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Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)
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Alas, still not within my price range or mileage requirements. I am handy enough to do the suspension work (control arms/bushings/shock mounts, etc) and I think I could do the water pump service as well, but I can't find anything that had lower mileage than the '93 Accord it would've replaced.
Also, the stick ones are harder to find, especially with low mileage.
Silver with black leather or Cosmo black with black leather, or the Boston green with tan leather, or the dark blue...okay perhaps I'm not soooo picky on color :P
What are your parameters for price, etc.? I noticed a bunch of e36 M3's FS on roadfly, just to name one site. "Seems" like prices have come down a lot since last I looked.
Personally I'd go for one that had had just about everything replaced already, even if it meant maybe getting somewhat higher miles. I look back back on my M6 with fondness, oh wait, there were pesky "issues" that arose around 10 years old, not to mention it needed $3-4K of suspension & brake work, etc. by the time I sold it.
But I'd say, keep looking, & be prepared to act if the "right one" comes along, at a good price......you only live once. :P
I have a cracked windshield in the CR-V....
My tow bar is a Blue Ox and they have just now have come out with a front shield. I will get that if I can't find the cover for the whole front.
Mark156
It was actually -15 this morning, the coldest its been all winter. We've had a super mild winter so far, but I'd imagine that will change eventually. I've yet to have to plug in the engine heaters on the Honda, it always starts.
Yeah and I also noticed there is some guy around Cincy that seems to specialize in E36 M3s, but he is a bit proud of them in his pricing (more like 20k than 10-15k).
Personally I'd go for one that had had just about everything replaced already, even if it meant maybe getting somewhat higher miles. I look back back on my M6 with fondness, oh wait, there were pesky "issues" that arose around 10 years old, not to mention it needed $3-4K of suspension & brake work, etc. by the time I sold it.
With a car like that (especially as it ages, the M3s are 10 years old), the maintenance and repair are part of the relationship with the car.
But I'd say, keep looking, & be prepared to act if the "right one" comes along, at a good price......you only live once
My wife just told you to shut up
I like that, but I'm not willing to pay extra for it...
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Yes, that did come to my attention.
My M6 relationship was complicated by the fact that at about age 10, when it needed $3-4K of suspension & brake work, it was rear-ended, & after a year spent getting the body work done, I just wanted to put the $$ needed for the upgrade/repair work towards buying a newer CPO bmw instead. (finally reached my limit with the amount of dues involved with owning a "classic").
It would be nice to live in a warmer climate where you could drive a classic, older bmw year-round, & then the $$ & dues invested in owning a "classic" car would pay off over 12 months instead of 3. In New England, summer lasts about 5 minutes, which makes it even harder to rationalize. I still have a minor used Z4 fantasy going tho--kind of like a lurking virus that you can't quite get rid of......(& new enough to hopefully not need major work for several years).....
cheers, woody
I ran a 1988 M6 from 1992-1995, and I did drive it almost year round. I had a 1984 T-Bird Turbo Coupe I used as a work beater, but I drove the M6 the rest of the time. The catalytic converter fell off in the garage one night, and all I had to replace it was a Fahey track pipe(darn the luck!). I also stuck a Dinan chip in the ECU. It made about 310 hp at the crank. I loved blowing the doors off unsuspecting Mustang GTs and Z28s at the Stoplight Grand Prix. I wish I hadn't sold it...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Watching the guy who bought my M6 drive away, while lighting up a cigarette in the mint condition never-smoked-in interior (??!), was very depressing for me. Like selling my favorite dog or horse or something.
Nice guy tho, he & his g/f invited me over for dinner & to see his monster audio system, but I knew I couldn't bear to go over there & see "my" M6. But I got over it & I'm actually much happier with my E39 (wagon) with modern A/C, etc. etc.
My new fantasy du jour is the new Mini Clubman.....it looks so cool on the Mini site.....
Saturn dealer still has a few '07 Aura's left over.
Nah, my L is running good now at 66K ... last payment went in the mail on Friday. I wonder how long it will take for me to get the title?
Anyone been through this? Andre?
My buyer was the exact opposite, he put the catalyst back on and exchanged the Borbet wheels and Expedias for the awful OEM TRXs. Wanted it to be "all original".
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
The Sandman
We met some friends here who also have a coach and thought we would catch a few good restaurants, shows and make some money gambling!
Saw a mint condition 1979 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series (no Opera window)... dark blue, blue velour interior, driving down the street..... looked showroom!
I always toyed with the idea of getting a '79 Lincoln Town Car or '76 Cadillac Fleetwood.... last of the big Mama's!!! I have a soft spot for the big old luxury cars.
Mark156
It's about 35 degrees here. It's the time of year when I start to get jealous of those in warmer climates! :P
Sure, rub it in!
I had made a solemn vow to get my snow tires mounted before Thanksgiving this year (have separate rims, but the snows aren't on those yet). Now my back is wrecked from endless leaf blowing/raking on the grounds of my surburban POS house with giant yard; so harder to schlep 4 tires & 4 heavy rims to Costco for mounting.
It's my own personal annual tradition.....tradition is important to us New Englanders.....
Bought myself a Garmin Nuvi 660 GPS, have never owned anything like that and now I'm wondering how I lived without a gps!
On the way home a rock flew up off of a tractor trailer and put a nice rock chip in my windshield right by the driver's side pillar about 1/2 way up. Of course by the time I got home its cracking and coming right across in front of my line of vision. Guess its going to be new windshield time soon.......GRRRR!!! :sick:
I hear you.. Had 4 Michelin Latitude X-Ice tires put on brand new steelies. Sheesh.. it is an expensive weekend so far.
My outlander has 4wd auto/lock, abs with ebd, anti-skid stability/traction control and now snow/ice tires. Sounds like an overkill for southern Ontario (Greater Toronto Area).
'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
ACK!!!! Thanks for the tips! They put gravel on the roads for traction in the winter so rock chips are a fact of life. I am a bit miffed that the chip cracked so quickly, I *might* be able to get it fixed if it doesn't move anymore. I have a feeling though that the next time I drive the car the crack will take off!
Got online and took a quick look.
GTI 2-door with manual transmission ... $309/mo for 39 months, 12K per year mileage limitation.
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I bought it mainly for Anchorage and on occation Fairbanks even though I know my way around fairly well. If I have to find someone's house and they give me 2 pages of directions it gets rather annoying! This way I plug in an address and the GPS takes me there. Works to find our firewood customers too, nothing worse than getting lost with a big trailer on the back of the truck.
The other cool feature of it is the bluetooth, I can make calls through it. I have a bluetooth headset, but in the car the GPS is much easier. Oh and before anyone blasts me, I really do try to not talk and drive, lol.
We are planning a trip outside next year with the TT, so it will be wonderful to have then as well.
After my mom saw how the GPS worked she says she needs one! She gets lost easier than I do!
However: Costco has the Nuvi 650 (no bluetooth) right now for $300 + s&h & sales tax online. It seems like such a good deal--actually less than the Nuvi 350 I returned--that I'm thinking of ordering one. I'm sure it won't be easier to use, but there's a costco near me & they have a liberal return policy.....
The thing I like the most about the 660 (and the 650) is the widescreen. It makes it much easier to input things since the buttons are a bit bigger as well. I'm thinking about buying my mom a 650 for Christmas. She had my 660 pretty well figured out by the time we got home from anchorage, so it can't be that hard, she's very technologically challenged, lol. :P
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To make and recieve phone calls handsfree. Its actually quite convienent, if my phone rings while I'm driving it pops up on the GPS screen with 2 choices, answer or ignore. If I choose to answer it I just talk as if I was talking to a passenger, the GPS has a mic built in and an internal speaker.
So... $300.. that might be worth it.. Isn't there some sort of gift-giving holiday coming up?
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When we went to bluetooth scanners at UPS the batteries had to be 100 percent charged at the beginning of a shift or they would run out before the end of the shift almost every time.
I've got the 350, but haven't run into the same issues as you. Of course, I never plug in more than one destination at a time. I guess that a bigger screen would be helpful--especially for you old folks, but I'm only 50. :P I never talk and drive so the bluetooth capability would be a waste of money for me. The 350 also has an MP3 player that I've never used
My biggest complaint about the 350 thus far is that it was lacking road information when I traveled to the OK panhandle back in early Oct. I guess that's Nuvi's way of telling me I shouldn't be out there. I would think much of AK wouldn't be mapped either, but maybe not...
I picked our unit up for my wife who can't seem to even find her way around our town of 45,000--and we've lived here close to 20 years. It has worked beautifully in OKC and Tulsa. Best of all, I picked up a brand new unit on eBay for right around $200.
Gogiboy
I'm also a huge believer in maps, & have every AAA map of every place I might travel to. Of course there can also be giant gaps/limitations. So I ordered a couple of Arrow atlas's/map books for S. NH & E. Mass.--they are awesome, well worth it even if you have a GPS, IMO.
Driving around lost, in a strange area, late at night, can give you huge incentive to have every map/atlas/gps resource possible.....
But, it would be nice to have a GPS... Being old, I'd like the big, wide screen... I guess all of them announce turns, etc.. with a computer voice?
What about maps? Can you plot a trip on your computer, then download it to the GPS?
Updated maps? Do you have to pay extra each year, for updated maps?
I'm betting to get the features I'd want, I'd have to pay for the top of the line.... and, I have no need for bluetooth or an MP3 player..
Hmm... I bet there is a discussion topic for this...
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Navigation GPS Systems
First, it was Rand McNally to the rescue .. I'd try to get something that would fit in my computer bag, but that didn't always have enough detail for individual cities (when the cities I traveled to were even there).
The maps that were handed out at the rental car counter helped to some extent ... I have always been pretty good at orienting myself and have a pretty good photographic memory. Once I look at a map, I can usually remember the main aspects of it.
Then, I bought a copy of "Streets and Trips" software to load onto my laptop, but that didn't always help when I was in the car. Once I got to my hotel, I could plan out a route to the business I was visiting .... or to restaurants, shopping and other points of interest.
If I traveled a lot now, I'd almost certainly invest in a portable GPS based nav system.
The VUE we bought for the wife in August has OnStar, which allows you to subscribe to the "Directions and Connections" functionality. We used it when we went to Utah in October. Once we told the OnStar advisor of the address, they downloaded it onto our stereo and it would tell us when and where to turn, along with arrows pointing the way. Very nice.
On the car front, I am keeping the L for now. Nothing wrong with it (at the moment - knock on wood!) and I figure it's got 2-3 years of life left in it. That will put me around 100K, then we'll see where we stand at that poing.
Of course, that could change if I am faced with an expensive repair. It's gonna need new tires soon, but that is a maintenance cost, not a repair one.
Funny, just got home from filling up the wife's Mazda 3s and with just under 38k on the clock, she should see another 3 years, give or take, until it's time to look for a new ride. Prefer my Civic to the 3, but she's content with it and I must admit, the "s" version does kick some serious as_! No slouch in the speed department.
Hopefully Mazda reliability will not disappoint, as we both don't want to deal with anymore dealers for a long while.
The Sandman
Was "SOLD OUT" today when I went back to Costco.com.
michaell: just keep the "L" until it disintegrates. Even if it costs $100/mo. for repairs, that's not terrible. (Of course, if something major breaks, I'll be urging to you push it off the nearest cliff.....)
As I believe many of you know, my wife runs the early childhood program (preschool and child care) for a small school district here in Colorado. On Monday, a tragedy struck her district as the father of two of her enrolled children killed himself.
While there are many unanswered questions about why this took place, all we know is that he left behind a young wife and 3 kids under the age of 5.
The community is really stepping up to assist this family. According to my wife, they were living on the ragged edge before this took place; as you can imagine, with the primary breadwinner now gone, they are struggling to cover basic needs.
One of those needs is transportation. Apparently, the car they had was repossessed on Sunday, so she will be in need of something to get her and her family around. The area where they live is pretty rural and there is no public transportation available.
So, I mentioned to my wife that we now have a paid off car we could give them.
My question to this group is ... how would this work? Do I simply transfer the ownership paperwork to her name at the motor vehicle office? I would do this once I received the title to my car, which I suspect I'll get in the next month or two.
We're still waiting to see if there is somebody else in the community who has a spare vehicle that could be given to them; while rural, there is a fair amount of wealth to be found -- as an example, another parent in the program receives royalty checks for her business and is using one of them to cover the family's rent for the next couple of months.
Any thoughts on this?
If we were to do this, I'd find some sort of cheap lease to tide me over for the next few years.
If you want to simply give her the car, that could work. There would be transfer fees and maybe sales tax on the book value, depending on how Colorado does such things. She'd also have to get it registered and insured, so that's more money.
That way, you get a tax deduction, and you don't have to worry about someone actually tranferring the car, obtaining insurance, etc, etc..
I commend you for wanting to help, but with a vehicle transfer involved, you want to protect yourself from liabilities down the road. It sounds like the donee could be in some serious financial difficulty, if their car has been repossessed.
regards,
kyfdx
visiting host
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Because, if everything isn't handled 100% properly by both buyer & seller, even years later the seller could be held responsible for all manner of problems & still considered the legal owner......
In Mass., a new owner has to pay sales tax on the value the state assigns to that year & model of vehicle, even if it's sold for $1.
I knew I could count on the folks on this forum to provide me with some good advice.
If (and I stress if) I do this, I'll probably take ky's advice and donate it to a church first, with explicit instructions to turn it over to this specific person.
Now that I think about it, the person who runs the school age before and after school program for the district is married to a minister; I'm sure he could help arrange the donation part.
I hadn't thought about the tax implications, but hey, every little bit helps.
woody, here in CO the plates stay with the original registered owner. There was a story in the paper earlier this year about someone who sold a used car, forgot to remove the plates, then ended up with a bunch of unpaid traffic tickets, since the new owner simply re-used the plates.
bumpy, I had thought about the registration and insurance issue .. the whole community is rallying to help this family, so I suspect that there would be enough available to cover those costs, at least in the short term.
In the end, we'll just wait and see if someone can pony up a spare vehicle for her to use. If not, well, perhaps I'll be doing some car shopping!
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Yeah, well ....
Let's see ... I met my wife in the summer of 1996 and got married in the summer of 1997. Since we first met ...
February, 1997 ... lease Ford Escort (good bye, Tempo)
November, 1998 ... lease Ford Expedition (good bye, Escort)
December, 1998 ... lease VW New Beetle (good bye, Honda Accord)
May, 2001 ... lease Ford Explorer (good bye, Expedition)
November, 2002 ... buy Saturn L300
December, 2002 ... buy VW New Beetle at end of lease
November, 2003 ... buy Ford Focus (good bye, Explorer)
November, 2004 ... buy Saturn VUE
November, 2004 ... buy Saturn L200 (good bye, New Beetle)
June, 2006 ... buy Saturn ION (good bye, Focus)
October, 2007 ... buy Saturn VUE (good bye, old VUE)
So, 10 vehicles in 11 1/2 years together. Wow.
Now that I think of it, I didn't have to pay any sales tax when I transferred ownership of Barney to my son in CA this past June. Just the fees for emissions, registration and title transfer.