I recently picked up someold Car and Drivers from the 90s. As I was flipping through them, I ran across a few reviews of the Intrepid, and most articles praised the car including the looks.
Huh, now that you mention it, the L300 will celebrate its 6th birthday in the michaell household next week.
75K miles and still running (relatively) strong. Though I keep getting an intermittent warning light that affects the transmission. Preliminary research leads me to believe it may be a solenoid of some sort.
Must be time to trade it in, eh?
I just made an appointment with the Saturn dealer to have the VUE looked at on Saturday ... we got a recall notice on the power steering pump and I want them to review it and tell me if it needs to be repaired or not.
Now that your car is the average age for replacement of all cars in service nationwide, you have officially reneged on your CCBA membership: any purchase you make now would be expected in the normal course of things anyway!
(Of course, this fails to recognize the regular and frequent membership renewals you make every time you buy one of those 70s gems you love so much ;-))
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
(Of course, this fails to recognize the regular and frequent membership renewals you make every time you buy one of those 70s gems you love so much )
Oh yeah, it is about time for me to do something like that again, isn't it? It's been almost a year and a half since I bought that blue '79 New Yorker, 3 1/2 since I bought the '76 LeMans, and over 7 since I bought the creme '79 NYer. Man, I'm slipping!
Andre, this weekend we celebrate the 13th anniversary of my taking delivery of my 1995 318ti Club Sport. The first new car I ever ordered and purchased, it still occupies a heated garage space at Casa RB. Back then my son was almost one. Now he'll soon be 14, and he is 5'10"- and the center on his school basketball team. Where did all the time go?
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
May '76 (private sale) December '76 February '80 (private sale) March '82 July '85 (private sale) October '90 (private sale) February '94 April '94 August '95 January '97 August '98 January '99 January '01 April '02 December '03 November '05 July '08 October '08
So... Never in September!! (or June).
(Married in '93, in case you were wondering about the sudden increase in activity...lol)
No way I can remember the month I bought each of my vehicles. A few, sure. But no way all of them.
But folks saying how long they've had their current cars has made me realize that, now with my Alfa gone, the current champion of my fleet is the Mazda pickup, now at 26 months of ownership. It probably helps that I only drive it maybe a dozen times a year, if that.
But folks saying how long they've had their current cars has made me realize that, now with my Alfa gone, the current champion of my fleet is the Mazda pickup, now at 26 months of ownership. It probably helps that I only drive it maybe a dozen times a year, if that.
Boy, some of these are gonna sound really anti-CCB!
1957 DeSoto: 18 years, 2 months (Sept 1990) 1968 Dart: 16 years, 7 months (Apr 1992) 1967 Catalina: 14 years, 7 months (Apr 1994) 2000 Intrepid: 9 years (11/6/99) 1979 5th Ave: 7 years (late October 2001) 1985 Silverado: 6 years 1 month (late Sept 2002...it's actually been in the family since the summer of '85 though, when Granddad bought it) 1976 LeMans: 3 years 7 months (Apr 2005) 1979 New Yorker: 1 year 6 months (May 2007)
One thing I just noticed...not only was April the month where I bought the most cars, four, but I still have all four of them!
I am definitely in CCBA remission! Last purchase was the Matrix, 1-31-07. The Echo I have had almost 3 years - 1-10-06. And nothing else purchased since January 2007.
I have two different family members on my case now, and have been for more than a year, making me swear I will stop buying new cars until at least 2010. So I may just have to buy two that year!
But it's a long way off.....the CRZ, "AE86", and iQ should all be out by then, so maybe I can pick two of those three....
...wouldn't mind picking up a used AWD in the meantime, I mean after all, I didn't promise not to buy a used car, just a NEW car! :shades:
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Once in a while I run into customers who wonder why we have one or two year old used cars on the lot, and why in the world somebody would have traded it in.
I was going to tell him about groups such as CCBA but he'd just think I'm nuts.
but I've always liked those little Japanese hardtop coupes that were common in the late 70's/early 80's. Stuff like the Datsun 200SX, Corolla SR-5, Dodge Challenger/Plymouth Sapporo, and Mazda 626.
I guess one would look really out of place in my fleet, though.
Yup, I already talked to JRL today (my new best friend!). Supposed to stop by and see him tomorrow to check out the listings, etc. I praticaly drive by hiw house (maybe a mile away) on my way to work.
I do like the V50s. Little smaller, but OK for me. The 70/60 does have the primo seats though!
But, if the price is right, I may go for one of the T5 AWDs.
I am a little leery though, some people seem to have a bunch of electric issues with them. Need to at least check the warranty history on them (JL will do that).
FWD 2.5T V70s are rare as hens teeth at the auction it seems.
I was high bidder on an Ebay auction for a 2005 325xiT the other day. Only missed reserve by $6,500! And my max bid was 3K higher than what the bidding ended at. They may have that unit for a while.
SOmeday my prince will come. I really don't feel though like doing my commute in the Accord through the winter. Lousy traction in the wet.
stick - a couple of years ago, I did a quick test drive of a V50 T5 AWD. It was a bit small on the inside for me, but man, did that thing scoot!
If you're that down on the Accord, I suspect you'll pull the trigger sooner rather than later, especially with a 90 mile commute.
Like q, there is no way I would be able to remember the month in which I bought all my cars.
However, November is a month where, for some reason or another, a number of the purchases took place:
1999 Ford Expedition (11/98) 2003 Saturn L300 (11/02) 2003 Ford Focus (11/03) 2005 Saturn VUE (11/04)
Ironically, I have the hardest time remembering when we bought cars in my previous wife-time, when I lived in California. I know we bought two in a matter of two or three months ('91 Mazda Protege and '91 Nissan Sentra SE) - this was around Gulf War I and gas had shot up to ... gasp! ... $1.50/gal. Was costing us the princely sum of $30 to fill up our '88 Trooper.
The L is the oldest in the fleet here .... the ION was bought in June of '06 and the VUE in August of '07.
Toyota is building a new "AE86" with Subaru: a RWD coupe, under $20K base price, 150-160 hp 2.0 under the hood, curb weight target under 2500 pounds. Expected debut in late 2010. Just the ticket for me. :-)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
We do miss the truck, no doubt about that, really missed it and the horse trailer today when my daughter's pony became terribly ill and had to be rushed to the vet hospital. Thankfully a trailer was able to be borrowed and the vet hauled her.
I'll replace it next year at some point, but not with anything as fancy or new, probably something 8-10 years old that will do the job. Same with the horse trailer, something older and not as fancy.
Need vs want, we didn't *need* a big fancy 1-ton dually diesel, we *needed* a nice little car that was good on gas (although not so good at hitting coyotes, lol)
The vet bill the pony is currently racking up could darn near *buy* a car and most certainly puts me out of the market for a long long time, lol. :sick:
Whilst running errands today at lunch I decided to stop by the local Chevrolet / Pontiac / Buick / GMC / Hummer dealer (what can I say - I live in a small town!).
Some random observations:
1. Because of all the brands, there are 3 variations of the Lambda CUV on the lot - Traverse, Enclave and Arcadia. Seems like overkill.
2. Speaking of the Lambdas, I saw one Traverse stickered at $42K and an Enclave at $45K! OMFG! I thought about recommending the Enclave to my sister (who is looking for a 3-row CUV or SUV), but I had no idea they could get that expensive. How much in incentives are available for these things?
3. There was a managers special car parked out front - an untitled 2007 Buick Lacrosse CXL, black with tan interior. 3.6L V6 with the 4-speed auto. MSRP was $32K, but the "sale" price was a low, low $25K. Yeah, right. Makes you wonder what the dealer would offer as the trade in value if Grandma came in with that exact car with 5K on the odometer. That amount plus about 7-10% would be what I would pay for it.
4. I don't think I've ever seen so many fuel efficient cars for sale at this dealer before. Since we're semi-rural, the dealership did most of its business in SUV's and trucks. No more - there were a couple of Aveo's, about 8-10 G5's and Cobalts, a couple of Malibu hybrids and a few HHR's, Vibe's (including a leftover 2008) and 4-cylinder G6's available.
What is wrong with the pony and why is it costing so much?
I watched a show recently on Fairbanks about trucks traveling the highways.... it's amazingly cold up there, don't know how you do it! (40 degress below zero) :sick:
Mark
2010 Land Rover LR4, 2013 Honda CR-V, 2009 Bentley GTC, 1990 MB 500SL, 2001 MB S500, 2007 Lincoln TC, 1964 RR Silver Cloud III, 1995 MB E320 Cab., 2015 Prevost Liberty Coach
What is wrong with the pony and why is it costing so much?
I watched a show recently on Fairbanks about trucks traveling the highways.... it's amazingly cold up there, don't know how you do it! (40 degress below zero)
She had basically a bad tummy ache and was constipated, sounds simple, but it nearly killed her. The vet gave her less than 50% chance of survival yesterday. Today she is better, she'll be staying at the animal hospital until Monday to make sure all is well. The pony is nearly 35 years old, so it was a very touchy situation due to her age.
I don't do the 40 below anymore, lol, that's why we moved, tired of -40,-50,-60 degree weather. It rarely gets below -20 where we are now and its only short lived if it does.
Buick is dead. GM has just not bothered to tell them. I don't know how they can stay a division with just 3 cars. I know they are big in China, but why can't they transfer that success here.
It looks like GMAC is choking off the credit to all but the most qualified buyers.
I must be out getting old , but $42k for a Chevy station wagon is outrageous. I guess it makes $45k for the Enclave look like a bargain.
akangl, when you start to get serious about buying a truck you should look at new. A bare bone 2 wd can be had cheap. I can't believe you could get a better deal used.
Well, call me a city boy as I thought a Pony was a young horse. What makes a Pony a Pony? Is there a size difference?
Glad to hear that you moved. They showed perma-frost on the Alaska show and how a mess it can be with global warming. Who would have thought putting gravel over it would keep it from thawing!
I think I'll stay in Palm Springs..... the coldest we get at night is in the 40's in the winter.... every once in a while we hit freezing but for just a very short time. I think the last time we had snow was in the 1930's (from what I hear, I wasn't born until the late 50's) .
Mark156
2010 Land Rover LR4, 2013 Honda CR-V, 2009 Bentley GTC, 1990 MB 500SL, 2001 MB S500, 2007 Lincoln TC, 1964 RR Silver Cloud III, 1995 MB E320 Cab., 2015 Prevost Liberty Coach
Well, call me a city boy as I thought a Pony was a young horse. What makes a Pony a Pony? Is there a size difference?
Ok city boy! A pony is any horse under 14.2 hands at the withers (highest point of the shoulders). A hand is 4" so that means any horse under 58". Both of mine are considered ponies. Bug is about 35 years old and Tucker is about 20 years old, neither of them are spring chickens.
Thanks for the explanation... I also thought a Pony is a young horse, hence I was wondering if your Pony is 35 years old, how long do horses live then? :confuse:
And speaking of new trucks, Guss is right, there are some very good deals to be had right now.
We're blowing out Rams like never before.... a loaded SXT 1500 with a Hemi and Quad Cab, tow pakg (7500 lb tow capacity) that stickers at $41k MSRP can be had for about $27k CDN right now. You might have even better deals in the US.
I'm really having second thoughts about holding on to my Mazdaspeed3. It's a great car to drive(even if it is FWD) and my selling dealer has an excellent service service department, but several problems are giving me pause. 1. The selling dealer is located 2100 miles away from my house. It's not so bad to drive up for service, but recently...
2. The LF strut was dead at 25000 miles, and the turbo went belly up at 26000 miles- and only ONE track weekend :mad: The dealer gives me a loaner to take home, but I still wind up driving 400 miles per defect.
3. So, you ask, how come I don't use one of my local(Louisville) dealers? Good question. Well, the locals have a policy of never hiring service techs with opposable thumbs. And the parts departments charge significantly over MSRP for parts. How does $250 for front pads sound? No, not parts and labor; $250 for just the pads.
So that's where I'm at. The only cars that I'm considering are used BMWs. I have a great local dealer, a great indie shop, and I've been driving and wrenching on them for over 25 years. A local used car lot has a 2003 330i 6 spd. Performance Package car that still has a bit of BMW CPO warranty left. I think I could get it for the Mazda and $2K. I'm debating whether to run the Mazda a bit more and see how it holds up, but of course it will continue to depreciate. Any thoughts?
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Well, you're halfway through the warranty on the Mazdaspeed3. If you hold out through the end, you can just take it to an independent mechanic for repairs or wrench on it yourself. That said, blowing a turbo at 26,000 miles is troubling.
Inconvenient service (only 2 dealers in the state) is one reason I'm not keeping the Audi...
Well, you're halfway through the warranty on the Mazdaspeed3. If you hold out through the end, you can just take it to an independent mechanic for repairs or wrench on it yourself.
True enough. What really concerns me is the possibility that the new turbo will die in another 26000 miles when the heap is out of warranty. I'll be staring at a $1500-$2000 repair bill. That CPO 330i has 17 months/40,000 miles worth of warranty left, and I seriously doubt that it will need much more than brakes and scheduled maintenance for the next 3-4 years.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Interesting about your turbo. My competition at the autoX is going to need a tranny rebuild on his MS3 with about 18k miles. He's having a recurring problem of it popping out of 2nd. Usually an indicator of bad syncros. Now, is it his driving? Maybe. But he's about 60 years old and has been racing for about half that time. So I would tend to think he's not completely to blame.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Interesting about your turbo. My competition at the autoX is going to need a tranny rebuild on his MS3 with about 18k miles. He's having a recurring problem of it popping out of 2nd.
The seals on the MS3 turbos are failing, and more than a few MS3s have the problem. If the car idles for more than @3-4 minutes a thick cloud of blue/white smoke pours out of the exhaust. I've too have heard of a few transmissions going south. I wanted to keep the car for at least 4-6 years, but now I just want to unload it before: 1. The warranty expires, and 2. The car's reputation for reliability catches up with its resale value... :mad:
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
the 330 sounds like a sweet car. ANd you obviously want it. I know the symptoms, so no matter how wwell the Mazda behaves, you will find something to pick on!
If you really can get a swap done for that small difference, pull the trigger. You will be happy you did.
And you are upgrading. The ones I worry about are when someone talks themselves into selling something nice like a BMW to buy something practical like a Cobalt. That never works out!
I am ready to pull the trigger. Just have to make sure I know on what! And of course, find it.
I did have a revelation Saturday. AWD is really, really good on wet roads! Test drove an S40 T5 AWD, on wet roads (and still raining). I tired hard to get it loose, and couldn't. Even punching it at a stop light, just gripped and took off. Quite a change from my Accord with the crappo Michelins (still have 7/32 on the tread too!).
Whipped around corners with no fuss too. Very confidence inspiring. Giving up a couple MPG might be worth it given the lousy commute (distance, hills, curves, and stinky highways) I will have this winter.
Fun car. RIde is a tad stiff/jiggly, but livable. A little concerned about the seats. They were harder than expected (not as big/cushy/padded as normal for "big" Volvos). But they should be OK. I hope. One thing the Accord does have is a quiet ride, fairly smooth, and roomy soft seats. Not enough support at the bottom of the backrest, but still comfy.
I am deciding if I should go after a V50 (wagon) version of that car. Fun and practical, but maybe not quite comfy/luxurious enough for my aging bones! Should have grapped the '04 V70R with only 12K when I had the chance!
I was high bidder on an Ebay auction for a 325 AWD wagon. Just no where close to reserve. Might go see that one in person, just in case they want to be lowballed (not likely at the BMW dealer, but who knows these days).
Also just saw a local used car lot has a 2005 X3 that looked nice, but with 55K on it. But for the right price...
I might have to give up on finding the V702.5T ('05-'06) I decided I wanted. Apparently there are none in the NE part of the country going to auction!
I also decided I really like the '99-'00 V70R wagons, but that probably wouldn't make a practical daily driver when the daily driving is ~100 miles. Now if I had 2 cars to keep the miles down! Not that the wife is going for that one.
If I end up not changing cars, I may have to go with new tries or snows on the Honda.
Well, you want a wagon, so you should definitely hold out for a wagon.
The V70 is a big step up from the V50, but you get what you pay for. Both are nice, its just obvious which is nicer.
'99-00 V70R is definitely impractical for that kind of driving. I don't think I've ever seen one with exceptionally low mileage, so you'd be starting off with 100k, easy. JRL is always posting '04+ V70Rs that are coming to auction, so you should think long and hard about that now that you are on the AWD option.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
the V50 is a bit smaller, and definitely "the "sportier" of the 2. Other than the cargo area room, the biggest difference to me is the trade off between sharp moves and comfier ride, and the 70 has nicer seats.
I don't street race, and am getting old, so probably the Swedish Buick is a better choice!
I just don't like the XC70, and the vast majority of the wagons available are XCs, or base engine 70s (too slow). NOrmal FWD or AWD versions are rare.
I should have snagged the AWD one at Princeton about a month back. 44K on a CPO '04, on the web for $15,999.
Oh, if I got an older generation it would be as a 3rd car/semi toy. I would either keep the Accord for commuting, or sell it and get something older to beat up on.
Trading the Accord for a fun wagon + something like a '98 ES300 for commuting duty would almost be a wash $$ wise (at least until maintenance comes up!), but we are already short driveway space with my sons car, unless I dump the Contour and let him drive whichever one of mine I ain't!
Not sure the wife would be happy with this plan however. And the repair costs on a '90s R cn be staggering.
for all the X3 people out there, what kind of real world MPG can a 2005 X3 3.0 AT pull? Mostly highway commute, wither doing 65 or stop and go to sludging along. 90 miles or so a day, plus local putzing.
Drove one. Nice unit. Could tell it was slightly "trucky" (probably tires and height) but nice.
Also drove a 2005 325xit wagon. Nicer drive (ride/handling just tighter and more car like). SLightly smaller cargo area, but close and big enough. So other than the tallness factor, I like the wagon better for its more car like feel (being a car and all!).
The 325 drove nicer than the VOlvo. More comfortable over all, similalr room but better seats. Just 1 my older with more miles, but fresh tires and CPO. ANd of course, probably more money!
Orient blue over sand leather. My favorite color combo. Would prefer less than 49.5K on it, but that should be accounted for in the price. CPO until 3/11, so any problems won't cost me anything!
need to go talk $$ and trade tomorrow, just to see.
I had the occasion to try out OnStar's much-lauded turn-by-turn navigation system yesterday. I will be keeping my portable Garmin nav system. First, there's no map display, which is kind of disconcerting. Then, there's no way to store frequently-used destinations. And, when you veer off course, it asks you whether you want it to recalculate--my Garmin is smart enough to figure out that I'm going the wrong direction and recalculates on its own. Finally, it told me I was "approaching my destination" when I was a residential block away and facing the wrong direction.
BTW, stickguy, I think Orient Blue is one of the best colors.
We have an '08... with six-speed automatic and 260hp engine.. It's rated at 17/24, and from what I can see, 24 is just about the maximum you could hope for... We seem to be settling in around 21 overall, but with limited driving so far.
The '05 has the 225 hp six, with 5-speed automatic from that year's 3-series. I would expect it to get similar mileage to ours..
The X3 is about as car-like as you get, but you still are lugging around 4000-4100 lbs, with poor aerodynamics.. We love it, but if I had a long commute, the 325XiT would be my choice.. On our '03 325i sedan, we averaged around 25-26 mpg in suburban driving... No AWD, but same engine.. Even with the AWD, I bet you could pull 27-30 MPG on the highway, depending on speed.
Our 330Cic has the same engine as that '05 X3.. It's a great engine, but I vote for an AWD car over the SUV.
If you are willing to go with an X3 (which I understand), what's wrong with the XC70? You seem to be a Volvo fan..
OR, if you are really considering an X3, try on an XC90. My wife found it much nicer than the X3 she drove. Plus, its quite a bit larger (not that this is a selling point for you) WHILE getting similar mileage. She's been getting 21 mpg in mixed driving, sometimes reaching 22 mpg.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
stickguy, a place called mannheim imports posted on swedespeed that they have 5 regular V70s in stock. They don't list the engines, though. You may want to call.
2004 VOLVO V70 ASR $17,850 Black 38,181 Auto 2004 VOLVO V70 ASR $16,950 Silver 46,867 Auto 2006 VOLVO V70 ASR $15,950 willow 66,888 Auto 2005 VOLVO V70 ASR $17,950 Blue 41,450 Auto 2005 VOLVO V70 ASR $16,750 green 54,298 Auto
Prices seem a little high to me. But maybe that Blue '05, if a 2.5T, with some negotiating?
thanks for the input. The X3 was just a thought. If I still was working real lose to home and doing 1/2 the miles, I might go for it. I do actually like the 325 better.
I like XC90s, but am not considering it for the same reason. Bigger than I need, and doesn't get very good mileage. But, If I needed to replace the minivan now, I might go that way.
I saw the SS posting Q. I also saw a few of their listings on Ebay. They have some nice stuff, but pricey, but remember, there is always asking and taking on any car price!
I have been working with JRL on Volvos. Just getting frustrating that there are no V70s out there, unless I want to downgrade to a base motor (too slow), or upgrade to a XC70 (don't really like the looks, but I should go at least drive one). Decided the V50 AWD wasn't quite right for me, so passed on that.
I think the 12K miles V70R from a few weeks ago was the one I will regret not poaching. Wouldn't have been possible anyway the way the sale went. It just resold on Ebay fromt eh dealer in Oh that bought it for ~21,900 IIRC. Nice little profit for him.
So, if the 325xiT doesn't work out, I will keep waiting for something good to pop up. May end up getting snows for the Accord just as a safety measure, or steal the Odyssey from my wife if the weather looks dodgy. She can always work from home if need be. I can't.
If my commute changes in the spring to become more local (it might), then I will revisit the shole process if I still am driving the Honda.
I agree, I tried the onstar directions for the first time over the weekend. I had already printed out the Mapquest directions and they were slightly different. I thought they were better initially than the Onstar directions so I followed them thinking Onstar would recalculate. Onstar just gave up and did not come back until I got back to their rote 15 miles later. Their phrasing was a little vague to, like "slight right turn" when it is a right turn , period.
Stick, you better get moving, woody is going to buy a house before you get your next car.
Comments
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
75K miles and still running (relatively) strong. Though I keep getting an intermittent warning light that affects the transmission. Preliminary research leads me to believe it may be a solenoid of some sort.
Must be time to trade it in, eh?
I just made an appointment with the Saturn dealer to have the VUE looked at on Saturday ... we got a recall notice on the power steering pump and I want them to review it and tell me if it needs to be repaired or not.
(Of course, this fails to recognize the regular and frequent membership renewals you make every time you buy one of those 70s gems you love so much ;-))
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Oh yeah, it is about time for me to do something like that again, isn't it? It's been almost a year and a half since I bought that blue '79 New Yorker, 3 1/2 since I bought the '76 LeMans, and over 7 since I bought the creme '79 NYer. Man, I'm slipping!
Where did all the time go?
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
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I usually stick to January - the dealers are ALWAYS desperate in January. :-)
Both cars I have now were bought that month.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
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The Jeep Patriot will be 3 months next week. The MB C240 would have been 2 years this month.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
January: 1980 Malibu
February: 1985 LeSabre
March: 1986 Monte Carlo
April: 1968 Dart, 1967 Catalina, 1967 Newport, 1976 LeMans
May: 1979 New Yorker
June: 1969 Bonneville
July: 1982 Cutlass Supreme
August: 1989 Gran Fury, 1988 LeBaron
September: 1957 DeSoto, 1969 Dart
October: 1985 Silverado, 1979 NYer 5th Ave
November: 2000 Intrepid
December: 1979 Newport
I feel like I'm missing something though...
May '76 (private sale)
December '76
February '80 (private sale)
March '82
July '85 (private sale)
October '90 (private sale)
February '94
April '94
August '95
January '97
August '98
January '99
January '01
April '02
December '03
November '05
July '08
October '08
So... Never in September!! (or June).
(Married in '93, in case you were wondering about the sudden increase in activity...lol)
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But folks saying how long they've had their current cars has made me realize that, now with my Alfa gone, the current champion of my fleet is the Mazda pickup, now at 26 months of ownership. It probably helps that I only drive it maybe a dozen times a year, if that.
BMW = 17 months
Volvo = 7 months
Infiniti = 5.5 months
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Boy, some of these are gonna sound really anti-CCB!
1957 DeSoto: 18 years, 2 months (Sept 1990)
1968 Dart: 16 years, 7 months (Apr 1992)
1967 Catalina: 14 years, 7 months (Apr 1994)
2000 Intrepid: 9 years (11/6/99)
1979 5th Ave: 7 years (late October 2001)
1985 Silverado: 6 years 1 month (late Sept 2002...it's actually been in the family since the summer of '85 though, when Granddad bought it)
1976 LeMans: 3 years 7 months (Apr 2005)
1979 New Yorker: 1 year 6 months (May 2007)
One thing I just noticed...not only was April the month where I bought the most cars, four, but I still have all four of them!
I have two different family members on my case now, and have been for more than a year, making me swear I will stop buying new cars until at least 2010. So I may just have to buy two that year!
But it's a long way off.....the CRZ, "AE86", and iQ should all be out by then, so maybe I can pick two of those three....
...wouldn't mind picking up a used AWD in the meantime, I mean after all, I didn't promise not to buy a used car, just a NEW car! :shades:
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I was going to tell him about groups such as CCBA but he'd just think I'm nuts.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Town & County - 5years 5 months
Malibu - 0 years 2 months
I must stay away from Craigslist, everyday I see either a Jeep, pick-up or old BMW that I would love to look at.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Also known as Tak's car in the Manga series Initial D.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I guess one would look really out of place in my fleet, though.
I do like the V50s. Little smaller, but OK for me. The 70/60 does have the primo seats though!
But, if the price is right, I may go for one of the T5 AWDs.
I am a little leery though, some people seem to have a bunch of electric issues with them. Need to at least check the warranty history on them (JL will do that).
FWD 2.5T V70s are rare as hens teeth at the auction it seems.
I was high bidder on an Ebay auction for a 2005 325xiT the other day. Only missed reserve by $6,500! And my max bid was 3K higher than what the bidding ended at. They may have that unit for a while.
SOmeday my prince will come. I really don't feel though like doing my commute in the Accord through the winter. Lousy traction in the wet.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
If you're that down on the Accord, I suspect you'll pull the trigger sooner rather than later, especially with a 90 mile commute.
Like q, there is no way I would be able to remember the month in which I bought all my cars.
However, November is a month where, for some reason or another, a number of the purchases took place:
1999 Ford Expedition (11/98)
2003 Saturn L300 (11/02)
2003 Ford Focus (11/03)
2005 Saturn VUE (11/04)
Ironically, I have the hardest time remembering when we bought cars in my previous wife-time, when I lived in California. I know we bought two in a matter of two or three months ('91 Mazda Protege and '91 Nissan Sentra SE) - this was around Gulf War I and gas had shot up to ... gasp! ... $1.50/gal. Was costing us the princely sum of $30 to fill up our '88 Trooper.
The L is the oldest in the fleet here .... the ION was bought in June of '06 and the VUE in August of '07.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
We do miss the truck, no doubt about that, really missed it and the horse trailer today when my daughter's pony became terribly ill and had to be rushed to the vet hospital. Thankfully a trailer was able to be borrowed and the vet hauled her.
I'll replace it next year at some point, but not with anything as fancy or new, probably something 8-10 years old that will do the job. Same with the horse trailer, something older and not as fancy.
Need vs want, we didn't *need* a big fancy 1-ton dually diesel, we *needed* a nice little car that was good on gas (although not so good at hitting coyotes, lol)
The vet bill the pony is currently racking up could darn near *buy* a car and most certainly puts me out of the market for a long long time, lol. :sick:
Some random observations:
1. Because of all the brands, there are 3 variations of the Lambda CUV on the lot - Traverse, Enclave and Arcadia. Seems like overkill.
2. Speaking of the Lambdas, I saw one Traverse stickered at $42K and an Enclave at $45K! OMFG! I thought about recommending the Enclave to my sister (who is looking for a 3-row CUV or SUV), but I had no idea they could get that expensive. How much in incentives are available for these things?
3. There was a managers special car parked out front - an untitled 2007 Buick Lacrosse CXL, black with tan interior. 3.6L V6 with the 4-speed auto. MSRP was $32K, but the "sale" price was a low, low $25K. Yeah, right. Makes you wonder what the dealer would offer as the trade in value if Grandma came in with that exact car with 5K on the odometer. That amount plus about 7-10% would be what I would pay for it.
4. I don't think I've ever seen so many fuel efficient cars for sale at this dealer before. Since we're semi-rural, the dealership did most of its business in SUV's and trucks. No more - there were a couple of Aveo's, about 8-10 G5's and Cobalts, a couple of Malibu hybrids and a few HHR's, Vibe's (including a leftover 2008) and 4-cylinder G6's available.
I watched a show recently on Fairbanks about trucks traveling the highways.... it's amazingly cold up there, don't know how you do it! (40 degress below zero) :sick:
Mark
I watched a show recently on Fairbanks about trucks traveling the highways.... it's amazingly cold up there, don't know how you do it! (40 degress below zero)
She had basically a bad tummy ache and was constipated, sounds simple, but it nearly killed her. The vet gave her less than 50% chance of survival yesterday. Today she is better, she'll be staying at the animal hospital until Monday to make sure all is well. The pony is nearly 35 years old, so it was a very touchy situation due to her age.
I don't do the 40 below anymore, lol, that's why we moved, tired of -40,-50,-60 degree weather. It rarely gets below -20 where we are now and its only short lived if it does.
It looks like GMAC is choking off the credit to all but the most qualified buyers.
I must be out getting old , but $42k for a Chevy station wagon is outrageous. I guess it makes $45k for the Enclave look like a bargain.
akangl, when you start to get serious about buying a truck you should look at new. A bare bone 2 wd can be had cheap. I can't believe you could get a better deal used.
Glad to hear that you moved. They showed perma-frost on the Alaska show and how a mess it can be with global warming. Who would have thought putting gravel over it would keep it from thawing!
I think I'll stay in Palm Springs..... the coldest we get at night is in the 40's in the winter.... every once in a while we hit freezing but for just a very short time. I think the last time we had snow was in the 1930's (from what I hear, I wasn't born until the late 50's)
Mark156
Ok city boy! A pony is any horse under 14.2 hands at the withers (highest point of the shoulders). A hand is 4" so that means any horse under 58". Both of mine are considered ponies. Bug is about 35 years old and Tucker is about 20 years old, neither of them are spring chickens.
And speaking of new trucks, Guss is right, there are some very good deals to be had right now.
We're blowing out Rams like never before.... a loaded SXT 1500 with a Hemi and Quad Cab, tow pakg (7500 lb tow capacity) that stickers at $41k MSRP can be had for about $27k CDN right now. You might have even better deals in the US.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
1. The selling dealer is located 2100 miles away from my house. It's not so bad to drive up for service, but recently...
2. The LF strut was dead at 25000 miles, and the turbo went belly up at 26000 miles- and only ONE track weekend :mad: The dealer gives me a loaner to take home, but I still wind up driving 400 miles per defect.
3. So, you ask, how come I don't use one of my local(Louisville) dealers? Good question. Well, the locals have a policy of never hiring service techs with opposable thumbs. And the parts departments charge significantly over MSRP for parts. How does $250 for front pads sound? No, not parts and labor; $250 for just the pads.
So that's where I'm at. The only cars that I'm considering are used BMWs. I have a great local dealer, a great indie shop, and I've been driving and wrenching on them for over 25 years. A local used car lot has a 2003 330i 6 spd. Performance Package car that still has a bit of BMW CPO warranty left. I think I could get it for the Mazda and $2K. I'm debating whether to run the Mazda a bit more and see how it holds up, but of course it will continue to depreciate. Any thoughts?
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Inconvenient service (only 2 dealers in the state) is one reason I'm not keeping the Audi...
True enough. What really concerns me is the possibility that the new turbo will die in another 26000 miles when the heap is out of warranty. I'll be staring at a $1500-$2000 repair bill. That CPO 330i has 17 months/40,000 miles worth of warranty left, and I seriously doubt that it will need much more than brakes and scheduled maintenance for the next 3-4 years.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
The seals on the MS3 turbos are failing, and more than a few MS3s have the problem. If the car idles for more than @3-4 minutes a thick cloud of blue/white smoke pours out of the exhaust. I've too have heard of a few transmissions going south. I wanted to keep the car for at least 4-6 years, but now I just want to unload it before:
1. The warranty expires, and
2. The car's reputation for reliability catches up with its resale value...
:mad:
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
If you really can get a swap done for that small difference, pull the trigger. You will be happy you did.
And you are upgrading. The ones I worry about are when someone talks themselves into selling something nice like a BMW to buy something practical like a Cobalt. That never works out!
Just ask Jolie...
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I did have a revelation Saturday. AWD is really, really good on wet roads! Test drove an S40 T5 AWD, on wet roads (and still raining). I tired hard to get it loose, and couldn't. Even punching it at a stop light, just gripped and took off. Quite a change from my Accord with the crappo Michelins (still have 7/32 on the tread too!).
Whipped around corners with no fuss too. Very confidence inspiring. Giving up a couple MPG might be worth it given the lousy commute (distance, hills, curves, and stinky highways) I will have this winter.
Fun car. RIde is a tad stiff/jiggly, but livable. A little concerned about the seats. They were harder than expected (not as big/cushy/padded as normal for "big" Volvos). But they should be OK. I hope. One thing the Accord does have is a quiet ride, fairly smooth, and roomy soft seats. Not enough support at the bottom of the backrest, but still comfy.
I am deciding if I should go after a V50 (wagon) version of that car. Fun and practical, but maybe not quite comfy/luxurious enough for my aging bones! Should have grapped the '04 V70R with only 12K when I had the chance!
I was high bidder on an Ebay auction for a 325 AWD wagon. Just no where close to reserve. Might go see that one in person, just in case they want to be lowballed (not likely at the BMW dealer, but who knows these days).
Also just saw a local used car lot has a 2005 X3 that looked nice, but with 55K on it. But for the right price...
I might have to give up on finding the V702.5T ('05-'06) I decided I wanted. Apparently there are none in the NE part of the country going to auction!
I also decided I really like the '99-'00 V70R wagons, but that probably wouldn't make a practical daily driver when the daily driving is ~100 miles. Now if I had 2 cars to keep the miles down! Not that the wife is going for that one.
If I end up not changing cars, I may have to go with new tries or snows on the Honda.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
The V70 is a big step up from the V50, but you get what you pay for. Both are nice, its just obvious which is nicer.
'99-00 V70R is definitely impractical for that kind of driving. I don't think I've ever seen one with exceptionally low mileage, so you'd be starting off with 100k, easy. JRL is always posting '04+ V70Rs that are coming to auction, so you should think long and hard about that now that you are on the AWD option.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I don't street race, and am getting old, so probably the Swedish Buick is a better choice!
I just don't like the XC70, and the vast majority of the wagons available are XCs, or base engine 70s (too slow). NOrmal FWD or AWD versions are rare.
I should have snagged the AWD one at Princeton about a month back. 44K on a CPO '04, on the web for $15,999.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Trading the Accord for a fun wagon + something like a '98 ES300 for commuting duty would almost be a wash $$ wise (at least until maintenance comes up!), but we are already short driveway space with my sons car, unless I dump the Contour and let him drive whichever one of mine I ain't!
Not sure the wife would be happy with this plan however. And the repair costs on a '90s R cn be staggering.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Drove one. Nice unit. Could tell it was slightly "trucky" (probably tires and height) but nice.
Also drove a 2005 325xit wagon. Nicer drive (ride/handling just tighter and more car like). SLightly smaller cargo area, but close and big enough. So other than the tallness factor, I like the wagon better for its more car like feel (being a car and all!).
The 325 drove nicer than the VOlvo. More comfortable over all, similalr room but better seats. Just 1 my older with more miles, but fresh tires and CPO. ANd of course, probably more money!
Orient blue over sand leather. My favorite color combo. Would prefer less than 49.5K on it, but that should be accounted for in the price. CPO until 3/11, so any problems won't cost me anything!
need to go talk $$ and trade tomorrow, just to see.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
BTW, stickguy, I think Orient Blue is one of the best colors.
The '05 has the 225 hp six, with 5-speed automatic from that year's 3-series. I would expect it to get similar mileage to ours..
The X3 is about as car-like as you get, but you still are lugging around 4000-4100 lbs, with poor aerodynamics.. We love it, but if I had a long commute, the 325XiT would be my choice.. On our '03 325i sedan, we averaged around 25-26 mpg in suburban driving... No AWD, but same engine.. Even with the AWD, I bet you could pull 27-30 MPG on the highway, depending on speed.
Our 330Cic has the same engine as that '05 X3.. It's a great engine, but I vote for an AWD car over the SUV.
If you are willing to go with an X3 (which I understand), what's wrong with the XC70? You seem to be a Volvo fan..
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'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
2004 VOLVO V70 ASR $17,850 Black 38,181 Auto
2004 VOLVO V70 ASR $16,950 Silver 46,867 Auto
2006 VOLVO V70 ASR $15,950 willow 66,888 Auto
2005 VOLVO V70 ASR $17,950 Blue 41,450 Auto
2005 VOLVO V70 ASR $16,750 green 54,298 Auto
Prices seem a little high to me. But maybe that Blue '05, if a 2.5T, with some negotiating?
http://www.manheimimports.com
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I like XC90s, but am not considering it for the same reason. Bigger than I need, and doesn't get very good mileage. But, If I needed to replace the minivan now, I might go that way.
I saw the SS posting Q. I also saw a few of their listings on Ebay. They have some nice stuff, but pricey, but remember, there is always asking and taking on any car price!
I have been working with JRL on Volvos. Just getting frustrating that there are no V70s out there, unless I want to downgrade to a base motor (too slow), or upgrade to a XC70 (don't really like the looks, but I should go at least drive one). Decided the V50 AWD wasn't quite right for me, so passed on that.
I think the 12K miles V70R from a few weeks ago was the one I will regret not poaching. Wouldn't have been possible anyway the way the sale went. It just resold on Ebay fromt eh dealer in Oh that bought it for ~21,900 IIRC. Nice little profit for him.
So, if the 325xiT doesn't work out, I will keep waiting for something good to pop up. May end up getting snows for the Accord just as a safety measure, or steal the Odyssey from my wife if the weather looks dodgy. She can always work from home if need be. I can't.
If my commute changes in the spring to become more local (it might), then I will revisit the shole process if I still am driving the Honda.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Real good deals these days on S60s if you don't need a wagon.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Stick, you better get moving, woody is going to buy a house before you get your next car.