Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

ab348

When you graduate from swapping out VWs and Dodges to Porsches, it's a sign your addiction to changing cars has entered the serious stage.

stickguy

Breld, you sure the Porsche won’t also be on the too firm and sporty ride side? Honestly it sounds like she needs a Lexus!

Q, from what you said, the Alfa is probably also not a fit.

What about a new style XC60? Those are nice!

stickguy

Bradd, speaking of jettas, the daughter had hers home this weekend. Drove back this AM to Delaware (straight to work). Reported that the TC calculated she got 45.5 MPG on the run (it’s about 45 miles, mostly highway). That is impressive.

qbrozen

stickguy said:

Breld, you sure the Porsche won’t also be on the too firm and sporty ride side? Honestly it sounds like she needs a Lexus!

Q, from what you said, the Alfa is probably also not a fit.

What about a new style XC60? Those are nice!

Maybe. But something tells me there are no "wants" in the breld household that are set in stone.In fact, they are possibly set in warm jelly that changes shape daily.

stickguy

Possibly. But there is usually a nugget of reason in there to follow. Sometimes a stick shift. In this case, something more comfy for a long commute.

nyccarguy

stickguy said:

Bradd, speaking of jettas, the daughter had hers home this weekend. Drove back this AM to Delaware (straight to work). Reported that the TC calculated she got 45.5 MPG on the run (it’s about 45 miles, mostly highway). That is impressive.

I'm pretty sure modern (post $4 per gallon gas) trip computers read on the high side to make the driver "feel better." Our 2011 Pilot was "dead on balls accurate," while our 2017 consistently reads 2 mpg higher than I calculate.

I can definitely see the appeal of the Jetta. Seems like a very upscale car for not such an upscale price.

stickguy

Possible. She doesn’t hand calc it. But even if it is really “only” 42-43, still pretty impressive! And it really is a nice car too.

suydam

Any evidence for that belief?

cdnpinhead

If you're talking about trip computer gas mileage numbers being optimistic, I have all the hand-calculated data in the world to support the fact that both Honda and Subaru MPG numbers on the computer are 5-8% high -- in one case, over ten years.

suydam

For just your car, or nationally or globally? Mine have always been pretty accurate, but I’m not claiming that my experience is typical or making global claims.

nyccarguy

cdnpinhead said:

If you're talking about trip computer gas mileage numbers being optimistic, I have all the hand-calculated data in the world to support the fact that both Honda and Subaru MPG numbers on the computer are 5-8% high -- in one case, over ten years.

Now that you mention it, my Subaru Legacy's trip computer was ALWAYS optimistic as well.

kyfdx

Maybe, VW uses the same computer that calculated their diesel emissions?

Mr_Shiftright

qbrozen said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

What do you think this car would be like with a manual transmission?

https://shift.com/car/c117448

That is incredibly interesting. I had no idea you could get a stick in that. 
But, 228hp and 3600lbs doesn't exactly say "wheeee" to me.

***************************************************************************

Oh well, that's not much better than the Volvo S60 T5--"adequate" but hardly exciting.

qbrozen

Mr_Shiftright said:

Oh well, that's not much better than the Volvo S60 T5--"adequate" but hardly exciting.

Which S60 t5 was this? Do you mean the C30? Because that weighs far less, at least.

breld

qbrozen said:

breld said:

suydam said:

@breid. Very nice vehicle, but that’s a lotta moolah! I’ve never quite understood the appeal of a Porsche SUV. At the end of the day, it’s still an SUV, not a sports car. Enlighten me.

Yeah, it ain’t cheap, but neither are the competitors from Audi, BMW and MB.  The base Macan offers a nice alternative to the Q5, GLC and X3.  And if you’re a little picky on the options, the premium isn’t all that much.  

Just based on a couple test drives, I’d say the Macan offers a really tight and solid ride, just a step more than those other models.  And the transmission is incredible.  

Having said that, those differences are subtle - they’re all really nice vehicles.  Then there is the styling of the Macan - it’s really appealing to my wife for sure.  

Why haven't you tried a Stelvio?

Oh, I've definitely thrown it out there and shown her the pictures of yours, since she likes red seats. She's not a fan of the Alfa front end. And from the sounds of it, the Stelvio may be a a step sportier than the Macan, at least how we're setting one up. Good for you, not as good for her.

breld

stickguy said:

Breld, you sure the Porsche won’t also be on the too firm and sporty ride side? Honestly it sounds like she needs a Lexus!

Q, from what you said, the Alfa is probably also not a fit.

What about a new style XC60? Those are nice!

Okay now, a Lexus? That's going a bit too far.

I've talked to her extensively about the sportier side of the Macan to make sure it goes far enough to satisfy her craving for a more comfy ride, and she thinks it's a great balance. And I will agree it's much more compliant than the Polestar.

And we've talked about the XC60 - she's not opposed to it, but for one reason or another, it doesn't get her too excited.

Mr_Shiftright

qbrozen said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

Oh well, that's not much better than the Volvo S60 T5--"adequate" but hardly exciting.

Which S60 t5 was this? Do you mean the C30? Because that weighs far less, at least.

Oh, sorry---S40 T5 that I test drove. The C30 was livelier, but alas, an automatic.

I'm beginning to think I have to resign myself to two pedals. What I want in a stick I can't find, within striking distance. And I am NOT going to buy a car on the blind, not never, not nohow.

breld

ab348 said:

When you graduate from swapping out VWs and Dodges to Porsches, it's a sign your addiction to changing cars has entered the serious stage.

Is there an intervention coming?  

roadburner

suydam said:

Any evidence for that belief?

With one exception, every OBC I've had experience with has calculated average MPG that is around 5% higher than hand calculations. The one exception is my 2er, which has an OBC that calculates average MPG at 5% less than the hand calculation

stickguy

Still pretty good for an estimate. Just do what I do and subtract about 1-1.5 mpg and should be just about spot on. I just like to see it, and doesn’t need to be exact.

28firefighter

I've been playing a game in the Stelvio - how low can I get my average MPG?

tjc78

That's my kind of game....

tjc78

nyccarguy said:

"dead on balls accurate,"

Is that an "industry term"?

fintail

I used to play that game in my E55, not always by choice. I had ~10 mpg commutes.

Regarding the accuracy of mpg readouts, I have read on MB forums that many there think the cars are 3-5% optimistic, too.

nyccarguy

28firefighter said:

I've been playing a game in the Stelvio - how low can I get my average MPG?

Let's go head to head. My Q40 vs. your Alfa!

Mr_Shiftright

Perhaps I could teach you a few things about achieving bad gas mileage. Happy to help. I practically invented "hypomiling". (Well maybe the guys on Road Kill did. )

qbrozen

I have yet to calculate the stelvio. And I can't understand the OBC. It tells me the average is like 20, but the graphic slider thingy is showing more than that.

tifighter

breld said:

breld said:

suydam said:

@breid. Very nice vehicle, but that’s a lotta moolah! I’ve never quite understood the appeal of a Porsche SUV. At the end of the day, it’s still an SUV, not a sports car. Enlighten me.

Yeah, it ain’t cheap, but neither are the competitors from Audi, BMW and MB.  The base Macan offers a nice alternative to the Q5, GLC and X3.  And if you’re a little picky on the options, the premium isn’t all that much.  

Just based on a couple test drives, I’d say the Macan offers a really tight and solid ride, just a step more than those other models.  And the transmission is incredible.  

Having said that, those differences are subtle - they’re all really nice vehicles.  Then there is the styling of the Macan - it’s really appealing to my wife for sure.  

Why haven't you tried a Stelvio?

And from the sounds of it, the Stelvio may be a a step sportier than the Macan

Is this as crazy as it sounds to me?

stickguy

Not to me.

28firefighter

Not to me either - at least not with the base Macan. The Macan S or Turbo would be a different story.

breld

So I think we've zeroed in on a Macan and we're at the point of no return.

That Sapphire Blue one was more than acceptable, but my wife would have really preferred the "Night Blue" or a gray. Well, lo and behold, she spoke with the salesperson this morning, and they have a Night Blue with the black/beige leather interior that they can pull out of their loaner fleet. It'll be back at the dealership this Thursday.

So I do believe that Macan will be in the garage this weekend.

My main dilemma is whether I take their trade offer of $35k on the Polestar or continue to try and private sale it. My gut tells me we could sell it with little issue (maybe a little patience) for high-$30k's. You all know the car - what do you think?

Our tax rate is pretty low, at 4%, so the tax savings on that $35k is about $1,400.

28firefighter

Can you bump them a bit on the trade? Alternatively, have you shopped it to a couple of Volvo dealers for a buy quote? Seems like the perfect car for them.

breld

So this is more or less what she'd be getting - though the loaner has different 19" wheels. But this gives you the idea on color and equipment. I like the Sapphire Blue that's also available too, but my wife definitely prefers the more subtle dark blue.

2018 Night Blue Macan

It's been communicated to my wife that the pricing is around $52-53k, but nothing has been formalized yet, so I'm holding my breath. Without really knowing any better, it seems to me to be an appropriate, if not higher than expected, discount for a 2018 loaner. We still really like the Audi Q5 and Allroad as an alternative, but we're talking roughly the same price compared to new examples of those, even heavily discounted. The Macan just pushes the emotional buttons for my wife, while still accomplishing the other goals for this car.

stickguy

now that is a sharp car. That exterior with the brown interior would be tough to turn down. Looks like it might have a few more options than the one by me listed at $49,495. But I guess same model, and probably also a loaner.

https://www.porscheofcherryhill.com/certified/Porsche/2018-Porsche-Macan-789b9f920a0e0a6b204d7f5f683b3069.htm

carnaught

Come on stick and breld, you’re making me salivate all over my iPad....slurp, slurp

breld, is picture no. 20 showing a 360 degree camera?

breld

28firefighter said:

Can you bump them a bit on the trade? Alternatively, have you shopped it to a couple of Volvo dealers for a buy quote? Seems like the perfect car for them.

You'd think so. We were knee deep in negotiations with the Audi dealer on the Allroad with the only sticking point being the trade offer. And they are next door to their sister Volvo dealership.

They came out with a ridiculous (IMO) $32k offer. They eventually got up to $34k. The Porsche dealer shopped bids from Volvo, and I'm confident one of them was the same dealership that offered the $34k. The Porsche dealer said that the best buy bid was indeed $34k, but they'd bump it up to $35k.

Now...$35k is consistent with KBB, for whatever it's worth. I don't think it's an awful offer, but it's just a decision we have to make on how long we're willing to float it while we wait for a private buyer.

I did just get off the phone with someone in Florida who is interested in the Polestar - already has an XC90 and a V90, and is salivating over the opportunity to have the Polestar. We'll see - he was pretty frank that he's almost hoping to come to his senses and not want it anymore for budgetary reasons.

breld

carnaught said:

Come on stick and breld, you’re making me salivate all over my iPad....slurp, slurp

breld, is picture no. 20 showing a 360 degree camera?

Yeah, I believe it is a 360 degree camera.

So let me get this straight - out of all the pictures of the beautiful Macan exterior, you keyed in on the camera view?

xwesx

cdnpinhead said:

If you're talking about trip computer gas mileage numbers being optimistic, I have all the hand-calculated data in the world to support the fact that both Honda and Subaru MPG numbers on the computer are 5-8% high -- in one case, over ten years.

Yes, agreed. They are usually optimistic and, unless you track all of your fuel usage, you cannot really agree or dispute the findings. I have some tanks (rarely) where the trip computer is dead on or even low, but, over all, they are always optimistic.

Sadly, I cannot even compare them in my Q7, because it doesn't track on the tank (only on the trip - e.g., during the time you're actively driving it.). If it does, I haven't figured out how to make that function display.

xwesx

breld said:

So this is more or less what she'd be getting - though the loaner has different 19" wheels. But this gives you the idea on color and equipment. I like the Sapphire Blue that's also available too, but my wife definitely prefers the more subtle dark blue.

2018 Night Blue Macan

It's been communicated to my wife that the pricing is around $52-53k, but nothing has been formalized yet, so I'm holding my breath. Without really knowing any better, it seems to me to be an appropriate, if not higher than expected, discount for a 2018 loaner. We still really like the Audi Q5 and Allroad as an alternative, but we're talking roughly the same price compared to new examples of those, even heavily discounted. The Macan just pushes the emotional buttons for my wife, while still accomplishing the other goals for this car.

The interior on those is quite lovely - especially in that color combo. I have never been a fan of the exterior styling, though. That was a prime turn off for me when looking at diesels a while back.

xwesx

breld said:

I did just get off the phone with someone in Florida who is interested in the Polestar - already has an XC90 and a V90, and is salivating over the opportunity to have the Polestar. We'll see - he was pretty frank that he's almost hoping to come to his senses and not want it anymore for budgetary reasons.

Well, let's hope for you that he does not! I had a similar scenario with my Q7 back in late July, except that my "buyer" did follow through with doing the financially responsible thing!

stickguy

I should stop over at the dealer and drive one of those used ones. Just because, why not? I can get the VW guy my daughter just bought from to get it for me. he owes me a favor.

Breld, could always drop the price to $39,995 and see what happens. Maybe dropping below the 40K barrier will generate action. Though at that point, you are only at a $3,500 delta if you got full asking. And I say "only" because it is your money, not mine!

stickguy

Wes, I actually think the Mecan is one of the better looking smaller CUVs. other than paying the entry fee, and the maintenance, I would love to have one! Perfect car for me. If I hit lotto.

Drivingfool

My mpg's seem a bit low and was hoping they'd go up a bit but with almost 44K on the clock, don't think things will change much. Wish they were a bit higher to be honest. But like the vehicle so much, I don't let it bother me.
Stopped and talked to the guy around the corner who owns two Mini Coopers, a newer one and an older one plus a VW Jetta GLI and a Golf GTI. He said for their newer 4 door, they went into the dealer and basically ordered what they wanted on their vehicle. Things like the upgraded 17" wheels and the Harmon Kardon audio system. He said it drives very smoothly with the 17"ers and even has run flats on them like I have on mine. Asked if it was a bit rough of a ride and he said that honestly, it wasn't. The paint color is an off white color with a black roof and with the alloys they chose is absolutely stunning, the exact color combo I'd get.
As much as I'd like a Jetta, the Mini is a better size for me right now. But still holding to my Plan A where I keep the Golf for at least the next year to eighteen months or until I retire again. Then buy my next ride as a retirement gift. Hopefully we'll be getting ready to move by that time. Since the drywall will be done by the end of the week, plan on driving up Saturday to finally see the house and look at the models. Probably a better than 50/50 chance that we could be buying in the same development if my plan goes forward. Since my wife can work for Turbo Tax anywhere in the U S, we could do the move to the Orlando area very easily. And being able to buy a 4/2 and possibly put $100K in the bank after selling ours and buying theirs, makes it a very compelling idea. And think I've got one more move left in me, so we gotta get the right property!

The Driving Fool

qbrozen

Did you request buy offers from Carvana and Vroom?

stickguy

I should have sold my car to Carvana when they offered to overpay for it. wonder what they are offering now? Though really can't sell it at the moment because the wife is about to start a new job where she has to go into the office, and it is not nearly as close as the old one. so I kinda need the car. well, a car, so I better have a replacement first.

stickguy

miles a little steep, but you don't see a lot of these around. Too bad black guts. I wonder what market value on the street really is on these? I actually did not realize that they still had the manual on the gen 2 TSXs

http://www.royaleasing.com/detail-2011-acura-tsx-4dr_sedan_i4_manual-used-18104549.html

breld

qbrozen said:

Did you request buy offers from Carvana and Vroom?

Yup - Carvana came back at $35k, and I actually didn’t get a response from vroom, though I submitted a request.

breld

@stickguy - yeah, I do think hitting the $30k’s even just barely is a good idea.  I may do that sooner than later. 

stickguy

I predict, unless you get a last minute serious offer, you will take the trade offer to simplify things. And haggle the dealer down another grand on the Porsche. Show them the link for the one by me, and get them to match! Though I have no clue what original MSRP was on that one.

carnaught

breld said:

carnaught said:

Come on stick and breld, you’re making me salivate all over my iPad....slurp, slurp

breld, is picture no. 20 showing a 360 degree camera?

Yeah, I believe it is a 360 degree camera.

So let me get this straight - out of all the pictures of the beautiful Macan exterior, you keyed in on the camera view?

My drooling was not over the camera view.