Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

rayainsw

[[ repost ]]
Now that I have had the opportunity to actually drive the BMW for a while, here are a few thoughts that may be of interest here.
A little background:
I had a 2011 BMW 335iS – a ‘performance version’ of the then-current 335i. It had additional HP – and very substantial additional TQ, over the ‘normal’ 335i. Quite noticeably increased the acceleration. [ I admit that I am a TQ junkie. ]
The 340i announcement interested me because the specs suggested a very similar increase in the HP & TQ over the 335i - and a rather more reasonable upcharge in cost compared to the 335iS over the 335i, at the time.
Of particular interest to me: The [ truly wonderful ] BMW Sport Seats were now also included in the 340i – as well as the Harman-Kardon sound system & keyless entry \ start - as standard equipment. And various incremental improvements to the steering & chassis.
All this led me to believe that it would be quick enough to entertain me – and the overall BMW experience would be enhanced in other areas important to me. And the EPA MPG ratings were considerably better than my 335iS – or my Charger.
So. I recently discovered a left-over 2016 340i at a local dealer that was equipped much as I would order one – all the options I really require and want, but little else. In an exterior color I find appealing [ dark blue ] and an interior color that was not black. I drove it – and I was immediately smitten.
There was absolutely no logical reason for me to swap the Charger for this BMW. Except the CCBA genetic predisposition . . .
Yet I am so very glad that I did.
The responsiveness of the engine suggests that BMW is still underrating their HP & TQ.
[ No idea how this would be possible, today, but instrumented testing substantiates this. ]
The flexibility of this 6-cylinder is amazing. The throttle response is phenomenal – TQ delivery even at VERY low RPM [ 1,500 or less ] in any gear, is immediate & impressive. The acceleration feel is very satisfying – and I am more than a bit jaded, in that department.
The 8-speed ZF automatic is a contributing factor here, with shifts up & down that feel as quick as the DCT in my 2011, and are smooth – never jarring. I am pleased, indeed.
The handling \ ride compromise I find quite acceptable. Feels crisp and well-balanced, agile, sporty – but also well controlled with rarely any harshness. No float.
More when I can.
- Ray
Still smitten . . .

nyccarguy

Awesome @rayainsw!  

ab348

stickguy said:

found another "CCBA special" house. This baby could house quite a car collection. pretty cheap too!

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/145-Skyline-Dr_Landenberg_PA_19350_M44646-80615

Holy flowered wallpaper and borders, Batman!

stickguy

Who cares about that? Let the wife deal with it.

stickguy

Interesting ad today for an encore. Zero down, $299/mo. But a buy, not a lease. 25k sticker, about 18k sales price. And only $500 in loyalty incentive, the rest you qualify for. 60 months only, at 0%. Not a bad deal really, compared to doing a couple of leases.

kyfdx

stickguy said:

Interesting ad today for an encore. Zero down, $299/mo. But a buy, not a lease. 25k sticker, about 18k sales price. And only $500 in loyalty incentive, the rest you qualify for. 60 months only, at 0%. Not a bad deal really, compared to doing a couple of leases.

I'd rather lease for $199/mo, then cut that sucker loose after three years.

A friend of ours just bought a base FWD model. She likes it. (of course, coming from a Chevy Cobalt)

jpp75

Mr_Shiftright said:

rayainsw said:

Um - I posted a fairly long 340i review - at about 2:30 today.
It seems to have disappeared .... ??

Sorry, all I see is this one:

https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/comment/5312032/#Comment_5312032

I was going to say "Check your drafts folder" but after I tried saving a draft I couldn't find it again...

I actually saw and read Ray's post on the 340. It was a great review, so even if it's lost I enjoyed reading it Ray.

stickguy

After 3 years, will we $7,200. And have paid ~$2,400 more. So if you can sell it say $10,000 at 3 years old (40% residual roughly) you are ahead of the game. And of course, easier to bail early!

This one, with discounts, I would likely buy if I wanted one. Not for me, but good option for my daughter if she was graduating now!

andres3

nyccarguy said:

sda said:

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.

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.

Sounds like a great buy and car. My brother in law has a red G37 that was a CPO, around 20k mi, in perfect condition. I haven't ridden in it but he loves it and has had it for 2 years or so. When do you pick yours up?

New car day* is this coming Monday!  I'm so excited!

I'm anxious about Monday. Most likely the really slow leak under the car is just one particular part or other, but I have limited time to get this car fixed before an HPDE weekend coming up and parts for the TTS have been known to take a bit of time to get.

Anyone ever hear of EBC "yellow stuff" brake pads. Going with those as my choices are still extremely limited in the aftermarket maintenance part arena for the rare TT, and even rarer TTS. Found out my rear calipers are an ATE manufactured caliper.

My ultra lightweight wheels, good pads and 600 fluid, soft sticky tires, and this car is absolutely 100% ready for the track.

28firefighter

Great write-up, @rayainsw!

xwesx

@andres3 - I have no idea about the brake pads, but, speaking of TTS rarity, I saw one on the way to work this morning. It was sort of a burnt orange color (very pretty), and it flew past me at probably twenty over. Pretty gutsy for a little car on ice-patched roads! I grinned nonetheless.

xwesx

One thing that I find very endearing about the Q7:

When I have the "Tiptronic" in normal drive mode, it is quite tame - perhaps even sluggish. Put it to "S," and WHOA! It has a thirst for acceleration that is unreal. Yesterday, I was stuck behind a couple vehicles that were playing blockade. I hung back a while in the left lane, and when an opportunity presented itself to squeeze through, that thing went from about thirty to sixty in no-time.flat.

Plus, getting about 24 mpg in local driving. /insert grin here/

Mr_Shiftright

testing

stickguy said:

This is cute. Not first choice of colors, but I could live with it if forced to. Is the price fair? and by 2013 is the IMS no long an issue?

http://www.royaleasing.com/detail-2013-porsche-boxster-2dr_roadster-used-16190857.html

IMS was remedied about 2009....OR SO THEY SAY....

andres3

xwesx said:

@andres3 - I have no idea about the brake pads, but, speaking of TTS rarity, I saw one on the way to work this morning. It was sort of a burnt orange color (very pretty), and it flew past me at probably twenty over. Pretty gutsy for a little car on ice-patched roads! I grinned nonetheless.

quattro on an ice patched road! You didn't find the Orange TTS in a ditch so I guess they knew what they were doing.

The roads are dry here lately. If you rated my tires based on their- heavy rain downpour traction they'd be mediocre. However, if you rated them at how fast you can take a turn in the dry without inducing any noise/squeal, they'd be off the charts.

andres3

xwesx said:

One thing that I find very endearing about the Q7:

When I have the "Tiptronic" in normal drive mode, it is quite tame - perhaps even sluggish. Put it to "S," and WHOA! It has a thirst for acceleration that is unreal. Yesterday, I was stuck behind a couple vehicles that were playing blockade. I hung back a while in the left lane, and when an opportunity presented itself to squeeze through, that thing went from about thirty to sixty in no-time.flat.

Plus, getting about 24 mpg in local driving. /insert grin here/

I used to call "S-mode" in my old '06 A3 "madman" mode.

corvette

Got to ride in my neighbor's 1997 four-banger Camry this afternoon. It has 150k of city driving and looks like hell, inside and out. But the A/C was ice cold, the ride was comfortable, and the automatic transmission had butter-smooth shifts. It was quiet, but we were on city streets and didn't get above 40 MPH. I know she's done a lot of maintenance on it, but I'm still impressed with its mechanical condition, especially since it's one of the "decontented" Camrys.

cdnpinhead

You take care of it, it'll take care of you. . .if it's the right brand/model. This has been my life.

xwesx

andres3 said:

quattro on an ice patched road! You didn't find the Orange TTS in a ditch so I guess they knew what they were doing.

The roads are dry here lately. If you rated my tires based on their- heavy rain downpour traction they'd be mediocre. However, if you rated them at how fast you can take a turn in the dry without inducing any noise/squeal, they'd be off the charts.

Oh, yeah; they were doing fine. That car just doesn't have much of a wheelbase, so it could go sideways in a hurry. Plus, it's not a car one sees much during the winter months, so who knows if they have winter tires on it or are just trying to get some early season drives in. Most of the main roads are pretty much dry for the time being. Where there's ice, though, it is very slippery this time of year (due to sun-glazing).

I'm not very familiar with Audi's AWD and TC systems, so I haven't tried pushing the limits. I know the traction control engaged on mine several times while we were driving through the blizzard and dealing with several inches of accumulated slush, as well as on the Cassiar's glare ice, but I wasn't really pushing the car at those times, so all I noticed was the light flashing. Maybe it is just so good of a system as to be completely non-intrusive.... ?

andres3

xwesx said:

andres3 said:

quattro on an ice patched road! You didn't find the Orange TTS in a ditch so I guess they knew what they were doing.

The roads are dry here lately. If you rated my tires based on their- heavy rain downpour traction they'd be mediocre. However, if you rated them at how fast you can take a turn in the dry without inducing any noise/squeal, they'd be off the charts.

Oh, yeah; they were doing fine. That car just doesn't have much of a wheelbase, so it could go sideways in a hurry. Plus, it's not a car one sees much during the winter months, so who knows if they have winter tires on it or are just trying to get some early season drives in. Most of the main roads are pretty much dry for the time being. Where there's ice, though, it is very slippery this time of year (due to sun-glazing).

I'm not very familiar with Audi's AWD and TC systems, so I haven't tried pushing the limits. I know the traction control engaged on mine several times while we were driving through the blizzard and dealing with several inches of accumulated slush, as well as on the Cassiar's glare ice, but I wasn't really pushing the car at those times, so all I noticed was the light flashing. Maybe it is just so good of a system as to be completely non-intrusive.... ?

Being in Southern CA, most of my tests of the AWD system have to do with taking advantage of superior acceleration in ways that can be trying to a 2 WD system.

Right turn on red (or stop signs) 90 degree type turns with full-blast acceleration results in speed rather than wheel spin, over, and/or under-steer.

Also, it is easy, straight, and stable to do full blast straight-line acceleration runs even when the ground is wet (haven't tried this on snow or ice yet).

Michaell

Lunch today with @breld and @jpp5862 . Bonus guest of Mrs. @breld

I'm almost convinced to go to the Infiniti dealer tomorrow morning and take a look at the Q40's that are on the lot. @jpp5862 said he'd accompany enable me.

stickguy

Free to drive. Go for it.

jpp75

Michaell said:

Lunch today with @breld and @jpp5862 . Bonus guest of Mrs. @breld

I'm almost convinced to go to the Infiniti dealer tomorrow morning and take a look at the Q40's that are on the lot. @jpp5862 said he'd accompany enable me.

I'm open all day.

Also great to meet Mrs. @breld today as well and see @breld and @michaell. Wish I could be here for the auto show in a couple of weeks.

Michaell

jpp5862 said:

Michaell said:

Lunch today with @breld and @jpp5862 . Bonus guest of Mrs. @breld

I'm almost convinced to go to the Infiniti dealer tomorrow morning and take a look at the Q40's that are on the lot. @jpp5862 said he'd accompany enable me.

I'm open all day.

If we're gonna do it, best to do it early and get it out of the way. Meet for breakfast around 9, then head over? You still staying up north?

stickguy

Michael, I like this one near me. Prefer these colors. Plus infiniti certified, so has a full 4 years, unlimited miles (I know, not important to me or you) on it. I could definitely live with this one.

http://www.infinitiofardmore.com/VehicleDetails/certified-2015-INFINITI-Q40-AWD-Ardmore-PA/2951092933

Michaell

stickguy said:

Michael, I like this one near me. Prefer these colors. Plus infiniti certified, so has a full 4 years, unlimited miles (I know, not important to me or you) on it. I could definitely live with this one.

http://www.infinitiofardmore.com/VehicleDetails/certified-2015-INFINITI-Q40-AWD-Ardmore-PA/2951092933

Yeah, I prefer the white, too.

This is crazy. I should stay home.

stickguy

nah. go shopping. I am living in the hell of being dumped into a dysfunctional family as the executor of my sisters will. So I am not looking myself, and really need the diversion of reading about all you fine people with their car shopping and purchases.

28firefighter

Michaell said:

Michael, I like this one near me. Prefer these colors. Plus infiniti certified, so has a full 4 years, unlimited miles (I know, not important to me or you) on it. I could definitely live with this one. http://www.infinitiofardmore.com/VehicleDetails/certified-2015-INFINITI-Q40-AWD-Ardmore-PA/2951092933

Yeah, I prefer the white, too. This is crazy. I should stay home.

Probably. But then you wouldn't be here.  Looking never hurt anyone. 

That Ardmore dealership is near where I grew up.  Even after being renovated about 10-15 years ago the plot of land it's on is still weird. 

For a while their service department was housed about 2 miles away at the edge of Suburban Square. Not sure if that's still the case. 

Michaell

stickguy said:

nah. go shopping. I am living in the hell of being dumped into a dysfunctional family as the executor of my sisters will. So I am not looking myself, and really need the diversion of reading about all you fine people with their car shopping and purchases.

Wait, what?

My condolences on your sisters passing.

I can't imagine what will happen when two CCBA'ers get together to go shopping.

@breld and I walked the Audi, Mazda and Volvo lots a few months back.

And, @jpp5862 has owned a G37, so he can share with me all the pros and cons during the test drive.

breld

I'd join you two for some Infiniti shopping, but I'll be watching our three boys most of the day. Look forward to hearing the report and impressions.

qbrozen

I'll be helping my brother and his fiance tomorrow trying to find her a decent $6k SUV. Quite the tall order, really. I found a couple of FWD Santa Fes as well as one local Mountaineer, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

stickguy

that is a tough price point. Would really help if they could stretch to at least $9, but deal with what you got.

if this is representative of what real dealers have, good luck on CL!

http://www.auditurnersville.com/used-inventory/index.htm?search=&bodyStyle=SUV&internetPrice=1-8408&saveFacetState=true&lastFacetInteracted=inventory-listing1-facet-anchor-internetPrice-0

stickguy

Thanks Michael. Yes, she died a week ago, and the whole situation is extremely messy, with way too much family drama that I am sucked into the middle of.

stickguy

since you mentioned Santa Fe, one just popped up at the Sube dealer near me, Gotta ask for the price though. Miles aren't bad.

http://www.subaruofcherryhill.com/used/Hyundai/2004-Hyundai-Santa+Fe-Cherry+Hill+NJ-ff50792a0a0e0a6b0f6fe52234db52c5.htm?searchDepth=10:51

nyccarguy

stickguy said:

Thanks Michael. Yes, she died a week ago, and the whole situation is extremely messy, with way too much family drama that I am sucked into the middle of.

I'm so sorry about your sister's death @stickguy. Please accept my condolences. Is this the one who lives in Upstate, NY?

corvette

stickguy, sorry for your loss!

qbrozen, they could probably get a lot more car for their money if they were willing to get a sedan. $6k is a tough price point, regardless. $10k would open up a lot more options.

sda

stickguy, condolences to you and your family.

carnaught

stickguy said:

Thanks Michael. Yes, she died a week ago, and the whole situation is extremely messy, with way too much family drama that I am sucked into the middle of.

@stickguy, my condolensces for your loss

tbirdmarco

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3ecpYGoojVQ

tbirdmarco

@rayainsw Thanks for the grate rite up of yiour car after having it for an bit really did injoy reading it!

tbirdmarco

have an grate weekend all!

tbirdmarco

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gUr650GmQ_8

tbirdmarco

@stickguy sorry for your lause

tbirdmarco

new York auto show is real soon 2 weeks think cant wate to go and sit in everything like I usally do lol lol anyone elce going to be going?

tbirdmarco

@qbrozen good luck today with that as others have said tuff tuff price point cant wate to hear what you all find and do end up getting!

nyccarguy

@marcothecarguy1986 - We have a family tradition. Every year on Easter Sunday we go to the car show in the city. My son who is 10 will be going to his 11th car show. We have a conflict and can't go on Easter Sunday. I'm not sure when we are going now. When are you planning to go?

qbrozen

stickguy said:

since you mentioned Santa Fe, one just popped up at the Sube dealer near me, Gotta ask for the price though. Miles aren't bad. http://www.subaruofcherryhill.com/used/Hyundai/2004-Hyundai-Santa+Fe-Cherry+Hill+NJ-ff50792a0a0e0a6b0f6fe52234db52c5.htm?searchDepth=10:51

One just like that was at a dealer near princeton for $4400. My brother's fiance just called and it is sold.

ab348

Sorry to hear your sad news, @stickguy. My condolences.

Being an executor is something that comes in varying degrees of painful depending upon the situation. Since my siblings are all considerably older than I am and some are not in good health, I am in the midst of a dilemma trying to select one right now as I am redoing my will. It is difficult.

28firefighter

So sorry, @stickguy

graphicguy

stickguy said:

Free to drive. Go for it.

Michaell, I'm with Stick on that....drive it. It's free. (snickering right now, knowing a possible outcome).

kyfdx

qbrozen said:

I'll be helping my brother and his fiance tomorrow trying to find her a decent $6k SUV. Quite the tall order, really. I found a couple of FWD Santa Fes as well as one local Mountaineer, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Just get the price up to the high teens, and I have a Santa Fe Sport for you...