Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

tjc78

At that range with 90% of the driving I do it wouldn’t need gas that often at all.

laurasdada

That's my thinking, TJC. Now reading 30 miles electric, 325 gas.
Off for a joy ride!

jpp75

For those of you who were following the C30 on Demuro's auction site, it ended this afternoon and had a nice burst of bidding at the end. Overall I was really pleased with the experience using the site. They made it easy and definitely gave the car more exposure than I could have gotten elsewhere, all in all the perfect way to sell a car like this.

corvette

Congrats! Looks like a good result.

jpp75

corvette said:

Congrats! Looks like a good result.

Thanks, I'm definitely pleased with it! As those auctions tend to do the price went up about $2,300 at the end of the auction, quite fun to watch.

oldfarmer50

xwesx said:

@laurasdada

What a bummer that you bought the A7. Now I'm going to have to tone down my hate for the Audi shifter.

Oh, I mean congratulations! Pics soon!

Better get used to it, I drove a Rouge today that had the same kind of shifter.

carnaught

laurasdada said:

Quick first picture, electric charging port on driver's side.

Sharp car, @laurasdada - big congrats! Really think that Audi’s interiors are among the nicest.

oldfarmer50

cdnpinhead said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Why compete with people who have no impulse control?

Are you serious? You do know what board this is, don't you?

My assumption is that the member of this board are not spending money they don’t have.

stickguy

is that one of the shifters where you push up for revers, down for drive, but the lever always returns to center? My son's Genesis has one of those. I always have to stare at it a bit when I drive his car to remember how to make it work. But, no worse than the buttons on my car! Just whatever you get used to.

oldfarmer50

ab348 said:

I'm surprised they gave the Talon/Eclipse/Laser first place. They were quite desirable cars at the time though and I remember lusting after one for a bit but was put off by the Chrysler connection. Surprised they seemed to not be too thrilled with either the Acura or the Toyota. I thought the styling of that generation of the Celica was a step backwards from the previous generation (the one which replaced the wedge) which I thought was a very nice design. A buddy of mine had a Corrado G-Lader 4-cyl in the mid-'90s and it was troublesome. I liked the looks of it though.

Speaking of retrospective road tests, did I even mention this one that featured my Cutlass?

https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2015/09/comparison-test-1968-oldsmobile-cutlass-s-1968-ford-mustang-gt/

What I’d like to know is how many of those cars could you still find on the road today? That would be the real test of the best car.

stickguy

maybe not best. Possibly least prone to rust. But mostly, the one that became a hot collectible.

explorerx4

Shockingly, I saw 2 Corrado's today.
A kind of ratty one being driven and an immaculate looking one at a repair shop.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

is that one of the shifters where you push up for revers, down for drive, but the lever always returns to center? My son's Genesis has one of those. I always have to stare at it a bit when I drive his car to remember how to make it work. But, no worse than the buttons on my car! Just whatever you get used to.

Those electric shift controls don’t have a slot where you can tell where the shifter is. You end up overthinking where you’ve put it. The process is complicated by the electronic park position which leaves you fooling with the lever forever until you learn how to do it.

Almost as bad are the shift buttons on the GMCs. They look like buttons but you actually have to hook your finger behind them and pull towards you. Tough to do when you’re cursing and pounding your fist on the dash.

corvette

I think most of the electronic shift controls will automatically put the car in park if you just press the button to turn off the engine.

nyccarguy

jpp75 said:

For those of you who were following the C30 on Demuro's auction site, it ended this afternoon and had a nice burst of bidding at the end. Overall I was really pleased with the experience using the site. They made it easy and definitely gave the car more exposure than I could have gotten elsewhere, all in all the perfect way to sell a car like this.

That’s awesome! Was there anything particularly smooth (or difficult) about the process? Is there a minimum amount of photos? Was there a “must” in the listing that you said to yourself “really?” Your pictures look great!

qbrozen

The Camaro has a good ole-fashion shifter. Sadly, it has an electronic e-brake though.

Oh, have I mentioned how awful the paddle shifters are? About the same quality as a cheap video game controller. Good thing the auto works so well.

I do NOT grow tired of the fantastic sound when lifting off the throttle at high RPMs!!

andres3

oldfarmer50 said:

ab348 said:

I'm surprised they gave the Talon/Eclipse/Laser first place. They were quite desirable cars at the time though and I remember lusting after one for a bit but was put off by the Chrysler connection. Surprised they seemed to not be too thrilled with either the Acura or the Toyota. I thought the styling of that generation of the Celica was a step backwards from the previous generation (the one which replaced the wedge) which I thought was a very nice design. A buddy of mine had a Corrado G-Lader 4-cyl in the mid-'90s and it was troublesome. I liked the looks of it though.

Speaking of retrospective road tests, did I even mention this one that featured my Cutlass?

https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2015/09/comparison-test-1968-oldsmobile-cutlass-s-1968-ford-mustang-gt/

What I’d like to know is how many of those cars could you still find on the road today? That would be the real test of the best car.

Not an entirely fair test as some cars are collision magnets perhaps. Especially in highly populated areas where many go uninsured.

andres3

New Topic: The ONE that got away, but you never had it.....

You all discussed the car you most regret selling, but how about the one you never actually bought, that perhaps you should have!

I don't see these on things like Cars & Bids...how come..... mine is the EVO MR (dual clutch right up my alley!). Have they all been crashed?

jpp75

nyccarguy said:

That’s awesome! Was there anything particularly smooth (or difficult) about the process? Is there a minimum amount of photos? Was there a “must” in the listing that you said to yourself “really?” Your pictures look great!

Honestly I'd say the entire process was really smooth. They partner with a service (Snappr) if you want to get the photos taken professionally which I did. I will say that wasn't the best experience (bad service from the photographer) but they gave me a partial refund because of it and in the end the photos turned out great so no compliants.

I can't say there was anything particular that made me say "really?" The only interesting part, when I first submitted they said they'd take it but wouldn't let me list a reserve. I declined and they relented and let me put one on it. In the end the reserve wasn't an issue at all but I would have been upset had I listed it and it ended up going for something ridiculous like $5k just because there was no reserve. But in the end I couldn't be happier and would definitely use them again.

Sandman6472

ab348, I inherited a 1967 Olds Cutlass Supreme 4-door that my mom bought for her folks. Bare bones, black vinyl roof over a torquoise body. Once my grandpa passed, it just sat at our house since my grandma never drove. I was a senior in high school and my dad told my mom to let me use it for my going to school vehicle since it was paid for and just sitting in the garage. It took me through my senior year and brought it to New Orleans starting my sophomore year, it sat in the garage my freshman year with the folks using it every week or so. Finally traded it in on that awful '76 Izuzu Opel. Under my care, it was painted a couple of times. First went to a navy blue which hid the dents well. I finally had it painted a light brown which looked the best of all of it's colors.
I remember driving near downtown Ft. Lauderdale and finding a large junk yard with a whole area of just hub caps. Since I hated the ones that came with it, was able to find a mint set of hubcaps from a 1962 or so Oldsmobile 88 or 98, not sure which but they were super cool and gave it a whole different look. Got many compliments from folks who used to have them on their early 1960's Oldsmobile products. Had a wonky a/c system which usually worked but had a leak in the rear window that proved to be an issue after a heavy rain. But overall, was the perfect vehicle for a high school senior and a college graduate a few years later. Was sad to see it go but, was definitely time. My frat brother helped me put in an FM converter the start of my second year and it made those long drives home to South Florida much easier.

fintail

Should have bought a minty Mark IV Supra TT when you could still get them for 30K all day long. Also 70s/80s era 911s and W113s when they were cheapish ~20 years ago.

andres3 said:

New Topic: The ONE that got away, but you never had it.....

You all discussed the car you most regret selling, but how about the one you never actually bought, that perhaps you should have!

I don't see these on things like Cars & Bids...how come..... mine is the EVO MR (dual clutch right up my alley!). Have they all been crashed?

nyccarguy

This car look like it is in good shape for 184K miles, except for those awful headlight cut outs. It’s priced like a car with half the miles.

https://newyork.craigslist.org/stn/cto/d/staten-island-2003-mazda-mx-miata/7296327584.html

qbrozen

andres3 said:

New Topic: The ONE that got away, but you never had it.....

You all discussed the car you most regret selling, but how about the one you never actually bought, that perhaps you should have!

I don't see these on things like Cars & Bids...how come..... mine is the EVO MR (dual clutch right up my alley!). Have they all been crashed?

I was going to say no, but then remembered the E30 manual coupe I once test drove. Really liked it but thought the used car dealer wanted just a little too much. He wanted $3300 and I wanted to pay $3k. That was maybe 2 years before they started appreciating.

nyccarguy

Interesting reliable find

https://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/cto/d/bridgeport-2007-honda-accord-ex-speed/7295637467.html

oldfarmer50

qbrozen said:

The Camaro has a good ole-fashion shifter. Sadly, it has an electronic e-brake though.

Oh, have I mentioned how awful the paddle shifters are? About the same quality as a cheap video game controller. Good thing the auto works so well.

I do NOT grow tired of the fantastic sound when lifting off the throttle at high RPMs!!

Nothing sounds like a V8.

stickguy

nyccarguy said:

Interesting reliable find

https://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/cto/d/bridgeport-2007-honda-accord-ex-speed/7295637467.html

a 2 MY newer version of the one I had. Same colors too. That was a good car. Should have kept it when the princess started driving, and just added another car to the fleet.

stickguy

Regrets? the 525i I had the deposit down on in 2000. Closest I actually came to buying a BMW. Or the first one that I actually went to the dealership to look at. A 318Ti!

oldfarmer50

nyccarguy said:

This car look like it is in good shape for 184K miles, except for those awful headlight cut outs. It’s priced like a car with half the miles.

https://newyork.craigslist.org/stn/cto/d/staten-island-2003-mazda-mx-miata/7296327584.html

But it comes with the holes in the roof patched.

stickguy

wandered over to BaT for some reason. Saw the red 1976 Celica still running so looked to see what it was up to. Man, the nostalgia car market is nuts. Not done yet, and up the $32,000!

laurasdada

More pix, certainly not my best work. A bit rushed:





Short trip to Kohl's, ~10 miles round trip, gas engine never kicked in. Did burn ~13 miles of electrons to drive the 10-ish.

I'll get used to the shifter, as I did the hockey puck in the Jag. But, if I had to choose, I'd go puck over Audi shifter.

nyccarguy

Is this price correct or too cheap?

https://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/cto/d/white-plains-1995-bmw-m3/7291070879.html

nyccarguy

2000 Prelude Type SH w/ 153K miles

https://newyork.craigslist.org/fct/ctd/d/bridgeport-2000-honda-prelude/7286612368.html

stickguy

I like the Prelude. But would want to see proof that the clutch was done recently! Price seem reasonable if it checks out. Probably going to hold its value (and maybe even go up) if you take care of it and don't put a lot of miles on it.

neat M3. probably one of the lesser molested ones around. But of course, needs one heck of a good PPI. Price does not seem all that cheap to me. I thought these were the ugly duckling models of the M3 hierarchy? Or is that the V8 models? In any case, if it checked out, I would not mind having it, even if a later 335 (heck, a 330) would spank it.

28firefighter

Can’t imagine why you’d want proof the clutch was done....

28firefighter

nyccarguy said:

Is this price correct or too cheap?

https://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/cto/d/white-plains-1995-bmw-m3/7291070879.html

Too much given the lack of detail provided on history. IMO.

stickguy

hence the need for a serious PPI.

stickguy

random car of the day (yes I am bored). Not a bad looking beast for winter beater/occasional towing duty. Nice color combo, and it has the V8. Would need to invest in a modern head unit with carplay and a BU camera. If it was an F150, would probably cost 2x as much!

https://www.royalmotorsnj.com/details-2010-ford-explorer-4wd_4dr_limited-used-1fmeu7f8xau194832.html

or a couple year older PU version. They should come out with a new version of this. I guess the Maverick will cover that niche, without the big tow capacity. Like the colors and moonroof on this one, but seems a bit over priced. But these days, who knows? Just seems more like what is supposed to be a $6k car.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/839681359/overview/

Michaell

$300 a day to rent a Kia Rio?

au1994

@laurasdada thats stunning! Color is great.

The one that I didn’t buy but should have...An E28 M5 for 13k in 2014. It was a bit crusty cosmetically but mechanically good. I had just purchased my ZHP a few months earlier and didn’t want to part with the cash.

au1994

nyccarguy said:

Is this price correct or too cheap?

https://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/cto/d/white-plains-1995-bmw-m3/7291070879.html

As noted...PPI, PPI, PPI and deduct from there as the miles and condition show that this was one that was enjoyed. The interior looks a little rough but a good professional detail may do the trick. This was never my favorite 3 series styling wise but if you’re a fan you’re a fan. I think it put out 240 hp when new so you won’t be winning too many stop light Grand Prix but that was never what these were all about.

kyfdx

28firefighter said:

nyccarguy said:

Is this price correct or too cheap?

https://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/cto/d/white-plains-1995-bmw-m3/7291070879.html

Too much given the lack of detail provided on history. IMO.

Agreed.. E36 M3 asking prices have been going up, but it's not a real durable car, when it comes to interiors and cosmetics. The flippers by ragged ones for four figures, then put $3000 into cosmetics and ask high teens.

Before we bought ours, I talked to an owner at Cars N Coffee, who had purchased a "pristine" unit from EAG. He said it didn't take him long to realize that the car wasn't much better than the ones he could have purchased for $8K less. His advice was to buy cheap, then fix it up yourself.

kyfdx

I was shopping in 1990, and had a nearly new '89 RX-7 convertible purchased out from under me... Drowned my sorrows by buying an '84 911 Targa, a couple of months later.

Sold the Porsche in 1994, when my son was born. In retrospect, that was a mistake.

Multiple 993s have "gotten away" from me. I always felt they had run up to much. (anywhere from 2000-2015).. But, I could have doubled my money, just about any time. Not that I would sell, if I'd actually purchased one.. It's hard to predict what might take off.

oldfarmer50

nyccarguy said:

Interesting reliable find

https://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/cto/d/bridgeport-2007-honda-accord-ex-speed/7295637467.html

I noticed that you’re spending more time on CL.

Welcome to the dark side.

oldfarmer50

laurasdada said:

More pix, certainly not my best work. A bit rushed:





Short trip to Kohl's, ~10 miles round trip, gas engine never kicked in. Did burn ~13 miles of electrons to drive the 10-ish.

I'll get used to the shifter, as I did the hockey puck in the Jag. But, if I had to choose, I'd go puck over Audi shifter.

That’s sharp looking. At least with a mostly electric car you don’t get poorer gas mileage with a cold start and short trip.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

random car of the day (yes I am bored). Not a bad looking beast for winter beater/occasional towing duty. Nice color combo, and it has the V8. Would need to invest in a modern head unit with carplay and a BU camera. If it was an F150, would probably cost 2x as much!

https://www.royalmotorsnj.com/details-2010-ford-explorer-4wd_4dr_limited-used-1fmeu7f8xau194832.html

or a couple year older PU version. They should come out with a new version of this. I guess the Maverick will cover that niche, without the big tow capacity. Like the colors and moonroof on this one, but seems a bit over priced. But these days, who knows? Just seems more like what is supposed to be a $6k car.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/839681359/overview/

I like that Explorer price and mileage. They both have the reliable 4.6L 3 valve used in the Mustang. 292/315 in that application.

oldfarmer50

Michaell said:

$300 a day to rent a Kia Rio?

We’re certainly in a shortage situation in the Northeast. Our two main lots which usually hold a thousand or so cars are virtually empty. In reading that article I notice the reporter was fine with companies having to rent for $5 a day last year but impugned some sinister greedy motive when supply and demand swings the other way.

stickguy

I just had to book a cargo van (Ford Transit) to move the princess to Boston. Ended up using a Hertz HLE near me. Shockingly cheap at $52/day, unlimited miles. Was actually the cheapest vehicle they had. Sub compacts were slightly more. A minivan or SUV was close to $150/day!

Side rant: it’s easy to find that full sized van to rent. Still bigger than I need. More places should carry the baby (city) sized versions like transit connects. But those, can’t seem to find.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

I just had to book a cargo van (Ford Transit) to move the princess to Boston. Ended up using a Hertz HLE near me. Shockingly cheap at $52/day, unlimited miles. Was actually the cheapest vehicle they had. Sub compacts were slightly more. A minivan or SUV was close to $150/day!

Side rant: it’s easy to find that full sized van to rent. Still bigger than I need. More places should carry the baby (city) sized versions like transit connects. But those, can’t seem to find.

I suspect that commercial renters prefer the larger vans which is why they are stocked. Not much demand for any van from the general public. Usually if the average renter wants to haul something they choose a pick up.

However, after hearing your input I will use my vast influence within the company to make sure the unit you want is available.

laurasdada

Thanks. Today, today, today, ... I consider myself, the luckiest, luckiest, luckiest... breld-type in the world, world, world...!

That may not translate, perhaps Bradd will recognize it.

pensfan83

I don't think there's any car I've owned where I regretted letting it go, there were some I was sad to see go such as the Maxima (not by choice) and my first A4 (ditto).