Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

kyfdx

Drove over to HHG, yesterday... The 52" Sony W4100 was $1988.. I came thisclose to pulling the trigger.. The SUV was in for service, though, so I couldn't take it home immediately, and that caused me to hold off..

Today, in the BB ad.. 52" XBR6 plus Sony BlueRay player for $2350, interest-free for 18 months... I think this is the deal I was waiting for...

Depending on my adult beverage intake at the Bengals game today, I may be going over there tonight.... but, more likely, tomorrow night...

woodyww

Yeah.. I'm kind of torn between LCD and plasma.

I dunno. Based on the amazon user reviews, & my seeing my friend's Panasonic plasma, I think plasma is the way to go for best picture quality. Esp. if it's your main movie-watching TV, & it's like your "home theatre" set-up.

If it's more about lighter weight, less energy, & you're not going to sit around obsessing about the picture quality of new DVD releases of Czech New Wave films, LCD's can be very good of course.

And if you can't get the 50" TV home in your current vehicle, you might have to buy a new/other truck or SUV as well.......sometimes sacrifices have to be made.....

danbone111

New TV sounds like a good idea. I just bought a Pioneer Elite 60 inch-supposed to have some sort of special glass with no speakers...not even sure-just told it was the best. I got it and I like it, and it's huge, it's awesome, but it's also a little 'extravagant' in the bedroom. I say go for it though, if that's what you want.
You'll be happy.

corvette

...that hedge-fund that I took the money out of just went belly up!

Ouch! Hope you closed out the account before that happened.

corvette

I have a 60" rear-projection Mitsubishi in my living room... Not sure of the model, but I got it in late 2007. I don't have a blue ray player, and my cable is standard-def, so I don't have a full-HD source. The Apple TV will connect on a 1080p connection, but video playback occurs at 720p.

mark156

Actually, I was just kidding about 'that' particular hedge fund, I had nothing invested in that one. I feel sorry for those people who lost so much money.

Seriously though, the way the mutual-fund accounts have fallen in the last year, I'm glad I spent the money on something I wanted vs. just watching it disappear into thin air!

Mark

stickguy

doesn't anyone talk about cars in here anymore?

taking the 2000 3.2TL. For 2K, it is way nicer than what you normally find. And I should be able to flip the '98 contour and maybe even have some money left over! Not to mention a car I don't mind driving.

1 owner, all dealer serviced, completely known history. Even just had a service and fresh VA inspection, not that it does me any good (not living in VA!)

I will however be up to 4 cars. Starting to approach Andre territory.

Thinking about having a fire sale. I put them all on the market, and 1st one that gets for my asking price, goes.

My wife might not appreciate selling her car out from under though... Better stick to listing the contour and Accord. 1st one to get a good price hits the road.

The kid is hoping for the Contour, since if I move the Accord, I keep the TL for now and he doesn't get upgraded!

I'm liking this new minimalistic bottom feeding plan. Cheap cars are, well, cheap!

Also saw on a Volvo board a 2000 V40 (wagon) listed for $3,500. If it wasn't in SC I would have gone to take a look.

corvette

From what I've heard, the first-generation S40/V40 was not a very good car, and wasn't very dependable, either. I think I'd take an Acura TL any day over the S40.

roadburner

My nearest Circuit City is having a "Going Out of Business Sale", so I drove my Wrangler over to see what they had. The TVs I wanted were long gone, but I did find an Energy Take Classic 5.1 speaker system for the basement rec room. The system received a decent review from Home Theater Magazine, and it only cost me $300. While the Take Classic can't compete with my primary HTS, it will work fine for its intended purpose.

kyfdx

Okay.. I apologize in advance... this will be my last TV post..

Took the wife's X3 to BB for the 52" XBR6-BluRay bundle.. for $2350.. They were sold out of the XBR.. So, gave me the bundle deal on the W4100, which is what I was originally shopping for anyway... $1950 for 52" 120hz LCD + Sony BluRay player.. Added a cheap Sony surround sound system (amp and 5.1 speakers) for $250... 36 months.. zero interest..

Didn't check the residual, though..

(oh yeah.. it was a very tight fit...)

woodyww

Amazon's price today on the W4100 (they can change their prices several times a day) is $1969 for the TV alone. I'm impressed you could get it into the X3. I don't know what size TV I could fit into my e39 wagon?

Then I started to wonder what size TV would fit into a mini clubman? You'd have to buy a smaller TV, & thereby save $$ & electricity, & less gas on the Mini. Oh, the He** with it, I'm an American, I want a big fast car & the biggest TV I can fit in my house........I might wait for any good sales between NY's & pre-Superbowl tho.....

stever

Roof racks. :-)

Or just let Amazon deliver.

We really should start up a TV discussion over in Off Topic Chatter. Since I don't watch TV, I'll leave that up to you and Kyfdx. :shades:

boomchek

My friend and his wife borrowed my Jeep Patriot to buy a 50" LCD TV. They said it fit just perfectly with the box, sliding in flat on the floor.

kyfdx

Home Theater

rayainsw

So – after just over 2 years in my 2007 Corvette Coupe, I traded that in on a 2009 Pontiac G8 GT.

Executive summary:

This is as close to a ( reasonably priced ) 4-door Corvette as I see available today. With just over 2 years and just over 32,000 miles in a current generation Corvette, this is exactly what I was looking for. Having driven her just over 1,000 miles, I am quite pleased & satisfied!

A few details & impressions.

Car: Silver 2009 G8 GT with red & black seats, Premium, Sport & Sunroof.

With quite a lot of ‘seat time’ in a car with a very similar drivetrain (2007 C6 with 6L80 trans. and LS2 V8 ) I was looking for improvements in the trans. behavior & hoping that GM \ Pontiac \ Holden had addressed several concerns I ( and others with the 6-speed automatic trans. in their Corvettes ) had regarding shift speed and some other specific behaviors.

This trans works very well, for me. The delay between shift request & beginning of shift execution is improved compared to my ‘Vette. The actual shift events, up & down, are quicker than in my Corvette and a couple of 2008 G8 GTs I test drove, & they are very smooth – and the ‘rev match on downshift’ feature ( at least in mine ) actually works quite well, indeed! Good job, GM. [ Though listed in the Corvette brochure, no pre-2008 Corvette with 6L80 automatic actually does this at all . . . ]

The drivetrain make this rather large & fairly heavy sedan feel quick & smooth – and the acceleration feels seamless & effortless. I prefer this trans behavior & the programming selected ( by far ) to the 3 & 5 series BMWs I have driven - even with their latest 6-speed ZF automatic trans. Kudos!

The absolute maximum acceleration rate is clearly not quite what I am used to, in the Corvette - obviously. Mid- to high 13s in the quarter mile is quick enough for me, however, in this class car. The acceleration is very smooth – and I expect that it will prove to be ‘sufficient’. Saying quite a lot, coming from someone who has been driving a [ roughly ] 3200 pound ‘Vette for over 30,000 miles, I think. I have so far found the G8 GT to exhibit what I’d call ‘a satisfying level of quickness’.

Overall, the experience in the G8 GT is rather dramatically less ‘intense’ than the Corvette – yet the feeling is remarkably similar, to me. The ride is quieter and much less firm, ( the Corvette has run flat tires – a big contributor here ) yet I find the steering feel of the G8 GT to be excellent and the body motions remain largely well controlled. The high speed handling, feeling of security & directional stability seem quite good. And the ride is really excellent on smooth but slightly undulating highway surfaces – again, very well controlled – and it certainly is quiet. On surface streets, the ride is very well damped, impact harshness is well muted ( over RR X-ings, for example ) and handling is very good, up to any cornering lateral Gs I’d use in normal street driving. The ride & handling compromise results in a level of refinement I find rewarding – and pleasantly surprising in a $30K sedan. The various systems seem to work well together, resulting in a sense of a very well integrated machine that generally gives the impression it is responding as a whole – rather than a bunch of separate parts.

The interior ( with a couple of exceptions, listed below ) provides very comfortable & supportive seating and a well-finished appearance, with most amenities I care about. I find the tilt & telescope steering wheel to be particularly well done.

I knew that I would miss my HUD – had one in the Corvette – and a couple of Grand Prix sedans – back all the way to 1997. I still just find it weird that none is offered on any G8. I am still adapting to the display of ‘Gear Selected’ in the DIC – so low on the dash – compared to right below my line-of-sight out the windshield. I am old & slow to adapt, sometimes – but I expect that this will be OK, eventually.

I miss the paddle shifters that I had in my Corvette – and in a 2005 Grand Prix. Another odd option omission, seems to me. And no surprise.

I do ** NOT ** miss having to be [ oh, so very ] careful when approaching any significant dip or severe upward angle in the road, and even some ‘speed bumps’, due to the extremely low ground clearance of the ‘Vette. I scraped the front spoiler nearly every time I backed out of my garage & onto my street – not to mention a few hundred other times. And now I can actually see most overhead traffic signals without poking my head forward in front of the steering wheel. I find the visibility good. The ergonomics are generally very good. Nothing fancy here – but very functional & convenient.

I am still working to find the perfect sunroof position – but I do really appreciate again having the option of an opening roof – since the Corvette’s removable panel was really useless ( noise & wind buffeting ) at highway speeds, and could not be removed while driving, nor set \ adjusted in any way. And having the convenient option of the sunshade open \ partially open \ fully closed at any time is appreciated as well.

Anyway – so far, I am well pleased with her.

And at an actual transaction price near $30K – well it is the best alternative I see to a BMW 550i. And I actually like several aspects ( the looks, inside & out, the trans. behavior ) a lot better on the Pontiac!

Cheers,
- Ray
G8 GT 09 driver . . .

Notes:
I waited for the 2009 for 3 primary reasons:
1 = A [ model ] year of US production. In case there were any significant issues.
2 = XM.
3 = A color I really wanted = Silver.
Also: All comments above re: the trans. behavior refer only to Sport \ Manual mode.

You have by now all likely seen one, but here are a few quick pics:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/rayainsw/new%20G8%20GT%202009/P1320363cro- - - pnewG8GT2009.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/rayainsw/new%20G8%20GT%202009/P1320370cro- - - pnewG8GT2009.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/rayainsw/new%20G8%20GT%202009/P1320423new- - - G8GT2009.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/rayainsw/new%20G8%20GT%202009/P1320430cro- - - pnewG8GT2009.jpg

Sticker of an identical one:

<a href="http://www.gmbuypower.com/ws/nvlWindowSticker.vs?gmMilitary=&amp;makeId=002&amp;model=G8 Sedan&amp;makeDescrip=Pontiac&amp;partnerID=900001&amp;nameplateids=004^002^012^&amp;sellingSource=16&amp;year=2009&amp;preferredColor=&amp;userType=GMBP&amp;optionCode

roadburner

Nice car. I like the G8 GT a lot. I especially like the fact that you can get it without a hole in the roof. The fact that it's not built by the UAW is another big plus. However, you have to move up to the GXP-and pay extra-to get a manual transmission, so that's the deal-breaker for me. If I'm going to drop @$40K on a sports sedan I'll pick up a nice CPO 335i or E46 M3 for around $36K and use the $4K savings to buy a set of track wheels and tires- and perhaps an ECU upgrade...

rayainsw

"However, you have to move up to the GXP-and pay extra-to get a manual transmission, so that's the deal-breaker for me"

I hear you.
A non-issue, for me, as even if I did want
a manual trans, severe bursitis means that I could not...

If the 335 or M3 is large enough, enjoy!
I have a lot of respect for BMW and for
the 3 Series in particular...

Enjoy!
- Ray
Enjoying the automatic even more than I thought I would...

michaellno

Ray - congrats on the new ride. I've taken a close look at the G8 and find it to be a screaming bargain. It's just a tad too large to fit in my garage, unfortunately.

I presume that you have no worries about GM as a going concern and that your dealer will be around to do maintenance and warranty work?

Also curious about the deal you got, given the current state of the industry.

roadburner

Here's the thing; whatever I buy next is going to replace my Mazdaspeed3 as my daily driver and track rat, so an automatic is off the table. I don't hate automatics unless I'm on the track. The autoboxes in my wife's X3 and my 2002 work just fine. I drove a GT for only a short distance but even then I could tell that it was a competent sports sedan.

nippononly

there is $2000 cash on any remaining 2008 Mazda3s (except MS3)...hmm, it's got me thinking....I rather like my sister's, and hers is the 2.0. I found a gray 's' with the 2.3L near me that is a 2008. Could this be the end for the Matrix??

rayainsw

I prefer not to post specifics of my &#145;deals&#146; &#150; as my experience has been that someone[s] will always follow up with &#147;I got better&#148; &#147;That&#146;s terrible&#148; etc.

I was satisfied with what I saw as a fair [ and fairly aggressive ] sale price of the G8 - and with the overall transaction.

I certainly have concerns, about both GM & Pontiac dealers, specifically.
Those concerns were outweighed ( for me ) by the driving dynamics of the G8 GT - vs. anything that I think could fairly be called a competitor.

The BMW 335i is so much smaller & so much more expensive [ new vs. new ] that I don&#146;t consider that to be a fair comparison, personally. Though I will admit that the dynamics & raw performance numbers are quite similar.

A BMW 535i or 550i is much closer in size & weight &#150; and the base MSRP for either is way, ** WAY ** more expensive than even a loaded G8 GT. 2009 535i base price is now over $50K.

Although I will certainly concede that the BMWs have a higher grade of interior materials & some bells and whistles available that are desirable to many. I happen to prefer the styling, both exterior & interior, of the G8 GT to either the current 5 or 3 series.

And I still ** GREATLY ** prefer several of Pontaic&#146;s programming choices in the G8&#146;s 6L80 &#150; even compared to the latest & greatest ZF Steptronic. The behavior suits me much better &#150; and I did drive 3 different 335i-s.

And ( again ) the 3 & 5 series BMWs ( except Ms ) do not include or even provide as an option a true LSD. Just weird.

Is the BMW &#145;better&#146;, dynamically &#150; particularly in some of the finer aspects of the ride \ handling compromise? Likely so. But this car&#146;s ride & handling suit me very well, indeed.

- Ray
Happy with the new toy. . .

stickguy

Could be a good time to snag a Mazda3. leftovers, economy, and a new model on the way.

I really liked the hatch GT (for the power seat, although the other goodies are nice too!). Not really quite big enough or right for my current needs, but it got to the short list.

IIRC, MSRP for a 5 door GT Auto is ~23,500. Figure a couple grand off from the dealer, at least, and 2K from mazda, and you should be down to ~ 19 for a loaded up one.

start deducting for lower trim lines! Migth be a fantastic deal on an i 4 door.

corvette

Cool car.

Everything is built to a price. BMW cuts some corners on their interiors. Audi puts the same four-banger engine in the A3 and A4 that is in the Passat and Jetta (which cost roughly half as much).

guss

I think GM is on a roll around here. My Malibu, Corvette's G6, and now your G8. The V-6 was on my list, if the deals 4 months ago were as good as they are now I probably would have bought one.

I just wish GM would make them here instead of down under and shipping them in.

sandman46

Rented one of these on Saturday and turned it back in on Monday after the tire pressure monitoring gauge wouldn't go out no matter what they did...very disappointed with that and the vehicle as a whole. They put us into a '08 Accord LX-P about 180 miles from home and what a 180 turn around...much better car no matter how I look at it! Shame too as the Impala LTZ we rented back in '06 was a killer drive...was highly impressed with it. And what's up with 1/2 a power seat that GM uses on certain cars? The Accord had the full power chairs, as my lower spine went into spasm on our 2nd day out and I was basically hotel bound for two days. Growing up in a GM family, will never go back if possible .

I know the car was a rental with 21k on the clock, but comfort stunk, visibility sucked, mileage was dismal...definitely not worth what they must be charging. Again, why can't our domestic brands make cars that match the foreign brands in every way...comfort, mileage, comfort...? We were the best at one time bar none...why did we drop the ball? I now know why our big 3 are in such "dogcr-p"...we've lost our way and this bailout isn't the answer guys. Going back and doing what "we did best" is the only answer. I know there are literally thousands like me that left the big 3 for the better cars that were being produced overseas and would rather support U S companies but this latest experience just reinforces why our family left for the "other guys" including purchasing our 1st Korean nameplate last month. Need another car in a couple of weeks and no U S brands are on the short list...nor will they be I suspect...even our kids know what brands they want us to buy for them.

Sorry for my rant but I'm a very unhappy American consumer here with more cash to plunk down for another auto really soon.

The Sandman :sick:

mark156

Ray, congrats on the new ride. I'm not familiar with that vehicle but it's obvious that you love it! Enjoy!

Mark

mark156

Sandman, I'm with you on this.... I've not bought a GM product after my disaster ownership of a new 1981 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royal Brougham Diesel... Please don't laugh... it was a horrible experience.

GM's lack of help when my car was falling apart was disappointing. They have not received another dime from me and I think some of their cars are pretty decent. When my Dad was looking for a new car after having a string of Oldsmobiles and Buicks, I let him towards a Mercury Grand Marquis.. good car so far!

Mark

dawg92

...several of you guys still posting here. I used to post under the screen name jefferyg, but we've moved twice in the past year, and it was easier to start over from scratch.

Mark and Sandman, I couldn't agree with you more on the GM issue. Outside of a Vette, which I'll never be able to afford, I can't think of any GM product that would be even a remote contender if I were actually looking to buy something in the near future. Several of their new models look sharp, but that's not enough to swing me.

I traded again a few months ago. I had an 07 Civic EX and believe it or not, I traded it for an 06 Explorer XLT with leather. The size of the civic was a major issue. I kept banging my knee getting in and out of it. Also the gas mileage was disappointing. Early on I got really good mpg on the highway, but the longer I had the car the worse the numbers got.

Interestingly, I think it's actually costing me less to drive the Explorer. Insurance is A LOT cheaper, and I was able to get rid of a 94 Explorer. To top it off, the 06 Explorer is actually getting great mileage for an SUV. I'm averaging better than 20 mpg per tank! And who would have ever dreamed that gas would be back down to $1.53 a gallon! :shades:

sandman46

The prices won't stay low as OPEC already is pulling back on output which should raise the price per barrel in the future...whenever that'll be. Still happy with my mileage on my '06 Civic LX but had a Accord rental this week after a terrible Malibu rental and the mileage wasn't that bad actually for a large car and I did notice the smoother shift points and seemless acceleration from the 2.5 engine. Would buy an Accord in a heartbeat but too big for my commuting needs and garage space and we'll be up to 4 autos in the family by the end of the year. Wife really wants an Elantra as her next car as does my oldest...the wife can afford one, the daughter can't. Should be a fun couple of weeks getting the oldest girl into something that she likes at her price point. Other girl very happy with her new Accent.

Mark, we also had a 1980 Pontiac Parissiane (?) with an Olds diesel and it was a quirky car but my folks liked the large size and wanted to try a non-gasoline car. Within 2 years, they traded that puppy in on a similar gas powered Pontiac and were quite happy. Finally moved onto Grand Marquis's until passing on. Loved the Marquis and it was pretty roomy & comfortable as I recall.

The Sandman

woodyww

I've not bought a GM product after my disaster ownership of a new 1981 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royal Brougham Diesel... Please don't laugh... it was a horrible experience.

Actually, I did laugh, because I was also one of the fools who bought an Olds Diesel Exploding Engine (in a '79 Chevy P/U). The engine blew up after a month, & 1000 miles from home. My next car, an early '80's mid-size Pontiac V6, had engine trouble after a few years, altho not as drastic. My experiences with a couple of late-60's Chrysler products were just as bad.

I don't want to bash current American cars tho. I probably wouldn't buy one, but I wish luck to people here who have. And it's kind of sickening to see the Detroit auto-makers go down the tubes.

Around the Boston area tho, about the only American vehicles you see are FS P/U's. Seems to be mostly Japanese or German, sometimes a volvo or saab, or the occasional Land Rover......

oregonboy

Hey Ray,

I stumble across this "Top Gear" episode that I' sure that you will enjoy: "Muscle Beach" in which the boys from Top Gear compare a Jag and a 300M to the British Vauxhall counterpart of Holden&#146;s Commodore Clubsport R8 (AKA: G8).

Most entertaining, however, I cringed at the sight of the three cars being driven at speed through the salt water along the edge of the beach. :sick:

And the winner is....

Part 1

Part 2

corvette

Actually, that test featured the Monaro, which was sold in the US as the GTO, and was the two-door predecessor to the G8. Top Gear, and Clarkson especially, were quite fond of the Monaro.

The new Malibu supposedly has the quietest four-cylinder of any domestic sedan. That said, I have always thought that Honda's fours were smoother and quieter than anything else on the market. I think that all TPMS with the sensors on the tires probably require that the car be driven 15-20 minutes (after the tires have been reinflated) before the light will go out.

sandman46

After the attendant on the Florida Turnpike rest stop added the air to all four tires, the warning and the icon went out for about 20 or so miles then came back on and this time, we called Hertz to see about swapping the car out. Got to Ft. Pierce and they swappped out the car to an '08 Accord and reduced the bill by $50.00 for the problem and making us late for our noon appointment, which was a nice gesture on their part, totally surprised us. Turned the Accord back in this morning and the local office took off another $25.00 for the problem we had which really surprised and floored me...great customer service on their part and they also kept a satisfied customer for the next rental that we'll eventually need. Who said customer service was dead...rock on Hertz!

The Sandman

guss

I have the 4 cylinder in my Malibu and was surprised by how quite it is. I think the main reason is that Chevy put alot of sound deadening into it. If I floor it going up hill it is noticeable but not over bearing. Since I got it in September I have not had alot of window down time though.

stickguy

moving in on ANdre territory.

Car #4 for the family fleet came home with me today. It is the 2000 Acura TL. Nice cr, doesn't show it's age (especailly in the interior). Other than the 146,000 miles on it, seems much newer.

But, have to compromise somewhere for $2,000.

it does have brand new motor mounts, a fresh service from the Acura dealer, recent battery and Michelins. SO as long as th eimfamous Honda tranny doesn't blow on me, I should n't have to do anything to it for a while!

Even has a hardwired XM unit in it.

I will take it on my drive to work Monday. If I like it enough, might just keep it for myself (instead of passing along to my son) and beat it up for the winter. Probably not.

Don't mind the high miles for him. It just clicked over 146,000 on my way home from VA, and may not hit 147,000 before my son graduates HS in June!

oregonboy

Stick, man you stole that car! Don't you feel just a teensy bit guilty?
How about some pictures?

woodyww

Just the new battery, Michelins, & motor mounts must have cost, what, $800-$1000?

anonymousposts

stickguy: Have you tried Carmax? They have a V70 R and a V70 2.5T. Not sure how the prices compare though...

http://www.carmax.com/enUS/view-car/default.html?AVi=3&id=5158271&D=90&ASTc=VOLV- O%20V70&zip=30115&No=0&Ep=Homepage&Rp=R&PP=20&sV=List&CD=14+8+9&Q=02fc06f0-5a48-- 414e-9de9-cea1a91bc670

http://www.carmax.com/enUS/view-car/default.html?AVi=7&id=5112727&D=90&ASTc=VOLV- O%20V70&zip=30115&No=0&Ep=Homepage&Rp=R&PP=20&sV=List&CD=14+8+9&Q=02fc06f0-5a48-- 414e-9de9-cea1a91bc670

~ We sold the ES300 ... after Gee bought the RX300 we had three cars again and it just makes for a crowded driveway. The Accord is creeping up on 80k and Gee won't part with it anytime soon. So for now we will have the 2000 RX and the 04 Accord. I do have my eye on a nice C230 sport 6-speed.

michaellno

Just found out that my son in CA has bought himself a new (to him) car. This is the kid who we gave the '92 Subaru to after he graduated from HS in June 2007.

His maternal grandfather passed away and my ex and her brother sold his car and divided up the money between my son and his cousin.

So, what did he buy?

A '97 Mustang ... 80,000+ miles, 3.8L V6 with an automatic. I've been told that the transmission was replaced a few years ago, so it's in good shape. My dad took the car to his mechanic and they pronounced it in great shape, both mechanically and cosmetically. Everyone I've talked to says the car looks brand new.

I'm waiting for pictures from him; I'll post them once they arrive.

He plans to sell the Subaru privately - I figure he should get about $1500 for it.

qbrozen

an automatic V6 mustang?
you obviously didn't raise him right. ;b

michaellno

Yeah, I know, it sounds like a classic "secretary's car" ... he really wants to buy a used WRX or STi, but the Mustang, to him, is much better than the 17 year old Subaru.

Also, he isn't working enough to really afford car payments of any sort, nor to pay for the insurance on something more sporty. I think it will be a stretch as it is for him to cover the costs of the Mustang.

For the record, his mom and I divorced when he was 4 and I moved to Colorado not long afterward. What his mom drove while he was growing up:

Honda Accord LX
Dodge Ram Quad Cam - 318 with a stick!
Hyundai Santa Fe (the original body style)
Chrysler 300C (hemi) - her current ride

Of course, my succession of boring sedans and SUV's probably weren't much of an influence on him, either. About the most exciting car I've had was the '99 New Beetle that we owned for 6 years.

Can you say mid life crisis? I think I may need to have one soon. Or win the lottery - I think PowerBall is up to $100 million.

nippononly

went in yesterday to look at a RAV4, been missing the AWD lately, was told when they appraised the Matrix for trade that it was only worth $11K to them. I didn't push, just told them no thanks. With 2 years and 25K miles under its belt, I would be looking for a lot more than that for the Matrix, but I can't be bothered to sell it privately. So here I was, trying to throw a little business to these dealers who are supposed to be hard up, but I guess it wasn't the right KIND of business, LOL. :-P

grandtotal

I dunno. Doesn't sound too far off the mark to me. You've been around here long enough to know that just because you think it's worth more doesn't make it so. If the dealer can buy them at that price at an auction (and they probably can) why would they pay you more?

woodyww

Yeah, every guy "wants" a stick-shift V8 Mustang (or M3, or WRX, etc). But there's "wanting", & then there's affording, & reality. Sounds like he did well, good for him!

Can you say mid life crisis? I think I may need to have one soon.

You haven't had one yet? I think I'm on my 4th one in 15 some years. I did find my e24 M6, & then my Range Rover, really worked. Seriously.

Kirstie_H

A reporter from a large national newspaper would like to talk to consumers whose reasons for purchasing cars have changed. In the past, their car might have been the primary reflection of their personality, but now they are basing their purchases on other factors -- cost, features, the environment, etc. If you are interested in speaking to the reporter, please contact ctalati@edmunds.com no later than January 12, 2009.

michaellno

But there's "wanting", & then there's affording, & reality.

Woody, truer words have never been spoken!

I've always been interested in cars - I started reading "Car & Driver" when I was 13 - but I guess it's been an issue of having champagne tastes on a beer budget. Plus, I've always been too practical for my own good.

When I moved to Denver, I was driving a '91 Nissan Sentra SE - granted, not the most exciting car on the planet, but it had alloy wheels and a small rear spoiler. Was bright red, too. A couple of months after I got to town, I traded it in on a '93 Honda Accord DX - go figure!

I've told myself that at least once in my life I'm going to own a car where the top goes down - or something very sporty and impractical. Not sure when that's going to happen - perhaps in a few years. The wife has the practical, family oriented, road trip worthy vehicle, so I figure I can indulge myself with something, uh, 'different'.

nippononly

Oh I fully agree - they probably CAN buy them at auction at that price. It was more of a reminder to me that it's expensive trading every 2 years. ;-)

It's a good discouragement to CCBS though. :-)

sandman46

Got my oldest a Nissan Versa SL hatchback that we're picking up on Friday. It's that new Artic Blue color and there's only one of them in the Southeast region according to my internet guy. She couldn't be happier and since it's got the abs package, the wife and I are happy also. Got a pretty decent price with the $750.00 rebate and the $500.00 recent graduate rebate. Only catch is that we have to finance some of it for a few months to qualify.
Now I'm done for awhile...the younger girl got her Accent in November and now this girl gets her Versa. They're both happy and I'm relieved...and about $31k poorer!

The Sandman

guss

The CCBA'ers sure have shifted their focus. Stick gets an Acura for his son, Michael's son gets a 'Stang, and Sandman gets a Versa for....you guessed it, his daughter. I think that it's great you guys are able to satisfy your addiction thru your kids.

In a weird way I am looking forward to 7 years from now when I can shop for cheap cars for my oldest. I am sure the reality of all the added costs and worries of kids with their own wheels will set in. But from the distance of seven years it has some appeal.

Good luck with the cars guys !

roadburner

Can you say mid life crisis? I think I may need to have one soon.

A few years ago I saw a portly, balding, middle age guy get into a dull green V6 Mustang. It looked like around a 97 or so. As he drove away I saw his license plate frame which read, "My Mid-Life Crisis". I couldn't help but think what a painfully dull life that guy must have led if he considered the purchase of a dowdy old Mustang to be a walk on the wild side...
As for me, my wife says I can't have a second childhood, as I'm still going through my first one.
She has let me know that my current number of "wheels on the ground"-22-is my limit for the foreseeable future..