Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

stickguy

oldfarmer50 said:

stickguy said:

Do new cars all have low oil warning lights now? Seems like something that really should be standard. Obviously BMW must since they don't have dipsticks! Yes, people should check their oil more often but we all know that is a lost art. Plus, if something happens leading to a sudden drop, you may catch it too late. I check mine based on how fast it uses (after getting a baseline), so if that is normally say 3K miles or more, probably would not catch it if the car suddenly dropped a bunch in only 1,000 miles.

If the oil gets low enough in any car the oil light should come on.

that's the pressure light. usually that just means you are about to have no engine. I just want a light that says "you are down a quart, put oil in"

corvette

Apparently the Tundra takes 9 quarts in the non-direct-injected 5.7l V8, which may partially explain why they are known for their longevity, even on 10,000 mile factory specified OCIs.

corvette

Also, I spread the Toyota truck lease love to a colleague who isn’t on here last week. We were talking about cars and how we don’t keep them more than a couple of years (check), and he mentioned being ready for something else and looking at an older Sequoia, and I was like “hold up, have you considered leasing a Tacoma or Tundra? Let me send you a link.”

xwesx

roadburner said:

At a gas station I noticed a lady having problems airing up the tires on her car. I offered to help. I got out my tire gauge and she had inflated one tire to I’ve 80 psi. I’m surprised she didn’t have one let go on her.

Holy smokes! That was fortuitous of you to check that! Nice going; probably saved someone an injury, and at at the least a lot of damage!

xwesx

fintail said:

I remember Christmas 1992, my 16 year old cousin drove his car to our house, the car being a 1986 Camry gifted to him by my aunt. He mentioned the oil light came on, asked if it meant anything, my dad snarked something to the effect that it's probably too late. My cousin had zero mechanical aptitude, so my dad and I went to inspect the car. Dry dipstick. My dad always had oil on hand, so he refilled it. Not sure what happened to the Camry after that, but my cousin later turned up in a new Civic.

xwesx said:

I told him that he probably did some serious damage to the truck, but no way of knowing without a teardown or wait for it to throw a rod. He expressed his undying gratitude, jumped in, and drove off toward his original destination.

Wow, that's honestly quite sad. That Camry, at that time, was a fairly recent used car! Our two-tone brown Camry (1985 LE) looked pristine when my father bought his 1992 Camry in November of 91. Even when they gifted it to my sister in 1995, it was still very nice... and it even stayed in decent shape the whole time she owned it, but finally fell victim to aging suspension components in the mid 200,000 miles, and she wasn't willing to dump money into it.

xwesx

corvette said:

Also, I spread the Toyota truck lease love to a colleague who isn’t on here last week. We were talking about cars and how we don’t keep them more than a couple of years (check), and he mentioned being ready for something else and looking at an older Sequoia, and I was like “hold up, have you considered leasing a Tacoma or Tundra? Let me send you a link.”

Good of you! Next step, send him the link, forums.edmunds.com.

fintail

Yeah, I thought those early Camrys were known to be pretty solid, especially if in a salt-free climate. Heck, at that same time my mom's 85 Tempo GLX was still going strong and looking like new, and would be kept in the family until 1999, when she let it go at ~190K - also had worn out suspension, new buyer was going to fix it and give it to his kid. I suspect that Camry had other issues, although my aunt hasn't been known to be rough on cars. I recall nothing other than it was white on burgundy (I think).

xwesx said:

Wow, that's honestly quite sad. That Camry, at that time, was a fairly recent used car! Our two-tone brown Camry (1985 LE) looked pristine when my father bought his 1992 Camry in November of 91. Even when they gifted it to my sister in 1995, it was still very nice... and it even stayed in decent shape the whole time she owned it, but finally fell victim to aging suspension components in the mid 200,000 miles, and she wasn't willing to dump money into it.

stickguy

just saw that Carmax is offering 24 hour test drives. That might come in handy if I get the long list narrowed down to a short list. Good way to try out something different to see if it might be viable to live with. PU truck, EV, low sporty car. Basically something I have never really tried to live with.

Many things might seem fine on a quick test drive, but a couple of hours in different conditions might change that.

sda

It used to be, at least locally, CarMax only allowed a brief test drive, essentially around the block and didn’t allow you to really experience the vehicle. The salesperson riding with you, of course, yakking away to really distract you. 24 hr test drive is a real plus. I have sold several cars to CarMax but have yet to buy one there.

sda

Sunday mornings around 10:30 or so I like to get out of the house for a while and drive, often about 25 minutes away where new car dealerships and CarMax are located. I enjoy walking through the lots while the dealerships closed and browse. What I have noticed recently is the thin inventory and cars that are not in great condition. Many with door dings and noticeable body reconditioning or repair, higher miles with matching high pricing. Is this what others are finding? The VW lot had mainly Atlas(s)and Tiguans as new inventory and few sedans. Still some 2020 Jettas on clearance, not sure how much they may be discounted as they still show about $1500 dealer junk mark up.

graphicguy

oldfarmer50 said:

stickguy said:

I like helping old people. Good way of pretending that I am not one of them.

I like helping young people too. Friday I was trying to order pizza and the girl taking the order was obviously brand new and wasn’t sure how to take the order. I had to repeat things two or three times. She finally said almost tearfully “this is my first day and I’m having a terrible time”. I assured her she was doing fine.

When I got my order I tipped her $50 and told her we all have tough days and that things would get better. Her eyes lit up and she said “this just turned into my best day ever!”.

I wish somebody had done that for me when I was 16 at my first job.

What a great gesture. @oldfarmer50 ....you’re one of the “good guys”.

graphicguy

@explorer05....Agree with OF...a worn seat in a vehicle with that little mileage sounds like a warning sign. Unless, the previous owner was a “very big” person. Still, it sounds like you’re 50-50 on liking it. Is that enough?

explorerx4

@graphicguy,
I'm crossing that one off the list, due to the seat comfort issue.
Feel bad because the dealer was great.

corvette

@explorerx4 - that's unfortunate, maybe keep that dealer on your radar and see whether anything else that interests you pops up on their lot?

@sda - CarMax stopped doing the super thorough reconditioning that made them famous quite some time ago. I remember seeing a Land Rover in their showroom with only 4,000 miles that had the aluminum trim in the center console beaten all to heck. Back in the old days, that would have been replaced.

kyfdx

I think Carmax just extended their return policy to 30 days/1500 miles.

stickguy

that's even better!

They do just give your money back, right? No deductions for use, or just applying a credit for another car?

roadburner

The dealer that sold me my 2er took in a one owner 2018 M2; Mineral Gray, three pedals, Exec Pkg., no hole in the roof. Only 9113 miles. Too bad it's not a 2019...

28firefighter

roadburner said:

The dealer that sold me my 2er took in a one owner 2018 M2; Mineral Gray, three pedals, Exec Pkg., no hole in the roof. Only 9113 miles. Too bad it's not a 2019...

How much?

stickguy

what's so special about 2019?

Michaell

stickguy said:

what's so special about 2019?

moah powah....

roadburner

stickguy said:

what's so special about 2019?

S55 Motor, bigger brakes, M Sport Seats...

roadburner

28firefighter said:

roadburner said:

The dealer that sold me my 2er took in a one owner 2018 M2; Mineral Gray, three pedals, Exec Pkg., no hole in the roof. Only 9113 miles. Too bad it's not a 2019...

How much?

$47,425

28firefighter

roadburner said:

28firefighter said:

roadburner said:

The dealer that sold me my 2er took in a one owner 2018 M2; Mineral Gray, three pedals, Exec Pkg., no hole in the roof. Only 9113 miles. Too bad it's not a 2019...

How much?

$47,425

And a 2019 is probably what - 50-52? I’d just wait...

breld

I think I'd be completely fine with a 2018 M2 for my needs, but at the right price. With the significant changes for 2019, I just think the Comp will hold its value much better. So I think the 2018 needs to be priced accordingly, and that doesn't seem to be the case right now.

tifighter

rny421 said:

I drove a Model 3 today and loveddd it. I was surprised how quiet it was, and how solid it felt. There are so many settings to tweak, it's legitimately like an iPad on wheels, and felt like the future. I probably should've started with driving something like a Mitsubishi iMiEV so it wouldn't have gotten me as excited about a potential new car.

The hurdles are cost and my concern of Tesla's reliability. Has Tesla come a long way? I remember when the Model S came out, people were having powertrain failures and all sorts of quality issues. The Model X and Model 3 rollout both were plagued with their own issues as well. I believe someone on here has two Teslas - any thoughts?

Regarding cost, I was initially thinking of doing a lease takeover as a way to try out an EV, but that could be difficult as it sounds like Tesla is restricting transfers between certain states due to COVID. Looking at used Model 3's, they seem to hold their value too well such that buying a year or two old doesn't make sense. That should mean that if I end up buying new, hopefully wouldn't get burned too bad on depreciation if I only kept it 3-4 years.

I still want to test driven an e-tron and maybe a Mini SE. My current train of thought is to wait a little bit to see if the $7,500 EV rebate is reinstated as it is rumored to be for the new Biden administration. Any CPAs or Accounting folks on here want to wager a guess if I bought a new 2021 Model 3 and the EV rebate was brought back to life later in the year, would my purchase earlier in 2021 be eligible?

Our 3 has been dead reliable, and it was an earlier build. No issues, daily driven by my wife and not babied. Owned almost 2.5 years now, driven from Seattle to Portland or Vancouver BC multiple times. Autopilot rocks. I did have to change the wipers and fill the washer fluid. Lame.

Can't speak to what will happen on the EV credit front; it's anyone's guess at the moment.

Always nice to hear a positive take from someone that took an actual test drive.

breld

28firefighter said:

roadburner said:

28firefighter said:

roadburner said:

The dealer that sold me my 2er took in a one owner 2018 M2; Mineral Gray, three pedals, Exec Pkg., no hole in the roof. Only 9113 miles. Too bad it's not a 2019...

How much?

$47,425

And a 2019 is probably what - 50-52? I’d just wait...

Exactly.

The one local to me (the 2018) is now at $46,840, but also has 23k miles. Here's the funny and aggravating thing...I went and looked at it the day it was listed, and I distinctively remember it being priced at $46,840. The very next day the listing price had been increased to $48,840, and just recently it went through a "price reduction" to $46,840. Games dealers play.

breld

tifighter said:

rny421 said:

I drove a Model 3 today and loveddd it. I was surprised how quiet it was, and how solid it felt. There are so many settings to tweak, it's legitimately like an iPad on wheels, and felt like the future. I probably should've started with driving something like a Mitsubishi iMiEV so it wouldn't have gotten me as excited about a potential new car.

The hurdles are cost and my concern of Tesla's reliability. Has Tesla come a long way? I remember when the Model S came out, people were having powertrain failures and all sorts of quality issues. The Model X and Model 3 rollout both were plagued with their own issues as well. I believe someone on here has two Teslas - any thoughts?

Regarding cost, I was initially thinking of doing a lease takeover as a way to try out an EV, but that could be difficult as it sounds like Tesla is restricting transfers between certain states due to COVID. Looking at used Model 3's, they seem to hold their value too well such that buying a year or two old doesn't make sense. That should mean that if I end up buying new, hopefully wouldn't get burned too bad on depreciation if I only kept it 3-4 years.

I still want to test driven an e-tron and maybe a Mini SE. My current train of thought is to wait a little bit to see if the $7,500 EV rebate is reinstated as it is rumored to be for the new Biden administration. Any CPAs or Accounting folks on here want to wager a guess if I bought a new 2021 Model 3 and the EV rebate was brought back to life later in the year, would my purchase earlier in 2021 be eligible?

Our 3 has been dead reliable, and it was an earlier build. No issues, daily driven by my wife and not babied. Owned almost 2.5 years now, driven from Seattle to Portland or Vancouver BC multiple times. Autopilot rocks. I did have to change the wipers and fill the washer fluid. Lame.

Can't speak to what will happen on the EV credit front; it's anyone's guess at the moment.

Always nice to hear a positive take from someone that took an actual test drive.

I always appreciate your real-world experience with your Teslas. I do wish I would have taken a closer look at the Model Y...my impression was that it was a bit on the small side and therefore cramped on the inside. But I looked at the specs recently and was surprised to see it was as long as the X3 (actually a tad longer). Wife and I checked one out at the mall showroom this past weekend and that confirmed the interior space is indeed competitive with the class. I suppose the shape and height of it gives the appearance of a smaller vehicle.

breld

rny421 said:

Any CPAs or Accounting folks on here want to wager a guess if I bought a new 2021 Model 3 and the EV rebate was brought back to life later in the year, would my purchase earlier in 2021 be eligible?

I doubt it will be left up to any interpretation by a CPA or anyone for that matter. If there is a modification to the rebate to allow more units by a manufacturer to qualify, it will be very clear on whether it applies prospectively or retroactively.

FWIW, it seems to me Tesla adjusted their pricing accordingly with phasing out of rebate eligibility.

breld

breld said:

rny421 said:

Any CPAs or Accounting folks on here want to wager a guess if I bought a new 2021 Model 3 and the EV rebate was brought back to life later in the year, would my purchase earlier in 2021 be eligible?

I doubt it will be left up to any interpretation by a CPA or anyone for that matter. If there is a modification to the rebate to allow more units by a manufacturer to qualify, it will be very clear on whether it applies prospectively or retroactively.

FWIW, it seems to me Tesla adjusted their pricing accordingly with phasing out of rebate eligibility.

Just did a quick search and found a table someone put together on Tesla's pricing adjustments.

As an example, the Model 3 long range AWD was introduced at a price of $54k. That price has been reduced over time since then, and today you can order that model for $47k. If the rebate was still intact, I doubt those decreases would have been made, or certainly not to that extent.

Nothing wrong with that IMO at all, but just saying you may not be paying much more by "losing out" on the tax rebate.

What would really be interesting is if the rebate limit was retracted, allowing Tesla (and GM) to once again be eligible...would they increase the price accordingly?

kyfdx

stickguy said:

that's even better!

They do just give your money back, right? No deductions for use, or just applying a credit for another car?

From what I understand, yes

kyfdx

Also... hit the Powerball on Saturday. $4.

au1994

kyfdx said:

Also... hit the Powerball on Saturday. $4.

You doubled us up, we hit for $2. I’m sure my money guy is waiting by the phone.

stickguy

I hit Mega for $4 too. Just cashed those babies in today. Maybe I should go car shopping?

corvette

I tried to play using the mobile app. Not recommended. Very buggy. I think I won $2, but it doesn't look like I received credit.

au1994

Aren’t we high rollers? We could barely by a 6 pack of a nice craft beer if we pooled our winnings.

stickguy

saw a new style big rolls (4 door). On some hideous looking tip toe wheels (24's? Lots of wheel, little sidewall, and really bad looking).

also parked next to a White XC90. made my RDX look kind of dainty.

tjc78

Ha ha .. did the XC have Maryland temp plates?

Speaking of that they just had to send me an extended one since they still don’t have my Jersey plates. Used to take a week, I’m over two months now.

stickguy

no front tag, so I actually wondered. But I walked behind it and it had a normal Jersey plate on it. Plus looked like a darker interior.

I know Jersey basically extended expired tags indefinitely early on in the pandemic. No clue what the current rules are. Just glad my license expires in 12/2021, not last month.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

just saw that Carmax is offering 24 hour test drives. That might come in handy if I get the long list narrowed down to a short list. Good way to try out something different to see if it might be viable to live with. PU truck, EV, low sporty car. Basically something I have never really tried to live with.

Many things might seem fine on a quick test drive, but a couple of hours in different conditions might change that.

I remember when the new Mustang came out in 2005 I rented one to get a full day test drive. CarMax would have come in handy.

The only thing better for you would be to come and work for Enterprise. Today I got to drive everything from a Caddy XT4 to a Nissan Kicks.

oldfarmer50

sda said:

Sunday mornings around 10:30 or so I like to get out of the house for a while and drive, often about 25 minutes away where new car dealerships and CarMax are located. I enjoy walking through the lots while the dealerships closed and browse. What I have noticed recently is the thin inventory and cars that are not in great condition. Many with door dings and noticeable body reconditioning or repair, higher miles with matching high pricing. Is this what others are finding? The VW lot had mainly Atlas(s)and Tiguans as new inventory and few sedans. Still some 2020 Jettas on clearance, not sure how much they may be discounted as they still show about $1500 dealer junk mark up.

Our boss told us that because of the high wholesale prices dealers are only buying the bare minimum of inventory. Typically if we deliver a car it is already sold.

Sounds like those stores are finding slim pickings at the auction too.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

that's even better!

They do just give your money back, right? No deductions for use, or just applying a credit for another car?

I know they don’t refund any delivery fees so if you had it sent from Hawaii you’re out of luck.

28firefighter

The ZHPs big brother is officially westbound. Should be here in about a week.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

I hit Mega for $4 too. Just cashed those babies in today. Maybe I should go car shopping?

Lost on the Mega and Power two weeks in a row. Third time is the charm this week.

stickguy

oldfarmer50 said:

stickguy said:

just saw that Carmax is offering 24 hour test drives. That might come in handy if I get the long list narrowed down to a short list. Good way to try out something different to see if it might be viable to live with. PU truck, EV, low sporty car. Basically something I have never really tried to live with.

Many things might seem fine on a quick test drive, but a couple of hours in different conditions might change that.

I remember when the new Mustang came out in 2005 I rented one to get a full day test drive. CarMax would have come in handy.

The only thing better for you would be to come and work for Enterprise. Today I got to drive everything from a Caddy XT4 to a Nissan Kicks.

Thanks for the offer, but I doubt they will meet my $ requirement. But, once I actually retire, could see doing it part time!

rny421

tifighter said:

Our 3 has been dead reliable, and it was an earlier build. No issues, daily driven by my wife and not babied. Owned almost 2.5 years now, driven from Seattle to Portland or Vancouver BC multiple times. Autopilot rocks. I did have to change the wipers and fill the washer fluid. Lame.

Can't speak to what will happen on the E V credit front; it's anyone's guess at the moment.

Always nice to hear a positive take from someone that took an actual test drive.

Thanks, good to know! I would also hope that the fact that they're in their third year of production would help ensure that most of the kinks are worked out. It would also be under warranty for 4 years, so if it really proved to be problematic over that time, I'd dump it at the end of the warranty.

What do you do for home charging? Did you buy a Tesla Charger, or a generic charger? I'm also trying to figure out if our utility company allows you to have Time of Use charging for just the EV charger, or if it has to be the entire account (aka house)... Big learning curve, but it gives me something to do

rny421

breld said:

Just did a quick search and found a table someone put together on Tesla's pricing adjustments.

As an example, the Model 3 long range AWD was introduced at a price of $54k. That price has been reduced over time since then, and today you can order that model for $47k. If the rebate was still intact, I doubt those decreases would have been made, or certainly not to that extent.

Nothing wrong with that IMO at all, but just saying you may not be paying much more by "losing out" on the tax rebate.

What would really be interesting is if the rebate limit was retracted, allowing Tesla (and GM) to once again be eligible...would they increase the price accordingly?

Yeah, it would be interesting to see if they simply increase the price if the federal government removes the sales cap on the EV rebate. Biden has indicated his support for EVs, but there are a few proposals I've seen floated out there from a removal of the sales cap on the federal EV rebate (helping Tesla, GM, and Nissan soon), to a twist on the cash-for-clunkers program, but focused on replacing gasoline vehicles with EVs. Politics aside, I do think that this could be a tipping point for EVs with a lot of manufacturers starting to put out EVs, which may set the trajectory of EVs if they don't catch on like manufacturers are betting on them to.

tifighter

rny421 said:

tifighter said:

Our 3 has been dead reliable, and it was an earlier build. No issues, daily driven by my wife and not babied. Owned almost 2.5 years now, driven from Seattle to Portland or Vancouver BC multiple times. Autopilot rocks. I did have to change the wipers and fill the washer fluid. Lame.

Can't speak to what will happen on the E V credit front; it's anyone's guess at the moment.

Always nice to hear a positive take from someone that took an actual test drive.

Thanks, good to know! I would also hope that the fact that they're in their third year of production would help ensure that most of the kinks are worked out. It would also be under warranty for 4 years, so if it really proved to be problematic over that time, I'd dump it at the end of the warranty.

What do you do for home charging? Did you buy a Tesla Charger, or a generic charger? I'm also trying to figure out if our utility company allows you to have Time of Use charging for just the EV charger, or if it has to be the entire account (aka house)... Big learning curve, but it gives me something to do

I had a charger from Clipper Creek before (Model 3 was our third EV) but ended up eventually upgrading to the Tesla charger in 2020 for higher output/faster speed. Tesla charger is no more costly than the others, and you can always get a L2 adapter that works for other brands if you need it later.

I'd guess your utility just monitors overall home usage when determining TOU. But most likely your car charging would be the only thing pulling big amps overnight, so I don't think it really makes any difference.

qbrozen

breld said:

I think I'd be completely fine with a 2018 M2 for my needs, but at the right price.

Well, given your “needs” are just to drive something different than last month, year definitely should not matter ... nor trim, options, color, etc.

sda

28firefighter said:

The ZHPs big brother is officially westbound. Should be here in about a week.

I hope your dad is recovering well.

nyccarguy

@28firefighter - can you give us an update on your Dad?