Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

andres3

oldfarmer50 said:

ab348 said:

This video appeared in my timeline on Twitter. Prospective Tesla owners take note.

https://twitter.com/laque_tess/status/1360353694450143235

Yikes! What model is that? How would you even ride like that?

That’s worse than the back seat of my Mustang.

You should see the back seat of my TTS. I'm suprised the goverment doesn't require stickers that say 8 and under years old only may sit here, or 4'10" and under 100lbs only. Ugly stickers, like the dumb air bag ones on the visors.

fintail

No headroom issues in this third row:



Legroom on the other hand, well, kids will love it.

sda

fintail said:

No headroom issues in this third row:



Legroom on the other hand, well, kids will love it.

Reminds me of the rearward facing third row seat in my parent’s 76 Cutlass Supreme wagon. It wasn’t a bad place to be other than there were no a/c vents, a bummer in the summer.

carnaught

fintail said:

No headroom issues in this third row:



Legroom on the other hand, well, kids will love it.

Immaculate interior - my kind of car-guy!

xwesx

breld said:

Dang it. Not exactly car browsing weather here in CO...

That's good browsing weather! Keeps all the wimps at home, and you'll have the place nearly all to yourself'.

tjc78

My kids wouldn’t be riding in the back of that Tesla.

@fintail
I had no idea your wagon had that! I thought that was something that disappeared after the last of the Panther wagons.

28firefighter

6” of snow on the ground. I had to run out to the store this morning because we ran out of paper towels. Roads were covered and slick but not impassable. Subaru handled as you’d expect with someone who knows how to drive on untreated roads.

The few others on the road..well, they drove as you’d expect including a Subaru that was sideways blocking a bus...

xwesx

andres3 said:

qbrozen said:

wow. an auction car that went too cheap.
https://carsandbids.com/auctions/KVDLgN4l/2016-dodge-challenger-392-hemi-scat-pack-shaker

I just plugged it into Carvana and was offered $32k. If it wasn't for the tax and titling costs, someone could make money on it. Someone with a dealer license could have flipped it quick, though.

If you were a "used car dealer" WOULD YOU still have to pay taxes and titling costs?

Seems like a lot of money for a Dodge to me, but I suppose it is extremely low mileage.

Not unless you actually titled the car and kept it. Otherwise, it is just inventory, and you pay taxes based your business sales revenue.

xwesx

oldfarmer50 said:

Yikes! What model is that? How would you even ride like that?

That’s worse than the back seat of my Mustang.

Tesla Model X with the third row seating. From the looks of it, the rear hatch molding around the glass fits in front of the "head slot" where those ladies were sitting. So, there's a little extra space in there to where the glass is mounted on the outside of the hatch. But, lean your head forward much, and *whack!*.

xwesx

tjc78 said:

My kids wouldn’t be riding in the back of that Tesla.

@fintail
I had no idea your wagon had that! I thought that was something that disappeared after the last of the Panther wagons.

Those jump seats are so practical! I wish the "third row" in my Q7 took up so little space.

fintail

To be fair, the car was pretty new when I took the pic, but it is probably 99.9% the same now, I have OCD issues with car cleanliness

With the jumpseats folded, the floor is flat:

carnaught said:

Immaculate interior - my kind of car-guy!

qbrozen

andres3 said:

qbrozen said:

breld said:

By the way, @qbrozen, that "Spark" comment would have driven me absolutely nuts. In fact, I kinda feel that way on your behalf.

I plan on attempting to send an email to the GM, if I can locate him/her's info, detailing my interaction with the dealership.


I am attempting something slightly different today. I tried a handful of new dealers and wrote, "This will be a 39/10 lease. I am aware of the MF, RV, and incentives, so all I would need to know is your best pre-incentive sale price and any dealer fees."

So far, LOTS of messages, and only a single one has come back with an answer. I think I sent it to 6-7. Most reply with questions leading to incentives and monthly. I respond with the same original message each time.

Dealerships have told me in the past the reason they don't like giving numbers out by email is they first want to be 100% certain you are a potential customer and not their competitor dealership group shopping their price so they can get beat by $100 on the online quotes.

And what I would say to them is "if your competitor can be $100 cheaper than you, then you haven't given your best price."

oldfarmer50

28firefighter said:

6” of snow on the ground. I had to run out to the store this morning because we ran out of paper towels. Roads were covered and slick but not impassable. Subaru handled as you’d expect with someone who knows how to drive on untreated roads.

The few others on the road..well, they drove as you’d expect including a Subaru that was sideways blocking a bus...

6”? Why you better stock up on bread and milk. You never know when this apocalypse will be over.

28firefighter

Please. In fairness, 6” is a lot for a city with all of two snow plows and a single bag of salt....

breld

xwesx said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Yikes! What model is that? How would you even ride like that?

That’s worse than the back seat of my Mustang.

Tesla Model X with the third row seating. From the looks of it, the rear hatch molding around the glass fits in front of the "head slot" where those ladies were sitting. So, there's a little extra space in there to where the glass is mounted on the outside of the hatch. But, lean your head forward much, and *whack!*.

It’s actually the newly available 3rd row for the Model Y. Most everyone is shocked that they even offer it.

corvette

Apparently LegitStreetCars bought Hoovie's CL65 AMG and attempted to drive it back home to Chicago.

oldfarmer50

28firefighter said:

Please. In fairness, 6” is a lot for a city with all of two snow plows and a single bag of salt....

I hope you know I was kidding. We get the same panic reaction here where a foot of snow barely registers. Some people like being scared I guess.

28firefighter

oldfarmer50 said:

28firefighter said:

Please. In fairness, 6” is a lot for a city with all of two snow plows and a single bag of salt....

I hope you know I was kidding. We get the same panic reaction here where a foot of snow barely registers. Some people like being scared I guess.

Of course! [returns toilet paper, bread, and eggs to the store]

qbrozen

Alright, I think I know what happened with the Benz. How do I put this ... ummm... I’m an idiot. I did everything based on the timing mark that a previous mechanic put on the crank pulley. Turns out that ain’t right. The mark was TDC. Timing needs to be set to 40 after TDC. Whoops!

qbrozen

I SWEAR I am being reasonable!

Had a business manager reach out to me to ask if I got all the info I needed. I hadn’t. So here was my response, to which I have not received a reply all day:


Hi.
I have yet to receive the information.

To lay it all out on the table and try to (hopefully) make this as painless as possible, here is the full story:
I’m looking to get 7% dealer discount before any incentives.
I then qualify for $2250 lease conquest, and I have a supplier code that will get an additional $750 incentive.
Allowing for a reasonable dealer doc fee of $400, $400 title/reg, $695 acquisition, and 6.625% NJ tax.
And utilizing the buy rate .00028 MF and the 64% RV for 39/10k.
All of this comes to a sign and drive ($0 due at signing) payment of $301.

I would then pay to have the car shipped to me by a 3rd party.

Please let me know if this proposal seems reasonable to you.

corvette

Nice! Is it purring like a kitten now?

qbrozen

corvette said:

Nice! Is it purring like a kitten now?

Oh, I’m not done. It is back apart. That’s enough for a Sat. Had to clean the house, too. Lol. Spent a couple hours checking other things, all connections, battery, and reading codes and recording firing activity on Bluedriver before biting the bullet and opening it back up. Then I just thought, hey, let me make sure that mark is right. I feel like a dumbass.

corvette

Does the styling of the 2022 MDX--the headlight shape, in particular, plus the red color--remind anyone else of the CX-9?

https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2021/02/2022-acura-mdx-first-drive-drivers-choice-crossover/

sda

I admire your willingness to take on that task and trouble shooting skills. You will do a happy dance once it is completed and your check book will thank you.

Oh, I’m not done. It is back apart. That’s enough for a Sat. Had to clean the house, too. Lol. Spent a couple hours checking other things, all connections, battery, and reading codes and recording firing activity on Bluedriver before biting the bullet and opening it back up. Then I just thought, hey, let me make sure that mark is right. I feel like a dumbass.

stickguy

qbrozen said:

Alright, I think I know what happened with the Benz. How do I put this ... ummm... I’m an idiot. I did everything based on the timing mark that a previous mechanic put on the crank pulley. Turns out that ain’t right. The mark was TDC. Timing needs to be set to 40 after TDC. Whoops!

So this means it is running again and you can use it?

stickguy

MDX, I really like it. Too big for me, but should be a big seller for people that want the XL or 3rd row.

stickguy

plans starting to shape up hear. Princess is home for the weekend, and of course, Jetta is filthy (street parking under a tree caused a bird poop barrage.) So that needs a deep clean. She is going to shop it in April before it is time for her to move. Unless she gets a crazy offer from a Carmax or Carvana, I will buy it for about that instead (pretty sure I can transfer the registration without paying sales tax). Then in December, will see if our son really wants to take it as the winter car when his lease ends, and get a sports car of some kind by spring. If so, I will just finance it at 0% interest (what a guy I am!) for him.

then, I can look for something more fun. or possibly a pickup. Because got the wife more geared up to looking into moving. Plus cash flow takes a big jump in 11 months when my pension kicks in. Need to spend that on something!

Michaell

member needs help

stickguy

oh, was looking into options for moving the princess to Boston. a 1 way U Haul is obscenely expensive. Too bad I did not put a trailer hitch and wiring on the RDX. Could get a small trailer and tow it up. Still cheaper than renting a truck, and I get to keep it!

looks like it will be much cheaper to rent a van from Hertz for 3 days and drive it up and back instead. If we can figure out someplace for the kid to sit, won't even need a 2nd car!

laurasdada

Life is unfair, test drive comparison department:
Test drove a couple of cars today, unfair comparison, of course.

First, a new Mazda 3 Turbo Premium Plus sedan. Liked it a lot, comfy seat, simple, elegant interior, turbo definitely adds scoot. Good brakes, immediate action. Same with the steering. And crystal clear HUD. Which, I actually found distracting. The bad news: too much suspension boom over less than ideal road surfaces and road noise on the highway. Of course, coming from a car that cost new 2x as much as the 3, i should be used to a more civil ride. And, this tester had just arrived, still half wrapped; wonder if that had any effect?

Second, 2017 Audi A7 Premium Plus (second test drive of an A7): brakes better in this one, less travel. Like the first, steering somewhat lifeless, but a much smoother and quieter ride. Again, expected in a car that costs more than 2x as much. Much closer in feel to my XF, just not quite as sharp around corners (yeah, 4400 lbs will do that, not that the XF is a Lotus in the lbs department). When done with the test, forgot to tell the saleswoman that the left rear tire needed air, it was running nearly on empty gas-wise and there was a strange "clicking" sound over my left shoulder. Likely seat belt anchor.

Another A7 advantage: Anastasia the blond saleswoman vs Sam the guy at Mazda! No offense, Sam...

May head to RI to test drive another A7 tomorrow, but to be honest, at 7 years old I think my XF still drives better than both of them! Of course, I'm biased, and familiar with the Brit.

Do I wait for the '21 refreshed XF? Do I buy one of the last couple of '20 XF-S down in Brad's neighborhood? (I did test drive a '20 XF S, but at the time wasn't moved enough to pursue, not to mention family issues began shortly after the test drive, diverting my attention until now). Or take my son's advice and go Taycan? He doesn't understand that I"m only allowed to pick from the money tree to pay his bills...

What to do, I stink at CCB-ing!

oldfarmer50

qbrozen said:

Alright, I think I know what happened with the Benz. How do I put this ... ummm... I’m an idiot. I did everything based on the timing mark that a previous mechanic put on the crank pulley. Turns out that ain’t right. The mark was TDC. Timing needs to be set to 40 after TDC. Whoops!

Sounds like the previous mechanic was the idiot. How could you get the timing marks so far out of whack?

So my wife comes out with “when are you going to buy another car?” out of the blue today. I thought I’d shock her and told her I could trade the Mustang in for a new Corvette. Her only objection was “that’s so low you couldn’t expect me to ride in it” (she won’t ride in the Mustang either).

Anyway, I took that as full permission.

I found a base model that if I sold my teeth I could swing out near Akron OH.

stickguy

Farmer, that is the MSRP. I doubt you are getting it for that or close to it.

stickguy

laurasdada said:

Life is unfair, test drive comparison department:
Test drove a couple of cars today, unfair comparison, of course.

First, a new Mazda 3 Turbo Premium Plus sedan. Liked it a lot, comfy seat, simple, elegant interior, turbo definitely adds scoot. Good brakes, immediate action. Same with the steering. And crystal clear HUD. Which, I actually found distracting. The bad news: too much suspension boom over less than ideal road surfaces and road noise on the highway. Of course, coming from a car that cost new 2x as much as the 3, i should be used to a more civil ride. And, this tester had just arrived, still half wrapped; wonder if that had any effect?

Second, 2017 Audi A7 Premium Plus (second test drive of an A7): brakes better in this one, less travel. Like the first, steering somewhat lifeless, but a much smoother and quieter ride. Again, expected in a car that costs more than 2x as much. Much closer in feel to my XF, just not quite as sharp around corners (yeah, 4400 lbs will do that, not that the XF is a Lotus in the lbs department). When done with the test, forgot to tell the saleswoman that the left rear tire needed air, it was running nearly on empty gas-wise and there was a strange "clicking" sound over my left shoulder. Likely seat belt anchor.

Another A7 advantage: Anastasia the blond saleswoman vs Sam the guy at Mazda! No offense, Sam...

May head to RI to test drive another A7 tomorrow, but to be honest, at 7 years old I think my XF still drives better than both of them! Of course, I'm biased, and familiar with the Brit.

Do I wait for the '21 refreshed XF? Do I buy one of the last couple of '20 XF-S down in Brad's neighborhood? (I did test drive a '20 XF S, but at the time wasn't moved enough to pursue, not to mention family issues began shortly after the test drive, diverting my attention until now). Or take my son's advice and go Taycan? He doesn't understand that I"m only allowed to pick from the money tree to pay his bills...

What to do, I stink at CCB-ing!

I think you should get what moves your needle.

But, I would stay away from an expensive used Audi out of warranty (or soon to be). And the Mazda, yes that might be a little louder, but if it was really right off the truck and in plastic, very possible the tires were way overinflated (I think they ship with them stuffed full of PSI for some reason). Unless I made that up. I did watch a few road tests on the 3, and basically sounded like a FWD Audi A3/A4 on a budget.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

oh, was looking into options for moving the princess to Boston. a 1 way U Haul is obscenely expensive. Too bad I did not put a trailer hitch and wiring on the RDX. Could get a small trailer and tow it up. Still cheaper than renting a truck, and I get to keep it!

looks like it will be much cheaper to rent a van from Hertz for 3 days and drive it up and back instead. If we can figure out someplace for the kid to sit, won't even need a 2nd car!

U-Haul rents for $19.95 a day but the milage charge is pretty stiff.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

Farmer, that is the MSRP. I doubt you are getting it for that or close to it.

I was hoping the hype had worn off by now. What kind of crazy ADMs are these things carrying?

stickguy

oldfarmer50 said:

stickguy said:

Farmer, that is the MSRP. I doubt you are getting it for that or close to it.

I was hoping the hype had worn off by now. What kind of crazy ADMs are these things carrying?

don't know. they aren't on my shopping list. But I bet it is at least 10K now.

stickguy

oldfarmer50 said:

stickguy said:

oh, was looking into options for moving the princess to Boston. a 1 way U Haul is obscenely expensive. Too bad I did not put a trailer hitch and wiring on the RDX. Could get a small trailer and tow it up. Still cheaper than renting a truck, and I get to keep it!

looks like it will be much cheaper to rent a van from Hertz for 3 days and drive it up and back instead. If we can figure out someplace for the kid to sit, won't even need a 2nd car!

U-Haul rents for $19.95 a day but the mileage charge is pretty stiff.

at a buck a mile (depending on size and day, could be a little less or a lot more) that really adds up. Getting a 10' truck (the small cube that is the width of the cab with no grandma's attic) would be almost $500 one way over a weekend. Probably at least $700 if I drove it round trip. At that point, it's cheaper to just buy all new furniture.

I can get a van style (Ford Transit/Nissan NV2500) from the Hertz LE (need to check Enterprise on that too) and drive it round trip. About $60/day, unlimited miles. Comes out to be just over $200 round trip (both plus gas of course) And if we figure out how to squeeze 3 people in, no need for a chase car.

qbrozen

oldfarmer50 said:

stickguy said:

Farmer, that is the MSRP. I doubt you are getting it for that or close to it.

I was hoping the hype had worn off by now. What kind of crazy ADMs are these things carrying?

I thought so, too.

At least on cargurus, of the 64 coupes within 500 miles of me, about 50 are advertised at MSRP or lower.

xwesx

breld said:

xwesx said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Yikes! What model is that? How would you even ride like that?

That’s worse than the back seat of my Mustang.

Tesla Model X with the third row seating. From the looks of it, the rear hatch molding around the glass fits in front of the "head slot" where those ladies were sitting. So, there's a little extra space in there to where the glass is mounted on the outside of the hatch. But, lean your head forward much, and *whack!*.

It’s actually the newly available 3rd row for the Model Y. Most everyone is shocked that they even offer it.

Oh, what?! Thanks for clarifying. That's insane. There's no way that little thing should have a third row.

xwesx

qbrozen said:

Alright, I think I know what happened with the Benz. How do I put this ... ummm... I’m an idiot. I did everything based on the timing mark that a previous mechanic put on the crank pulley. Turns out that ain’t right. The mark was TDC. Timing needs to be set to 40 after TDC. Whoops!

Bah. It's not mistakes that make one an idiot... it's failure to learn from them (or fear of making them in the first place). "Ya done good, son!"

xwesx

stickguy said:

oh, was looking into options for moving the princess to Boston. a 1 way U Haul is obscenely expensive. Too bad I did not put a trailer hitch and wiring on the RDX. Could get a small trailer and tow it up. Still cheaper than renting a truck, and I get to keep it!

looks like it will be much cheaper to rent a van from Hertz for 3 days and drive it up and back instead. If we can figure out someplace for the kid to sit, won't even need a 2nd car!

It's never too late to add a hitch and wiring to the RDX!

*edit* I was going to make mention of one-way fees versus round-trip, but you mentioned that a little later on.

xwesx

qbrozen said:

oldfarmer50 said:

stickguy said:

Farmer, that is the MSRP. I doubt you are getting it for that or close to it.

I was hoping the hype had worn off by now. What kind of crazy ADMs are these things carrying?

I thought so, too.

At least on cargurus, of the 64 coupes within 500 miles of me, about 50 are advertised at MSRP or lower.

Yeah, but if you contact them and request that price, they are going to explain to you how the online calculators are wrong, and if you argue the point... "Oh, I'm sorry. We sold it!"

28firefighter

Or, “Great! We’ll need a $2500 deposit now and will call you in 12 months when the car arrives.”

ab348

laurasdada said:

Life is unfair, test drive comparison department:
Test drove a couple of cars today, unfair comparison, of course.

First, a new Mazda 3 Turbo Premium Plus sedan. Liked it a lot, comfy seat, simple, elegant interior, turbo definitely adds scoot. Good brakes, immediate action. Same with the steering. And crystal clear HUD. Which, I actually found distracting. The bad news: too much suspension boom over less than ideal road surfaces and road noise on the highway. Of course, coming from a car that cost new 2x as much as the 3, i should be used to a more civil ride. And, this tester had just arrived, still half wrapped; wonder if that had any effect?

Second, 2017 Audi A7 Premium Plus (second test drive of an A7): brakes better in this one, less travel. Like the first, steering somewhat lifeless, but a much smoother and quieter ride. Again, expected in a car that costs more than 2x as much. Much closer in feel to my XF, just not quite as sharp around corners (yeah, 4400 lbs will do that, not that the XF is a Lotus in the lbs department). When done with the test, forgot to tell the saleswoman that the left rear tire needed air, it was running nearly on empty gas-wise and there was a strange "clicking" sound over my left shoulder. Likely seat belt anchor.

Another A7 advantage: Anastasia the blond saleswoman vs Sam the guy at Mazda! No offense, Sam...

May head to RI to test drive another A7 tomorrow, but to be honest, at 7 years old I think my XF still drives better than both of them! Of course, I'm biased, and familiar with the Brit.

Do I wait for the '21 refreshed XF? Do I buy one of the last couple of '20 XF-S down in Brad's neighborhood? (I did test drive a '20 XF S, but at the time wasn't moved enough to pursue, not to mention family issues began shortly after the test drive, diverting my attention until now). Or take my son's advice and go Taycan? He doesn't understand that I"m only allowed to pick from the money tree to pay his bills...

What to do, I stink at CCB-ing!

I am surprised that both A7s exhibited some driving experience negative characteristics as you describe. I would not have expected that given the price point.

I don't think you would ever be happy with any Mazda coming out of a Jag.

Since you like your Jag I would definitely explore options from them.

laurasdada

Stick, the "out of warranty" is in my mind, one of the reasons I'm considering moving on from the XF. Until the trunk electrics (and phantom "hood is open" warning now, probably related to same circuit) issue, the out of warranty XF has had nary an issue. But, the car, like many, is digital; both electric issues I've had in ownership came with no warning. Working in the morning, not working that same night. And, that is my fear, something more ominous may happen sans warning. My independent shop has gracefully declined to diagnose the problem, they don't want to get too deep into Jag electronics. Contemplating going to the dealer, or a Jag specialist. It might just be a busted wire! But, likely a lot of $ for an 8 (model) y.o. Jag.

Both A7s I''m looking at have warranty into the fall of '21, and as used, they're half the original msrp in pricing. But, still more expensive than new Mazda. And, since I"ve had reliable British car for 7+ years, perhaps I will be equally lucky with a used Audi, which I'm considering just a stopgap to my next car. Perhaps an electric in '23?

Didn't note A6/7 on CRs used cars to avoid list (online, at least), other than for 2015.

AB348: I don't think I noted any issues with latest A7, the gas and tire inflation are on the dealer. Clicking sound I"d have to take a closer look at, but dealer was closing as I finished the test drive. But, maybe I do just want a Jag. Which are like hen's teeth lately, I think Covid hit Coventry hard, the only '21 Jags in my area are a few F-Types and F-Paces.

I think I"ve ruled out Macan, if I"m going to buy a Porsche, it should be a 911 or Boxter/Cayman. But, never say never.

Forgive the ramblings, this really is the first time in my car life that I don't know exactly which car I want. I"m not sure why the ennui, perhaps just the general state of the world.

stickguy

if you really think it will be a stopgap for that time period, why not just lease something new? Probably a better bet than a well used A7, which is still going to depreciate hard.

oldfarmer50

qbrozen said:

oldfarmer50 said:

stickguy said:

Farmer, that is the MSRP. I doubt you are getting it for that or close to it.

I was hoping the hype had worn off by now. What kind of crazy ADMs are these things carrying?

I thought so, too.

At least on cargurus, of the 64 coupes within 500 miles of me, about 50 are advertised at MSRP or lower.

The Chevy.com web site doesn’t show any ADMs even when you go to the dealer’s listing. I’d hate to think you’d walk into a dealership with a check in your hand only to be told “sorry, you didn’t know we had $10k super secret special handshake markup that you didn’t know about”.

laurasdada

I've never considered leasing, pride of ownership thing (and I tend to keep cars 5+ years). But, perhaps now's the time to consider?

How does breld do it? I'm the Beale to his Loki.

corvette

I kind of like this:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DaxQWNXSVw

oldfarmer50

28firefighter said:

Or, “Great! We’ll need a $2500 deposit now and will call you in 12 months when the car arrives.”

Funny, I found an optioned up Corvette listed for $72k at a dealer a few miles from me. I went to that dealer’s web site to see if there was any additional mark up. Couldn’t find any Corvettes in their inventory at all. Not even a Corvette selection in the menu.

So what’s the deal? Do you really have to order 12 months in advance and put down big deposits? I had no idea things were still that crazy.

Here’s a case where a dealer literally stole a customer’s new Corvette.

https://youtu.be/MOlOIwK_WSc