Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

stickguy

I think you got the new gauges too.

28firefighter

Carvana is coming in at $17,7. Vroom at $16,3. So, I’m guessing auction value is closer to $15-$16.

stickguy

that seems pretty strong from Carvana. The car I was mad I missed out on last fall (was pending before I saw it) was a 2018 CC, 10K miles, for $25K.

corvette

Got the G37 buttoned back up, I think I was able to apply enough felt tape and silicone spray to eliminate a lot of the potential interference points in the center console. Caused some small damage to a trim piece by overtightening screws without having the correct spacer in place. If the noise problem is fixed, it will be well worth it. Also took the opportunity to polish off some spots on the inside and outside of the analog clock in the console--no idea how those got there.

oldfarmer50

Sandman6472 said:

Backed the Golf out before the a/c repair guy came and saw oil on the floor, more than normal. Looked and had the last oil change on 2/0/20 so called Tires Plus to see about coming over to see what's up. Going in at 8 am tomorrow to see what's up. Seems like my high school friend finally retired so might have to find a new mechanic. Was going to go over to the VW store but figured since T P touched it last, might as well let them see what's up. Just hoping it's nothing major as it's hardly been used since mid March and not even 300 miles driven since the oil change. Wonder if it's a valve cover gasket or something like that. When I cleaned up the garage floor, felt like oil though and had that same brownish color.
Seriously, was so hoping that nothing else would go wrong for awhile with it. Nothing I really want right now, even though almost everyone has 0% financing and first payments due like 3 months out. Very tempting to be honest!! Not the happiest person right now to be honest! Even though I really thought I'd get a 2020 something, figured the Golf would behave itself awhile longer!! Might as well see what's out there now!!

You had the oil changed 300 miles ago? Maybe they didn’t put the drain plug back on right.

cdnpinhead

" Maybe they didn’t put the drain plug back on right."

Looks like "the guy" may have screwed up. It's such a joy to pay someone to do it wrong when you could have done it yourself in your own garage for the cost of the oil and filter (plus the copper [or whatever] gasket).

roadburner

cdnpinhead said:

" Maybe they didn’t put the drain plug back on right."

Looks like "the guy" may have screwed up. It's such a joy to pay someone to do it wrong when you could have done it yourself in your own garage for the cost of the oil and filter (plus the copper [or whatever] gasket).

That reminds me of a good friend who bought an older X3 for his wife. I offered to change the oil for him but he took it to Billy Bob’s Laundromat, Tanning Salon, and Hi-Tech Auto Repair. He brought it to me the next time and I spent the majority of my time fixing what “the guy” screwed up. A similar debacle ensued when he needed a new battery.

graphicguy

benjaminh said:

Acura's full video on the new TLX.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52HgsMW0BbM

Saw all of the announcements and videos about the announcement last night. Apparently, slow automotive news day as all of the big you tubers were all over it.

Nothing really that we didn’t expect. 2.0T power train (less HP but more TQ than the 3.5L V6 is replaces). A-Spec stays, S-Type is added with 3.0T twin scroll turbo. Double wishbone suspension returns. Longer, wider, lower. RDX interior redone to fit in the new TLX. Will hit showrooms around November. S-Type won’t be here for another year, give or take.

MSRP
-about $35K for the base model
-$40K for midrange model (Tech, SH-AWD)
-Probably low $40K for A-Spec
-$50K for S-Type
-I would imagine adding $2K more for SH-AWD to any model (standard on S-Type)

I can’t imagine I’ll be interested in the 2.0T. If the S-Type comes in with significantly more HP and TQ than my Stinger, I would probably be interested, especially if the Stinger is pulled from the market.

stickguy

I doubt it will have more power, but should certainly be comparable performance.

benjaminh

My 2 cents on the upcoming new TLX....

For c.$35k the new TLX seems like it will be a great car for the money, and that would actually be a price cut of about 2k compared to the previous base V-6. And the TLX will still be about 10k less than a comparable BMW 3-series, but the TLX will have a bit more power than the base 3-series now.

pros
+new double wishbone front suspension
+electro servo brake system from the NSX
+style
+power
+interior
+even more safety (new airbag design and improved body structure)
+255 performance tires even on base model (!?)

cons
-The car grows 3 inches in length and 2 in width, and yet because it's lower has about the same room inside as the current car. My current TLX's size already feels just right, and it fits into my garage. I'm not sure the new one would fit in my garage. I think for length I might be ok, but for width no so much.
-all wheel steering is gone. I like PAWS a lot.

I also like the 8-speed dual clutch transmission, and the fact that I can get in the high 30s for highway mpg. Add the turbo and those 255 tires and mpg seems likely to go down a bit compared to the 2.4. Overall, I'm planning to take the buy out on my current TLX, but since that's a year from now I'll probably take the new one for a test drive just for the heck of it.






Acura's official info on the 2021 TLX:

https://acuranews.com/en-US/releases/all-new-2021-tlx-elevates-acura-sedan-performance-with-turbo-power-dedicated-platform-and-expressive-styling

graphicguy

stickguy said:

I doubt it will have more power, but should certainly be comparable performance.

I agree...maybe even better performer 0-60 given the 2.0T torque advantage. It will certainly give better MPG and the 10-speed transmission is supposed to be really good, too. With all the gear ratios, probably geared to get some nice off the line grunt. The 3.5L has to wind out a bit to get to the meat of the power band. But, it sounded really good doing so.

Kind of surprised they didn't drop the V6-electric motor hybrid into the TLX now that the RLX is going away. That's a good bit of tech and R&D that seems under utilized.....maybe too much money to manufacture?

stickguy

I’ll bet that your real world MPG compared to the 2.4 is going way down.

stickguy

The 3 inches in length is not a huge deal to me. Making it wider, definitely a negative. As is making it lower, a big reason a lot of people abandoned sedans, and a positive to the current model.

stickguy

Oh, I think it makers want to keep making cars wider, they need to make mirrors slimmer, and be required to have power folding. I really wish the RDX had that feature!

ab348

The thing that struck me is that they are making it longer and most significantly wider, but not making practical use of those things at all. The longer length is all ahead of the cowl for style purposes, and the width in front at least is taken up by that oversized center console. There might be a benefit in better rear seat width and trunk space I suppose. They will be trying to swim upstream with this in a downstream sedan market. But it does look nice.

breld

I think the new TLX will be a hit.

The engine choices now mirror what's offered in the European offerings and IMO the styling is really sharp and distinctive. I find the current A spec very attractive and it seems to me they sort of used that as a starting point for the new model (understanding they still have an A spec).

The new proportions may not add additional practical space, but that's not really what sells these cars - the lower, wider, longer look will bring buyers into the showroom...well, maybe into a virtual showroom where you can work out all the details remotely and then have the car delivered to your door by someone who never laid their actual fingers on the steering wheel.

breld

And FWIW, I want that white Type S.

pensfan83

The next car will be majority driven by my wife and me on occasion so I would probably be ok with a 2.0L A-Spec if we went the sedan route in the fall. If we go with an SUV that opens the door to replace the Tacoma with a Type S if desired.

breld

This also makes be intrigued to see the next MDX, which I assume is forthcoming within a year.

Not that there will be much suspense - I'm sure it will follow closely the styling cues of this TLX and the RDX, which is a good thing.

stickguy

Based on the accord and RDX with that drivetrain, the base model is going to be plenty quick.

benjaminh

breld said:

And FWIW, I want that white Type S.

Yeah, I like the looks of that one. Actually I think they all look good.

benjaminh

Unique platform for this car, and it sounds like it's pretty well built. The current car it already quite solid.

And so it's basically brake by wire?

From the Acura press release....

"The 2021 TLX is a sport sedan at its core, built on a new dedicated Acura sedan platform designed for Type S-levels of performance. The new chassis heralds the return of double-wishbone front suspension to Acura's top-selling sedan, offering more precise handling and cornering grip, as well as greater mechanical compliance for improved ride quality. In addition, the TLX chassis incorporates multiple new performance-focused engineering upgrades, including a variable-ratio steering system, electro-servo brake-by-wire technology applied from the NSX and an available driver selectable Adaptive Damper System.

The TLX's all-new chassis is anchored to an advanced new body structure — NSX aside, the most rigid ever offered on an Acura vehicle— delivering a 50 percent increase in global torsional stiffness and up to a 100 percent improvement in localized rigidity where the suspension is mounted to the body. The new structure uses 56 percent (by weight) advanced, lightweight materials, including aluminum and press-hardened steel, more than any previous Acura sedan.

An ultra-rigid new center tunnel serves as the backbone of the TLX's higher structural rigidity, complimented by triangulated front shock tower bars, front and rear underfloor braces, a one-piece rear bulkhead stiffener and new cast-aluminum front shock tower mounts. Front-to-rear weight balance is also improved by an extensive use of aluminum, including the front bumper, hood, front fenders and front damper mounts, in addition to locating the 12-volt battery in the trunk.

NSX Electro-Servo Brakes
First developed for the second-generation NSX, the new TLX utilizes a highly sophisticated electric-servo brake system. This system allowed Acura engineers to finely tune the brake pedal force and electronically control the brake pressure to optimize the vehicle's performance driving characteristics.

For the TLX Type S, multiple hardware upgrades will improve braking performance, including larger discs and four-piston Brembo® front calipers complemented by performance-focused tuning of the entire braking system."

ronsteve

Volvo didn't go to Drive-E in their AWD models until 2017.

tjc78

breld said:

And FWIW, I want that white Type S.

+1

tifighter

It's time for today's random craigslist posting. And when I say time, I mean summer time.

tjc78

Probably a fun car if you don’t care too much about handling.

I’d have to have an earlier one with the full touchscreen setup.

kyfdx

Member needs advice on used car purchase.
https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/61474/subaru/forester/hit-or-miss-with-a-2014-subaru-forester#latest

roadburner

tifighter said:

It's time for today's random craigslist posting. And when I say time, I mean summer time.

The textbook definition of what the Brits call "A Dogs Breakfast."

stickguy

There’s a coupe version of that car around the corner from me. Guy actually had at least. 2, possibly 3, for a bit.

28firefighter

That reatta is a perfect candidate for Hoovie’s Garage.

qbrozen

A little pricey, and the cloth on the seats is pretty awful, but this is otherwise pretty damned cool.

oldfarmer50

tifighter said:

It's time for today's random craigslist posting. And when I say time, I mean summer time.

I like those even though they were nothing special in the performance or handling department. The price of them has been going up in recent years. 5 or 6 years years ago you could have gotten that car for half that. Maybe 30 years old is the point where old cars start becoming collectible.

That’s why I get my hoopties when they’re about 18-20 years old before anybody else wants them. Of course the cars that I like might not be collectible no matter how old they get.

tifighter

Has anyone ever seen a Reatta that wasn't red?

qbrozen

ronsteve said:

Volvo didn't go to Drive-E in their AWD models until 2017.

speaking of which, this seems like quite a good bargain for one.

stickguy

Prado looks like a big Mitsubishi Montero.

I do like that V60.

Maybe the accident on auto check is hurting the price

28firefighter

qbrozen said:

ronsteve said:

Volvo didn't go to Drive-E in their AWD models until 2017.

speaking of which, this seems like quite a good bargain for one.

Given that Carvana offered 17,7 for my Mom's 2016 with the exact same equipment/color combo, I'd say so.

oldfarmer50

tifighter said:

Has anyone ever seen a Reatta that wasn't red?

Blue and white too.

stickguy

Also nice looking. With an accident. Wonder if that’s their business, doing rehabs?

https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/m-Automotive-Avenues-sp282518#listing=258335097

graphicguy

We’re Reatta’s all that special? It seems some consider them quite dear, and I think they’re just another period convertible.

ab348

tifighter said:

Has anyone ever seen a Reatta that wasn't red?

Back in the '90s in the neighborhood that I lived in at the time there was a medium metallic blue convertible that lived nearby. Nice-looking car in the summertime with the top down.

qbrozen

stickguy said:

Also nice looking. With an accident. Wonder if that’s their business, doing rehabs?

https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/m-Automotive-Avenues-sp282518#listing=258335097

black paint, black wheels, black leather. I'm sweatin just lookin at it.

28firefighter

No cylinder scoring on the Volvo, supposedly. So that’s lucky.

stickguy

Carvana will appreciate that!

mjfloyd1

Sandy, what was the scoop on your Golf oil leak?

oldfarmer50

graphicguy said:

We’re Reatta’s all that special? It seems some consider them quite dear, and I think they’re just another period convertible.

Another domestic vehicle that failed because they overpriced it for what you got. I think it was around $30k which was pricey for the time. Series I 3800 V6 (the same as in my 1991 Oldsmobile) wasn’t anything special. It looks nice but that’s about all.

corvette

My friend has a second-gen Prius that she said was overheating on long drives (2+ hours). I asked her what the symptoms were and she said the red triangle came on. No shutdown, nothing else. Apparently there are a number of things that can cause that. She claims to have used a code reader on it, but it sounds like it wasn't a very advanced one.

I may take the BlueDriver scan tool over there over the weekend and see whether it picks up anything.

oldfarmer50

corvette said:

My friend has a second-gen Prius that she said was overheating on long drives (2+ hours). I asked her what the symptoms were and she said the red triangle came on. No shutdown, nothing else. Apparently there are a number of things that can cause that. She claims to have used a code reader on it, but it sounds like it wasn't a very advanced one.

I may take the BlueDriver scan tool over there over the weekend and see whether it picks up anything.

I had never heard of the red triangle (of death) on a Prius but a quick google says either a bad battery control system or a bad battery pack. Don’t know why that would cause overheating (of the engine I’m guessing) unless the motor is working too hard trying to keep a charge in the battery. Codes P3000 and P0A80.

Sounds expensive.

stickguy

speaking of Toyotas, I was looking for a picture of the new Sienna (you are getting a link instead!) to show the sheer SF of front maw (that grill is ginormous). Almost a characiture. But ended up looking at the specs instead. Crazy how advanced a minivan is now.

standard hybrid, 33 MPG combined rating. And has a 1st class recliner seat option (with ottoman) and you can get a built in fridge. And the interior looks great. But that maw!

https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-launches-all-new-2021-sienna-to-suit-a-variety-of-lifestyles/

tjc78

Interior looks nice and great feature set. The grill is flat out awful, if I had to have one of these I would go black to tame it a little.

stickguy

the model that actually looks like a great overall design (if you are OK with the grill) is the Venza. perfect size, and great feature set. Toyota seems to be upping their game lately with engineering and content.