Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

breld

This is why I rarely share what I’ve paid for repairs and maintenance.  Cause I don’t know what I’m doing.  

stickguy

wait, when do you ever have them to worry about?

cdnpinhead

Reviewing some notes and was reminded that two years ago today @Michaell and I met for a couple of beers and a pleasant conversation on Super Bowl Sunday just prior to my taking delivery of our Forester up in Denver. He even picked up the tab -- thanks again!

The Forester has a little over 30K miles on it and has had exactly zero issues, beyond the fact that the oil drain plug appeared to have been put on with an impact wrench -- long story. Anyway, it's clear that my 11-year-old TSX has features that the Forester doesn't (TPMS readouts in psi for each individual wheel, cruise control that can be easily bumped up or down in one mph increments, etc.), but the Forester has the full compliment of Helen Keller "features," the most useful one of which is the adaptive cruise control. Caravans of cars on the interstates were a big enough problem before this -- it's going to get a lot worse. What! Drive on my own vehicle at a speed that makes sense and keeps me away from the mob? Even less likely these days.

Anyway, it was a pleasant interlude on a mostly business trip (all car) that took me from Detroit to Minneapolis to Creston, IA, to Denver and on down to Forest Lakes, with an opportunity to meet and greet the one and only person on the Edmunds forums who has been able and willing to do so in the 20 years I've been posting.

breld

stickguy said:

wait, when do you ever have them to worry about?

True enough. 

roadburner

I bought a set of Koni FSDs for $585 when I had the MS3. I also installed new strut bearings and dust boots. I think my final cost was still under $1000 installed.

marcogallo1986

Lol 

venture

cdnpinhead said:

Reviewing some notes and was reminded that two years ago today @Michaell and I met for a couple of beers and a pleasant conversation on Super Bowl Sunday just prior to my taking delivery of our Forester up in Denver. He even picked up the tab -- thanks again!

The Forester has a little over 30K miles on it and has had exactly zero issues, beyond the fact that the oil drain plug appeared to have been put on with an impact wrench -- long story. Anyway, it's clear that my 11-year-old TSX has features that the Forester doesn't (TPMS readouts in psi for each individual wheel, cruise control that can be easily bumped up or down in one mph increments, etc.), but the Forester has the full compliment of Helen Keller "features," the most useful one of which is the adaptive cruise control. Caravans of cars on the interstates were a big enough problem before this -- it's going to get a lot worse. What! Drive on my own vehicle at a speed that makes sense and keeps me away from the mob? Even less likely these days.

Anyway, it was a pleasant interlude on a mostly business trip (all car) that took me from Detroit to Minneapolis to Creston, IA, to Denver and on down to Forest Lakes, with an opportunity to meet and greet the one and only person on the Edmunds forums who has been able and willing to do so in the 20 years I've been posting.

It surprises me that you can't bump the speed up or down in 1 mph increments. In my Legacy if you bump the up or down arrow it will speed up or slow down by 5 mph. If you hold it for a short time it will speed up or slow down 1 mph. I have not tried it in the wife's Forester since it doesn't have adaptive cruise (I don't think).

I assume the new Forester, on the global platform starting in 2019, will have individual tire pressures available. My Legacy has that feature.

qbrozen

My Alfa is flagged as “sale pending”

https://www.vroom.com/inventory/alfa%20romeo-stelvio-2018-ZASFAKNN8J7B99371

henryn

qbrozen said:

My Alfa is flagged as “sale pending”

https://www.vroom.com/inventory/alfa%20romeo-stelvio-2018-ZASFAKNN8J7B99371

Which doesn't mean they got the price they're asking, or anywhere close. No way to know really.

stickguy

my elantra is gone from Carvana. I guess they got their price,which was more than I paid for it originally. More power to them!

tjc78

Un-informed buyers....

Mr_Shiftright

Some people will readily pay retail for "convenience", or for easy financing arrangements. The auto industry economy pretty much revolves on that principle.

stickguy

and why trying to sell it myself for much more than what they offered was a long shot at best, Because I don't finance.

Mr_Shiftright

Exactly. Classic car dealers operate off that same principle. They can get more for their cars because they can finance. Cost is expressed in payments. It's seductive----"for only $65 more a month, you can have THIS ONE! That's only one Starbuck's house coffee per day! "

Yes, until you add up $65 X 72 months + interest.

ab348

As my late Sperry Univac/Unisys sales guy friend Jim Miller used to say back in the '80s when selling their hardware, "It's just PENNIES a day!"

qbrozen

henryn said:

Which doesn't mean they got the price they're asking, or anywhere close. No way to know really.

Of course not. But...then again... can you even negotiate with them?

kyfdx

I'd guess that buyers that will buy cars, sight unseen, might not be all that price sensitive

laurasdada

Ciao, Alfa! All the pretty Alfa's are gone, the entire former Alfa/Kia dealership (formerly two separate buildings sharing one large lot) is now all Kia.
Wonder where the cars went? My guess, snapped up by the three other Greater Boston Alfa dealers. A shame.

kyfdx

We have two Alfa dealers. The Porsche/Volvo/Maserati dealer picked up Alfa (owned by a bigger dealer group), and the first Alfa dealer also has Kia (also owned by a small dealer group)

rayainsw

Hello all. Hope everyone is doing great here.
I have not been able to spend any time here for months.
[ My transitions from part-time employment & 'retainer only \ retired'
have not gone as smoothly as planned. ]
Just took my BMW in for what is likely the last scheduled visit
before lease turn-in.
No issues. Still enjoying it - particularly now without any commute miles.
Cheers,
- Ray

rayainsw

Regarding: "cruise control that can be easily bumped up or down in one mph increments" -
the last time I drove a recent model Subaru, I seem to recall that this worked the opposite
of most similar systems - hard push = 1 mph change & light pat = 5mph ?
Maybe.
Good luck !
- Ray
Not a Subaru expert - but rented one last year ...

cdnpinhead

Thanks, Ray, & to Venture as well. I treat the Subaru cruise adjustment as I do every other car I've driven for the past 15 years or so and concluded that the 5 mph thing was all that was available. I'll give the hard push thing a try. The workaround I've been using is to set above where I want to be then disengage it and re-engage it at the desired speed -- awkward, but it works.

Sandman6472

Well, she's not doing the struts/shocks, makes no sense. So far, Nissan is refusing her request saying she's over the 10 years/120K terms. She bought it January 9, 2019. She's now calling a bunch of Nissan stores here and in Orlando to see if any store will help her out. Where we bought in Pompano, a new owner is there now. They advertise a lot on t v so told her to ask them as a goodwill gesture to help her out. A shame as she's not even a month out of their extended warranty.
Doubt she'll consider any Nissan product if they refuse to help her here and don't blame her. Doubt there are that many folks with Versa's asking for help here. It's a lousy design which Nissan knew so they should really help her here. I know if they refuse her, we'll never consider that brand again. But the Kicks is the only real product I like but doubt I'd buy one as the cons so outweigh the pros and I just hate their CVT units. We have a lot of Rogue's and Altima's and Sentra's in our fleet and those CVT's are just not good. Honda and Civic seem to do a much better job with theirs to be honest and I know I can hardly tell when driving a Corolla or a Civic. I think she really should get a Civic as they do everything right and after seeing another Civic hatch in the next lane earlier today, I just like it. Think she would to but since her guy drives a Chevy, she now likes Chevy's!

stickguy

so, is the transmission shot, really acting bad, or just some vague situation of "might be starting to get iffy"? If towards the latter, just trade it in. If she is going to anyway, a replacement trans isn't really going to change the value much anyway.

Sandman6472

Thinks it's towards the latter but she's up there and I'm down here. I drove it last Monday and seemed fine to me but on the way back to Orlando on Sunday, she started to hear some strange sound. But, luckily, her new job which starts on Monday is also a remote one as is the new part time gig which starts a week later, is also remote from home. So, she doesn't use her car that much right now. And I'm going up either a week from Saturday or two weeks from Saturday to see what's going on. But she knows that if she needs me like tomorrow, I'll make arrangements to be there...tomorrow!
Her timeline seems to be waiting till her guy gets moved in which will be the end of March, and then buy which is fine with me. I've told her to use Truecar.com as a guide to what others are paying in her area. Doubt she'd consider used as she's always heard new from my wife so that's a done deal. I've mentioned loaner/demo as a good way to get a new vehicle and save a few bucks and it gets titled as a new vehicle.
So, just waiting to hear what she wants to do going forward. And the reason I mentioned the prices for the repairs because I thought they were ridiculous to begin with. I think that part I replaced back in early January was ridiculous to but they guilted me into it at T P. I still think it's crazy to throw anymore $ at her Versa!!

laurasdada

My new guess is that Herb Chambers did pickup the Norwood Alfa's, but it looks like he's opened a new Alfa/Maserati dealer in Warwick, RI. Next to his Cadillac dealer. Very good to be Herb.

xwesx

Subaru cruise control: My newest vehicle is a 2013, but all of them (1996 onward) to that point behaved simply with a brief tap for 1mph upward increment, but downward is more of a crap shoot. I often do the same: Just cancel and set to new speed. Otherwise, press and hold ACC will make for steady increasing speed until where I want it, and DEC will basically let the car coast: Releasing the button sets to the vehicle's current speed.

If newer ones are on a 5 mph increment, that just doesn't make any sense. Digital cruise is one thing I do love about my VAG vehicles and the Fiesta I had for a few years starting in 2012. Being able to set them at a specific speed (that displays for the driver) is really nice, along with taps or holds on the cruise stalk/button shows the change in speed setting (whether up or down, one mph or many).

venture

rayainsw said:

Regarding: "cruise control that can be easily bumped up or down in one mph increments" -
the last time I drove a recent model Subaru, I seem to recall that this worked the opposite
of most similar systems - hard push = 1 mph change & light pat = 5mph ?
Maybe.
Good luck !
- Ray
Not a Subaru expert - but rented one last year ...

cdnpinhead said:

Thanks, Ray, & to Venture as well. I treat the Subaru cruise adjustment as I do every other car I've driven for the past 15 years or so and concluded that the 5 mph thing was all that was available. I'll give the hard push thing a try. The workaround I've been using is to set above where I want to be then disengage it and re-engage it at the desired speed -- awkward, but it works.

The Subaru method is different and counter intuitive. It does work though once you get used to it.

venture

xwesx said:

Subaru cruise control: My newest vehicle is a 2013, but all of them (1996 onward) to that point behaved simply with a brief tap for 1mph upward increment, but downward is more of a crap shoot. I often do the same: Just cancel and set to new speed. Otherwise, press and hold ACC will make for steady increasing speed until where I want it, and DEC will basically let the car coast: Releasing the button sets to the vehicle's current speed.

If newer ones are on a 5 mph increment, that just doesn't make any sense. Digital cruise is one thing I do love about my VAG vehicles and the Fiesta I had for a few years starting in 2012. Being able to set them at a specific speed (that displays for the driver) is really nice, along with taps or holds on the cruise stalk/button shows the change in speed setting (whether up or down, one mph or many).

I'm pretty sure Subaru lovers call them "quirky".

stickguy

I noticed on my TLX that when you set the cruise speed it does display in the center screen. Along with the following distance you have set. that is on the ACC. There is a way to set it as normal CC, but I never bothered.

Whoever suggested changing the distance to the minimum, was a genius! It changed it from useless to actually really handy. Even the wife was impressed by it.

suydam

@Sandman6472 , just trying to understand the situation. Shocks and struts going on a 10 year old car with over 100,000 miles is pretty common. Why do you both think Nissan should pay for it? It does sound like it’s starting to require one thing after another. When I got to that point with my 10 year old Vibe, off it went.

stickguy

not the shocks. They are haggling about the CVT (which however it sounds like is still functioning).

Michaell

I had a friend with a Versa where the CVT was acting up. Fluid flush and change seemed to do the trick. At least, I haven't heard anything more about problems with it.

stickguy

I remember that one!

28firefighter

Seattle going to get hit with another snow storm this weekend. Friday into Saturday, 8-12" of snow. Let the shenanigans begin.

pensfan83

And here it's supposed to be 63 degrees today and a week ago we were 70 degrees colder. Go figure.

fintail

All fingers crossed. I want a repeat of 1996 snow totals (without the disastrous ending).

28firefighter

@fintail bite your tongue, man. I need Sam to be in school next week, not at home losing his mind.

kyfdx

63 for a high today.... with another 2" of rain, on top of the 2" yesterday.

High of 29 tomorrow, and sunny

au1994

Forecast high here in Atlanta is 78 for today. Last week we were in the 30’s for highs. Days like this I seriously miss having a convertible!

Re: Versa. Definitely agree with not doing the struts. I would take @Michaells suggestion of the fluid flush and filter and see if that smoothes it out. Definitely give it a good wash and vacuum and let the dealer appraise it. Any minor fixes will not help you at this point. There is a chance it won’t go to auction and will end up on the dealer lot. Maybe, maybe take a look at the tires but unless they are completely bald, I’d just leave ‘em. A lot of the dealers around here have a “great cars under $X” section. Usually the threshold is 5, 7 or 10k depending on the dealer. If this is a clean car, which I’m sure it is, they might keep it and try to make a buck.

henryn

au1994 said:

Forecast high here in Atlanta is 78 for today. Last week we were in the 30’s for highs. Days like this I seriously miss having a convertible!

Re: Versa. Definitely agree with not doing the struts. I would take @Michaells suggestion of the fluid flush and filter and see if that smoothes it out. Definitely give it a good wash and vacuum and let the dealer appraise it. Any minor fixes will not help you at this point. There is a chance it won’t go to auction and will end up on the dealer lot. Maybe, maybe take a look at the tires but unless they are completely bald, I’d just leave ‘em. A lot of the dealers around here have a “great cars under $X” section. Usually the threshold is 5, 7 or 10k depending on the dealer. If this is a clean car, which I’m sure it is, they might keep it and try to make a buck.

I have to agree, I would not do the shocks and struts on a 10 year old car that I was planning to get rid of. Only if I were planning to keep it for several more years.

On the transmission “fluid flush and filter” – allow me to raise a cautionary flag here. I will state up front that I have never owned a CVT and have no experience with them, but for the more normal automatic transmission you NEVER want to do a “flush”. Drop the transmission pan, clean or replace the filter, replace the pan, refill with fluid. Mechanics who actually work on transmissions are pretty much universal in their opposition to the “reverse flush” method of replacing the transmission fluid.

Michaell

henryn said:

au1994 said:

Forecast high here in Atlanta is 78 for today. Last week we were in the 30’s for highs. Days like this I seriously miss having a convertible!

Re: Versa. Definitely agree with not doing the struts. I would take @Michaells suggestion of the fluid flush and filter and see if that smoothes it out. Definitely give it a good wash and vacuum and let the dealer appraise it. Any minor fixes will not help you at this point. There is a chance it won’t go to auction and will end up on the dealer lot. Maybe, maybe take a look at the tires but unless they are completely bald, I’d just leave ‘em. A lot of the dealers around here have a “great cars under $X” section. Usually the threshold is 5, 7 or 10k depending on the dealer. If this is a clean car, which I’m sure it is, they might keep it and try to make a buck.

I have to agree, I would not do the shocks and struts on a 10 year old car that I was planning to get rid of. Only if I were planning to keep it for several more years.

On the transmission “fluid flush and filter” – allow me to raise a cautionary flag here. I will state up front that I have never owned a CVT and have no experience with them, but for the more normal automatic transmission you NEVER want to do a “flush”. Drop the transmission pan, clean or replace the filter, replace the pan, refill with fluid. Mechanics who actually work on transmissions are pretty much universal in their opposition to the “reverse flush” method of replacing the transmission fluid.

Good point. I may have misstated the work that was done. Might have been a fluid change, not a flush.

fintail

Just send him out to play in the snow, he'll love it.

All 20" of it we receive, I hope

28firefighter said:

@fintail bite your tongue, man. I need Sam to be in school next week, not at home losing his mind.

Michaell

Malaise era recognition needed:

https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/54274/general/x/can-anyone-identify-this-car-from-the-70s-by-this-grill#latest

xwesx

pensfan83 said:

And here it's supposed to be 63 degrees today and a week ago we were 70 degrees colder. Go figure.

Welcome to my world! Except, it usually doesn't take a week to swing those temperatures. A few.... well, okay, about NINE years ago, it was -50F, then was +50F two days later (for a very brief interval). It was quite the system shock, and the roads were terrible because of the ridiculously warm air flowing over the still-well-frozen ground.

xwesx

When changing auto tranny fluid, I pull the hoses to the radiator, put the intake hose in a bottle of new fluid and the output hose to an empty bottle, then just run the fluid through until it is new fluid coming out.

28firefighter

The XT moniker is making a return to Subaru:
https://jalopnik.com/the-2020-subaru-legacy-gets-turbo-power-back-1832427718

28firefighter

And the return of the GLI - with a manual!

https://jalopnik.com/the-2019-volkswagen-jetta-gli-gets-much-better-1832429288

au1994

Both of those look very intriguing

stickguy

I like the legacy. Similar to an S60. Just likely cheaper.