Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

stickguy

trouble for me is, I don't know if my 500+ miles per week is going to be long term, or just through Q1 next year. If it becomes permanent, that's a lot of miles at measly mileage. Might as well just get an X3 and get the cargo space! and something more useful as the damily truckster.

I know that anything I buy won't get the same mileage I get now, but I kind of have ~25 as the floor. Maybe I can find a deal on a 3 series wagon instead....

I thought when I stopped requiring a stick it would get easier. Never figured I would get hooked on the 1 car (V70) that is rare as hens teeth!

stickguy

I suppose it will. One other factor is working with JRL, and the 11th may be the perfect time to grab something (supply vs. demand baby!) Assuming, of course, that the something is running that day... and the only V70 IIRC is a non-turbo, and I ain't doing that. Or an R, now that could get me to bend on the MPG requirement!

nippononly

messing around, idly car shopping, looked at a '99 RAV4 yesterday, my favorite generation of that little car (back when it was still actually little), green, 117K, stick shift (of course!), AWD (back then it was a 50/50 split system like the manual-shift Subes have), brand new Yokohamas. They are asking $8K, it is fully loaded except for moonroof, in really nice shape, drove just like it was new, t-belt has been done.

I figure they would take $6, maybe $6.5, so why didn't I pull the trigger? I don't know, maybe I am over my CCBS. Even relatively good deals just don't get me revved up to make a deal any more... :sick:

stickguy

Did some more thinking (to make Woody happy!) At this point, cars I like that should fit my odd set of requirements (and likely price point):

Favorites:

BMW 3 series wagon (05-06)
Volvo V70 2.5T (05-06)
Audi A3 2.0T DSG (06?) (need to drive this one again. Been a while) But an Audi?

Dark horses (violate the MPG floor, and the no-SUV rule, but these I like):

BMW X3 2.5i (06)
Mazda CX-7 (07) - need to drive at some point. So far have only sat in it.

Of course, of the 5, only the X3 is likely available in any real supply at the auction.

kyfdx

Did they even have a 2.5 engine available in '06?

That would be very hard to find... With an automatic, you'll likely do just as well with the 3.0 on the highway..

stickguy

they still had the 2.5i model I think in 2006. certainly in '05.

they are both 3.0l though (even though they kept the 2.5 nomenclature). Just not as fancy valvetrain, and a bit less HP, offset by a bit less $$!)

kyfdx

Actually, that isn't correct..

For '04-'06, those are the old E46 engines...

2.5 is 2.5 litre and has 184 hp
3.0 is 3.0 litre and has 225 hp

They didn't go to the new engines until '07-'08, even though the new 3-series started using them in '06.

regards,
kyfdx

michaellno

Interesting list.

Given that you've put the A3 on there, why not the GTI? Basically the same car, but perhaps more of them are available used.

guss

An A3 will always turns my head because they are so rare, GTI's are much more common. I'm sure you could save a few dollars with the GTI too.

stickguy

I actually saw one at the Honda dealer last week. A silver '07 with the automatic (not sure if that was Tip or DSG though). Only 12K on it. think they wanted high 17's for it.

One problem with that is getting it past the wife. It is somewhat "young" for us. And the seats are probably too narrow for her. Other than that, it did have my wheels turning!

Oh, the 18" 40 series tires where definitely having to get swapped off for the winter!

funny thing is, I have to go back up there tonight to take my car in. Might have to wander down the row (maybe show it to her...)

corvette

The 2.0T is one of the best four-cylinders out there. Thing about VW is that their dealer network stinks--not just in certain parts of the US, but all over. I'd rate Audi dealers somewhat higher based upon my limited experience.

roadburner

Thing about VW is that their dealer network stinks--not just in certain parts of the US, but all over.

You can say that again; as I noted several months ago, I really liked the GTI, but VWoA's stupid option bundling policies and the fact that none of the Louisville dealers hire service techs with opposable thumbs knocked the VW out of contention.

stickguy

took a look last night. Nice car. Very roomy for it's size, and lots of features. Loved the giant sat. radio interface (wasn't active, but put my Accord display to shame). Not enamored of the optional 18" wheels, but they are on the car.

Took a quick lap around the parking lot (it was late and raining) so don't really have a feel for it. Going back today to take a real test drive. Have to pick up my car anyway (left it for service).

From looking on the net, it does have the DSG (a plus), but a smallish gas tank and requires premium (a minus). So let's see how the test drive goes.

I also plan to look at the A3 again. Depending on the price and how equipped, it might be a better overall package (and slightly more "mature"), and should drive similarly.

At least the VW has a nice warranty. Even with putting on a lot of miles/year, starting with 12K on a '07, the 4/50 (and 5/60 powertrain) should last a lot of years!

fezo

And a good warranty is exactly what you need in a VW! Well, that and a mechanic with opposable thumbs...

I would LOVE for VW to address their reliability and dealer issues. They make wonderful cars for their price point.

kyfdx

They dropped that 50K warranty for '09, though...

Now, they have the same 3/36 with 5/60 drivetrain that everyone else has... Mazda did the same thing...

british_rover

They added 3/36 of maintenance but I would rather have the longer warranty.

woodyww

Thing about VW is that their dealer network stinks--not just in certain parts of the US, but all over

When I bought my 1990 Passat, the dealer/salespeople were like the Keystone Kops. I had to keep going back & forth between the dealership & the RMV to get the car registered because the dealership kept screwing up the paperwork.

Then, when it started breaking almost immediately, the same kind of thing with the service dept. Fastest I ever traded a car.....

fezo

If they'd throw the electrical in with the powertrain warranty we'd be talking.

stickguy

really giving me the warm fuzzies here!

at least it has the 4/50 b2b. Not sure of the in service date, but it must have close to 3 years (and 38K) to get the bugs worked out. Plus another 1 year/10K on the expensive moving parts.

So yeah, a problematic car would be a drag (not that I expect it would be), but at least it won't cost me any money!

Took the GTI for a test drive. Quite nice, and polar opposite to my Accord in ride/handling/steering feel. Pretty hard seats though, not sure how they will be on a long drive (hopefully just supportive!)

took a longer (maybe 3 mile) test drive. Loved the steering. Pulls like my lab when he sees a squirrel (as in hard!). sticks like glue. Tons of features and goodies.

couple of drawbacks: Still think it needs premium (but offset by pretty good RW mileage). Big hassle is the tires. The 18" wheels came with hi po summer continentals. Not likely to be much fun on a long commute on hilly roads when it gets snowy or icy.

So, a set of 17's + snows + TPMS from tirerack adds ~$1,300 to the up front cost. Probably better to just have a good all season 18" put on and hope for the best. Not sure what to do with the contis though... I assume they are originals, but certainly not worn out yet. That might run about $600 on the road, depending on the tires picked (prices are all over the board in that size, 225/40/18).

If I had the stamina, I might troll craigs or ebay looking for a set of take off 17" OEMs with AS tires. I would prefer a 17/45 series over 18/40 for the driving I do.

Hmm., may find someone that wants to trade!

gonna look at an A3 this week to to compare the ride/feel/room comfort. And of course, price.

Nice car though. If I still worked local and wasn't putting on so many miles, it would be even more attractive (plus I could nurse the winter on the tobaggon tires!)

guss

try the GTI forums classifieds. When I had my Mazda6 there was always someone looking to upgrade their tires , and I sold an extra set I had for decent money.

With a car like the GTI, the guys in their 20's have lots of money to burn for wheels & tires and would jump on those 18's.If you are going down to 17's , you may come out ahead.

kyfdx

That's a good idea.... See if you can do a straight swap for 17s...

If you go with winters on new wheels, I'd leave off the sensors... Not worth the $250..

I love the GTI... wish I'd got one, instead of my Subie..

woodyww

OTOH: I wouldn't tell someone to never buy a VW, provided it had plenty of warranty, & they lived near a semi-competent VW dealer. (A really good VW dealer would be nice, but let's not get crazy here).

I do have 2 neighbors w/VW Passat wagons they've had for a few years.....this is a pretty conservative neighborhood where you mainly see hondas/toyotas/subies.....

stickguy

finally decided on something to concentrate on. Swung by the Audi dealer to re-visit an A3. Loved it. Great seats, comfy, right size, etc. Same drivetrain as the GTI, without the stiffer suspension and 18" wheels.

Also gonna be way easier to sell it to the wife. SHe wasn't really enamored of the VW. ANd I have to admit, it might be just a tad "young" for us. Although my son really wanted it for himself!

But of course, the dealer didn't have any suitable in stock (only COP was a stick. Go figure).

Pretty much everything I liked about a V50, but more comfortable seats and a bit more room. And a really great drivetrain. Plus the panaramic roof is slick.

The GTI did have kind of hard seats too. Should have been a tip off when my wife mentioned that...

Now to find a good deal on an '06 or '06 2.0T DSG with plenty of warranty left, or a CPO,

If nothing else, I do get fixated on cars that are impossible to find, like the V70 2.5T

qbrozen

did you read that there will be 400 volvos at manheim this thursday? JRL posted about it.

Kirstie_H

A reporter from a national newspaper would like to speak with consumers who have been frustrated by some manufacturers’ tendency to place safety related vehicle options into expensive packages. Have you ever wanted to equip a vehicle with specific safety features that required the purchase of an entire package? If so, please respond to jwahl@edmunds.com with your daytime contact information no later than Friday, December 12.

roadburner

Swope has a new 128i on their lot equipped almost exactly the way I'd order it: Sport Pkg., heated seats, iPod/USB, and Xenons. Nothing else. The only thing I'd add would be the upgraded sound system. The MSRP is $34K, and I'm sure they'd deal a little bit(it's been there for @3 weeks) but I've enjoyed living without a car payment for the last 3 years. It sure is sweet, though. And it's not terribly slow; 14.3 in the quarter mile- which is about a second slower than a 135i and just as fast as my old E24 M6 before I chipped it and the cat fell off. Wonder how much I could get for a kidney?
:P

stickguy

yeah, I discussed that with him. Of course, out of 400 must sell Volvos, not 1 normal V70 turbo. There is a base model, but not that I care for.

There is a V50 T5 AWD, but I don't know the details. And a silver V70R that got me tempted, but it might be too far past the practical cut off! But mostly it is pretty beat up (loads of body work), not a good thing on a car like that.

But, if you want an XC90 or S60 relly cheap, you can have as many a you want.

kyfdx

Is it an '08 or '09?

They just came out with a stupid great lease program on the '08s..

qbrozen

that stinks.
i'm so surprised that there isn't one standard V70 out of such a huge lot.

roadburner

Is it an '08 or '09?

They just came out with a stupid great lease program on the '08s..

It's an '09... :mad: :mad:

guss

You talk funny, chips,cats, kidneys. Took awhile for my brain to translate back to English.

I would think even BMW dealers would be marking down cars. Their sales have been way down the past few months. Would you trade the Mazda3 in ?

roadburner

I would think even BMW dealers would be marking down cars. Their sales have been way down the past few months. Would you trade the Mazda3 in ?

Yes, I'm sure that they would deal, and I would be getting rid of the Mazda. The thing is, I'd still have to finance about $15K- and the only debt I really planned to be carrying into 2009 was a 36 month no-interest loan on a new TV and BD player.

woodyww

I'm sure they'd deal a little bit

You'd think in this economy, you could get a great deal, but then I don't know the market for new 128i's? And you've probably done the comparisons w/buying a new or used 3-series....

I saw this wierd movie about some guy who was drugged by kidney thieves & got his kidney stolen (!??) in Mexico, not good......didn't even get a new bmw....

PS-what kind of new TV? I've been shopping for a new 42" Panasonic Plasma, but only if I get a killer deal. Personally I'd hoard cash now & be shopping for a slightly used bmw........

michaellno

You might be interested in this video ... looks like you can hang with the Jeeps and Hummers of the world in your new whip:

Can your car do this?

(Note: you may want to turn the volume down, as the soundtrack is quite annoying)

stever

Just another Sunday drive in the countryside. :shades:

I wonder if they even bothered to air down the tires.

roadburner

PS-what kind of new TV? I've been shopping for a new 42" Panasonic Plasma, but only if I get a killer deal. Personally I'd hoard cash now & be shopping for a slightly used bmw.......

I'm looking at the 50" Panasonic Viera PZ800U. I like the picture- the THX setting is pretty good right out of the box. Another possibility is the Sony 52" XBR6 LCD. In either case I'm also going to add a Panny BD35 player. All I've got right now is a 30" Toshiba CRT, and I need a screen size that does justice to my home theater...

stickguy

Apparently by '05-'06, no one bought FWD V70s. Or if they did, it was base motor cars (too slow for me!) and/or they just keep them forever.

In this huge sale, there were 4 or so V70s, all non-turbo, and a couple of V50s.

The V70s went pretty cheap. But, I am holding out for a 2.5T. Evan an AWD would be OK, but I think they stopped offering that after '04.

Now, if you want an XC70 (I don't like the way it drives), they are coming out of the wing wang!

kyfdx

I'd consider AWD V70s, as well...

It's not like they are RWD, and the AWD will worsen steering feel, etc.. As long as you can get one that's normal, and not the XC70, then I'd be willing to lose the 1 MPG to get one... I'd guess highway mileage for your commute would be very similar.

Not that I'm telling you what to do...

EDIT: Okay.. just re-read.. No turbos available in the AWD? never mind, then.

oregonboy

How about a nice "R"?

CraigsList 2005 V70 R



(You're not in the Pacific NW are you?)

stickguy

The AWD V70 did come in a 2.5T model (turbo). I think they stopped making them after 2004 though, and I was not looking for something quite that old. ALthough my local dealer does have an '04 w/44K on it, in blue, CPO. Just too pricey.

the AWD drives just like the FWD for the most part. The XC is a bit rougher/tippier with the taller tires and jacked up suspension.

The R is sweet. I would love one of those. Just a tad pricey for a nice one, and not the best idea for doing 2K+ per month. Extremel nice car though.

my new plan is to try and sell my car after the holidays. If I am walking 44 miles each way to work, it will give me extra incentive to find something new!

I might also get something for the winter that I can then pass down to my son in the spring. But that will get more complicated.

corvette

The XC is a bit rougher/tippier with the taller tires and jacked up suspension.

And uglier, with the black plastic cladding / bumpers.

woodyww

I have a friend with a 50" Panasonic Viera Plasma. Don't know if it's a PZ800U? I think it's a cheaper model, like a PZ85U. But the picture is awesome.

I have 2 (smaller) Toshiba LCD TVs. They're lighter of course, use less energy, but I don't think the picture quality is up to that of Plasmas. I sold my 26" Toshiba CRT behemoth for $30 & felt glad to get it.......

kyfdx

Sony KDL-52W4100... 52" LCD 120Hz

We just finished our lower level.. This one is about $2100...

Decided against plasma because of power consumption and ambient light in our lower level (it's a walkout with three full-size double hung windows).

If we get it, we'll pick it up in my wife's new SUV (to stay on topic).

roadburner

Sony KDL-52W4100... 52" LCD 120Hz

One shop I was at had a 52W4100 next to the 52" XBR6; I have to admit that if there was a significant difference in picture quality I couldn't see it. The only thing that keeps me from pulling the trigger on the Viera is a concern about ambient light/glare. The Viera has an anti-glare coating but I dont know if it's enough for my HT room. I think I'll buy from CC when the price is right and take it back and swap it for a Sony LCD if the reflections are too bad.

kyfdx

Yeah.. I'm kind of torn between LCD and plasma.. The Panasonic plasma with a Pan blueray seems like a nice set-up, with probably a better picture and viewing angles.... I've got new blinds on the windows, so maybe I should do that, instead...

When you get in your car, do you have an HHGregg nearby?

roadburner

When you get in your car, do you have an HHGregg nearby?

Yes, all I have to do is drive my car to Jeffersontown. And you are right about the Panasonic BD player; everything I've read indicates that the BD-35 is the best player out there. All the BD-55 adds is analog outputs, which I don't need.

roadburner

Now Swope has a 2007 335i Coupe. It's a CPO- Black with saddle brown interior, manual tranny, Sport Package, Cold Weather Package, Comfort Access, and PDC. Only 7300 miles.

stickguy

looks like I finally am getting another car. That's what I get for telling my sister that if she gets a new one I wanted dibs on her old one (hey, it would have been traded in otherwise. I might as well rip her off instead! j/k)

anyway, she finally test drove a 2009 TSX and apparently fell in love, since she decided to buy on the spot instead of looking at other choices. Too bad I couldn't get her a offer price sooner, since I expect she paid too much. But she was happy.

Actaully, I told her what I found on the prices paid board, and she got them to drop another $300, so it was worth the call.

I am getting (or more accurately, my son) a 2000 Acura 3.2TL. 1 owner, no accidents, all dealer serviced. Even just got new motor mounts. They offered 2,000k, and yeah, i'll pay that.

pretty clean car. Other than the DS bun warmer not working. It does have 145K on it, but hey, mostly highway. And it was maintained well.

Plan A is to get it and sell the 1998 contour and get the kid into a safer car.
Plan B is to temporarily go to 4 cars (3 drivers) and try to sell my accord. Then I will drive the TL on my 90 miles/day commute while I look for a deal (having cash in hand) on something new for me.

shopping with money in the bank and no need to solicite a trade in quote, especially these days, is a good thing.

Now I just have to figure out how to get a car from VA to NJ....

guss

If Va has a sales tax credit for trades , make sure you give sis the difference also.

Acura 3.2 Tl's are nice. Your son is lucky to be driving a luxury car, even if it does have 145K.

mark156

Wow, that was some video! Couldn't imagine driving the GTC in the sand like that. I kinda wonder why Bentley even made it AWD as who would ever take it off road or even drive it in the snow... that's what SUV's are for! (my LR3 and Honda CR-V awd).

I have friends coming by the house tomorrow night (going to see Wynona Judd in concert)... I'm not a country music fan but my friends got me a ticket. Anyway, I'm taking the Bentley if it doesn't rain. The little bit of rain we get in the desert is going to happen this week.

One of the guys coming over currently has a GTC also. His is has a Black exterior, Black leather with white stitching. This guy (a friend of mine for 20 yrs) trades cars every two years but since he has 5 cars, it seems like he's getting one every 6 months. Currently, he has the 2008 Bentley GTC, a 2006 Range Rover, a 2007 Masserati Quatroporte and a 2007 BMW 6 series convertible and a 2008 Chrysler mini van for his business.

I was just thinking, buying the motorhome when I did made good sense as the money in the money market would have fallen more than what the RV is worth (almost, LOL!).... and now, with the new GTC, it's truly an investment.... that hedge-fund that I took the money out of just went belly up!

M156