Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

stickguy

how far away is it? Can always do a 1 day, 1 way rental too.

Mr_Shiftright

Oh that's a thought. Enterprise hits you pretty hard on a drop-off fee, though. Might be cheaper to just take a cab--something like $75 bucks.

stickguy

$75? Can't be that far then. definitely the way to go. Or of course, always Uber or Lyft. Much simpler than dealing with renting a car.

or get a UHaul trailer, and tow it home with the Dakota!

nyccarguy

Complete insanity.  I get a call from the gentleman who turned into me yesterday.  He tells me he took his car in for an estimate and there’s $3,200 worth of damage to it.  

I told him to go through his insurance company and get his car fixed.  He started to get mad.  He said he called his insurance company this morning and they told him to call my insurance company.  I told him to have a nice night.

Im not going to do anything until I get a call from All State.  I’m not going to call them.  There’s no damage to my car.

suydam

I’ve rented a car 1way from LAX to drive home and then drop off. It usually costs less than $50. Costco membership helps too.

ab348

nyccarguy said:

Complete insanity.  I get a call from the gentleman who turned into me yesterday.  He tells me he took his car in for an estimate and there’s $3,200 worth of damage to it.  

I told him to go through his insurance company and get his car fixed.  He started to get mad.  He said he called his insurance company this morning and they told him to call my insurance company.  I told him to have a nice night.

Im not going to do anything until I get a call from All State.  I’m not going to call them.  There’s no damage to my car.

That’s just insane. I wonder if a preemptive call to your insurer might not be a good idea though given this latest development.

28firefighter

Agree. Call your insurance and let them know what’s going on. Also let them know that you have no damage on your vehicle. 

This is guy is trying to take you for a ride and knows All State won’t pay what he wants. That his insurance told him to go to yours directly is telling about the quality - Safeco always tells us to let them go after someone in the at fault accident. 

corvette

Mr_Shiftright said:

Oh that's a thought. Enterprise hits you pretty hard on a drop-off fee, though. Might be cheaper to just take a cab--something like $75 bucks.

How far? You might try Uber or Lyft. That's how I picked up the G37 from ~50 miles away. Cost about $65 if memory serves.

Mr_Shiftright

Well, this was a somewhat rare car, so I had to violate my rule of always buying in your own zip code/

Mr_Shiftright

Remember that hay bale I hit with the Mini?---well, turns ou it cracked the sidewall of one tire.

So always check your tires after any kind of road hazard impact!

benjaminh

Mr_Shiftright said:

Well, this was a somewhat rare car, so I had to violate my rule of always buying in your own zip code/

Scion to Mini to C30. You've really moved up!++

kyfdx

Uber?

breld

Bradd - that’s awful.  Next thing you know they’ll be claiming injuries too.  

Based on this call, I agree with others - make a call to Allstate to give them an idea of what’s going on.  

nyccarguy

Thanks for the input guys.  I will call My agent tomorrow to let him know something is coming down the pike.

corvette

breld said:

Bradd - that’s awful.  Next thing you know they’ll be claiming injuries too.  

If they did, I think I'd have some whiplash, too, as a result of rolling my eyes due to annoyance!

Drivingfool

Now that's just f'ing obscene!! Those folks need a good slap across the back of their heads!! Seriously, folks like that need some serious intervention from some power that be since it was their bonehead move that caused all their headache here. What f'ing a--holes!!

The Sandman/Driving Fool :@

Drivingfool

There's help on the way to possibly restore me to my original name! Not going to say anything else so as not to jinx the whole process. I just want my name back, my true identity and if not, going adopt the name "Kilroy" and leave it at that! Just like the song says I'm Kilroy...Kilroy...Kilroy...Kilroy...Kilroy"! Just waiting on another email tomorrow to see if it can be done and then, hopefully soon, I'll be me again!

sda

jpp5862 said:

@Mr_Shiftright you already know my thoughts on the C30, hope it works out! If not let me know.

Mine didn't have cruise either but did have the cold weather package. Like you I'd much rather have the heated seats and AUX input. Mine had the DynAudio upgraded stereo and sunroof, nice touches but for what I was using the car for not required.

I had the Dynaudio in my '06 Passat. It is by far the best audio system I've had in any car. It had full rich sound that just sounded fuller and fuller when the volume was turned up. It rocked.

Mr_Shiftright

benjaminh said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

Well, this was a somewhat rare car, so I had to violate my rule of always buying in your own zip code/

Scion to Mini to C30. You've really moved up!++

Oh well I have really good Chronic Car Buyer credentials--but they are old, so they don't count here. We cannot rest on our laurels. The Scion came right after the Porsche 928, which almost bankrupted me.

Yeah, ok, I'm automotively bi-polar.

I simply cannot be trusted with too much horsepower.

Mr_Shiftright

Done deal on the Volvo. Pick up car + all the tires and parts on Monday next.

benjaminh

Mr_Shiftright said:

Done deal on the Volvo. Pick up car + all the tires and parts on Monday next.

Congrats! My guess is that you dodged a bullet with that RX-8.

28firefighter

Excellent, Shifty! Congrats!

roadburner

28firefighter said:

Agree. Call your insurance and let them know what’s going on. Also let them know that you have no damage on your vehicle. 

This is guy is trying to take you for a ride and knows All State won’t pay what he wants. That his insurance told him to go to yours directly is telling about the quality - Safeco always tells us to let them go after someone in the at fault accident. 

I agree.

roadburner

qbrozen said:

Received an ad in the mail today. An extra $3k off a Buick.

Be still my heart...

corvette

Congrats, Shifty! Looks like 32 punches for the year and pennsfan83 was the only punch in October and you're the only punch in November, so far.

stickguy

I would get out there and try to help, but I think my guess is already short.

we are down a bit from last year, right? Must be Breld's fault.

Michaell

stickguy said:

I would get out there and try to help, but I think my guess is already short.

we are down a bit from last year, right? Must be Breld's fault.

Nope.

Had lunch with @breld last Friday.

8 punches in 2017
8 punches in 2018

xwesx

Mr_Shiftright said:

Well, this was a somewhat rare car, so I had to violate my rule of always buying in your own zip code/

I would never EVER break that rule!

xwesx

Michaell said:

stickguy said:

I would get out there and try to help, but I think my guess is already short.

we are down a bit from last year, right? Must be Breld's fault.

Nope.

Had lunch with @breld last Friday.

8 punches in 2017
8 punches in 2018

So far... We're still six weeks from 2019; don't sell the man short!

Michaell

xwesx said:

Michaell said:

stickguy said:

I would get out there and try to help, but I think my guess is already short.

we are down a bit from last year, right? Must be Breld's fault.

Nope.

Had lunch with @breld last Friday.

8 punches in 2017
8 punches in 2018

So far... We're still six weeks from 2019; don't sell the man short!

Truer words have never been spoken (or typed).

I'll get random texts from him, linking to things on craigslist (or other sites) that catches his eye.

boomchek

corvette said:

Congrats, Shifty! Looks like 32 punches for the year and pennsfan83 was the only punch in October and you're the only punch in November, so far.

Is this the group's count for the year?

boomchek

Mr_Shiftright said:

Done deal on the Volvo. Pick up car + all the tires and parts on Monday next.

Congrats! The C30 should be a fun car to zip around in.

I'd take Uber too.

When we flew to LA in September we rented a car (new Corolla) for the whole 1 week stay although 3 days were spent in Disneyland within walking distance to our hotel where we didn't need the car at all. It was cheaper to rent a car for the week than it was for 4 days plus shuttle costs (LAX to Anaheim). Uber didn't make sense to us with 2 kids, one of them still using a bulky car seat. Sometimes I don't understand these rental car rates.

ronsteve

nyccarguy said:

Complete insanity.  I get a call from the gentleman who turned into me yesterday.  He tells me he took his car in for an estimate and there’s $3,200 worth of damage to it.  

Based on your account and the pics you posted, I smell a setup!

nyccarguy

So I’m going to give my all state agent a call this AM (after I call the refridge repair guy).  Does anybody have a reasonably priced dash cam that they can recommend?

qbrozen

roadburner said:

Received an ad in the mail today. An extra $3k off a Buick.

Be still my heart...

Oh, come on, a Regal GS looks to have some amazing seats. And the overall package certainly puts a far more expensive 328xi or C300 to shame.

I'm pretty sure it would not lease well no matter what, though. At least not on a 24-mo term.

tbirdmarco

 Mr. shift right, graduations on the punch good luck with it, it sounds like a real nice car. We work car guy that’s horrible what the other parties putting you through, we should just be going through their insurance company and that’s it. Nothing happened with your car like mentioned above. But like others mentioned above good to mention it to your Allstate agent anyway. Driving fool, that would be cool for you to have your old been back. Have a good day all 

tbirdmarco

 Hey Buick regal sounds nice, have to sit in one. Have to go sit in the Chevy stuff eventually down the road in a few weeks or sooner in the storage lot over here whair went on Sunday with the keep multiple different brands of cars. 

tjc78

qbrozen said:
roadburner said:
qbrozen said:Received an ad in the mail today. An extra $3k off a Buick.

Be still my heart...



Oh, come on, a Regal GS looks to have some amazing seats. And the overall package certainly puts a far more expensive 328xi or C300 to shame.

I'm pretty sure it would not lease well no matter what, though. At least not on a 24-mo term.

I ran the numbers on the Regal recently and even with a hefty discount (like end of month, need a sale #) it was still laughable relative to MSRP. You could get in a Q50 cheaper, along with a host of other cars.

I'm on Buick #3 and I've never received one of those certificates... so they must be pretty rare or for conquest.

tbirdmarco

Wow wow

qbrozen

tjc78 said:

I'm on Buick #3 and I've never received one of those certificates... so they must be pretty rare or for conquest.

Conquest is $2500, and this is stackable with that.
I think total discounts would be about $7k, if I'm not mistaken. Even if I managed another $3k dealer discount, $10k off a $40k Regal GS wouldn't be enough. I figure, without looking, residual is maybe 50% on 24-mo, leaving $10k+fees to pay off in 2 yrs. My $49k Alfa is about $8k. Even at 54%, it'd be about the same as my more expensive Alfa.

stickguy

I saw a GS and the seats looked nice. But only sat in a normal model. Which had very comfy seats, but no where near as supportive looking (bolsters and such)

qbrozen

Wife keeps complaining about an intermittent starting problem on the Rover. Once is a while, it will stall after first starting. Restart and its fine. No lights or codes, and of course I have never witnessed it. I already performed a tune-up. I'm having thoughts that maybe I should cut it loose. Pretty sure we are in the hole on it, though, because she has put a ton of miles on it in 3 yrs. I asked her to get a payoff. Who knows if she'll bother.

nyccarguy

My mind is now somewhat at ease. I called my All State Agent. I told him what happened. I told him that my vehicle was not damaged and that I'm not filing a claim. He told me I did everything I'm supposed to do. He told me that if they try and file a claim that he will notify me. He told me I have nothing to worry about and to have a Happy Thanksgiving. I will of course keep you guys in the loop as to what is going on. Thanks for all of your help, support, and input. It really means A LOT.

stickguy

Bradd, one nice think about a company with local agents. If they are good at what they do, much nicer than dealing with a random call center person.

Q, a 10 year old rover with an electrical gremlin? Shocking!

Upgrade the wife to the Alfa, and get a challenger for yourself!

qbrozen

A $28k Escape SE for $230/mo sign and drive 24 mos seems like it could be good for her.

Make that $250. She needs the miles. oh, wait, and SEL for $265. That's the one.

graphicguy

pensfan83 said:

So amongst the regulars here who has winterized a car before? The plan is to keep it garaged through the end of March, starting tomorrow, and here is what I have on my checklist based on various Google searches:

- Fuel stabilizer (already added to a full tank and I took a brief drive to let it circulate)
- Car cover
- Steel wool to block the tailpipes.
- Dryer sheets and moth balls for engine bay
- The wiper blades will rest on paper towels
- E-brake off
- Battery disconnected and/or removed
- Car washed
- Baking soda for interior

I should add the garage isn't heated but per the owner it rarely dips below freezing, most times it's around 35-40 degrees. Anything else I'm missing?

That’s exactly what I did when I had my Cobra and put it up for the winter. I did get a fresh oil change before putting her into hibernation, though. You should be good to go other than that, though.

graphicguy

nyccarguy said:

Complete insanity.  I get a call from the gentleman who turned into me yesterday.  He tells me he took his car in for an estimate and there’s $3,200 worth of damage to it.  

I told him to go through his insurance company and get his car fixed.  He started to get mad.  He said he called his insurance company this morning and they told him to call my insurance company.  I told him to have a nice night.

Im not going to do anything until I get a call from All State.  I’m not going to call them.  There’s no damage to my car.

And here we go.....

That’s crazy! If his insurnace company told HIM to call you, he knows they aren’t taking him too seriously.

As everyone said, let your insurance agent know what’s going on. Let them deal with it. You’re paying them to take care of you, after all.

graphicguy

Congrats, Shifty. That’s a very cool car. Nice punch!

stickguy

Speaking of leases, I like to amuse myself on Honcker. Very few good deals these days. But interesting window into the oddities of shopping leases. Yesterday, had a highlander XLE, pretty well loaded, $43k sticker, ~ $417/mo, 1st payment DAS only. 36/10 I think. Same terms for a $31k CRV EXL, more like $440/month.

I considered showing the yota to the wife, but it’s a bit hectic right now.

qbrozen

The Escape I posted is a darned good deal. Seems to be an anomaly since I can't find more than one at that price. All others are quite a bit more. Also one Edge SEL with a $35k sticker for $310 at 24/15.

BTW, with that certificate I got, looks like I could get into a $36k Envision for about $300/mo for 36/15. That would be a good deal relative to MSRP. It is FWD, though. AWD adds about $30/mo. Encores are still cheap, but too small for her.

Nope, not seeing many good deals, which seems odd for November, no?