Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

rny421

@qbrozen - I'm inclined to agree. The Rogue isn't competitive in my eyes. There are much better alternatives - CRV, CX-5, Equinox, Forester, etc.

I test drove one with a friend, and the ride wasn't great. She agreed, and went with a used RAV4 instead. Although, Nissan must be doing something right, because I see them everywhere.

Speaking of Nissan, I have a Versa Note rental right now, in preparation for a road trip tomorrow. Stay tuned...

tbirdmarco

 Agree with you all above ha ha Ha but you know how that goes I thought it would be easier this way my mom something different for different brand no such luck as of yet we shall see she’s not a car person so she probably will be just fine with this I told her not going to be like the Maxima but you’re getting out of that’s for sure but I don’t think she cares when she got that current Maxima album after they came out it was a spur of the moment thing she love the styling of the car she’s not gonna care she’ll see what happens on Friday told her let’s go book can’t hurt I know 

tbirdmarco

 Yes and must think I posted above is sick ha ha Ha subscribe to a bunch of channels on YouTube so I look every day to see any new videos posted don’t touch my computer anymore Ha ha ha well this phone and technology let me know how your versa rental calls or and why I uncle has one for number of years and likes it and his brother also has identical car they seem to love them I think they’re nothing special but to each his own anyway won’t hurt to go to the Nissan dealer just to look is me and excuse to look at stuff haven’t done it in quite some long    Time

andres3

xwesx said:

andres3 said:

Got an oil change at the Audi Dealership I frequent since they sent me a $79.95 coupon.

They had a TTRS on display in the showroom, which led me to realize with the recent mods I've done I pretty much have that car less 1 cylinder, .5 liters, and a different exhaust note, less about 45-50 horses, and a smaller mechanical/movable rear wing, and one less DSG gear.

Oh yeah, I've seen my car side by side with one and the TTRS appears to sit maybe 5 mm lower (possibly less then that).

So, you're saying that you don't really have that car, as it is far more than just some revised trim and bigger brakes.... Time for another upgrade!

I wonder how much I'm saving in insurance by having the lesser model though!

Michaell

andres3 said:

xwesx said:

andres3 said:

Got an oil change at the Audi Dealership I frequent since they sent me a $79.95 coupon.

They had a TTRS on display in the showroom, which led me to realize with the recent mods I've done I pretty much have that car less 1 cylinder, .5 liters, and a different exhaust note, less about 45-50 horses, and a smaller mechanical/movable rear wing, and one less DSG gear.

Oh yeah, I've seen my car side by side with one and the TTRS appears to sit maybe 5 mm lower (possibly less then that).

So, you're saying that you don't really have that car, as it is far more than just some revised trim and bigger brakes.... Time for another upgrade!

I wonder how much I'm saving in insurance by having the lesser model though!

Add how much you'd save if you didn't speed?

(sorry, couldn't resist)

rayainsw

I decided to replace the OEM run-flat P7s on the BMW 340i
New tires are NON run-flat Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ Ultra High Performance All-Seasons.
These are the same ones I had on the Charger.
- Ray
Like ‘em . . .

tbirdmarco

 Very nice I’m putting the new tires on the Beamer Ray glad you like them 

kyfdx

rayainsw said:

I decided to replace the OEM run-flat P7s on the BMW 340i
New tires are NON run-flat Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ Ultra High Performance All-Seasons.
These are the same ones I had on the Charger.
- Ray
Like ‘em . . .

Were the P7s all-season, as well?

rayainsw

Yes - the P7s are A/S.
- Ray
They are now resting peacefully in my garage -
to be re-mounted before lease-end...

kyfdx

rayainsw said:

Yes - the P7s are A/S.
- Ray
They are now resting peacefully in my garage -
to be re-mounted before lease-end...

Are you going without a spare?

rayainsw

No - I bought this:

BMW 3 Series F30 2013+ 320/328/330/335/340/428/430/435 Spare Tire Kit (Emergency Space Saver)

- Ray
Not willing to take that risk ...

kyfdx

rayainsw said:

No - I bought this:

BMW 3 Series F30 2013+ 320/328/330/335/340/428/430/435 Spare Tire Kit (Emergency Space Saver)

- Ray
Not willing to take that risk ...

Cool..

ab348

rayainsw said:

No - I bought this:

BMW 3 Series F30 2013+ 320/328/330/335/340/428/430/435 Spare Tire Kit (Emergency Space Saver)

- Ray
Not willing to take that risk ...

Hope you bought the optional Tray, Jack and Crank too.

That is getting expensive. I'm going with a can of fix-a-flat and a 12V air compressor in the ATS once I change tires.

breld

For a 435, this strikes me as a really good price. @qbrozen - what say you?

CPO 435i xdrive GC

28firefighter

Seems like one. But didn't you just get rid of a 428 GC?

stickguy

Oh man I love that one. Nice colors.

Mr_Shiftright

Here's one you don't see everyday. It's priced right at the peak of Mt. Everest, but look at the miles:

https://www.kovacsmotors.com/default.asp?page=xInventoryDetail&id=4632689&p=2&s=(Sort By)&d=D&vt=car&fr=xAllInventory

nyccarguy

Mr_Shiftright said:

Here's one you don't see everyday. It's priced right at the peak of Mt. Everest, but look at the miles:

https://www.kovacsmotors.com/default.asp?page=xInventoryDetail&id=4632689&p=2&s=(Sort By)&d=D&vt=car&fr=xAllInventory

A family friend handed me the keys to his Guards Red/Black 1989 944 Turbo when I was 18. WOW! That's still one of the fastest cars I have ever driven.

fintail

From the same seller, this looks decent, and is priced within the market, I think. Looks honest and not over-detailed, and these later 84-85 cars have the double row timing chain:

https://www.kovacsmotors.com/default.asp?page=xInventoryDetail&id=3156869&p=2&s=Year&d=D&fr=xAllInventory

stickguy

Oh man. I want that bad. Would be fine as my spare car.

fintail

And for a nice modern car, this is nicely equipped, too bad no pano, otherwise, quite rare with driver's assist:

https://www.kovacsmotors.com/default.asp?page=xInventoryDetail&p=2&id=4530697&s=Year&d=D&fr=xAllInventory

stickguy

@andres3, is your TTS nano? Out of the blue last night my son started texting me links to a used one. 2016 TTS, nano over black. I am sensing a very poor financial move coming soon. Possibly only averted by finding out how severely his A3 depreciated in 14 months!

On those, is there any real difference with the 2017s, or are they basically the same?

breld

Well, at least the TTS will have suffered a good chunk of its depreciation already, so he'd simply be trading out a depreciated A3 for a depreciated TTS. At least that's how I could justify it.

I've been looking at those used TTS's too. Very sexy.

stickguy

Likely one MY older, 10k more miles, and at least $10,000 out of his picket that he probably shouldn’t spend. But, his life!

breld

28firefighter said:

Seems like one. But didn't you just get rid of a 428 GC?

Uh...yeah.

After a break for several months, I'm clearly car obsessed again. I've decided waiting a year on the SUV front is a really good idea, as the models I'd like aren't quite to the used market sweet spot yet, and I still really like the Durango.

So then I turn my obsession to the fun car side of things. Not necessarily ready to trade out of the Civic yet, but doesn't hurt to look to get a feel for what I may want down the line, right?

I'm heading over to this BMW dealership over lunch to look at the CPO 435 GC, along with a CPO m235i and 2015 435i coupe. It'll be interesting to see how I take to the automatic trannies. That'll tell me a little as to how much I'd care for a TTS (even though that's the DSG).

qbrozen

Odd. That 435 strikes me as rather high for 2-yrs and 26k miles. Sadly, I don't have comps. 

Mr_Shiftright

stickguy said:

Oh man. I want that bad. Would be fine as my spare car.

It's just down the street from me

Kovacs has nice stuff only. No junk on that lot, although they will feature some high mileage cars if they are really in nice shape.

Mr_Shiftright

nyccarguy said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

Here's one you don't see everyday. It's priced right at the peak of Mt. Everest, but look at the miles:

https://www.kovacsmotors.com/default.asp?page=xInventoryDetail&id=4632689&p=2&s=(Sort By)&d=D&vt=car&fr=xAllInventory

A family friend handed me the keys to his Guards Red/Black 1989 944 Turbo when I was 18. WOW! That's still one of the fastest cars I have ever driven.

A 944 in the hands of a trained driver will give fits to many a pricey car on the track.

But gee, that 944 cabriolet---you can buy a 996 cabriolet for that, and not have to give up any of the repair bills!

stickguy

So what is fair market? Especially considering miles and condition.

nyccarguy

Mr_Shiftright said:

nyccarguy said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

Here's one you don't see everyday. It's priced right at the peak of Mt. Everest, but look at the miles:

https://www.kovacsmotors.com/default.asp?page=xInventoryDetail&id=4632689&p=2&s=(Sort By)&d=D&vt=car&fr=xAllInventory

A family friend handed me the keys to his Guards Red/Black 1989 944 Turbo when I was 18. WOW! That's still one of the fastest cars I have ever driven.

A 944 in the hands of a trained driver will give fits to many a pricey car on the track.

But gee, that 944 cabriolet---you can buy a 996 cabriolet for that, and not have to give up any of the repair bills!

I was talking to this guy once at a BBQ. He had a 911 GT3 with a roll cage that was at the time brand new (this is probably at least 10 years ago). I asked him a myriad of questions about his car. Turns out he daily drives it and tracks it multiple times per year. Before the GT3, he had a 944 as a track car that just wouldn't die and ran damn good. He said there are guys out there with 944 Turbos, 944 with Corvette Motors that guys track with well over 200K miles on the clock.

Mr_Shiftright

stickguy said:

So what is fair market? Especially considering miles and condition.

I'd say around $14,000 if it's super nice and flies through the PPI no problem. Maybe even $17K at some high class auction.

You can buy 'em cheaper if you don't mind the miles. Here's one for HALF the price, from a dealer with, apparently, a good reputation on Yelp:

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/ctd/d/1990-porsche-944-s2/6449224874.html

Only downside is almost 5X the miles and it would have to pass the PPI. That $10K could become $14K oh, so easily once Hans and Dieter get their paws on it.

stickguy

I would drive so little miles not a big issue to me.

Mr_Shiftright

No major issues, but you'd want to find out when the timing belt was done (and of course the water pump at the same time), and the control arms can be an issue. Generally the later 944s are very solid cars. They aren't terribly powerful though, but as they say on the track, good tires and handling add a lot of horsepower.

breld

I visited the BMW dealership over my lunch break:

The 435i xdrive gran coupe was really nice. I don't know much about it, but it has some "BMW Individual" choices that were unique. Exterior was Tanzanite Blue, which I believe is either an "Individual" color or otherwise specific to "M" cars. The interior was an ivory color with some darker piping, and I think it was some upgraded Nappa leather. And the dash was wrapped in stitched leather too. The door panels were some unique textured leather. I've never seen anything like that in a 3/4 series.

All that added up to a $62k MSRP, but of course those unique options aren't adding anything special on the used market and, in fact, I think the light color is a deterrent for many, so it's gone through some price reductions. So at $37k for a 2016 w/24k miles (and CPO), seems like a pretty good value, especially if you like those "Individual" options (which we do).

Driving-wise, it was a good balance between sportiness and comfort - the 6 cylinder is definitely a welcome addition over my previous 428. For me, it would be deciding how far along the spectrum of sport vs comfort I want to go (toward comfort). It's obviously not as engaging as my Civic, but the comfort would be welcome in the rush hour commute.

I also drove a CPO m235i xdrive - that was much more engaging (as expected). This particular one was pretty sparsely equipped, so I'd probably want one with a few additional options, but the driving experience was a better compromise toward the sport side of the equation.

28firefighter

I'd take the M235 any day.

breld

I also stopped by an Audi dealership to just sit in a TTS, which they thankfully had in the showroom.

I'd be pretty enthusiastic about getting into one of those, although without any used one available locally, it's not at the forefront of my mind.

tifighter

I posted two comments earlier and it said they would be posted pending approval. Is this a new thing or is it just me?

stickguy

good summary Breld. sounds like I would really like that 435. I want something with reasonable sharp handling, but don't need to be that far shifted over on the spectrum! The elantra is more than sporty enough for me (if anything, something like a 2.0T Sonata sport would probably be the sweet spot for us, in terms of speed, entertaining enough handling, and reasonable long haul travel comfort.

I'm guessing that an Accord 2.0t sport would be similar to that concept.

stickguy

oh, my son apparently checked the value on his 2017 A3, and got a reality check on his equity in that. so not looking to add as much cash into an upgrade right now. So new plan (subject to change at any time I assume) is keep it a couple more years, and save up. But by then, he should be able to get into an RS3 or TTRS instead. which is what her really wants. For some reason, he has been in love with the current TT every since it came out.

But, going to the car show Saturday, and he has a list of cars to see. so the plan may be out the window in 48 hours. Though his current car is pretty darned nice, that it will take a lot to really upgrade from it.

tbirdmarco

 Nice on the car looking world so which one will be in your garage by the weekend ha ha nice cars everyone else posted above 

28firefighter

stickguy said:

oh, my son apparently checked the value on his 2017 A3, and got a reality check on his equity in that. so not looking to add as much cash into an upgrade right now. So new plan (subject to change at any time I assume) is keep it a couple more years, and save up. But by then, he should be able to get into an RS3 or TTRS instead. which is what her really wants. For some reason, he has been in love with the current TT every since it came out.

But, going to the car show Saturday, and he has a list of cars to see. so the plan may be out the window in 48 hours. Though his current car is pretty darned nice, that it will take a lot to really upgrade from it.

Sounds about right. Been there.

roadburner

breld said:

I visited the BMW dealership over my lunch break:

The 435i xdrive gran coupe was really nice. I don't know much about it, but it has some "BMW Individual" choices that were unique. Exterior was Tanzanite Blue, which I believe is either an "Individual" color or otherwise specific to "M" cars. The interior was an ivory color with some darker piping, and I think it was some upgraded Nappa leather. And the dash was wrapped in stitched leather too. The door panels were some unique textured leather. I've never seen anything like that in a 3/4 series.

All that added up to a $62k MSRP, but of course those unique options aren't adding anything special on the used market and, in fact, I think the light color is a deterrent for many, so it's gone through some price reductions. So at $37k for a 2016 w/24k miles (and CPO), seems like a pretty good value, especially if you like those "Individual" options (which we do).

Driving-wise, it was a good balance between sportiness and comfort - the 6 cylinder is definitely a welcome addition over my previous 428. For me, it would be deciding how far along the spectrum of sport vs comfort I want to go (toward comfort). It's obviously not as engaging as my Civic, but the comfort would be welcome in the rush hour commute.

I also drove a CPO m235i xdrive - that was much more engaging (as expected). This particular one was pretty sparsely equipped, so I'd probably want one with a few additional options, but the driving experience was a better compromise toward the sport side of the equation.

The M235i/M240i and M2 are definitely my favorite BMWs- hands down. The M235i is more of a Junior GT- especially when equipped with the ZF 8HP automatic. The M2 is more of a hard-edged sports car.
And yes, Tanzanite Blue is an Individual color. We had an M3 and a 440i GC in that shade.

kyfdx

tifighter said:

I posted two comments earlier and it said they would be posted pending approval. Is this a new thing or is it just me?

Usually that happens if your connectivity lags..

breld

roadburner said:

breld said:

I visited the BMW dealership over my lunch break:

The 435i xdrive gran coupe was really nice. I don't know much about it, but it has some "BMW Individual" choices that were unique. Exterior was Tanzanite Blue, which I believe is either an "Individual" color or otherwise specific to "M" cars. The interior was an ivory color with some darker piping, and I think it was some upgraded Nappa leather. And the dash was wrapped in stitched leather too. The door panels were some unique textured leather. I've never seen anything like that in a 3/4 series.

All that added up to a $62k MSRP, but of course those unique options aren't adding anything special on the used market and, in fact, I think the light color is a deterrent for many, so it's gone through some price reductions. So at $37k for a 2016 w/24k miles (and CPO), seems like a pretty good value, especially if you like those "Individual" options (which we do).

Driving-wise, it was a good balance between sportiness and comfort - the 6 cylinder is definitely a welcome addition over my previous 428. For me, it would be deciding how far along the spectrum of sport vs comfort I want to go (toward comfort). It's obviously not as engaging as my Civic, but the comfort would be welcome in the rush hour commute.

I also drove a CPO m235i xdrive - that was much more engaging (as expected). This particular one was pretty sparsely equipped, so I'd probably want one with a few additional options, but the driving experience was a better compromise toward the sport side of the equation.

The M235i/M240i and M2 are definitely my favorite BMWs- hands down. The M235i is more of a Junior GT- especially when equipped with the ZF 8HP automatic. The M2 is more of a hard-edged sports car.
And yes, Tanzanite Blue is an Individual color. We had an M3 and a 440i GC in that shade.

Going from my SQ5 to the 428i Gran Coupe was a fine transition, especially for more of an "everyday" car. Going from the Type R to the 4-series may be too much toward comfort, for a second "fun" car. Maybe...we'll see. I'm a sucker for those BMW Individual options - love having a car with some unique touches.

But yes, the M235i I drove was much more akin to the experience in the Type R, even with the automatic. This particular one was black over black leatherette, minimally optioned. I suspect if/when I find one in a more desirable color (let's say, white over red or estoril blue over black), and with a few more options that I'd like, I will find it much more desirable.

@roadburner - you've said a few times that you would like an M2 with the manual trannie, but an M235/240 with the auto (which, of course, you have). Why not an M235/240 with a manual? That may be a great car for me to transition from the Type R, though I'd have to go with RWD which, on that car, I'd assume doesn't affect resale as much as others here in CO.

andres3

stickguy said:

@andres3, is your TTS nano? Out of the blue last night my son started texting me links to a used one. 2016 TTS, nano over black. I am sensing a very poor financial move coming soon. Possibly only averted by finding out how severely his A3 depreciated in 14 months!

On those, is there any real difference with the 2017s, or are they basically the same?

There is virtually no difference between the '16 TTS and '17 TTS. I think the way they priced and grouped the options might be slightly different. A rare circumstance were depreciating cost/value in tech gadgets and wiz-bang features went down in cost and price reflected that! I think they raised the base sticker enough to cover the options getting slightly cheaper.

Mine is Daytona Gray Pearl. Nano is supposedly metallic, but it looks like a lighter flatter concrete "battleship" gray. Popular with the young folk, especially since we have Navy men here in San Diego.

If he gets the TTS, or @breld does, I have an extra set of lightly used calipers and rotors for sale.

andres3

stickguy said:

Likely one MY older, 10k more miles, and at least $10,000 out of his picket that he probably shouldn’t spend. But, his life!

You should warn him it is harder to drive the TTS legally than the A3. I thought the super low ratio top gear would keep my top cruising speeds down, but it really doesn't, the engine is just too smooth. The only place it helps is on the downhill stretch of straight-away that the Sheriff's like to ticket. Rolling down that hill in the Kia will generate speed but in the Audi the engine and gear resistance is enough to maintain a "unlikely to be ticketed speed."

qbrozen

stickguy said:

oh, my son apparently checked the value on his 2017 A3, and got a reality check on his equity in that. so not looking to add as much cash into an upgrade right now. So new plan (subject to change at any time I assume) is keep it a couple more years, and save up. But by then, he should be able to get into an RS3 or TTRS instead. which is what her really wants. For some reason, he has been in love with the current TT every since it came out. But, going to the car show Saturday, and he has a list of cars to see. so the plan may be out the window in 48 hours. Though his current car is pretty darned nice, that it will take a lot to really upgrade from it.

When he continues to witness the depreciation, he might give up on Audi altogether.

andres3

breld said:

28firefighter said:

Seems like one. But didn't you just get rid of a 428 GC?

Uh...yeah.

After a break for several months, I'm clearly car obsessed again. I've decided waiting a year on the SUV front is a really good idea, as the models I'd like aren't quite to the used market sweet spot yet, and I still really like the Durango.

So then I turn my obsession to the fun car side of things. Not necessarily ready to trade out of the Civic yet, but doesn't hurt to look to get a feel for what I may want down the line, right?

I'm heading over to this BMW dealership over lunch to look at the CPO 435 GC, along with a CPO m235i and 2015 435i coupe. It'll be interesting to see how I take to the automatic trannies. That'll tell me a little as to how much I'd care for a TTS (even though that's the DSG).

IF you ever test drive the TTS, make sure to spend half the test drive in S-mode on the DSG. Turning the Drive Select from Comfort to Dynamic will do all that for you, in addition to stiffening the suspension and steering. Definitely drive the car in Dynamic/S-mode.

Oh, 19" wheels ride much better than 20"wheels. Makes as big of a difference as the switch on the suspension setting IMO.

andres3

qbrozen said:

stickguy said:

oh, my son apparently checked the value on his 2017 A3, and got a reality check on his equity in that. so not looking to add as much cash into an upgrade right now. So new plan (subject to change at any time I assume) is keep it a couple more years, and save up. But by then, he should be able to get into an RS3 or TTRS instead. which is what her really wants. For some reason, he has been in love with the current TT every since it came out.

But, going to the car show Saturday, and he has a list of cars to see. so the plan may be out the window in 48 hours. Though his current car is pretty darned nice, that it will take a lot to really upgrade from it.

When he continues to witness the depreciation, he might give up on Audi altogether.

Ah, all cars depreciate Just avoid getting hit so you don't get into a "forced" depreciation hit scenario.

rny421

Mark me down as a punch!

2015 Acura TLX, 4 cylinder, 30k miles, Acura Certified, Black on Black (I know, I know, a lot of people here seem to hate it, but I love it). I paid $20k for it, which seemed fair, especially since I was looking for a specific color combination.

Drove to Philly and back today to get it. According to the computer it got 32 mpg, so even if it actually calculates to 28 mpg, I'm happy. Hell, the Nissan Versa I drove down there only got 28 mpg.

I'm shocked that I'm in a Honda product, but I really like it. Acura has stepped up their game. It's super quiet, seats are comfortable, and it feels solid. I did notice tonight that the drivers heated seat doesn't work, so I'll have to bring it into the dealer to get it fixed. That's why I make sure any used vehicle I buy has some sort of remaining balance on the B2B warranty - there's always something!