Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

corvette

Different vehicle, but I don't think my TRD Sport Tundra has excessive body roll, considering it's a truck.

kyfdx

I couldn't tell the difference in OR or Sport, when I drove them.

No, the vehicle is not fast.

28firefighter

I like the look, I like the features, and love the price. But that only gets me through month 1...

roadburner

28firefighter said:

Dealer was great though. Super low pressure AND had the truck pulled around when I arrived. Never had that before.

That's what BMW of Cincinnati North did when I was looking at their M235i. A nice touch. I tried to do that when I worked at my dealer- with the car running and the heat or A/C on as needed.

stickguy

I have not been in a dealership for any reason since mid-March when I got the RDX and a week later stopped to have the plates put on. That was early pandemic when everyone was trying to figure out how things had to work. I think it was leaving the door open, and not shaking hands! Our test drives were before anything changed.

Oh, check that. I stopped at VW a couple months ago with my daughter. So plastic shields in front of the SA counter, stuff like that, but not a whole lot different.

stickguy

for those interested, the famous shed is not completely painted, after spending way too much time on it this weekend. 2 coats of primer on all the bare wood, then a top coat of paint, and today a coat of paint on the wall panels (those were an engineered wood product that was pre-primed). Came out pretty good IMO, just more work than I anticipated. But worth it, since having the shed people do it would probably have run $750-$1000, and who knows if it would have been to our standards!

next job is getting the sheet vinyl to make the floor easy clean. The wife signed off on that. cheap enough that even if it doesn't last all that long in the temperature extremes, no big deal I can just replace it.

oldfarmer50

sda said:

oldfarmer50 said:

graphicguy said:

Michaell said:

graphicguy said:

qbrozen said:

I've searched and it seems most owners have had positive experiences with their 500s. Most naysayers don't even own them and are just repeating past biases they have heard.

@qbrozen ....I know two people who own a 500. Not sure the models, but both love them with none of the unreliability issues we’ve heard with Fiats. Small sample size, but you can always punt it if it becomes anything less than reliable. Looks like fun, too.

My cousin owned a 500 for a time. She absolutely loved it, and I'm not aware of any reliability issues. She was forced to get rid of it (financial issues) and eventually replaced it with a Kia Soul with a stick shift.

A Kia Soul was less expensive than a Fiat 500? Who knew?

When I looked at a 500 convertible they were low $20s. I think the hardtop was about $17k. My mid trim Soul listed at $22k with the base model at around $16k. When I bought in 19’ there were big discounts on the Soul.

Glad you didn’t buy the newer version with the CVT. Seems Kia is having trouble with those. As good as the CVT was in the Accord I like the conventional 6 sp automatic in the Passat much better.

I deliberately bought a 19’ instead of a 20’ because of the CVT. I was worried that the newer model would get that Jatco transmission which had problems in Nissans.

oldfarmer50

“Btw. The internet director suggested a first thing appointment today so I wouldn’t be there during high traffic time. But by the time I got back every single desk was full of appointments. Obviously covid not slowing the market here!“

I can’t figure why people are running out to buy in an overheated market. Are they that desperate to blow their money?

28firefighter

The market has been overheated here for the better part of 5 years - since Amazon and MS stock really skyrocketed.

xwesx

oldfarmer50 said:

When I looked at a 500 convertible they were low $20s. I think the hardtop was about $17k. My mid trim Soul listed at $22k with the base model at around $16k. When I bought in 19’ there were big discounts on the Soul.

Souls are a dime a dozen these days.

xwesx

corvette said:

mjfloyd1 said:

corvette said:

@Michaell - The Fiat makes 39 punches. We had a lull for a while, but it's picked back up recently. We only need one more punch to match 2019's 40 punches.

What was the total during the TDI party fouls?

45 in 2016 and 46 in 2017, although I think @xwesx ’s Q7 was the only TDI bought in 2017.

Hey, somebody around here has to be unique! Although, "unique" certainly doesn't connotate anything good (in this case). :@

sda

I wonder if the difference between the current inflated prices nets out the same as before this mess. For example, pre COVID price of used car $18k, trade value of car $8k, $10k difference. Inflated prices, same car to be purchased $20k. Trade in now increased in value, $10k. $10k difference. Though that example is not specific to my purchase of the Passat I believe my transaction was fairly price/difference neutral.

venture

roadburner said:

28firefighter said:

Dealer was great though. Super low pressure AND had the truck pulled around when I arrived. Never had that before.

That's what BMW of Cincinnati North did when I was looking at their M235i. A nice touch. I tried to do that when I worked at my dealer- with the car running and the heat or A/C on as needed.

When I went to test drive the Legacy Touring XT in May, I saw it sitting outside. I called my sales guy and he said, "it's running. Call me when you get back".

That was very convenient.

qbrozen

Darn. Forgot I can’t post pics. Lexus dealer replied on google. Standard BS. “Sorry you had this experience, give us a call so we can jerk you around some more.” Ok, maybe I’m paraphrasing.

corvette

qbrozen said:

Darn. Forgot I can’t post pics. Lexus dealer replied on google. Standard BS. “Sorry you had this experience, give us a call so we can jerk you around some more.” Ok, maybe I’m paraphrasing.

"We will work with you to resolve this matter to your satisfaction."

Given their willingness to work with you I can only assume they're offering to pay you a $1,000 "inconvenience fee" for your wasted time?

28firefighter

Started pricing out a Jeep Grand Cherokee lease. Those are not cheap at all.

qbrozen

28firefighter said:

Started pricing out a Jeep Grand Cherokee lease. Those are not cheap at all.

They have been before. Just not so great ATM.

Michaell

28firefighter said:

Started pricing out a Jeep Grand Cherokee lease. Those are not cheap at all.

Best suv lease, by far, is the 2020 MDX.

breld

28firefighter said:

Started pricing out a Jeep Grand Cherokee lease. Those are not cheap at all.

Same experience here - I was all ready to lease one but ended up with the V90 instead.

stickguy

speaking of leases, since the experts are here, what is ballpark these days for an M340i, normal amount of goodies? Are they crazy or halfway reasonable?

Xdrive executive most likely, so MSRP ~ $62,000

28firefighter

At most 10-11% off with buy rate in your neck of the woods. Before incentives. I’d imagine you’d be somewhere in the upper 500s/low 600s depending on whether you qualify for loyalty. That’s with first month, tags, doc fee, and MSD upfront.

28firefighter

Re: the MDX, I really like them. If I thought I could get an MDX tech in the low 4s with first DAS it’d be a no brainer. But I don’t qualify for loyalty, so the numbers don’t pan out.

stickguy

28firefighter said:

At most 10-11% off with buy rate in your neck of the woods. Before incentives. I’d imagine you’d be somewhere in the upper 500s/low 600s depending on whether you qualify for loyalty. That’s with first month, tags, doc fee, and MSD upfront.

thanks. That's about what I would have guestimated. Rodo had one at about $715 with just that DAS (no loyalty, and they don't assume MSDs)

My son has nice taste at least.

not an issue now, since his current lease isn't up until late 2021

venture

stickguy said:

28firefighter said:

At most 10-11% off with buy rate in your neck of the woods. Before incentives. I’d imagine you’d be somewhere in the upper 500s/low 600s depending on whether you qualify for loyalty. That’s with first month, tags, doc fee, and MSD upfront.

thanks. That's about what I would have guestimated. Rodo had one at about $715 with just that DAS (no loyalty, and they don't assume MSDs)

My son has nice taste at least.

not an issue now, since his current lease isn't up until late 2021

My son is the same. His cars since college, that I remember, are BMW coupe, Acura TL (I think it was), GTI, 2 Land Rovers (no problems so far). I might be missing one.

The nut doesn't fall far...

tjc78

MDX tech without loyalty should be doable at $500 with just first DAS. I got to $520 with minimal effort.

From my recent shopping it was the best deal relative to MSRP. Most everything else was pretty bad.

You have loyalty, I’d be curious what the right X3 loaner could come in at.

au1994

28firefighter said:

Started pricing out a Jeep Grand Cherokee lease. Those are not cheap at all.

They used to lease great. Wait if you can and see if the deals come back. Not sure what is going on in the market with Lux or near Lux SUV leases other then the aforementioned MDX, nothing is leasing worth a darn. Haven’t checked the Lexus RX as the wife hates the maw but those used to lease pretty well especially during the December to Remember or whatever Lexus calls it.

nyccarguy

28firefighter said:

Re: the MDX, I really like them. If I thought I could get an MDX tech in the low 4s with first DAS it’d be a no brainer. But I don’t qualify for loyalty, so the numbers don’t pan out.

What about conquest?

28firefighter

I do qualify for conquest on the MDX. That would save me a bit.

BMW loaner deals up this way aren’t what they used to be. The local and not-so-local dealers are moving plenty of metal without needing to go deep. I also don’t love the X3.

Anyway, no fire. Just looking...

kyfdx

28firefighter said:

I do qualify for conquest on the MDX. That would save me a bit.

BMW loaner deals up this way aren’t what they used to be. The local and not-so-local dealers are moving plenty of metal without needing to go deep. I also don’t love the X3.

Anyway, no fire. Just looking...

BMW residuals have been dropping for awhile. Makes a killer deal harder to get.

graphicguy

mjfloyd1 said:

@graphicguy - any update on your eye/vision? I hope that it is improving

Thanks for asking. I’m fine. I’ve more or less wrapped my mind around the fact that I’m never going to get significantly better vision from that eye. Can only see light or dark areas, but not shapes or colors. I could have worse things wrong with me. I’m OK with where I’m at (kinda).

After a month and a half of mostly face down recovery, I’ve come away believing it’s not the loss of vision that’s the biggest issue. It’s the mental and physical problems of the recovery which are the biggest problems.

Now, I just make certain I don’t drive at night (which is a real PITA now because of it getting dark at 6:00 p.m.). I’m super cautious about my 50% reduction in peripheral vision (the safety nannies in the Stinger have been extremely helpful for this).

Now, they’re worried about some potential damage to the cornea. But, they say that’s something that I may face further down the road. What I don’t know is how long that road is.

No matter...if I’m not getting better vision in any significant way, as long as I don’t have to do any more eye surgeries, I’ll be good.

I hope (fingers crossed) that I don’t have to have any more needles in the eye to relieve pressure. The pressure started out at 56. I go every Wednesday to have it checked. Last Wednesday, it had dropped to 37. My hope when I go tomorrow is it will be somewhere in the low 20s, so they can prescribe drops instead of doing the needles in the eye procedure to lower it.

Sorry....all that’s probably TMI. I got carried away!

graphicguy

One more comment as an aside....having lost vision on one side has made for some interesting and funny (at the time) accidental depth perception foibles. This is a PG site, so really can’t get into the particulars. But, hilarity sometimes ensues.

I’m sure I’ll get used to it. Until then, I’m blaming my sight woes for all sorts of misguided things.

qbrozen

fun times working on the Benz for what little time I had this weekend. I despise the fact they put this damned thing together with Torx bolts. Just absurd. I broke two T30 bits. Had to run to home depot and bought both loose ones they had plus a full set of bits that had one in it. Finish getting the cams out on one side, pull one head bolt, and then discover the E14 bit I bought off Amazon is too fat to fit in the hole. Had to order up 3/8 drive bits for delivery today. I'm taking pics along the way to prove the work was done for the next owner.

qbrozen

stickguy

I take pictures so I know how to put stuff back together!

Good luck. Collecting all the tools is often the most time consuming part of he job.

stickguy

Remind me. Was the Benz having a problem so you had to do this, or just preventive maintenance?

qbrozen

stickguy said:

Remind me. Was the Benz having a problem so you had to do this, or just preventive maintenance?

Preventative, but hopefully fixes the oil leak, too.

Still having the misfire issue, too. This actually started when I took off the intake plumbing to inspect the MAF sensors. Then I just kept going.

stickguy

While you are in there!

tjc78

Q, you are braver than me. That’s for sure.

fintail

Wow. I am sure I could take it apart, but it would end up staying that way.

stickguy

Many mechanics have made lots of money trying to put back together what a hobbyist got apart.

roadburner

I know that I need to get professional help, but I’m going to look at this:
https://www.bluegrassauto.com/inventory/certified-used-2015-jaguar-f-type-s-rwd-2d-coupe-sajwa6bu9f8k19464

28firefighter

Oh that's nice, @roadburner. You may need professional help, but I'm not sure that has anything to do with the car...

stickguy

That’s nice. But IMO a terrible color combo for that car. But to each his own!

qbrozen

replacing the lifters while I'm there. Have those soaking in oil right now. Just seems silly not to.

qbrozen

roadburner said:

I know that I need to get professional help, but I’m going to look at this:
https://www.bluegrassauto.com/inventory/certified-used-2015-jaguar-f-type-s-rwd-2d-coupe-sajwa6bu9f8k19464

yes! Big thumbs up from me! Needs red seats, though. lol.

fintail

My last rental in Germany (should have been another by now, thanks covid) was an F Type S roadster. Fun car, switch the exhaust to loud in the city, quiet on the highway. I only had qualms with the expected maybe generation-lagged infotainment and displays, but I even fit OK it in it, and I am 6'1":

ab348

Lincoln and Tesla get a kick in the shins in Consumer Reports new reliability survey:

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/tesla-lincoln-consumer-reports-reliablity-mazda-results

roadburner

ab348 said:

Lincoln and Tesla get a kick in the shins in Consumer Reports new reliability survey:

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/tesla-lincoln-consumer-reports-reliablity-mazda-results

I saw that. I think it’s interesting how some cars flip between reliable and unreliable and back from year to year a when there have been no changes to the car.
Reading the comments of owners can be enlightening; often the issue is actually the fault of the dealer.

28firefighter

The service department makes or breaks the ownership experience for cars that perhaps have less-than-stellar reliability. Particularly when they don't adequately address a problem the first time and an owner has to keep coming back.

stickguy

Sometimes is all due to one component. Like introducing an infotainment design that’s glitchy. Or a new trans. Even if everything else on the car is as good as ever.