Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

[Deleted User]

Thanks @marcogallo1986, I had a nice chat with @Michaell over the weekend about life, cars, family etc. - I'm still in research phase but think I have my list somewhat narrowed down. I plan on some serious seat time over the next few weeks, but probably wait until early December to pull the trigger. The boys and I are having fun with it all in the meantime!

tjc78

I try and go to the auto show every year in Philly. We usually go as a family but my wife and daughter could take or leave it.... so I think this year I’m just going to take my son.

Good buddy of mine has two boys so maybe a guys day out of it.

Michaell

tjc78 said:

I try and go to the auto show every year in Philly. We usually go as a family but my wife and daughter could take or leave it.... so I think this year I’m just going to take my son.

Good buddy of mine has two boys so maybe a guys day out of it.

@breld, @jpp75 and I have hit the Denver show the last several years. Always try to go on a weeknight to avoid the crowds.

Speaking of which, just looked. April 1-5, 2020.

stickguy

Philly is a family affair. My son comes home for it, and often my BIL comes with him. And my daughter loves to go. Wife attends for family time (and cheesesteaks and beer at Oscars afterwards). Though now that we are shopping for her, might be more focused!

pensfan83

My dad, brother, BIL, nephew and my oldest may go to the Detroit Auto Show if schedules line up. Sadly it isn't what it was 10-15 years ago and it's now in June. I'll also be in the market next year so at the very least I'll attend the Pittsburgh show.

28firefighter

I was just discussing with my wife and Dad whether I'm going to fly in for the Philly Show this year. I've been able to go the past couple years because it coincided with work travel, but this year it would require a dedicated trip.

marcogallo1986

@ 28 firefighter, nice on your parents leasing that Mercedes, not bad for the payment if they have a month with the cheapest I’ve heard of in a long time. And they only put down the $300 not bad. My kind a lease. Going to go this weekend I think with my sister and treating her jeep and we something, because it’s getting near 50,000 miles and she doesn’t want to start doing things to it like normal maintenance I was talking to her about. So I hit up the Ford dealer this weekend look into a fusion hybrid she likes those, and this is the last year of them natural world Serena go Saturday coming up. Who knows where else we’re going to go check. But if you find a car that she likes then I’m gonna contact a few dealers to get the best lease price.

marcogallo1986

@ Sandman, happy birthday in advance, I know it’s three days early but just in case you don’t get a chance to post them here before then. And I hope you get to go to the auto show this coming up weekend with your daughter and wife. Good so you put the cars in neutral when you say end so it doesn’t do the stop starting? I hope the job works out your your house for you keep us updated on it.

marcogallo1986

@jmonro I am with you, if you don’t do it no one‘s gonna do it for you when it comes to treating yourself. I see that now and I’m a Youngin ha ha. could be like your grandson or something ha ha. Anyway hope you’re having a good week my friend, keep on causing a good trouble I know I am, but not bad drama trouble we don’t wanna cause that.

marcogallo1986

@ Dad 22, nice I’m doing the car looking this weekend yes the next few weeks I might exercise to do with your sons a lot of fun I wish I could do that all the time. And keep us all updated and hear how it goes I love reading it all from everyone in here. What is your shortlist narrowed down to?

marcogallo1986

@ Michael, so did your son end up getting a used Tucson or a new one? If used, they mention mileage seems like a nice blue to me love it.

[Deleted User]

The top of the short list would include the 4Runner, MDX/RDX, Tundra and F150. Obviously still debating between the SUV and truck. There're a few more SUVs we might go take a peak at to see if they'd be contenders or not. I kinda like the looks of the new Ram, but have never been a fan back in the Dodge days, so not sure it's something to add to the mix or not. Watching it snow all day confirms some type of 4WD/AWD vehicle though.

Michaell

marcogallo1986 said:

@ Michael, so did your son end up getting a used Tucson or a new one? If used, they mention mileage seems like a nice blue to me love it.

They decided to go new, for the long warranty and for the fact the time neither of them have had a new car.

stickguy

am I the only one that actually likes this color?

https://www.eimports4less.com/details-2017-bmw-x3-certified_x3_xdrive28i_awd_navigation_camera_pano-used-5uxwx9c32h0t18602.html

omarman

Nice.

1969 Oldsmobile Code 85 CHESTNUT BRONZE METALLIC

stickguy

I like that 442. Always one of my favorite styles.

Michaell

stickguy said:

am I the only one that actually likes this color?

https://www.eimports4less.com/details-2017-bmw-x3-certified_x3_xdrive28i_awd_navigation_camera_pano-used-5uxwx9c32h0t18602.html

No.

ab348

omarman said:

Nice.

1969 Oldsmobile Code 85 CHESTNUT BRONZE METALLIC

Nice car in an unusual color but the 1970-72 aftermarket fiberglass hood bothers my OCD.

roadburner

ab348 said:

Last night I watched the Wheeler Dealers episode with the early '00s M3. Seeing the over-engineering of the SMG gearbox and the VANOS system, both of which they had to rebuild or replace, would make having to register a battery seem like child's play by comparison. Strikes me as a vehicle one would want to have only while under factory warranty, but maybe I'm wrong.

Almost nobody wants an SMG car; a VANOS rebuild cost depends on how willing you are to DIY. It's fiddly but doable.

stickguy

I watched Ant do that rebuild. I think it was slightly beyond fiddly. well, maybe replacing the little O rings was, but the major surgery to get it out of the car sure wasn't!

corvette

stickguy said:

am I the only one that actually likes this color?

https://www.eimports4less.com/details-2017-bmw-x3-certified_x3_xdrive28i_awd_navigation_camera_pano-used-5uxwx9c32h0t18602.html

I like it. Steep price considering it appears to lack sport seats, HID lights, etc.

corvette

Apparently Wheeler Dealers is one of the shows I can watch with my Investigation Discovery subscription through Amazon Prime. I've mostly been watching True Crime with Aphrodite Jones.

Parents were in town this afternoon and we had a great dinner at a local meat-centric restaurant / butcher shop. They called shortly after they left and said they'd hit a piece of metal on the interstate and had, at a minimum, a flat tire (they were in the Q5, which has a fiddly spare tire that has to be inflated before it can be used, and were concerned about other possible damage). Met them with the tow truck at the Audi dealer and sent them home in my G37.

stickguy

handy to have someone local with a spare car!

nyccarguy

corvette said:

Apparently Wheeler Dealers is one of the shows I can watch with my Investigation Discovery subscription through Amazon Prime. I've mostly been watching True Crime with Aphrodite Jones.

Parents were in town this afternoon and we had a great dinner at a local meat-centric restaurant / butcher shop. They called shortly after they left and said they'd hit a piece of metal on the interstate and had, at a minimum, a flat tire (they were in the Q5, which has a fiddly spare tire that has to be inflated before it can be used, and were concerned about other possible damage). Met them with the tow truck at the Audi dealer and sent them home in my G37.

Glad Mom & Dad are OK. Wonderful of you to send them on their way with your G37.

On Amazon Prime, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel is hysterical. I started watching The Man In The High Castle last week and cannot stop.

Preparing for my son’s Bar Mitzvah on 11/9. Going through thousands and thousands of photographs for the Photo Montage that the DJ puts up on the screen (he said try to keep it around 100 pictures). Mostly happy memories. Sad to see pictures of some beloved family members who died. I’ve got to write a speech too. Oye Vey!

28firefighter

nyccarguy said:

On Amazon Prime, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel is hysterical. I started watching The Man In The High Castle last week and cannot stop.

Both outstanding. We are binge watching The Handmaid’s Tale right now.

qbrozen

stickguy said:

am I the only one that actually likes this color?

https://www.eimports4less.com/details-2017-bmw-x3-certified_x3_xdrive28i_awd_navigation_camera_pano-used-5uxwx9c32h0t18602.html

Love the color. Base seats is a sin.

ab348

nyccarguy said:

On Amazon Prime, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel is hysterical. I started watching The Man In The High Castle last week and cannot stop.

After seeing the reviews I started watching Mrs. Maisel. Seemed like it had a lot of promise to be good but after 2 episodes I couldn't take it any more. Just too many far-fetched decisions and circumstances by the characters. Same goes for the much-acclaimed Fleabag. But I dislike most episodic TV so that shouldn't be a surprise. I had hopes for the Stumptown series on ABC this season because of Cobie Smulders but it too is disappointing. It is so frantic in its pacing that it is like a live-action comic book. Character development and tension, what's that?

tjc78

class="Quote" rel="qbrozen">

stickguy said:

am I the only one that actually likes this color?

https://www.eimports4less.com/details-2017-bmw-x3-certified_x3_xdrive28i_awd_navigation_camera_pano-used-5uxwx9c32h0t18602.html

Love the color. Base seats is a sin.

I just couldn't do that color, reminds me of a 70's appliance or something.

jmonroe1

tjc78 said:

Anyone have interest in picking a day of the show and attempting to meet up for a quick hello

qbrozen said:

stickguy said:

am I the only one that actually likes this color?

https://www.eimports4less.com/details-2017-bmw-x3-certified_x3_xdrive28i_awd_navigation_camera_pano-used-5uxwx9c32h0t18602.html

Love the color. Base seats is a sin.

I just couldn't do that color, reminds me of a 70's appliance or something.

When we built our first house in '69 we had dark cabinets like that but we paired them with Harvest Gold appliances. The kitchen looked so much better that way. When I say appliances, it was just a stove and refrigerator. Couldn't afford a dishwasher right away but I had the kitchen laid out so that it was pretty easy to put that in later. Microwaves didn't exist then, at least not in my hood. But Mrs. j got a self-clean oven, they were just coming out back then. That option cost about 70 bucks which wasn't exactly small potatoes back then.

BTW, I don't like that car color either. Burgundy over beige is the way to go with car colors.

jmonroe

carnaught

Bump

xwesx

Sad news. I understand their reasoning, given that they really need to do a generational update on it: https://www.powernationtv.com/post/ford-has-killed-the-flex?utm_source=email

xwesx

Not a big fan of the X3, but the bronze exterior with the light interior is a nice combo to me.

stickguy

I am surprised whenever I see they still make the Flex. I thought it got axed years ago.

tjc78

Ford once again loses a Livery car. The MKT was available as a “Town Car“ for limos, etc.

pensfan83

My dad's truck is unavailable until Sunday so my brother asked if he could borrow the truck to move some furniture so I'm currently driving his Fusion until Friday. Base model, non-turbo and about as basic as it gets with only a BU camera. It's not a bad car but if it were mine I would have regretted not getting at lease the 1.5 turbo engine.

corvette

pensfan83 said:

My dad's truck is unavailable until Sunday so my brother asked if he could borrow the truck to move some furniture so I'm currently driving his Fusion until Friday. Base model, non-turbo and about as basic as it gets with only a BU camera. It's not a bad car but if it were mine I would have regretted not getting at lease the 1.5 turbo engine.

Yeah, those small displacement turbo engines seem to make mainstream cars feel a lot quicker off the line and more drivable overall, when implemented correctly, compared to something like a 2.4 liter non-turbo.

stickguy

Got an update from my SIL. The finance guy at the acura dealer twisted some arms and got AFS to approve her, and she flipped the 2017 for a 2020 RDX and has it home. Got lucky. Probably helped that the guy had 20 years with them doing it, and she was a 3 time repeat customer.

at least she will have a car for the next 3 years! Assuming she makes the payments. But it really was a screaming deal I think.

Sandman6472

NY, I had my bar mitzvah back on October 28, 1967. I only had to do half of the Haftorah as my twin brother did the other half. A total blur to me know really. The temple was in Tarrytown, Beth Abraham I think on Leroy Ave. The party was held at the Colonial Terrace in Croton-on-the-Hudson. Got a bunch of Cross pens and a few of those Spiedel i.d. bracelets that were popular back then. Cash of course but a whole sh-t load of savings bonds. Cashed those in when I bought my first car in 1977, a horrific 1976 Buick Opel...possibly the worst vehicle ever made!!
Mazel Tov is all I can say. And tell your son to have fun with it because it'll be over so fast. One of those things where the actualization is so much worse than the realation. A defining moment in his life that he'll remember only bits and pieces years from now!

Sandman6472

No word yet from Enterprise as we're now playing phone/email tag. Should have time today or tomorrow to get this done with. Not expecting much so will be very surprised if it does go anywhere!

stickguy

1976 was the infamous opel by Isuzu.

Sandman6472

Yes Stick, and it was just horrible! Great effort but just wasn't up to Toyota standards. Finally traded it in 1981 for an ex-rental, a 1979 Datsun 210 hatchback in maroon. Total 180 degrees better vehicle and after I put new Crager alloys on it, looked great. Engine was a bit weak but the a/c never blew up on me like it did numerous times in the Opel. My wife and I still laugh at how abysmal that Opel really was and how the auto tranny fell out merging onto I-95 in West Palm Beach my first day of orientation at the post office. I'll never forget it, was around 5 pm on December 27th. Luckily my dad fronted me the cash for a rebuilt tranny from Aamco and by mid February, the Datsun 210 was at my apartment as I needed a reliable driver to get to work.
Paid around $2.5K plus my Opel and financed most of that. An ex-rental with maybe 12K on the clock. I was in heaven as it never left me stranded until I traded it in on a 1988 Toyota Corolla FX hatch. I've had a love affair with hatchbacks on and off since then. Though I did have a few sedans in between.

omarman

horrific 1976 Buick Opel...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cqhzf6Wqks

Sandman6472

Mine was in a medium blue and bought it for $1750 in August of 1977 used from a Buick dealer in Lauderdale Lakes Florida on route 441, just south of Oakland Park Blvd.
My year older brother had more savings bonds than I so he bought a 1976 Toyota Celica GT hatch in brown the same day, just earlier. Remember going to my grandmothers in Aventura and she gave us each about $1000 cash to add to the savings bonds we had.
But again, that Opel by Izuzu was the most horrific vehicle I have ever driven. The a/c kept blowing up and was never super cold anyways. But it was mine...and it was paid for. Stupid me turned down a 1976 orange Datsun B210 sedan as I really wanted a two door hatch like my older sister had gotten in '76, a blue Datsun B210 hatch. Hated that orange color and hated the four doors even more but probably was the better vehicle. Since I couldn't drive a stick, the Datsun F10 coupe was out of the question even though I could've afforded one. I just wanted an auto tranny to be honest so said no right away. A shame my dad who had lots of money couldn't see to just give us enough more to get us into a better vehicle. They bought my sister her Datsun outright and bought her a new VW Quantum wagon when we had our first kid as a way to console her as she was angry, jealous that I got married first and we had the first grandchild in like 25 years or so. The dysfunctionality ran deep in our house, a big reason why I just left after awhile.

nyccarguy

Look what finally showed up on Carvana: https://www.carvana.com/vehicle/1308761

28firefighter

Already pending.

marcogallo1986

@ Michael, so did your son end up getting a used Tucson or a new one? If used, they mention mileage seems like a nice blue to me love it.

marcogallo1986

@ Michael, disregard the post I just posted on the white reposted that one from the other day which I already posted. Glad they decided to go New I guess to be keeping it long term so a smart decision and it worked out I’m glad.

marcogallo1986

@zwest I know, I was sad to hear the news but I kind of knew that was gonna happen with the flex, and funny enough on Sunday went to the storage lot with the dealers keep their inventory here a lot of the dealers, not all. And they had a white flex Limited that we sadden and I even climbed all the way in the backseat third row and put the two middle seats up, and I commented to my cousin how roomy this was it’s a shame this car probably is going to be discontinued. Then I looked on Monday online, that’s a leftover 2019 that they have actually have two more another limited in black, and a white SCL one. I didn’t see those two there, well my cousin didn’t. The one that we sent him was a terrible eagle boost also.

marcogallo1986

@ dad 23 that’s a nice list to have there, why not check out the ram can’t hurt or anything else that interest you it’s all fun and you never know what you might decide in the end.

marcogallo1986

@ send man, I hope hertz gets back to you without playing phone and email tag. Wow that awful car you had sounds horrible. So wasn’t effort between Suzu and GM is that what I read above?