Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

stickguy

sharp looking SAAB there. I like it. I assume those are aftermarket wheels.

roadburner

kyfdx said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

kyfdx said:

Wow.. look at that red leather!

Sport package is nice, but no HIDs is a bummer in a 3-Series with that option level.

But would you really kick a good deal just because of HIDs?

It's a negative. That's my entire point.

stickguy said:

on that BMW Coupe, I am fine without the HIDs. Those are really expensive to deal with if they go bad. My TL had one go wonky (it occasionally went out for a while then came back). Price to fix, ouch. On something that old I am fine with just buying a really good set of bulbs.

My car is 12 years old. No issues.
Wife has had HIDs for the last 15 years in various vehicles. Never had a repair.

Though, I'll grant that the car in question is older than that.

Ironically, older Acuras and Nissans have the worst reputation for HID repair/reliability.

All I've ever done on an HID equipped car is replace the bulbs; If you buy OSRAM or Phillips bulbs from a reputable vendor you can get them for at least half what the OEM wants. Mazda actually wanted more for the same D2 bulb than BMW did...

28firefighter

@nyccarguy thanks!  It is definitely “well loved” but I’m really enjoying it. 

@stickguy Don’t think so. Those are the OE Viggen wheels. 

roadburner

28firefighter said:

A few pictures. Car looks good from 5 feet away. Up close it needs some love. The worst is the front bumper which really needs to be replaced, but that’s not happening anytime soon. 

Plan is to get it detailed up and replace a couple trim bits (jack cover, drivers side weather strip), maybe some PDR on that fender, and call it good.

Goes in Tuesday for the valve cover gasket, head gasket and few other things so it’s not leaking on my garage floor. 

Hard to be upset with it for $3500 bucks given how nicely it drives. 

Nice!

stickguy

cool. Looked kinda skinny spoke for stock at that point. I learned something new.

benjaminh

28firefighter said:

qbrozen said:

Looks sharp in tiny pics on my phone.

I wonder what the original msrp was on this Saab. 40k? If so, you got it for more than 90% off....But do you have a local shop that will service a Saab?

kyfdx

Interesting car buying comparison:

https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/51210/general/x/2008-mercedes-benz-s550-vs-2014-chrysler-300c-hemi/p1?new=1

pensfan83

Nice ride @28firefighter!

rayainsw

Congrats @28firefighter!
- Ray
Living vicariously through my friends here...

au1994

28firefighter said:

A few pictures. Car looks good from 5 feet away. Up close it needs some love. The worst is the front bumper which really needs to be replaced, but that’s not happening anytime soon. 

Plan is to get it detailed up and replace a couple trim bits (jack cover, drivers side weather strip), maybe some PDR on that fender, and call it good.

Goes in Tuesday for the valve cover gasket, head gasket and few other things so it’s not leaking on my garage floor. 

Hard to be upset with it for $3500 bucks given how nicely it drives. 

That is awesome! Fix the little things and enjoy. I hope there is a way you can find to keep it in the stable as a 3rd, fun car.

Dang I miss Saab. Nothing like it out there now.

kyfdx

I like it! I can feel the torque steer from here!

fintail

Is this is a local car from new? (a good thing). License plate suggests it was issued in maybe late 08/early 09. At that time, there was a weird 7 year replacement cycle on plates, which means the original plate could have been issued when the car was new.

I wonder what happened to the front driver's side wheelarch, or is that a reflection? Maybe something a PDR guy could make it a lot less noticeable, and the car would be a 5 footer instead of a 10 footer

ab348

What's the plan for this, @28firefighter ? Daily driver or weekend fun car?

28firefighter

@fintail - local car since new. I need to get new tabs this week when I register it. Owner before me bought in 2010. Planning on PDR for that wheel arch - not a shimmer. And if not, then meh. 

@ab348 - plan is to DD for a while until it becomes (a) unreliable, or (b) something else comes out that catches my attention. 

Mr_Shiftright

qbrozen said:

I have a minor obsession with these right now.

https://m39t6.app.goo.gl/dGmE

Well if you want to maintain a low profile, that's the way to go.

corvette

That Slingshot reminds me of the Ariel Atom for some reason. 

carnaught

@28firefighter, nice looking Saab. Enjoy!

Michaell

@28firefighter - nice Saab. How rare were these?

28firefighter

According to the very reliable wikipedia, 4600 total from 99-02, which 2932 imported to the US; 157 Saab 5D Viggens were imported in 2002.

thebean

corvette said:

That Slingshot reminds me of the Ariel Atom for some reason. 

Is that what that "car" is? I thought it was a new Transformers model.

Mr_Shiftright

Or the new Corvette ZR1?

xwesx

@28firefighter : For a 2002, it looks absolutely fantastic! Certainly far more of a looker than the last car I bought for that price. Mine is more of a 100-footer rather than a 10-footer.

qbrozen

corvette said:

That Slingshot reminds me of the Ariel Atom for some reason. 

Kind of good for Polaris because the Atom is WAAAY more expensive.

qbrozen

thebean said:

corvette said:

That Slingshot reminds me of the Ariel Atom for some reason. 

Is that what that "car" is? I thought it was a new Transformer model.

Classified as a motorcycle in some states.

nyccarguy

Looks like I might be looking into a Home Equity Loan instead of a Home Equity Line of Credit.

stickguy

why? Credit lines are much better if you can, simply because you only pay interest if you use the money.

A loan, that clock starts at closing!

If you are going down that path, another option can be to just refinance the mortgage.

carnaught

Update on Mrs. Carnaught's Prius. At 5 weeks old and with over 1000 miles on it, we're getting 62+ mpg. This is with virtually all city driving, over 50% of the time with two of us in it, and 80%+ of the time with the a/c going (it's been hot here). Because of this and the fact that it's a purpose is a grocery-getter/city car, she felt there was no need for the Lincoln MKC, which was sold. It was a nice comfortable car with bad gas mileage. Not sure if a third car will enter the fleet again in the short term....but, then again, hmm...

nyccarguy

stickguy said:

why? Credit lines are much better if you can, simply because you only pay interest if you use the money.

A loan, that clock starts at closing!

If you are going down that path, another option can be to just refinance the mortgage.

I agree with you, but I just refinanced (and reset the clock) 3 years ago. Most of the banks will give you a HELOC with a loan to value ratio (including your primary mortgage) of 80%. I found a local credit union that will do 85%. I've got to keep digging.

nyccarguy

carnaught said:

Update on Mrs. Carnaught's Prius. At 5 weeks old and with over 1000 miles on it, we're getting 62+ mpg. This is with virtually all city driving, over 50% of the time with two of us in it, and 80%+ of the time with the a/c going (it's been hot here). Because of this and the fact that it's a purpose is a grocery-getter/city car, she felt there was no need for the Lincoln MKC, which was sold. It was a nice comfortable car with bad gas mileage. Not sure if a third car will enter the fleet again in the short term....but, then again, hmm...

Just make sure when you drive on the highway with the Prius that you stay in the far left lane doing at least 5 mph under! J/K!

I'm glad you are enjoying the Prius. Most people who have them do love them.

pensfan83

I think we go as high as 89% LTV but the caveat is it's only for customers in our footprint.

EDIT: Updated

For primary residences only, first or second lien
89% LTV for HELOC less than/equal to $500K
80% LTV for HELOC $500,001K to $750,000K
70% LTV for HELOC $750,000 to $1MM

nyccarguy

pensfan83 said:

I think we go as high as 89% LTV but the caveat is it's only for customers in our footprint.

EDIT: Updated

For primary residences only, first or second lien
89% LTV for HELOC less than/equal to $500K
80% LTV for HELOC $500,001K to $750,000K
70% LTV for HELOC $750,000 to $1MM

Who is "we?"

pensfan83

Messaged you.

andres3

28firefighter said:

A few pictures. Car looks good from 5 feet away. Up close it needs some love. The worst is the front bumper which really needs to be replaced, but that’s not happening anytime soon. 

Plan is to get it detailed up and replace a couple trim bits (jack cover, drivers side weather strip), maybe some PDR on that fender, and call it good.

Goes in Tuesday for the valve cover gasket, head gasket and few other things so it’s not leaking on my garage floor. 

Hard to be upset with it for $3500 bucks given how nicely it drives. 

How many miles on that? Looks good.

xwesx

nyccarguy said:

I agree with you, but I just refinanced (and reset the clock) 3 years ago. Most of the banks will give you a HELOC with a loan to value ratio (including your primary mortgage) of 80%. I found a local credit union that will do 85%. I've got to keep digging.

Don't feel bad about that. I have a "loan to value ratio" of 0% (e.g., I owe nothing), and I still couldn't get a loan on my place!

nyccarguy

xwesx said:

I agree with you, but I just refinanced (and reset the clock) 3 years ago. Most of the banks will give you a HELOC with a loan to value ratio (including your primary mortgage) of 80%. I found a local credit union that will do 85%. I've got to keep digging.

Don't feel bad about that. I have a "loan to value ratio" of 0% (e.g., I owe nothing), and I still couldn't get a loan on my place!

Ha!  I should fly you out here and set you loose at the lumber yard with my AMEX card and have you build me a deck.  You could pick up a car and drive it back.  Make a punch out of it;)

28firefighter

@andres3 - 106k miles. 

Not pictured: the cardboard box underneath it to catch the oil leaks. 

Goes in Tuesday for that. 

28firefighter

Saab update: my wife has decided she loves it. She thinks it’s quirky and loves how happy it makes me. She did say that calling it a “10-footer” in terms of appearance was being generous. Suggested it was like a real life episode of Wheeler Dealers. 

nyccarguy

28firefighter said:

Saab update: my wife has decided she loves it. She thinks it’s quirky and loves how happy it makes me. She did say that calling it a “10-footer” in terms of appearance was being generous. Suggested it was like a real life episode of Wheeler Dealers. 

As long as it drives great & looks good on the inside, the exterior dings and dents shouldn't bother you THAT much.

28firefighter

There are only three which bother me. One is the cracked driver’s side mirror housing, and that’s only because I’m worried about water getting in. One is the rippled fender. The last is the missing bit of trim on the drivers rear door. 

Interior is flawless and it drives amazingly well. 

qbrozen

Interesting value proposition. Has already suffered roughly 85 cents per mile in depreciation.
https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/730317310/overview?aff=share_other

pensfan83

What's the verdict on Preludes of this generation? They don't seem to garner the praise (IMO) as the earlier or succeeding generation. Non-VTEC too.

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=481808028&zip=15222&referrer=/cars-for-sale/searchresults.xhtml?zip=15222&startYear=1981&sortBy=relevance&maxPrice=5000&incremental=all&firstRecord=0&endYear=2019&searchRadius=100&transmissionCodes=MAN&startYear=1981&numRecords=25&maxPrice=5000&firstRecord=0&endYear=2019&searchRadius=100&makeCode1=HONDA&modelCode1=PRE

nyccarguy

I hate to say this @qbrozen, but with under 50K miles it could make a comfortable cruiser.

While we are on the Audi topic, I am starting to see A5 Sportbacks (Grand Coupe, 4 Door Coupe) on the road. It looks really sharp in Black, Dark Blue, & I really liked the Silver one I saw yesterday AM.

qbrozen

A bit rare
 https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/735759522/overview?aff=share_other

laurasdada

28FF: Congrats and have a Viggen good time!

A child of SAAB: '71 99, '76 99 GLE (both Dad's) and '95 900s (mine, preemptive SUV strike). One of the counselors at a summer camp I attended had a black Sonnet III, I had a strange lust for it... I still have my Saab 50th Anniversary hat and t-shirt!

I am so unworthy, same car for ~4.5 years.

kyfdx

Needs advice:

https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/51221/general/x/reccomendations-on-reliable-suv-under-25k/p1?new=1

Sandman6472

Have been in the hospital and rehab for the past 16 or so days. Almost died according to emergency room doc as thought it was the flu again. Had septis and pnemonia then they found gall stones and last week removed my gall bladder. Rehab made me worse so came home yesterday. Walking with a walker now, fell in house with cane and fell again in hospital. Paramedics took me out of here a couple weeks ago. Feel like crap and starting home health care tomorrow. On leave of absense from work until mid June as doc says no driving till then.
Been a nightmare really and found out health care stinks in America!!!
They did come look at Golf for diminished value claim, my oldest took care of it. She rocks as do my other kids as they all came to the hospital to get me the help I needed!!!

The Sick Sandman

ab348

Geez Sandy, how did that happen? Take it slow and don't push yourself. With your back problems you don't need any falls.

28firefighter

Sorry to hear of your troubles, @sandman_6472, and wishing you a speedy recovery. Hang in there.

nyccarguy

Wishing you a VERY speedy recovery @sandman_6472

corvette

Wow, sandy that’s awful, hope you heal up soon! Why did it take them so long to figure out it was your gallbladder?