Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

wtd44

The "Mellow Yellow" is really nice. Are you familiar with a tune of that name by an Aussie named Donovan?

jbollt

I believe that Donovan Leitch hails from the British Isles...maybe Scotland, if memory serves me?

Sunshine Superman, is another of his big hits.

wtd44

I'll bet you're right! Mellow Yellow referred to bananas, but never met the promise of being the "...very next rage."

woodyww

If you get a chance, what was the year/mileage/price of the Z4 you sold (roughly)? I've been checking out the Z4 boards again. I figure for an '03 or '04 in the low $20's, I could afford to spend that, keep it for a couple of years, hopefully do OK with repairs, & not lose too much when I sold it.

I'd want a stick. And I might hold out for a 3.0, not sure. Of course, this may just be my fantasy of the week, but there is a certain logic to owning a 5-series wagon, & a Z4, I suppose.....

british_rover

Hmhh I will check when I go back to work tomorrow. It was a 2004 2.5 manual with heated seats.

It had 35,000 or so miles on it but I don't remember what we sold it for exactly. I just remember telling the guy I could take 500 bucks off the asking price and that was it. He was ok with that and we wrote it up right then.

tifighter

I had the 2.5 in my Z3 and it has a lot more guts than it sounds like on paper. If a great deal came around on one, it would be worth a test drive.

kyfdx

Especially with a stick.. 2.5, Sport Pkg... stick.. is a nice combo...

That 3.0 will just make you lazy..

qbrozen

FYI, just saw an '03 2.5 stick in my local autoshopper at a BMW dealer (i'm assuming certified, but who knows) with 20k miles for $24k and change (i think it was $24,495, to be specific).

kyfdx

I see that price range, as well...

IMO, those are crazy prices... In late 2003, I could have bought an '03 demo... loaded (+ automatic), 7K miles, CPO, for $31,500....

It seems like the prices should be down around $20K, by now..

qbrozen

of course, as we always say, asking price ain't taking price.

if i'm not mistaken, british rover sold an '04 not too long ago with stick, 3 liter, and small miles for $26k??? am i imagining things, BR?

kyfdx

I think you are correct... that is the one the crazy lady wanted, on the cheap..

british_rover

Yup it was around 26,000 for the crazy lady Z4. I would have to look up the old deal to be sure. That one was a 3.0 automatic with premium package.

I sold this Z4 2.5 for 25,000 even. This one was a manual and had the sport and premium package I think.

qbrozen

ok, it was an auto. that was the one detail i couldn't remember. SMG, I believe, right?

seems to me the '04 was a far better deal.

british_rover

No just regular Auto. I don't think they offered the SMG in the Z4. Maybe in the M versions they did but not the regular ones.

woodyww

near me on cars.com, all stick shift:

2003 BMW Z4 3.0i. 30,866 mi. $23,990 CONVENIENCE PKG.,PREMIUM PKG.,SPORT PKG,HEATED FRONT SEATS,BI-XENON HEADLIGHTS. merlot red. At "Dedham Auto Mall", I bet they're real fun to deal with :confuse: .

2004 BMW Z4 2.5i - $25,200 Mileage: 19,400. MOTIVATED SELLER, ALL REASONABLE OFFERS CONSIDERED. Silver/black. Not many other details, some warranty left.

2003 BMW Z4 2.5i Mileage: 29,800 $24,999. In a gorgeous bright red color. Includes sports package, cold weather package, premium package, black leather interior, Z4 floor mats, premium wheels, power windows, locks, xenon headlights, and power top. The bmw wheels on it are stunning, I've never seen them before.

I'm pretty lazy, & frugal, so I don't want to travel too far, or pay too much to buy one.....CPO would be nice, but I might not hold out for that--I'd rather get a lot of goodies like SPP, Xenons, & all things being equal a 3.0, altho most people seem to love the 2.5's.

kyfdx

3.0 Sport Pkg is going to have 18" runflat tires.. While they look spiffy, they are off the charts as far as replacement cost..

british_rover

Yup just the little 16 inch runflats on my MINI were almost 200 bucks each.

stickguy

Guy I work with has a Mini with runflats. he hated them so much he switched to normal tires, and got a donut that he keeps in a bag, stashed behind the front passenger seat. Not a bad idea if you aren't oftem going to have 2 people in the back seat!

british_rover

I would have done that with my MINI if I had kept it. When I sold it one of the conditions was that I put brand new OEM Spec tires on it.

stickguy

The wifes Odyssey was making a noise recently when turning. Ended up having the PS pump replaced (a TSB on the early '05s).

She told me today that it started making a different sounding noise under the same conditions (low speed turn). Given my current lack of tolerance for problems and aggrevations, I told her to start thinking...

I have decided that the next family truckster might be a lease, especially if I decide to go with a cross over instead of a van. I just don't trust most of them to go a long time without issues, so if I am going to trade within 5 years, might as well lease and guarantee getting something new in 3 years! Especially if you land one of the special offers...

wtd44

There are SO MANY ways that dealers have to take away our money...

tifighter

Regarding pricing, remember we are heading into spring so prices are stronger on droptops now. I would have like to have seen Z4 pricing last January...

woodyww

I hate the whole idea of run-flats; I think it stinks that BMW & MINI crams them down our throats now. Lots of horror stories about people getting stuck in the boonies for a few days waiting on a new run-flat tire (too far to drive on the damaged run-flat I guess).

I drove a new CR-V EX-L AWD today, at a really high-pressure dealership. I was highly unimpressed: it seemed "dinky", at least inside, with a very tiny cargo area. Made the cargo area in my 5-series wagon seem huge in comparison, altho I'm not sure the measurements are all that different. Cheap interior materials. Mediocre audio quality. I thought it drove well however, at least on the 5 minute city test-drive. I came away thinking that the RDX is worth the extra $$.

I sat in a new Pilot--much more of an "adult-size" vehicle, & seemed like it might be worth the $$; + great lease rates or deals now I think(?). I didn't test drive one tho because the salesman was driving me nuts.....

lilengineerboy

I haven't driven the CR-V but I sat in one the other day at the dealer. I thought it was pretty comfy inside, if slightly awkward looking. I couldn't get over the outside though, I don't know if this was a particularly bad color combo or what but I didn't care for it at all. It reminded me of a mule.

fezo

I'm one of those folks that think for the most part the last generation CR-V was a nicer looking vehicle than the new one. Enough so that were I in the market I might go over to Toyota.

stickguy

Is nice enough, but does have one key flaw (IMO), that other Honda's share. I find it impossible to get a comfortable seat angle in a car with non-power seats. That's a big reason I passed on the Civic and ended up with an Accord.

Mazda did the same thing with the 3. Instead of front/rear height adjustments (allowing for some adjustment of the seat cushion angle), you get a ratchet lever that pitches you forward as it raises up. Even fully down (where I don't always want to be), I still want the front to tilt up a tad more.

If I was getting a small ute thingee like this, I actually prefer the Rav4. Power seat, and the V6 was sweet!

woodyww

I was a little surprised I didn't like the CR-V a bit more, after all the hype about it.

Yesterday I drove: 2 '07 Tacoma double-cabs, 4wd, 6 cyl, auto. One with TRD OR, one w/o. Somewhat trucky-driving of course, altho pretty darn smooth overall, for a truck. Lots of agricultural-sounding engine noise on hard acceleration. Real nice interior I thought; too bad no S/R. Dealer said invoice minus the $500 rebate. Wanted to drive a stick but had none.

Also an '04 4runner LTD 6cyl. 4wd with animal bites in the interior(?), asking $28K-ish. I thought it drove well; nothing remarkable one way or another. I didn't like the dash area--it looked cheap & plasticky & cluttered--not 1/2 as nice as the Taco. Dealer said invoice minus the $1500 rebate on new ones. I also don't think I need a LTD--I saw a new SR5 & I thought the fabric seats looked really nice. With S/R, side bags, & something else, sticker on it was $33.5K-ish.

Of course I'd probably have given huge bonus points for both if I'd have driven them in snow, & thought more about getting out of my driveway in Winter.

I have no clue--the value of my nice running, low mileage 5 series keeps plumeting according to edmunds. And the interior is like out of a Rolls compared to hondas or toyotas. But I sure do have the itch. A new Taco--not the most practical for me, but "I could live with it", & the great resale has huge appeal. Sometimes--I see super-low miles '05 SR5 or Sport 4runners in the low $20's.....I think most of the depreciation would be wrung out at that point.

Might as well try to test drive a Pilot, RDX, & V-6 RAV also. Have looked online at used X-5's, but they're real expensive; might as well buy a new RDX..... :confuse:

kyfdx

I saw a big diesel motorhome/bus pulling a brand-new CR-V on I-75 in Ohio, yesterday..

Was that you?

mark156

kyfdx... no, it wasn't me as I'm still in California.

As far as the few posts above about the CR-V.. I don't understand the dislike of the vehicle.. it is one of my favorites in the fleet!

I've had a lot of nice vehicles in the past and never had a vehicle like the CR-V that is so perfect. The seating (to me) is very comfortable... carries lots of stuff (with the two layer cargo area). I've folded the reat seats down and was amazed at the cargo capacity!!!

My Land Rover can carry a lot of stuff but the CR-V can surely do a lot considering the size, gas mileage, etc. Getting over 30+ a gallon on the hwy!!! What's not to love??!!!

My Motorhome gets better than my Rolls!! (Dynasty got 8.5 on second tank, 1,600 miles on odometer) LOL! I think my 6.25 Liter V-8 Rolls gets about 7 mpg in the city.... never checked it but you can watch the gas gauge move while driving! :surprise:

The CR-V has no problem going 75 mph (AZ and NM posted speed limit), air is strong, stereo, XM and CD work perfectly!

Comparing the CR-V to the Toyota Rav-4... no tire on the back in the CR-V! I think the Honda has clean styling.

But, as Terry said, buy what you want!

Happy Motoring! Mark156 PS. I tried posting pics of the motorhome and CR-V but my photobucket acct. is not working right. :sick:

guss

just picked up a CR-V without any options .If he got the floor mats I would be surprised. It looks horrible with the steelies and 15" tires and no window tint. Dressed up I think the CR-V looks fine, but otherwise the lines seem kinda strange to me.

I agree that my Escape is also very utilitarian, but she is not going to win any beauty contests either.

But what do I know, I liked the first generation Rav-4.

smittynyc

Yeah, I am hardly a stickler when it comes to how a car looks -- I'm a former Forester and current Legacy owner, after all -- but the steelies on the base CRV just ruin an otherwise fine-looking car.

I've liked every restyle of the CRV less than the previous. My favorite is the original. There are a couple of flawlessly maintained ones in my neighborhood, and they look fantastic imo.

guss

I messed up on Sunday and stopped by local Honda dealer to walk the lot. Dealer are closed here on Sunday's so you can browse without getting hassled.

I went to check out the new Civics because my company may institute a new bonus program if you get a more fuel efficient car . I get my gas paid for so fuel mileage has not been my biggest concern when buying a car , but with the new program it gives me at least a reason to shop (like we all need one).

I did not realize the mileage numbers were so good on the Civic,30/40 is excellent . I just wonder if I could actually get 35mpg. The sedans looks to me at first were kind of odd, but I think odd is growing on me now.

Funny thing was that even though the dealer was closed they had an EX model with the key sticking out of the drivers side door. After sitting in it and checking out the headroom (which was excellent) and the seats I dropped the key in the showroom mail slot. Hopefully the lot boy does not get in trouble.

I'll have to get over there and try the backseat to see if the three kids fit back there.

nippononly

I could be wrong, but I do believe the steel rims on the new CRV LX are the same size as the alloys: 17". Which IMO is why they look a little odd - steel rims that large would look weird to me on any vehicle short of a pick-up truck.

And geez, for what little cost it must be to the manufacturer, I don't know why they don't just put privacy glass in ALL the SUV/crossover/minivans these days, regardless of trim.

boomchek

I agree with you guys on the base CRV. The steelies are 17 inch, and look horrible.

As for the tint, believe it or not some people don't want it.

The thing that makes the Esx and up CRVs look better is not only the tint, or the wheels, but thge chrome grille, and tailgate garnish.

woodyww

I love the tint/privacy glass on a lot of current SUV's. One of the things I don't like on my current car are: no tint/privacy glass, & it has chrome trim, which looks dated. And people can look in on all your luggage/stuff/whatever-you've-got in the vehicle.

I actually like the ext. looks of the new CRV; at least the EX-L; haven't seen a base model with the steel wheels.

I might have liked the CRV I drove a little more if the salesman & dealership hadn't been so crazy & overbearing--I couldn't think for 2 seconds about the car w/o the salesman controlling & talking. The Toyota store I went to out in the burbs--they just threw me the keys on whatever I wanted to drive, & quoted me invoice minus whatever rebates.

perna

I messed up on Sunday and stopped by local Honda dealer to walk the lot. Dealer are closed here on Sunday's so you can browse without getting hassled.

I did the exact same thing a couple weeks ago. They left out a silver 5 spd Fit, unlocked. Now, I don't know what the salespeople in this forum think of this, but when I go to a closed car lot and there is an open car, I throw caution to the wind and plop down inside.

Now, traditionally I've not liked Hondas for two reasons: 1. park bench hard seats, and 2. crummy cheap LCD dash, and loads of small and weirdly shaped buttons.

Not only did the Fit not have these issues, but it actually, ah, "fit" me like a glove. The shifter felt right at home in my hand as well.

Still, I can't see myself trading in the Maxima for one. Small and zippy is fun, but not overwhelmingly practical or safe.

guss

I guess it is breaking and entering, but as a card carrying CCBA member I think I can talk may out of it.

My problem with Honda's is the the appliance thing, but the new Civic is weird enough to have some character.

I went to a Honda dealer at lunch today to get a broushure. The Receptionist pointed me to the rack of literature and not one salesman asked if they could help me. So I walked the lot for about 10 minutes and again, not one salesman in sight.

Things must be really good at the Honda stores.

kyfdx

I had the thought that the Fit would be the perfect commuter, but when I sat in it at the auto show, and then compared it to the Versa, it really came up short. And.. I'm a Honda guy.

It seemed really cheaped out in comparison..

Of course, I haven't driven it..

akangl

My next vehicle will be a Honda Pilot. That's what I wanted this time (and the time before), but couldn't find a used one in my price range at the time. I told hubby the day the Durango is paid off I'm at the Honda dealership ordering a NEW Pilot. Thankfully he agrees. Now if I could just fast forward the 18 months its going to take to pay off the Durango!

The Durango isn't a bad little SUV, it does what its told, it rarely grumbles, gets decent gas mileage, its ok for now. I'm going to get shocks replaced on it this week, then its got an appt at the dealer for some other stuff in June. Not much wrong with it really.......but, I still want a Pilot!

mark156

I think I may consider the Acura MDX when it's time to replace the Land Rover LR3.

The simplicity and efficiency of the CR-V has made me want to drive it more. I saw my friend at the local shopping center and rolled down the window to say hello. I knew she didn't know who I was as she has not seen the Honda yet.

I said, "Hey Lady, get that car out of my way"!! (she drives a Mercedes CLK320 convertible)... and she said "What are you driving that cheap-[non-permissible content removed] Honda for!"... :P We all laughed! She always teases me about my cars knowing that I'm a car nut.

Actually, it's kinda nice being inconspicuous driving down the road. I can people watch and not be noticed!

Mark156

qbrozen

gee... how long did that take? a month?

someone had memorial day in the pool, didn't they?

andre1969

it's been over two years now since I bought anything, so I don't feel too bad about what I'm about to do. The other weekend when we went to the Spring Carlisle swap meet in PA, Grbeck showed me a 1979 New Yorker that had been parked at a service station for a couple weeks. Well, we found out that the owner wants to sell it! I talked to the guy tonite, and I'm going up in about a week and a half to look over it more closely and hopefully make it a done deal.

It's midnight blue, and looks like the car shown on pages 8 & 9 of this brochure.

mark156

Andre... haven't seen you around in a while.. wondered if you were still reading these forums!

That New Yorker is eerie! I dated a girl in '79 who's Dad worked for Chrysler and had one as a company car. Dark blue and had a button on the floor to change the radio! he let me drive it around some and it was awesome!

Hope it's a great car for you!

Mark

geo9

Well not having a payment book and nearing the end of
my factory warranty not to mention the new GMT 900
trucks are out I figured why not!

I have been out looking for a new GMC or Chevy 2500
x-cab 4x4 to replace my same 04 Chevy.

GMCs are slim pickins' here in Central NY and 2 nearby
Chevy dealers had 2 identical 07 black x-cab 4x4s with
the options I needed. I figured I would shop my trade
and got offers of $18,500 and $21,500.
Soo where I bought it was a no brainer! (my 01 came from
that dealer too)

Deal was quick and painless thanks to my GM employee discount deal. The GM employee discount of
$4100 plus GM employee bonus rebates of $4000 off a
MSRP of $35k. Not to mention the bonus of NO adv.
fee, and DOC fee limited to $75 because of GM employee
deal rules.
The dealer even removed my snowplow equipment (push bar
and wiring) off my 04 and installed them on the 07 !!!!

Good thing I bought Monday the 30th because the bonus
cash and rebates ended on the GMT-900 2500s are not
offered in May !!!!!!!!

Easy and painless deal !!!!!!!!!!!! :P :P

akangl

gee... how long did that take? a month?

someone had memorial day in the pool, didn't they?

I wanted a Pilot when I bought the Durango, but couldn't find one used, not to mention the Jeep dealer stepped up on trade for the Dodge......can't give a diesel away these days. I knew when I bought the Durango it was just a temporary thing. It does what I need for now, but will be replaced after my son starts driving. On the bright side with as little as I owe on the Durango its an easy one to pay off quickly.

I fell in love with Pilot and MDX over a year ago, I vowed one day to own one.

nippononly

Cool deal! How many miles did the '04 have on it when you let it go?

tifighter

Why so rough to trade a diesel? I would have thought opposite, but what do I know?

akangl

Why so rough to trade a diesel? I would have thought opposite, but what do I know?

At the time diesel fuel was about 50 cents/gallon more than gas. There are tons of diesels for sale right now. The dealer has already sold mine but still has the 7 others that they had when they took mine. I got trade in value for mine, so I wasn't complaining too much. Didn't really lose much considering I bought it during the employee pricing incentives.

qbrozen

Oh, I know you've wanted one ... but that still doesn't make it any less humorous. ;b

akangl

Oh, I know you've wanted one ... but that still doesn't make it any less humorous. ;b

I think I'll make it a while with the Durango, I hardly drive anymore. In fact getting me to drive is like pulling teeth. I have to take it into town today for new shocks and I'm procrastinating like there's no tomorrow. Should have left 2 hrs ago!