Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

Carvana might not want to pay for new ones, but they aren't shy about asking price on the ones they have.

no SEs, but even an S is what the new SE is going for, and an Autobahn a lot more.

https://www.carvana.com/vehicle/1603590

https://www.carvana.com/vehicle/1582002

They must be trying to bring down the cost of their inventory after overpaying all summer.

I think the wholesale market is softening. My company told us to stop pulling cars out of service for sale because inventory is backing up to the point where our storage lot is full to the brim. If I could post a picture I would show you a sea of cars.

mjfloyd1

kyfdx said:

Dropped off the Tacoma, today. Dang it! Had 3/4 of a tank!

Did you get a receipt for the two key fobs?😂

corvette

breld said:

Does it have the "fake" sensors in front without the actual hardware behind it?

My parents' Q5 has fake headlight washers in the bumper. No hardware behind the plugs because that option wasn't on the car. Has front and rear heated seats, though.

tjc78 said:

The car has ACC so I’m sure they are active for that. They just don’t activate that software unless you pay for the option. Probably standard on Inscription trim which my S60 is.

I think ACC uses long range radar versus the short range of the parking sensors. The long range sensor on my Tundra is behind the Toyota emblem in the grille.

tjc78

oldfarmer50 said:

tjc78 said:

Black over black is a total dealbreaker for me. If anyone remembers I turned down a killer deal on an black/black S60 loaner. I just couldn’t do it.

I’m a sucker for a white car as I now have 2. My Mom’s RAV is white too. The new neighbors must just laugh.

Finally this weekend I got the XC into the garage. So nice having both in there now. All the houses in my development have two car garages. I would say less than 25% appear to park their cars inside.

On a side note... what does everyone use to mark the proper spot to park? The ceiling in the garage is too tall (my ladder won’t reach) so can’t do the tennis ball on a string thing. I marked a spot on the wall to line up with the mirror for now.

Because of my workbench and the steps on the other side you have to be pretty precise pulling in. The S60 I just wait for the front sensors to beep and I’m golden. The XC doesn’t have front parking sensors.

You could use the Boston driving method....just keep moving until you hear the sound of breaking glass.😓

Interesting that you say your garage is too tall for a ladder to reach the ceiling. I’d be measuring for some of that lift storage like Hoovie has in his garage. I’m jealous. I just hang a fishing float off the overhead light.

It is just shy of 12'. I only have a crappy 6' ladder that I won't go past the third step. I should invest in a good ladder some day soon.

Here are a few pics.

stickguy

tight garage. I hope your kids are careful with the doors!

tjc78

It is not too bad. My Volvo.. LOL, the S60 is about a foot off of where it should be on the wall side. When both cars are parked where they should be it is OK.

Still, would have liked an extra foot or so. Something like a Tahoe would be really tight.

sda

explorerx4 said:

VW Bug's were great for learning how to drive a manual. Not a lot of power.

A 68 VW beetle was the first car I drove with a manual. It was a friends dad’s car. His dad was teaching my friend to drive and he asked me to as well. Dark green with white interior. As I had a Honda 125 motorcycle I already had the coordination of using a clutch, so driving it was pretty easy. Great memory.

tjc78

corvette said:

breld said:

Does it have the "fake" sensors in front without the actual hardware behind it?

My parents' Q5 has fake headlight washers in the bumper. No hardware behind the plugs because that option wasn't on the car. Has front and rear heated seats, though.

tjc78 said:

The car has ACC so I’m sure they are active for that. They just don’t activate that software unless you pay for the option. Probably standard on Inscription trim which my S60 is.

I think ACC uses long range radar versus the short range of the parking sensors. The long range sensor on my Tundra is behind the Toyota emblem in the grille.

I'll have to look, but that does make sense.

stickguy

we used to get the Odyssey in there on the inner side where the steps are. But that is just one step so a real short section that sticks straight out. Technically more room on the other side but I have Ikea shelving up there, and a bike in front of that. Though the real reason the van went on the right was so that the wife had the bigger space to open her door. And it was great with the van when the kids were little. No big doors to fling open and ding the other car!

stickguy

sda said:

explorerx4 said:

VW Bug's were great for learning how to drive a manual. Not a lot of power.

A 68 VW beetle was the first car I drove with a manual. It was a friends dad’s car. His dad was teaching my friend to drive and he asked me to as well. Dark green with white interior. As I had a Honda 125 motorcycle I already had the coordination of using a clutch, so driving it was pretty easy. Great memory.

I learned to drive on our '69 Volvo 144. Manual everything, stick of course. Also got to practice on a neighbors super beetle stick. Again completely manual. First time I drove a car with PS/PB IIRC was in driver's ed. That was interesting experience. Especially when I nailed the brakes and just about bounced the front bumper off the road.

Oh, I actually did drive an AT car before that, but it was my Grandmother's VW 412 wagon (a truly evil car, in a possessed by the devil way). But everything else was still manual.

man, it was different back then. Even my first couple of cars of my own after I got my license had zero assists (67 camaro, 74 Duster). I think it was my Gremlin that was my first PS car.

corvette

Nice video from the Wizard:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNOEMEX-2ow

venture

I always wondered what I would use the front camera for on my Legacy. I discovered it works great for parking in the garage.

Mrs. venture has a Rubbermaid tote sitting there, along the wall in front of my spot, that I use to align a red line that shows in the camera with the top of the tote. It will be interesting when she moves it.

tjc78

stickguy said:

we used to get the Odyssey in there on the inner side where the steps are. But that is just one step so a real short section that sticks straight out. Technically more room on the other side but I have Ikea shelving up there, and a bike in front of that. Though the real reason the van went on the right was so that the wife had the bigger space to open her door. And it was great with the van when the kids were little. No big doors to fling open and ding the other car!

I have the child locks on so I can always let them out.

Speaking of that. Volvo makes it super convenient for the child locks. Most cars have a little switch in the door jamb. The Volvo’s have a switch on the driver’s door (shared with window lock). I really like that feature with kids.

xwesx

tjc78 said:

I have the child locks on so I can always let them out.

Speaking of that. Volvo makes it super convenient for the child locks. Most cars have a little switch in the door jamb. The Volvo’s have a switch on the driver’s door (shared with window lock). I really like that feature with kids.

Same on my Q7; this is a feature I truly appreciate!

Sandman6472

We're the only house out of 10 on our cul-de-sac to use our garage for both vehicles. Everyone else uses it for a storage closet or a workbench area. But we pull both of them in every time we come home. Both our vehicles look great and think this is why. Anything we have in the garage is on shelves we had installed when first moved in and other stuff is on the walls on hooks. So much easier to find stuff when needed.The builder screwed up a few things and having the hot water heater and a/c stuff,(air handler), means I have to get a smaller vehicle or else let it stay outside 90% of the time. I prefer to get a smaller vehicle.
Even though I dislike black over black, the GTI SE seems like an awesome vehicle and I'd drive one myself if I could find one down here. And yes, think the Fender audio system is that good!

corvette

I can understand using the garage for storage in parts of the country where the water table is so high you can't have a basement (or the soil has so much rock it's impractical), but it kills me to see houses where I know there is a giant basement filled with junk, and they fill the garage with junk too, leaving no place for the cars to shelter. Then again, I know people who have storage units they keep paying rent on but haven't visited in years.

roadburner

breld said:

Our neighborhood has a few models with 4 car garages (we almost bought one before we happened upon our ranch style home). We would have absolutely utilized all four spaces for cars (a tinge of regret there). But we'd be in the minority.

Two of those models nearby consistently have 3 cars parked in their driveway, with the garages filled with other stuff. What a waste - get organized people!

When I traded houses with my mother for the house we currently live in both the garages were full of junk. 4 20 cubic yard dumpsters later I was able to get everything under roof(I only had 3 cars back then- the M6, Pathfinder, and Turbo Coupe0.

roadburner

It's AWD, too big, and too slow- but it's definitely a looker.

Michaell

corvette said:

I can understand using the garage for storage in parts of the country where the water table is so high you can't have a basement (or the soil has so much rock it's impractical), but it kills me to see houses where I know there is a giant basement filled with junk, and they fill the garage with junk too, leaving no place for the cars to shelter. Then again, I know people who have storage units they keep paying rent on but haven't visited in years.

The first house we bought did not have a basement - for the second reason you state. We always kept two cars in it.

venture

Sandman6472 said:

We're the only house out of 10 on our cul-de-sac to use our garage for both vehicles. Everyone else uses it for a storage closet or a workbench area. But we pull both of them in every time we come home. Both our vehicles look great and think this is why. Anything we have in the garage is on shelves we had installed when first moved in and other stuff is on the walls on hooks. So much easier to find stuff when needed.The builder screwed up a few things and having the hot water heater and a/c stuff,(air handler), means I have to get a smaller vehicle or else let it stay outside 90% of the time. I prefer to get a smaller vehicle.
Even though I dislike black over black, the GTI SE seems like an awesome vehicle and I'd drive one myself if I could find one down here. And yes, think the Fender audio system is that good!

Can't the A/C stuff and water heater be raised up onto a platform so the front of the car can go underneath them? It would be like putting them on a shelf.

Sandman6472

Took much to move really and since we've been here over 33 years, just ain't practical. Anyways, looking to move within 2 to 3 years so not a good investment in this house.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

Carvana might not want to pay for new ones, but they aren't shy about asking price on the ones they have.

no SEs, but even an S is what the new SE is going for, and an Autobahn a lot more.

https://www.carvana.com/vehicle/1603590

https://www.carvana.com/vehicle/1582002

The first one is already sold. Seems people are still willing to throw their money away.

oldfarmer50

tjc78 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

tjc78 said:

Black over black is a total dealbreaker for me. If anyone remembers I turned down a killer deal on an black/black S60 loaner. I just couldn’t do it.

I’m a sucker for a white car as I now have 2. My Mom’s RAV is white too. The new neighbors must just laugh.

Finally this weekend I got the XC into the garage. So nice having both in there now. All the houses in my development have two car garages. I would say less than 25% appear to park their cars inside.

On a side note... what does everyone use to mark the proper spot to park? The ceiling in the garage is too tall (my ladder won’t reach) so can’t do the tennis ball on a string thing. I marked a spot on the wall to line up with the mirror for now.

Because of my workbench and the steps on the other side you have to be pretty precise pulling in. The S60 I just wait for the front sensors to beep and I’m golden. The XC doesn’t have front parking sensors.

You could use the Boston driving method....just keep moving until you hear the sound of breaking glass.😓

Interesting that you say your garage is too tall for a ladder to reach the ceiling. I’d be measuring for some of that lift storage like Hoovie has in his garage. I’m jealous. I just hang a fishing float off the overhead light.

It is just shy of 12'. I only have a crappy 6' ladder that I won't go past the third step. I should invest in a good ladder some day soon.

Here are a few pics.

That’s plenty high to install lift storage. What are you waiting for, you could be out shopping for cars to put on them?

explorerx4

How are you going to open the garage door if you stack a couple of vehicles in there?

nyccarguy

@tjc78

Love the 2 White Volvos in the garage. I'm very jealous of your ceiling height, the fact that you have JUST CARS in the garage, you have room for 2 cars, & that you have no stuff in the garage. Nice work!

kyfdx

mjfloyd1 said:

kyfdx said:

Dropped off the Tacoma, today. Dang it! Had 3/4 of a tank!

Did you get a receipt for the two key fobs?😂

I took a picture...

kyfdx

oldfarmer50 said:

kyfdx said:

Dropped off the Tacoma, today. Dang it! Had 3/4 of a tank!

This was a lease, right? How many miles were left? That’s what I would be worried about. I’d be driving in circles around the dealer until I used up both.

It's about 3K miles under the limit... Because, COVID

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

sda said:

explorerx4 said:

VW Bug's were great for learning how to drive a manual. Not a lot of power.

A 68 VW beetle was the first car I drove with a manual. It was a friends dad’s car. His dad was teaching my friend to drive and he asked me to as well. Dark green with white interior. As I had a Honda 125 motorcycle I already had the coordination of using a clutch, so driving it was pretty easy. Great memory.

I learned to drive on our '69 Volvo 144. Manual everything, stick of course. Also got to practice on a neighbors super beetle stick. Again completely manual. First time I drove a car with PS/PB IIRC was in driver's ed. That was interesting experience. Especially when I nailed the brakes and just about bounced the front bumper off the road.

Oh, I actually did drive an AT car before that, but it was my Grandmother's VW 412 wagon (a truly evil car, in a possessed by the devil way). But everything else was still manual.

man, it was different back then. Even my first couple of cars of my own after I got my license had zero assists (67 camaro, 74 Duster). I think it was my Gremlin that was my first PS car.

Like many, I learned to drive a stick on my brother’s 74’ Beatle. I learned to drive on a big 66’ Dodge Polara station wagon. It had PS and super sensitive power brakes. When I took driver’s Ed I didn’t know that the car didn’t have any power assists and almost put it up on a lawn the first time I drove.

kyfdx

I learned to drive a stick, when I bought my '77 Cobra II off the showroom floor. (18 yrs old).

I knew "how" to do it, but had only tried it on an old pickup that had a column shifter.

It was an "interesting" experience. Naturally, didn't take long to get the hang of it.

tjc78

explorerx4 said:

How are you going to open the garage door if you stack a couple of vehicles in there?

Yes, you would need a different type of door.

tjc78

nyccarguy said:

@tjc78

Love the 2 White Volvos in the garage. I'm very jealous of your ceiling height, the fact that you have JUST CARS in the garage, you have room for 2 cars, & that you have no stuff in the garage. Nice work!

Thanks! Believe or not, I have all my lawn equipment and a pretty large workbench/tool cabinet in front of the XC. When we moved in the garage wasn’t usable because the PO installed huge 2’ deep shelves on either side. They had to be all ripped out.

I told my wife we weren’t messing up the garage with tons of crap! We have a pretty large storage room in the basement and if needed two attics so we should be covered on storage. We filled a 40 yd dumpster from the old house and I don’t ever want that to happen again. We also both agreed to not use either attic. Access to both isn’t great (no pull down stairs) so we probably won’t.

We are both very happy with our Volvos. The XC90 is really a step up from the Enclave. I’ll take the trade off in size for the better driving car.

tjc78

Sandman6472 said:

Took much to move really and since we've been here over 33 years, just ain't practical. Anyways, looking to move within 2 to 3 years so not a good investment in this house.

It would be something to think of if you had to replace the units.

ab348

explorerx4 said:

How are you going to open the garage door if you stack a couple of vehicles in there?

Bah, a mere trifle for @oldfarmer50 . Why, simply convert them to sliding barn doors the way doors were meant to be! Or go to the home store, buy a few stout hinges, saw the existing door in half vertically and have them swing out. They didn't have those new-fangled automatic door openers back in HIS day after all, nossir... :laughing:

Michaell

Wife was thrown into the deep end of the pool when it came to driving stick. Her step-father took her to the dealer, where they had two ex-rental Nissans - one white, one blue - both with stick shifts. She got to pick the color, and when the transaction was completed, he threw her the keys and said "see you at home". Cheyenne has a few hills in town, so she learned real quick about modulating the clutch.

I had a friend teach me in his Chevy Luv, and my first stick shift car was the '66 Baja Bug my folks bought for $1500.

graphicguy

roadburner said:

It's AWD, too big, and too slow- but it's definitely a looker.

That’s identical to my sister’s Jag, only hers is white. I like the red better. Hers is a fun car. Not the Stinger as far as driving dynamics, but perfect for her as a cruiser.

qbrozen

tjc78 said:

explorerx4 said:

How are you going to open the garage door if you stack a couple of vehicles in there?

Yes, you would need a different type of door.

Actually, you can use the same door. When I had mine replaced a few months ago, I asked about that very thing. He said they could just extend the vertical tracks. It is more strain on the motor, of course. After discussions, I decided I didn't want to have to take down all my tire racks and lose that storage above the doors.

tjc78

I guess that would work too. Never even gave that a thought.

fintail

The garage thing makes me think of a Seattle area joke, that being people will keep $200 worth of yard sale leftovers/rejects in the garage while letting 50K+ worth of cars sit out in the driveway, exposed to the elements. Fortunately, I suppose, the elements in that region are pretty mild. It seems here on the east side, one is more likely to use a garage for its intended purpose, as the weather encourages it.

My new place has fairly tight individual garages for both cars, but the fintail has excellent visibility thanks thin pillars/low beltlines, and the modern car has surround view, so parking isn't bad. Anything wider than the wagon might be a pain, howevever.

mjfloyd1

I had the garage door company move my opener off to the side. They put a bracket on the same door and it frees up the space over the lift

qbrozen

update on the Charger. Bleeding screw is totally seized (and now the head is stripped). So I just took off the cap and ran it for a while with the heater on full blast. Added water to fill, let it cool, and started process over. Took 3 times, but each time the car would run cooler and, after the first session, stopped being erratic. Just now I took it to the pharmacy and back and let it idle A LOT. Heat worked the whole time and the needle stayed pegged just below halfway. My bluedriver showed it never touched 220 under the harshest conditions I threw at it today (sitting still and holding revs at 2500). So it would seem it is all good now. Good to know that expensive shop knows how to properly fill a cooling system. Sigh.

No final update on the Benz. Wife hasn't allowed me the time. When I restarted it last, it was NOT happy. If you recall, I found the cam phasers reversed. I've since found that the cam gears are not interchangeable. So it is possible I need to swap the gears back and just keep the phasers where I have them now. Apparently I can run the part numbers through google and find which one belongs where (as to the gears). So I gotta re-open the passenger bank.

sda

qbrozen said:

update on the Charger. Bleeding screw is totally seized (and now the head is stripped). So I just took off the cap and ran it for a while with the heater on full blast. Added water to fill, let it cool, and started process over. Took 3 times, but each time the car would run cooler and, after the first session, stopped being erratic. Just now I took it to the pharmacy and back and let it idle A LOT. Heat worked the whole time and the needle stayed pegged just below halfway. My bluedriver showed it never touched 220 under the harshest conditions I threw at it today (sitting still and holding revs at 2500). So it would seem it is all good now. Good to know that expensive shop knows how to properly fill a cooling system. Sigh.

No final update on the Benz. Wife hasn't allowed me the time. When I restarted it last, it was NOT happy. If you recall, I found the cam phasers reversed. I've since found that the cam gears are not interchangeable. So it is possible I need to swap the gears back and just keep the phasers where I have them now. Apparently I can run the part numbers through google and find which one belongs where (as to the gears). So I gotta re-open the passenger bank.

What frustration! That could drive a man to drink!

oldfarmer50

ab348 said:

explorerx4 said:

How are you going to open the garage door if you stack a couple of vehicles in there?

Bah, a mere trifle for @oldfarmer50 . Why, simply convert them to sliding barn doors the way doors were meant to be! Or go to the home store, buy a few stout hinges, saw the existing door in half vertically and have them swing out. They didn't have those new-fangled automatic door openers back in HIS day after all, nossir... :laughing:

I’m sure he wouldn’t have to go back to the 1890s. There must be other types of door openers available.🤑

https://youtu.be/JhbJnlIvfyc

mjfloyd1

kyfdx said:

mjfloyd1 said:

kyfdx said:

Dropped off the Tacoma, today. Dang it! Had 3/4 of a tank!

Did you get a receipt for the two key fobs?😂

I took a picture...

I’ve seen your picture
Your name in lights above it

Steely Dan (Peg)

I hung out with my older sister way too much...

ab348

mjfloyd1 said:

I’ve seen your picture
Your name in lights above it

This is your big debut
It's like a dream come true

28firefighter

Put the i3 up for transfer. Will see if anyone is interested.

tjc78

How much time left on it?

28firefighter

Just under 10 months.

tjc78

Perfect time to get rid of it. Someone will get a good deal for a short term and have loyalty on a new BMW. You’ll also save the dispo

28firefighter

We shall see - I was expecting a bit more interest, but nothing so far.

corvette

I really like Hoovie's new Brougham. He kept mentioning the paint being bad, but it didn't look that bad in the photos. All I saw was some body work that needed to be repaired. I'm sure Maaco will make it look better.

It was weird how the Corvette looked silver outdoors and then either white or non-metallic light grey once it was in the Wizard's shop.