Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

sda

benjaminh said:

sda said:

benjaminh said:

Sad about the Mazda 6. I admired the 626 starting back in the mid-1980s.

Yep, the first car I bought after graduating from college was a used 80 Mazda 626 coupe 5 sp. It was rwd as well. This is it next to the 76 Sunbird I traded for it. That is it in the background. I was taking farewell pics of the Sunbird--my college ride.

How was the Mazda to drive compared to the Sunbird?

The Mazda was quite a bit roomier with comfortable reclining cloth covered front seats, a roomy trunk with a fold down rear seat for extra room. It handled and rode quite well. It was a hardtop coupe which I liked , front and back windows rolled completely down without a pillar in between. It was not as quick as the Sunbird though the 5sp transmission and light progressive clutch and easily modulated brakes were a pleasure. The Sunbird was quieter at speed, with the 5sp and V6, the engine just loafed at highway speeds while Mazda was running at 3k rpm or so. The Mazda really needed more power, I think it was 80hp, torque?? where the Sunbird had 105hp and 175 ft/lb torque. At slow speeds the Sunbird was much easier to navigate as it had PS, and had GM’s freezer cold ac. The ac in the Mazda was adequate. Mazda got better mpg around town, Sunbird better on the interstate. I have a soft spot for the Sunbird but the Mazda was the better driver and overall car.

oldfarmer50

henryn said:

oldfarmer50 said:

henryn said:

qbrozen said:

@henryn said:

If I'm remembering right, there are people hanging out here who can check a carfax? Not actually give you a copy, but look at it and tell you if there are any concerns?

1FTNF1CF8DKF44119

I am able to see only this.

Thanks a million, much appreciated. This tells me what I needed to know, no odometer rollbacks, no accidents, no funny business. I'm going over to look at it this afternoon.

In this market, a truck that new for that price is a bargain. I’d be there yesterday will a fist full of hundreds.

I just bought it, waiting on uber to pick me up at the house to go back and get the truck. The truck is solid, drives good, owned for last several years by a retired gentleman. I asked if he were flexible on the price, and he said yes, but not too much. He wasn't going to take $9,000 as he thought Carmax would pay that much. I replied I was sure they would pay more than that, and offered $10,500. He accepted readily. He's happy, I'm happy.

I'm certain I could have gotten it for less, but I already feel half guilty over this amount, so ...



Congratulations, you scored a big win. That price is unheard of these days.

Every time I start day dreaming about used car bargains I get nightmares. I’ve given up on the idea of a Ranger pick up to replace my rusty 2004 cargo van. I tried looking at similar but a little newer version of the van and got the same shock.

I figure my van with 121k miles is a $1000 vehicle. Not in this environment. I found a 2007 with the same engine but it was $5 grand and had a FEW more miles.
https://ocala.craigslist.org/ctd/d/ocala-2007-chevrolet-chevy-g1500-vans/7316834604.html

xwesx

stickguy said:

Wes, that Crosstrek was in your mothers name? Thought you bought it. Or did she just still have the registration and title with it?

No, I'm talking about my grandmother's 2014 Ford Escape in this discussion.

We're not selling the Crosstrek yet, and that one is mine.

stickguy

ah. OK, thanks for clarifying. I thought you were keeping the Sube, but figured maybe you decided to take the money and run and worrying about replacing it later.

sda

Michaell said:

Picked up the MINI earlier this afternoon. Just under $100 for the oil change, and as noted, the crankshaft seal was replaced (again, this time under warranty).

I asked the SA about that - would we see the same problem in another 18 months? He honestly didn't know - he's seen them fail after a year, and he's seen others last 7 years. Something to consider.

Which got me thinking .. I pulled out the MINI file and started a spreadsheet with all the maintenance and repair costs we've incurred over the years. When we bought it, our daughter decided to get both the extended warranty and the prepaid maintenance program (her money, her decisions).

For all the celebrating I've done about the reliability, I may have to take some of that back.

@Sandman6472, you may want to pay attention to this part, as I know you've been contemplating a MINI

Highlights (or, lowlights, depending on your perspective)

Replace the water pump at 10,000 miles
Repair a kinked washer hose at 18,000 miles
New tires and 4-wheel alignment at 26,000 miles
Brake fluid flush at 26,000 miles
New remote batteries around 33,000 miles
New battery and registration at 38,000 miles
Replace thermostat, water pump pulley and front crankcase seal at 42,000 miles
Replace oil pan gasket at 44,000 miles
Brake fluid flush, DI service, diff fluid service and coolant flush at 47,000 miles
Replace front crankcase seal at 48,000 miles
Possibly new tires at 48,000 miles

I'm not looking for any feedback about services I could have skipped, or deferred. Again, daughter's car, daughter's decision on what to get done

A little over $4K for everything, which I suppose isn't bad over 7 years of ownership.

Is it reliable? I don't think it's ever left her stranded, and the run-flat tires have done their job - when she's picked up a puncture, they were able to get her to a tire shop.

How much longer will it be with us? Good question - not sure when my daughter's patience with the maintenance and repair costs will run out. I suspect that once that point is reached, we'll be shopping for a replacement pretty quickly.

Did the extended warranty pay for any of the repairs? I assume the extended warranty has expired by now.

roadburner

benjaminh said:

stickguy said:

That installed price on the BFGs is a steal.

Yeah, those tires are a real bargain. And they are maybe better than the Goodyear Eagles that came with the car? The BF Goodrich g-force are W-rated, which I had to look up. Obviously W is the rating after V, which are already high speed tires. Given the fastest speeds I've ever gone for a few seconds passing a truck on the Interstate, Q-rated tires would probably be all I'd ever need. But I don't think Q tires are even made for my size of tire as far as I can tell. Anyway, the BF Goodrich g-force tire is rated up to 168, which silly. But I assume cruising on the highway at 75 it might last even longer than the rating of 45,000 miles? Anyway, per mile the Michelin T + H is even less than the BFG.

I never install tires with a speed rating below what was originally fitted to the car. The only exception is if I have a dedicated set of winter tires/wheels. Even the Vredestein Quatrac 5 tires on the Clubman are H rated. The Club Sport and M235i wear Z rated rubber.

28firefighter

My dealer texted me this tonight. Picking it up Sunday.

roadburner

For a brief nanosecond I considered a new Mach 1, but just like the Bullitt I considered in 2008 there's no A/Z plan pricing and most dealers are tacking a $5k-$15k ADM on top of MSRP.
I did stop by the dealer that has the 2019 M2, but they closed before I could get there. Still, it looked very clean. I'd need to get the tint removed, but aside from that it's a go if I can get back to actually drive it.

henryn

henryn said:

I just bought it, waiting on uber to pick me up at the house to go back and get the truck. The truck is solid, drives good, owned for last several years by a retired gentleman. I asked if he were flexible on the price, and he said yes, but not too much. He wasn't going to take $9,000 as he thought Carmax would pay that much. I replied I was sure they would pay more than that, and offered $10,500. He accepted readily. He's happy, I'm happy.

I'm certain I could have gotten it for less, but I already feel half guilty over this amount, so ...

oldfarmer50 said:

Congratulations, you scored a big win. That price is unheard of these days.

Every time I start day dreaming about used car bargains I get nightmares. I’ve given up on the idea of a Ranger pick up to replace my rusty 2004 cargo van. I tried looking at similar but a little newer version of the van and got the same shock.

I figure my van with 121k miles is a $1000 vehicle. Not in this environment. I found a 2007 with the same engine but it was $5 grand and had a FEW more miles.
https://ocala.craigslist.org/ctd/d/ocala-2007-chevrolet-chevy-g1500-vans/7316834604.html

Yes, I know I did. I ran it through Carvana again, and got $12,950 this time ($13,300 last time). I may have entered different answers this time, not sure. At the worst, I could flip it for right at $2,500 profit. Which I am not going to do, I'm happy to have a truck around again. I figure I'll keep this until things settle down, and then maybe buy another new truck. Maybe even a battery powered F150!

Michaell

sda said:

Michaell said:

Picked up the MINI earlier this afternoon. Just under $100 for the oil change, and as noted, the crankshaft seal was replaced (again, this time under warranty).

I asked the SA about that - would we see the same problem in another 18 months? He honestly didn't know - he's seen them fail after a year, and he's seen others last 7 years. Something to consider.

Which got me thinking .. I pulled out the MINI file and started a spreadsheet with all the maintenance and repair costs we've incurred over the years. When we bought it, our daughter decided to get both the extended warranty and the prepaid maintenance program (her money, her decisions).

For all the celebrating I've done about the reliability, I may have to take some of that back.

@Sandman6472, you may want to pay attention to this part, as I know you've been contemplating a MINI

Highlights (or, lowlights, depending on your perspective)

Replace the water pump at 10,000 miles
Repair a kinked washer hose at 18,000 miles
New tires and 4-wheel alignment at 26,000 miles
Brake fluid flush at 26,000 miles
New remote batteries around 33,000 miles
New battery and registration at 38,000 miles
Replace thermostat, water pump pulley and front crankcase seal at 42,000 miles
Replace oil pan gasket at 44,000 miles
Brake fluid flush, DI service, diff fluid service and coolant flush at 47,000 miles
Replace front crankcase seal at 48,000 miles
Possibly new tires at 48,000 miles

I'm not looking for any feedback about services I could have skipped, or deferred. Again, daughter's car, daughter's decision on what to get done

A little over $4K for everything, which I suppose isn't bad over 7 years of ownership.

Is it reliable? I don't think it's ever left her stranded, and the run-flat tires have done their job - when she's picked up a puncture, they were able to get her to a tire shop.

How much longer will it be with us? Good question - not sure when my daughter's patience with the maintenance and repair costs will run out. I suspect that once that point is reached, we'll be shopping for a replacement pretty quickly.

Did the extended warranty pay for any of the repairs? I assume the extended warranty has expired by now.

Just the water pump.

Everything else happened after the 6 year term expired.

xwesx

28firefighter said:

My dealer texted me this tonight. Picking it up Sunday.

Wait a minute... what happened to the bright orange?! Hahaha

benjaminh

roadburner said:

I never install tires with a speed rating below what was originally fitted to the car. The only exception is if I have a dedicated set of winter tires/wheels. Even the Vredestein Quatrac 5 tires on the Clubman are H rated. The Club Sport and M235i wear Z rated rubber.

The oem Goodyear Eagle tires on my TLX are H-rated. I rarely see tires that have a rating below H, but as long as I'm not going high speed I'm guessing probably it would be okay to just have, say, a T-rated tire? But probably I'll end up getting an H, V, or maybe even W-rated tire when the time comes. I like the Goodyear Eagle tires that came with car fine, but I am wondering if there are other tires that might have even better grip. I've also considered run-flat tires, given that I just have AAA and a fix-a-flat kit but no spare. But hearing about how run flats can sometimes have shorter life and are rather expensive I don't think I'll go that direction.

oldfarmer50

roadburner said:

For a brief nanosecond I considered a new Mach 1, but just like the Bullitt I considered in 2008 there's no A/Z plan pricing and most dealers are tacking a $5k-$15k ADM on top of MSRP.
I did stop by the dealer that has the 2019 M2, but they closed before I could get there. Still, it looked very clean. I'd need to get the tint removed, but aside from that it's a go if I can get back to actually drive it.

If you think that’s bad you should see the ADMs on the C8 Corvette. If the current market continues to heat up you’ll see an ADM on a Mitsu Mirage.

sda

benjaminh said:

roadburner said:

I never install tires with a speed rating below what was originally fitted to the car. The only exception is if I have a dedicated set of winter tires/wheels. Even the Vredestein Quatrac 5 tires on the Clubman are H rated. The Club Sport and M235i wear Z rated rubber.

The oem Goodyear Eagle tires on my TLX are H-rated. I rarely see tires that have a rating below H, but as long as I'm not going high speed I'm guessing probably it would be okay to just have, say, a T-rated tire? But probably I'll end up getting an H, V, or maybe even W-rated tire when the time comes. I like the Goodyear Eagle tires that came with car fine, but I am wondering if there are other tires that might have even better grip. I've also considered run-flat tires, given that I just have AAA and a fix-a-flat kit but no spare. But hearing about how run flats can sometimes have shorter life and are rather expensive I don't think I'll go that direction.

I would not go below an H rated. The T rated may have a softer ride but your handling will suffer. I’d avoid run flats. They typically have a harsher ride, are expensive and don’t go the distance. I’ve always been happy with Michelin, and have had good experiences with Good Year and Continental tires. According to Tire Rack, Vredestein has tire that did really well in the tire test and is reasonably priced. My only concern with that tire is ease of finding a replacement should the need arise.

imidazol97

benjaminh said:

The oem Goodyear Eagle tires on my TLX are H-rated. I rarely see tires that have a rating below H, but as long as I'm not going high speed I'm guessing probably it would be okay to just have, say, a T-rated tire? But probably I'll end up getting an H, V, or maybe even W-rated tire when the time comes. I like the Goodyear Eagle tires that came with car fine, but I am wondering if there are other tires that might have even better grip. I've also considered run-flat tires, given that I just have AAA and a fix-a-flat kit but no spare. But hearing about how run flats can sometimes have shorter life and are rather expensive I don't think I'll go that direction.

I like Michelin quality and roundness along with the enduring ability to stay round during their life. Have had maybe 12 sets through the decades.
https://www.michelinman.com/auto/tires/michelin-primacy-tour-a-s
I'd look at these. 55000 miles tread life. I have Goodyear Eagle LS2 on my Malibu and this is the tire I'm considering if I have to replace tires on it rather than replace the car. My size isn't availabe in many Michelins 235x50x18. I'll stay with the 97H rating.

I have Defender H&T's on my Cruze. They're a little stiff but very solid and stable to higher speeds due to the stiffness. I had Defender H&T tires on my Cobalt I just sold; there they were stiff because the car had too big a tire on it for the weight of the car. The earlier Defenders on the Cobalt weren't as stiff, but got rough due to not being aligned when the struts were replaced by a store, so I replaced them with Defender H&T.

You might want to take advantage of the Michelin company or stores selling them having a 30-day replacement warranty if you try one tire and don't like it.

qbrozen

28firefighter said:

My dealer texted me this tonight. Picking it up Sunday.

I didn't realize you chose that color. Love it!
Just for Ss&Gs, I have reached out to 2 dealers with in-stock units. They real key will be what Vroom says they'll pay me for one, though. Carvana doesn't seem to have a way I can choose hybrid, so their $44k offer is not accurate, I don't believe. I'm thinking, with a less-than-average discount, I should be at about $43.5k all in on a $53k MSRP. One I've asked about is that same grey as yours, the other is hellayella.

graphicguy

@kyfdx ….good deal on that flight fare. I am looking at a flight to Montego Bay at an all inclusive the GF wants to go to. I thought a flight from CVG round trip for $205 x2 was good. But, that’s Delta, who’s always on the high side.

kyfdx

graphicguy said:

@kyfdx ….good deal on that flight fare. I am looking at a flight to Montego Bay at an all inclusive the GF wants to go to. I thought a flight from CVG round trip for $205 x2 was good. But, that’s Delta, who’s always on the high side.

To Jamaica? That's cheap!

Sandman6472

28, I've been out of the loop here so had no idea y'all were getting a Jeep. What kind and what's getting tossed out of the stable?? Had no idea about any changes at your place to be honest.
Don't think the CX-3 will be missed at all. The CX-30 really is such a better vehicle but with many Mazda's, their infotainment systems are simply AWFUL!!! That's the only word I can use to explain how bad they are, a real safety hazard to use with the controls on the console and the smallish screen up top. Really think Mazda is losing numerous sales because of this one issue as I know I wouldn't even consider one if I were really in the market now. Like everything else about the vehicle and for my needs/wants, it's almost the perfect vehicle, but that awful infotainment system just kicks it off the short list. Would think Mazda could certainly do a much better job integrating a different one in the upper dash. Have even read that Jeep is changing the system in the current Compass to join the tablet style that seems to be the rage right now.
So Mazda corp, if you guys are listening, fix that awful infotainment system asap!! Yours really sucks currently!

Sandman6472

Been using the newish Voyagers at work for our groups of four and it's so much better! As of yesterday morning, no more temp taking before we start and masks are no longer required for the folks who've had both shots of the vaccine. The ones who refuse to get it done or just haven't done it yet, they ride in a separate vehicle which is the best solution right now it seems. I've been driving the Voyager every day except this past Tuesday when I was super tired, just easier for me to sit in one place all morning and then after lunch. Some of our vehicles are a bit low so egress/ingress can be a bit challenging at times and my pain level has been pretty much up there lately, so best I just get to sit. And the others are just as happy for me to drive the chase vehicle, so zero complaints from the other three of our group. We've been lucky as the big boss has kept the four of us from our original group together for the most part as he knows we work well together and really enjoy each others company. I must admit, the other three guys are pretty sharp with great senses of humor and highly intelligent, so they're keeping me on my toes. Two of them are older, in their 70's and our lead is the baby of the group at 38 but we work well together and give the big guy zero drama unlike one of the other groups. There is one group in a high top transit van with 8 total but sometimes, a large group of drivers is needed at one location, so it works.
We're getting around 24 to 28 hours per week, so almost back to normal and no one is complaining. The amount of rentals is definitely up while the new vehicle deliveries are pretty small due to the current chip situation. Most times when we deliver vehicles to a branch, there are folks waiting for them and after quick wash and cleaning/sanitizing, back out onto the road they go. Suspect things will be like this for a long time going forward, possibly into the end of the year or a bit longer. But there are vehicles to be had, they just are a bit more expensive and the turn around time is a bit longer than we'd really like, but such is the current situation. Patience will be needed on both sides for the time being folks, so please, let's do our best here!

28firefighter

My Dad’s wagon is headed back to Philadelphia on Monday.

Color combo is sting gray over dark saddle - I’m really excited!!

Sandman6472

Waiting on cable guy to come again, been having connection problems of late and since the wife works mainly from home, it's becoming a serious issue. Today they'll have to fix it or, we'll have to look to an alternative which there aren't many. Ditched AT&T a couple of years back as they were past awful and still, they can't get the really high speed fiber stuff to our area yet!! Went with the city cable service and they are getting a failing grade right now, but gotta give them a chance to make things right. So now, we wait till they get here.

Sandman6472

Finally got word yesterday about the Toyota shuttle gig. I'm hired but still waiting on the urine test results. Finally get a call at work in late afternoon yesterday from doc's office who gave the test. Do I take pain meds and under whose order are they being given. I had brought all that info almost two weeks ago when we did the bloody test but they didn't want it then...now they need it! I have to take a pic of the latest bottles with the dates showing and fax it to their office. So, will get that done by Monday morning and that'll be that. I was supposed to start today at 11 and shadow another driver for the whole day so I could hit the ground solo Monday but that ain't going to happen obviously. Figure I'll just start next Saturday and go from there. I'm ready to start finally and honestly think it'll work out just fine. Like I said, those hours and afternoons are usually wasted hours so why not get paid for them and since I've wanted to do it for years, could be a fun opportunity here. I'll know soon enough if I goofed and then, I'll just give my notice but really don't think that'll be the case here. Luckily, I am somewhat familiar with much of the tri-county area with Miami/Dade being the weak spot but with my smartphone and it's GPS capabilities and Siri as my guide, think we'll be just fine. And with customers in the vehicle I drive home, they'll make sure I'm going the right way. And I'll be driving either a Camry, Rav4, Highlander or Sienna it seems from the fleet vehicles on the lot as they all have the Toyota info on them. Hopefully I'll be getting the Camry or Rav4 as much as I can but have no issue with whatever keys I get handed. Low man on the pole and all usually means getting what the others don't want to drive. And am positive that they're all in decent shape, most shuttle vehicles are as am sure most folks would complain if they are really nasty inside. And the only ones I've been in these last many years have been those owned by the VW store and they've been fine actually. So, no worries here...just am ready to finally start already!

andres3

roadburner said:

A 2019 Sunset Orange M2 Comp popped up at a local dealer. 5,400 miles, $59k. One of my contacts at BMW knows one of the sales guys there so if the VIN checks out I’ll give it a look. The sole demerit is a missing pedal. 😟

Saw the 3,600 pound curb weight. Seems pretty fat for such a small coupe. It's a 6-cylinder , 2WD, so no weight penalty from that. The dual clutch system probably adds 100-150 pounds or so, but still seems like there's a few triple cheeseburgers they could take out of it.

henryn

I don't believe I mentioned this before, but my uber ride yesterday (29 miles about an hour in traffic) was in a Passat. They should pass a law that all uber rides should be in a Passat. After being in the back seat of a Sentra and a Corolla recently, the back seat of that Passat felt like a limousine ride.

@28firefighter, that is one fine looking Jeep!

roadburner

imidazol97 said:

benjaminh said:

The oem Goodyear Eagle tires on my TLX are H-rated. I rarely see tires that have a rating below H, but as long as I'm not going high speed I'm guessing probably it would be okay to just have, say, a T-rated tire? But probably I'll end up getting an H, V, or maybe even W-rated tire when the time comes. I like the Goodyear Eagle tires that came with car fine, but I am wondering if there are other tires that might have even better grip. I've also considered run-flat tires, given that I just have AAA and a fix-a-flat kit but no spare. But hearing about how run flats can sometimes have shorter life and are rather expensive I don't think I'll go that direction.

I like Michelin quality and roundness along with the enduring ability to stay round during their life. Have had maybe 12 sets through the decades.
https://www.michelinman.com/auto/tires/michelin-primacy-tour-a-s
I'd look at these. 55000 miles tread life. I have Goodyear Eagle LS2 on my Malibu and this is the tire I'm considering if I have to replace tires on it rather than replace the car. My size isn't availabe in many Michelins 235x50x18. I'll stay with the 97H rating.

I have Defender H&T's on my Cruze. They're a little stiff but very solid and stable to higher speeds due to the stiffness. I had Defender H&T tires on my Cobalt I just sold; there they were stiff because the car had too big a tire on it for the weight of the car. The earlier Defenders on the Cobalt weren't as stiff, but got rough due to not being aligned when the struts were replaced by a store, so I replaced them with Defender H&T.

You might want to take advantage of the Michelin company or stores selling them having a 30-day replacement warranty if you try one tire and don't like it.

I believe Michelin is having a promotion where you get a $70 rebate on a set of four tires. Both of my BMWs are fitted with Michelins and my Wrangler boasts BFG(owned by Michelin) tires.

andres3

benjaminh said:

nyccarguy said:

benjaminh said:

The 2020 MDX is slightly smaller than the Ford Explorer:
Explorer: L199 W79 H70
2020 MDX: L196 W78 H67.5
Compared to $781 a month, the standard lease (10k miles a year) from Acura on a 2020 MDX with SH-AWD is currently about $460 a month (with just fees and taxes down) if you currently own a Honda or Acura. That's for a vehicle that lists for about $47,500, and so it even makes it to that elusive 1% goal/rule.

If I decide to pursue an MDX, it would have to the the Technology Package model that has an MSRP of $52,925. I was also pricing an Explorer with 19,500 miles per year. I'd go for a 15K mile per year lease on the MDX & see if it is cheaper to pre-pay or go over mileage. $53,000 is an awful lot of money. I only owe $10,692.90 on the Pilot.

I know I shouldn't ask this on CCBA, but why not just buy the Pilot? If you do, I personally would skip the extended warranty. I got that for three different Hondas and never used it.

The incentives on the MDX are good. I even wondered for a sec about turning in my TLX and getting one, but I really like driving a sedan—plus my goal is to be debt free at some point.

If you go over miles on an Acura lease it's 20 cents a mile. So if you went 10,000 miles over in 3 years that would be $2k, which seems like maybe it's not that bad? But if you lease or buy another at the end of 3 years they "forgive" half of any miles that you go over anyway, which would mean that going 10k over would only cost 1k.

Is that 1/2 mile total forgiveness "written" in the contract, or just an unspoken courtesy that could go away at any time?

andres3

rayainsw said:

My blue BMW - in Wells Maine.
Just after over 1,200 miles
in 2 driving days.
- Ray
Glad to be here near my Daughter, SIL and Grandson
for the Summer...

I think BMW probably hit the nail on the head for a daily with your 340i. What do those things sticker for (probably a $20K range depending on options I'm guessing).

roadburner

andres3 said:

rayainsw said:

My blue BMW - in Wells Maine.
Just after over 1,200 miles
in 2 driving days.
- Ray
Glad to be here near my Daughter, SIL and Grandson
for the Summer...

I think BMW probably hit the nail on the head for a daily with your 340i. What do those things sticker for (probably a $20K range depending on options I'm guessing).

Most have an MSRP around $70k. My dealer has a used 2020 M340i with 15k miles on it; it has most every option including the ZTK Cooling and HP Tire Package. They've had it for 8 weeks and the price has dropped to $50k, probably because it is RWD- which we all know is absolutely lethal on anything other than a perfectly level and ruler-straight desert highway.
I've been tempted, but I just have trouble calling a car as big as my wife's E39 528i a 3 Series...

qbrozen

andres3 said:

roadburner said:

A 2019 Sunset Orange M2 Comp popped up at a local dealer. 5,400 miles, $59k. One of my contacts at BMW knows one of the sales guys there so if the VIN checks out I’ll give it a look. The sole demerit is a missing pedal. 😟

Saw the 3,600 pound curb weight. Seems pretty fat for such a small coupe. It's a V6, 2WD, so no weight penalty from that. The dual clutch system probably adds 100-150 pounds or so, but still seems like there's a few triple cheeseburgers they could take out of it.

whoa whoa whoa. V6? You said V6?! Please leave your card at the door as you exit.

benjaminh

andres3 said:

"Is that 1/2 mile total forgiveness "written" in the contract, or just an unspoken courtesy that could go away at any time?

I think it's part of the standard Acura lease policy.
https://www.acurafinancialservices.com/leasing/loyalty-advantage
"Mileage Forgiveness
If you drive more than your contracted lease miles, we’ll waive one-half of your excess mileage (up to 7,500) when you lease or finance through Acura Financial Services (AFS). Plus if you choose to lease another new Acura with us, we’ll add an additional 1,000 miles to your base mileage amount."

corvette

28firefighter said:

My Dad’s wagon is headed back to Philadelphia on Monday.

Color combo is sting gray over dark saddle - I’m really excited!!

How’s your dad? Is he able to drive stick again?

28firefighter

@corvette said:
How’s your dad? Is he able to drive stick again?

He’s allowed to weight-bear and wants to try.

andres3

qbrozen said:

andres3 said:

roadburner said:

A 2019 Sunset Orange M2 Comp popped up at a local dealer. 5,400 miles, $59k. One of my contacts at BMW knows one of the sales guys there so if the VIN checks out I’ll give it a look. The sole demerit is a missing pedal. 😟

Saw the 3,600 pound curb weight. Seems pretty fat for such a small coupe. It's a V6, 2WD, so no weight penalty from that. The dual clutch system probably adds 100-150 pounds or so, but still seems like there's a few triple cheeseburgers they could take out of it.

whoa whoa whoa. V6? You said V6?! Please leave your card at the door as you exit.

Hahahahah..... am I not forgiven as I haven't owned a "Beemer Beamer... kidding, Bimmer" yet.

By V6 I meant 6-cylinders

rayainsw

MSRP on my 2020 was $59,500.
- Ray
Worth every penny - to me . . .

stickguy

benjaminh said:

roadburner said:

I never install tires with a speed rating below what was originally fitted to the car. The only exception is if I have a dedicated set of winter tires/wheels. Even the Vredestein Quatrac 5 tires on the Clubman are H rated. The Club Sport and M235i wear Z rated rubber.

The oem Goodyear Eagle tires on my TLX are H-rated. I rarely see tires that have a rating below H, but as long as I'm not going high speed I'm guessing probably it would be okay to just have, say, a T-rated tire? But probably I'll end up getting an H, V, or maybe even W-rated tire when the time comes. I like the Goodyear Eagle tires that came with car fine, but I am wondering if there are other tires that might have even better grip. I've also considered run-flat tires, given that I just have AAA and a fix-a-flat kit but no spare. But hearing about how run flats can sometimes have shorter life and are rather expensive I don't think I'll go that direction.

if you really want the security, they sell a spare tire kit as an accessory you can have installed. That is what I did.

[Deleted User]

Jeep looks great @28firefighter, I'd be excited too!!!

tjc78

@dad23 said:
Jeep looks great @28firefighter, I'd be excited too!!!

Yes. Very .. very nice

au1994

rayainsw said:

MSRP on my 2020 was $59,500.
- Ray
Worth every penny - to me . . .

Color is stunning!

laurasdada

Tales from the electric side: Errands today, located free electric charger in a local outdoor mall (Chargepoint). My card wouldn't activate it, so I called the 888 number. Mario was helpful and apologetic, it appeared to be the unit, not my card. But, he was able to activate it for me. So, plugged in, timer/charging began and off to 5 Guys for lunch. Allotted an hour. Return, note a Tesla Y next to me, unplugged. And, I had gained no miles, Mr. Tesla dude, carrying young son came out of Starbucks and told me it was broken. I told him my tale of Mario woe.

A woman also emerged from Starbucks, asked if I had a home charger, I noted that mine was a PHEV, so no real need, deferred to El Senior Tesla. Nice guy, we talked a bit, I told him I hope he had enough Flux Capacitor left to get home, he laughed at that... and was heading to Gillette for a Revs game later, multiple chargers (gratis) there. He also has no home charger, rather uses the mobile unit that came with the big electric egg, I mean Y, and plugs into the 240v/50a he had installed. My potential thoughts for my next move.

And, there's the rub, from my brief experiences, more likely to find a non-functioning charging station (I'm looking at you, IKEA) than an out of commission gas pump. But, as my car swings both ways, not of major concern. I still used no Dino remains today, 18 miles on jigawatt power.

Oh, stopped at the local Aston Martin/Lotus dealer. Many (relatively, of course) DB11, Vantage and DBX on the lot. Man, the DB11 makes my A7 look like a large lump of dog food.... Surprisingly, no one asked if they could help me; what would it take to get you into a DB11 today? Obviously, a miracle.

qbrozen

@laurasdada said:
Tales from the electric side: Errands today, located free electric charger in a local outdoor mall (Chargepoint). My card wouldn't activate it, so I called the 888 number. Mario was helpful and apologetic, it appeared to be the unit, not my card. But, he was able to activate it for me. So, plugged in, timer/charging began and off to 5 Guys for lunch. Allotted an hour. Return, note a Tesla Y next to me, unplugged. And, I had gained no miles, Mr. Tesla dude, carrying young son came out of Starbucks and told me it was broken. I told him my tale of Mario woe.

A woman also emerged from Starbucks, asked if I had a home charger, I noted that mine was a PHEV, so no real need, deferred to El Senior Tesla. Nice guy, we talked a bit, I told him I hope he had enough Flux Capacitor left to get home, he laughed at that... and was heading to Gillette for a Revs game later, multiple chargers (gratis) there. He also has no home charger, rather uses the mobile unit that came with the big electric egg, I mean Y, and plugs into the 240v/50a he had installed. My potential thoughts for my next move.

And, there's the rub, from my brief experiences, more likely to find a non-functioning charging station (I'm looking at you, IKEA) than an out of commission gas pump. But, as my car swings both ways, not of major concern. I still used no Dino remains today, 18 miles on jigawatt power.

Oh, stopped at the local Aston Martin/Lotus dealer. Many (relatively, of course) DB11, Vantage and DBX on the lot. Man, the DB11 makes my A7 look like a large lump of dog food.... Surprisingly, no one asked if they could help me; what would it take to get you into a DB11 today? Obviously, a miracle.

You win my prestigious and rare Best-Written Story of the Week award.

laurasdada

qbrozen said:

@laurasdada said:

Tales from the electric side: Errands today, located free electric charger in a local outdoor mall (Chargepoint). My card wouldn't activate it, so I called the 888 number. Mario was helpful and apologetic, it appeared to be the unit, not my card. But, he was able to activate it for me. So, plugged in, timer/charging began and off to 5 Guys for lunch. Allotted an hour. Return, note a Tesla Y next to me, unplugged. And, I had gained no miles, Mr. Tesla dude, carrying young son came out of Starbucks and told me it was broken. I told him my tale of Mario woe.

A woman also emerged from Starbucks, asked if I had a home charger, I noted that mine was a PHEV, so no real need, deferred to El Senior Tesla. Nice guy, we talked a bit, I told him I hope he had enough Flux Capacitor left to get home, he laughed at that... and was heading to Gillette for a Revs game later, multiple chargers (gratis) there. He also has no home charger, rather uses the mobile unit that came with the big electric egg, I mean Y, and plugs into the 240v/50a he had installed. My potential thoughts for my next move.

And, there's the rub, from my brief experiences, more likely to find a non-functioning charging station (I'm looking at you, IKEA) than an out of commission gas pump. But, as my car swings both ways, not of major concern. I still used no Dino remains today, 18 miles on jigawatt power.

Oh, stopped at the local Aston Martin/Lotus dealer. Many (relatively, of course) DB11, Vantage and DBX on the lot. Man, the DB11 makes my A7 look like a large lump of dog food.... Surprisingly, no one asked if they could help me; what would it take to get you into a DB11 today? Obviously, a miracle.

You win my prestigious and rare Best-Written Story of the Week award.

I did not expect this; I haven't prepared a speech! It's an honor just to be nominated, to be in the same company as such esteemed writers as (music builds, spokesmodel escorts me off the stage before I can name all the luminaries here...).

roadburner

au1994 said:

rayainsw said:

MSRP on my 2020 was $59,500.
- Ray
Worth every penny - to me . . .

Color is stunning!

It's Portimao Blue; that was the Launch Color for the M340i.

henryn

stickguy said:

benjaminh said:

roadburner said:

I never install tires with a speed rating below what was originally fitted to the car. The only exception is if I have a dedicated set of winter tires/wheels. Even the Vredestein Quatrac 5 tires on the Clubman are H rated. The Club Sport and M235i wear Z rated rubber.

The oem Goodyear Eagle tires on my TLX are H-rated. I rarely see tires that have a rating below H, but as long as I'm not going high speed I'm guessing probably it would be okay to just have, say, a T-rated tire? But probably I'll end up getting an H, V, or maybe even W-rated tire when the time comes. I like the Goodyear Eagle tires that came with car fine, but I am wondering if there are other tires that might have even better grip. I've also considered run-flat tires, given that I just have AAA and a fix-a-flat kit but no spare. But hearing about how run flats can sometimes have shorter life and are rather expensive I don't think I'll go that direction.

if you really want the security, they sell a spare tire kit as an accessory you can have installed. That is what I did.

Back maybe 5 years ago I almost bought a Kia Soul. It came with a can of fix-a-flat, but the salesman told me the spare tire kit was their most popular optional add on. Which struck me as just another way to run up the price, but at least not as bad as "nitrogen filled tires".

stickguy

I am starting to get antsy to get a 2nd car. I lasted 8 months so far since selling mine, so I think that is pretty good! I might not "need" one, but I probably deserve one!

explorerx4

My kid's 2013 Escape has auto parking, so it has sensors in the front as well as the back to warn you of getting close to something.

stickguy

not sure why, but in this crazy market and inflated prices, I actually kind of like this. Plenty of features, nice seats, etc. Would not be hard to live with it at all. Price seems somewhat reasonable. and won't be missing out on anything really.

yes, I know this is an old mans car, but hey, it's RWD so that is pretty exotic these days!

https://www.subaruofcherryhill.com/used/Cadillac/2013-Cadillac-ATS-cherry-hill-nj-163285b00a0e0a173e8f42ae2b7b1de3.htm

qbrozen

@stickguy said:
not sure why, but in this crazy market and inflated prices, I actually kind of like this. Plenty of features, nice seats, etc. Would not be hard to live with it at all. Price seems somewhat reasonable. and won't be missing out on anything really.

yes, I know this is an old mans car, but hey, it's RWD so that is pretty exotic these days!

https://www.subaruofcherryhill.com/used/Cadillac/2013-Cadillac-ATS-cherry-hill-nj-163285b00a0e0a173e8f42ae2b7b1de3.htm

Old men don’t like the ATS. But a 2.5? I didn’t even know that was an option. I thought the turbo 4 was the bottom rung. Yikes. That must be awful in a luxo car.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

I am starting to get antsy to get a 2nd car. I lasted 8 months so far since selling mine, so I think that is pretty good! I might not "need" one, but I probably deserve one!

Resist the urge for at least another six months or you’ll be crying at what you have to pay. For every bargain like henryn found, there’s a hundred overpriced regretmobiles.

stickguy

200HP, almost the same torque. It is probably comparable to my old TLX. Plenty peppy enough for cruising around town. And a major bonus, no impending expensive doom of a miled up turbo getting ready to fail. For something in this age/mile/price range, I am happy to trade a few HP for less complexity. Not turbo or AWD, means a lot less to go wrong!

and to me it is more of a compact sorta-sporty entry luxo car. Basically a nicer riding Acura ILX with RWD? a domestic BMW 320?