Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

tjc78

Michaell said:

andres3 said:

benjaminh said:

stickguy said:

At the current pace we might break 4,000 miles on the RDX by its first birthday. And the TLX will definitely be under miles when the lease is done. Who knows, maybe the new compact will be out by then, and I’ll fall in love. Or I buy a CPO.

It's a useful benefit that Acura allows the rollover of extra miles into a new lease. That new smaller Acura is going to be interesting, and it should be out by the time your TLX lease is up in Nov. (??) of 2021. But if your TLX is way under in miles buying it out might be a good deal too. I mean where else could you find a nearly new TLX with c. 20k miles for c. 20k? For less than the price of a base Civic that's a tough deal to beat.

I'm about 95% sure at this point I'm going to keep my TLX. When you push the FWD TLX around tight corners with a bit of speed it feels almost like you're riding on rails, which is fun. The 4-wheel steering is excellent imho, and since we know PAWS is dead for future Acura vehicles, and hasn't been offered in the past much since the Prelude in the 80s and 90s, I feel like that makes this car something special, and maybe something to hang on to.

But the power and the style of the new TLX do have some appeal for me, and for the heck of it I'll probably test drive the 2021 TLX in 8 or 9 months. But the size of the new TLX is a drawback. I just don't think I want a car that long or that wide. But I'd be interested to feel how it drives with the double wishbone suspension, that engine, the NSX brakes, the new variable radio steering system, etc.

One thing I feel mixed about in the new TLX is the rear window treatment. As I know from experience, these kind of back window are not as good for rear visibility behind the driver as the current TLX or most BMW sedans. But driving my wife's CR-V has forced me to get better at using the mirrors, and so it might not be the deal breaker it once was.

Needs big Type R/S wing! LOL. The A-Spec looks better, as usual. Not a fan of the wheels.

Being a Honda/Acura, they need to blast the HP number out of the park on the Type S. 400 HP would make for good marketing.

Infiniti Red Sport (Q50 or Q60) has 400HP and it isn't setting the world on fire with its sales numbers....

The Infiniti is just too outdated in some areas. The infotainment system doesn’t even have CarPlay. At the price point that stuff should be available.

Michaell

andres3 said:

Michaell said:

andres3 said:

benjaminh said:

stickguy said:

At the current pace we might break 4,000 miles on the RDX by its first birthday. And the TLX will definitely be under miles when the lease is done. Who knows, maybe the new compact will be out by then, and I’ll fall in love. Or I buy a CPO.

It's a useful benefit that Acura allows the rollover of extra miles into a new lease. That new smaller Acura is going to be interesting, and it should be out by the time your TLX lease is up in Nov. (??) of 2021. But if your TLX is way under in miles buying it out might be a good deal too. I mean where else could you find a nearly new TLX with c. 20k miles for c. 20k? For less than the price of a base Civic that's a tough deal to beat.

I'm about 95% sure at this point I'm going to keep my TLX. When you push the FWD TLX around tight corners with a bit of speed it feels almost like you're riding on rails, which is fun. The 4-wheel steering is excellent imho, and since we know PAWS is dead for future Acura vehicles, and hasn't been offered in the past much since the Prelude in the 80s and 90s, I feel like that makes this car something special, and maybe something to hang on to.

But the power and the style of the new TLX do have some appeal for me, and for the heck of it I'll probably test drive the 2021 TLX in 8 or 9 months. But the size of the new TLX is a drawback. I just don't think I want a car that long or that wide. But I'd be interested to feel how it drives with the double wishbone suspension, that engine, the NSX brakes, the new variable radio steering system, etc.

One thing I feel mixed about in the new TLX is the rear window treatment. As I know from experience, these kind of back window are not as good for rear visibility behind the driver as the current TLX or most BMW sedans. But driving my wife's CR-V has forced me to get better at using the mirrors, and so it might not be the deal breaker it once was.

Needs big Type R/S wing! LOL. The A-Spec looks better, as usual. Not a fan of the wheels.

Being a Honda/Acura, they need to blast the HP number out of the park on the Type S. 400 HP would make for good marketing.

Infiniti Red Sport (Q50 or Q60) has 400HP and it isn't setting the world on fire with its sales numbers....

The rumor is those cars handle terribly, and they do weigh over 2 tons last I checked I think. I didn't drive one because in coupe form the roof is too low, the seat too high, which means for a tall person you can't see up, so you can't see the traffic signal light without ducking or stopping 100' short of the limit line.

And how much is the new TLX expected to weigh?

I test drove the Q50, and I don't disagree with the above sentiments.

I'm still eyeing an off-lease TLX, if and when I need a 3rd car. Starting to see some 2018 models show up for sale.

graphicguy

Michaell said:

andres3 said:

Michaell said:

andres3 said:

benjaminh said:

stickguy said:

At the current pace we might break 4,000 miles on the RDX by its first birthday. And the TLX will definitely be under miles when the lease is done. Who knows, maybe the new compact will be out by then, and I’ll fall in love. Or I buy a CPO.

It's a useful benefit that Acura allows the rollover of extra miles into a new lease. That new smaller Acura is going to be interesting, and it should be out by the time your TLX lease is up in Nov. (??) of 2021. But if your TLX is way under in miles buying it out might be a good deal too. I mean where else could you find a nearly new TLX with c. 20k miles for c. 20k? For less than the price of a base Civic that's a tough deal to beat.

I'm about 95% sure at this point I'm going to keep my TLX. When you push the FWD TLX around tight corners with a bit of speed it feels almost like you're riding on rails, which is fun. The 4-wheel steering is excellent imho, and since we know PAWS is dead for future Acura vehicles, and hasn't been offered in the past much since the Prelude in the 80s and 90s, I feel like that makes this car something special, and maybe something to hang on to.

But the power and the style of the new TLX do have some appeal for me, and for the heck of it I'll probably test drive the 2021 TLX in 8 or 9 months. But the size of the new TLX is a drawback. I just don't think I want a car that long or that wide. But I'd be interested to feel how it drives with the double wishbone suspension, that engine, the NSX brakes, the new variable radio steering system, etc.

One thing I feel mixed about in the new TLX is the rear window treatment. As I know from experience, these kind of back window are not as good for rear visibility behind the driver as the current TLX or most BMW sedans. But driving my wife's CR-V has forced me to get better at using the mirrors, and so it might not be the deal breaker it once was.

Needs big Type R/S wing! LOL. The A-Spec looks better, as usual. Not a fan of the wheels.

Being a Honda/Acura, they need to blast the HP number out of the park on the Type S. 400 HP would make for good marketing.

Infiniti Red Sport (Q50 or Q60) has 400HP and it isn't setting the world on fire with its sales numbers....

The rumor is those cars handle terribly, and they do weigh over 2 tons last I checked I think. I didn't drive one because in coupe form the roof is too low, the seat too high, which means for a tall person you can't see up, so you can't see the traffic signal light without ducking or stopping 100' short of the limit line.

And how much is the new TLX expected to weigh?

I test drove the Q50, and I don't disagree with the above sentiments.

I'm still eyeing an off-lease TLX, if and when I need a 3rd car. Starting to see some 2018 models show up for sale.

In the brief time I owned an Infiniti Q50 (300HP version), I can also attest to how badly they steered and handled. No excuse for a car to handle that poorly today. And, they haven't done much to improve it or bring it up to date over the years, either.

I can't imagine anyone test driving a Q50 and finding it better than a TLX, A4, C-Class, ES350, etc. I don't know how much they're discounting those today, but it better be a lot.

benjaminh

Michaell said:

And how much is the new TLX expected to weigh?...

I'm still eyeing an off-lease TLX, if and when I need a 3rd car. Starting to see some 2018 models show up for sale.

The current TLX weighs from 3505 lbs for the base to 3838 for the A-spec V-6 SH-AWD:

https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/2020-acura-tlx-specifications-and-features

My guess is that the all-new 2021 TLX, since it's larger, might weigh maybe a hundred pounds more?

Which off-lease TLX might you consider? FWD? V-6?

stickguy

I really think the 4 banger is the better option if you are getting FWD.

Michaell

benjaminh said:

Michaell said:

And how much is the new TLX expected to weigh?...

I'm still eyeing an off-lease TLX, if and when I need a 3rd car. Starting to see some 2018 models show up for sale.

The current TLX weighs from 3505 lbs for the base to 3838 for the A-spec V-6 SH-AWD:

https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/2020-acura-tlx-specifications-and-features

My guess is that the all-new 2021 TLX, since it's larger, might weigh maybe a hundred pounds more?

Which off-lease TLX might you consider? FWD? V-6?

I've tested both a FWD 4-cyl and an AWD V6. While I like the power of the V6, I think the 4-cyl would be more than adequate, given how little I drive (remember, my leased Jetta went back last August with just over 17,000 miles on it).

I'm also looking at this as a car I keep for 10 years.

But, I'm not in the market, at the moment, and I may still inherit my moms car (2003 Hyundai Sonata GLS V6, with 40,000 miles on it).

stickguy

Car and Driver this month had a Supra test (well, more of a drive around and talk about it story, since they aren't doing any instrumented testing now). Interesting part is they had 2, a 6 and a 4. The 2 drivers both felt that they really did not notice the HP increase over 2020. And one of them flat out thought the 4 was a better package overall.

breld

Everything I’ve read has been very complimentary of the 4 cylinder. It’s plenty quick and a little lighter.

It comes in at a $8k savings, but it’s also decontented with things like manual seats and a lesser stereo. I think if you add a package or two to make up for it, it turns out to be around a $4k upgrade for the 6.

The biggest difference I think is the adaptive suspension that’s not available in the 4 cylinder. Based on my experience, that seems to contribute to a really nice balance in ride quality.

So all in all, I was happy to take a heavily discounted 2020 as a middle ground between the new 4 cylinder and upgraded 6.

explorerx4

Not sure if anyone watched the Supra review I posted, but the reviewer says at one point, 'Toyota says the engine makes 335 hp and goes 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds. BMW says this engine makes 382 hp and goes 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds. Someone's lying, but this car does go 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds. I know, I've done it."

Sandman6472

Going to check out a 2020 Toyota Corolla hatchback tomorrow if time allows. Drove a regular Corolla at work today and was surprised at ow nice it drive. They did their CVT tranny the right way and feels much more natural than most from Nissan. But did also drive a new 2020 Altima with around 28K on the clock and it drove surprisingly nice to be honest. They've definitely improved their CVT trannys and wondering how the new 2020 Sentra drives.
Back to the Corolla, it had just under 29K on it and was amazed at how well it did everything. More power than I thought and since it doesn't have a turbo, no turbo lag to deal with. The SE four door is a nice package with special alloys, an old co-worker bought a 2019 and said it drove better than his 2017 Camry LE which surprised me. But the hatch is the Corolla which I like. The XSE is nice but prefer the SE model as I like the alloys so much better. Not a fan of blacked out alloys at all, actually, I hate 'em! But the SE model has nicer aluminum wheels that look to be polished. Have sat in a few and ergonomically, it all worked. Now I know a Corolla is not something to write home about, but, am at that point where I just want a "cheap to keep" vehicle. It's small which is a plus, and a hatchback, another plus as we already have one sedan and don't really need another. Sirius/XM is included but not sure about a moon roof but still a plus. And the mpg's, another big plus.
I know it's a downgrade in terms of sporty vehicles but I'm finding out that I don't have the stomach for a vehicle which has some expensive fixes when things start to go wrong. The Golf has cost me more in repairs than I would have liked plus it needs synthetic oil changes. It's just more $ to maintain. And now knowing that both axle boots are starting to leak is just going to be another expense coming up. The fun factor quotient won't be as high but the added piece of mind is something I think I might want. And the price ain't to bad either. Couple that with the 0% financing and the 180 days of no monthly nut are all very tempting. I just don't think I could stomach a BMW, MB or even a Mini Cooper as underneath, it's really a BMW now.
Luckily, am in no big hurry as I think the cheap financing will stick around another couple of months. But, still want to go drive one and see if I could live with one as my daily driver for the next many years. Curious if their are any real bad blind spots like their CR-V model which has a terrible blind spot especially with the black interior, horrible and unsafe I think. Am I crazy or what for wanting to come back to the Toyota family after such a long time???

Sandman6472

Work went as well as can be expected today. The new safety protocols they have now have split up or team which I'm very unhappy about. There were about 8 of us that worked very well together and we all generally liked each others company. Sometimes, in a business environment, that can be hard to find. A few of us even had a few lunches while we were on furlough as it's an easy friendship. I miss that and speaking with them, the feelings are mutual. But until things go back to normal, it's just the way it is. No groups of more than 5 people in a 15 pack and only 4 in a minivan.
Having staggered start times as they take our temps before we're allowed to work. Anything higher than 100.4 and we'll be sent home for the day. Masks must be worn while in a group, they gave out gloves and sanitized wipes and hand cleaners/sanitizers, so I applaud their taking our health and safety so seriously. Thank you Enterprise.
Still, we have a ton of sitting vehicles that must be put back into the rental arena plus the vehicles that have been sold to dealers and such, need to be delivered. So, we have plenty of work for the next few months. Their keeping our hours down to around 28 per week, give or take, and Saturdays and Sundays are just not happening at this point. Sundays probably will be coming back I was told by my boss as he knows I like to work Sundays as well as my Tuesday/Wednesday/Friday schedule. That little bit of extra income from Sundays helps make a decent paycheck.
I thank G-d that we were able to get unemployment and truth be told, it's just easier to stay at home and continue to get the benefits but now that we are open, just doesn't seem right. They were very generous when they needed to be but now, we need to get back to work and get this economy moving again! So yes, super glad to be back at work and even though it was nice sleeping later and going to sleep later, playing on the computer and watching lots of t v, time to get back to work. I look at it as an 86 day paid holiday and very glad that we stayed home for the most part and stayed healthy. Let's just hope this Covid-19 will go away as quickly as it showed up. I want our old life back...NOW!

stickguy

not crazy. they are well built, reliable, economical cars. No, not the most exotic, but if you like how it drives that is all that really matters.

ab348

Sandy, I actually quite like the looks of the Corolla hatch. If I was in the market right now it would definitely be on my list as I like hatches and that one looks great. Don’t get too hung up on the wheels though as the different trims give different interior treatments and color choices. You’ll be looking at the interior a lot more than the wheels.

Actually there was speculation that Toyota would be introducing a hot hatch version of the Corolla next year which would be very, very interesting.

stickguy

not a bad looking package. A bit pricier than I thought, but pretty well equipped. If you don't mind manual seats and no moonroof!

but if I was looking at these, would definitely cross shop an Elantra GT.

https://www.holmantoyota.com/inventory/new-2020-toyota-corolla-hatchback-se-fwd-hatchback-jtnd4rbe0l3081423

https://www.faulknerhyundaiphilly.com/VehicleDetails/new-2020-Hyundai-Elantra_GT-Auto-Philadelphia-PA/3598508883

stickguy

though this is a nicer model. Got the zippy 1.6T motor and DSG my Sport had, and some other goodies.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/806689533/overview/

oldfarmer50

Sandman6472 said:

Going to check out a 2020 Toyota Corolla hatchback tomorrow if time allows. Drove a regular Corolla at work today and was surprised at ow nice it drive. They did their CVT tranny the right way and feels much more natural than most from Nissan. But did also drive a new 2020 Altima with around 28K on the clock and it drove surprisingly nice to be honest. They've definitely improved their CVT trannys and wondering how the new 2020 Sentra drives.
Back to the Corolla, it had just under 29K on it and was amazed at how well it did everything. More power than I thought and since it doesn't have a turbo, no turbo lag to deal with. The SE four door is a nice package with special alloys, an old co-worker bought a 2019 and said it drove better than his 2017 Camry LE which surprised me. But the hatch is the Corolla which I like. The XSE is nice but prefer the SE model as I like the alloys so much better. Not a fan of blacked out alloys at all, actually, I hate 'em! But the SE model has nicer aluminum wheels that look to be polished. Have sat in a few and ergonomically, it all worked. Now I know a Corolla is not something to write home about, but, am at that point where I just want a "cheap to keep" vehicle. It's small which is a plus, and a hatchback, another plus as we already have one sedan and don't really need another. Sirius/XM is included but not sure about a moon roof but still a plus. And the mpg's, another big plus.
I know it's a downgrade in terms of sporty vehicles but I'm finding out that I don't have the stomach for a vehicle which has some expensive fixes when things start to go wrong. The Golf has cost me more in repairs than I would have liked plus it needs synthetic oil changes. It's just more $ to maintain. And now knowing that both axle boots are starting to leak is just going to be another expense coming up. The fun factor quotient won't be as high but the added piece of mind is something I think I might want. And the price ain't to bad either. Couple that with the 0% financing and the 180 days of no monthly nut are all very tempting. I just don't think I could stomach a BMW, MB or even a Mini Cooper as underneath, it's really a BMW now.
Luckily, am in no big hurry as I think the cheap financing will stick around another couple of months. But, still want to go drive one and see if I could live with one as my daily driver for the next many years. Curious if their are any real bad blind spots like their CR-V model which has a terrible blind spot especially with the black interior, horrible and unsafe I think. Am I crazy or what for wanting to come back to the Toyota family after such a long time???

I think I read somewhere that Toyota incorporated an actual 1st gear into their CVTs which gives it a much more “natural” feel on take off. Don’t know if they put that in the Corolla. I think you’re right, VW might be more fun but if you plan on keeping it a long time go with the Toyota.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

not a bad looking package. A bit pricier than I thought, but pretty well equipped. If you don't mind manual seats and no moonroof!

but if I was looking at these, would definitely cross shop an Elantra GT.

https://www.holmantoyota.com/inventory/new-2020-toyota-corolla-hatchback-se-fwd-hatchback-jtnd4rbe0l3081423

https://www.faulknerhyundaiphilly.com/VehicleDetails/new-2020-Hyundai-Elantra_GT-Auto-Philadelphia-PA/3598508883

That Corolla is pretty pricey. How much more for a Camry?

ab348

Interesting that the Corolla is made in Japan, unlike the sedan version.

corvette

Youse guys who own foam cannons - is this something I should invest in? I have a cheap electric pressure washer, but hardly ever use it for auto cleaning. Any particular brand you'd recommend?

benjaminh

Sandman6472 said:

....The Golf has cost me more in repairs than I would have liked....

Is your Golf a 2015? If so, that does seem a bit soon for problems.

mjfloyd1

Corolla 121 hp
Elantra 122 hp
Hyundai 1.6T 175 hp

My Audi RS7 approx 516 crank hp from factory. It may or may not be APR tuned - 600 wheel hp and 700 ft lbs torque at wheels. I got a ticket stock. It was totally my fault. 🙃. I should have gotten a ticket later but I knew the deputy and he just told me to slow down.

stickguy

though this is a nicer model. Got the zippy 1.6T motor and DSG my Sport had, and some other goodies.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/806689533/overview/

corvette said:

Youse guys who own foam cannons - is this something I should invest in? I have a cheap electric pressure washer, but hardly ever use it for auto cleaning. Any particular brand you'd recommend?

I was just researching them. watched a couple videos and read some "best ones" reviews. Mostly seemed that there were a bunch of comparable cheaper ones. I did not end up ordering though.

stickguy

benjaminh said:

Sandman6472 said:

....The Golf has cost me more in repairs than I would have liked....

Is your Golf a 2015? If so, that does seem a bit soon for problems.

well, it is a VW.

stickguy

mjfloyd1 said:

Corolla 121 hp
Elantra 122 hp
Hyundai 1.6T 175 hp

My Audi RS7 approx 516 crank hp from factory. It may or may not be APR tuned - 600 wheel hp and 700 ft lbs torque at wheels. I got a ticket stock. It was totally my fault. 🙃

the Hyundai GT N line has the 201 HP 1.6t. having had that in my Sport, I can say it is really quick and responsive.

mjfloyd1

I wonder what the trade offer will be for a 2015 Golf with dirty carfax?? Any guesses??

I assume Mannheim less 2k??

explorerx4

I had a 1980 VW which leaked oil from the sending unit.
10 years ago, one of my kid's boyfriend had a GTI which I wouldn't let him park in my driveway because it leaked oil.

benjaminh

JRGO has put an impressive amount of money, time, and parts into his Saab 95. This is one of about 4 videos on this one car, which I guess is his?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0UAsV9S4_k

corvette

I've watched a few of WatchJRGo's videos yesterday and tonight. The Civic Hybrid battery rebuild is interesting, and disappointing that it didn't work. Looks like that's on the shelf for now. I'm wondering where he finds these cars--Craigslist and FB Marketplace both seem to be cesspools.

stickguy

mjfloyd1 said:

I wonder what the trade offer will be for a 2015 Golf with dirty carfax?? Any guesses??

I assume Mannheim less 2k??

in this market, I will guess $5,000

stickguy

those cesspools, and now people find him I think.

I saw the Civic hybrid episodes. or at least a couple. Can't remember how that ended up, but I thought they got the battery working?

oldfarmer50

corvette said:

I've watched a few of WatchJRGo's videos yesterday and tonight. The Civic Hybrid battery rebuild is interesting, and disappointing that it didn't work. Looks like that's on the shelf for now. I'm wondering where he finds these cars--Craigslist and FB Marketplace both seem to be cesspools.

He keeps making references to an R8 that needs an engine too. I can’t believe he got that on CL.

CL can be a godsend for people on a budget. I’ve sold a couple of cars there and bought a few as well. You have to be careful but you can sometimes find decent transportation. Just have to find the prince among the frogs.

Cars I’ve bought on CL:





Cars I’ve sold on CL:

stickguy

I don't think I ever bought one (maybe the 1998 Contour in 2007). But I did sell a few (Miata, Volvo, maybe the Odyssey and Accord). Oh, and the TL. So I did pretty good selling, but looking, that always just made me want to beat my head on the wall.

at this point, if I decide to buy something used next time I am due, I really don't think it will be a private sale deal. will pay more and stick with a dealer.

stickguy

this one is interesting. RWD, manual, sports package, fancy lights and stereo. Probably not all that common. but had to be black over black?

https://www.royaleasing.com/details-2013-bmw-3_series-328i-used-wba3a5c55dj584519.html

corvette

stickguy said:

those cesspools, and now people find him I think.

I saw the Civic hybrid episodes. or at least a couple. Can't remember how that ended up, but I thought they got the battery working?

Last I saw, battery showed the correct voltage, but the car didn't operate as a proper hybrid. It did run decently as an ICE car with the hybrid battery disconnected. The official Honda troubleshooting was to swap various parts with "known good" ones, which they didn't have available. The Prius with the hole in the ICE was interesting, too.

Sandman6472

If they offer like $5K as a trade-in value, then I'd be in a real quandry really. Think I'd keep it a bit longer and just take my chances at this point. My commute is 3.3 miles each way, door to door. No way do I need a new car to do this slight amount of miles. Then the plan on me just taking the A3 and then trading the Golf. I'd give the wife the difference between what they'd give her for the A3 and the Golf as she should be in the same position $ wise no matter which way we go. Besides hers needing extra oil every so often, have had zero issues with it besides a couple of dead batteries replaced under warranty. Or maybe it was just one, think mine's on battery #3...with two new vehicles so close in ownership time, gets confusing.
Off tomorrow and was thinking of checking out the Corolla but we'll see. I know I'll get flack about it, and just not wanting to deal with all that extra noise from her. I like my buying experience to be a stressless process if at all possible. I always go with my gut feeling like most of us in here. After a test drive, I know pretty quickly if it's going to be in the garage or not at some point. Happened that way with the Golf, just knew I'd own this one at some future date. And a few of the others were the same way. Only the Tucson wasn't thought out like it should've been and should've listened to her when she told me to give it some more time. I totally own that "cluster f--k" of ownership as a colossal mistake, buying a new vehicle on a rainy day is never a good omen.
So, plan to tread lightly here and do my homework before making any decision. So finding the perfect vehicle will be step #1 and then, the numbers will have to fall into place of course with the zero financing rate. Let the games begin!

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

I don't think I ever bought one (maybe the 1998 Contour in 2007). But I did sell a few (Miata, Volvo, maybe the Odyssey and Accord). Oh, and the TL. So I did pretty good selling, but looking, that always just made me want to beat my head on the wall.

at this point, if I decide to buy something used next time I am due, I really don't think it will be a private sale deal. will pay more and stick with a dealer.

I wouldn’t buy a private sale car over $5k unless I knew the seller.

graphicguy

corvette said:

I've watched a few of WatchJRGo's videos yesterday and tonight. The Civic Hybrid battery rebuild is interesting, and disappointing that it didn't work. Looks like that's on the shelf for now. I'm wondering where he finds these cars--Craigslist and FB Marketplace both seem to be cesspools.

Unless I’m misremembering from a couple of weeks ago, I think he ended up getting the Civic Hybrid battery sorted out with some new cells. I know he had some issues with the 12 volt battery that were resolved with a new battery, and he didn’t have any dash lights, anymore. I thought he was finished. Could be wrong, though.

He gets cars from CL and just bought one from the auction/salvage yard they all seem to love, COPART.

His Audi has been on the back burner for a while. Apparently, very expensive to fix, and difficult to diagnose, with limited parts availability. No surprise there.

tjc78

I sold my 04 Grand Marquis on CL as well as some audio stuff. Works well enough once you weed out the flakes.

28firefighter

I sold the Viggen on CL. The fact it was a Saab and a manual pretty well took care of any flakes.

kyfdx

Sold the '87 E30 and the '95 M3 on CL. Both priced just under $5K

qbrozen

Paging @roadburner

tjc78

Beautiful car.

ab348

Too bad it is black on black, otherwise just fabulous.

stickguy

For the right car, I can do black exterior or black interior. But not both at the same time!

qbrozen

have feelers out for several MBs. Just can't seem to get responses from salespeople. Some I have reached out to several times through several methods of communication, and still nothing. Very very weird. Today's obsession is a black on tan ML550 with 73k miles. Priced quite reasonably. Depending on dealer fees, I might not even have to negotiate.

stickguy

I thought you wanted a Porsche?

qbrozen

stickguy said:

I thought you wanted a Porsche?

I'd go either way, but the $/performance+looks equation tilts in favor of the MB. What I'd want in a Porsche still seems to be tough to come by at a reasonable price. The standard V8s are just too slow until you get to the '11 models. And getting a turbo is like trying to wrestle a gold nugget from a desperate prospector.

jmonroe1

qbrozen said:

damn, @stickguy, you cursed me! My son was out using the pusher for the little fenced in area. Came back in after a while and said "what kind of oil does the mower use?" Huh? What? What are you talking about? "I'm mowing. It is smoking. We pulled the dipstick and there's no oil." Uhhhh... did it quit on you? "Yeah. We tried restarting and it won't. We opened the oil cap and steam is coming out." Oh my.

Man, am I ever late to this discussion.

When it was time to let Son #1 cut the grass, the first thing I told him was to always, ALWAYS check the oil FIRST. I told him the mower will let you know when it’s out of gas but it won’t tell you it’s out of oil until it’s too late. I knew I got my point across when Son #1 passed those words onto his younger brother when it was time for him to start cutting the grass. Both of them have passed on those words of wisdom to their sons. Sorry @q, if you didn’t have a father son talk to your son about this, this one is on you...tsk, tsk.

jmonroe

qbrozen

jmonroe1 said:

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Man, am I ever late to this discussion.

When it was time to let Son #1 cut the grass, the first thing I told him was to always, ALWAYS check the oil FIRST. I told him the mower will let you know when it’s out of gas but it won’t tell you it’s out of oil until it’s too late. I knew I got my point across when Son #1 passed those words onto his younger brother when it was time for him to start cutting the grass. Both of them have passed on those words of wisdom to their sons. Sorry @q, if you didn’t have a father son talk to your son about this, this one is on you...tsk, tsk.

jmonroe

LOL. Well I never check it. haha. You'd think someone like me would. I just don't have the respect for my lawn equip that I do my cars, I guess.

Sandman6472

Living up north just north of New York City, the folks had a gardener who also plowed our very steep driveway in the winter. My dad worked in the city and either took the train from Scarborough into Grand Central or drove into New Jersey when the plant was moved there. We had a family business like NY that my grandpa started after coming from the Ukraine through Argentina into New York. My dad, being the oldest, went into the business so his folks could spend their winters as snowbirds in the Miami area.
So, since out lawn was cut by the gardener/plow guy, we never had to do it. My other grandpa had a smallish lawn at their place and had a push mower with wheels which one had to just push. He taught us basically how to do it and tried to show us how to raise tomatoes and other vegetables. Once we moved to Florida, the folks hired out the lawn guy as there are a whole mess load of folks in the business. Once we sold the condo and bought this house, I drove down the street and found my lawn guy. Fast forward thirty something years and we've had our current guy maybe 12 years or so. His English ain't so good but with hand gestures and such, we do communicate. He keeps the lawn looking very green and lush especially now that the rainy season is upon us. And a good thing as my sprinklers need repair but it can be put off a few months down the road.
So, my kids also never had to mow the lawn as history repeated itself once again. And to be honest, the kids in St. Cloud also found a guy cutting lawns in their neighborhood and he now has them as one of his clients. And the cycle continues yet once again!