Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

andres3

sda said:

Our first week with the Audi Q5 is off to a rough start. On the fourth day of ownership my wife calls me to say a message light lit up showing low oil level. I looked it up and told her it was safe to drive and when she got home I would check it. This car does not have a traditional dipstick, it monitors it by sensors. I followed the instructions how to check oil level and it showed full, plus the message light disappeared. I drove it and all seemed fine. Her 25 mile drive to work this morning was uneventful. When she left work this evening, in less than 5 minutes the oil level light glowed brightly. Again, once home, the oil level said full and the message disappeared. I suspect a bad sensor, but what a pain and an effective way to dampen the enthusiasm of getting a new ride.

I always thought it a bad trade-off to get rid of the dipstick like they did in prior generation A4/S4's. My TTS has a dipstick, and I prefer that. Having a dipstick doesn't mean they can't have a "dummy light" or dummy beep beeping at you for those that never ever check the oil level.

greg128

Have not posted in 3 years since I leased a 2016 Malibu Premier 2.0....it just went back and now have a punch.
The Malibu was a good car..More than ample power from the 2.0 turbo...quiet and comfortable and great tech with all of the options. No reliability issues but only put on 17K miles which was half of what I paid for in the lease. (Mostly driven by wife as I drive a company truck). My 2 main gripes with it were 1: 19" low profile tires which did not take major road imperfections very well. In fact my wife popped 2 tires during the lease period and
with no spare had to have it towed to the dealer both times resulting in 2 new tires @ $300 each. I was not very happy about that. Gripe 2: Manual says it requires premium gas which I mostly used, but while I saw a 25 mile average of 41 mpg on a road trip, around town in the winter was barely 15 mpg which was worse than the mileage I saw from my 2008 V-6 Saturn Aura which used regular

When replacing the leased Malibu I decided my requirements were:
1: Must have a spare
2: Must use regular gas
3: Must have ample power
4: Must have a NA engine..no turbo which I do not think will not be reliable long term
5: No low profile tires

I decided to purchase a 1 year old vehicle that has already had a major depreciation hit. I also decided on a NA V-6 engine. My choices narrowed to: Toyota Camry V-6, Nissan Maxima, Chevy Impala, Buick Lacrosse, Toyota Avalon and Kia/Hyundai larger cars. I did not consider the Koreans. The 1 year old Toyota V-6 cars are rare and expensive (around 30K) The Maximas look great, are reasonably priced but I ruled out because of the required premium gas, the smallish interior and the Nissan CVT. A 2018 Avalon is reasonably priced, But the V-6 is undeerpowered compared to the new Camry and the tech is outdated (No Apple CarPlay) The Chevy Impala is a bit too big at 204" length compared to the Malibu 194". That left the Lacrosse (197" length) and knowing that it was being discontinued I knew that I could obtain a 2018 for a good price.

I purchased a 2018 Buick Lacrosse Premium FWD with an original MSRP of $42 with 14K miles for $24K and change. It has a 310 HP V-6 and feels quicker than the 2.0T Malibu. Car and Driver has the 0-60 time of 5.6 sec.
In addition the around town mileage now in the summer is in the 17 MPG range on regular gas. The 25 mile best mileage in the computer memory reads 43 mpg. If I get anywhere near that on a trip I will be very happy. The ride with the 18" tires is smooth and compliant. The interior is luxurious and the tech is very good, in addition to Memory. heated, venitlated and massaging seats, articulating HID headlights, HUD, Lane Keep Assist, Rear Sensors. It does not have a panoramic sunroof which I would have liked, or the Navigation system (which is not needed with Apple CarPlay) It also does not have the Bose sound system which I had in the Malibu but to me the base system sounds at least as good. Annother bonus is that when you buy a 1 year old Buick with the original 4 year/50K warranty it still has the remaining 3 years left...as much as a newly purchased non premium brand. I brought it in to the dealer and had them do an oil change/filter and tire rotation and was pleasantly surprised when they told me there was no charge...and that I get one more service free...Overall very happy with the car.

kyfdx

@greg128 Congrats! Sharp!

stickguy

Nice deal. But no moonroof would have been a show stopper to me!

xwesx

Agreed; looks really nice! I like the wood grain; understated, yet elegant. You stole a little bit of @sda's thunder, though, by getting white over ivory.

Great move on buying somewhat used given your low mile use. You will get much better bang for the buck, most likely, over an ownership period that is whatever you choose.

tjc78

Nice LaCrosse! I loved my 2012.

suydam

carnaught said:

”We're going to try life as a one car family for the time being.”

Lol...

We tried life as a 1 car family when we moved to California. It lasted 4 months — till we realized we both had lives.

@greg128 congrats on the LaCrosse. It looks absolutely beautiful. Buick does a very nice job with their interiors. If they would just make a plug-in I’d be all over it for our next vehicle.

28firefighter

For the record, I am triumphantly parking the “subadoo” in the driveway - I got a great deal AND I love it.

I also love that it is another car Sam and I are bonding over. He sings a song about us washing it.

qbrozen

Well, it was a good long run, but I guess I couldn’t stay accident free the rest of my life. Today, in jam-packed traffic entering the NJTurnpike where about 20 tollbooths narrow to 2 lanes, a big rig driver decided merging just wasn’t his thing. Much drama ensued, which I will forego. But here is the aftermath. I made sure to highlight to geico how the damage obviously flows from rear to front, showing the truck plowed into me, because he was claiming innocence.

...sigh... no photo day once again on Edmunds. Sorry, folks. The damage is ugly, though. Punched a hole in the quarter panel and ripped off one side of the bumper. It is going to be expensive.

28firefighter

qbrozen said:

Well, it was a good long run, but I guess I couldn’t stay accident free the rest of my life. Today, in jam-packed traffic entering the NJTurnpike where about 20 tollbooths narrow to 2 lanes, a big rig driver decided merging just wasn’t his thing. Much drama ensued, which I will forego. But here is the aftermath. I made sure to highlight to geico how the damage obviously flows from rear to front, showing the truck plowed into me, because he was claiming innocence.

...sigh... no photo day once again on Edmunds. Sorry, folks. The damage is ugly, though. Punched a hole in the quarter panel and ripped off one side of the bumper. It is going to be expensive.

The 3er? Glad you’re OK.

Airbags deploy? And when you say expensive, do you mean total expensive?

sda

qbrozen said:

Well, it was a good long run, but I guess I couldn’t stay accident free the rest of my life. Today, in jam-packed traffic entering the NJTurnpike where about 20 tollbooths narrow to 2 lanes, a big rig driver decided merging just wasn’t his thing. Much drama ensued, which I will forego. But here is the aftermath. I made sure to highlight to geico how the damage obviously flows from rear to front, showing the truck plowed into me, because he was claiming innocence.

...sigh... no photo day once again on Edmunds. Sorry, folks. The damage is ugly, though. Punched a hole in the quarter panel and ripped off one side of the bumper. It is going to be expensive.

Sorry to learn, that bites. I hope you’re ok.

corvette

That stinks, qbrozen. Hope you are okay.

My experience on and around the PA turnpike a few weeks ago was that the truckers viewed turning a blinker on as giving them a first amendment right to cut someone off and proceed to take forever to pass another truck that was going 1/3 of a MPH less.

xwesx

qbrozen said:

Well, it was a good long run, but I guess I couldn’t stay accident free the rest of my life. Today, in jam-packed traffic entering the NJTurnpike where about 20 tollbooths narrow to 2 lanes, a big rig driver decided merging just wasn’t his thing. Much drama ensued, which I will forego. But here is the aftermath. I made sure to highlight to geico how the damage obviously flows from rear to front, showing the truck plowed into me, because he was claiming innocence.

...sigh... no photo day once again on Edmunds. Sorry, folks. The damage is ugly, though. Punched a hole in the quarter panel and ripped off one side of the bumper. It is going to be expensive.

Major bummer. As others noted, though... glad you're okay!

Edmunds, you really let us down on this one!

ab348

greg128 said:

@greg128 , nicely done! A very nice car and a step up from the Malibu for sure.

@qbrozen , sorry to hear about the accident. Glad it sounds like you're OK. Hopefully this system will let you post some pics soon so we can see what happened.

laurasdada

Greg, congrats! QB, sorry, hope you're ok.

So, a couple of weeks after a check engine, "Evap" code scare (CEL extinguished after about 72 hours; guessing the old gas cap trick), today a "brake pad replacement" warning light came on. Replaced the rears last year, maybe the fronts now? I mean, it can't be an electrical gremlin as I drive a British car...

Wonder if the XF is trying to tell me something?

28firefighter

laurasdada said:

Wonder if the XF is trying to tell me something?

“I’m bloody British”

qbrozen

Oh yeah we’re fine. Thanks. Extremely low speed but of course a big rig does A LOT of damage. Not totaled, no, but I’m guessing an easy $5k. Really depends if they try to fix the metal, but I don’t think they can reasonably do that. And that quarter panel is the entire rear side of the car and extends all the way above both doors and includes the A pillar. That’s a big piece to replace. Plus of course the whole rear bumper plus bumper supports, etc. Dude really dug his bumper in deep.

andres3

I called my favorite Audi dealer Service Dept today around 2:30 PM, and made an appointment for 7:15 AM Monday morning. Easy!

Maybe they'll start giving out R8 loaners!

qbrozen

Alright I’m going to try this route:

https://flic.kr/p/2gHzPhX

https://flic.kr/p/2gHzPi3

https://flic.kr/p/2gHz66m

fintail

Glad you're OK q, sounds like one of those incidents where it could have been a lot worse if it had been a few inches closer. I recall the long term C&D E wagon test car was totaled because a trailer scraped up against the length of the car, and damaged the pillars. Sounds like a case to defend dashcams, too.

Nice looking Buick there, great colors, no doubt a used bargain and much better looking than a modern Toyota.

andres3

I had a near miss where a few cars decided to slow way down in the fastest lane for no good reason so I just emergency avoidance maneuvered into the adjacent lane to the right to pass on the right.

It was wide open in that lane.

stickguy

ouch. Good thing for preset residuals and gap insurance.

Michaell

qbrozen said:

Alright I’m going to try this route:

https://flic.kr/p/2gHzPhX

https://flic.kr/p/2gHzPi3

https://flic.kr/p/2gHz66m

$5k? I'll go on record and estimate the repairs will be double that. I tapped someone in the post office parking lot when I had the Elantra GT and it cost almost $5k to put right.

28firefighter

The love tap on the X1 is $1100. I agree with @michaell - closer to $10k.

qbrozen

Could be. I have no clue what the body parts cost. Probably... what... $3k in paint? 15 hrs labor is another $2500? So, yeah, you guys are probably closer. Ok, I’ll guess $8500. That’s $3k for parts. I could still be way off of course. We’ll find out on Monday.

laurasdada

andres3 said:

I called my favorite Audi dealer Service Dept today around 2:30 PM, and made an appointment for 7:15 AM Monday morning. Easy!

Maybe they'll start giving out R8 loaners!

When I made service appointments for my TL, I always asked for the loaner NSX. Given my usual luck, it was always just given out to the prior service client. Every time! ;-)

laurasdada

andres3 said:

I had a near miss where a few cars decided to slow way down in the fastest lane for no good reason so I just emergency avoidance maneuvered into the adjacent lane to the right to pass on the right.

It was wide open in that lane.

I had a near miss with a postman yesterday. Made a right hand turn onto Rt.27, a line of cars in the left land stopped for the red light. Suddenly, from between an SUV and box van, a postman is running across 27. Thankfully, both of our brakes worked! And there was no car on my donkey...

ronsteve

nyccarguy said:

@28firefighter - glad you guys are enjoying the outback. It’s one thing to triumphantly park a car in your driveway that you got a stellar deal on. It’s a whole different ball game if your wife is thrilled with said car and it’s color (colour since I’m still in Canada).

Mid 20s isn’t terrible for that H6. I averaged 26 mpg in my underpowered 4cyl Legacy.

I'm thinking that 26 in a 2.5 Legacy is either mostly city driving, or back in the pre-CVT days, whereas mid-20s in the H6 Outback is a lot of sensible highway driving.

tjc78

@qbrozen
This really sucks... at least it’s a lease and BMW’s problem in a few years

marcogallo1986

@QB glad you and the family are. OK

marcogallo1986

@Greg 100 congrads. On the punch. Used most of the time is The way to go!

marcogallo1986

@28FF glad you and the wife are loving the outback.

graphicguy

Q....well, damn! Glad you’re OK! Agree...$10K damage.

Greg....great looking ride. Congrats on the punch!

marcogallo1986

@QB forgot to post before, and have to go with I hate to do this $12,000 damage, just to be a little different than everyone else in here ha ha Ha. Hopefully it’s under $10,000.

xwesx

Michaell said:

$5k? I'll go on record and estimate the repairs will be double that. I tapped someone in the post office parking lot when I had the Elantra GT and it cost almost $5k to put right.

Agreed; going to be a lot! It was $7,600 or so to fix our Forester last year after the "canoe incident." That includes Alaska "tax," but mostly that was glass (at first sight). Ultimately, the ended up replacing both passenger doors (fairly cheap in terms of parts), which of course meant paint... and paint is major money.

jmonroe1

@qbrozen, the important thing is that you are OK. As for the dollar value for the repair, I'd say at least 10 grand. When a guy across the street from the flip house barely tapped the lower right rear quarter panel between the bumper cover and the wheel well on my Genny, it cost $1,350. No metal replacement but painting up to and including the roof rail to ensure a perfect paint match. Then when the girl across the street from our house hit Mrs. j's new Subie, when it wasn't even a week old, the cost for that whack was almost 8 grand but the bumper cover, trunk, right rear light assembly and backup sensors needed replaced along with a whole lot of painting.

To me it looks like the whole side of your car will need painting. That's where a lot of the expense will be. I hope I'm wrong with my guesstimate but I'm sure you'll let us know the final number which is usually more than the estimate. You've heard the words, "we won't really know until we get in there".

Again, glad to hear you are OK.

jmonroe

sda

Good news. My service visit at the Audi dealership was better than my experience with them when I called for an appointment. They programmed the keys and reduced the oil level a bit. It was slightly overfilled and this was triggering the warning message/light. I requested the Service Soon light be reset, agreeing to the cost. When the car was completed I was pleasantly surprised there was no cost. Without me having to ask and I think VW felt bad about

overfilling the oil, they also picked up the cost to reset the Service Soon reminder. Better yet, I was told that the car had prepaid maintenance that transferred over to us and is good thru the 45k service which represents about $750. I am delighted!

qbrozen

Thanks for all the well wishes, folks.

Worst part is nobody will want to take over the lease now. Lol

28firefighter

qbrozen said:

Thanks for all the well wishes, folks.

Worst part is nobody will want to take over the lease now. Lol

Not true at all. If it’s fixed i wouldn’t care. After all, we aren’t buying...

marcogallo1986

@QB lol

marcogallo1986

@SDA glad it went a lot better than originally thought it possibly could go, how do they go about checking the oil level is there a way you could do it at home I know there’s no dipstick.

carnaught

@qbrozen, real bummer, but happy you are all right.

@greg128, congrats on the punch. Looks nice and should be reliable and comfortable.

corvette

sda said:

I requested the Service Soon light be reset, agreeing to the cost. When the car was completed I was pleasantly surprised there was no cost.

This might have been because the car is still under prepaid maintenance.

sda

corvette said:

sda said:

I requested the Service Soon light be reset, agreeing to the cost. When the car was completed I was pleasantly surprised there was no cost.

This might have been because the car is still under prepaid maintenance.

Good point. Originally they were going to charge $70 to reset the light. I was going to ignore it as I keep up with maintenance but my wife found the message annoying. It was a pleasant surprise not owing anything and finding out prepaid maintenance was transferred to us. A very nice bonus.

roadburner

That sucks qbrozen. No accidents today, but two idiots that caused me to lean on my horn for over 3 seconds.
Idiots.

nyccarguy

@qbrozen - just got home from our Canada trip. I’m glad you guys are OK. Or sucks, but at least the car will be fixed and not your problem.

pensfan83

Echoing others glad you are ok @qbrozen

stickguy

the more I look at the BMW, more I think it will just buff right out. Or maybe The BMW dealer won't notice!

those trucks on the turnpike, especially in heavy traffic or tight quarters, always make me nervous. especially when you need to make a quick stop, and they can't. most semi drivers are careful and courteous, but some, are just in a hurry (or worse).

at least it is a lease. Might just have to ride this one to the end though.

mjfloyd1

qbrozen- glad you are OK. Black duct tape should fix that right up

breld

QB - as others have said, glad you’re okay...and glad it’s a lease.

I’m out in the San Diego area for a baseball tournament. After having the Sentra rental a couple weeks ago in Portland, I made sure I had a better experience and secured a Maxima for this trip.

It’s pretty impressive. Nice materials on the inside and I almost forgot how great a naturally aspirated V6 can be. And I have to say, the CVT is not bad at all.