Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

omarman

ab348 said:

I really like that Coronet. Great interior.

I like the whole package including the 383. But no 150-mph speedo? Did that only come the R/T option for 1967?

In the 70s a friend of mine had a '68 Super Bee with a 383/4-speed and the (round dial) 150-mph speedometer. Different dash for that generation Coronet though.

kyfdx

breld said:

So, my friend calls me this morning and says he's heading to Carmax to get a bid on his 2017 Tundra (I got confirmation of pricing from Q on the RWTIV thread). Says he'd like to downsize his payment and just get something economical, since he doesn't really need the truck.

He's thinking of everything from a used Accord/Camry to an Audi A4, and perhaps a Prius (he's the one who has switched every couple years between a Tundra and Prius - he's on his third Tundra and has had two Prius's in between).

He's always liked our Audis, so I strongly suggest he tries out a used A4. He does, and likes it a lot. But he's also thinking Prius.

So...my wife suggests he rent our Prius Prime from us for the next 6-12 months. He pays us for our car payment (which is really low at $245) and of course insures it himself - so we get our car payments taken care of and it relieves us of the insurance obligation on a car we don't drive all that much (particularly since we bought the Golf R).

He loves the plan. He can save money and get that A4 he wants next year - and scratch that semi-annual Prius itch he gets. The only thing I need to figure out is the logistics of him insuring a car that we own. Is that weird?

I don’t think you can do it (the insurance thing)

mjfloyd1

Punch of the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon in Sting Gray.

mjfloyd1

kyfdx

Nice! Or course, it will handle just like the car it's replacing.

mjfloyd1

That would be nice but not so much. I hear that the turbos on the N54 like to go out and I just wanted a jeep anyway. My 13 yr old daughter went for a ride with me and asked me to find a bumpy road.

Jeep had another price increase in the 4 or so weeks that it took to build this jeep. Salesman said it was the fourth or fifth price increase since they introduced the JL Wrangler.

kyfdx

mjfloyd1 said:

That would be nice but not so much. I hear that the turbos on the N54 like to go out and I just wanted a jeep anyway. My 13 yr old daughter went for a ride with me and asked me to find a bumpy road.

Jeep had another price increase in the 4 or so weeks that it took to build this jeep. Salesman said it was the fourth or fifth price increase since they introduced the JL Wrangler.

After 10 years, you are allowed to trade, no questions asked.

mjfloyd1

Forgot the back side picture. You may like rear ends???

mjfloyd1

Weird interactions with dealer. I texted on Friday to make sure quoted price was correct and he said no. He said I called back and added safety group ($795) and that changed the price. (Earlier he had told me that he forgot the safety group and ended up ordering another jeep that same day with safety). The price went up $200 so the math didn't work out and he finally looked at the order invoice and the invoice when it came in and noticed the price increase. They did give me the Jeep at the ordered invoice price.

We had agreed on $10400 trade (or more if the used car manager like it). He came back saying how nice it was. I asked how much and he says $10300. I say we had agreed on $10400 or more so I'll just go back home. Then we are back at $10400.

I was there for 2 hours and they knew that I was coming at 10 am when they opened. They have a new trainee do my paperwork with no assistance and he doesn't know about my $500 credit card deposit. I even asked for a screwdriver to remove my license plate to speed things up.

They did agree to match online extended warranty pricing (I keep my 325 for 13 yrs and my 335 for 9 yrs), but they tax them whereas the online places don't.

kyfdx

Seems like a typical dealer interaction, sadly.

stickguy

Q, Si is out. Doesn’t drive stick. Didn’t really look at the civic. She was not a huge fan. The Jetta she likes and I save money on the disposition, so works all around.

Sandy, same drivetrain in all models (the turbo). The R line is like an SE with 17” wheels, 2 tone seats, a limited slip differential, and some trim pieces. The SEL adds a few options, but Loses the LSD and 2 tone seats.

ab348

kyfdx said:

Seems like a typical dealer interaction, sadly.

True enough. Had a similar/worse experience when I went to pick up my new Regal in 2011. I almost walked away, they were so inept.

carnaught

In the finance office is where they’ve tried to tack on additional dollars, and sell me mop and glo. I tell them that I’m outta there if they do not honor the previously agreed to out-the-door price. That approach with me has worked 100% of the time.

benjaminh

stickguy said:

Q, Si is out. Doesn’t drive stick. Didn’t really look at the civic. She was not a huge fan. The Jetta she likes and I save money on the disposition, so works all around.

Sandy, same drivetrain in all models (the turbo). The R line is like an SE with 17” wheels, 2 tone seats, a limited slip differential, and some trim pieces. The SEL adds a few options, but Loses the LSD and 2 tone seats.

Sounds like a good deal for the R-line Jetta, which is thousands more than the base model.

The one thing I don't like about the Jetta is this: "Torsion Beam Rear Suspension w/Coil Springs"

sda

The torsion beam rear suspension is a disappointment yet the reviews I've read so far are favorable. I like the R-line a lot, nicely equipped, sporty, and 4 speaker audio (really?). I also like the SEL, it has the upgraded Beats audio, but gives up the fog lights and other neat features of the R, and should have a power driver's seat. And why no lumbar support or rear seat a/c vents? The SEL premium is really nice but gets expensive, though inline with the Civic Touring.

stickguy

No power seat on base SEL. Need premium package for that. The torsion beam, for most people, they won’t notice. Ride and handling is fine. Stereo seemed good enough too. Better than the weak unit in my Elantra!

roadburner

kyfdx said:

Seems like a typical dealer interaction, sadly.

And it's truly pathetic. If I had a customer coming in(sales or Encore) with an appointment I made certain things were ready to go as soon as they arrived. F&I was the only potential bottleneck in sales if things were really busy- but in that case I'd start the delivery and take a break win F&I was ready .
Of course I've told the story of the Audi dealer we visited who took 45 minutes to pencil a deal- and came back with a trade value $1500 under auction and with no discount on their car.

benjaminh

stickguy said:

....The torsion beam, for most people, they won’t notice....

My guess is that almost every "regular" who posts here would notice.

breld

I like the Jetta R line myself - a lot more features standard than the previous Sport model.  But my stepdaughter loves her music, and she will certainly appreciate the Beats audio in the SEL.  That’s the primary reason we’re going with that model.  And as much as I like the wheels on the R line, the smaller 16” wheels on the SEL will have its advantages.  

Sandman6472

Gotta have the upgraded audio and the nicer wheels but am willing to pay the price when I do buy. Since I usually keep my vehicles a bit longer, the Tucson was a totally dumb purchase which the wife was 100% right, and something I hope to never do again! Just better to get what I really want upfront so they'll be no looking back with major regrets down the line. I know myself too well and not willing to settle when it comes to my d d. So I'll either wait a bit so I'll more $ to buy it or already have the needed funds ready to go. And I usually have a target price in mind. Happened on the eBay auction last night. Was the top bidder for awhile but the price went above my target price so I stopped bidding. Figure when the new iPhones come out in a month or two, will just see where the prices of the 8 Plus are at and go from there. And if I have to wait, so be it. This is a "want" purchase anyways...I don't "need" a new smartphone as my 6s Plus is working just fine. I just like some of the newer upgrades and really want the wireless charging for the ease it brings. And now some of the newer vehicles are putting charging pads in their center consoles so charging cables will no longer clutter up the dash area. I like that!
So, will check out the new Jetta when the time comes along with the others on my short list. Until then, my Golf will just have to do!!

The Sandman

Michaell

breld said:

I like the Jetta R line myself - a lot more features standard than the previous Sport model.  But my stepdaughter loves her music, and she will certainly appreciate the Beats audio in the SEL.  That’s the primary reason we’re going with that model.  And as much as I like the wheels on the R line, the smaller 16” wheels on the SEL will have its advantages.  

More pothole friendly?

suydam

Cheaper to replace.

stickguy

The 17"s are about the same sidewall height I think. They are not particularly low profile. Not like the Elantra. Not that good an idea for her, since she likes to hit potholes.

we can listen again, but we tried out the radio on a test drive and sounded pretty good to us.

stickguy

on the way back from NY (annual trip to donate money to NYRA at Saratoga), stopped at a VW dealer we were passing by. Conveniently, they had a gray Jetta parked next to a white-silver Jetta (wagon) and a pure white Passat. So she could really see the colors to compare. She has decided that the White silver looks cool and classy, and will be going with that on the new car. I really like it myself.

breld

I like that white silver too. She likes her dark colors - it's enough for me just to get away from black.

So, you all have a good memory on the pothole she hit, huh?

To be fair, it was actually a really bad dip at a place in the road where you wouldn't expect it unless you already knew about it. I know this because I was going down that road with my wife and just about did the same thing in my car - I had to swallow my pride a bit and admit that I could see how you could easily hit that dip going too fast.

stickguy

I meant my daughter. she is a pothole magnet. Including ones that I pointed out repeatedly.

maybe being on her dime for replacements will get her to pay more attention!

breld

I have to admit, there are times when I think I’m skillfully avoiding a pothole and end up hitting it dead on  

stickguy

our roads are so bad, many days I am grateful that I am driving the RDX with massive sidewalls instead of my car with rubber band tires.

stickguy

looks like someone must have snapped up that white S90. Gone from the website. Oh well. snooze, you lose.

tjc78

stickguy said:

looks like someone must have snapped up that white S90. Gone from the website. Oh well. snooze, you lose.

Sorry to say it wasn’t me!

Wife saw a Grand Cherokee at the mall on Saturday and said she liked it. I said, no third row. Her response? Why don’t you get one and we can use the Enclave when we need more room. I just shake my head.

kyfdx

https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/52057/toyota/corolla/bought-a-2008-corolla-ce-with-89k-miles-for-4-000-did-i-get-ripped-off/p1?new=1

stickguy

tjc78 said:

stickguy said:

looks like someone must have snapped up that white S90. Gone from the website. Oh well. snooze, you lose.

Sorry to say it wasn’t me!

Wife saw a Grand Cherokee at the mall on Saturday and said she liked it. I said, no third row. Her response? Why don’t you get one and we can use the Enclave when we need more room. I just shake my head.

My wife is fine with me now flipping my car for something more comfort oriented. But, when I ask what she likes, get the not very helpful answer of "whatever you like, it is your car". Ignoring the fact that is how I got what I have, and the other choice was a Civic Si! One reason getting a new car that will be hers (along with the go everywhere together and travel car) is easier.

stickguy

Oh, the other car I was eyeing (red 2017 TLX V6) is gone for the dealer website too. I figured at the price that one would not last.

at least I am getting my car back soon. Daughter officially got her new DL this morning, and we are going to the VW dealer tonight to do paperwork. So, assuming the approve her (not worried about that), just need them to locate the car in the correct color and get it in. So I hope by the end of the week (Thursday night) she is able to pick it up. Should come in handy, because we are moving her to her new apartment Saturday, so she won't be commuting from home any longer, so I really would never be seeing my car!

kyfdx

A house I walk by frequently usually has some nice vechicles. I think they are snowbirds, as their cars all have Florida plates. For the last few years, a red GTI, a flat-orange Boxster and a couple of FJ Cruisers (why two?).

Anyway, the red GTI is for sale. 2016 with 2X,XXX miles, SE with Driver Assistance, Lighting and Performance packages.. and, a stick-shift! Stickered for $33K+ when new.

1.5 years left on factory warranty, plus another 3 year tranferable 3rd-party extended warranty on top of that.

The car looks basically new. The bad news: Asking $24,800...

nyccarguy

kyfdx said:

A house I walk by frequently usually has some nice vechicles. I think they are snowbirds, as their cars all have Florida plates. For the last few years, a red GTI, a flat-orange Boxster and a couple of FJ Cruisers (why two?).

Anyway, the red GTI is for sale. 2016 with 2X,XXX miles, SE with Driver Assistance, Lighting and Performance packages.. and, a stick-shift! Stickered for $33K+ when new.

1.5 years left on factory warranty, plus another 3 year tranferable 3rd-party extended warranty on top of that.

The car looks basically new. The bad news: Asking $24,800...

TXTONLY! NO LOBALLZ! I KNOW WHAT I GOTZ!

stickguy

1st amendment does not prevent you from making a reasonable offer!

28firefighter

I would imagine a reasonable number is $20-21k. $24k is crazy, even with a manual and performance pack.

stickguy

Someone asked about tires on the Jetta. The R line actually has 55 series too, same size as SE. just 17” instead of 16”. About 10% more sidewall than her old 2015 sport. And a lot more than the Elantra!

kyfdx

stickguy said:

1st amendment does not prevent you from making a reasonable offer!

Private seller.. not worth it until it sits for a month or more.. He needs to hear it about 6 times from other people, before I go in.

nyccarguy

kyfdx said:

A house I walk by frequently usually has some nice vechicles. I think they are snowbirds, as their cars all have Florida plates. For the last few years, a red GTI, a flat-orange Boxster and a couple of FJ Cruisers (why two?).

Anyway, the red GTI is for sale. 2016 with 2X,XXX miles, SE with Driver Assistance, Lighting and Performance packages.. and, a stick-shift! Stickered for $33K+ when new.

1.5 years left on factory warranty, plus another 3 year tranferable 3rd-party extended warranty on top of that.

The car looks basically new. The bad news: Asking $24,800...

GTIs seem to hold their value well (what does the auction say about this on @qbrozen?) and don't lease well. You are probably better off trying to find what you want new and take advantage of a healthy discount & cheap financing and their 7 year/72K warranty. Most of what I see on dealer's lots are either S or AutoBahn models.

kyfdx

My wife came home from a walk last night, and told me it was for sale. I said, "won't matter, I'm sure it's an automatic".

henryn

https://houston.craigslist.org/cto/d/1972-triunph-tr6/6669624008.html



I wouldn't touch this one with a 10 foot pole, but it IS interesting. "Supercharged" ??

Mr_Shiftright

Well it definitely has a blower on it (not stock, of course). If the engineering were done properly, that would be a nice car to drive. TR6s are fairly civilized for a vintage British sports car, roomy cockpit and even a heater!

If you don't mind the dog-cart suspension, this could be a decent buy. I only hope the engine has been rebuilt and re-sealed to take the extra boost--hopefully with lower compression at least. I also don't know how they worked out compatibility with the carburetor. That can be tricky. Looks like a pretty tidy install.

These cars are easy to work on normally, although again we don't know what went into the customization (aside from lots of money).

stickguy

love the car. not the S/C though.

Mr_Shiftright

Why not? It's a torquey engine, might pull really well.

andres3

28firefighter said:

Well - it took over 3 months but the Saab stranded me for the first time this morning. Likely a fuel pump failure. In fairness the shop warned me it'd go in the next 2 years and 24k miles.

My wife was home to witness it though, and she has been giving me endless crap for it.

3 months you say? That's about the interval of breakdown the Neon gave me. Sometimes 4 months. I'm familiar with quarterly car expenditures.

28firefighter

So, I mentioned potentially adding a vehicle to the fleet. My in-laws purchased a condo here in the Seattle area to spend longer stretches of time out here close to us and my wife's siblings. They want to lease a car to keep out here to use when they're out here vs. driving one of their cars from Ohio. Their budget is comically low - that is, they'd end up driving a Hyundai when what they're used to is Audi. Not top of their list.

My wife liked the idea of us "sharing" a car with them - that is, adding a third car that we can use while they aren't here (e.g. so I'm not daily driving the Saab). Their condo comes with two garage spots, so I could park one car there and the other at home and just rotate them out as I saw fit. When they're in town, I'd go back to driving the Saab.

There are some financials and logistics to work out, but it could work. As I told my wife, I'm keeping the Saab and will be driving it regularly regardless of what we do.

qbrozen

nyccarguy said:

A house I walk by frequently usually has some nice vechicles. I think they are snowbirds, as their cars all have Florida plates. For the last few years, a red GTI, a flat-orange Boxster and a couple of FJ Cruisers (why two?). Anyway, the red GTI is for sale. 2016 with 2X,XXX miles, SE with Driver Assistance, Lighting and Performance packages.. and, a stick-shift! Stickered for $33K+ when new. 1.5 years left on factory warranty, plus another 3 year tranferable 3rd-party extended warranty on top of that. The car looks basically new. The bad news: Asking $24,800...

GTIs seem to hold their value well (what does the auction say about this on @qbrozen?) and don't lease well. You are probably better off trying to find what you want new and take advantage of a healthy discount & cheap financing and their 7 year/72K warranty. Most of what I see on dealer's lots are either S or AutoBahn models.

Not enough info. Need at least the next digit on miles and need to know how many doors it has.

I actually think GTIs DON'T hold their value well. A 2016 4-door SE peformance that would now be approaching 3 years old and 30k miles is worth all of about $17k auction and $20k retail. If it was $33k sticker new, that's a 51.5% residual on a 36/12 lease. Figure 50% (or less) by the time we get to Fall when it really will be 3 years old. 

tifighter

28firefighter said:

So, I mentioned potentially adding a vehicle to the fleet. My in-laws purchased a condo here in the Seattle area to spend longer stretches of time out here close to us and my wife's siblings. They want to lease a car to keep out here to use when they're out here vs. driving one of their cars from Ohio. Their budget is comically low - that is, they'd end up driving a Hyundai when what they're used to is Audi. Not top of their list.

My wife liked the idea of us "sharing" a car with them - that is, adding a third car that we can use while they aren't here (e.g. so I'm not daily driving the Saab). Their condo comes with two garage spots, so I could park one car there and the other at home and just rotate them out as I saw fit. When they're in town, I'd go back to driving the Saab.

There are some financials and logistics to work out, but it could work. As I told my wife, I'm keeping the Saab and will be driving it regularly regardless of what we do.

I like this plan. And you even get an extra garage space. Not that I'd be making designs on that if it were me or anything.

28firefighter

tifighter said:

I like this plan. And you even get an extra garage space. Not that I'd be making designs on that if it were me or anything.

Not at all!