Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

roadburner

graphicguy said:

roadburner said:

oldfarmer50 said:

benjaminh said:

14k discount on this new 2019 Mercedes C-class.

https://www.mercedesbloomington.com/new/Mercedes-Benz/2019-Mercedes-Benz-C-Class-0870de2c0a0e0ae841cb61bdcd49c4b5.htm

That’s a big discount but it’s a 2 year old car by now. How much would it have deprecated if it was sitting in your driveway for the last two years? I don’t see any miles listed, is it truly new?

I like the color though, you don’t see many white ones around me.

Lots of higher end stores have a few new 2019 models in inventory. That car is likely as dull a drive as a base F30 3er.

Wouldn’t kick it out of the garage, but no Burmeister Sound System. I’ve heard the MB base sound systems. They’re terrible. Burmeister would be a must.

Still, $32K....I could install a pretty nice aftermarket unit in that car. Or, get a better car with ALL the bells and buy a Honda Accord 2.0T Sport.

That’s what tempted me about that one G30- the B&W sound system- a $3000 option.

Every car I’m considering now has a H-K system with the exception of the Bullitt, which has a B&O. I’ve found that 99% of the GT Premium Perf Pkg cars are saddled with the base system.

pensfan83

Disappointing, but expected decision to cancel the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. There's a few standalone events scheduled over the next week that were organized by local car clubs, but nothing central to any location for obvious reasons.

benjaminh

Interesting that Car and Driver's long-term Accord 2.0T EXL was in some ways a better after it was broken in....

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a25348777/2018-honda-accord-reliability-maintenance/#:~:text=On its first trip to,14.3 seconds at 100 mph.

"On its first trip to the test track, the Accord proved that it is not your typical family sedan when it ran from zero to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds and made the quarter-mile in 14.3 seconds at 100 mph. With Hankook all-season tires wrapped around the Accord's 17-inch wheels, skidpad grip and braking from 70 mph were more average, at 0.86 g and 183 feet, respectively. When we tested it again after 40,000 miles, the Accord was 0.4 second quicker to 60 mph and through the quarter-mile—breaking into the 13s in the latter measure, a remarkable achievement for a family sedan. It also came to a stop from 70 mph 17 feet shorter on the same rubber."

explorerx4

Pretty much every vehicle gets faster by 40k. You just have to review some other long term C & D articles.

roadburner

explorerx4 said:

Pretty much every vehicle gets faster by 40k. You just have to review some other long term C & D articles.

Exactly!

qbrozen

SERIOUSLY!?!?
Why do these things have to come up when I'm NOT in the market?! UGH!!
https://carsandbids.com/auctions/3LowBv4y/2005-saab-9-2-x-aero

kyfdx

qbrozen said:

SERIOUSLY!?!?
Why do these things have to come up when I'm NOT in the market?! UGH!!
https://carsandbids.com/auctions/3LowBv4y/2005-saab-9-2-x-aero

Incredibly low mileage.

Why would you ever be out of the market?

explorerx4

@gbrozen,
Even in the same state as you.

28firefighter

kyfdx said:

qbrozen said:

SERIOUSLY!?!?
Why do these things have to come up when I'm NOT in the market?! UGH!!
https://carsandbids.com/auctions/3LowBv4y/2005-saab-9-2-x-aero

Incredibly low mileage.

Why would you ever be out of the market?

Tried to talk my Dad into this. I think it is a no brainer.

qbrozen

kyfdx said:

qbrozen said:

SERIOUSLY!?!?
Why do these things have to come up when I'm NOT in the market?! UGH!!
https://carsandbids.com/auctions/3LowBv4y/2005-saab-9-2-x-aero

Incredibly low mileage.

Why would you ever be out of the market?

It is a very complex algorithm. (W + I + F + E) x ($ / hrs of sleep with both eyes closed)

Michaell

Pricing help requested....

https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/62208/chevrolet/x/need-help-pricing-1970-chevy-nova-sedan#latest

oldfarmer50

roadburner said:

graphicguy said:

roadburner said:

oldfarmer50 said:

benjaminh said:

14k discount on this new 2019 Mercedes C-class.

https://www.mercedesbloomington.com/new/Mercedes-Benz/2019-Mercedes-Benz-C-Class-0870de2c0a0e0ae841cb61bdcd49c4b5.htm

That’s a big discount but it’s a 2 year old car by now. How much would it have deprecated if it was sitting in your driveway for the last two years? I don’t see any miles listed, is it truly new?

I like the color though, you don’t see many white ones around me.

Lots of higher end stores have a few new 2019 models in inventory. That car is likely as dull a drive as a base F30 3er.

Wouldn’t kick it out of the garage, but no Burmeister Sound System. I’ve heard the MB base sound systems. They’re terrible. Burmeister would be a must.

Still, $32K....I could install a pretty nice aftermarket unit in that car. Or, get a better car with ALL the bells and buy a Honda Accord 2.0T Sport.

That’s what tempted me about that one G30- the B&W sound system- a $3000 option.

Every car I’m considering now has a H-K system with the exception of the Bullitt, which has a B&O. I’ve found that 99% of the GT Premium Perf Pkg cars are saddled with the base system.

That’s because if you’re driving it right the exhaust will drown out the stereo. I made a right on red this morning and a car was coming at me faster than I thought. I did a Steve McQueen burn out and fishtail even with the TC on.

Didn’t matter how good or bad the sound system sounded.

oldfarmer50

qbrozen said:

SERIOUSLY!?!?
Why do these things have to come up when I'm NOT in the market?! UGH!!
https://carsandbids.com/auctions/3LowBv4y/2005-saab-9-2-x-aero

I was thinking, these stick shift wagons that you guys lust over were probably lot queens that were unsaleable when new. LOL

28firefighter

GM/Saab back in 2005-2006 were blowing out the Saabaru's on leases with heavy lease cash. I want to say my Dad almost leased one then for sub-$300/month.

roadburner

oldfarmer50 said:

roadburner said:

graphicguy said:

roadburner said:

oldfarmer50 said:

benjaminh said:

14k discount on this new 2019 Mercedes C-class.

https://www.mercedesbloomington.com/new/Mercedes-Benz/2019-Mercedes-Benz-C-Class-0870de2c0a0e0ae841cb61bdcd49c4b5.htm

That’s a big discount but it’s a 2 year old car by now. How much would it have deprecated if it was sitting in your driveway for the last two years? I don’t see any miles listed, is it truly new?

I like the color though, you don’t see many white ones around me.

Lots of higher end stores have a few new 2019 models in inventory. That car is likely as dull a drive as a base F30 3er.

Wouldn’t kick it out of the garage, but no Burmeister Sound System. I’ve heard the MB base sound systems. They’re terrible. Burmeister would be a must.

Still, $32K....I could install a pretty nice aftermarket unit in that car. Or, get a better car with ALL the bells and buy a Honda Accord 2.0T Sport.

That’s what tempted me about that one G30- the B&W sound system- a $3000 option.

Every car I’m considering now has a H-K system with the exception of the Bullitt, which has a B&O. I’ve found that 99% of the GT Premium Perf Pkg cars are saddled with the base system.

That’s because if you’re driving it right the exhaust will drown out the stereo. I made a right on red this morning and a car was coming at me faster than I thought. I did a Steve McQueen burn out and fishtail even with the TC on.

Didn’t matter how good or bad the sound system sounded.

I don't see why you should have to choose between having a listenable audio system and a nice sounding exhaust; me, I like to hear decent sound when I'm cruising- and even in Launch Mode my F22 lights up the tires.
That said, I do agree that the Ford Racing exhaust sounds MUCH better than the base Mustang stereo- but of course, so do fingernails on a chalkboard...

andres3

benjaminh said:

Interesting that Car and Driver's long-term Accord 2.0T EXL was in some ways a better after it was broken in....

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a25348777/2018-honda-accord-reliability-maintenance/#:~:text=On its first trip to,14.3 seconds at 100 mph.

"On its first trip to the test track, the Accord proved that it is not your typical family sedan when it ran from zero to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds and made the quarter-mile in 14.3 seconds at 100 mph. With Hankook all-season tires wrapped around the Accord's 17-inch wheels, skidpad grip and braking from 70 mph were more average, at 0.86 g and 183 feet, respectively. When we tested it again after 40,000 miles, the Accord was 0.4 second quicker to 60 mph and through the quarter-mile—breaking into the 13s in the latter measure, a remarkable achievement for a family sedan. It also came to a stop from 70 mph 17 feet shorter on the same rubber."

Hmmm... I wonder if the sophisticated computers in newer vehicles have a "break-in" period where it doesn't allow you to really "floor it" until you get to 1,000 miles or so.

benjaminh

Since we recently paid off the loan on my wife's CR-V, we got the paper from the bank today on it, which set me to wasting time after I filed that paper away.

As some of you probably remember, I maybe blew it when my wife said she was wondering about maybe trading in her 2018 CR-V on a 2020 CR-V hybrid. Actually, it didn't make any sense, but for the heck of it I ran the Edmunds used car estimated trade-in value on her car and it was a pretty good number—c. 19k for the AWD EX. This seems optimistic, but who knows. But then my mind went back not to the hybrid, but to the $3000 Acura loyalty incentive currently offered on the RDX. Now, we're not going to do this, because I'd never convince my wife to get anything but a hybrid, but.....The base RDX lists for c. $39k-3k incentive=36k- c.2k dealer discount = 34k - 19k trade-in = 15k+ 2k TTL = 17k financed at Acura's 0.9% over 5 years = monthly payments of $290. Seems pretty good.

But to actually do what she was mentioning it looks like the price of the CR-V EX hybrid with a discount is about $30k - 19k = 11k + TTL = c. 13k, which still makes no sense given that we'd save at most $500 a year on gas while driving an almost identical car. This is what I told her when she mentioned it, was that it would cost more than 10k to do that and we'd never save money even if we kept the car ten years.

But I was also thinking that any new car money might instead be saved for not an suv, but instead another car, whether it's paying off my 2018 TLX or getting something new.

28firefighter

Practicality and good financial reasoning have no place in this CCBA palace!

andres3

I was going to ask if it's better to get quotes on my A4 before I reach 30,000 miles shortly, or while the registration is still good for 6 more months in CA.

Then I was thinking the CCBA philosophy is why put off what you can do today? Unless you have a giant garage or property, you have to be a CCSA in order to be a CCBA.

nyccarguy

kyfdx said:

qbrozen said:

SERIOUSLY!?!?
Why do these things have to come up when I'm NOT in the market?! UGH!!
https://carsandbids.com/auctions/3LowBv4y/2005-saab-9-2-x-aero

Incredibly low mileage.

Why would you ever be out of the market?

+1

pensfan83

Got this email earlier, doesn't really move the needle for us.

Sandman6472

Use Harry's razor and love it! Great piece of equipment to be honest. But I only shave every 10 days or so...no one at work really cares about that stuff, but I always look presentable. I must admit when I stopped working back at the end of 2010, I kinda adopted the "sloth look" and had a goatee which eventually turned whitish gray. Wore baggy shorts, tee shirts and flip flops day in and day out. But after about eighteen months of this look, got serious and cleaned myself up. I guess when I was forced to retire early, just didn't care about how I looked and stayed home 90% of the time. Once I decided to get back into life & getting a job, went in the other direction.
But yes, Harry's products work great and definitely worth the little premium one pays for them. Beats Gillette by a mile!

benjaminh

pensfan83 said:

Got this email earlier, doesn't really move the needle for us.

Yeah, it's tough to beat the current $3000 loyalty incentive on the RDX.

On the other hand, the new TLX will probably list for about $3k less than the RDX for comparable trim levels, and the new TLX will be faster and have better handling.

Sandman6472

Drove a 2020 Highlander at work yesterday and was very impressed at how well it drove, drove like a much smaller SUV.
Today, drove a Mazda CX-5 with the Bose system and liked it. Think the new CX-3X has the same set-up so think that would work. I like to have a sound system with an amp all set-up from the factory so it's all under warranty. Going after market is fine but will probably cost more and sometimes, things don't fit so well. Hate for these audio guys to screw up the interior. Better to just consider models with the better systems already in them from the factory.
The Fender system I have now in the Golf is pretty decent for what it is. I never blast it past 50%, and it sounds good with no distortion. Even though I spend much less time commuting, still want my ride to have a decent sounding system. I'll give up certain other things but a good sound system is non-negotiable for me!

tjc78

Aftermarket audio in new cars is a little tougher than it used to be.

You usually need a special adapter or processor to connect outboard amps and the days of just throwing in a new head unit are pretty much over.

benjaminh

....

corvette

Saw a lot of stations selling Unleaded 88 on my trip, which is 15% ethanol instead of the normal 10%, and safe for 2001 and newer vehicles. Usually only a $0.03 to $0.05 per gallon discount, though. And, I think they've caught on to the fact that a lot of tuners are converting high performance cars to run on E85 because of the octane--E85 is often priced almost as high, and sometimes the same price as regular unleaded.

kyfdx

28firefighter said:

GM/Saab back in 2005-2006 were blowing out the Saabaru's on leases with heavy lease cash. I want to say my Dad almost leased one then for sub-$300/month.

I checked one out, myself. I had a GM Supplier discount.

ronsteve

I looked at a 9-2X in '05, but it was non-turbo. I had also looked at a WRX, but the "base" seats in both cars just weren't a good fit. Later on I test drove a WRX Limited (06 or 07) and those seats were a little better fit. Made me wonder about the 9-2X Aero but the model had already been killed off.

The most intriguing stick I drove in that round of shopping was probably the '02 9-3 hatchback, but I wasn't ready to trade sideways in model years.

stickguy

qbrozen said:

SERIOUSLY!?!?
Why do these things have to come up when I'm NOT in the market?! UGH!!
https://carsandbids.com/auctions/3LowBv4y/2005-saab-9-2-x-aero

I love it too. But also not cLose To the market.

nyccarguy

A few notes from a conversation with my best friend (also a Chronic Car Buyer):

The lease is up on his 2017 Sierra 1500 Denali in December. He knows he’s going to have to stick it out to the end of the lease, but he’s testing the waters so to speak. His Denali has the big 6.2L V8 engine & magnetic ride control suspension.

Calls up the local Porsche dealer to set up an appointment to test drive a Macan. Guy decides he’s worth enough to test drive and tells him to come down. They toss him the keys to a 4cyl Base Macan and tell him to come back by 6:00 when they close. He drives around the block, then gets back to the dealer less than 5 minutes later. The sales guy says: “That was quick. Shall I write it up?” My friend says to him: “You got anything faster?” The sales guy points to the Used 911 Turbo S Cabriolet behind him. My friend says: “Not that. A faster Macan.”

The guy tells him that even though the Macan S has almost 100 more hp, that you’ll only feel the difference on the highway. My friend says the guy is right. The Macan S Blasts off when passing on the highway. He gushes about the fit and finish as well as the Macan’s interior material quality and handling. I told him: “you drive a Chevy, of course the Porsche is nicer.” He tells the Porsche guy he’s got to think about it.

One of his Honda Fits is giving him problems. A/C, CEL and he’s owned many fits as delivery vehicles and says they all have the same problems. He is going to cut his losses before it has to spend any major time & money at the shop. He brings it to the Toyota Dealer to trade it in on another Prius. As he’s making a deal with for the Prius, he looks out the window and says: “what’s with the Raptor?”

“Oh, a guy just traded it in on a TRD Pro Sequoia.”

“I have to take that home to see if it fits in my garage.”

The Raptor is a 2018 with 21K miles on it. Original sticker was $79K

corvette

Wow... The Raptor's powertrain is light years ahead of the Sequoia (or my Tundra).

oldfarmer50

nyccarguy said:

A few notes from a conversation with my best friend (also a Chronic Car Buyer):

The lease is up on his 2017 Sierra 1500 Denali in December. He knows he’s going to have to stick it out to the end of the lease, but he’s testing the waters so to speak. His Denali has the big 6.2L V8 engine & magnetic ride control suspension.

Calls up the local Porsche dealer to set up an appointment to test drive a Macan. Guy decides he’s worth enough to test drive and tells him to come down. They toss him the keys to a 4cyl Base Macan and tell him to come back by 6:00 when they close. He drives around the block, then gets back to the dealer less than 5 minutes later. The sales guy says: “That was quick. Shall I write it up?” My friend says to him: “You got anything faster?” The sales guy points to the Used 911 Turbo S Cabriolet behind him. My friend says: “Not that. A faster Macan.”

The guy tells him that even though the Macan S has almost 100 more hp, that you’ll only feel the difference on the highway. My friend says the guy is right. The Macan S Blasts off when passing on the highway. He gushes about the fit and finish as well as the Macan’s interior material quality and handling. I told him: “you drive a Chevy, of course the Porsche is nicer.” He tells the Porsche guy he’s got to think about it.

One of his Honda Fits is giving him problems. A/C, CEL and he’s owned many fits as delivery vehicles and says they all have the same problems. He is going to cut his losses before it has to spend any major time & money at the shop. He brings it to the Toyota Dealer to trade it in on another Prius. As he’s making a deal with for the Prius, he looks out the window and says: “what’s with the Raptor?”

“Oh, a guy just traded it in on a TRD Pro Sequoia.”

“I have to take that home to see if it fits in my garage.”

The Raptor is a 2018 with 21K miles on it. Original sticker was $79K

Wow that guy should be the president of CCBA.

benjaminh

pensfan83 said:

Got this email earlier, doesn't really move the needle for us.

Sounds like you've decided, but there are some advantages the 2021 TLX will have over the RDX....

double-wishbone front suspension/better handling
NSX brake-by-wire/shorter stopping distances
lighter weight/faster
Improved touchpad with armrest for hd display
On A-Spec 17-speakers for the ELS 3-D sound system compared to 16 for the RDX
Improved 4th gen SH-AWD (iirc the RDX is still on the 3rd gen)

And for the same msrp of an RDX A-spec it'll be possible to get a TLX Advance, which has the adaptive dampers, real wood trim, heated steering wheel, and a few features not found on the RDX Advance, like front windshield de-icer and power folding mirrors.

The RDX has the functionality of being an SUV, but there are probably already about a hundred thousand of the new RDX out on the road, while in comparison the new TLX is going to be rare.

Normally I might be wary of getting an all-new model like the 2021 TLX, but the 2.0T engine and 10-speed transmission have already been out for three years and seem so far to be reliable. The software for the touchpad is supposedly improved over the RDX, but in any case the new TLX should be able to get free over-the-air software updates, unlike the current TLX.

kyfdx

Member needs input

https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/62214/general/x/outlander-vs-cx9/p1?new=1

tjc78

When the Volvo is ready to go back I’d certainly look at the TLX.

pensfan83

@benjaminh all fair points but I think it's going to be out of budget from a payment standpoint, at least out of the gate. I would certainly consider one when the truck lease is up next August if we decide not to re-up on another Tacoma.

breld

Dropped my Supra off to get window tint - my guy does it out of a broker/dealer with an indoor garage. This caught me eye:



You Porsche aficionados - anything particularly special about this? Apparently it was some special edition?

Since these tend to age so well, I was surprised to hear they are asking only $13k (on consignment). But it is a 2007 with 93k miles.

oldfarmer50

breld said:

Dropped my Supra off to get window tint - my guy does it out of a broker/dealer with an indoor garage. This caught me eye:



You Porsche aficionados - anything particularly special about this? Apparently it was some special edition?

Since these tend to age so well, I was surprised to hear they are asking only $13k (on consignment). But it is a 2007 with 93k miles.

Call Hoovie.

kyfdx

@breld A guy that lives about a mile from me had one of these. I always called the color, Flat Orange, and it looks a lot better in person, than in your picture. (outside in shade or sun). It is a striking color.

I don't know if it was a special edition, but it is certainly a rare color.

corvette

breld: *backs out of buying yellow Supra because the color is too loud*

Also breld: “Hey, guys, look at this orange Porsche, seems like a good deal!”

carnaught

breld said:

Dropped my Supra off to get window tint - my guy does it out of a broker/dealer with an indoor garage. This caught me eye:



You Porsche aficionados - anything particularly special about this? Apparently it was some special edition?

Since these tend to age so well, I was surprised to hear they are asking only $13k (on consignment). But it is a 2007 with 93k miles.

Uh oh, is the Supra on secret probation?

kyfdx

@breld
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a15149214/2008-limited-edition-porsche-boxster-and-boxster-s-car-news/

kyfdx

This video is a better representation of the actual color, IMO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rI5yUksuq4

stickguy

So, at a dealer? Odds 50/50?

qbrozen

breld said:

Dropped my Supra off to get window tint - my guy does it out of a broker/dealer with an indoor garage. This caught me eye:



You Porsche aficionados - anything particularly special about this? Apparently it was some special edition?

Since these tend to age so well, I was surprised to hear they are asking only $13k (on consignment). But it is a 2007 with 93k miles.

From that pic, it looks like it would go well with my Charger. Looks more like Salmon in the video.

Anyway, is it stick or auto? Base or S? What is the IMS bearing situation?

tifighter

I'd only buy a 987.2, not the .1, because the upgrades are worth it.

qbrozen

tifighter said:

I'd only buy a 987.2, not the .1, because the upgrades are worth it.

Yeah, but real men know the 987.231427a with leather glovebox liner and self-leveling sun visor is the shiznit.

28firefighter

The IMS bearing in the 987.1 is nearly impossible to service but also has a much lower rate of failure due to an improved design over the 986/996. I want to say the IMS bearing designed was removed completely starting with the 987.2.

oldfarmer50

qbrozen said:

breld said:

Dropped my Supra off to get window tint - my guy does it out of a broker/dealer with an indoor garage. This caught me eye:



You Porsche aficionados - anything particularly special about this? Apparently it was some special edition?

Since these tend to age so well, I was surprised to hear they are asking only $13k (on consignment). But it is a 2007 with 93k miles.

From that pic, it looks like it would go well with my Charger. Looks more like Salmon in the video.

Anyway, is it stick or auto? Base or S? What is the IMS bearing situation?

You could start a color theme for your fleet. I like it. That would never fly at my house as my wife thinks any two cars the same color look alike. When I traded my copper red Eclipse in for a burgundy red Mustang she said “it looks just like the one you used to drive”.