Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

28firefighter

suydam said:

eGolf? Or is VW dead to them?
Too bad they can't wait for a Bolt. That sounds perfect for their needs.

The Audi is on their list begrudgingly because there is some loyalty money; they have no interest in the eGolf at all.

I suspect the Audi is going to fall off the list, too. They bought the TDI because the research told them it was a "clean diesel" and would get them good fuel economy. Plus, they've had a bunch of fit and finish issues with it.

suydam

The Volt is a hatchback. It's easy to forget because it looks like a car.

stickguy

RAV4?

28firefighter

suydam said:

The Volt is a hatchback. It's easy to forget because it looks like a car.

Could you safely put a dog in the hatch of the Volt? That was why I didn't include it.

stickguy

That new Kia wagon thing sounds perfect.

qbrozen

28firefighter said:

So I need some help for my BIL/SIL - they are true original owners of a VW TDI and will be having theirs bought back in early January. They'd ideally like to replace it with an EV of some kind.

The criteria is:
(1) Hatchback/Station Wagon - so they can put stuff for their two kids and possibly the dog in the hatch.
(2) Comfortably seats 4
(3) Decent range
(4) Tech goodies - nav, backup camera, etc.

So far I've suggested:
(1) Kia Soul EV+
(2) Ford Focus Electric
(3) Ford C-Max Energi
(4) Audi A3 e-Tron

Any others I'm not thinking of or any that you would recommend removing from the list? They have a 2015 Ford Flex now as their long-haul vehicle.

I'd still suggest a Fit EX. 40mpg is nothing to turn your nose up at.

28firefighter

qbrozen said:

28firefighter said:

So I need some help for my BIL/SIL - they are true original owners of a VW TDI and will be having theirs bought back in early January. They'd ideally like to replace it with an EV of some kind.

The criteria is:
(1) Hatchback/Station Wagon - so they can put stuff for their two kids and possibly the dog in the hatch.
(2) Comfortably seats 4
(3) Decent range
(4) Tech goodies - nav, backup camera, etc.

So far I've suggested:
(1) Kia Soul EV+
(2) Ford Focus Electric
(3) Ford C-Max Energi
(4) Audi A3 e-Tron

Any others I'm not thinking of or any that you would recommend removing from the list? They have a 2015 Ford Flex now as their long-haul vehicle.

I'd still suggest a Fit EX. 40mpg is nothing to turn your nose up at.

How is the rear hatch for fitting a dog + other kid stuff (stroller etc.)? Our neighbors have a Fit, so maybe its not a bad idea to take a look.

qbrozen

I found it pretty damned roomy. Problem might be that the hatch area is taller yet not as deep as a JSW, so it could be difficult for their purposes. They'll have to test it out. Still think it might trump an A3, though.

andres3

thebean said:

andres3 said:

qbrozen said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

I don't know what to make of Tesla. On the one hand, the used Tesla market seems good (although maybe not as good as it was), but on the other hand, their very creative accounting methods give one pause. Also, their big plans for expanding sales in China fell pretty flat. I think last year they sold 3,500 cars there. If you matched that against population, those are King Midget numbers.

One extremely astute auto analyst, who has been proven right any number of times (Adam Jones) thinks Tesla will miss its target date for the Model 3 by a wide margin, and that many of the 400,000 subscribers for the car won't see one before 2021. Given that he predicts Tesla to be capital-short by 2018, it remains to be seen what the company's future actually is.

That pretty much mirrors my perception. I am shocked so many people dropped a few grand on a deposit for a car that may never get, and they won't get their money back, either.

If they go bankrupt they are owed at least 1, maybe 2 (*cough* Chrysler *cough*) bail outs prior to going bankrupt or to prevent bankruptcy as an American car company.

Bitter much?

I think Tesla workers would find me not bitter, but fortuitous and fair.

suydam

How big is the dog? I put ours in the back seat.
Problem with the RAV4 is even the hybrid mpg isnt that good. And the Fit's around town mpg isn't 40 for sure.
If FE matters to you, you want 40+ all the time. That sounds like a priority to them.

andres3

People have odd mindsets. They have a target, and they won't deviate from those goals.

If they want an EV, they'll get an EV even if it doesn't make financial sense even after calculating 100,000 miles. So while saying the Fit EX at 40 MPG is rational, it might not be acceptable if they want an EV.

My parents chose a Prius over an Accord in large part due to the fact Toyota had 0 percent financing and Honda didn't (I think it was 2.9 at the time). I tried to explain how little that incentive of 0 percent meant in a time where typical credit unions will do 2% on a long loan. Ultimately, the 0% trumped all else. Also, they wanted a Hybrid and the Accord Hybrid wasn't out yet I think.

I did recommend the Camry or Accord Hybrid when they mentioned they weren't a big fan of the Prius, other than its stellar MPG's and Hybrid drive train. Better cars that are still Hybrids.

nyccarguy

28firefighter said:

So I need some help for my BIL/SIL - they are true original owners of a VW TDI and will be having theirs bought back in early January. They'd ideally like to replace it with an EV of some kind.

The criteria is:
(1) Hatchback/Station Wagon - so they can put stuff for their two kids and possibly the dog in the hatch.
(2) Comfortably seats 4
(3) Decent range
(4) Tech goodies - nav, backup camera, etc.

So far I've suggested:
(1) Kia Soul EV+
(2) Ford Focus Electric
(3) Ford C-Max Energi
(4) Audi A3 e-Tron

Any others I'm not thinking of or any that you would recommend removing from the list? They have a 2015 Ford Flex now as their long-haul vehicle.

Sounds like they need an Outback.

andres3

nyccarguy said:

28firefighter said:

So I need some help for my BIL/SIL - they are true original owners of a VW TDI and will be having theirs bought back in early January. They'd ideally like to replace it with an EV of some kind.

The criteria is:
(1) Hatchback/Station Wagon - so they can put stuff for their two kids and possibly the dog in the hatch.
(2) Comfortably seats 4
(3) Decent range
(4) Tech goodies - nav, backup camera, etc.

So far I've suggested:
(1) Kia Soul EV+
(2) Ford Focus Electric
(3) Ford C-Max Energi
(4) Audi A3 e-Tron

Any others I'm not thinking of or any that you would recommend removing from the list? They have a 2015 Ford Flex now as their long-haul vehicle.

Sounds like they need an Outback.

I think they should get over their VW issues and take a look at my statement below:

If you are in the market for a slushbox AND/OR manual transmission turbocharged AWD wagon, give the Golf Alltrack a close look. They look better in person than in photographs, significantly so! I'd want $5,000 off MSRP on it though; not sure if that's feasible given VW will consider it their newest latest model.

They are good looking in person IMO. I was surprised as I'm not a big fan of cladding, until now. The one I looked at was "Pure White," probably one of the better matches to lower body cladding.

28firefighter

nyccarguy said:

28firefighter said:

So I need some help for my BIL/SIL - they are true original owners of a VW TDI and will be having theirs bought back in early January. They'd ideally like to replace it with an EV of some kind.

The criteria is:
(1) Hatchback/Station Wagon - so they can put stuff for their two kids and possibly the dog in the hatch.
(2) Comfortably seats 4
(3) Decent range
(4) Tech goodies - nav, backup camera, etc.

So far I've suggested:
(1) Kia Soul EV+
(2) Ford Focus Electric
(3) Ford C-Max Energi
(4) Audi A3 e-Tron

Any others I'm not thinking of or any that you would recommend removing from the list? They have a 2015 Ford Flex now as their long-haul vehicle.

Sounds like they need an Outback.

They have the Flex for heavy duty stuff - this is for around town with the kids/dog, etc. Both car seats are pretty large, so dog has to go in the back. The use case is that they want to use this car to commute to work and on the way they are taking the kids to daycare and the dog to doggy daycare.

graphicguy

Mr_Shiftright said:

Well I think that was the man's point--that subscribers are going to pull out because Tesla doesn't have a chance in hell of meeting the promised delivery date.

I mean, the whole basis for a car company is actually having cars to sell.

....or, could be licensing their IP to other entities, while paying for that research by selling cars!

qbrozen

suydam said:

And the Fit's around town mpg isn't 40 for sure.
If FE matters to you, you want 40+ all the time.

Probably not with the CVT, but I got that without too much effort with the 6-speed.

qbrozen

28firefighter said:

So I need some help for my BIL/SIL - they are true original owners of a VW TDI and will be having theirs bought back in early January. They'd ideally like to replace it with an EV of some kind.

The criteria is:
(1) Hatchback/Station Wagon - so they can put stuff for their two kids and possibly the dog in the hatch.
(2) Comfortably seats 4
(3) Decent range
(4) Tech goodies - nav, backup camera, etc.

So far I've suggested:
(1) Kia Soul EV+
(2) Ford Focus Electric
(3) Ford C-Max Energi
(4) Audi A3 e-Tron

Any others I'm not thinking of or any that you would recommend removing from the list? They have a 2015 Ford Flex now as their long-haul vehicle.

Oh, what about the Prius V? They are offering 0% for 60 mos on it. Thought there was a plug-in version, but I'm not seeing it on their site.

Mr_Shiftright

rayainsw said:

Tesla vs. Bolt - one view...

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1107791_woz-got-a-tesla-not-a-chevy-bolt-ev-supercharging-may-be-why

Looks like Woz needs an exercise bike more than a Tesla.

suydam

New Chrysler Pacifica hybrid? 2 large car seats and a dog, sounds like minivan territory to me. The Volt and A3 would be too cramped.

28firefighter

suydam said:

New Chrysler Pacifica hybrid? 2 large car seats and a dog, sounds like minivan territory to me. The Volt and A3 would be too cramped.

Just for around town stuff - anything requiring significant hauling they use their Flex.

tifighter

As much as I like my Soul EV, I think two car seats and a dog in the back will be too tight. I have a friend who bought one for dog duty, and a crate fits great with the seats down. Honestly, I think just about all of the cars listed would not be that great kids and dog simultaneously. Hatchbacks are okay for passengers or dog, but when it comes to passengers AND dog, we are in wagon territory.

xwesx

How big is this dog again?

My dog was 50# and about 20" tall at the shoulder (she was a yellow lab - husky cross), and I used to put her in the back of my Fiesta from time to time. She fit fine back there. Even if she didn't have a lot of room to move around, she had plenty to stand up or lie down, which is more than enough for commuting with any animal, whether it be kids, dogs, or both!

Unless it is a large dog (e.g., tall, like bigger than a full-size lab), I would think that any car they want, as long as it is a hatchback, is a contender.

28firefighter

xwesx said:

How big is this dog again?

My dog was 50# and about 20" tall at the shoulder (she was a yellow lab - husky cross), and I used to put her in the back of my Fiesta from time to time. She fit fine back there. Even if she didn't have a lot of room to move around, she had plenty to stand up or lie down, which is more than enough for commuting with any animal, whether it be kids, dogs, or both!

Unless it is a large dog (e.g., tall, like bigger than a full-size lab), I would think that any car they want, as long as it is a hatchback, is a contender.

He is about 35 lbs.

xwesx

28firefighter said:

He is about 35 lbs.

Bah! Other than a hatch, he shouldn't even be a consideration.

suydam

It's their choice, but I agree, 2 kids and a medium size dog = wagon or minivan.
Subaru Forester would work because it's so boxy. But from what you've listed, probably the C-Max or Soul EV that would work the best.

nyccarguy

My Dad commutes back & forth to work everyday with his 130 pound Great Dane. She fits nice & snug in his Tahoe.

corvette

nyccarguy said:

My Dad commutes back & forth to work everyday with his 130 pound Great Dane. She fits nice & snug in his Tahoe.

Lol! Great Danes think they are about the size of a kitten, or so I've heard. 

suydam

And my 32 pound Brittany thought she needed the ENTIRE car. It does depend on the dog.

tjc78

nyccarguy said:

My Dad commutes back & forth to work everyday with his 130 pound Great Dane. She fits nice & snug in his Tahoe.

Is the dog for security in your store?

roadburner

Mr_Shiftright said:

rayainsw said:

Tesla vs. Bolt - one view...

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1107791_woz-got-a-tesla-not-a-chevy-bolt-ev-supercharging-may-be-why

Looks like Woz needs an exercise bike more than a Tesla.

He needs to admit that he picked the Tesla because it has a larger TSS(Twinkie Storage Space).

nyccarguy

tjc78 said:

nyccarguy said:

My Dad commutes back & forth to work everyday with his 130 pound Great Dane. She fits nice & snug in his Tahoe.

Is the dog for security in your store?

Yup. My grandfather always had dogs. My Dad has had Great Danes since I was a baby. They are quite the deterrent. I don't know what I'm going to do "when the time comes." My Dad is 70. The Dog is 3 1/2. If we are lucky, she'll live another 5 - 6 years. As much as he LOVES dogs, I don't know if he'll have the patience to train a puppy again in his late 70s. I truthfully don't want the responsibility of owning a dog. I've got enough on my plate between working and my 3 children. I don't want to have to get up EARLIER to walk the dog, clean up after the dog, nor do I want the added expense that comes along with dog ownership.

Mr_Shiftright

roadburner said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

rayainsw said:

Tesla vs. Bolt - one view...

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1107791_woz-got-a-tesla-not-a-chevy-bolt-ev-supercharging-may-be-why

Looks like Woz needs an exercise bike more than a Tesla.

He needs to admit that he picked the Tesla because it has a larger TSS(Twinkie Storage Space).

Not healthy to be that fat. C'mon Woz, lighten up!

qbrozen

We just got a lab. She is 18mos and 60lb at the moment and fits just fine in my EX35.
And that is a very small hatch area.

tjc78

I've got enough on my plate between working and my 3 children. I don't want to have to get up EARLIER to walk the dog, clean up after the dog, nor do I want the added expense that comes along with dog ownership.

I hear you on that. We have a little shih tzu and between a 14 month old a 2 1/2 year old and "little" Frankie and I feel like we are always cleaning something. I know by the time I'm 70 there would be no way...

28firefighter

We have a 55 lb border collie/flat coat retriever mix that we rescued a few years ago. I'd be lying if I said I was not a little nervous about how she is going to be with Baby 28FF when he arrives. She's incredibly sweet, but its still a new person.

roadburner

When we brought our son home from the hospital both dogs pretty much ignored him. The youngest dog(a stray hound I adopted) later became his buddy.

corvette

My dog doesn't do well with other dogs or strangers. Remains to be seen how she will do when she meets the GF's kid, but best case scenario, it will take her a while to warm up.

28firefighter

She has done OK with my niece and nephew. She seems to think everything on her level wants to play with her and she can get riled up.

My hope is that since babies don't come out walking or doing all that much, she'll just adjust over time.

To keep this slightly on topic, we are getting a German-made car seat that will fit in both the Escape and GTI. Plan is to have it hook into the LATCHES on the passenger side of the car and then move the dog's harness to the driver side of the rear seat.

kyfdx

corvette said:

My dog doesn't do well with other dogs or strangers. Remains to be seen how she will do when she meets the GF's kid, but best case scenario, it will take her a while to warm up.

Is it the dog or the GF that has to warm up?

stevedebi

Mr_Shiftright said:

Well yeah, but someone is paying for that electricity---so that's why I was trying to figure it out on a cost per mile basis.

I have a C-Max Energi, which goes a lot less miles on electric. I calculate the MPGe based on electricity cost. My electricity bill runs about 60 bucks a month on average. I am showing 72 lifetime MPG, but with electricity it is just about 60 MPGe.

Michaell

I need some expert advise, and who better to turn to than my virtual friends here at Edmunds.

After almost 5 months in my current role, I was approached today by my manager and was asked if I was interested in taking on a management position within the company. I'd have 11 employees reporting to me.

My entire career, I've been what's known as an "individual contributor" - working for others. I've managed projects, but not people.

I'm excited to take on the extra responsibility, but am trying to come up with a way to artfully ask for a raise to go along with the new position.

I know many of you are managers, or have had similar conversations with employees who are being promoted. What works, and what doesn't?

stickguy

that certainly should come up as part of the natural discussion about the differences between the current and future roles. Is it a different job level say? if you start there you may stumble upon the answer. At least having a frank discussion about responsibilities would lead to a natural point to say it is a big step up, so is the remuneration commensurate?

when I had to do this (as a boss) I would always work that in up front, to get the "excited buy in". At least when the company was actually gonna do it!

Michaell

stickguy said:

that certainly should come up as part of the natural discussion about the differences between the current and future roles. Is it a different job level say? if you start there you may stumble upon the answer. At least having a frank discussion about responsibilities would lead to a natural point to say it is a big step up, so is the remuneration commensurate?

when I had to do this (as a boss) I would always work that in up front, to get the "excited buy in". At least when the company was actually gonna do it!

I believe that going into a management role changes the job level within the company. But, an easy way to ask the question.

Part of why this is happening is that they are not backfilling another management position and they want these folks to report to someone other than the global director.

corvette

No constructive advice to offer, but congrats on the promotion offer!

tjc78

Congrats on the offer.

When are you up for a performance review? If it's a long way off than as @stickguy suggested I'd bring it up along with the conversation of your new duties and role. If you are due for a performance review within a month or so, I suppose you could wait that and discuss salary at that time. I did that once and it worked out well.

kyfdx

corvette said:

No constructive advice to offer, but congrats on the promotion offer!

Same here! Don't forget us little people that helped you on your way up!

kyfdx

tjc78 said:

Congrats on the offer.

When are you up for a performance review? If it's a long way off than as @stickguy suggested I'd bring it up along with the conversation of your new duties and role. If you are due for a performance review within a month or so, I suppose you could wait that and discuss salary at that time. I did that once and it worked out well.

Heck.. he's only been there for 5 months!

Michaell

tjc78 said:

Congrats on the offer.

When are you up for a performance review? If it's a long way off than as @stickguy suggested I'd bring it up along with the conversation of your new duties and role. If you are due for a performance review within a month or so, I suppose you could wait that and discuss salary at that time. I did that once and it worked out well.

I actually had my "annual" review just a couple weeks ago. Since I've only been on the job a few months, the review consisted of 2/3 things I'm doing well, and 2/3 things I need to work on. But, the goal setting for 2017 will begin next month, so it would be good to know that the change in responsibilities would be coming (the promotion would take effect in March) so I can establish the goals accordingly.

kyfdx

Do you still keep your old responsibilities, and just add the management of those employees, or do you ditch your old job to take the new one?

ab348

Well, Michael, I dunno what exactly to tell you. Extra compensation - probably a fairly meaningful amount - should come with the added responsibilities. But my first question to myself would be whether this is something I am cut out for.

Just yesterday while shopping I ran into an old colleague. He retired about 8 years ago and we had a long chat in the lobby of the store, talking about our retirement and what we have done since. One topic that came up we both agreed upon - one of the best things about retirement is no longer having to deal with people. He was in fact offered a very senior position to come out of retirement 3 years ago and turned it down after a few days of consideration, because of the expectation that he would clean house and let a bunch of people go, then bring in new ones. Despite the job paying over $200K, after reflection he said no because he said he really didn't need the stress and aggravation of dealing with all those people issues all over again.

Some people are cut out for that and have no difficulty with it. I know I agonized over it each time one of those tough HR decisions had to be made, at least most of the time. Plus all the associated HR BS you had to deal with, like annual reviews, performance coaching, fighting for raises and training budgets for the staff, etc etc. It isn't all bad mind you, and in my case it allowed me to finish my career making a lot more money than I otherwise would have, but the management side can be tough if you are not suited to it.