Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

graphicguy

@breld.....good deal that you were able to work with CARMAX. There's only one store around me. Been there a couple of times to sell a car. Both were nice cars, late models, well cared for. Both times the offer wasn't anywhere close to what I could get at dealers elsewhere, and certainly not even close to Black Book. I don't go to them anymore.

It must depend on the management philosophy at each store whether they're competitive or not.

I do agree that much depends on the knowledge (or lack thereof) of the individuals buying or selling from or to CARMAX.

corvette

This looks super cheap for someone who wants a convertible. Same place I bought my 5.0. No, I'm not interested, I'm sure the V6 is great, but l think I'd be disappointed with it. And I don't want a convertible. 

http://www.bypassmotors.com/mobile/VehicleDetail.aspx?InventoryId=9730302&Guid=c140008f-6c32-428f-8715-1df553476fbd

kyfdx

corvette said:

This looks super cheap for someone who wants a convertible. Same place I bought my 5.0. No, I'm not interested, I'm sure the V6 is great, but l think I'd be disappointed with it. And I don't want a convertible. 

http://www.bypassmotors.com/mobile/VehicleDetail.aspx?InventoryId=9730302&Guid=c140008f-6c32-428f-8715-1df553476fbd

Link not working for me

pensfan83

Michaell said:

@Marcothecarguy1986 - I'm pretty sure @jpp5862 is meeting me tomorrow at the Audi dealer next door to the VW dealer where I am getting my Jetta serviced, so we can test drive an SQ5 and a used Q5 TDI.

Anxious to hear your impressions of the SQ5. If you have time test drive an A4 too

qbrozen

corvette said:

This looks super cheap for someone who wants a convertible. Same place I bought my 5.0. No, I'm not interested, I'm sure the V6 is great, but l think I'd be disappointed with it. And I don't want a convertible. 

http://www.bypassmotors.com/mobile/VehicleDetail.aspx?InventoryId=9730302&Guid=c140008f-6c32-428f-8715-1df553476fbd

link works for me.

At least it is the good V6 and not the old 4.0 lump. BUT, silver over black and automatic. ew.

ab348

Black burlap cloth seats in a convertible won't burn you quite as bad as black vinyl/leather but still doesn't belong in a car where the top goes down.

tifighter

Regarding the Mini, it sounds like the timing chain and guides are a known issue both the N14 and N18 engines. On the forums, they say the oil change intervals are too long, the chain starts to rattle and it's bad news from there. The plastic guides aren't a good design either. They suggest 50K change intervals even if it's been well maintained, just to be safe.

The car I drove was a 2014 with just below 40K. The service docs showed that the timing chain has been replaced before the dealer listed it. I thought it was odd when I first saw it so I did the research. I guess it's a plus. I was originally looking for a car with lower miles, but I'm going to assume the chain replacement is not a cheap job...

Mr_Shiftright

"2. We all agreed that the Type R is likely not a long distance road car."

Are we not MEN?!!

roadburner

tifighter said:

Regarding the Mini, it sounds like the timing chain and guides are a known issue both the N14 and N18 engines. On the forums, they say the oil change intervals are too long, the chain starts to rattle and it's bad news from there. The plastic guides aren't a good design either. They suggest 50K change intervals even if it's been well maintained, just to be safe.

The car I drove was a 2014 with just below 40K. The service docs showed that the timing chain has been replaced before the dealer listed it. I thought it was odd when I first saw it so I did the research. I guess it's a plus. I was originally looking for a car with lower miles, but I'm going to assume the chain replacement is not a cheap job...

Our 2009 Clubman has over 100k on it. The timing chain/guides/tensioner and the thermostat was replaced before we bought it.

xwesx

Mr_Shiftright said:

"2. We all agreed that the Type R is likely not a long distance road car."

Are we not MEN?!!

Yes; for only a 1,000 mile journey, I think that R could do just fine! And, you wouldn't have to worry about an overnight if you timed it right (and didn't stay too light on the pedal). From what I read on these, they are broken in at the factory and can be run from the word 'go.'

@breld - If you leave now, you can still beat the shipper to the dealership!

andres3

graphicguy said:

@breld.....good deal that you were able to work with CARMAX. There's only one store around me. Been there a couple of times to sell a car. Both were nice cars, late models, well cared for. Both times the offer wasn't anywhere close to what I could get at dealers elsewhere, and certainly not even close to Black Book. I don't go to them anymore.

It must depend on the management philosophy at each store whether they're competitive or not.

I do agree that much depends on the knowledge (or lack thereof) of the individuals buying or selling from or to CARMAX.

I used to think they paid top dollar for well known reliable used cars (Honda/Toyota). And they pay bottom dollar for Audi's. However, after hearing some stories here like @breld I am starting to think they make 2 low ball offers, and if you fail to follow through with either, on the 3rd visit they'll pay top dollar.

We sold our '07 Civic EX to them for a good price (my 3rd Carmax appraisal), but then again, it's a Civic.

andres3

So my TTS has been sitting on a rack at the shop for a week now... waiting for something as mundane as OEM brake pads and rotors, since the after-market has declared TTS owners unworthy (and too small a market) for parts.

Granted, I might be one of the first owners to wear out a set already! Drive it like you stole it!

They picked an exotic front rotor size apparently 338 mm. The rear seems to be something more widely available.

xwesx

Its general unavailability to you makes for a long time waiting! The time will come, and will be all the sweeter for it.

imidazol97

andres3 said:

So my TTS has been sitting on a rack at the shop for a week now... waiting for something as mundane as OEM brake pads and rotors, since the after-market has declared TTS owners unworthy (and too small a market) for parts.

Granted, I might be one of the first owners to wear out a set already! Drive it like you stole it!

They picked an exotic front rotor size apparently 338 mm. The rear seems to be something more widely available.

Don't I recall your car spending a period of time in the shop a few months back?

andres3

xwesx said:

Its general unavailability to you makes for a long time waiting! The time will come, and will be all the sweeter for it.

Thanks, yes, got the call just a bit ago that my car is ready for pickup.

Yes, it did spend time in the shop a bit of a while back, again waiting on a part. Now that one was caused by a failure of an atypical part, and I needed a new one to drive the car without leaking fluids/oils.

This time it was a pre-planned pre-arranged simple maintenance brake job, but parts suppliers hire incompetents to do their data entry. So those "fitment" this fits my car" type services you get on websites are only as good as the person entering the information.

My mechanic had to tell them they better add the TT quattro "S" model to the list, as it wasn't on the list for the pads designed for my car, and apparently they do make front pads for my car, but of course they sent the wrong ones.

So I was without car and my mechanic absorbed a car taking up a rack for a week. No one wanted to pay for 2 brake jobs. Of course, they probably should have made sure the pads fit before removing other pads/rotors.

So I have Stainless Steel lines, fresh Motul RBF 600 brake fluid, and OEM front pads and rotors. The rears might actually last another track weekend.

EBC does make "yellow stuff" pads for my front he's been told.... next time.....(of course the parts are not local).

xwesx

andres3 said:

EBC does make "yellow stuff" pads for my front he's been told.... next time.....(of course the parts are not local).

Next time... that's typical! Hahaha. Hey, good news is that when next time comes, just order the parts in ahead of time. If you put track tires/wheels on your car before the track weekend anyway, then replacing pads on one end or the other is maybe thirty minutes of simple work. I think it took me two hours to replace the pads and rotors on the front end of my wife's car back in June, and it took about an hour and a half to replace the pads on all corners of my Q7 (including the time for removal and install of the wheels).

andres3

xwesx said:

andres3 said:

EBC does make "yellow stuff" pads for my front he's been told.... next time.....(of course the parts are not local).

Next time... that's typical! Hahaha. Hey, good news is that when next time comes, just order the parts in ahead of time. If you put track tires/wheels on your car before the track weekend anyway, then replacing pads on one end or the other is maybe thirty minutes of simple work. I think it took me two hours to replace the pads and rotors on the front end of my wife's car back in June, and it took about an hour and a half to replace the pads on all corners of my Q7 (including the time for removal and install of the wheels).

These parts were ordered way ahead of time! That's what's so frustrating. I ordered them prior to the differential fiasco at the Audi dealer where my car was held hostage for about 32 days.

Everyone seemed very confident everything would be right and fit, until it didn't!

I can still hear the guy telling the parts supplier "why don't you make sure and run the VIN # for those rotors." He gave him like 3 chances to be certain, and of course, the wrong rotors came. Now the rotors were ordered at the last minute. Originally at 13,000 miles we were planning to reuse the front rotors, but now at 15,000+, I've gotten my use out of them for my purposes, and were erring on the safe side. The pads were ordered months ago!

tbirdmarco

@breld thank You glad your minny hard top has an clean bill of helth!

tbirdmarco

@Michaell sounds good to me! cant wate to hear all about your guys test drives!

tbirdmarco

@fintail cante wate to hear all about what your frend does end up getting! and all that gos along with it!

tbirdmarco

@corvette nice mustang but like the one you got a lot mor!

tjc78

@breld

We getting pics of the R when you get it?  Has anyone seen one in the wild yet? 

tbirdmarco

@tjc78 yes saw one last Saturday in Astoria Queans in new York same coler as @breld

got!

tbirdmarco

@tjc78 doing any car looking this weekand!

breld

tjc78 said:

@breld

We getting pics of the R when you get it?  Has anyone seen one in the wild yet? 

Will this Civic-averse crowd be kind?

I've only seen one in the showroom - and that's the only one I've seen. Getting to sit in that one sealed the deal for me as far as the upgrade from the Si.

@michaell and @jpp5862 will soon get to see one in the flesh and drive it if they do choose.

breld

@Michaell - this used Accord has your name all over it.

2016 Accord Coupe V6 manual

Though I would like to point out to the seller that the buyer does not escape the liability of sales tax just because it's a private sale.

breld

This is why I was so shocked at the Carmax offer on my GTI (and why I jumped at it).

Used 2017 VW GTI Sport

Not my car, but identical in every way. If a dealer is having trouble moving it at that price, I didn't have high hopes on a private sale.

On the other hand, there's a second chance for @kyfdx!

ab348

Nice wheels on that GTI. I wonder if the manual transmission keeps demand and hence pricing down.

roadburner

I've seen a red one and a gray one. I like them. Not enough to flip my 2er, but it is still a great car.

nyccarguy

roadburner said:

I've seen a red one and a gray one. I like them. Not enough to flip my 2er, but it is still a great car.

I think you & I are at the same point with our respective current daily drivers.  I'm very happy with my Infiniti.  Something would literally have to blow the doors off of the Q40 in every single way in order for me to even consider it.

roadburner

nyccarguy said:

roadburner said:

I've seen a red one and a gray one. I like them. Not enough to flip my 2er, but it is still a great car.

I think you & I are at the same point with our respective current daily drivers.  I'm very happy with my Infiniti.  Something would literally have to blow the doors off of the Q40 in every single way in order for me to even consider it.

Exactly. Sure, I'd probably buy an M2 if Publishers Clearing House called, but honestly the M235i still ticks all the boxes for me- size, performance, comfort, useful technology, fuel economy- I really can't think of very many cars that even come close.

nyccarguy

Traffic must have been exceptionally light this week.  I usually average 19.5 - 20 mpg on the nose.  This week I averaged 22.6

roadburner

nyccarguy said:

Traffic must have been exceptionally light this week.  I usually average 19.5 - 20 mpg on the nose.  This week I averaged 22.6

Not bad!

tbirdmarco

@breld
nice nice lucky them cante wate to hear what you think and if they do drive your car to what they think to as whell! does not stop you from going around to dealers this weekand to look mor! lollollol

tbirdmarco

@breld
nice 2016 accord coop!

fintail

My friend walked out of the Caddy dealership after some quick negotiation - for whatever reason, they weren't even able to meet the lease deal on the website. Something fishy going on there, maybe not surprising on a lot that has an ADM on so many cars. At my urging, he's going to hold off til October now - that'll be when the heat is on for unsold models, and the 18s will be out.

tbirdmarco

@nyccarguy that is an nice nice q40 you have that is forshore. glad trafick was light this week and you wher able to increase the fule milage an bit!

tjc78

Marcothecarguy1986 said:

@tjc78 doing any car looking this weekand!

Don't I wish... between getting ready for the demo to come inside my home (big addition, interior rework), keeping the kids busy and crazy season at the office (final prepping for Q4) I'm out of the game.  Next weekend is out and we are away Labor Day weekend.  I'm gonna loose my CCBA card !! 

tjc78

fintail said:

My friend walked out of the Caddy dealership after some quick negotiation - for whatever reason, they weren't even able to meet the lease deal on the website. Something fishy going on there, maybe not surprising on a lot that has an ADM on so many cars. At my urging, he's going to hold off til October now - that'll be when the heat is on for unsold models, and the 18s will be out.

ADM on Caddys?? (Shakes head) 

tbirdmarco

@tjc78 don't worry! we can give you an pass! lollol for an little bit! lollollol good luck with the work being done with your house and hope work does com down for you in bit in sept! so than you will be able to go and do sum car test drives!

tbirdmarco

@fintail sorry to hear about that yes in oct your frend should be good to go! just don't go back to that Catty dealer! go to an nother one sumthing is really fishy with that catty dealer he whent to today!

tbirdmarco

@fintail did your frend get an chance to go back to the dealer that he got his current car at! to see what they can do on an lees of an nother MKZ

fintail

I suppose it isn't the classic "market adjustment" ADM, it is one they call a "green car" ADM, with nitrogen-inflated tires, door edge guards , the promise of a loaner car during servicing (you put this on a window sticker?!) and other nonsense, for a grand total of 5K. It was on nearly every car I looked at on the lot. I just had to shake my head, I don't see this at competitor brands.

My friend tells me options will be different on the 18 MKZ, and he likes something about it - but I can't see why he wouldn't try something different. He wants EV or hybrid features, so a Continental is out. He mentioned a C300 Plug In, but I have never seen one, and I bet he would have to order one with the options he wants (he wants radar cruise - Distronic is rare on all but the AMG C-class). I think he should go back and lowball the Caddy dealer when the CT6E has been sitting there for another 2 months, just for laughs. With the second sticker and somehow not being able to match the lease offer published on the official Caddy site, I don't get a good vibe.

tbirdmarco

@fintail wow dealer is deffentally shaddy! but yes he can go back once the car has bin sitting for an few mor munths and see what he can do and play games with them and if he cant get the payment and tirmes he wants walk out! would try sum thing different than an nother MKZ

breld

Wife wanted to go take a closer look at the Volvo V90 this afternoon. She test drove a T5 model. We both love the look of this wagon - I'm shocked that she likes the size of it, since she tends to lean toward much smaller cars.

I rode in the backseat, which was limo-like. Seats of course are super comfortable. Acceleration seemed okay, but I don't believe the T6 upgrade is all that much, so I think that'd be the way to go.

Obviously, the V90 is pretty pricey, only being new and all, so she asked me what other full size wagons were available on the used market. She is now (literally right now) obsessively looking at E350 wagons from across the country.

corvette

Yeah, the V90 looks sharp, but the full-size wagon market is pretty small at this point.

fintail

He likes the MKZ, even mentioned buying out the current lease. But I suspect come October, he'll be given a lease offer that will have him wanting a new car.

For the Caddy, he's enamored with the tech, but I think he might want to shop elsewhere if he actually wants to get one.

Marcothecarguy1986 said:

@fintail wow dealer is deffentally shaddy! but yes he can go back once the car has bin sitting for an few mor munths and see what he can do and play games with them and if he cant get the payment and tirmes he wants walk out! would try sum thing different than an nother MKZ

fintail

I built my own E400 wagon, fairly loaded but not totally (no leather, no ABC), something like 77-78K.

stickguy

speaking of MPG, did about 1000 miles this weekend running the princess back to school in NC. excluding the 1.5 days mostly running back and forth to walmart and other stores, for the travel portions, averaged just about 29-29.5. Not too shabby on the RDX. that included some flying low, torrential rains, traffic jams, and coming home the scenic route through the middle of Maryland to avoid some messes on I95. For an AWD CUV this size, and power, pretty impressive IMO. The VCM must really work when cruising.

28firefighter

I think the V90 is awesome and will likely make a great lease.

I'm still partial to a current generation 3-series wagon with M-Sport package in Estoril Blue.