Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
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Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)
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All joking aside, could be a good find. Not many manual 5s around.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
I read about one guy who converted a wrecked E30 M3 into a driving simulator.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
My former company built a motion driving simulator to train semi drivers. Keeping everything “screwed” down while offering 6º of 3 dimensional movement was the real trick. They didn’t sell many of them, but at the time got a lot of good press. Truth was, the motion platform flight simulators were used as the basis of their development.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2025 Toyota Crown Signia Hybrid, 2022 Ram 2500 Laramie 6.4 Hemi, 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata PRHT
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
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Checked out a 2012 Forester 2.5 X with manual transmission. 125K miles. One owner, with a great Carfax. Looked and drove well. Asking $6950. (at small lot)
2004 Forester with stick.. 170K miles for $3950, at a Toyota dealer. Once we looked at it, decided not to drive it.
Spent 40 minutes at Carmax getting a bid on the Tacoma. Mentioned several times that it was a lease to be bought out. Finally, talked to someone in the business office. They can't buy leases from US Bank. US Bank will only sell to third party dealers that are in their "network". IOW, if a dealer doesn't write US Bank leases, they won't sell them the vehicle. Pretty reasonable bid, though ($29K). Unfortunately, it does me no good.
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Do you hire out a PPI, buy an extended warranty or are you that mechanically inclined?
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
https://www.schompbmw.com/inventory/certified-used-2018-bmw-3-series-340i-xdrive-awd-4dr-car-wba8b7c51ja573012
The manual itself was really nice, as I expected given it’s an M-sport (short shifter). And the car was nicely balanced and would make a great daily commuter with an added dose of sport and fun with the manual trannie. But as a fun car it fell a bit short. Quick enough for sure, but overall not terribly engaging.
I imagine when I want to go with something different, and likely a manual, I’ll be looking at something more along the lines of an M2 or m240i. M3/M4 would be nice but obviously pricey.
@roadburner (and anyone feel free to chime in), is there anything on an F30 that transforms it into a decidedly more sporty vehicle (i.e., track handling package?).
2024 Audi Q8 e-tron - 2017 911 C4S - 2025 BRZ - 2023 A6 Allroad - 2024 Genesis GV60 - 2019 Cayman
That price seems bananas though - you're not terribly far off with dealer discounts + rebates from M340 territory, and that is truly fast.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
But I’m sure when you go there to trade one in they are more than willing to pay the same premium accordingly. 😉
2024 Audi Q8 e-tron - 2017 911 C4S - 2025 BRZ - 2023 A6 Allroad - 2024 Genesis GV60 - 2019 Cayman
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
You have to start somewhere.
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speaking of colors, I saw a bunch of "twinnies" today(our term for a duplicate of our car). At BJs, 2 spots up another white RDX. and walking home from dinner, another one going to a house just outside our neighborhood. My wife was excited to know that for a change, she was a trendsetter!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
This could be fun, doing some test driving!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I’ve admired BMWs for a long time. The ///M3 (which is now the ///M4) has always been the BMW I lusted after. New ones have always been way above my pay grade. CPO ///M models always seem to be priced less than new (obviously), but just out of my reach. I never seem to find the right color combination. Every time I saw a nice priced CPO E36 ///M3 it always had too many miles, was Techno Violet with the Dove Grey Interior, & the Luxury wheels. I only liked E46 ///M3 Coupes with the ‘04 - ‘06 LED tail Lights, the 18” wheels & a 6-Speed Stick These seem to never drop to the price level where I could afford one. Lots of SMG drop tops out there with 19” wheels.
While the ///M Cars do depreciate, they do seem to hold their value somewhat better than regular BMWs. I’m sure @breld keeps his cars immaculate, so given it would be a stick in palatable color (his wife likes blue) it might not cost him that much more in depreciation compared to a regular BMW.
It seems there’s always someone on LH who is trying to swap out of their M3 Competition. Maybe a “short term” lease on a ///M3 or ///M3 is just what the dr ordered for @breld & his constant thirst for a BMW.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
'24 Chevy Blazer EV 2LT
2007 MKZ
2007 Frontier 2wd
2007 Sienna
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
this would have worked. Cheap!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
most sellers, aren't taking the car off the market for a week while you coordinate a PPI, etc. they are taking the cash from some other guy instead.
Maybe different if you are buying at a dealer, and paying a premium for a car. But CL? that is first cash takes it, figure out what you bought later. So it really helps if you are a competent mechanic, or know one that you can bring along with you. Pretty easy to check the basic, obvious stuff in a once over and test drive.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
If the Cavalier has the 2.2L they liked to snap valves.
The Lincoln looks like a screaming buy if it doesn’t have the 3.5L with the internal water pump that could fail unexpectedly and ruin the engine.
The Frontiers that I’ve driven were nice and 2WD is fine if there’s not 3 feet of snow. Mileage is scary on that one.
The Sienna looks nice and I’d choose a high mile Toyota over a similar Nissan any day.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
well, technically it is full of stuff because we emptied out the she and put it all in that side of the garage, until the old one gets removed and new one built next week.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2024 Audi Q8 e-tron - 2017 911 C4S - 2025 BRZ - 2023 A6 Allroad - 2024 Genesis GV60 - 2019 Cayman
But I waffle throughout the day.
Funny enough, the wife has been eyeing convertibles. Lol.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
“ the used car market is tough. Especially the cheap end. Usually, you need to be trolling the listings, and have a wad of cash in your pocket, and be willing to act quick. Because if you stumble on one of the rare good deals, you better act quick or you will miss out.”
That is so true. Back in 2016 I saw a grandma special on CL that was posted less than an hour before. Called immediately, saw the car early next morning and offered a little less than asking. Drove away with a 49k mile Florida car for $3500 in hundred dollar bills. 4 other buyers had called as I was test driving.
Same thing with the Sebring, although it was so cheap it just had to roll and the top go up and down.
On both those cars I should have at least bought along a code reader but I got lucky. Next time I will bring one and I recommend on ANY used car bringing the best one you can afford.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible