Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

28firefighter

We'll just leave it that the sensors yapping at you are far more effective than the camera when it comes to avoiding obstacles. The camera will just show you that you're hitting it...

tjc78

I can see your point about redundancy, but still like having them. When I drive the Elantra, I have to remember it doesn't have them.

Mr_Shiftright

28firefighter said:

Can someone explain the logic to me have not having optional parking sensors at every tier of mid-size 7 passenger SUV? It boggles my mind that on the likes of Highlander, Pilot, etc. you cannot get rear park assist without springing for the top tier models.

The logic is that automakers pay clever people lots of money to sit at a desk and figure out intricate levels of option packages to squeeze the most money out of you as they can.

I was looking at an options list for a '67 Firebird I was inspecting for a guy. Back then you could buy individual options, bit by bit--you purchased just what you wanted (in most cases).

Examples:

Heavy Duty Battery $3,48
Tinted Glass $30.54
Power Windows $100.00
Ride & Handling Pkg $ 9.32 (!!!)
Electric Clock $ 15.80
400 cid Ram-Air $263.30

breld

It's like most of the other safety nannies - once you get used to them it's a bit hard to go back.

I appreciate the parking sensors on my Q7 - when I have some extra things stored in the garage, it gets a bit tighter, and I'm used to having the sensors give me an idea of when to stop.

But I also have the annoying issue (as others have pointed out) of the sensors going off in normal stop and go traffic.

omarman

I like this MSRP sticker for a high option 1967 GTO convertible. Especially the red fender liners and the factory A/C ($343.20) on a convertible in 1967!


edit to add a link to the story about the GTO ordered with the options listed above.

xwesx

Wow. Options on that sheet are 59% of the base MSRP. And we think such things are bad now! One has to buy a Tesla to get into that territory!

xwesx

Oh, speaking of Tesla, I received notification last night that the company is now accepting pre-orders of its Model Y crossover. Get yours now, for production in ~ two years!

stickguy

the TLX has the sensors (my first car with it). they seem to be overly sensitive at times, but the fronts are handy since the car is so long I don't have much room in the garage, so it can help get close to the bikes in front. But, it squawks quite a bit. The real annoying part is whenever I put it in reverse to back out, it goes crazy beeping because of the sides of the door garage door frame, even though I am clear of it. Keeps doing that until I get the bumper out of the garage. Really a poor design IMO. and I trust the camera to tell me how much space I have more than the beeping.

one big issue is that the car has too many false alarms, and I have to take time and attention to look at the screen to figure out what it is yelling about (something coming in the blind rear cross path is important, the car parked next to me isn't).

suydam

The CX5 I have as a rental overcorrects for the blind spot warning, telling me I don’t have room to change lanes when I do. But the Volt is perfect in that regard.

stickguy

I don't mind the BLIS being a little conservative. You can always decide for yourself that there is space. Occasionally I do that when dealing with tight traffic at lower speeds on the highway and you have to squeeze in.

Mr_Shiftright

xwesx said:

Oh, speaking of Tesla, I received notification last night that the company is now accepting pre-orders of its Model Y crossover. Get yours now, for production in ~ two years!

Yes, end of 2020 (maybe)--and only the $$ version.

venture

You know...I don't remember my BLIS ever honking at me in the wild. It worked the few times I tested it though. I suspect properly adjusted mirrors may be the reason, or just dumb luck.

andres3

28firefighter said:

We'll just leave it that the sensors yapping at you are far more effective than the camera when it comes to avoiding obstacles. The camera will just show you that you're hitting it...

In the case of a flying errant Civic in a parking lot, it'll just show something fly by in one or two frames of video as you are hit. However, if your backing up, you get blamed

28firefighter

Real world deliveries of the new GLI are starting. Dealers are only getting 2 35th Anniversary edition models each, one manual and one DSG each to start. The Pure Gray looks incredible. It will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine.

breld

@28firefighter - what do you think about the red surround on the rims though? (On the 35 Anniversary Edition)

Michaell

I'll add my thoughts to the excursion with @breld last weekend.

I, too, preferred the Clubman - the Countryman was too much like my daughter's car. While nice, it's the old platform and doesn't really ride all that well.

The Clubman has an improved chassis, engine and interior, even though it was sparsely equipped. No NAV, sunroof or leather. But, 6-speed, 3 pedals and AWD are an OK trade off.

The Honda store was a bit of a disappointment. There was a $30K Civic Si in the showroom, gussied up with an HFP (?) accessory kit which was about 85% cosmetic and 15% useful.

The BMW store was much nicer. Lots of lightly used demos available, but not a lot that caught my eye.

The new 3-series is pretty stunning, in person. I remember, 20 or 30 years ago, when Saab was trying to sell entry level luxury with a 4-cyl turbo and everybody and their brother griped about trying to sell that for $30K.

The 330i that was in the showroom was very well equipped, and stickered for close to $57K, which equates to about $28K in 1989 dollars. Wowza!

I liked the M6 Gran Coupe parked behind it, but that stickered at $150K.The M850i for $120K looked like a relative bargain, by comparison.

All in all, a good way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

As for me, I'm still very much on the fence about replacing the Jetta when it goes back in August. I don't need my own car, as the Outback will likely be available most every day. Then, the wife comments that she doesn't really want to share a car with me, so there's that. I'm expecting to let the Jetta go, use the Subaru when I need to and, if the circumstances change, I can shop pretty much whenever I want. I'm just afraid the wife will expect me to get another inexpensive commuter, which may be more of a challenge now than it was 3 years ago.

28firefighter

breld said:

@28firefighter - what do you think about the red surround on the rims though? (On the 35 Anniversary Edition)

I love it. My biggest complaint with the 35th Anniversary model is that it is an otherwise base content GLI - no digital cockpit, no upgraded media, etc. I would have liked to see the ability to add those options.

roadburner

I prefer sensors to a camera.

breld

I'm actually kinda impressed with the Tesla Model Y and its pricing. I know it's just a jacked up Model 3, but every single car manufacturer is doing that with their own sedans too.

So they're offering a small AWD SUV with 280 miles of EV range for mid-$50k's. That's a good $20-30k less than the Audi E-tron and Jaguar I-Pace. I don't think it's as nice as those other two, but that's a big price difference.

Audi and Jaguar will qualify for the $7,500 federal rebate, but still. In Colorado, they all still qualify for a $5,000 credit for 2-3 more years (can't remember how it's phased out).

henryn

28firefighter said:

Real world deliveries of the new GLI are starting. Dealers are only getting 2 35th Anniversary edition models each, one manual and one DSG each to start. The Pure Gray looks incredible. It will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine.

And it's thinking like that which will allow the dealers to sell every one of those at $5k over MSRP.

You remind me of Gollum -- "My precious, my precious!!"

28firefighter

Locally they’re being discounted $3000 off MSRP. My guess is even for this, they aren’t trying to make it a killing. 

henryn

Today, in the big parking garage downtown, I was parked next to an AMG GLE 43 SUV. It was truly beautiful, just oozing class and luxury and yes, COST. I looked it up when I got home, and not as expensive as I had imagined, though more than I would ever spend. Unless, of course, I win the Powerball.

The thing that most struck me was the size of the rear tires. As I was walking away, looking back at it, they looked like the huge drag slicks we used to see. Only, of course with tread. You remember the cars, one’s like the 55 Chevy in American Graffiti. We used to drool over the pictures in Hot Rod Magazine, and the description would read something like “9 inch Ford rear end, with shortened axles and custom tubs”.

With the size of those tires, there really can’t be much room inside between those wheel wells.

qbrozen

breld said:

After our blizzard last week (I got stuck out of town and ultimately traveled from Charlotte through Newark, then New Orleans, before returning to Denver a day late), some promising Spring weather this past Saturday made it virtually irresistible to go car browsing. @michaell met me at the MINI store and I drove a couple vehicles - a 2016 Countryman S All4 "Park Lane" edition and a 2017 Clubman S All4 - both with manual trannies. Both were CPO with about 30k miles, and priced about the same. With the Clubman being the "updated" current gen of MINIs, it certainly felt more refined, both in interior quality and drivetrain. Q - what would auction values be on a 2017 Clubman S All4 with 30k miles - manual trannie, and no added options to speak of? We also browsed the BMW store - I REALLY liked the blue m-sport 330i in the showroom. In particular, I think the taillights on the new model are very sharp. And the wheels on the m-sport were beautiful.

Not much to work with. Manheim estimator tool says $18k, but based on lower numbers in the SW and low options on this one, I’m going to say $17k.

breld

qbrozen said:

breld said:

After our blizzard last week (I got stuck out of town and ultimately traveled from Charlotte through Newark, then New Orleans, before returning to Denver a day late), some promising Spring weather this past Saturday made it virtually irresistible to go car browsing. @michaell met me at the MINI store and I drove a couple vehicles - a 2016 Countryman S All4 "Park Lane" edition and a 2017 Clubman S All4 - both with manual trannies. Both were CPO with about 30k miles, and priced about the same. With the Clubman being the "updated" current gen of MINIs, it certainly felt more refined, both in interior quality and drivetrain. Q - what would auction values be on a 2017 Clubman S All4 with 30k miles - manual trannie, and no added options to speak of? We also browsed the BMW store - I REALLY liked the blue m-sport 330i in the showroom. In particular, I think the taillights on the new model are very sharp. And the wheels on the m-sport were beautiful.

Not much to work with. Manheim estimator tool says $18k, but based on lower numbers in the SW and low options on this one, I’m going to say $17k.

Thanks Q.

xwesx

28firefighter said:

Locally they’re being discounted $3000 off MSRP. My guess is even for this, they aren’t trying able to make it a killing. 

Fixed that.

marcogallo1986

Nice Breld on the car looking you all did this past weekand! 

marcogallo1986

catching up  on  all in here  from the past few days.Type your comment

andres3

xwesx said:

28firefighter said:

Locally they’re being discounted $3000 off MSRP. My guess is even for this, they aren’t trying able to make it a killing. 

Fixed that.

What do you think a car salesman would say if you walked in and said "I know you are selling these for $3K below MSRP, but I'm going to pay you $3K over MSRP for it today anyway."

xwesx

andres3 said:

xwesx said:

28firefighter said:

Locally they’re being discounted $3000 off MSRP. My guess is even for this, they aren’t trying able to make it a killing. 

Fixed that.

What do you think a car salesman would say if you walked in and said "I know you are selling these for $3K below MSRP, but I'm going to pay you $3K over MSRP for it today anyway."

"Let me write that up for you."

marcogallo1986

Lol

marcogallo1986

 Love using Lyft and Uber mainly more lift the past number of weeks since it’s significantly cheaper than Uber. Could you throw in some interesting cars sometimes different than your average every day cars, TODAY!! wrote it in the BMW five series 2014 Ford sold her engine, it’s quite obvious but seemed nice enough when I touched. Silver with black interior. Couple of weeks back rolled in the Mercedes E class which was nice but it was an older one, a 2012. Most of the time though it’s your average handles and Nissans, Toyotas things like that Type your comment

marcogallo1986

 And use it to go back and forth to the gym and home, and various other activities. Rolled in a new 2018 ford explore base model today to the gym which was nice enough, I wouldn’t mind ordering the base model of that. Even though that vehicle has been out since 2011, and the new one is going to go on sale any day now. 

marcogallo1986

 Still job searching, with no luck. A job at the automotive dealership I think I mentioned in here didn’t work out, the guy was jerking me around is lying he never received my job application which I know he did confirmation that it was sent and received. But it is what it is. I don’t think I have discrimination lawsuit there, but I think contact a lawyer and see. Unfortunately this so many ways around the a DE these days I’ll see you in the past few months on the numerous interviews I went around I wish one of them was straight out say we’re not gonna hire you because your visual impairment, then I have a loss 

marcogallo1986

 Time to start getting the Thunderbird ready for the partials which will start next month definitely in May. 

carnaught

@marcogallo1986, they would be lucky to have you with them.

nyccarguy

I know I’m going to get flamed for this, but I’m seeing a few new Miatas in Black and they are stunning.

Michaell

nyccarguy said:

I know I’m going to get flamed for this, but I’m seeing a few new Miatas in Black and they are stunning.

I like the one @breld drives in the pearl white color.

breld

nyccarguy said:

I know I’m going to get flamed for this, but I’m seeing a few new Miatas in Black and they are stunning.

Why do you think you'll get flamed?

Are you admiring the RF or soft top? I actually drove mine yesterday and plan on doing so again today - temps are still pretty low so probably with the top up, but it's still a fun drive.

I'd be curious to hear how the ride compares to your Prelude - it's certainly a pretty raw experience and I'd imagine your Prelude, even at its age, offers a more compliant experience.

marcogallo1986

Thank you carnutt 

nyccarguy

breld said:

nyccarguy said:

I know I’m going to get flamed for this, but I’m seeing a few new Miatas in Black and they are stunning.

Why do you think you'll get flamed?

Are you admiring the RF or soft top? I actually drove mine yesterday and plan on doing so again today - temps are still pretty low so probably with the top up, but it's still a fun drive.

I'd be curious to hear how the ride compares to your Prelude - it's certainly a pretty raw experience and I'd imagine your Prelude, even at its age, offers a more compliant experience.

Everybody here seems to be "anti-black" when it comes to cars, expecially a Miata. You know, the car was going the other way, so I don't even know if it was a soft top or an RF.

breld

Ah - gotcha.

To that point, I just did a nice hand wash of my Q7 this past Sunday, and I told my wife that I would not do another dark color. It looks sharp, but when the sunlight hits it, you see every little imperfection and blemish.

Mr_Shiftright

Black looks GREAT on some cars--especially big, foreign ones, Lincoln Town Cars, Model T Fords, slammed 70s American coupes. Dark brown looks fetching on a UPS truck. White is nice for ambulances and rental cars. (exception---vintage Corvettes with red interior). Black and white seems to work for cop cars all over the world. Pastels look nice on small cars--very small cars, and on some 50s American iron. Loud, brash colors seem to go with 60s American muscle.

A two seat sports car should never be black. It just....well...disappears.

My two cents.

andres3

Mr_Shiftright said:

Black looks GREAT on some cars--especially big, foreign ones, Lincoln Town Cars, Model T Fords, slammed 70s American coupes. Dark brown looks fetching on a UPS truck. White is nice for ambulances and rental cars. (exception---vintage Corvettes with red interior). Black and white seems to work for cop cars all over the world. Pastels look nice on small cars--very small cars, and on some 50s American iron. Loud, brash colors seem to go with 60s American muscle.

A two seat sports car should never be black. It just....well...disappears.

My two cents.

But Knight Rider! And Hasselhoff!

tjc78

@andres3
I've found your dream car

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2005-dodge-neon/

xwesx

Oh, the SRT-4 Neon. Those were quite the popular car for a time. I remember a guy locally who had his hopped up to run ten-second quarter-miles. The spectators loved that thing.

andres3

tjc78 said:

@andres3
I've found your dream car

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2005-dodge-neon/

Someone overpaid $25,000 for that thing.

marcogallo1986

Lol  at ondrays3 

Mr_Shiftright

xwesx said:

Oh, the SRT-4 Neon. Those were quite the popular car for a time. I remember a guy locally who had his hopped up to run ten-second quarter-miles. The spectators loved that thing.

Back in the day, everyone thought the Neon was going to become the modern iteration of the 60s Alfa Sprint coupe---a clean, attractive, simple, fun to drive light & small car with good handling and brakes, and affordability.

But, alas, all they got was a shameful pile of junk. I mean, really, didn't Chrysler do ANY R&D on this car? Couldn't they even have paid a wino $10 to drive it around the block to see if it overheated?

omarman

My sister in law had 2 new first gen neons. First had head gasket / catastrophic engine fail while still under the bumper to bumper warranty. Chrysler didn't do repair for her but instead traded in for another new neon at same dealer. Oy. That second one was a longer slower death. Like a thousand cuts of many smaller issues never sorted out at the dealer and generally not put together very "nicely." Remember when the new neon was all about nice?

tjc78

My Stepdad has a first year Neon... lots of problems.  It leaked everything and puked up the transmission pretty early on. Luckily it was leased.