Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

stickguy

looking at it, not that much more based on these prices. Could only find one on cars.com though with a stick. This happens to be a 2019! But pricing out a 2021, almost exactly equipped as the 18/19, is right about $24,500 (before the usual piling on of accessories).

and that is before discounts and 6 years of 0 percent financing.

brand new 2021 for maybe $3k more than a 2018 with almost 40k miles seems like an easy decision to me!

corvette

I think those only have a 2.0 liter engine--might feel down on power compared to the Forester.

nyccarguy

That ‘93 Si Prelude is in incredible shape. That’s not the stock rear spoiler is it? My best friend had a ‘92 Si Automatic in high school. His car & ownership experience lead me to covet the car sitting in my driveway under a cover right now;)

stickguy

the 2021 Crosstrek can be outfitted with the 2.5l engine now, but only with the CVT. If you want a real transmission, you need to take the 2.0l to get it. Peppy enough with a row your own gearbox, as long as you are fine with a lot of rowing!

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

looking for Wes. Found a few Crosstreks I like.

red is nice. Colorado, we got people there! Lower miles too.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/825437376/overview/

another one like the one up North.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/828198094/overview/

and another Colorado car. I like this blue. Lower miles, and certified!

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/826648505/overview/

I hope they got some more power out of that engine. The car drives big but seems slow.

kyfdx

stickguy said:

the 2021 Crosstrek can be outfitted with the 2.5l engine now, but only with the CVT. If you want a real transmission, you need to take the 2.0l to get it. Peppy enough with a row your own gearbox, as long as you are fine with a lot of rowing!

For 20/21 models, only Base and Premium are available with a stick.

If it's any other trim, it's CVT only

au1994

stickguy said:

looking for Wes. Found a few Crosstreks I like.

red is nice. Colorado, we got people there! Lower miles too.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/825437376/overview/

another one like the one up North.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/828198094/overview/

and another Colorado car. I like this blue. Lower miles, and certified!

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/826648505/overview/

I’ll vouch for the Crosstrek. Lots of value for the money in typical Subaru fashion.

Yes, its very putt-putt but you know that going in and the pay off is great MPG.

Just too small for us or we would have gladly kept it.

qbrozen

I just can’t. Crosstrek seems like one of the worst vehicles on the market, IMHO. At least for the money.

It offers no Real advantage over the much cheaper Impreza.

ab348

It's just a jacked-up Impreza, isn't it? With a different body? I admittedly don't pay much attention to Subaru.

explorerx4

The extra ground clearance over an Impreza does give it a distinctive look.

ab348

They are quite good at generating insurance claims, apparently: https://www.hagerty.com/media/opinion/crazy-case-of-the-crashing-crosstreks/

fintail

Someone in my building has a Crosstrek with either a modified or failed exhaust. It sounds like the old GM 2.8/3.1 "popcorn popper" noise at idle, and I don't mean that in a good way.

stickguy

Crosstrek to Imprezza : V60 to XC60.

same car, just raised a smidge and some cladding thrown on.

I would be fine with an Imprezza if they came the right way.

Looks like the only way to get a stick is base or sport in 5 door. So not a well equipped one. And the sport has absurdly small rubber band tires. But $1,000 cheaper!

breld

qbrozen said:

I just can’t. Crosstrek seems like one of the worst vehicles on the market, IMHO. At least for the money.

It offers no Real advantage over the much cheaper Impreza.

Absolutely - I do like the look of the Crosstrek, but if I consider one of these for my kids, I'll look to the "regular" Impreza. Much better buy and the "Sport" model is actually pretty attractive.

My younger son gets his license in April - unlike his older brother, he's following more in my footsteps and at least notices cars on the road. He really likes the Civic and while I think that'd be a great car for him, his mother adamantly believes the boys need AWD despite my arguments that snow tires on a FWD car would run circles (literally) around her SUV.

So to that point, an Impreza could be a nice compromise as a compact hatchback but with AWD.

But 90% sure the 15 year old will just inherit the old MDX that's been beat up already by the older son. Which isn't the worst idea.

roadburner

breld said:

But 90% sure the 15 year old will just inherit the old MDX that's been beat up already by the older son. Which isn't the worst idea.

My son got a 37 year old car...

28firefighter

I drove a Ford Taurus. It served its purpose.

isellhondas

roadburner said:

stickguy said:

some more randoms from the listings.

I had a desire for one of these back in the late 70s too. My friends parents bought one and I got to drive it. Yes I liked small oddball cars back then too. This one is probably a fun driver, and a little bit hopped up.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1980-ford-fiesta-5/

and I wonder what this will go for. I know I will catch some grief for this, but I love this one. At least it isn't triple white.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1988-volkswagen-cabriolet-7/

Back in 1980 I was on the car hunt that eventually ended up with me buying an Arrow 2.6 GT. I liked the Fiesta but I wanted A/C- it was dealer installed but the car had to have a factory installed A/C prep kit. None of the ones I liked had that kit. One idiot salesman told me to wait for the upcoming 1981 Escort, as it "would make the Fiesta look sick." Right.
Other stories from that search:
I stopped at a dealer that I heard had a used 240Z. Turns out it had sold and the salesman asked me what other cars I was interested in. I said something like a TR6, Alfa Spider, or Scirocco. He replied, "We have a nice Pinto!"
I found a new orange Capri RS- every option but A/C.
Another Ford dealer with no Fiestas begged me to try a "really clean!" Datsun B210.
Back then it was obvious that salesmen at domestic dealers thought cars smaller than a Granada or Nova were essentially interchangeable- and a buyer looking at a GTV might also be interested in a Monza or a Corolla...

We had a Fiesta! I think it was around a 1979. One tough little car with that Cortina engine! I remember it had a sticker under the hood that said NOT to install aftermarket air conditioning! We lived by the coast so it wasn't a problem.

fintail

roadburner said:

breld said:

But 90% sure the 15 year old will just inherit the old MDX that's been beat up already by the older son. Which isn't the worst idea.

My son got a 37 year old car...

I bought a similarly old car when I was 18. I still own it!

Michaell

It's good to have friends - I think we'd all agree on that.

It's better to have friends who share the same interests as you do.

When said friends send you unsolicited links to cars they know you'll be interested in, well...

One owner, low miles, handshaker, likely overpriced

I just went and drove it. It's a 16 year old car, so it has some needs. Having never driven one of these before, I'm not sure if some of what I experienced was due to age, or built into the personality of the car.

qbrozen

stickguy said:

Crosstrek to Imprezza : V60 to XC60.

same car, just raised a smidge and some cladding thrown on.

I would be fine with an Imprezza if they came the right way.

Looks like the only way to get a stick is base or sport in 5 door. So not a well equipped one. And the sport has absurdly small rubber band tires. But $1,000 cheaper!

I think you mean V70 vs XC70. Both wagons, like the Impreza vs crosstrek. Whereas the xc60 is actually an CUV vs the wagon V60.

OR, maybe you mean the V60 vs V60 CC.

Michaell

qbrozen said:

stickguy said:

Crosstrek to Imprezza : V60 to XC60.

same car, just raised a smidge and some cladding thrown on.

I would be fine with an Imprezza if they came the right way.

Looks like the only way to get a stick is base or sport in 5 door. So not a well equipped one. And the sport has absurdly small rubber band tires. But $1,000 cheaper!

I think you mean V70 vs XC70. Both wagons, like the Impreza vs crosstrek. Whereas the xc60 is actually an CUV vs the wagon V60.

OR, maybe you mean the V60 vs V60 CC.

I was thinking the latter - V60 vs V60 CC

tjc78

Love that generation of TL. Nice ride there.

sda

That TL is very similar, same exterior color, we have the ivory interior. The cracks in the dashboard are very common and the cracks in our dash are almost identical. I did buy a dash mat to cover them. Our 06 TL which is an automatic with 160k is still a pleasure to drive.

Michaell

sda said:

That TL is very similar, same exterior color, we have the ivory interior. The cracks in the dashboard are very common and the cracks in our dash are almost identical. I did buy a dash mat to cover them. Our 06 TL which is an automatic with 160k is still a pleasure to drive.

Thanks - I figured the cracking dash was a pretty common occurrence.

The power mirrors don't work, the button that covers the power window lockout was missing, it pulled to the right and there was some paint issues on the front bumper.

On a positive note, the engine and transmission were great - everything you expect from Honda/Acura.

Sandman6472

Drove a Jeep Compass to a Jeep dealer that bought it yesterday. Liked the way it drove and the mpg's weren't half bad. Had to put a few gallons in it to make sure I got there without needing to call for help. Luckily, we have a c c that each lead has so we can get a few gallons when needed. Held the road nicely and was comfortable. Excellent visibility and being just a wee bit taller than a regular sedan was nice also. Don't get why Consumer Reports doesn't like these as a used vehicle. Much better than the old Compass and Patriot. Would have no issue buying one new as I drive so little miles now.
Had a busy day yesterday. Drove some vehicles from West Palm Beach up to Vero Beach and then had to go pick up some trucks in Okeechobee City in the middle of the state on the lake. Got back to West Palm about 4:20 and then took that Compass down to the Pompano Beach Jeep store. Was a 6 pm night which was just fine with us.
Sat in a brand new Jeep Renegade at the Jeep store. Liked the size but wasn't crazy about the microfiber seating material. Comfy seat at least but could see them getting stained quite easily. Found out that the Fiat 500X is built on the same platform which isn't the best thing. Would really need to spend some time in one to get a good handle on how it is drive wise.

stickguy

love the TL. would be a fun car for me. Just not at that price!

and yes, I meant the CC Volvo, not the XC.

tjc78

@Sandman6472
Friends don’t let friends drive a Compass.

They are better than before, but for the $$ so many better choices.

28firefighter

TL is great. Love that generation. The price is definitely dear for the issues you describe.

ab348

Michaell said:

sda said:

That TL is very similar, same exterior color, we have the ivory interior. The cracks in the dashboard are very common and the cracks in our dash are almost identical. I did buy a dash mat to cover them. Our 06 TL which is an automatic with 160k is still a pleasure to drive.

Thanks - I figured the cracking dash was a pretty common occurrence.

The power mirrors don't work, the button that covers the power window lockout was missing, it pulled to the right and there was some paint issues on the front bumper.

On a positive note, the engine and transmission were great - everything you expect from Honda/Acura.

I’m actually quite shocked at all those issues on a Honda. And dash cracking just seems inexcusable on a car that age.

corvette

ab348 said:

It's just a jacked-up Impreza, isn't it? With a different body? I admittedly don't pay much attention to Subaru.

Coworker has one with a roof rack. He's into rock climbing and kayaking and I think he's used it to pull out people without AWD who have gotten stuck on the way to rock climb or kayak. Last I saw, it looked like he'd bought a second tow hook and just left them semi-permanently installed.

Michaell

ab348 said:

Michaell said:

sda said:

That TL is very similar, same exterior color, we have the ivory interior. The cracks in the dashboard are very common and the cracks in our dash are almost identical. I did buy a dash mat to cover them. Our 06 TL which is an automatic with 160k is still a pleasure to drive.

Thanks - I figured the cracking dash was a pretty common occurrence.

The power mirrors don't work, the button that covers the power window lockout was missing, it pulled to the right and there was some paint issues on the front bumper.

On a positive note, the engine and transmission were great - everything you expect from Honda/Acura.

I’m actually quite shocked at all those issues on a Honda. And dash cracking just seems inexcusable on a car that age.

It was a California car, originally, with one owner. May have lived outside to explain the dash issues.

Michaell

28firefighter said:

TL is great. Love that generation. The price is definitely dear for the issues you describe.

The test drive also revealed it was pretty rough riding. @breld and @jpp75 both opined that the shocks and struts may need to be replaced, due to age.

stickguy

for that price, the TL needs to be fully sorted, everything done, and "in the wrapper" So start deducting hard.

sounds like the "these are super rare" sales price premium. The opposite of the "nobody wants one so they are unsaleable" discount when you try to trade one in.

cdnpinhead

ab348 said:

I’m actually quite shocked at all those issues on a Honda. And dash cracking just seems inexcusable on a car that age.

Well, my TSX, which is an '08, has no dash cracking whatsoever, and it spent much of its life (and mine) doing a daily commute in the hellhole that is Phoenix -- parked outside all day long.

Go figure.

oldfarmer50

Michaell said:

It's good to have friends - I think we'd all agree on that.

It's better to have friends who share the same interests as you do.

When said friends send you unsolicited links to cars they know you'll be interested in, well...

One owner, low miles, handshaker, likely overpriced

I just went and drove it. It's a 16 year old car, so it has some needs. Having never driven one of these before, I'm not sure if some of what I experienced was due to age, or built into the personality of the car.

Welcome to hooptie world. That car hits all my sweet spots but that price seems high.

Michaell

cdnpinhead said:

ab348 said:

I’m actually quite shocked at all those issues on a Honda. And dash cracking just seems inexcusable on a car that age.

Well, my TSX, which is an '08, has no dash cracking whatsoever, and it spent much of its life (and mine) doing a daily commute in the hellhole that is Phoenix -- parked outside all day long.

Go figure.

Thanks for that - having lived in Phoenix for three years, I do understand the harsh environment.

When I first saw the dash cracking, I thought it was deliberate. I imagine that’s an expensive part to replace.

Michaell

stickguy said:

for that price, the TL needs to be fully sorted, everything done, and "in the wrapper" So start deducting hard.

sounds like the "these are super rare" sales price premium. The opposite of the "nobody wants one so they are unsaleable" discount when you try to trade one in.

It is not that, by any stretch.

I am a lousy evaluator of used cars, which is why I’ve tended to stick with new.

But, I did like the control of driving a stick again, which is why I’m attracted to this:

https://www.prestigeaudi.com/used/Audi/2014-Audi-A4-for-sale-denver-colorado-1ec337e90a0e0ae8632ffabe389972c7.htm

stickguy

nice low miles, but not sure I want to get in bed with a 7 YO Audi for a long relationship! I almost trust the Acura more, if the price was more realistic.

The dash, no one would replace that. Patch job or dash pad cover (old school, probably can't even get one for that car) or you just ignore it! I could not really see it on those pictures though, other than what looked to me like the outline of the passenger side airbag.

Michaell

stickguy said:

nice low miles, but not sure I want to get in bed with a 7 YO Audi for a long relationship! I almost trust the Acura more, if the price was more realistic.

The dash, no one would replace that. Patch job or dash pad cover (old school, probably can't even get one for that car) or you just ignore it! I could not really see it on those pictures though, other than what looked to me like the outline of the passenger side airbag.

I suppose I could find a more recent GTI instead, at that price point.

stickguy

already snoozed on that! but probably a smart idea if you really want a stick shift.

28firefighter

That’s a nice car. But you can easily get a 17 GTI at that price point and possibly an 18 for not much more. More powerful 2.0T and warranty...

Michaell

28firefighter said:

That’s a nice car. But you can easily get a 17 GTI at that price point and possibly an 18 for not much more. More powerful 2.0T and warranty...

Yeah, but....

For once in my life, I'd like to get a "luxury" brand. But, when you try to pair that with a stick shift, you don't see an awful lot of choices.

Plus, GTIs are about as ubiquitous as Subarus here in Colorado.

A stick shift Audi would be a bit more of a unicorn.

Michaell

Trivia note of the day - while taking my dog to the vet this morning, the Outback hit 40,000 miles.

It took 2,114 days to reach this milestone, or just under 19 miles a day.

I snapped a pic of the odometer and texted it to my wife, with the caption "Should start thinking about trading it in..." (with a winky emoji). Got a big nope as a response. Guess we will be keeping it for quite a few more years. Given how little we drive it (even before COVID), it should last a good long time.

Yawn.

28firefighter

Michaell said:

28firefighter said:

That’s a nice car. But you can easily get a 17 GTI at that price point and possibly an 18 for not much more. More powerful 2.0T and warranty...

Yeah, but....

For once in my life, I'd like to get a "luxury" brand. But, when you try to pair that with a stick shift, you don't see an awful lot of choices.

Plus, GTIs are about as ubiquitous as Subarus here in Colorado.

A stick shift Audi would be a bit more of a unicorn.

If you have a trustworthy Indy to work on it, then it should be fine. @pensfan83 had a 2014 A4 stick and really liked it as I recall.

Michaell

28firefighter said:

Michaell said:

28firefighter said:

That’s a nice car. But you can easily get a 17 GTI at that price point and possibly an 18 for not much more. More powerful 2.0T and warranty...

Yeah, but....

For once in my life, I'd like to get a "luxury" brand. But, when you try to pair that with a stick shift, you don't see an awful lot of choices.

Plus, GTIs are about as ubiquitous as Subarus here in Colorado.

A stick shift Audi would be a bit more of a unicorn.

If you have a trustworthy Indy to work on it, then it should be fine. @pensfan83 had a 2014 A4 stick and really liked it as I recall.

I don't, but I suspect @breld might have a recommendation for me, given all the Audi's he's owned over the years (S3, S4, SQ5, A4, A5, Q7)

xwesx

Good discussion regarding the Crosstrek / Impreza. While I cannot argue the value aspect of the Impreza, there are three things about it that put it far below it's twin:

1. Oddly proportioned (e.g., it messes with my sensibilities).
2. Very low ride height / seating position.
3. Suspension is way too soft (Crosstrek is much stiffer and more useful for hauling stuff).

As far as new versus used, there's not much wiggle room on the price of new ones. These things are basically flying off the shelf as the dealers state it, and if you don't pay their price, they'll get it from the next guy down the line. Manuals are extremely rare as new, which additionally complicates things for my situation. So, from a practical pricing gap perspective, we're looking at about $4-5K more for new. I'm just not that enamored with the need for a new car to pay the gap.

@ab348 posted that overtly snarky article regarding crash rates, and I'd imagine the primary factor is over-confident drivers. Basically, the Crosstrek has a much higher percent of new-to-the-brand drivers, and often young drivers, than other models. They have this "SUV" that they think is suddenly making them way more capable on the road, and they forget that they still only have four tires contacting their environment.... and those four tires can have just as hard of a time gripping the road as any other car when it's time to stop. On the 'go' side, the car seems glued to the road (an advantage of that "under-powered" engine mated to a CVT), but stopping? Whoops.

Ultimately, my situation is that I just need a car to get my wife around in PA for the next few months, and she's a creature of habit. She wants Subaru. She wants AWD. She wants her Forester. Yet, she was perfectly willing to accept a Crosstrek... and only that.

So, my cost is about $4,500 in shipping and rental fees (and 4-6 weeks) to get her car to her, or I could just buy a car down there and let her drive that. I found a great dealer to work with, final price OTD of $19,200 for a 2018 Crosstrek Premium 6MT (37,000 miles), and they're willing to transport it to her. Oh, they will also install a set of winter tires on it at their shop before transporting, so it should be plug and play for her when she gets it. Estimated delivery is Friday (my wife landed in Erie earlier today).

xwesx

@stickguy Thanks for posting all of those alternative rides! I was able to find several that *I* thought were better (for various reasons) than the one I bought, but I bought this one because it's the one my wife wanted (and within a dealer-transportable distance). I like red, I like blue, and I also like this very nice, somewhat muted yellow they have on newer examples, but she didn't like any of those.

How does that saying go? A happy wife delays your misery, or something like that?

xwesx

Michaell said:

(S3, S4, SQ5, A4, A5, Q7)

Oh, stop it. Now you're just showing off.

sda

There is a discussion on Acurazine about TL dashes prematurely cracking. Some were replaced as a good will gesture by Acura when the cars were 5-6 years old. It is a major job and expensive. I bought a fitted dash cover and it looks ok, better than looking at the damaged dash. The perforated leather tends crack and tear as well. Our TL shows some wear, no tears yet. Some of the back lit switches no longer illuminate, another common issue. All accessories work, runs, drives great, no oil usage.

oldfarmer50

Michaell said:

ab348 said:

Michaell said:

sda said:

That TL is very similar, same exterior color, we have the ivory interior. The cracks in the dashboard are very common and the cracks in our dash are almost identical. I did buy a dash mat to cover them. Our 06 TL which is an automatic with 160k is still a pleasure to drive.

Thanks - I figured the cracking dash was a pretty common occurrence.

The power mirrors don't work, the button that covers the power window lockout was missing, it pulled to the right and there was some paint issues on the front bumper.

On a positive note, the engine and transmission were great - everything you expect from Honda/Acura.

I’m actually quite shocked at all those issues on a Honda. And dash cracking just seems inexcusable on a car that age.

It was a California car, originally, with one owner. May have lived outside to explain the dash issues.

I could never figure why people who park their cars in blazing sun don’t buy a dash cover BEFORE it cracks.