Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

corvette

My Mom and Dad have something like six televisions for two people! (And 3.5 bathrooms--one of the TVs is in the master bathroom...)

roadburner

Details on the ZHP? Is that Swope?

Yes. Haven't seen it yet. They posted it on cars.com without a picture. The ad did say it was a six speed, which you could only get on a ZHP(and the M3 of course).

mark156

I might have you beat, I have 10 bathrooms for 2 people (8,200 sq. ft.). It's mainly for the investment for having a house this size..... it's all about investment, right?

To stay on topic. I'm getting the itch to get rid of my 2000 E430 sport. It's been a great car but I've had it almost 9 yrs. About 4 yrs ago, someone bumped the back of it so I had to have a new bumper cover and the trunk lid re-painted. When the bumper pushed in, it chipped the paint on the bottom edge of the trunk lid. I wish now that they would have just touched up the chip. With silver, the trunk lid is just 'a hair darker' than the other paint (more noticable on cloudy days vs. sunny). But, it only has 39,000 miles. What to do?

Mark

corvette

I think that qualifies as a McMansion!

lemmer

Maybe it is a medieval castle. Who knows?

[Deleted User]

I might have you beat

...that may be the case for some folks with just your motorhome too

qbrozen

You gotta team up with a good realtor, woody. Its just like car shopping. By the time it hits the internet, it can be long gone. Then they fail to remove it for weeks because it helps drive business. A good realtor will figure out what you are looking for and fax you the MLS listings the day they are posted.

qbrozen

i gotta agree with lemmer. With 8200 sq ft and 10 bathrooms, its FAR past McMansion status!

british_rover

Care to make a donation to the poor salesperson association?

fintail

W210s aren't lighting up the used market, and the paintwork will annoy MB enthusiasts. So, if you can stomach not getting a fortune for it, you could get something new...or if there is nothing wrong with it, just drive it. They weren't MBs best product, but if cared for they aren't a bad car, and the facelift (2000-2002) cars have aged pretty well.

An E55 of that year and mileage is probably only going to get into the low 20s if pristine, so an E430 will be a bit less.

fezo

You beat me to it! Heck, I'd even come out and pick it up.

Just trying to be helpful...

british_rover

First come first serve the line forms to the right etc.

I am sure Mark could take a substantial tax deduction for donating that E430 to the PSA.

fezo

Yeah. Yeah. I'll get the next give away...

kyfdx

That '04 ZHP coupe at Swope is pretty pricy.. Nice low miles at 34K.. but, $29K?

Indy dealer has an '05 ZHP sedan... same color.. with only 23K miles.. same price..

-kyfdx

roadburner

That '04 ZHP coupe at Swope is pretty pricy.. Nice low miles at 34K.. but, $29K?

I agree, but I've always found Swope willing to deal quite a bit.

mark156

The only thing I've done is regular maintenance (new brakes and tires included)...plus the following. I will be due for a third set of tires in about 5-6K miles (Michelin Pilot Sports).

-Two rear window regulators (one each side).
-Two driver's side sunvisors and one on the passenger side (vanity mirror flap broke) The driver's side is currrently broken so I need another one. I don't understand why they break so easy, it's not used much at all.
-one high beam lightbulb.

I honestly can't think of anything else. The car runs good. I was thinking it might bring upper teen's for a trade-in.

MM.

mark156

Now this is really going to get me the cold shoulder...... My other house in California has 6 baths (6,400 sq. ft.) and my house in the country (TN) has 4 baths and 5,000 sq. ft. Yep, three houses and all the maintenance and taxes...and yada, yada, yada... but remember, it's the investment.... the market HAS to up sometime, right??!

So, my motorhome is the McFry with only one bath. :P With the cost of diesel, I'll have to start a fund for donations!!! $600 dollar fill-ups almost make my contacts pop out! :surprise:

Mark

nippononly

So when you trade in the E-class, what are you itching to buy instead?

[Deleted User]

So when you trade in the E-class, what are you itching to buy instead?

gas for the McFry...

mark156

I'm in the hot seat now!!! I'm going to order a 2009 Bentley Continental Flying Spur Mulliner edition, Magnolia with Magnolia interior (if they still offer that color). I'll keep this one in California. I just turned 50 so it's my b-day present and it better last 20 yrs!!

Mark

fintail

Those cars eat window regulators. I am afraid to lower the rear windows in fear they won't come back up. Does yours have xenon? Do all of the pixels on the instrument cluster work?

I've seen 2003 MY W111 E320s for about 20K retail now, so that also puts a downward pressure on W210s...but the early W211s are no better from what I've heard. It might cover the tax on that British-German hybrid.

nippononly

Whoa! $200K cars are a little out of my ballpark I'm afraid! $20K cars hit the sweet spot for me.

But hopefully it will last you 20 years, and gosh what a luxurious b-day present for yourself! :-)

mark156

Hello Fintail,

No, I don't have the xenon's.... basically fully loaded with the sport package. No front/rear bumper sensors, no rear sunshade and no auto wipers. Car listed for $60,500 with the 6 CD changer.

The pixels seem fine. I really never noticed them until I saw where the 'PRND' indicator is on the dash next to the digital clock. I noticed that one of the pixels was rather dim but it only lasted one day and it's been fine ever since. This car stays parked for a month at a time sometimes but is started every week by my housekeeper (keeps the battery up).

In fact, I just changed out the battery a couple of months ago. I noticed acid drippings in the garage. The car always started fine, etc. The battery is under the back seat so I didn't want it to blow up or something so I had the MB dealer put a new one in.

The car looks like new in comparison to other 2000 model years, the front lens's are crystal clear.

If I can't get a decent price for it at trade or private sale, I'll use it as a door stop! LOL! :P

Mark

mark156

Nip, I know it's crazy money for a car but you only live once and I might not make it the next 50 ! :sick:

My neighbor has a navy blue Spur and my other neighbor down the street has a bright blue GT coupe, it should fit in the neighborhood just fine! I've been admiring them since they came out in 2006.

A good friend of mine just picked up a triple black one and another friend has a black Spur and a black GT convertible......... the Bentley's are going to give MB a run for their money! Especially on the S-class.

Mark

fintail

The pixels on later W210 cars will die randomly. I have seen some cars with many dead spots. The cluster is about a grand to replace, so most people pass on it. I had mine replaced under warranty. Does it have staggered AMG wheels or stock sport wheels?

I'd guess trade in on that car would be a little below 15K, retail in the upper teens for an exceptional car as I guess yours is.

That kind of light blue I have seen on modern Bentleys in my area is a very nice color for the cars. Maybe a little flamboyant, but it suits the car.

mark156

Fin,

My wheels are the standard E430 sport wheels, which I like. The E430 non-sport wheels have smaller openings between the spokes (more metal showing).

I really like the off white on the Spur, especially for the desert (hot as Haiti).

Mark

grandtotal

Bought a car link a few months and sold it yesterday. Took a loss of $400 on it for a quick sale and also because gas prices in the UK have risen over 20% since I bought the car and by UK standards it is a gas guzzler. Not unhappy though because in the 16 weeks I have owned it, it has saved me probably about $3000 in car rentals.

Why does this post fit in this forum? Well, despite what I expected I actually enjoyed owning the car, and much more surprisingly so did my wife. I suspect this will not be the last cheap car we own.

kyfdx

Wow! Not bad...

guss

If you buy a cheap car at the right price and present it well and sell it at the right time they do have the potential to be very cheap transportation. I think the trick is to be able to sell it before it needs anything major. The internet and and the free listing sights like craigslist have also made it easier to reach a wide audience.

nippononly

Of course, people have become much more wary about craigslist since all these stories started circulating of potential buyers showing up and being robbed or worse. I think craigslist's effectiveness has already begun to trend down and that trend will increase. It's too bad, because it WAS a very useful service. :-(

It does leave me wondering how I will sell my car when the time comes. I hate trading in - you lose half the value of the car that way. It has actually been one of the reasons I have yet to buy a car this year...

fintail

Yeah those wheels are better than the standard wheels. AMG wheels were a pricey dealer installed option when new, and with those the sport package cars do a passable imitation of an E55 as they have the same body cladding.

If I had that type of scratch to play with, I wouldn't be in the desert :P

corvette

If I had that type of scratch to play with, I wouldn't be in the desert...

Yup, I think I chose the wrong profession!

woodyww

I think it has 1 car garage. It's near the ocean (maybe too near for insurance purposes), & in one of the most beautiful & historic towns in New England. Has a septic system & well tho, which gives me pause.

Heck, $500K, in Mass? That would be a decent deal even in Maine, given the town & ocean proximity. Of course, I haven't done anything about it yet, like go see it (as of yesterday it was still for sale).

I could trade my wretched little 1400sf cape-on-a-slab (closer to boston) for that house, even, or with luck, wind up with some $$ out of the deal.

Had the plumber from that referral website come over today. He: fixed the clogged or stuck tub drain. Replaced the broken pipe under the sink. And, Removed the old rusting dishwasher. For 2 hours * $85.......I'm happily surprised (In this area, almost shocked).

Now to get back to obsessing about cars.....

qbrozen

OK. A thought has occurred to me.
I'm going to turn in my leased Accord now and pay all the remaining money to get out of it. Well, why not, in that case, let someone else drive it for the remaining miles?

Does anyone have or know anyone who has experience with leasetrader? I know there is swapalease, too, but I searched both sites and I only found dealer ads on swapalease, so that kinda turns me off. I did only find 2 other Accords on leasetrader, though, so not really much of a difference.

I also searched Edmunds, but there is VERY little talk about these sites. I'm thinking, hell, even if I give someone 90% of my remaining payments in a check, that still saves me $$. Of course, I'd much rather not go over half. But that still means someone gets an Accord EXL V6 6-speed for less than $200/mo. for 11 months and ~15k miles. Opinions? Ideas? Experiences?

kyfdx

It used to be that AHFC did not allow lease assumptions... So, you never saw their leases on those websites...

I'm not sure if that is still the case, though..

stickguy

other than saving on the insurance, if you are making the payments, why turn it in early?

british_rover

We have helped a couple of people do lease assumption packages before and it is usually pretty smooth. Just check with Honda and make sure they do assumption packages.

Oh and you have mail coming.

fezo

Heck, q. Just give me the car in your name and keep making the payments. No problem. I'm just down the road.

qbrozen

other than saving on the insurance, if you are making the payments, why turn it in early?

Well, insurance is a good reason. Especially on a car I have no desire to drive. I mean, come on, you walk out in the morning and are faced with the choice of a G35X or an Accord .... ummmmm... wait, lemme bust out the slide rule to figure this one out. ;P

I know, I know, its a really goofy position. If you pay for it, why not use it? I'm not sure what to compare it to. I guess its like paying to get into a movie and about 15 minutes in you realize its horrible. Do you stay just because you paid the $$? Or do you save the time and suffering and leave right then and there?

Of course, I'm doing NOTHING here to fan BR's flames of interest in the car.

Fezo, only downside is I think I'd have to adopt you so my insurance will cover you. If we went that route, would you expect bday and xmas cards? Cause that might be a deal breaker.

nippononly

Wow, driving a last-gen Accord is actually "horrible" and causes "suffering"? Yikes. I thought that model was pretty well regarded, and I rather like the one my friends own! ;-)

andre1969

I remember the '03 Accord took a lot of flak when it first came out, and IIRC the Camry tended to sell better and be more highly regarded. Personally I like it, though. It seems like it's just the right size. Not exactly big, by my standards, but definitely big enough. It seemed sportier than the Camry, which was becoming a bit Buick-y, I guess. The Altima seemed sportier still, and I preferred its style, but it lost points, IMO, for having a comparatively low-rent interior and a comparatively thirsty 4-cyl. I think it was rated 23/29, compared to around 24/34 for the Accord and Camry.

The '08 Accord hasn't really grown on me yet. I might get used to it later, but for the time being, I still prefer the '03-07 style.

guss

I would say stay for the movie, if the only difference is you are paying for the insurance. If one car is in the shop or you have family in from out of town it would serve a purpose. But you now have a fleet of back ups so I would probably turn it in also if you can not have some one assume the payments.

michaellno

When I bought my L300 in the fall of '02, I looked at both the Altima and the refreshed Accord, and I agree with you on both counts regarding the Accord exterior and the Altima interior. I guess after the smooth looks of the '98-'02 model Accord, the '03 just looked, well, different.

In hindsight, I probably should have gotten the Accord, but since I was looking for a loaded V6 (EX-L), it was around $27K. The Altima stickered even higher, though I was eligible for the VPP discount from Nissan.

I bought the L300 because it was several thousand less than anything else (I was also considering a Passat) and because GM offered 0% financing.

Now, of course, the difference in trade in value of my L vs. the Accord / Altima is probably more than the original difference in purchase price.

Trade in value via KBB (good condition, 72K):

'03 Saturn L300 - $6945
'03 Honda Accord EX-L V6 - $10,215
'03 Nissan Altima 3.5SE - $9105

Hmmm, perhaps not. My L was, I believe, around $25K (I added aftermarket leather to it), so the $2-3K difference is still about right.

qbrozen

Yikes. I thought that model was pretty well regarded, and I rather like the one my friends own!

And I liked it at first, too. But I grew weary of driving a BIG FWD car. And, yes, I think it is big. It feels big, in any case. The understeer is truly atrocious. And the lack of traction putting that much power through one front wheel can get damned annoying, too. Its quite noisy and rides pretty rough, as well. But again, its just enough that you don't notice it until you've driven it for quite some time.

Anyway, I just got off the phone with Honda Finance and they do not allow lease transfers unless it is in case of a dire emergency (which must be proven). And in those rare cases they do allow it, the original lease holder is a guarantor and remains responsible in case of default.

Conversation started out well enough. I asked if they allow transfers and the answer was yes. Then she continued grilling me about it, wanted to find out why, etc. Then she eventually laid out all the rules. So the "yes" turned into a "no" very quickly.

qbrozen

ugh.
well, i made the mistake of entering my email at swapalease and now I'm being solicited.

The salesman there tells me they offer a different kind of program for Hondas. They will buy the car and release it through a bank to someone else. Removes me from all responsibility. He was really pushing hard for me to do it, but at first wanted $400 up front, nonrefundable. He then changed his tune after I declined to $200 up front and $200 when it sells.

Again, anyone with ANY experience or 3rd-hand anecdotes would be appreciated.

corvette

How many months are left on the lease?

I don't think you'll come out ahead by buying (or having someone else buy) the car for the residual price and then trying to resell it for that price--many residual values tend to be way higher than actual used vehicle selling prices.

kyfdx

and, just make the payments as I go.... Save a few miles on the new G..

qbrozen

About 11 months to go.

I don't see why anyone would do it, either. I mean, you can lease a NEW one for probably the same.
The residual is what killed me on this. Its CURRENT value is lower than the projected residual.

guss

they do not allow lease transfers unless it is in case of a dire emergency (which must be proven).

Hey, you have a severe case of CCBA that alone should be enough to get you off the hook. CCBA is not being taken seriously enough damn it.

Where is the lease broker located ? You may want to try the BBB to see if they have any complaints.

woodyww

They will buy the car and release it through a bank to someone else. Removes me from all responsibility.

To me, this sounds like a major potential can-of-worms. I'd probably try to even get a lawyer who knows something about this (?) to advise you. OTOH, I don't really know. But what happens if someone else leases it, wrecks it, trashes it, etc. are you really off the hook???

And from the cars you're buying, perhaps the $200 a mo. isn't that big a deal? Plus, the salesman's commision is = to 2 months of the 11 mo. lease.

Just throwing out some ideas, but personally, I'd tread very carefully.....