Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

thebean

abacomike said:

So I was making an offer to the General Sales Manager of $82,500 on this 2017 BMW 740i (white exterior with cognac interior) which MSRP'd for $92,000 with the M Package when he coughed, choked, and then threw me out of the dealership. Some days, it just doesn't pay to get out of bed to buy a new car!

Welcome back, Mike!!! We have missed you. Hope you are feeling much better.

ab348

henryn said:

So I had another date Saturday night, with the woman who discovered the seat warmers in my truck. This time we were in the Passat, as we were going downtown and I didn’t want to try and park the truck downtown.

I was telling her that I had my buyback offer on the Passat, and it would be gone soon. She asked what I was going to do for a daily driver, as she knows I don’t like taking the truck to work (downtown parking garage). I mentioned that I was thinking about trading off the truck for a minivan. She gave me a very funny look and said she didn’t want to be seen in a minivan.

Hmmmm……

Another promising relationship bites the dust...

Terrible faux pas there, Henry.

stever

thebean said:

We started with the HR-V because I have liked all of my other Hondas.  But, we (she) are going to drive a CX-3 and an Encore.  I tried to suggest a RAV4, but she wants it to be as short as possible.  I agree about the mats, body side moldings, etc, but I'm not going to pay $2K+ for them like the stupid sticker says.  Maybe $500-600.

We liked our test drive of an HR-V but felt like the AC couldn't keep up.

ab348

Mr. Mike! Is that really you?

henryn

ab348 said:

henryn said:

So I had another date Saturday night, with the woman who discovered the seat warmers in my truck. This time we were in the Passat, as we were going downtown and I didn’t want to try and park the truck downtown.

I was telling her that I had my buyback offer on the Passat, and it would be gone soon. She asked what I was going to do for a daily driver, as she knows I don’t like taking the truck to work (downtown parking garage). I mentioned that I was thinking about trading off the truck for a minivan. She gave me a very funny look and said she didn’t want to be seen in a minivan.

Hmmmm……

Another promising relationship bites the dust...

Terrible faux pas there, Henry.

"Another promising relationship bites the dust" -- well... Maybe not. There are a lot more cars in the world than there are beautiful women who are willing to go out with an ugly old guy like me....

And a Mustang GT would be a lot more fun, even though not as practical. Or maybe a Genesis, about 2 years old, with the V8.

This requires more thought.

abacomike

henryn said:

Mike! Welcome back, good to see you again!

Yes, henryn, it's been a long time. Thanks to Karen and the rest of the moderators, especially Shifty, I have returned. Missed posting with you guys, but I was so sick I couldn't have posted anything if I wanted to.

But back to car-buying (or car-not buying). I still have my 2016 CLS400 (13 months old - truly a record for me) and have even had my 1-year service including (dare I say it?) an "oil and filter change" - there, I said it. Foreign words from a foreign language - oil and filter change that is! It was an interesting experience. They gave me a C Class loaner and when I went back to the dealership to pick it up, they had completely detailed the entire car, inside and out. I'll have to really get into "oil and filter" changes as a regular activity - nice experience.

As for the BMW 740i, luckily no dealers in a 50 mile radius had exactly what I wanted - equipment and colors as well as pricing. My twin brother (who just bought one up in his neck of the woods) even tried his dealerships up there and he couldn't find one with the exact packages and colors. Even if I found one, they just aren't dealing on them as of yet as evidence in my first post about being thrown out of one dealership. That's the first time I was "politely" asked to leave a dealership. I guess my offer was insulting to them. But, live and learn.

The new Mercedes E43 (E Class Mercedes AMG) is at the port in Georgia awaiting transport down here. It's white with black interior. $84,000+++ is the MSRP on the car. It has a 3.0 liter V6 (same engine I have in my CLS), but AMG has tweaked it out to 396 hp with 384 lb ft of torque. Mighty powerful engine for a 3.0 L V6.

So, as you can see, I have been kind of back to my old habits of looking for new cars. Unfortunately, I tire very easily - can't walk too far and am on oxygen at times. But, only 2-1/2 weeks ago, I was in a rehab facility and could hardly walk at all. So, things are looking up. I just pray this cancer doesn't grow back somewhere else in the liver - which it is known to do. There is no known chemo available that is effective in dealing with this kind of carcinoma. But, I'm alive and kicking and driving to new car dealerships. Now that's what I call truly "LIVING!"

stickguy

henryn said:

ab348 said:

henryn said:

So I had another date Saturday night, with the woman who discovered the seat warmers in my truck. This time we were in the Passat, as we were going downtown and I didn’t want to try and park the truck downtown.

I was telling her that I had my buyback offer on the Passat, and it would be gone soon. She asked what I was going to do for a daily driver, as she knows I don’t like taking the truck to work (downtown parking garage). I mentioned that I was thinking about trading off the truck for a minivan. She gave me a very funny look and said she didn’t want to be seen in a minivan.

Hmmmm……

Another promising relationship bites the dust...

Terrible faux pas there, Henry.

"Another promising relationship bites the dust" -- well... Maybe not. There are a lot more cars in the world than there are beautiful women who are willing to go out with an ugly old guy like me....

And a Mustang GT would be a lot more fun, even though not as practical. Or maybe a Genesis, about 2 years old, with the V8.

This requires more thought.

Henry, you sure she isn't going out with the truck instead? it is Texas after all!

suydam

Welcome back! May your recovery continue!

explorerx4

Hey Mike,
Great to hear form you again! Seems you are feeling better other than still having that new car 'itch'.
Hope Justin is doing well, too.
For 2017, I think BMW dropped their maintenance plan, just something to keep in mind or negotiate.

abacomike

suydam said:

Welcome back! May your recovery continue!

Thanks for your kind words, suydam.

abacomike

explorerx4 said:

Hey Mike,
Great to hear form you again! Seems you are feeling better other than still having that new car 'itch'.
Hope Justin is doing well, too.
For 2017, I think BMW dropped their maintenance plan, just something to keep in mind or negotiate.

Thanks, explorer. If that's the case, it sure does change the manner in which one should negotiate with a BMW dealership for new car. I test drove that 740i this afternoon on I-95. I have to admit that I have never driven a car that handled so effortlessly yet hugged the road like my CLS does. Best riding and handling vehicle I have ever driven in my entire life - and no, I am not receiving any monetary or purchasing incentives from BMW for saying that. It is just a remarkable vehicle - I think I'm in love again!

As for Justin, he says he is feeling OK, but I never know exactly what's really happening with him. I have to call his SO to find out that truth about things. He is under tons of stress right now with his job and his 16 year old son is moving in with him - last night I believe.

Thanks for asking about him, explorer.

sda

henryn said:

Mike! Welcome back, good to see you again!

x2! Hope you're feeling much better!

ab348

henryn said:

"Another promising relationship bites the dust" -- well... Maybe not. There are a lot more cars in the world than there are beautiful women who are willing to go out with an ugly old guy like me....

And a Mustang GT would be a lot more fun, even though not as practical. Or maybe a Genesis, about 2 years old, with the V8.

This requires more thought.

I'm reminded of this from Seinfeld (excuse the Spanish subtitles)...

https://youtu.be/E8t9JEROAzQ

abacomike

sda said:

henryn said:

Mike! Welcome back, good to see you again!

x2! Hope you're feeling much better!

Thanks, sda

driver100

Mike, great to have you back! The 740 is a nice looking car, and probably drives like a dream.

My friend bought one about 4 years ago and he bought it mainly because they deep discounted it $15000. He didn't keep it long, thought it was a big barge.
If you really want one wait awhile, and it will drop in price.

In the meantime enjoy your once a year oil changes and enjoy the free coffee and donuts. Your car ain't too shabby....and personally, I think it is a much nicer car than the 740.

graphicguy

Mike....welcome back. Good to hear you're on the upswing. Pshah.....you don't need no stinkin' 740 anyway. Buy another Mercedes and go parade it around at the BMW dealership to show them what you decided to get instead.

Stever....if you're going to put a wax job on cars you borrow, you can borrow mine.

TheBean...thanks for the update on the Honda. Love hearing others' impressions about cars.

imidazol97

abacomike said:

So I was making an offer to the General Sales Manager of $82,500 on this 2017 BMW 740i (white exterior with cognac interior) which MSRP'd for $92,000 with the M Package when he coughed, choked, and then threw me out of the dealership. Some days, it just doesn't pay to get out of bed to buy a new car!

Good to see you're back.
Are you really changing cars again?

28firefighter

Welcome back @abacomike! We've missed having you around here!

abacomike

ab348 said:

Mr. Mike! Is that really you?

I think so.  Let me pinch myself just to make sure.  Ouch!  Yep, I guess it's really me!

jmonroe

abacomike said:

So I was making an offer to the General Sales Manager of $82,500 on this 2017 BMW 740i (white exterior with cognac interior) which MSRP'd for $92,000 with the M Package when he coughed, choked, and then threw me out of the dealership. Some days, it just doesn't pay to get out of bed to buy a new car!

Mike, it's very nice to hear from you again.

Since you are up to buying a car, you must be your old self again.

So, you're feelin pretty chipper are you. How'd you like to go a few rounds with Mrs. j. OK that's a little unfair right out of the bed so I'll warm you up before you take her on.

Yes, it's very good to hear from you again.

jmonroe

roadburner

sda said:

AND I used the remotes to try to reset the picture controls on various ones to improve the image.

That's the thing, you don't know how the TV is set up at the store and can vary greatly between sets. It is good to fiddle with the audio/video controls to better compare the sets.

The store picture mode is usually referred to as "Torch Mode" because the brightness and color saturation are ramped upin order to make the set stand out. It's similar to the way some speaker manufacturers would design speakers with a booming bass and sizzling highs(that weren't anywhere close to accurate)- all to draw attention to them and to make the untrained consumer think that they were better.

roadburner

berri said:

Toyota dealer near me has a new add on gimmick - a blinker that flashes the center brake light added to all of their cars for something like $289 - For your added safety of course! I suppose you can have them take it off before buying, but they've already spliced into the wiring. Generally, I think Honda and Toyota dealers are the worst.

A Nissan dealer lost a sale from me back in the late '80s- the car I wanted had been "improved" by adding an aftermarket remote start. I could just see Nissan blaming any electrical glitch on the installation of the garbage accessory and vice versa.

roadburner

thebean said:

abacomike said:

So I was making an offer to the General Sales Manager of $82,500 on this 2017 BMW 740i (white exterior with cognac interior) which MSRP'd for $92,000 with the M Package when he coughed, choked, and then threw me out of the dealership. Some days, it just doesn't pay to get out of bed to buy a new car!

Welcome back, Mike!!! We have missed you. Hope you are feeling much better.


Yes, glad you are back!

carnaught

abacomike said:

ab348 said:

Mr. Mike! Is that really you?

I think so.  Let me pinch myself just to make sure.  Ouch!  Yep, I guess it's really me!

Mike, so glad to see you back, and on the mend! Look forward to your posts.

roadburner

henryn said:

So I had another date Saturday night, with the woman who discovered the seat warmers in my truck. This time we were in the Passat, as we were going downtown and I didn’t want to try and park the truck downtown.

I was telling her that I had my buyback offer on the Passat, and it would be gone soon. She asked what I was going to do for a daily driver, as she knows I don’t like taking the truck to work (downtown parking garage). I mentioned that I was thinking about trading off the truck for a minivan. She gave me a very funny look and said she didn’t want to be seen in a minivan.

Hmmmm……

My wife hates minivans; one of several reasons we have stayed together for almost 31 years.

roadburner

explorerx4 said:

Hey Mike,
Great to hear form you again! Seems you are feeling better other than still having that new car 'itch'.
Hope Justin is doing well, too.
For 2017, I think BMW dropped their maintenance plan, just something to keep in mind or negotiate.

BMW didn't drop the maintenance plan, but they reduced it to 3 years/36k miles and no longer cover consumable items like wipers and brakes.

driver100

roadburner said:

sda said:

AND I used the remotes to try to reset the picture controls on various ones to improve the image.

That's the thing, you don't know how the TV is set up at the store and can vary greatly between sets. It is good to fiddle with the audio/video controls to better compare the sets.

The store picture mode is usually referred to as "Torch Mode" because the brightness and color saturation are ramped upin order to make the set stand out. .

When I called VIZIO 4 times and was on the phone an hour each time, entering codes, plugging and unplugging things, writing in passcodes, test and retest etc......I saw the message come up about 200 times.......
IS THIS TV FOR 1 PERSONAL USE or 2 STORE USE?
So that explains it, use store use and get a brilliant picture and burn out the guts in about a week! :@

driver100

stever said:

driver100 said:

stever said:

Move out here to the sticks with me. Bandwidth hasn't changed.

You are similar to my BIL...he wants to go off the grid. He is the one who painted his old Ford Ranger bargain price seaweed green...he did it with a roller brush and it looks like it. He took the tailgate off the truck to get better mileage, until we proved to him it would give him worse mileage. He goes to a coffee shop to get free wi-fi...won't pay for cable. Doesn't have, doesn't watch TV. Never uses a furnace, just puts wood in his wood stove in the morning. He has what is probably the last dial up black phone in North America, Bell wanted him to give it up, but he showed them where they can't take his dial up phone away. Now his plan is to get a few solar panels, use his well water, catch some squirrels to eat and live as cheaply as possible....I keep thinking, wouldn't it be easier just to find a job.

I'd get along fine with your BIL, but I'm having a heck of a time with my Google Hangouts at the moment.

At least you have a portable phone......judging by the size of that cord.

roadburner

I have some updates on the G30 5er:
Sport Line trim is standard; upgrades are Luxury and M Sport packages.
The 540i will be reasonably quick with a 0-60 time of under 5 seconds; with xDrive it hits 60 in 4.7 seconds And speaking of xDrive, M Sport suspension tuning will finally be available with AWD.
The ZF 8 speed autobox is the only transmission available, but it will feature launch control.
Responding to IQS complaints, the turn signal and wiper stalks will once again be mechanical and no longer return to the center position.
BMW claims improved steering feel(feedback).
Conventional tires will be available for non-M 5ers.
Adaptive suspension mode works just as it does on the G12
Seat heating and ventilation can be programmed to activate at a specific temperature threshold.
The B&W Diamond Surround Sound System is an option
And of course, every driving assistance option known to man is either standard or available as an option...

oldfarmer50

henryn said:

So I had another date Saturday night, with the woman who discovered the seat warmers in my truck. This time we were in the Passat, as we were going downtown and I didn’t want to try and park the truck downtown.

I was telling her that I had my buyback offer on the Passat, and it would be gone soon. She asked what I was going to do for a daily driver, as she knows I don’t like taking the truck to work (downtown parking garage). I mentioned that I was thinking about trading off the truck for a minivan. She gave me a very funny look and said she didn’t want to be seen in a minivan.

Hmmmm……

Love me, love my car.

abacomike

imidazol97 said:

So I was making an offer to the General Sales Manager of $82,500 on this 2017 BMW 740i (white exterior with cognac interior) which MSRP'd for $92,000 with the M Package when he coughed, choked, and then threw me out of the dealership. Some days, it just doesn't pay to get out of bed to buy a new car!

Good to see you're back. Are you really changing cars again?

Absolutely NOT!  I just spent $500+ on the 12 month service and detail.  I need to get my money's worth out of that investment.

abacomike

jmonroe said:

So I was making an offer to the General Sales Manager of $82,500 on this 2017 BMW 740i (white exterior with cognac interior) which MSRP'd for $92,000 with the M Package when he coughed, choked, and then threw me out of the dealership. Some days, it just doesn't pay to get out of bed to buy a new car!

Mike, it's very nice to hear from you again. Since you are up to buying a car, you must be your old self again. So, you're feelin pretty chipper are you. How'd you like to go a few rounds with Mrs. j. OK that's a little unfair right out of the bed so I'll warm you up before you take her on. Yes, it's very good to hear from you again. jmonroe

Thanks JM.  I'm really not up to going a few rounds with anyone or anything righ now.

ab348

roadburner said:

henryn said:

So I had another date Saturday night, with the woman who discovered the seat warmers in my truck. This time we were in the Passat, as we were going downtown and I didn’t want to try and park the truck downtown.

I was telling her that I had my buyback offer on the Passat, and it would be gone soon. She asked what I was going to do for a daily driver, as she knows I don’t like taking the truck to work (downtown parking garage). I mentioned that I was thinking about trading off the truck for a minivan. She gave me a very funny look and said she didn’t want to be seen in a minivan.

Hmmmm……

My wife hates minivans; one of several reasons we have stayed together for almost 31 years.

Maybe Henry could pick up a vintage cruising van - porthole windows, mag wheels, V-8 with a throaty exhaust, nicely carpeted cargo area. Best of a truck and a minivan combined! Wonder how the lady would feel about one of those...

oldfarmer50

henryn said:

ab348 said:

henryn said:

So I had another date Saturday night, with the woman who discovered the seat warmers in my truck. This time we were in the Passat, as we were going downtown and I didn’t want to try and park the truck downtown.

I was telling her that I had my buyback offer on the Passat, and it would be gone soon. She asked what I was going to do for a daily driver, as she knows I don’t like taking the truck to work (downtown parking garage). I mentioned that I was thinking about trading off the truck for a minivan. She gave me a very funny look and said she didn’t want to be seen in a minivan.

Hmmmm……

Another promising relationship bites the dust...

Terrible faux pas there, Henry.

"Another promising relationship bites the dust" -- well... Maybe not. There are a lot more cars in the world than there are beautiful women who are willing to go out with an ugly old guy like me....

And a Mustang GT would be a lot more fun, even though not as practical. Or maybe a Genesis, about 2 years old, with the V8.

This requires more thought.

Oh, she's beautiful and you're old and ugly? That's different. Buy a Maserati.

abacomike

28firefighter said:

Welcome back @abacomike! We've missed having you around here!

Thanks FF.  Good to be back.

driver100

roadburner said:

I have some updates on the G30 5er:

The ZF 8 speed autobox is the only transmission available, but it will feature launch control.

You mean it can go into outspace?

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

henryn said:

ab348 said:

henryn said:

So I had another date Saturday night, with the woman who discovered the seat warmers in my truck. This time we were in the Passat, as we were going downtown and I didn’t want to try and park the truck downtown.

I was telling her that I had my buyback offer on the Passat, and it would be gone soon. She asked what I was going to do for a daily driver, as she knows I don’t like taking the truck to work (downtown parking garage). I mentioned that I was thinking about trading off the truck for a minivan. She gave me a very funny look and said she didn’t want to be seen in a minivan.

Hmmmm……

Another promising relationship bites the dust...

Terrible faux pas there, Henry.

"Another promising relationship bites the dust" -- well... Maybe not. There are a lot more cars in the world than there are beautiful women who are willing to go out with an ugly old guy like me....

And a Mustang GT would be a lot more fun, even though not as practical. Or maybe a Genesis, about 2 years old, with the V8.

This requires more thought.

Oh, she's beautiful and you're old and ugly? That's different. Buy a Maserati.

Henryn could actually live one of my dreams.
First he buys one of your old hoopties oldfarmer.
If any woman is actually interested in him he will know it is because she really loves HIM.

The only down side is he may have a very lonely rest of his life

roadburner

driver100 said:

roadburner said:

I have some updates on the G30 5er:

The ZF 8 speed autobox is the only transmission available, but it will feature launch control.

You mean it can go into outspace?

To quote BMW:

In all its applications, the purpose of Launch Control is to assist the driver achieve the vehicle’s absolute best standing-start acceleration; for example, to achieve the results that a highly skilled driver would obtain in the standing-start sprint from zero to 60 mph. It is not meant to be used on public streets or roads, nor is it intended to be used frequently. It is, to use a strong word, brutal on the car’s drivetrain

I've only used it twice on my 2er, and I will probably only use it a couple of times when I take it to the drag strip next year.

Mr_Shiftright

Driving to a job I spotted a Mazda RX-7 twin turbo on a dealer's lot next door. I started to get excited! This is one of the best sports cars of the 1990s ("best" meaning looks, performance and value---not reliability), maybe one of the best sports coupes ever.

So I stroll up--car looks great, price is right and.........

it's an automatic !!

WHA?

No wonder it was dusty.

oldfarmer50

abacomike said:

jmonroe said:

abacomike said:

So I was making an offer to the General Sales Manager of $82,500 on this 2017 BMW 740i (white exterior with cognac interior) which MSRP'd for $92,000 with the M Package when he coughed, choked, and then threw me out of the dealership. Some days, it just doesn't pay to get out of bed to buy a new car!

Mike, it's very nice to hear from you again.

Since you are up to buying a car, you must be your old self again.

So, you're feelin pretty chipper are you. How'd you like to go a few rounds with Mrs. j. OK that's a little unfair right out of the bed so I'll warm you up before you take her on.

Yes, it's very good to hear from you again.

jmonroe

Thanks JM.  I'm really not up to going a few rounds with anyone or anything righ now.

Have the dealer take the Nitrogen out of your tires and fill them with oxygen in case you need a quick hit.

Nice to have you back.

oldfarmer50

roadburner said:

I have some updates on the G30 5er:
Sport Line trim is standard; upgrades are Luxury and M Sport packages.
The 540i will be reasonably quick with a 0-60 time of under 5 seconds; with xDrive it hits 60 in 4.7 seconds And speaking of xDrive, M Sport suspension tuning will finally be available with AWD.
The ZF 8 speed autobox is the only transmission available, but it will feature launch control.
Responding to IQS complaints, the turn signal and wiper stalks will once again be mechanical and no longer return to the center position.
BMW claims improved steering feel(feedback).
Conventional tires will be available for non-M 5ers.
Adaptive suspension mode works just as it does on the G12
Seat heating and ventilation can be programmed to activate at a specific temperature threshold.
The B&W Diamond Surround Sound System is an option
And of course, every driving assistance option known to man is either standard or available as an option...

Mustang has launch control but I'd never use it for fear of the stresses it must put on the car. What's your opinion on that? Would you buy a used BMW that some kid launched at every stoplight?

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

henryn said:

ab348 said:

henryn said:

So I had another date Saturday night, with the woman who discovered the seat warmers in my truck. This time we were in the Passat, as we were going downtown and I didn’t want to try and park the truck downtown.

I was telling her that I had my buyback offer on the Passat, and it would be gone soon. She asked what I was going to do for a daily driver, as she knows I don’t like taking the truck to work (downtown parking garage). I mentioned that I was thinking about trading off the truck for a minivan. She gave me a very funny look and said she didn’t want to be seen in a minivan.

Hmmmm……

Another promising relationship bites the dust...

Terrible faux pas there, Henry.

"Another promising relationship bites the dust" -- well... Maybe not. There are a lot more cars in the world than there are beautiful women who are willing to go out with an ugly old guy like me....

And a Mustang GT would be a lot more fun, even though not as practical. Or maybe a Genesis, about 2 years old, with the V8.

This requires more thought.

Oh, she's beautiful and you're old and ugly? That's different. Buy a Maserati.

Henryn could actually live one of my dreams.
First he buys one of your old hoopties oldfarmer.
If any woman is actually interested in him he will know it is because she really loves HIM.

The only down side is he may have a very lonely rest of his life

Oh I don't know, my old Lincoln is still kind of nice. When my son recently borrowed it to ride a female friend home she was favorably impressed.

Of course he had previously driven her in his busted up Buick so a horse cart would have been a step up.

abacomike

oldfarmer50 said:

jmonroe said:

So I was making an offer to the General Sales Manager of $82,500 on this 2017 BMW 740i (white exterior with cognac interior) which MSRP'd for $92,000 with the M Package when he coughed, choked, and then threw me out of the dealership. Some days, it just doesn't pay to get out of bed to buy a new car!

Mike, it's very nice to hear from you again. Since you are up to buying a car, you must be your old self again. So, you're feelin pretty chipper are you. How'd you like to go a few rounds with Mrs. j. OK that's a little unfair right out of the bed so I'll warm you up before you take her on. Yes, it's very good to hear from you again. jmonroe

Thanks JM.  I'm really not up to going a few rounds with anyone or anything righ now.

Have the dealer take the Nitrogen out of your tires and fill them with oxygen in case you need a quick hit. Nice to have you back.

Thanks, OF - good to be back.  As for the nitrogen/oxygen switcheroo in my tires, I don't have the strength to get down on my knees to suck in the escaping oxygen from the valves.  About all I have is enough strength to suck my thumb.

thebean

stever said:

We started with the HR-V because I have liked all of my other Hondas.  But, we (she) are going to drive a CX-3 and an Encore.  I tried to suggest a RAV4, but she wants it to be as short as possible.  I agree about the mats, body side moldings, etc, but I'm not going to pay $2K+ for them like the stupid sticker says.  Maybe $500-600.

We liked out test drive of an HR-V but felt like the AC couldn't keep up.

Good input.  Thanks for sharing.  Here in North Texas, the AC is doggone important.  That may make us wait until summer to make a decision.

houdini1

abacomike said:

henryn said:

Mike! Welcome back, good to see you again!

Yes, henryn, it's been a long time. Thanks to Karen and the rest of the moderators, especially Shifty, I have returned. Missed posting with you guys, but I was so sick I couldn't have posted anything if I wanted to.

But back to car-buying (or car-not buying). I still have my 2016 CLS400 (13 months old - truly a record for me) and have even had my 1-year service including (dare I say it?) an "oil and filter change" - there, I said it. Foreign words from a foreign language - oil and filter change that is! It was an interesting experience. They gave me a C Class loaner and when I went back to the dealership to pick it up, they had completely detailed the entire car, inside and out. I'll have to really get into "oil and filter" changes as a regular activity - nice experience.

As for the BMW 740i, luckily no dealers in a 50 mile radius had exactly what I wanted - equipment and colors as well as pricing. My twin brother (who just bought one up in his neck of the woods) even tried his dealerships up there and he couldn't find one with the exact packages and colors. Even if I found one, they just aren't dealing on them as of yet as evidence in my first post about being thrown out of one dealership. That's the first time I was "politely" asked to leave a dealership. I guess my offer was insulting to them. But, live and learn.

The new Mercedes E43 (E Class Mercedes AMG) is at the port in Georgia awaiting transport down here. It's white with black interior. $84,000+++ is the MSRP on the car. It has a 3.0 liter V6 (same engine I have in my CLS), but AMG has tweaked it out to 396 hp with 384 lb ft of torque. Mighty powerful engine for a 3.0 L V6.

So, as you can see, I have been kind of back to my old habits of looking for new cars. Unfortunately, I tire very easily - can't walk too far and am on oxygen at times. But, only 2-1/2 weeks ago, I was in a rehab facility and could hardly walk at all. So, things are looking up. I just pray this cancer doesn't grow back somewhere else in the liver - which it is known to do. There is no known chemo available that is effective in dealing with this kind of carcinoma. But, I'm alive and kicking and driving to new car dealerships. Now that's what I call truly "LIVING!"

Mike, wonderful that you are back and that your health is much improved. I have really missed you here.

stever

@graphicguy, my wife would probably like cruising around in your Caddy, waxed or not. May get the van back as soon as Friday. The Chevy dealer called and said they had several new Cruze hatchbacks in stock. I don't think they offer the safety stuff I want and my wife doesn't like our friend's Cruze, even after I've waxed it, but I may drive down and look at one anyway.

@thebean, we tested one a while back (2105) so maybe we got a one off or maybe they are better. Is a concern though. Nice out today at 71 but that's windows down weather, not AC conditions.

houdini1

carnaught said:

abacomike said:

ab348 said:

Mr. Mike! Is that really you?

I think so.  Let me pinch myself just to make sure.  Ouch!  Yep, I guess it's really me!

Mike, so glad to see you back, and on the mend! Look forward to your posts.

Carnaught, nice to have you back also. Missed you too.

nyccarguy

MIKE! I'm so glad you feeling up to posting! Welcome back! Big HUG!

abacomike

"Mike, wonderful that you are back and that your health is much improved. I have really missed you here."

Thanks, Houdini.  Glad to see you and carnaught again.

suydam

stever said:

@graphicguy, my wife would probably like cruising around in your Caddy, waxed or not. May get the van back as soon as Friday. The Chevy dealer called and said they had several new Cruze hatchbacks in stock. I don't think they offer the safety stuff I want and my wife doesn't like our friend's Cruze, even after I've waxed it, but I may drive down and look at one anyway.

@thebean, we tested one a while back (2105) so maybe we got a one off or maybe they are better. Is a concern though. Nice out today at 71 but that's windows down weather, not AC conditions.

You can get all the safety equipment with the Cruze, but in my opinion they are overpriced.