Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

kyfdx

qbrozen said:

This color is pretty amazing

I like the exterior a lot... I just can't stomach the tan Porsche interiors, with carpets, dash and seats all the same color.

stickguy

I like that color combo.

mjfloyd1

andres3 said:

Got my 35K mile service done on the '16 TTS. Needed to get the faulty seat heater button in the left vent looked at. Apparently the lens that shows the 3 red lights for the seat heater function has become detached and defective. Part coming from Canada so I'll take the car back in probably next week. Won't need the seat heater anytime soon in CA.

Next, the tech noticed one of my rear suspension mounts is apparently making more noise than it should. Ordered me a new suspension mount. They'll do that at the same time.

the 35K service specifically doesn't include brake fluid change service, but they went ahead and did it anyway! So sad and disappointed, as I had fairly fresh Motul RBF 600 fluid recently put in. The Dot 4 OEM stuff can't handle truly high temps these fast cars are capable of producing! Apparently, they have a 2 year timer on this service and since I refused it last time it just keeps pinging the system.

The new service advisor said I was the first client of his that would have "refused" a free brake fluid change service.

Service manager said I could bring in a brake fluid of my choice when I wanted, and they'd put it in for me to make up for this.

Guess this goes back to the "if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself." Or find a great shop that isn't a dealership! I knew I shouldn't have selected the "free" maintenance, as it's not very "free" anymore.

the other moral of the story is read your service advisor's paperwork! I never requested the brake fluid, but that's what the paperwork said.

I forget - do you track your TTS?

jmonroe1

@nyccarguy, here's hoping your wife finds another job very soon and hopefully at a place that isn't so regimented and is more understanding.

jmonroe

nyccarguy

Thanks guys for your support. I’m standing behind her 100% and trying to remain as calm and positive (not my strongest trait) as possible.

CT is an “at will” state and you can be fired for literally no reason at all.

I keep telling her that everything happens for a reason and that things will get better.

corvette

andres3 said:

Guess this goes back to the "if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself." Or find a great shop that isn't a dealership! I knew I shouldn't have selected the "free" maintenance, as it's not very "free" anymore.

The extended service package was a great amount of savings on my parents' Q5. I know it's annoying about the brake fluid, but at least they have offered to make it right by replacing it with the correct fluid. I'd probably make a note to ask them which future services will include brake fluid flushes, and just plan on bringing my preferred fluid for them to use.

stickguy

QB, here is an interesting toy for you. Not often you find something this cheap with a brand new engine!

certainly a good price for you plan. and enough headroom for you.

https://www.eimports4less.com/details-2010-mini-cooper_s_hardtop_2_door-certified_cooper_s_6_speed_manual_trans_pano_roof_hk_audio-used-wmwmf7c55atx43069.html

corvette

nyccarguy said:

Thanks guys for your support. I’m standing behind her 100% and trying to remain as calm and positive (not my strongest trait) as possible.

Not my strongest traits, either! Do the best you can.

nyccarguy said:

CT is an “at will” state and you can be fired for literally no reason at all.

I keep telling her that everything happens for a reason and that things will get better.

Healthcare is really a different animal compared to most jobs, in terms of immediately firing people when there is any question at all about something they did. Get rid of the employee and figure out what actually happened later! One of my friends works for a large health care system in another state and is familiar with the HIPAA controls on their patient management software. If you access someone's patient record you don't have a reason to be accessing, there is no warning or anything. The administrators get notified and you're terminated.

My gig, on the other hand... We have a decent organization, but they've kept some very disappointing employees on board, and there is an entire department (not mine) that is completely disorganized. I'm not sure that they've ever fired anyone in my department, but I know they have asked/encouraged some particularly bad ones to leave.

nyccarguy

corvette said:

nyccarguy said:

Thanks guys for your support. I’m standing behind her 100% and trying to remain as calm and positive (not my strongest trait) as possible.

Not my strongest traits, either! Do the best you can.

nyccarguy said:

CT is an “at will” state and you can be fired for literally no reason at all.

I keep telling her that everything happens for a reason and that things will get better.

Healthcare is really a different animal compared to most jobs, in terms of immediately firing people when there is any question at all about something they did. Get rid of the employee and figure out what actually happened later! One of my friends works for a large health care system in another state and is familiar with the HIPAA controls on their patient management software. If you access someone's patient record you don't have a reason to be accessing, there is no warning or anything. The administrators get notified and you're terminated.

My gig, on the other hand... We have a decent organization, but they've kept some very disappointing employees on board, and there is an entire department (not mine) that is completely disorganized. I'm not sure that they've ever fired anyone in my department, but I know they have asked/encouraged some particularly bad ones to leave.

I completely understand. My guys literally screw up on a daily basis in some way shape or form:

Uh Boss, I uh dropped a toilet

Uh Boss, I gave the guy 2” Black Pipe instead of 2” No Hub Pipe

Uh Boss, the truck just stopped. (Me: Where?) on the ramp between the Cross Bronx & Major Deegan Expressway. (It was later determined that he put gas in our truck which runs on DIESEL FUEL!)

She was fired because the mistake “could” have lead to the patient getting seriously injured and then the hospital “would” have been liable for her actions.

xwesx

qbrozen said:

This color is pretty amazing

Pretty. I was looking at one like that, except for a manual transmission and burgundy exterior.

sda

stickguy said:

QB, here is an interesting toy for you. Not often you find something this cheap with a brand new engine!

certainly a good price for you plan. and enough headroom for you.

https://www.eimports4less.com/details-2010-mini-cooper_s_hardtop_2_door-certified_cooper_s_6_speed_manual_trans_pano_roof_hk_audio-used-wmwmf7c55atx43069.html

stickguy said:

QB, here is an interesting toy for you. Not often you find something this cheap with a brand new engine!

certainly a good price for you plan. and enough headroom for you.

https://www.eimports4less.com/details-2010-mini-cooper_s_hardtop_2_door-certified_cooper_s_6_speed_manual_trans_pano_roof_hk_audio-used-wmwmf7c55atx43069.html

Wow, now that was a spanking and left a red tail. Ouch!

stickguy

yeah, someone made a really poor financial decision on that one.

qbrozen

stickguy said:

QB, here is an interesting toy for you. Not often you find something this cheap with a brand new engine!

certainly a good price for you plan. and enough headroom for you.

https://www.eimports4less.com/details-2010-mini-cooper_s_hardtop_2_door-certified_cooper_s_6_speed_manual_trans_pano_roof_hk_audio-used-wmwmf7c55atx43069.html

Thanks.
But when someone sinks $13k into a car only to trade it for $4k 8 mos later, I don’t get all warm and fuzzy about said vehicle.

roadburner

kyfdx said:

Flew to Baltimore to get the Z4. 8-hour drive home.

Flew to Chicago to get a 325i... 4.5 hrs home.

I flew to Chicago to pick up my ti, and drove to Nashville to get my M6.

roadburner

corvette said:

@au1994 sorry to hear. Good luck with the job hunt.

Ditto!

roadburner

nyccarguy said:

au1994 said:

Well crud...My company just eliminated my position. Looks like I’m on the job hunt again. Car hunt indefinitely suspended.

That really stinks! My wife was fired from her job last week after making a mistake. Essentially she saw a patient on bed rest (that wasn’t properly documented) at 3:00 in the afternoon instead of 10:00 the next morning. To say she is devastated is a complete understatement. I’ve never seen her like this.

That seems extremely unfair and arbitrary.

roadburner

sda said:

stickguy said:

QB, here is an interesting toy for you. Not often you find something this cheap with a brand new engine!

certainly a good price for you plan. and enough headroom for you.

https://www.eimports4less.com/details-2010-mini-cooper_s_hardtop_2_door-certified_cooper_s_6_speed_manual_trans_pano_roof_hk_audio-used-wmwmf7c55atx43069.html

stickguy said:

QB, here is an interesting toy for you. Not often you find something this cheap with a brand new engine!

certainly a good price for you plan. and enough headroom for you.

https://www.eimports4less.com/details-2010-mini-cooper_s_hardtop_2_door-certified_cooper_s_6_speed_manual_trans_pano_roof_hk_audio-used-wmwmf7c55atx43069.html

Wow, now that was a spanking and left a red tail. Ouch!

The idiot PO ignored the timing chain noise on startup and drove it until the chain jumped a couple of teeth.He/she likely ran the oil past 15k as well. An N12 or N14 won't tolerate that. The PO of my car was not mechanically adept at all, but she heard the noise and had enough sense to take it to the dealer and have the guides and chain replaced- for less than 10% of what the imbecile MCS owner had to shell out.
I'd worry about what else was neglected...

breld

28firefighter said:

@breld - QQ about your GTI. Is the rear door hard scratchy plastic or soft touch?

Interesting - never noticed that before. I just went out and checked it out...the rear door is indeed a harder plastic than the front doors. The front door plastic is noticeably more “cushioned.”

28firefighter

breld said:

28firefighter said:

@breld - QQ about your GTI. Is the rear door hard scratchy plastic or soft touch?

Interesting - never noticed that before. I just went out and checked it out...the rear door is indeed a harder plastic than the front doors. The front door plastic is noticeably more “cushioned.”

I don’t necessarily care but I do find that an interesting piece of cost cutting that the GLI is getting panned for, yet no one seems to have noticed it happened to the GTI, too.

omarman

Hope the bed rest patient is okay too. Patients always have more to lose than their job if the care plan falls apart.

au1994

roadburner said:

corvette said:

@au1994 sorry to hear. Good luck with the job hunt.

Ditto!

Thanks all!

nyccarguy

omarman said:

Hope the bed rest patient is okay too. Patients always have more to lose than their job if the care plan falls apart.

The bed rest patient never complained. Their family never complained. A nurse came back from his lunch break and saw there were notes in his chart that he was seen by my wife. He complained to her department head & human resources.

corvette

Wow, that’s a ton of money to sink into that MINI and then dump it. Someone on The Truth About Cars wrote something one time about the thing that makes someone dump a car is often not the extremely expensive repair, it’s the minor repair that almost immediately follows the expensive one.

I think the psychology is that the owner has the expensive repair, decides they’re going to keep the car and fix any and all outstanding issues. Then the car rewards them a few months later with another broken part. This breaks their dream of bringing the car to near-new condition and reliability, and they dump it.

graphicguy

au1994 said:

Thanks guys. I can usually smell these things coming but not this time.Pounding the network now!

Sorry to hear this. I’m certain you’ll come out the other end of this fine.

graphicguy

@nyccarguy ....geez-Louise. What is with some of these employers. That sounds crazy harsh what happened to your wife.

Apparently, these companies don’t know how tight the job market is right now.

I’m sure things will work out.

mjfloyd1

qbrozen said:

stickguy said:

QB, here is an interesting toy for you. Not often you find something this cheap with a brand new engine!

certainly a good price for you plan. and enough headroom for you.

https://www.eimports4less.com/details-2010-mini-cooper_s_hardtop_2_door-certified_cooper_s_6_speed_manual_trans_pano_roof_hk_audio-used-wmwmf7c55atx43069.html

Thanks.
But when someone sinks $13k into a car only to trade it for $4k 8 mos later, I don’t get all warm and fuzzy about said vehicle.

qbrozen said:

stickguy said:

QB, here is an interesting toy for you. Not often you find something this cheap with a brand new engine!

certainly a good price for you plan. and enough headroom for you.

https://www.eimports4less.com/details-2010-mini-cooper_s_hardtop_2_door-certified_cooper_s_6_speed_manual_trans_pano_roof_hk_audio-used-wmwmf7c55atx43069.html

Wouldn’t that have been under warranty - only 1.5 ish years old and 25K miles

jpp75

@nyccarguy I echo all the comments here, fortunately the job market is strong but I know this is about more than that.

omarman

nyccarguy said:

omarman said:

Hope the bed rest patient is okay too. Patients always have more to lose than their job if the care plan falls apart.

The bed rest patient never complained. Their family never complained. A nurse came back from his lunch break and saw there were notes in his chart that he was seen by my wife. He complained to her department head & human resources.

Call to HR from another nurse? Oh well once that bell gets rung then it's all about: where a door closes a window opens and it's time to run for daylight!

Not trying to make light of her situation at all. But sometimes in life you may find that getting fired due to a complaint by a fellow worker is actually a promotion to a better place in life.

marcogallo1986

@ oh 1994, sorry to hear about your job loss, I’ve been out of work for nine months look a few times a week hang in there always stay positive and pray and hope for the best that’s what I do big help but we’re all here for you in here.

marcogallo1986

@ New York car guy, sorry to hear of your wife also lost her job tell her hang in there. Rough.

stickguy

saw a pretty blue current style X3 today in a parking lot. Made the wife turn around and look at it. Gotta always be hustling if you want to get ahead in life! She admitted it was snazzy.

we were off today and out doing some errands, and I mentioned (since we were supposed to be doing something fun, and instead did a rescue dog delivery and went to Shop Rite) that we could swing by the dealers and look at the cars on her list. She made a face at me. Might need to revisit that. Or even better, just pull into the dealers when driving by without asking first!

carnaught

@au1994 and @nyccarguy, here’s hoping you and nyc’s wife move on to new and better things!

qbrozen

mjfloyd1 said:

Wouldn’t that have been under warranty - only 1.5 ish years old and 25K miles

I'm not following you.
Ad states, "This work was completed on June 19 2019 at 109,021 miles."

qbrozen

Tried to purchase that green Cayenne today. They wouldn't budge off $10,995. Through my emails, I tried to explain that the auction value is only $7k, so my initial offer of $9500 was quite strong, and then my FINAL offer of $10,250 was very strong, and more than I would care to pay but I'm trying to work with them. Nope, no go says they. Well alrighty then. Onwards and upwards.

pensfan83

Guessing they over allowed on the trade.

au1994

qbrozen said:

Tried to purchase that green Cayenne today. They wouldn't budge off $10,995. Through my emails, I tried to explain that the auction value is only $7k, so my initial offer of $9500 was quite strong, and then my FINAL offer of $10,250 was very strong, and more than I would care to pay but I'm trying to work with them. Nope, no go says they. Well alrighty then. Onwards and upwards.

Jeez, those are more than fair offers based on your data. Sometimes, it just doesn’t work out.

I was trying to cut a deal on an X4 a few years ago and the sales guy was inept and the sales manager a real ‘donkey’. I told them I had never tried so hard to give someone my money and not succeeded.

marcogallo1986

@qb what is the auction value for 2004 Nissan 350 Z manual with 14,000 miles on it. Found one at a local dealer here one owner car fax interesting almost $18,000 for 17,900, look what the trip level is for you and posted back here. Am I able to get those locks in values on my own? Or do you need a special license. I know you’ve been very helpful in here for everyone over the years. Sorry to hear that cayenne didn’t work out But their loss they don’t wanna budge on the price to gonna keep it until the next one that’s right.

mjfloyd1

qbrozen said:

mjfloyd1 said:

Wouldn’t that have been under warranty - only 1.5 ish years old and 25K miles

I'm not following you.
Ad states, "This work was completed on June 19 2019 at 109,021 miles."

Didn’t see that part. I only saw engine replaced around 25k miles.

I only looked at Carfax. Two new engines. Interesting.

Oops

marcogallo1986

@qb it’s a 350 Z touring.

marcogallo1986

@qb also they have a 2009 Nissan Marano Eli, with 39,000 miles on it.

mjfloyd1

@qbrozen

Any idea of auction value on 2019 Audi Q7 prestige with 7500 miles?

Local dealer has CPO available and wife has the itch to get rid of MB gl350

andres3

mjfloyd1 said:

andres3 said:

Got my 35K mile service done on the '16 TTS. Needed to get the faulty seat heater button in the left vent looked at. Apparently the lens that shows the 3 red lights for the seat heater function has become detached and defective. Part coming from Canada so I'll take the car back in probably next week. Won't need the seat heater anytime soon in CA.

Next, the tech noticed one of my rear suspension mounts is apparently making more noise than it should. Ordered me a new suspension mount. They'll do that at the same time.

the 35K service specifically doesn't include brake fluid change service, but they went ahead and did it anyway! So sad and disappointed, as I had fairly fresh Motul RBF 600 fluid recently put in. The Dot 4 OEM stuff can't handle truly high temps these fast cars are capable of producing! Apparently, they have a 2 year timer on this service and since I refused it last time it just keeps pinging the system.

The new service advisor said I was the first client of his that would have "refused" a free brake fluid change service.

Service manager said I could bring in a brake fluid of my choice when I wanted, and they'd put it in for me to make up for this.

Guess this goes back to the "if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself." Or find a great shop that isn't a dealership! I knew I shouldn't have selected the "free" maintenance, as it's not very "free" anymore.

the other moral of the story is read your service advisor's paperwork! I never requested the brake fluid, but that's what the paperwork said.

I forget - do you track your TTS?

I do. The TTS is happiest at full throttle with full boost on the turbo gauge.

My tires are worn out.

corvette

Interesting on that MINI, it looks like the original owner waited until 1 year and 17k to have the first service done. I thought those called for the first service early at around 7,500-10k miles. Engine replaced at 25k, then waits until 41k to have the oil changed on the new engine (one year and 16k for those playing along at home). Inexplicably, MINI offered it as a CPO.

Fitting the narrative I talked about above, owner #3 had the engine replaced in June, then there was another service visit in August, which is probably the straw that broke the camel's back.

andres3

nyccarguy said:

corvette said:

nyccarguy said:

Thanks guys for your support. I’m standing behind her 100% and trying to remain as calm and positive (not my strongest trait) as possible.

Not my strongest traits, either! Do the best you can.

nyccarguy said:

CT is an “at will” state and you can be fired for literally no reason at all.

I keep telling her that everything happens for a reason and that things will get better.

Healthcare is really a different animal compared to most jobs, in terms of immediately firing people when there is any question at all about something they did. Get rid of the employee and figure out what actually happened later! One of my friends works for a large health care system in another state and is familiar with the HIPAA controls on their patient management software. If you access someone's patient record you don't have a reason to be accessing, there is no warning or anything. The administrators get notified and you're terminated.

My gig, on the other hand... We have a decent organization, but they've kept some very disappointing employees on board, and there is an entire department (not mine) that is completely disorganized. I'm not sure that they've ever fired anyone in my department, but I know they have asked/encouraged some particularly bad ones to leave.

I completely understand. My guys literally screw up on a daily basis in some way shape or form:

Uh Boss, I uh dropped a toilet

Uh Boss, I gave the guy 2” Black Pipe instead of 2” No Hub Pipe

Uh Boss, the truck just stopped. (Me: Where?) on the ramp between the Cross Bronx & Major Deegan Expressway. (It was later determined that he put gas in our truck which runs on DIESEL FUEL!)

She was fired because the mistake “could” have lead to the patient getting seriously injured and then the hospital “would” have been liable for her actions.

One school of thought is that you don't want to fire someone that made a huge mistake because they may learn from the huge mistake, and never do it again, where as a new hire might make the same, or some other huge mistake.

andres3

qbrozen said:

Tried to purchase that green Cayenne today. They wouldn't budge off $10,995. Through my emails, I tried to explain that the auction value is only $7k, so my initial offer of $9500 was quite strong, and then my FINAL offer of $10,250 was very strong, and more than I would care to pay but I'm trying to work with them. Nope, no go says they. Well alrighty then. Onwards and upwards.

There's a used red '15 S4 in Richmond, CA, that's working on close to 600 days on the lot. Now the problem is dry-rotted tires, and other issues from sitting too long.

they need to fix the back bumper damage, and replace the tires, and maybe lower the price a tad to inquisitive customers from 500 miles away.

andres3

corvette said:

Interesting on that MINI, it looks like the original owner waited until 1 year and 17k to have the first service done. I thought those called for the first service early at around 7,500-10k miles. Engine replaced at 25k, then waits until 41k to have the oil changed on the new engine (one year and 16k for those playing along at home). Inexplicably, MINI offered it as a CPO.

Fitting the narrative I talked about above, owner #3 had the engine replaced in June, then there was another service visit in August, which is probably the straw that broke the camel's back.

In some ways I should thank Chrysler and Dodge for showing me that sinking money into a pit or sinking ship is a lost cause. There is always something else that can break! I learned this at an early age!

You need trees that grow money for that.

qbrozen

marcogallo1986 said:

@qb what is the auction value for 2004 Nissan 350 Z manual with 14,000 miles on it. Found one at a local dealer here one owner car fax interesting almost $18,000 for 17,900, look what the trip level is for you and posted back here. Am I able to get those locks in values on my own? Or do you need a special license. I know you’ve been very helpful in here for everyone over the years. Sorry to hear that cayenne didn’t work out But their loss they don’t wanna budge on the price to gonna keep it until the next one that’s right.

That's a total crapshoot with those miles. Lowest example I have is 46k miles, which sold for $9750. If we allowed $50/1k miles, then your example is worth $1600 more. Heck, be bold and figure $75/1k and you still won't come anywhere near their asking price. $14k-$14.5k should be more than enough to buy it.

The data I look at is by dealer licensed subscription only.

Don't bother with a Murano.

qbrozen

mjfloyd1 said:

@qbrozen

Any idea of auction value on 2019 Audi Q7 prestige with 7500 miles?

Local dealer has CPO available and wife has the itch to get rid of MB gl350

Assuming it is the V6 model, it would around that $48k-$49k range.

mjfloyd1

qbrozen said:

mjfloyd1 said:

@qbrozen

Any idea of auction value on 2019 Audi Q7 prestige with 7500 miles?

Local dealer has CPO available and wife has the itch to get rid of MB gl350

Assuming it is the V6 model, it would around that $48k-$49k range.

Yes V6. Now down to about $61k asking for a CPO. I’m assuming 2K to CPO so maybe $54k is reasonable??

mjfloyd1

@qbrozen

Any auction value on the 14 GL350 black /black with 93k miles ? No runs, hits or errors. All service up to date. Tires with 12k miles, new brakes. Indiana