NYC people are nuts.
I spent 10 hours on the road that day and arrived somewhere in Ohio early Thursday AM and crashed in a hotel room for some rest. After some abbreviated sleep I ate breakfast, hopped in the car, and kept driving with the intention of finding a hotel somewhere in Nebraska. Yeah, that never happened. Call it excitement over the new car, or a truly exceptional seat, but I felt great and kept going. All remaining 20 hours to get home early this morning.
I slept about 6 hours and today I'm working on a deep scrub of the interior. Everything might look new, but I know there's 27,000 miles of use, so there's dirt. And I was right. While scrubbing the leather seats I noted my rinse water turned a bit gray, so I know dirt was coming out. Everything is getting the special treatment. I'll have to wait on the paint correction, though, for the clear bra to heal and then the weather to cooperate enough for a decent washing. Once I wash the paint I'll be able to complete the paint correction in the garage regardless of weather. For an OCD guy like me, knowing the car is filthy with 1,800 miles of dirt as well as those swirls, equates to pure torture. Must wait....
The car drove amazing across the US, and now I can say I've driven every mile of I-80. Effortless power from the engine, an engaging manual transmission, taught suspension, grippy tires, a cabin insulated from NVH, and seats that kept me comfortable for a 20-hour stent. Average MPG for the trip was 32 despite some headwinds and New York traffic. My only two complaints: first, Ohio and Indiana charge tolls on I-80, what's up with that? And second, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Nebraska gas stations really punish Premium gas buyers with $.60 to $.80 more than RUG. Not cool. In Colorado Premium is $.30 to $.40 more.
So, the car and I have bonded. And I'm smiling as I write this.
Audi looks great. Your "saga" seems like it was written by a seasoned author/writer - rare to see such mastery of the written language. Kudos to you for your "non-fiction novel" covering your purchase and subsequent safari across this great country of ours.
I wish you many wonderful and exciting years as the owner of a 3-pedal black Audi.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Congrats on a great car and a better story about finding it and getting it home.
TY....great looking car.
Anyway, my old '14 CTS OnStar just sent me a report. Seems hardly anyone has driven it. It only has a couple hundred miles from when I turned it in. Report says everything is fine, except the rear two tires are underinflated. So, it's still being monitored, wherever it is. And, no one is really driving it.
'24 Chevy Blazer EV 2LT
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
If it's sending you reports, did you sign up for OnStar? If it still has you listed with a sign in for the internet page, sign up for family link for $3.99 for one month and cancel after the first month. It will locate the car accurate within about 10 minutes. It would be worth it to know where it' located. A dealer? A GM facility?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Meant to congratulate you and your son on the Cruze purchase. Supporting the home state.
so, a loaded 2013 with 27K miles? That is low.
what did that end up going for?
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Mike, your comments are particularly meaningful given your background and own eloquence. I do love to write. I just need more excuses to do so :-)
When the opportunity arises to start the paint correction, I'll take photos so you can see what the paint really looks like, and then the change after the appropriate TLC.
Time to sell the Subaru Impreza!
-Ty
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
When we flew to Detroit we paid $175 each return on Spirit. If we flew to Toronto it would have been about $500 each. Extra costs are taxes and Canada has highest landing fees. Parking at Tampa airport was $12 a day, parking at Toronto airport $30 a day.
But, in some cases it does work....very selective.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
apparently did not kill him, because when I went back that way (before animal control would have gotten there) he was gone. Though maybe a local came for the meat!
lucky I was driving my Nissam PU. Hit him flush and bounced him back in front of me. Slightly dented the front lip of the hood, and cracked a bar in the grill. Might have made a minor dent in the front bumper? Had to buy a couple of trim pieces I put on myself.
Pretty sure if we had been driving the 323 instead, it would have flipped him up and rolled over the hood. Though given how close I came to stopping, I may have stopped before hitting him, given how crappy the stopping distance in an unloaded 1991 Nissan PU was!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
There are huge differences in the price of goods and services in the US, from city to city and State to State. Much of the difference is due to sales taxes.
When my son was here in September with his SO, we went shopping for some food at Publix and Walmart. His SO remarked that the prices of foodstuffs are 20%-30% less here in South Florida than in California. The same was true for the price of a gallon of gasoline.
We then went to Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise (largest indoor discount "mills" in the US and second most visited attraction in the State behind Disney World). His SO was amazed at how inexpensive clothing was compared to their Ontario Mills in Ontario, CA. She spent over $400 there. I also bought my son shoes, sneakers and clothes - all 30% less than it would have cost them in CA.
Airfares are different as well depending on the airline and the airport. It is more expensive to fly from Chicago to Miami and Palm Beach than if you fly into Ft. Lauderdale. All three airports are within 35 miles of me with FLL only 20 minutes away.
Our sales tax rate is 6% in Broward, but it's 7% in Miami.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
We have the highest volume VW, Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, Honda, Audi, Infiniti, Mini and Porsche dealerships in the country. Additionally, the national headquarters for AutoNation is located in Ft. Lauderdale. They are the largest dealership organization in the US with over 70 dealerships here in Florida (350+ nationwide).
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
We have the highest volume VW, Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, Honda, Audi, Infiniti, Mini and Porsche dealerships in the country. Additionally, the national headquarters for AutoNation is located in Ft. Lauderdale. They are the largest dealership organization in the US with over 70 dealerships here in Florida (350+ nationwide).
But also some of the highest dealer fees to go along with it. $600, $700, $800!
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
They are well known in the business for adding all kinds of extras to their Toyotas to build up the selling price.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger