Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

corvette

stickguy said:

even though it probably costs more, 2 years leases sound really good. by the time you get used to the car, already into the home stretch for a new one!

27 or 36 month lease on the Tundra was a higher monthly outlay.

Also, I ran the numbers. Cost of running a used, older (but very well maintained) Tahoe, was within spitting distance of leasing a brand new truck with updated features. I'd have been crazy to keep the Tahoe.

stickguy

I know it varies by make/model but at least the ones I had shopped it was higher monthly payment for the 24 months. Plus of course amortize the fees at inception/disposition over a longer term. But if it worked out better going shorter term, a win win!

I know that QB did the same analysis on the Ioniq. Projected to be cheaper to do the lease than to buy/maintain/sell a 10-12K used car for 3 years.

assuming things are normal in 1.5 years when my lease is over, and the wife is finally in her nice new family car (or gets it at the time) I will be in the same boat (if still working 100% from home). I will need a 2nd car to have on hand for low local miles, but could be anything, so have to do the cost/benefit analysis on what to do. Lease cheap basic car, buy cheap used car, get a toy?

Michaell

stickguy said:

but could be anything, so have to do the cost/benefit analysis on what to do. Lease cheap basic car, buy cheap used car, get a toy?

That's kind of where I am, at the moment. I occasionally look at what's for sale, to see if there is anything that catches my eye.

I know someone who bought his mother-in-law a very clean ES350 in Florida. 61,000 miles for $9K. That will last forever, basically, and this one was very well equipped.

But, still trying to get the business off the ground, and get some debt paid off, first.

benjaminh

cdnpinhead said:

....161K (original clutch) and yes, I bought it new. It had to be trucked down from CO since there were none in AZ with a manual transmission (imagine!) and the right color combination....

That's good to hear (esp. since your engine is similar to mine). Impressive that the clutch is original. What's your color combination? Care to post a pic? What was the original msrp? You must have a very good price per mile.

PS Before I ended up getting my 2008 Accord EXL navi (special ordered with a manual transmission), I did a test drive of a 2008 Acura TSX manual and experienced how nice car it is—with an excellent clutch and transmission. The price was too much for me at that point, but I can imagine how much you like that jewel of a car. But ten years later I finally did end up with an Acura. Like your car mine has a 2.4. (Sometimes for some of us it's even more fun to drive a slow car a bit fast than drive a fast car on the slow side.)

Given how complicated vtec engines are, it's nice that they're still reliable. Here's a 6-minute video explaining vtec with actual engines and engine parts, and even after watching it I only part-way understand it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSCuRXnfLuI

kyfdx

qbrozen said:

You people and your tire talk gave my wife a flat! Oh, and get this, the X2 does NOT HAVE RUNFLATS! And no can of fix a flat. Nothing. Had it towed home.

No spare and no runflats? Are you sure it isn't a Corvette?

ab348

Speaking of tires - both of the ATS models I have had were fitted with run-flat tires from the factory. I'm not even sure if Cadillac offered the option of a donut spare and jack/tools in that model. On Cadillac forums many owners complain about the ride with the run-flats and the lack of a spare. I found the ride with the base 2014 car a bit more harsh than on my current car which has the magnaride suspension, though to me they both seemed OK.

Earlier this week I was browsing the Cadillac site and just for giggles did a build on a new CT5. I noticed that Cadillac has switched their tire strategy. While they still offer run-flats as standard on cars with 19" wheels, with the standard 18" choices they now provide "self-sealing" tires as standard instead of run-flats. I know there have been variations on self-sealing tires available for many years but I never thought they were particularly widespread. About 20 years ago I was talked into a set of Uniroyal "Royal Seal" tires for my old Delta 88 because they were about the same price as other choices, and they were good tires, but to my knowledge I never had to take advantage of the sealing capabilities. I haven't heard about self-sealing tires in years but I guess they are making a comeback.

nyccarguy

Looked down and saw this #milestone on my way in this AM.

nyccarguy

stickguy

Looks like fun getting out of that spot. Assuming you parked first the dude behind you is quite brave.

stickguy

Heard from adjuster end of yesterday afternoon. After dismantling nothing hidden found so basically a bumper repair and respray with a little touch up work on the edge of the quarter panel where it meets the bumper. Should look as good as new. Though really only has to look good enough for lease return!

Getting $200 check for a tiny nick in the taillight that will likely be unnoticeable after they clean and polish. At least I’m getting something out of this deal other than hassle.

nyccarguy

stickguy said:

Looks like fun getting out of that spot. Assuming you parked first the dude behind you is quite brave.

Both of those cars were there before I pulled in.

ab348

nyccarguy said:

Both of those cars were there before I pulled in.

Man, you must be the world's greatest parallel parker!

stickguy

My wife would have a stroke if she tried that. Not sure she could parallel park in an empty space at this point!

breld

@nyccarguy - that is seriously impressive.

stickguy

Having beefy metal bumpers also helps with traditional city touch parking.

qbrozen

is that scuff on the jeep bumper your fault? LOL

tjc78

breld said:

@nyccarguy - that is seriously impressive.

+1 I’m not sure I could have done that in a truck. Maybe in the Volvo with front and rear sensors. Actually, come to think of it the Volvo won’t even let you get that close it stops the car for you.

nyccarguy

qbrozen said:

is that scuff on the jeep bumper your fault? LOL

I'm offended you would even ask! LOL I saw that after I pulled in and wondered who was going to comment on that. Definitely "wasn't me."

pensfan83

It took me over 2 years to get to 12,345 haha. And I'll what others have said, that's impressive....I wouldn't have tried that even in a car.

28firefighter

That is some seriously impressive parallel parking. Then again, you work in the city, I'm not surprised you're good at this.

tjc78

pensfan83 said:

It took me over 2 years to get to 12,345 haha. And I'll what others have said, that's impressive....I wouldn't have tried that even in a car.

Well I would have felt confident in a Smart car or Geo Metro!

tjc78

@stickguy
I'm sure you'll like this one

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1991-toyota-mr2-55/

cdnpinhead

"What's your color combination? Care to post a pic? What was the original msrp? You must have a very good price per mile."

I have the dreaded (in here anyway) black interior & red exterior. Due to the (lack of) quality of the paint, the desert sun and the need for several cosmetic repairs over the years, there are about five different shades of red involved these days, I don't remember what I paid for it and it'd take awhile to dig the Mulroney sticker out of my files. I'll post again if I can remember to check on it in the next day or two.

28firefighter

tjc78 said:

@stickguy
I'm sure you'll like this one

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1991-toyota-mr2-55/

I love that car phone. We had them in all of our cars when I was growing up.

jmonroe

stickguy said:

Looks like fun getting out of that spot. Assuming you parked first the dude behind you is quite brave.

Maybe, but I'd try to move the car before trying out my front bumper on the truck. Sometimes you just gotta pick your poison.

jmonroe

stickguy

I do like the Mr. 2. Classic car phone and everything.

back in 2005 when I got my 2005 Accord (EXL 5 speed, rare then too) I had looked and and really liked the TSX. But with the big discount I got for a leftover, the Accord was probably $8k cheaper and I could not justify the extra money. The other car I liked at the time was the 2006 (new design I think) Jetta turbo 6 speed. I forget the exact model but it was IIRC the hot rod model before the GLI came out.

actually for CPH, if he really wanted to get something to replace the Acura while still can, seems like a GLI is the natural one to get.

stickguy

OK, with pandemics and market crashes (I expect locusts and pestilence any day now) talked to the wife, and we decided the only prudent thing to do was just buy a car. At least if the world ends, we will have nice wheels to go out in style in.

will supply details on the whole sordid story once the deal is done and wheels in driveway, but agreed to terms via text just now, with delivery planned for tomorrow afternoon.

wish us luck!

28firefighter

stickguy said:

OK, with pandemics and market crashes (I expect locusts and pestilence any day now) talked to the wife, and we decided the only prudent thing to do was just buy a car. At least if the world ends, we will have nice wheels to go out in style in.

will supply details on the whole sordid story once the deal is done and wheels in driveway, but agreed to terms via text just now, with delivery planned for tomorrow afternoon.

wish us luck!

lol.

jmonroe

stickguy said:

My wife would have a stroke if she tried that. Not sure she could parallel park in an empty space at this point!

I'm sure Mrs. j couldn't parallel park in an empty mall parking lot.

jmonroe

pensfan83

When I was buying my Mazda6 in 2005 the TSX was just out of budget. I really wanted one but it would have really stretched things.

jmonroe

stickguy said:

OK, with pandemics and market crashes (I expect locusts and pestilence any day now) talked to the wife, and we decided the only prudent thing to do was just buy a car. At least if the world ends, we will have nice wheels to go out in style in.

will supply details on the whole sordid story once the deal is done and wheels in driveway, but agreed to terms via text just now, with delivery planned for tomorrow afternoon.

wish us luck!

OK, you have mine but @corvette needs real proof before you get credit for a punch.

jmonroe

stickguy

I’ll supply details and proof. But not before car rolls over the curb. Because especially with me, you never know!

28firefighter

The things that we do to justify our purchases.

tjc78

Congrats stick. Let us know the details when it’s in the garage.

qbrozen

nice, stick.

just this second, we were having the opposite discussion. I finally told her that we could get a 4-door taco for about the same as the Hyundai. She actually responded positively. But then we are saying how much we love the fuel sipping of the Ioniq and, per her, maybe with an impending imploding economy, we'd want something we don't have to feed much.

stickguy

We won’t be driving that much if it happens so might not matter.

stickguy

But selling outright the old car and making due with one was also an option discussed.

xwesx

nyccarguy said:

Looked down and saw this #milestone on my way in this AM.

That is some good timing!

nyccarguy

qbrozen said:

nice, stick.

just this second, we were having the opposite discussion. I finally told her that we could get a 4-door taco for about the same as the Hyundai. She actually responded positively. But then we are saying how much we love the fuel sipping of the Ioniq and, per her, maybe with an impending imploding economy, we'd want something we don't have to feed much.

You’ll need to take some extended seat time in a Tacoma. I don’t know how comfortable your 6’ 5” frame will be.

tifighter

nyccarguy said:

qbrozen said:

nice, stick.

just this second, we were having the opposite discussion. I finally told her that we could get a 4-door taco for about the same as the Hyundai. She actually responded positively. But then we are saying how much we love the fuel sipping of the Ioniq and, per her, maybe with an impending imploding economy, we'd want something we don't have to feed much.

You’ll need to take some extended seat time in a Tacoma. I don’t know how comfortable your 6’ 5” frame will be.

Seconded. I'm only 6'2" and I'm not a fan of the seating position. My friend's Colorado is way more comfortable.

corvette

Guarantee he'd have plenty of room in a Tundra. The Crewmax also has tons of rear legroom even with the front seats all the way back.

I don't think I've mentioned this, but I'm extremely impressed with the ride quality of the Tundra. Even with 20" wheels and the "sport" suspension, it absorbs impacts really well, and I don't feel like it's overly soft to the point that it wallows.

cdnpinhead

cdnpinhead said:

"What's your color combination? Care to post a pic? What was the original msrp? You must have a very good price per mile."

I have the dreaded (in here anyway) black interior & red exterior. Due to the (lack of) quality of the paint, the desert sun and the need for several cosmetic repairs over the years, there are about five different shades of red involved these days, I don't remember what I paid for it and it'd take awhile to dig the Mulroney sticker out of my files. I'll post again if I can remember to check on it in the next day or two.

The TSX stickered for $28,905, and I paid $31,108 out the door, which included 2266 in sales tax, 492 for the license plate and a few hundred bucks to have it trucked down from Denver.

kyfdx

corvette said:

Guarantee he'd have plenty of room in a Tundra. The Crewmax also has tons of rear legroom even with the front seats all the way back.

I don't think I've mentioned this, but I'm extremely impressed with the ride quality of the Tundra. Even with 20" wheels and the "sport" suspension, it absorbs impacts really well, and I don't feel like it's overly soft to the point that it wallows.

Little known feature of the Tundra: The gas shocks actually use gas from the tank. (ergo, 12 mi/gallon)

qbrozen

y'all know I'm driving an Ioniq, right? LOL.

Well, anyway, reality set in. I sat down and really ran the numbers and, by my estimation, the Taco would run me $70/mo more, at a minimum, even figuring in the profit from the Hyundai. Petrol is a cruel mistress.

tifighter

Hey, the less you have to touch the community gas nozzle these days, the better.

stickguy

hey, we live in Jersey. There is no community nozzle here!

corvette

Just a community person to touch your credit card. "Dirty money," indeed.

stickguy

oh, those people will never touch my credit card. Unless I happen to to stop at Sunoco or Exxon where I use their cards.

stickguy

question for the experts (and self proclaimed experts) and anyone that has an opinion or WAG.

with the escalating situation (all entwined economy and quarantine) what do you think is going to happen to sales and dealers in the next 2-4 weeks when it is probably the most chaos, then maybe the next month (into Mid May?) Are sales likely to crater while the cars pile up, and once people start being able to be more out and about, loads of extra incentives and fighting for sales (a real buyers market?) Or will makers kinda scale back too temporarily so things somewhat hold steady for now?

Kinda curious what the showrooms will look like this weekend compared to last weekend when they were packed. Who knows, with lots of people sent home and activities cancelled they might have more time to kill and go out shopping anyway!

I guess this is trying to guess if this situation is relatively temporary and in a month or 2 everything will be relatively back to normal and the markets rebounding, or if we are going to see a more protracted scale back if not recession. and of course, the chance that the death toll really sky rockets.

28firefighter

I think at this point you’d have better success asking the late Miss Cleo.