Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

won't be an issue going through NY. It is only for people flying in and leaving the airport. Plus, need to be staying more than a day. So stopping at a rest area will not be an issue.

Travelers who are only passing through New York on a highway or a flyover are not subject to the order, so long as their stay is less than 24 hours

Yes, that’s today. Yesterday you could fly in and it was all voluntary. Tomorrow, who knows? Remember, this is a state that would send agents to the malls in NJ to log NY plates and then send the owners threatening letters demanding they pay sales tax.

Sandman6472

Is N Y locked down again? I know the numbers are going the wrong way in Florida and the governor seems totally clueless about what to do. Hope people remember how the government reacted these last few months and vote accordingly. This is basically the worst case scenario situation and some of our so called leaders have really dropped the ball...just like in our everyday lives, there are consequences for all our actions!!

qbrozen

Michaell said:

kyfdx said:

Member needs input
https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/62104/general/x/has-anyone-bought-a-car-entirely-online-during-lockdown#latest

I'm thinking this perfect for @qbrozen to answer, with his ML63 experience.

done.

pensfan83

After reading conflicting accounts on LH and Acurazine on whether I can use Acura's pull ahead my dealer confirmed the RDX is not eligible but they can still make the deal and use part of the loyalty incentive to take care of the last 2 payments, esp. if mileage was a concern. I told them we'll just wait it out.

The lease end inspection is scheduled in 3 weeks and the final payment made shortly after that, and before current programs end, so the only thing we're worried about is local inventory continuing to thin out.

andres3

mjfloyd1 said:

I’m not convinced that “beast” is the right descriptor

Wolf is Sheep's clothing? I always run down Cayman's.

Whatever you call it; it's fun, fast, quick, and sure-footed. You don't need to be Lewis Hamilton to drive it fast; rain or shine.

Sandman6472

At the Chevy store across the street, two 2019 Mini Cooper Countryman's have popped up, one white over black and the other, black over black. Like the white one, an ex-rental with just about 21K on it and asking just under $20K. A new one just like it is showing a price of $33K, so a nice discount there. Part of me really wants to go take a test drive just to see if I even like it. Not a real fan of used vehicles and it bring from a rental fleet, does give me pause. Didn't mention if either has Apple CarPlay which one would thin it would. No SAT radio either. But, has piqued my interest here though in a perfect world, I'd go look at the new 2020 model and call it a day!
One positive is that having worked so long at rental companies, I saw and still see that they definitely take care of the oil changes and any other problems that do crop up. It's only the way renters drove it that gives me pause here. I treat any rental like it was my own personal vehicle but have sen how others trash them for no other reason than...they can! Off today to so after the laundry is done, thinking of driving across the street to check it out.

breld

andres3 said:

mjfloyd1 said:

I’m not convinced that “beast” is the right descriptor

Wolf is Sheep's clothing? I always run down Cayman's.

Whatever you call it; it's fun, fast, quick, and sure-footed. You don't need to be Lewis Hamilton to drive it fast; rain or shine.

I loved the couple TTS’s I drove. And of course those weren’t tuned.

Great balance of practicality (for what it is), sharp handling and great looks. I declared it would be my new fun car after the first drive.

But I was seduced by the Supra. Love the looks of it and the 6 cylinder. And with the discount I got, it was a strong value compared to the used TTS’s I was looking at. And with back to back test drives, I actually thought the BMW (er, Toyota I mean), was a bit more forgiving over bumps and rough roads than the Audi.

breld

I keep planning on providing more impressions on the Supra for anyone interested, but I’m also reserving that until I get through the break-in, which is 1,500 miles. I’ve been fairly religious at keeping it under the 4,500 RPMs. But it’s no garage queen - I passed 1,100 miles yesterday.

In short, I’ve been really impressed at the car for its day to day drivability combined with the performance.

ronsteve

benjaminh said:

ronsteve said:

....I'm not even sure whether I should be looking for an enabler to get me back to wagon goodness, or someone to talk me back to my senses and out of going from a 5-year-old Acura into a 7-year-old Volvo (albeit with similar mileage).

I've always loved Volvo wagons myself, even from when I was a kid. But to me it seems like a risky move. And here's one thing—I use AndroidAuto for the maps and other features all the time in my car, and I don't think a 7-year old Volvo has that. Come to think of it probably your RDX doesn't have that either? What's the Carfax offer on the RDX? Not what you have in mind, but the loyalty incentives on new Acuras are pretty good right now, esp. on the new RDX. If you're looking for something that's more fun to drive than an suv would you consider a sedan or coupe?

My RDX is a '15, so the year before they got the AndroidAuto. Thing is, the tech isn't a big deal to me. I don't even press OK to acknowledge that I'm supposed to pay attention to the road and not the screen; I just let it go dark after 30 or 60 seconds. I'd probably leave half of the driver aids on the XC70 turned off, though the BLIS is nice.

The RDX was a compromise when I bought it. I'm much more a wagon guy than a SUV guy. Couldn't find a 6-cylinder Outback around here, or really a V60 at all, and the XC70s of similar age and mileage were well above my price point. The RDX is a good car and does just about everything I need it to do, though its cargo footprint makes the game of Tetris around a bike a little more interesting if we're going away for a weekend to race a triathlon. I like it. But I don't love it, and I don't see myself taking it to 200K like I damn near did with the V70 that preceded it.

I'm at 67K on the RDX and Carvana hit it right at 15. If I give this dealer a shot at it, the sales tax credit puts the break-even number just north of 14. The ask on the Volvo with 70K miles is 16,9. I'm not sure how far north of 16 I'm willing to go.

If I don't pull the trigger on this Volvo, I could easily stay put for another 3 years or more, depending on when I start itching at the sight of another good copy of a Volvo wagon, or the right Outback. I guess Outbacks will always be out there, CVT be damned.

stickguy

Sandy, might as well look at it. Even better to look at the used one. Same car as a brand new one, but you can see how it held up too!

It’s German. Don’t count on something like car play (heck a BU camera). It’s not like a Hyundai where even a cheap model has lots of features.

Sandman6472

Since I've switched jobs, looks like I've put on about 2200 miles since the beginning of December. I also had about a 600 mile drive up and back to Orlando in that total. We also need to factor in those weeks we were at home where the Golf sat 90% of the time. Am figuring by years end, will be lucky to be at 5500/year. Was averaging 13K/year when I had that long commute so things are much better now. And probably why I haven't actively been looking for something newer, the amount I'm driving just ain't worth it right now. And with what I spent on the new tires and recent valve cover replacement, just don't want to spend much more out of pocket.

benjaminh

ronsteve said:

....If I don't pull the trigger on this Volvo, I could easily stay put for another 3 years or more, depending on when I start itching at the sight of another good copy of a Volvo wagon, or the right Outback. I guess Outbacks will always be out there, CVT be damned.

If a Volvo wagon is what you really want, well then we here at Chronic Car Buyers support you! I just wonder if this is the one, given the possible electrical gremlins.

benjaminh

Today was already a good bike and car day for me. Drove to New Albany, got my folding bike out the trunk, and then rode at dawn along the bike path that starts between Water Street and the Ohio for several miles. Then on the way home I drove on the highway with all the windows down and the moonroof open, and turned up the stereo as Bach's Toccata and Fugue played. Had some visions of Disney's Fantasia as I wound my way through the light traffic with the wind in my hair on my way home. When Bach was over I didn't want it to be over, and I remembered the rewind function on the new generation of XM and listened to part of it again.

breld

@ronsteve - Unless Carvana is silly high, no real reason the dealership shouldn’t match it, so you can get that same $15k plus the tax savings. It’s not like the dealership is paying the tax break.

I’d certainly start with that anyway.

tifighter

From a utility standpoint, the XC70 is good, with real roof rails, a completely flat 6-ft long cargo area and factory 2" tow hitch. But, as ronsteve may now know, it isn't sporty. The used alternatives are out there, although they may not be obvious at first. But I'd also consider a 3-series wagon or allroad on the smaller side (and don't write off the 3-series GT, it's long), an E-class wagon around the same size, to a Ford Flex on the bigger side. I didn't go the Outback route as I found the seats to not fit me at 6'2" - of course, YMMV...

benjaminh

If I were buying a Volvo wagon right now this is the one I might get. Interior color combo is a bit crazy, but I kinda like it. But since I wouldn't qualify for the 3k Volvo loyalty rebate the price would be higher. For anyone who qualifies for loyalty, however, this wagon seems like a nice deal to me.

https://www.wcvolvocars.com/commercial-new/Volvo/2020-Volvo-V60-4413318d0a0e0a1772e80b10b6c2032b.htm

Michaell

One for the Acura fans:

https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/62116/acura/x/2020-acura-mdx-transmission-replaced-at-500-miles#latest

ronsteve

Yes @tifighter, in 11 years with a V70 I knew not to expect sporty. And I knew this generation XC70 is about 500 pounds heavier than my old wagon. For me to make a move right now, something would really have to hit a sweet spot. This wagon is close.

I test drove an Outback before I got the RDX and did have reservations about the seats. BMW reliability scares me at least a little bit, and I'm still not too sure about VW/Audi corporate ethics between dieselgate and monkeygate.

stickguy

I too like that V60

stickguy

Michaell said:

One for the Acura fans:

https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/62116/acura/x/2020-acura-mdx-transmission-replaced-at-500-miles#latest

Poor people. I through out my $.02. Which might not be worth that much. As a new Acura owner, a depressing read!

pensfan83

Ditto, I feel bad for them but I chimed in too for whatever it's worth.

Michaell

I appreciate the comments, even though it's a tough situation.

stickguy

Maybe they get lucky and Acura tells dealer to flip them a new one, and put that one into loaner service. Not likely, but these days, what is normal?

Michaell

stickguy said:

Maybe they get lucky and Acura tells dealer to flip them a new one, and put that one into loaner service. Not likely, but these days, what is normal?

If they push, that could be a possible outcome.

What I do know is that if this were @graphicguy, he'd have an uphill battle for everything, given his track record with buybacks.

stickguy

GG has the lemon law lawyer on speed dial.

If this happened on my new one, would not have been happy. A defective battery was bad enough!

andres3

breld said:

I keep planning on providing more impressions on the Supra for anyone interested, but I’m also reserving that until I get through the break-in, which is 1,500 miles. I’ve been fairly religious at keeping it under the 4,500 RPMs. But it’s no garage queen - I passed 1,100 miles yesterday.

In short, I’ve been really impressed at the car for its day to day drivability combined with the performance.

Given you never keep cars until the wheels fall off, I'd call it good on the break in at 1,100 miles and start having fun immediately!!!!! 1,500 miles break-in is ridiculous anyway.

stickguy

Especially because mile 1,501 usually belongs to the next owner.

andres3

ronsteve said:

Yes @tifighter, in 11 years with a V70 I knew not to expect sporty. And I knew this generation XC70 is about 500 pounds heavier than my old wagon. For me to make a move right now, something would really have to hit a sweet spot. This wagon is close.

I test drove an Outback before I got the RDX and did have reservations about the seats. BMW reliability scares me at least a little bit, and I'm still not too sure about VW/Audi corporate ethics between dieselgate and monkeygate.

What is monkeygate?

andres3

ronsteve said:

Yes @tifighter, in 11 years with a V70 I knew not to expect sporty. And I knew this generation XC70 is about 500 pounds heavier than my old wagon. For me to make a move right now, something would really have to hit a sweet spot. This wagon is close.

I test drove an Outback before I got the RDX and did have reservations about the seats. BMW reliability scares me at least a little bit, and I'm still not too sure about VW/Audi corporate ethics between dieselgate and monkeygate.

I'd trust BMW more than Volvo, but that's just because CR is my Bible.

andres3

breld said:

andres3 said:

mjfloyd1 said:

I’m not convinced that “beast” is the right descriptor

Wolf is Sheep's clothing? I always run down Cayman's.

Whatever you call it; it's fun, fast, quick, and sure-footed. You don't need to be Lewis Hamilton to drive it fast; rain or shine.

I loved the couple TTS’s I drove. And of course those weren’t tuned.

Great balance of practicality (for what it is), sharp handling and great looks. I declared it would be my new fun car after the first drive.

But I was seduced by the Supra. Love the looks of it and the 6 cylinder. And with the discount I got, it was a strong value compared to the used TTS’s I was looking at. And with back to back test drives, I actually thought the BMW (er, Toyota I mean), was a bit more forgiving over bumps and rough roads than the Audi.

Do you remember if you rode on the typical 20" wheel upgraded TTS? The standard stock or aftermarket size of 19" makes it MUCH more compliant for bumps and road defects. However, 90% were ordered with 20's by dealership sales manager's that always know better than the consumer apparently.

ronsteve

andres3 said:

ronsteve said:

Yes @tifighter, in 11 years with a V70 I knew not to expect sporty. And I knew this generation XC70 is about 500 pounds heavier than my old wagon. For me to make a move right now, something would really have to hit a sweet spot. This wagon is close.

I test drove an Outback before I got the RDX and did have reservations about the seats. BMW reliability scares me at least a little bit, and I'm still not too sure about VW/Audi corporate ethics between dieselgate and monkeygate.

What is monkeygate?

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/02/wildlife-watch-lab-monkey-testing-volkswagen-auto-industry/

Just bumped into the paywall, so try this one...

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/jan/29/vw-condemned-for-testing-diesel-fumes-on-humans-and-monkeys

oldfarmer50

Sandman6472 said:

At the Chevy store across the street, two 2019 Mini Cooper Countryman's have popped up, one white over black and the other, black over black. Like the white one, an ex-rental with just about 21K on it and asking just under $20K. A new one just like it is showing a price of $33K, so a nice discount there. Part of me really wants to go take a test drive just to see if I even like it. Not a real fan of used vehicles and it bring from a rental fleet, does give me pause. Didn't mention if either has Apple CarPlay which one would thin it would. No SAT radio either. But, has piqued my interest here though in a perfect world, I'd go look at the new 2020 model and call it a day!
One positive is that having worked so long at rental companies, I saw and still see that they definitely take care of the oil changes and any other problems that do crop up. It's only the way renters drove it that gives me pause here. I treat any rental like it was my own personal vehicle but have sen how others trash them for no other reason than...they can! Off today to so after the laundry is done, thinking of driving across the street to check it out.

I’ve liked the Minis I’ve driven. Roomy inside for a small car. The only thing that would worry me would be the tales of poor reliability. I know you didn’t like running around for that minor oil leak on your VW. How would you feel if stuff started breaking on a Mini?

oldfarmer50

ronsteve said:

andres3 said:

ronsteve said:

Yes @tifighter, in 11 years with a V70 I knew not to expect sporty. And I knew this generation XC70 is about 500 pounds heavier than my old wagon. For me to make a move right now, something would really have to hit a sweet spot. This wagon is close.

I test drove an Outback before I got the RDX and did have reservations about the seats. BMW reliability scares me at least a little bit, and I'm still not too sure about VW/Audi corporate ethics between dieselgate and monkeygate.

What is monkeygate?

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2018/02/wildlife-watch-lab-monkey-testing-volkswagen-auto-industry/

Just bumped into the paywall, so try this one...

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/jan/29/vw-condemned-for-testing-diesel-fumes-on-humans-and-monkeys

I wouldn’t mind breathing fumes for hours if the pay was right but I’d probably balk at the dissection later to see the results.

Would I get to play with the monkeys?🐵

Michaell

oldfarmer50 said:

Sandman6472 said:

At the Chevy store across the street, two 2019 Mini Cooper Countryman's have popped up, one white over black and the other, black over black. Like the white one, an ex-rental with just about 21K on it and asking just under $20K. A new one just like it is showing a price of $33K, so a nice discount there. Part of me really wants to go take a test drive just to see if I even like it. Not a real fan of used vehicles and it bring from a rental fleet, does give me pause. Didn't mention if either has Apple CarPlay which one would thin it would. No SAT radio either. But, has piqued my interest here though in a perfect world, I'd go look at the new 2020 model and call it a day!
One positive is that having worked so long at rental companies, I saw and still see that they definitely take care of the oil changes and any other problems that do crop up. It's only the way renters drove it that gives me pause here. I treat any rental like it was my own personal vehicle but have sen how others trash them for no other reason than...they can! Off today to so after the laundry is done, thinking of driving across the street to check it out.

I’ve liked the Minis I’ve driven. Roomy inside for a small car. The only thing that would worry me would be the tales of poor reliability. I know you didn’t like running around for that minor oil leak on your VW. How would you feel if stuff started breaking on a Mini?

My daughters MINI Countryman S ALL4 is 6+ years old and has 44,000 miles on it. While not perfect, it has been far more reliable than the rumors would have you think. The only thing that has stranded it have been flat tires, even with the run flats.

Question is, how close is the MINI dealer or a trusted independent mechanic?

carnaught

Sandman6472 said:

Is N Y locked down again? I know the numbers are going the wrong way in Florida and the governor seems totally clueless about what to do. Hope people remember how the government reacted these last few months and vote accordingly. This is basically the worst case scenario situation and some of our so called leaders have really dropped the ball...just like in our everyday lives, there are consequences for all our actions!!

Man, the medical brains really don’t even know what to do - this is a rough one! If you think a politician, playing armchair quarterback knows, you are badly mistaken, sir.
(Off my soapbox)

xwesx

corvette said:

I don’t think most glass shops do that. I can feel the scratches with my fingernail. They’re perfectly vertical, must’ve been the poor guy’s talons.

Goose talons.... that's quite a bird!

breld

andres3 said:

breld said:

andres3 said:

mjfloyd1 said:

I’m not convinced that “beast” is the right descriptor

Wolf is Sheep's clothing? I always run down Cayman's.

Whatever you call it; it's fun, fast, quick, and sure-footed. You don't need to be Lewis Hamilton to drive it fast; rain or shine.

I loved the couple TTS’s I drove. And of course those weren’t tuned.

Great balance of practicality (for what it is), sharp handling and great looks. I declared it would be my new fun car after the first drive.

But I was seduced by the Supra. Love the looks of it and the 6 cylinder. And with the discount I got, it was a strong value compared to the used TTS’s I was looking at. And with back to back test drives, I actually thought the BMW (er, Toyota I mean), was a bit more forgiving over bumps and rough roads than the Audi.

Do you remember if you rode on the typical 20" wheel upgraded TTS? The standard stock or aftermarket size of 19" makes it MUCH more compliant for bumps and road defects. However, 90% were ordered with 20's by dealership sales manager's that always know better than the consumer apparently.

Both of the TTS models I drove had the 20" wheels - one the standard upgrade and the other had the black optic wheels. When I was browsing used examples, I was definitely attracted to the standard 19" wheels, but as you pointed out, it was quite a rarity to find them.

roadburner

oldfarmer50 said:

Would I get to play with the monkeys?🐵

Only if you promise not to spank them.

corvette

I passed a current gen V90 towing a small travel trailer yesterday. Looked good. I think I've only seen one XC40 on the road so far.

oldfarmer50

roadburner said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Would I get to play with the monkeys?🐵

Only if you promise not to spank them.

WOAH!🙊🙈

imidazol97

Have we set a record? RR has 7 LOL's.

This has me laughing despite having lived through a perfectly miserable day in many various aspects.

corvette

This Accord 2.0T "reader review," which I take to mean "voluntary / unpaid reader review," is better than any recent TTAC review written by a paid writer that I've read recently. Car and Driver also had a lot of praise for the 1.5T engine--apparently the extra horses against the competition's base engines really helped, and they liked the chassis dynamics a lot. I'd consider a used one to replace the G37 when the time comes if the resale values weren't so ridiculously high.

stickguy

these were a "dream car" when they came out (and I was in college). A bit tatty, but sounds like s solid driver with minor needs. Cheapish, though does have a salvage title. Though at 20 years old, probably did not take too much damage so if it passed an inspection, would not bother me (price reflective of course), All in all, a fun toy that you can actually use and enjoy!

https://carsandbids.com/auctions/3vpXdLJO/1984-volkswagen-rabbit-gti

qbrozen

stickguy said:

these were a "dream car" when they came out (and I was in college). A bit tatty, but sounds like s solid driver with minor needs. Cheapish, though does have a salvage title. Though at 20 years old, probably did not take too much damage so if it passed an inspection, would not bother me (price reflective of course), All in all, a fun toy that you can actually use and enjoy!

https://carsandbids.com/auctions/3vpXdLJO/1984-volkswagen-rabbit-gti

Geesh. $4250 with 5 days left. I’m out!

28firefighter

Looks like a first non paying bidder auction and re-list:
https://carsandbids.com/auctions/rwAZvwvl/2003-mazdaspeed-protege

stickguy

corvette said:

This Accord 2.0T "reader review," which I take to mean "voluntary / unpaid reader review," is better than any recent TTAC review written by a paid writer that I've read recently. Car and Driver also had a lot of praise for the 1.5T engine--apparently the extra horses against the competition's base engines really helped, and they liked the chassis dynamics a lot. I'd consider a used one to replace the G37 when the time comes if the resale values weren't so ridiculously high.

solid review. and points out why if I was getting a normal FWD car, likely not going to be the hot rod model (unless something like an Si or GTI that can get by). Standard engine just better all around. Still quick, better MPG, and not overpowering they drive wheels. basically just better balanced.

if you want the HiPo engine, either find a RWD something, or AWD. At least you can get the power down!

stickguy

qbrozen said:

stickguy said:

these were a "dream car" when they came out (and I was in college). A bit tatty, but sounds like s solid driver with minor needs. Cheapish, though does have a salvage title. Though at 20 years old, probably did not take too much damage so if it passed an inspection, would not bother me (price reflective of course), All in all, a fun toy that you can actually use and enjoy!

https://carsandbids.com/auctions/3vpXdLJO/1984-volkswagen-rabbit-gti

Geesh. $4250 with 5 days left. I’m out!

I watch these auctions for entertainment. I don't expect there will ever be a car I really want that I would be prepared to pay the winning bid on.

stickguy

28firefighter said:

Looks like a first non paying bidder auction and re-list:
https://carsandbids.com/auctions/rwAZvwvl/2003-mazdaspeed-protege

got up to $6,700. Probably a fair price. Not sure I would have gone that high or not. But still a cool car.

28firefighter

Continuing my theme of European cars that will probably break my heart, I really like this as a knock around car.

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/d/seattle-silver-jetta-wagon-2002/7160728233.html

Michaell

28firefighter said:

Continuing my theme of European cars that will probably break my heart, I really like this as a knock around car.

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/d/seattle-silver-jetta-wagon-2002/7160728233.html

I like Sadie. Unpretentious, stick shift, great sight lines. Great miles for age.

But, is $4000 a NP or CP?