Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

tbirdmarco

feal the same way on the corolla nice appliance car no good for us all to boring. same with the camory to. think only TOyota would consider is the forruner and trucks.

Mr_Shiftright

I always spell it Bo-Car because it is the combination of the builder's two names---Bob Carnes.

But "Bocar" is correct---that's the way it appears in the original ads.

xwesx said:

stickguy said:

Here's one for broke people that need basic local transport. Can't find much that runs and looks decent and not rotted out for this price. But man, someone liked driving it!

http://www.royaleasing.com/detail-2004-chrysler-sebring-lx-used-16092930.html

Time bomb! And those headlights are going to be completely useless. Even though replacements are likely rather cheap, even $250 for a pair is 25% of the asking price!

One of the few cases where $1000 is actually asking too much \Quite possibly the worst car ever made in the 21st century.

Sandman6472

We have a lot of Optima LX's in our fleet and most folks really like 'em, I know I do. Looks a bit nicer than it's Sonata cousin plus the dash is much nicer. That 2.4 engine in both is pretty sweet and pretty economical. A co-worker got one for his wife last year, a mid level vehicle, and they are quite happy with it. So happy, that he went out and bought a 6 cylinder Sorrento recently, has everything on it in black over black. Saw one in a charcoal color that looked awesome! Prefer the Sportage size but the jury's still out on the new Nitto. Saw a dark blue one yesterday and didn't like that shade of blue and thought it looked a bit awkward. Heard it's a hybrid so will need to take a closer look at one when the time comes.
Still intrigued about that new smaller Nissan Rogue I saw online somewhere. Has anyone heard anything about it? The Rogue is a nice cuv, we have a whole lot of them plus I see them all over the roads down here. Now a smaller one the size of the Mazda CX-3 would really work for me as I don't like a trunk,prefer the versatility of a hatch even though I don't haul much. Just keep some stuff back there.

The Sandman

carnaught

breld said:

Speaking of basic cheap cars, one of my young accountants came to me for some car advice. He's drawn to a small SUV, but has a $20k max budget, and seems to prefer to buy new. He looked at the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport and liked it - admittedly a lot of that had to do with the price. For a base model, FWD, manual transmission, the dealership is advertising $4,500 off, for a final price of $17,500.

Tried as I might, I couldn't really come up with an option he liked any better for the price. I encouraged him to look at a new Impreza hatch, which in base form he could get for a tad under $20k, and that would get him AWD. He kept on saying how he likes the added room and ground clearance of an SUV - I kindly pointed out that these compact SUVs are simply raised hatchbacks, but it would seem he's drawn to that SUV marketing.

I found a used CX-5 (FWD, manual) for around the same price of the Outlander Sport - but he sort of gasped at the 15,000 miles that were already on it .

Showed him the HR-V and CX-3, but those are all gonna be $2-3k higher than the Mitsubishi.

He did finally confide that the pricing on the Mitsubishi was the real draw, so I told him to take a good long test drive of it, and if he thinks it's comfortable, has enough oomph for passing, then he should just go for it. I warned him of all the add-ons they'll likely push on him in the financing office, and encouraged him to call me if he's uncomfortable with anything.

What about a Buick Encore? Suydam and I like ours a lot.

xwesx

stickguy said:

So, might not eat you alive too bad!

So, exactly what level of being eaten alive is considered to be on the right side of "too bad?"

stickguy

depends on your individual pain tolerance, and size of your bank account. Graph the 2 and see where the lines cross. Then buy whatever the heck turns you on!

But a V12 Benz or BMW with 100K on it, is always on the wrong side of the line. Something like this Jag could go either way. A miata is going to be on the right side.

Sandman6472

I think an Encore is going to be over his spending limit by a good bit. Did see some new Imprezza's last Friday and was really wowed by them. Base model was nice enough but the top model was outstanding looking! Nice interior from just looking in and think the mid-level model is the sweet spot of the line. Think Subaru will sell a whole lot of these, I do plan to check one out when my time comes.
Found another 320i at that same dealer today, a brown over beige 2014 with 22.7K on the clock. Asking just under $22K, $21,978 to be exact. Nothing about dealer fees and since it was locked, could only look in through the window. Very very nice vehicle and according to Siri, the length is 185.2 inches, a bit longer than I'd really want. Might go over Wednesday and take it out for a spin just to see how it drives. Have just under 28K on the VDub right now but since I just put on expensive sneakers last month, lousy timing. But first things first, drive it and get a feel for it. Might just drive really crappy...who knows. And Q has given me really dismal trade-in values for my Golf so, probably just a big waste of time!
On another note, drove an Infiniti X60(?) at work today. Had about 19K on it but drove nicely. Too big for me but a nice driver for someone who wants that size. Also spoke with the wife about her A3. Said she plans to keep it until something goes wrong. Not sure if she meant minor or major but think sometime between year 4 and 5, I see it leaving the fleet unless I rescue it. She just hit 25.5K so she's gaining on me. Drives so similar to mine that would be an easy transition. See her going back to Japan or Korea next time out as it's just an appliance for her, she starts it, shifts it and feeds it. No emotional attatchment, unlike we folks in here, none what so ever!

The Sandman

stickguy

a 3 series is jut about the perfect size sedan for me. don't really need or want anything bigger.

Sandman6472

Buying that Mitsubishi Outlander Sport will be a bad move for that guy, I know because I was super close to buying one myself back in 2013. Fate took over and the deal didn't go through and I thank G-d a lot for it not happening. Made another mistake by going with the Tucson and not checking out the CX-5 or Rav4 but I sucked it up and got out earlier than I wanted...and have never looked back. Turns out the Tiguan was what I wanted and what I should've gotten as I'd still have it now. Besides the 21 city/26 hiway, it's the perfect vehicle for me. But the Golf worked, is working, and even though BMW is calling me, think it'll be in the stable for another few years. Makes the most sense now that I'm thinking about working through 2018, possibly into mid 2019. Gets close to 40 on my expressway commute which ain't bad, and I genuinely like it. Fun to toss around, comfortable, has XM even though the rest of the tech sucks. It just makes me smile and nothing that's really pulling me to buy except the BMW 3 Series right now.
Logical thing is to stay the course and bank as much as I can so next time, sky's the limit!

The Sandman

(P.S. Avoided a collision today by meer inches! Pull into traffic and this lady isn't paying attention, speeds up and hits the brakes when she sees me in the lane. If she hadn't turned her steering wheel away from me, would've been a hit on the passenger front door area. Can not afford another hit after my March 2014 incident as they'd probably have to let me go. Dodged a bullet here by defensively driving and watching out for other nimrods not paying attention!)

carnaught

With discounts, a new Encore (especially a '16) can be had for under $20k.

corvette

Contacted my local Nissan dealer via the "contact us" page on their website yesterday (there were no email addresses listed), asking for the price for a brake fluid flush and the price to update the Bluetooth firmware on the nav system (0.2 hour of labor according to Nissan). I provided the year and model, so it shouldn't be difficult to provide a quote.

Immediately got an automated response from a "sales and leasing professional" and got another automated email today from "Your Service Department" at the same dealer discussing financing options for new vehicles. I don't know how much they pay for Vinsolutions (which they appear to use) or any other marketing platforms, but it has succeeded in making them look truly clueless.

kyfdx

corvette said:

Contacted my local Nissan dealer via the "contact us" page on their website yesterday (there were no email addresses listed), asking for the price for a brake fluid flush and the price to update the Bluetooth firmware on the nav system (0.2 hour of labor according to Nissan). I provided the year and model, so it shouldn't be difficult to provide a quote.

Immediately got an automated response from a "sales and leasing professional" and got another automated email today from "Your Service Department" at the same dealer discussing financing options for new vehicles. I don't know how much they pay for Vinsolutions (which they appear to use) or any other marketing platforms, but it has succeeded in making them look truly clueless.

If you get this to work at any new car dealer, let me know.

kyfdx

This person needs ideas:

https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/44699/general/x/help-deciding-on-used-car#latest

corvette

kyfdx said:

Contacted my local Nissan dealer via the "contact us" page on their website yesterday (there were no email addresses listed), asking for the price for a brake fluid flush and the price to update the Bluetooth firmware on the nav system (0.2 hour of labor according to Nissan). I provided the year and model, so it shouldn't be difficult to provide a quote. Immediately got an automated response from a "sales and leasing professional" and got another automated email today from "Your Service Department" at the same dealer discussing financing options for new vehicles. I don't know how much they pay for Vinsolutions (which they appear to use) or any other marketing platforms, but it has succeeded in making them look truly clueless.

If you get this to work at any new car dealer, let me know.

In the words of Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother: Challenge accepted!

nyccarguy

So I've been having CCBA "snowballing" thoughts lately. It started off by checking out the specs of a base model Acura TLX which leases well due to the low-ish money factor and lots of lease cash.  I could shave a few bucks off of my Legacy payment and enjoy my commute.  It also doesn't hurt that the 4cyl TLX uses the same 225/55 R17 tires as my Legacy does so the snow tires would fit next winter.

Then on Thursday and Friday of last week I drove my beloved Prelude to work.  Oh the sheer joy.  That got me thinking about the TLX's platform-mate, the Honda Accord.  Once the new 2018 Body style hits the lots, I might be able to keep the Legacy (the wife likes it better than her Pilot) and lease an Accord Sport SE or Accord EX (no heated seats & no leather wrapped steering wheel are killers) with a 6 speed stick for under $250 per month.

Next we fast forward to this afternoon where I read a positively glowing review on the Civic LX Hatchback with the 1.5L Turbo and 6-Speed stick.  I checked out the (Civic Sport Hatchback) specs, strong lease residuals, and low-ish money factor.  You get a nice package that stickers for $21K.  180 hp, 2800 lb curb weight, 0-60 in the mid 6 second range.  I could most likely lease one for the low $200s.  

stickguy

kyfdx said:

This person needs ideas:

https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/44699/general/x/help-deciding-on-used-car#latest

I supplied my rather long winded comments.

corvette

nyc, you'd be giving up AWD with the choices you listed. My city generally clears the roads pretty well, but my driveway (and the parking lot where I work) are a different story. It's also helpful if I'm in my hometown when it snows--road maintenance isn't as thorough there and you're less likely to get stuck versus FWD/RWD. Now that I'm in a pattern of buying SUVs, might as well have AWD there if I need it.

nyccarguy

This is the beauty (and sickness to an extent), a TLX would replace the Legacy & I could still use my snow tires. An Accord or Civic Hatch with a stick would be a 4th car (leased) in the stable. If I've got 3 cars, I can't have my wife not be able (willing) to drive 2 of them. If I go for the Accord or Civic, I'd pass the Legacy on to my wife.

stickguy

Bradd, when you have that many moving parts, you know the plan is doomed to fail. Especially if you are married (unless you happen to be married to Mrs. Breld!) At this point, if I just turn the Sonata back in when the lease is up, and don't get a replacement, it might actually be liberating!

I still like my plan of trading in the RDX for an upgrade. But I also like the idea of knocking two payments off the books, plus some insurance money. That is going to be close to $800/month right there, which would be nice. Heck, even if I do re=up on a cheap lease, still gonna drop a good $550.

stickguy

was looking around for a new poster (another "what should I buy?") and found this beauty for OldFarmer. A Florida geezer car, up in NJ! Real low miles. Not actually a bad looking car. and loaded up with all the goodies.

http://www.burnshyundai.com/VehicleDetails/used-2007-Buick-Lucerne-4dr_Sdn_V6_CXL-Marlton-NJ/2942335143

graphicguy

nyccarguy said:

This is the beauty (and sickness to an extent), a TLX would replace the Legacy & I could still use my snow tires. An Accord or Civic Hatch with a stick would be a 4th car (leased) in the stable. If I've got 3 cars, I can't have my wife not be able (willing) to drive 2 of them. If I go for the Accord or Civic, I'd pass the Legacy on to my wife.

Love Acuras. And, the 4 cyl 8-speed auto seems to be the one to get based on everything I'VE READ.

Michaell

nyccarguy said:

This is the beauty (and sickness to an extent), a TLX would replace the Legacy & I could still use my snow tires. An Accord or Civic Hatch with a stick would be a 4th car (leased) in the stable. If I've got 3 cars, I can't have my wife not be able (willing) to drive 2 of them. If I go for the Accord or Civic, I'd pass the Legacy on to my wife.

And what would you take on your vacation with the family to Florida? Nothing you mentioned will seat five with a weeks worth of luggage. Sadly, an SUV or minivan is destined to be part of your fleet for the foreseeable future.

suydam

Shhh! He's on a roll.

Michaell

suydam said:

Shhh! He's on a roll.

I suppose Mrs. nyccarguy could drive a car, too.

ab348

Regardless of how well the Civic hatch may drive, there's no way I could ever recommend a car that looks like that to anyone.

nyccarguy

Michaell said:

nyccarguy said:

This is the beauty (and sickness to an extent), a TLX would replace the Legacy & I could still use my snow tires. An Accord or Civic Hatch with a stick would be a 4th car (leased) in the stable. If I've got 3 cars, I can't have my wife not be able (willing) to drive 2 of them. If I go for the Accord or Civic, I'd pass the Legacy on to my wife.

And what would you take on your vacation with the family to Florida? Nothing you mentioned will seat five with a weeks worth of luggage. Sadly, an SUV or minivan is destined to be part of your fleet for the foreseeable future.

Whoops. Part of this plan involves keeping the Pilot. It's paid off.

Michaell

nyccarguy said:

Michaell said:

nyccarguy said:

This is the beauty (and sickness to an extent), a TLX would replace the Legacy & I could still use my snow tires. An Accord or Civic Hatch with a stick would be a 4th car (leased) in the stable. If I've got 3 cars, I can't have my wife not be able (willing) to drive 2 of them. If I go for the Accord or Civic, I'd pass the Legacy on to my wife.

And what would you take on your vacation with the family to Florida? Nothing you mentioned will seat five with a weeks worth of luggage. Sadly, an SUV or minivan is destined to be part of your fleet for the foreseeable future.

Whoops. Part of this plan involves keeping the Pilot. It's paid off.

4 cars for 2 drivers! Interesting.

My sister is still living with 3 cars and 4 drivers in her house. Had a chance to talk to her over the weekend. The car shopping is on hold for a little bit as she attends to deferred maintenance and repairs on her current fleet.

The G37 coupe just had the brakes done, and I guess new tires are coming soon - I think it has 18" or 19" tires, so that'll be expensive.

The GTI is going to remain in the family. CarMax flat out refused to make any sort of a deal. "You didn't buy our extended warranty, it's your problem", they were told. BIL ripped them on social media, FWIW. So, they'll bite the bullet and address the most important things (ABS module) and then some other smaller issues and it should be good. For now.

At the moment, the most reliable car in the fleet is also the one with the most miles - the Mazda 3. Sis uses that as her daily driver, and her middle son uses it from time to time. It will be his on a more regular basis once he starts working - he hopes to get a job at the same restaurant where son #1 works.

That's all the news from CA - I guess my mom's Sonata is running fine. Haven't heard anything from her about it. I worry about the age of the car - it's 14 years old but something like 40,000 miles on it.

graphicguy

Bradd....let me see if I can read between the lines here. You like the Subaru....but as you've stated on numerous occasions, it's dog slow. You like a bit of sportiness, and you want something you can drive everyday that scratches that itch.

Assuming the Subaru has equity......test drive a.....

-'16 Q50 WITHOUT DAS
-'17 Maxima...was surprised how much I liked the interior at the auto show. It still has the old VQ engine from the previous gens Infinitis (actually, a few Infinitis still use it).
-Accord Touring....I think I made it clear how much I liked it
-Mustang GT and a set of Blizzaks
-328ix demo, although the ones I wanted were 340ix and I couldn't get near the target pricing, a 328ix demo may get closer


That's my list. Sticking to it.

nyccarguy

graphicguy said:

Bradd....let me see if I can read between the lines here. You like the Subaru....but as you've stated on numerous occasions, it's dog slow. You like a bit of sportiness, and you want something you can drive everyday that scratches that itch.

Assuming the Subaru has equity......test drive a.....

-'16 Q50 WITHOUT DAS
-'17 Maxima...was surprised how much I liked the interior at the auto show. It still has the old VQ engine from the previous gens Infinitis (actually, a few Infinitis still use it).
-Accord Touring....I think I made it clear how much I liked it
-Mustang GT and a set of Blizzaks
-328ix demo, although the ones I wanted were 340ix and I couldn't get near the target pricing, a 328ix demo may get closer


That's my list. Sticking to it.

Some of the deals ($10K off sticker) and lease deals (a money factor of almost zero) make the Q50 3.0T Premium AWD (and the recently introduced Q50 Signature Series) would make it a strong candidate. As of right now, I think I'm upside down on the Legacy. I can always wait until the 3 year mark (end of September) or end of the year to make a stunning deal on one. And the lease payment would be less than what I'm paying now to own the Legacy.

Your thoughts on the Accord Touring are what led me to look into the the Accord Sport SE & EX with 6 speed sticks.

Mustang GT would be a no go. Although I'd love it.

If I could find the "right" 328xi demo to lease, then I might go for it.

I saw a Silver GTI (either Autobahn or the one right below) with the lighting package. It looked sharp. Almost grown up in SIlver. The lines on the GTI are very clean.

stickguy

A killer Christmas week lease deal on a demo X1 or 3 series might throw all my frugal plans right into the crapper. Oh well!

suydam

I thought FE was important to you, which would rule out most of those. I see why the Accord Sport appeals.

nyccarguy

suydam said:

I thought FE was important to you, which would rule out most of those. I see why the Accord Sport appeals.

Fuel Economy is at the bottom of my priority list.

suydam

Good to know. I thought you had talked about it before. Put all those cars back on the list, then!

nyccarguy

suydam said:

Good to know. I thought you had talked about it before. Put all those cars back on the list, then!

What I've said in the past is that I'm disappointed with my Legacy's 26 or so mpg average given it's lackluster acceleration. It has a nice, big, 18.5 gal gas tank which usually gets me through a week.

breld

@nyccarguy - simply out of curiosity, why the 6-speed on the Accords, as I assume you'd be keeping the Prelude no matter what?

And...no mention of a WRX? That seems to have always been an option in the back of your mind.

breld

Quick update on my accountant's car search - he bought the Outlander Sport last night. I told him to call me during the process if he needed any help or advice.

He first called me to let me know they offered him the car for $15,900, which I still don't know how they got there, but I assume they were just anxious to move a FWD manual trannie model. He said he was out the door for $17,400, so knowing generally what the tax rate is, I think that $15,900 was before a $499 D&H, which still seems like a smoking deal.

I warned him of all the hard sell items in the finance office, so he successfully declined those options. The only shady thing they threw at him (which prompted his call to me) was their offer on interest rate. He already had been preapproved for 3.5% through his credit union. The dealership went through the same credit union and came back with a rate somewhere in the 5's, and claimed that his pre-approved rate didn't include various fees and "small print" that would make it in the 5's. I told him to politely tell them that he'd just come back the next day with the documents for his pre-approved loan and get the deal done. Magically, they matched the rate.

Anyway, felt good to help out one of my young employees (he's just a year out of college) with his first new car purchase and "educate" him on the pitfalls of the experience.

breld

This is what he got, except he chose a dark gray with a gray interior.

2017 Outlander Sport

Nothing too fancy, but I am pretty impressed with getting a brand new "SUV-like" hatchback for the price he got, even if it is FWD. He takes the bus to work and really just needed something for scooting around on the weekends, and one of his main objectives was simply to build up his credit.

stickguy

I just saw a local ad yesterday for a new sport at 16 something. Did not read fine print but might have been same basic car.

nyccarguy

breld said:

@nyccarguy - simply out of curiosity, why the 6-speed on the Accords, as I assume you'd be keeping the Prelude no matter what?

And...no mention of a WRX? That seems to have always been an option in the back of your mind.

Yes. I'm keeping the Prelude and the Pilot no matter what. Driving stick is second nature to me. I just love lowering myself into the Prelude, firing it up, and just ripping through the gears on my way to work. A 6-Speed Accord or Civic Hatchback would just be that much more fun to drive. They also have the modern conveniences that my Prelude doesn't have like bluetooth & decent cup holders. The Accord or Civic would be cheap enough for me to lease and keep paying off the Legacy.

A WRX is always on the back of my mind. That would fall under the "trade the Legacy in" category along with the Q50.

stickguy

Man, that headunit looks like it was left over from 2007.

houdini1

Keep us posted on his ownership experience. If he takes care and does the maintenance I predict he will be fine. I actually like the way it looks, and I believe it has a 5 year BtoB warranty.

breld

nyccarguy said:

breld said:

@nyccarguy - simply out of curiosity, why the 6-speed on the Accords, as I assume you'd be keeping the Prelude no matter what?

And...no mention of a WRX? That seems to have always been an option in the back of your mind.

Yes. I'm keeping the Prelude and the Pilot no matter what. Driving stick is second nature to me. I just love lowering myself into the Prelude, firing it up, and just ripping through the gears on my way to work. A 6-Speed Accord or Civic Hatchback would just be that much more fun to drive. They also have the modern conveniences that my Prelude doesn't have like bluetooth & decent cup holders. The Accord or Civic would be cheap enough for me to lease and keep paying off the Legacy.

A WRX is always on the back of my mind. That would fall under the "trade the Legacy in" category along with the Q50.

I'm missing the stick-driving experience a bit myself, though I sure appreciate the automatic in the BMW during the commute. I imagine at some point I'll end up "upgrading" the Durango to a nicer SUV for daily driving and get some less expensive fun car. I'm kind of backwards right now (not the first time I've found myself in this situation), where my most functional, hauling kids and stuff vehicle is the cheaper one and the more occasional car is the nicer one.

28firefighter

I give you until June.

breld

Some random thoughts on the Durango:

The only feature I find myself missing more than I thought I would is leather seating. I don't mind the look or feel of the cloth, particularly since the seats are still heated - but what I find annoying is how lint and dog hair seem to weave itself into the fabric, making it more difficult to clean up. And that's not having the dogs in the car - it's just residual from our clothes.

I'd consider adding leather to it instead of replacing the car (gasp!). But of course with that investment I'd want to be reasonably sure that I'd be keeping it for longer than usual.

There's been a few quirks so far - a warning message saying the tire pressure system needs to be serviced comes up now and again. A quick search on the web revealed that this is common, and most times the warning simply goes away (which it does) - I'll just ask about it when I get my first service done. And then I got another warning light about the front blinker bulb being out (and the turn signal clicked faster accordingly). That was annoying more than anything, since I don't think the bulb should burn out in 20k miles. But...somehow the warning went away and the light started blinking normal again - apparently the light bulb regenerated.

The transmission is slow to respond at times, and then can be a bit abrupt when it does downshift - I find myself adjusting for it through modulation of the throttle.

I'm still under BtoB warranty until October this year, so that gives me peace of mind.

breld

28firefighter said:

I give you until June.

A whole 3-4 months? That's generous of you!

28firefighter

I figure we need to be well out of winter driving season before the quirks of the Durango finally get the better of you.

graphicguy

nyccarguy said:

breld said:

@nyccarguy - simply out of curiosity, why the 6-speed on the Accords, as I assume you'd be keeping the Prelude no matter what?

And...no mention of a WRX? That seems to have always been an option in the back of your mind.

Yes. I'm keeping the Prelude and the Pilot no matter what. Driving stick is second nature to me. I just love lowering myself into the Prelude, firing it up, and just ripping through the gears on my way to work. A 6-Speed Accord or Civic Hatchback would just be that much more fun to drive. They also have the modern conveniences that my Prelude doesn't have like bluetooth & decent cup holders. The Accord or Civic would be cheap enough for me to lease and keep paying off the Legacy.

A WRX is always on the back of my mind. That would fall under the "trade the Legacy in" category along with the Q50.

I feel 'ya. I love getting in the Mustang and rowing the gears. Not as precise as your Prelude, the clutch is heavy and the shifter takes a bit of muscle, but fun nonetheless.

No argument on the Accord. Probably be tough to find a manual, though. The Q50 Signature (dealer didn't have any when I was shopping) looks like a screaming bargain. And, I'm thinking they are way under rating the power of the 3.0T.

Some good cars with really good powertrains on this list....

http://wardsauto.com/engines/10-best-engines

corvette

breld, if you have a cell phone charger plugged in when the TPMS warning illuminates, try unplugging it. That appears to have been the cause of the problem on my Murano. 

Mr_Shiftright

stickguy said:

Man, that headunit looks like it was left over from 2007.

Like I said, Mitsu is long in the tooth.

tjc78

Wow, I thought the infotainment in my 2015 Enclave was outdated.