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Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)
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I am getting blitzed by e-mails now from the Honda dealer, asking me if I am still interested in the '07 SI for $19,9. Meanwhile, the Subaru dealer has let me know he has an '07 Legacy wagon (5-sp) which he could let go for around $19K including the current rebate. It's not sporty like the SI or the WRX, but it is AWD and a decently peppy ride. I think my attention is wandering too much. :sick:
I will write back the Honda dealer and say no thanks and please stop e-mailing me. I have also just discovered that out on the horizon (say in the next 3 months or so) I have a family member who is about to get rid of her '01 Civic EX coupe 5-speed with about 50K miles, and would I be interested for around $9 grand? Yes, maybe I would, and just put all these other considerations to rest for a year or two.....
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Of course then they should have had the Vue die in front of the Volvo dealer....
Great idea! $5K will buy a very nice 325is or 318is, and both models can be maintained by a decent shade tree mechanic. The 318is is especially sweet, and doesn't require periodic valve adjustments or timing belt replacements. Bolt on a Downing Atlanta Supercharger and you'll have no end of fun...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I also suspect that the problem is related to the fuel system. Has the fuel filter ever been replaced? Most newer cars no longer call for filter replacement, but that doesn't stop the filters from getting clogged.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
We have an '05 Legacy 2.5i wagon that was about the same price. It has been a great car thus far. I added a hitch/hitch mount bike rack and we take our bikes all over with it. I have also brought home furniture via a rented trailer. It performs well on trips, gets just over 30 mpg highway, and has just been a great addition to the family.
The only complaint I have is I don't like the way the infant seat fits in the middle spot in the back seat. It tends to twist if I don't get the seatbelt just right.
I really like the ride, it feels very sporty, and its phenominal in the snow. I would've (perhaps should've) gotten a Legacy sedan to replace the outgoing Accord.
I actually wouldn't mind an older 3 series. I really want a 2001 or 2002 325it (the wagon) with a 5 speed, but they aren't that common.
If I went older, I still have a sweet spot for the 318Ti. I just have a thing for hatchbacks. Not likely to get an old M3, especially with a teenager in the house!
Just took the Accord on a short trip, and it got about 35 on the highway portion. Not too shabby. Nice car, and real hard to justify replacing it due to a case of the I wants!
Now, after Jr. learns to drive on it it might be another story.
Probably best to wait until he goes away to school and then get myself another toy.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Me too; I plan to keep my 1995 ti forever. It's still a blast to drive and it has proven very inexpensive to maintain. My son thinks he'll get to drive it when he turns 16.
Dream on...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Me: Huh. So, we write it off as a one time anomaly?
SSR: Yep, guess so. Come pick your car up at any time; we close at 6.
(10 minutes later)
Me: Honey, the Saturn dealer can't figure out what is wrong with your car. They can't promise the problem won't happen again.
Mrs. Michaell: Huh.
(At the dealer around 5:30)
SSR: Here is your paperwork; no charge for the diagnosis.
Mrs. Michaell: Do you want to see what they have on the lot?
Me: Sure.
Saturn Sales Manager: We have this nice Techno Gray XR AWD with everything you want on it. We just got it in today and haven't even had time to unwrap it. Three whole miles on it.
Mrs. Michaell: Can we drive it?
(Sales manager brings over salesman; tells us we are in good hands)
Salesman: Let us take all the plastic off the seats, doors, dash and bumpers, then we'll go.
(after the test drive)
Salesman: Want to run some numbers?
Us: Sure
(song and dance ensues; who says you can't negotiate at a Saturn dealer?)
Mrs. Michaell: Negative equity? We don't need no steenkin' negative equity.
(after we come to an agreement on selling price and trade in value)
Salesman: Congratulations on your new purchase. However, since the car wasn't prepped, you can't take it home with you today.
Us: We understand.
(in Finance Managers office)
Saturn Finance Manager: Sign here, here, here, here and here.
Us: Got it.
We are now the proud owners of a 2008 Techno Gray VUE XR AWD. Convenience package, heated seats, trailering package (3500 lbs.), chrome skid plates (a little bling never hurt) and a 6 CD changer with 3 months of XM.
Mrs. Michaell is happy, for she now has a car that she feels she can trust. Since she's headed on a road trip on Friday to help our daughter move into her dorm at college, this is very important.
I am happy, as I got the new car joneses out of my system.
Guess I can renew my CCBA membership. The L300 will be nursed along for as long as it makes sense. If it makes it for 3 1/2 years, then I'll have some additional income available and I'll get something nice for myself. If it doesn't make it that long, I'll get something relatively inexpensive that will get me back and forth to work.
I was never a big fan of the old Vue, but the new ones are gorgeous. Saturn is definitely on it's way up.
It's funny how a little bit of unreliability can push us over the edge. That feeling of being stranded somewhere is a powerful motivateor.
Good luck with the new Vue!
Even though one of the biggest assets of the Saturn brand is no more (the polymer side panels), I think that Saturn, by becoming the "Opel of America" is on the right track.
We were able to take a longer test drive last night than the first time. My impression is that the extra weight slows it down compared to our '04 ... the pounds per HP went from about 14.5 on the '04 to just under 17.
However, there is way less noise overall .. could be the extra sound deadening, could be the construction, but it is so quiet in comparison. The transmission (6-speed auto with tap shift) changes gears very well, and the tap shift allows my wife more control of gear selection in the winter.
Inside, the Playskool feel is minimized in the new car - it looks and feels so much more upscale. Not sure how much we'll use XM, as the AUX jack will see lots of use, given that everyone in our family has an iPod.
Another feature the wife really likes is the remote start .. great all year long, so she can cool the car off in the summer and heat it up in the winter. Also comes with a heating system for the wiper fluid.
Interior space for passengers is about the same, but there is less cargo space due to the new design.
We pick it up this afternoon. As I mentioned before, it had just arrived off the truck yesterday and hadn't been prepped by the dealer at all.
It goes to Ft. Collins and back this weekend, so the wife will give me an update on how it drives. I've told her she'll have to vary the speed to help break the engine in - she can't just set the cruise at 75 for the entire trip.
dad -- yeah, it is funny. Although I had a strong suspicion yesterday when I told the wife that they couldn't reproduce the problem, the '04 was on its way out the door.
We talked, very briefly, about something other than a Saturn. She had made the comment about wanting a vehicle that we could service in our hometown - which meant Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Suzuki, Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick or Hummer. All but Suzuki I get supplier discounts for.
We had seen a Jeep Patriot over the weekend and I commented to her about how it was the reincarnation of the original Cherokee .. she sorta liked it, but she really likes the whole approach Saturn has about customer service.
A co-worker of hers has a new 4-door Wrangler, and the wife really liked that, but recognizes that it probably would have been too harsh and unrefined for her.
But, for her car, she is usually in the keep in indefinitely catagory (why do you need a new one, what the matter with the old one?). Especially now that we get her nicer stuff!
However, that only goes until she doesn't trust it anymore. Getting stranded, especially if she is by herself, can be the kiss of death. She might give it a 2nd chance, but I know that if it stranded her twice, or started becoming problematic (with unplanned trips to the dealer), I would get instructions to go find a replacement.
So Michael, what did you do to the '04 to get it to crap out? I might have to try the same thing!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I was thinking the same thing, although at first I was wondering what the dealership had done
I just have to make sure I inform her first. I kinda told her that I was looking to trade my Durango because of the poor ga mileage. I never told her what I was trading for, so when I pulled up in the Mazda6 wagon and she was on the front porch with the neighbors her look was stunned.
I think the big problem was that she hates wagons and hatchbacks for some reason. I guess she saw the movie Vacation too many times. That got the Vibe kicked off my short list.
I give her a short list now and see if she grunts her approval on any of them.
She always says I should get the BMW 3 series coupe that she likes .But, my inherent cheapness keep me from using a BMW as a commuter car. 18,000 miles a year will just kill a BMW resale.
No idea what happened on Sunday. The Saturn dealer could not duplicate the problem.
Of course, if we hadn't just driven the '08 VUE the week before, this purchase may never have happened. Perhaps everything does happen for a reason.
I think, with the wife, it's "one and done" in terms of reliability. This is the first car we've had leave us stranded on the side of the road in the 10 years we've been married. Fortunately, we were less than a mile from home.
Like I am out of the market for a long, long time.
Mrs. Michaell promises me that she'll keep this one a good, long time.
Of course, she said the same thing 33 months ago when we bought the '04!
That is why you lease the BMW for 18,000 miles a year and put down multiple security deposits to reduce the money factor.
Just keep an eye out for the heavily subvened leases that BMW always comes out with at some point during the year. With a highline car you are almost always better off leasing it for high mileage then buying it as the Leasing company formulas cannot properly calculate the value for a high mileage lease.
Ha ha ha.
Driving home in my L300 last night, I commented to my wife how it doesn't feel like a car that has over 60K on it.
As I said earlier, buying the new VUE has cured me of wanting a new car. I'll drive the VUE enough to keep me happy.
No desire to trade in the L300 any time soon. If I can get it to survive another 3 1/2 years (about 50K miles, giving me 110K total), I'll be in a good place financially to get what I want.
I got some good advice here on garage doors a few months ago. Someone recommended "Overhead Door Company"--it's a brand of door, with local installers, & I called them & got a verbal estimate of $650 to $750 for a single width door installed, etc.
Haven't had it done yet because the asphalt shingle roof is also shot, so I'm starting to get estimates & do some research, which is slightly more fun than Root Canal. One guy with a yellow pages ad came out & said $800 to put new fiberglass shingles over the old, & scribbled out an estimate on a piece of paper. He "forgot his roofing color samples". I told him to do it on Friday, woke up today & my gut said to get more estimates, so I called & cancelled.
Finally after a week of web surfing I found the "CertainTeed" (a very good brand of shingles & siding) site, where they have lists of qualified local installers with different "ratings", insurance, etc so I'm starting to call various contractors for estimates. Need to figure out whether to have the old shingles stripped--it adds about 50%.
Hoping to get a quality door, & roofing job for $2K or less....(& then I'll still only have a 1 car garage with a crumbling concrete floor, but I can deal with that).
Sorry for the long boring OT post (oh wait, that describes all my posts, duh.....). I HATE dealing with house repairs..... :sick:
You get a better quality job, less stress on the roof, lasts longer, all that good stuff.
Plus, if there are any nasty surprises (say, rotted sheathing from water leaks), you are just adding another ton of weight on top of it, hiding the problem.
That is, until the day the roof caves in and buries the BMW!
I just had my whole house reroofed (decent size 2 story colonial), and they did the whole job in 1 day (a long day, and fairly large crew, but still they really motored).
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
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That stuff will only spread, so while you're re-roofing, that's a good time to get a good idea of just how much repair your roof will need. Plus, hauling away the old shingles from a one-car garage shouldn't be *too* bad. If nothing else, just think about what a pain it'll be 20-25 years down the road when it needs another new roof, and you'll then have to be hauling away TWO one-car garage's worth of shingles!
My wife loves wagons and hatchbacks, and detests minivans(thank goodness). She was even 100% in favor of me buying the Mazdaspeed3, of all things.
She always says I should get the BMW 3 series coupe that she likes. But, my inherent cheapness keep me from using a BMW as a commuter car.
In that case, do what we do: Find the Missus a nice low mileage BMW CPO car and let the her run the Bimmer up to 100K or so- then have her turn it over to you. Use it as your commuter sled for a couple of more years -up to at least 130K- and then flip it privately.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
That would work except for the three crumb grabbers that keep calling her Mom. I am afraid we are stuck in Mini-van land for awhile longer.
Speaking of Mazda3's....
I stopped by the Mazda dealer tonight after work. Drove an '07 and an '08. Have you ever had a car brand where all there cars seem to fit. Mazdas always seem to be that way with me.
Both were the same price, invoice plus $500, but the '07 had 0 % financing while the '08 had 1.9% . Of course the '08 is a no brainer. We are still about $500 apart though with my trade. We'll see what tommorow. brings....
I hate to admit it, but I remember attending the grand opening of the first Mazda dealer in KY- way back in 1973. At that time their only US models were the RX-2:
and the RX-3:
I've always liked Mazdas, but the Mazdaspeed is the first one to end up in my garage. It probably won't be the last, as my wife likes the looks of the CX-7. Maybe in a couple of years...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
By what definition is a decontented, base model 2.7-liter Dodge Charger a "premium car?" By the end of the trip, I was calling it the Dodge Dart.
Oh what a good idea! Let me store that one.
We are in minivan land for several years yet even at my advancing age.... In fact have the Ody all packed up to head up to Ontario in the morning. Catch you in about 10 days of when I happen upon an Internet connection whichever comes first.
The "Dart" comment was due to a dearth of thoughtful features that make most modern cars easier to live with than their older counterparts. Like a parking brake that you don't hit with your foot every time you enter and exit the car. And adequate interior lighting when you open the door. And good visibility... I could go on. It isn't the absence of any one convenience item in particular, but rather, the exclusion of so many...
Now that's not a very nice thing to say about a Dodge Dart! :P I always thought that that the base Chrysler 300 should have been a Plymouth. So I dunno what that would make the base 2.7 Charger. Regardless, Chrysler needs a good slap upside the head for putting that tiny engine in something that heavy!
What kind of fuel economy did you get with that 2.7 Charger? I think they're rated at 21/28, but as heavy as they are, I think you'd have to drive like an old lady to get that kind of economy. And NOT one from Pasadena!
Base BTB is 3/36, and GM has been offering a 5/100K warranty on the drivetrain since last year. We extended the BTB to 6/75K. Dealer pays for all oil changes for the first 2 years or 24K miles (whoopee!).
Picked it up yesterday afternoon. Delivery process was somewhat abbreviated, as this is our 5th Saturn (4th new one).
Somehow, the dealer has misplaced one set of keys, so we've got a "We Owe" on that --- salesman swears he saw both sets at one time, but if they can't locate them, another key will have to be cut and a fob programmed.
I really don't want to have to go back to the dealer for this. Wife thinks they should come to us. She and I talked about the survey. At this point, we aren't sure that we can give them all 5's; they have told us repeatedly that if there is anything that would prevent us from doing so, to let them know.
I owe them the GM Supplier PIN number still.
First impressions, pro:
-> Tremendously quiet; hard to tell the engine is even running at idle
-> Tight steering and suspension. For a car weighing over 2 tons, it holds the road very well. I love the hydraulic steering of the new VUE as compared to the electronic steering of the '04
-> Even though the seat of the pants tells me that acceleration isn't quite as "right now" as the '04, it does gather steam quite well if you keep your foot planted
First impressions, con:
-> This is probably a user issue, but we used the remote start feature yesterday, but the car wouldn't come out of park. Had to turn it off and restart it before we could go anywhere. Since I work in tech support, I suspect that "RTFM" is in order.
-> I, like andre, wish that modern cars had longer bottom seat cushions. In my L300, the cushion goes all the way to my knee. In the VUE, that isn't the case. But, since I'll only drive it maybe 15-20% of the time, I can live with it.
stickguy, a question .. how do you like XM? The VUE has it (with the 3 month trial period), but the wife has said that she'll probably not use it, as the VUE also has the AUX jack which she'll use for her iPod. I tried to explain to her that XM may expose her to songs that she might ultimately want to download, but it seems to be an uphill battle.
I'll try to get some pictures taken this weekend and post them.
Anyway, I love XM. Even better if you like baseball, especially an out of market team.
I have had my Accord for almost 2 years, and I still have never programmed an FM button. i don't even know what the local stations are anymore. I also don't bring the ipod in my car, and we don't even use it much in the van when we travel now that it has XM too.
Besides not having to fiddle with the ipod, XM is nice because you can try out lots of different genres, or switch to a slew of different talk stations. Unless she has a huge library on her ipod, the selection on XM is much better. You can't neccessarily pick the song you want, but you can pick the type of music.
I have found a bunch of artists that I wasn't familiar with that i ended up buying their music for the home library.
So, I would excourage her to use the XM exclusively at first to see how she likes it, since it is free. She will either get hooked, or just decide to go back to the ipod and let the subscription lapse.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Look what is on autoblog this morning...
Found that interesting.
Is there some sort of machine that is needed to program the key? If not, why not have the tech come to us?
No, there is no 'valet' key .. we only have the one key for the car at the moment, so if the wife loses it or locks it in the car ... well, we do have OnStar for the latter.
On XM radio .. I tried to point out those arguments to her (wider variety of music, may find an artist we would like to own), but, to this point, no luck. She is not into sports or talk radio. She has an iPod nano, which is almost full with close to 1000 songs on it. Most of the stuff she has been getting lately has been from our 19 year old daughter.
When I drive it on the weekends, I'll see what kind of luck I have in listening to XM. I reviewed the program guide last night and there are a bunch of stations that I think we would be happy to listen to. Generally, our tastes in music are a bit different (I like 80's and metal, while she is more into Sheryl Crow and the like).
One other note: when we were signing the paperwork with the finance guy on Monday, he told us we were eligible for a rebate on both the GAP insurance and the extended warranty on the '04 VUE. We gave him the paperwork, and he'll take care of the rest. I don't know if it's a straight pro-rated refund, but I'm hoping that the money coming back to us will cover the cost of the registration, which I'm estimating will be over $600.
Tonight, we have to move everything from the trunk of my L300 to the VUE and set up OnStar.
You think that the base Charger is bad, try a Caliber. Interior by Tupperware, driving dynamics by Yugo... :lemon:
I actually considered buying a used Charger Daytona or SRT-8, but I just don't like cars that are so big and heavy- especially when the outward visibility is so compromised.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Just spent a couple days in a Caliber rental.. I don't know the driving dynamics (well.. I know it's slow), but from a passenger standpoint, it is the worst car that I've seen in the last ten years..
In the front, the console intrudes into the passenger compartment. In the rear, the outboard seats are stuck right up against the windows, so you have headroom issues.
Hatch storage and access? I swear.. you can haul a good size Yorkshire Terrier back there, with room to spare.
Considering the strange seating position in the CR-V, I could see someone seeing the Caliber as an improvement in that regard (especially if you are tall), but the rest of the car?... Well.. I think our previous poster hit the nail on the head..
YMMV
kyfdx
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The space in the CRV, in comparison, was always awkward because of the way the back seat folds up.
Her, her husband, and I all prefer it to the CRV. Her husband was actually so enamored with it he was pondering getting another one for himself.
But, different strokes, I suppose. I just saw an article on something about how chrysler has sold 1.2 million PT Cruisers since it was introduced. That's a car I had as a rental once and thought it was about the worst thing I've ever driven in my life. 1.2 million people have voted otherwise with their checkbooks. *shrug*
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Well.. you know the rest..
Strange, we usually have similar tastes..
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I agree; thanks to you & the others who advised that.
Today I got an estimate for $1500 to: strip the old shingles, use felt (?) underlayment, + ice dam something or leak barrier (?) (haven't seen the written estimate yet so I'm paraphrasing), 30 yr. "architectural" shingles, 15 yr. labor warranty, the contracter has all these different qualifications from "CertainTeed" (which I think actually means something), insurance, etc. etc.
Then an estimate for $2100 from Home Depot, which I read in CR gets low ratings for their "installation services".
They all seem to think the "tongue & groove" boards are in good shape, which is amazing considering it's been leaking for 3 years or so.
Hopefully getting a quality roofing job-- + new garage door later--on a 1 car garage--for around $2200 total. The house itself will still "blow donkeys", but at least it has a newish roof, & furnace.....
If your roofing is bad, that could cause the leaks, even if your roof structure is good. Are the boards exposed from underneath? If not, they won't know for sure, until they strip the old roof. As long as your framing/trusses are good, repairing the roofing plywood won't be expensive, anyway.
The ice-dam is a plastic-type product that adheres to the lower portion of the roof... Usually the last three feet up from the eaves, underneath the shingles. If ice builds up in your gutters, water running down your roof is sometimes forced backwards, uphill on your roof and can leak under your shingles... The ice-dam seals the bottom portion of the roof to prevent this.
It sounds like you are getting a thorough, professional roofing job. If your garage roof is exposed from the inside (no finished ceiling), then some of that might be over-kill. But, I'd rather have that, than a cheap, shoddy job.
Good luck!
kyfdx
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No longer excited after that.