Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

Mr_Shiftright

andres3 said:

xwesx said:

cdnpinhead said:

xwesx said:

So, it looks like fixing the Forester is a no-go. There is just no way for the shop to do it economically.

That's a shame if it's like our Pathfinder that was excellent in all ways but just cost too much to fix, relative to what it was worth. OTOH, if the repairs required dealing with areas of the vehicle that are hard to get right, maybe not so much.

Probably some of both. They're talking about $12K for the "minimal" estimate, which means repairing parts and/or using used sheet metal, etc., as appropriate. And, I assume that doesn't include paint, which I can do myself in fairly decent fashion. So, pretty major repairs.

I think one thing that really sends it over the top is the airbag deployment. Replacing required stuff in there (so that they can deploy again) includes much of the steering column (about $2,500 total) and the front airbag sensors, etc. We wanted to be able to "get there" for the $9,100 net payout (approximately), so $12K is enough that I could buy a reasonable replacement for that, and not have a car that was branded and then patched together.

Would a repair sans air bags be feasible? Depends if your willing to drive around in a car without air bags. If you drove a car prior to the '90's I'm sure you've done it before.

No repair shop would dare do that. You'd probably have to fix the car yourself. There have been incidents of bandit body shops repairing salvage cars and putting a dummy air bag in there without the buyer's knowledge.

Evil.

andres3

Mr_Shiftright said:

andres3 said:

xwesx said:

cdnpinhead said:

xwesx said:

So, it looks like fixing the Forester is a no-go. There is just no way for the shop to do it economically.

That's a shame if it's like our Pathfinder that was excellent in all ways but just cost too much to fix, relative to what it was worth. OTOH, if the repairs required dealing with areas of the vehicle that are hard to get right, maybe not so much.

Probably some of both. They're talking about $12K for the "minimal" estimate, which means repairing parts and/or using used sheet metal, etc., as appropriate. And, I assume that doesn't include paint, which I can do myself in fairly decent fashion. So, pretty major repairs.

I think one thing that really sends it over the top is the airbag deployment. Replacing required stuff in there (so that they can deploy again) includes much of the steering column (about $2,500 total) and the front airbag sensors, etc. We wanted to be able to "get there" for the $9,100 net payout (approximately), so $12K is enough that I could buy a reasonable replacement for that, and not have a car that was branded and then patched together.

Would a repair sans air bags be feasible? Depends if your willing to drive around in a car without air bags. If you drove a car prior to the '90's I'm sure you've done it before.

No repair shop would dare do that. You'd probably have to fix the car yourself. There have been incidents of bandit body shops repairing salvage cars and putting a dummy air bag in there without the buyer's knowledge.

Evil.

Agree that would be evil. However, I'm sure a Lawyer could draft up several forms and letters that release all risk and liability for the right to waive airbag repair. As long as the owner is fully knowledgeable about the decision, I don't see the harm.

With the Takata recall, some cars might be safer without the airbags.

corvette

I've seen salvage rebuilders omit the airbags and get the buyer to sign a form acknowledging the car has no airbags. I think it's illegal in some states, but not all. I wouldn't want one that had been rebuilt like that. 

kyfdx

Did you see the pictures? Would you want your wife and small children driving around with less protection than before?

corvette

kyfdx said:

Did you see the pictures? Would you want your wife and small children driving around with less protection than before?

I wouldn't want that back even if the insurance company deemed it "repairable"  and replaced the airbags. Repairable doesn't mean safe. 

xwesx

Mr_Shiftright said:

No repair shop would dare do that. You'd probably have to fix the car yourself. There have been incidents of bandit body shops repairing salvage cars and putting a dummy air bag in there without the buyer's knowledge.

Evil.

Ya, agreed. I wouldn't want it that way, and I'm certain nobody else would want it that way (later on, as I'm sure we wouldn't keep it "forever" regardless).

stickguy

nyccarguy said:

I never got dedicated wheels for the snow tires. I had them uninstalled and reinstalled on the stock wheels. I might look into getting dedicated winter wheels for the Infiniti.

I think worth the investment. Can't be that good for the wheels doing that many swaps. Plus less abuse to the nice alloys being off the winter roads

xwesx

stickguy said:

I think worth the investment. Can't be that good for the wheels doing that many swaps. Plus less abuse to the nice alloys being off the winter roads

While true, it takes a few seasonal swaps before the dedicated wheels pay for themselves. In this case, it worked out for the best! Tires are much more amenable to transporting different makes/models than the wheels on which they roll.

nyccarguy

We are all set for Monday. Rubbing my hands together. I'm very excited!

stickguy

Heck, I'm excited and I'm not even getting a car out of this!

Looking starts soon. When the princess gets back from Ireland she has a few weeks off before her internship starts and wants to do some looking while home. I'm game.

corvette

It took me several rides in the GF's Escape to figure this out--Ford has a different chime sound compared to the Lincoln I rented a few months ago. The Lincoln chime sounds more luxurious.

Ford:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z29QYMt3EgA


Lincoln:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msMQ7m9sopY


Kind of like how BMW and Mini use different sounds (or at least they used to).

tbirdmarco

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mM6Z68aKoJ8

tbirdmarco

@nyccarguy when are you picking up the new car. just wondering.

tbirdmarco

@nyccarguy nice so Munday you get the new car so happy for you. sorry did not see the posting about Munday till after I posted the other one.

tbirdmarco

@stickguy sounds good to me cant wate to hear about all of the looking at cars you and your daughter do and what you boath think of each car.

andres3

Speaking of Infinity, I think that a G37 type sedan would cure my itch for something sportier for daily driving as well, that could also haul 4 people comfortably, at a price that greatly undercuts an S4.

Michaell

I found a 2013 G37x at a Carmax in Denver - 31,000 miles, $20,599 price.

nyccarguy

Oooooo I started a trend;). Well, to be fair, it was @qbrozen

Sandman6472

Drove in a newish Jag XE today...meh! Wasn't impressed with the interior as it felt a bit cheap but when my lead driver hit the accelerator, whooosshhhhh, we were down the pike quick like, pedal to the metal, it is fast. Was black over black, think another color combo might've made us both feel differently about it. About an hour later, was sent to pick up an Escalade from another Hertz HLE location. That sucker is sure biggggg and a bit awkward at first. Felt very heavy and when going up to speed, feels still very large. Not something I'd ever want.
A new Chevy Cruze was in the back, about 5K on it and had been in an accident. Was told to take it to the body damage area outside the Ft. Lauderdale airport. Hit was in the drivers side from the back door to the back quarter panel. Must of been a hard enough hit because all the side air bags on both sides deployed and would've been hard to see out when driving it. tried to put the seat belt on but it was stuck at a certain point and it wouldn't fit around me. Now I'm not that big, maybe 5'7" and weigh in at 159 pounds but still, the seat belt just couldn't get near the connection point. It'll have to be towed because first of all, against the law to drive without the seat belt on and second, it's a safety hazard because the view out the back and sides is compromised. Heard no one was hurt so all the safety stuff did their job well.

The Sandman


(On the way home, passed a house around the corner with a new Golf and Mini Cooper in the driveway. They looked almost identical in size, a good thing. Will need to stop over one day when both are there and talk to the folks about their feelings about the Mini Cooper. For some odd reason, I dig them and want to replace the Golf with one at the appropriate time.)

Michaell

nyccarguy said:

Oooooo I started a trend;). Well, to be fair, it was @qbrozen

If it was at the CarMax in town, I'd be looking at it tonight. But, it's in Denver...

Sandman6472

Set up my 30K service at VW for Thursday the 7th of April. Asked my service advisor what the 30K service entails and she mentioned the brake fluid replacement along with a bunch of other stuff I knew about. Glad that the brake fluid will be replaced as it's good to have fresh in there after so many miles. So glad I prepaid for both the 20K and 30K services when I bought it, figure by then, any issues will have cropped up because I'll be hitting the magic 36K before the three years are up. After that, VW no longer responsible for anything in the basic B to B warranty. It's all on my dime then!
So far, no issues to speak of except that pesky starter wire that took awhile to locate. Since then, been as flawless as the A3 so we're both happy.
As of today, decided that driving to Chicago is out. Anyone who won't fly will be taking the train. Just do not want to sit in a car for over 20 hours. Not when within two plus hours, I can be in Midway airport waiting to see the kids.

The Sandman

stickguy

the G37 is a nice package for the price. certainly fast. A nice size for me. I will have on the list at the end of the year if I am buying not leasing.

I mentioned to the wife last weekend (we were travelling with the RDX) that you do get used to having more HP than you really need! That car scoots.

tjc78

I feel like I keep going down in power.  The Avalon and Genesis were close to 6 seconds to 60.  The LaCrosse was the slowest 300 hp vehicle I've ever driven since it's a heavy sucker.  The Enclave is ok for what it is but again 290 hp and heavy. The Elantra is a slug, but does everything else well so it gets a pass. The 04 MGM with its turd 4.6 would out drag it I think.

corvette

tjc78 said:

The 04 MGM with its turd 4.6 would out drag it I think.

Definitely wouldn't out-handle it though!

I like to trust but verify: Oil level looks good, new Nissan oil filter, the bleed screws I could find on the brake calipers looked to have been cleaned before they bled the brakes, and the brake fluid is fully topped off. They worked pretty quickly, too, and didn't try to sell me unnecessary additional services. So, I have to say, Byerly Nissan did right by me. They only have a Ford and a Nissan franchise, so it's one of the smaller franchise dealers in the Louisville area, which is sometimes a good thing.

Also, their standard price for an oil change (with no coupon) is less than Valvoline Instant Oil Change. I've been to Valvoline a couple of times before, and Valvoline is all about selling people unnecessary extras! Plus there is usually a line at VIOC, which kind of defeats the purpose of a rapid drive-through oil change. It's a good ways out of my way, but I think I may just go back to the Nissan dealer the next time I need an oil change.

Michaell

Darn you, Bradd!

Local Infiniti dealer has 3 Q40's for sale:

Silver/Black - 24K miles - $24,733
Black/Black - 18K miles - $23,921
Silver/Black - 48K miles - $22,882

28firefighter

They really are a phenomenal used car value.

I wonder how the backseat and trunk space is for car seats and baby related things...

stickguy

Hey, you're the one that locked himself in for the next 2.5 years. But still fun to look. Even better for me. They will be cheaper still in December.

Michaell

28firefighter said:

They really are a phenomenal used car value.

I wonder how the backseat and trunk space is for car seats and baby related things...

Fortunately, that's isn't a concern to me.

Golf clubs, however, are a different story. And, a weeks worth of groceries.

Michaell

stickguy said:

Hey, you're the one that locked himself in for the next 2.5 years. But still fun to look. Even better for me. They will be cheaper still in December.

Oh, hush.

Wonder what the payoff is on the Jetta after 7 months and 3300 miles?

Should I post over in RWTIV and get a number from Q?

Man, I'm channeling @breld. Problem is I don't think I could afford the payment on a used car note.

stickguy

Back seat is ok. Smaller than the sonata, but plenty big enough for normal sized people on occasion. And trunk will certainly fit golf clubs. And for bradd, hockey bags!

IMO this and the S60 are perfect tweener sized cars.

stickguy

Michaell said:

stickguy said:

Hey, you're the one that locked himself in for the next 2.5 years. But still fun to look. Even better for me. They will be cheaper still in December.

Oh, hush.

Wonder what the payoff is on the Jetta after 7 months and 3300 miles?

Should I post over in RWTIV and get a number from Q?

Man, I'm channeling @breld. Problem is I don't think I could afford the payment on a used car note.

Doesn't hurt to ask. And here, I can justify the payment. You will build equity, eventually be payment free, and just using some of the house money not spending by not moving. Problem solved.

With you usage (same for me) that is an easy 10 year keeper car! High on my list right now. Might be even higher when I finally drive one. I know the princess will love it!

Michaell

stickguy said:

Michaell said:

stickguy said:

Hey, you're the one that locked himself in for the next 2.5 years. But still fun to look. Even better for me. They will be cheaper still in December.

Oh, hush.

Wonder what the payoff is on the Jetta after 7 months and 3300 miles?

Should I post over in RWTIV and get a number from Q?

Man, I'm channeling @breld. Problem is I don't think I could afford the payment on a used car note.

Doesn't hurt to ask. And here, I can justify the payment. You will build equity, eventually be payment free, and just using some of the house money not spending by not moving. Problem solved.

With you usage (same for me) that is an easy 10 year keeper car! High on my list right now. Might be even higher when I finally drive one. I know the princess will love it!

There isn't a lot of wiggle room in the budget, despite the fact that we're staying put.

However, I am hoping to get a raise in a few months ...

nyccarguy

28firefighter said:

They really are a phenomenal used car value.

I wonder how the backseat and trunk space is for car seats and baby related things...

Once you move him to a forward facing car seat at age 2, things get exponentially easier. Right now with your little guy in the rear facing bucket seat that comes out, then the next rear facing car seat it might be a tight squeeze for whomever is riding shotgun.

We did it with 2 in our 2007 X3, then the 2010 TSX. I can't imagine it being any smaller than the GTI. Your wife's X1 is the primary baby transport anyway, right? So in a pinch it will do the trick. When my son was born, we had the Prelude and my wife's 2000 Mazda Protege ES.

The value quotient is really what drove me to start looking at the G37x/Q40 more seriously (other than the fact that my snow tires would fit). I'm buying a 328 hp, RWD based AWD car with leather, sunroof, navigation, bluetooth for about what I paid for my 2015 Subaru Legacy 2 1/2 years ago. I can't wait to post my initial impressions.

Michaell

nyccarguy said:

28firefighter said:

They really are a phenomenal used car value.

I wonder how the backseat and trunk space is for car seats and baby related things...

Once you move him to a forward facing car seat at age 2, things get exponentially easier. Right now with your little guy in the rear facing bucket seat that comes out, then the next rear facing car seat it might be a tight squeeze for whomever is riding shotgun.

We did it with 2 in our 2007 X3, then the 2010 TSX. I can't imagine it being any smaller than the GTI. Your wife's X1 is the primary baby transport anyway, right? So in a pinch it will do the trick. When my son was born, we had the Prelude and my wife's 2000 Mazda Protege ES.

There was a long discussion over on TTAC about this; guy has a pristine 2008 Lexus LS and wants to sell it and get a Lincoln MKT for kid carrying duty.

Mr_Shiftright

Michaell said:

stickguy said:

Hey, you're the one that locked himself in for the next 2.5 years. But still fun to look. Even better for me. They will be cheaper still in December.

Oh, hush.

Wonder what the payoff is on the Jetta after 7 months and 3300 miles?

Should I post over in RWTIV and get a number from Q?

Man, I'm channeling @breld. Problem is I don't think I could afford the payment on a used car note.

Affording? What does "affording" have to do with it? This is bigger than affording.

This is CCBA.

28firefighter

@nyccarguy - Yes, the X1 is primary baby hauler. Right now his Cybex baby carrier fits behind the passenger seat of the GTI, if the seat is pulled up some. His next car seat is a Daiono rear facing convertible that will take over around 6 months. We only bought one because it won't even fit in the GTI.

The in-between car seats, like you said, are especially bulky before the convert to forward facing.

stickguy

if you can't fit in an LS, you either have huge kids, or carry way too much stuff.

Michaell

stickguy said:

if you can't fit in an LS, you either have huge kids, or carry way too much stuff.

It's the latter. The LS is used strictly for road trips, and they pack a lot.

andres3

28firefighter said:

@nyccarguy - Yes, the X1 is primary baby hauler. Right now his Cybex baby carrier fits behind the passenger seat of the GTI, if the seat is pulled up some. His next car seat is a Daiono rear facing convertible that will take over around 6 months. We only bought one because it won't even fit in the GTI.

The in-between car seats, like you said, are especially bulky before the convert to forward facing.

In CA they passed a law you must keep your child rear-facing at least until they are 2, and they recommend 3 or 4.

I looked at some of the data and statistics behind rear-facing seats, and it isn't very strong to be honest. Only a little bit better than the dubious "speed kills" crowd.

For a bad driver rear-facing makes sense, but for a good driver, it might not make sense (statistically speaking). It all has to do with which way the forces are applied in the manner the accident occurs.

People managed to survive the world prior to car seats, so I'm sure either type properly installed is much better than the old "stick your arm out" method of protecting kids.

jpp75

Michaell said:

nyccarguy said:

Oooooo I started a trend;). Well, to be fair, it was @qbrozen

If it was at the CarMax in town, I'd be looking at it tonight. But, it's in Denver...

So we'll go look at it Friday after lunch?

tjc78

We all my fit in my Elantra.  One three year old in a front facing and my 17 month old in a removable bucket seat with base.   We can fit our (huge) double stroller in the trunk with room for a baby bag and a small amount of bags from grocery store.  

There are times I question our need for the giant SUV, but it is certainly convenient 

tbirdmarco

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L6WCxzWel08

tbirdmarco

@corvette glad you found an good Nissan dealer. an good car dealer is tuff to find lol. I use yelp. most Nissan dealers around hear stink would never go back or deal with them ever for the secand time. only one good Nissan dealer did find around hear have not delt with them yet. next time around if my mom wants to stick with Nissan. will see when the summer comes around.

nyccarguy

tjc78 said:

We all my fit in my Elantra.  One three year old in a front facing and my 17 month old in a removable bucket seat with base.   We can fit our (huge) double stroller in the trunk with room for a baby bag and a small amount of bags from grocery store.  

There are times I question our need for the giant SUV, but it is certainly convenient 

You hit the nail on the head. When I saw we were fast approaching our allotted 45,000 miles after only 2 years with our 2007 X3 (with 1 to go), I started shopping for cars (keeping this CCBA related) to buy with my cash 4 clunkers money. Obviously fuel economy was a factor as the car I was going to purchase had to get a certain combined MPG in order for me to get the $3,500 or $4,500 credit. I walked into dealerships with our City Mini Double Stroller and a Britax Marathon car seat. The 1st test was to see if the rear facing seat fit behind the passenger seat and it would still be comfortable. The second test was to see if our City Mini Double Stroller fit in the trunk with room to spare. The TSX we bought fit the bill perfectly. The TSX worked as our family hauler/wife's daily driver for the better part of 2 years.

That being said, an SUV is very convenient. Just being able to throw things in the trunk (say for a quick trip to the beach) with reckless abandonment without playing trunk Tetris makes life easier

tbirdmarco

what do you all think of going to an indy shop verses the dealer if you can find an highly rated indy shop. good shop near my house thinking to have the family start bring there cars to. only go to the dealer for recalls since they are the only ones who can do the recalls. and worintee work to dealer is neaded.

nyccarguy

I bring our Pilot and my Prelude to a trusted independent mechanic by my store in the Bronx. He's reasonably priced & I know my cars are being worked on properly.

stickguy

I haven't had a car go outside of the dealer for service in quite a while. Other than stuff like tires and brakes. the newer cars I want at the dealer since warranty concerns are in play. Plus, for routine oil changes and stuff like they, just as cheap.

tbirdmarco

@nyccarguy thanks for the input. going to bring the infinity to?

fintail

I take my modern car to the dealer as it is under warranty, and I have prepaid servicing. For my old car, I have a trusted indy shop - with an old German car, you don't want to pay dealer labor rates, as you'll risk exceeding the value of the car for moderate repairs.

tbirdmarco

@fintail thanks for your input.