Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

xwesx

henryn said:

My son bought a Camaro shortly after he graduated college, a 95 or 96 as I recall. It was the hottest model they were selling then, which was no slouch but really wasn't what I would call a hot rod. And it had the T-Top, which is the important point here. When it was less than 6 months old, someone ran into the A-pillar on the passenger side. It was a low speed collision, no one hurt, no air bags deployed, but it bent over the A-pillar which had no real support thanks to the T-Top. The Chevrolet dealership worked on it, gave it back to him 3 times supposedly fixed. Everytime, the passenger door would sag, badly, within a week.

Eventually, the insurance company totaled the car. By then my son had been in rental cars for better than 3 months, and he was not a happy camper.

Okay, that would be so frustrating. At least the insurance company finally did the right thing rather than dragging it out even longer!

As for the Q7, it's tough to say. It looks bad at a glance, but the lack of airbag deployment is a strong indicator that there wasn't a hard hit, which means structural damage is unlikely. However, with the rear suspension torn up like that, there could be some twisting of the mounts that could cause some integrity issues. And, the damage all the way down the side is indicative of the need for extensive paint work. With blending, I'm going to guess we're talking about paint work on the whole side and back, as well as hood and front bumper shell. That'll be at or near $10K all by itself.

corvette

@mjfloyd1 - is the pickup that was involved in the crash the same one that the bus driver said they swerved to avoid, by any chance? If so, hindsight being 20/20, it looks like they involved an additional vehicle (your wife's) for no reason.

mjfloyd1

Yes it is. The state police and firefighters told my wife that she was collateral damage.

Sadly bought not leased.

qbrozen

I have NO idea why, but I just received a check in the mail from the dealer I got my LT1 from. The note reads “taxes owed back to customer.” It is $757. I guess I’ll just not look this horse in the mouth.

kyfdx

@mjfloyd1 Looks totaled to me.

oldfarmer50

rbirns1 said:

I want to reach out to multiple dealers and get a price on a new build order. Something like, "I plan to order this model, how much off MSRP will you charge". I will also ask about current stock. Do I send this through the dealer website "contact us", or should I send email to someone at the dealer?

I’m old fashioned so I would call instead of email. Dealers get hundreds of emails and you’re more likely to get a “come on down” response rather than real information. Also, in today’s market you might not get much discount from sticker. We’ve been getting reports of dealers marking up prices over MSRP and putting ridiculous non negotiable mop & glow packages onto the price.

For current stock I’d go to the dealer’s web site.

oldfarmer50

mjfloyd1 said:

Everyone is ok.

School bus didn’t merge very well. Score is school bus 1 to Audi Q7 0. Rear axle broken.

How do you proceed if you don’t want the vehicle back after repair (or even want it repaired)

Good thing no one was hurt. Was the bus found at fault by police? School districts have deep pockets and should pay for everything.

oldfarmer50

mjfloyd1 said:

More carnage photos

That’s a puny little school bus. You’re lucky it wasn’t a full sized one, those things are built like battleships. Looks like that pick up took a direct hit and then the bus swerved over and got you.

tjc78

@stickguy
Here is your next ride.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMd1GHEeG/

tjc78

@qbrozen said:
I have NO idea why, but I just received a check in the mail from the dealer I got my LT1 from. The note reads “taxes owed back to customer.” It is $757. I guess I’ll just not look this horse in the mouth.

Happened to me when I bought the XC too. Out of state dealers always seem to get taxes/DMV wrong on NJ leases.

I even told them they were wrong… so we split the difference and I got it back anyway. Oh well for them.

stickguy

tjc78 said:

@stickguy

Here is your next ride.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMd1GHEeG/

I saw an article on it. I like it a lot. I’ll predict it’s going to be a big seller.

au1994

I like the looks of it. If it sells and the Hyundai version does too, others will jump in so it could be an interesting little market niche.

graphicguy

@mjfloyd1 ….YIKES! Yes, glad everyone is OK. Body damage….axle required…..Quattro damage? Who knows how much the electronics will cost. It’s an Audi (which did it’s job well). My guess is it’s a total. But, with the high used values these days, they may try to fix it. To me? Better get a total out of it.

explorerx4

Here is a sample of Maverick pricing.
Looks like you will have to magnify it.

stickguy

For what cars cost these days, don’t seem like bad prices at all.

tjc78

@stickguy said:
I saw an article on it. I like it a lot. I’ll predict it’s going to be a big seller.

Not so sure … this type of vehicle comes and goes. I think it will be popular at launch and then die way down.

stickguy

I wonder if Toyota will jump into this niche? They have smaller models elsewhere. Tacoma is way overdue for a revamp. Make that slightly bigger (like the old T1000!) and slide a smaller taco/hi lux underneath it.

At one point rumor was Ram was bringing the baby model to the US too, but that seems to have died on the vine.

Michaell

Help a member…

https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/66432/general/x/help-a-virgin-car-buyer-out#latest

nyccarguy

tjc78 said:

@stickguy said:

I saw an article on it. I like it a lot. I’ll predict it’s going to be a big seller.

Not so sure … this type of vehicle comes and goes. I think it will be popular at launch and then die way down.

nO wAy aM i GOinG TO BuY tHIs pos! c'MoN ford! wHY DOn't U MAkE A SiNglE CAB W/ a 6' BEd, No PwR wINDOWs, pWr dOOr LoCkS, A 6-sPEEd STicK & CHARGE UnDeR $15k FOR IT? tHEN i'D BUY OnE!

Michaell

nyccarguy said:

tjc78 said:

@stickguy said:

I saw an article on it. I like it a lot. I’ll predict it’s going to be a big seller.

Not so sure … this type of vehicle comes and goes. I think it will be popular at launch and then die way down.

nO wAy aM i GOinG TO BuY tHIs pos! c'MoN ford! wHY DOn't U MAkE A SiNglE CAB W/ a 6' BEd, No PwR wINDOWs, pWr dOOr LoCkS, A 6-sPEEd STicK & CHARGE UnDeR $15k FOR IT? tHEN i'D BUY OnE!

And it has to be brown…

corvette

Michaell said:

And it has to be brown…

And diesel.

stickguy

Well, I’d be very interested in a 2 door (+ 1/2?) extended cab, and a manual trans!

ab348

I'm sure the $19,995 version will be thin on the ground for quite a while. The top-end model is almost exactly twice that much at over $38K.

The entry model with the hybrid powertrain (and shockingly low torque numbers) comes with a CVT which would be enough to make me want to fork out for the Ecoboost. But that puts prices in the mid-$30K range no doubt.

stickguy

That chart indicates an XLT 2.0 AWD is about $27k, so not bad if you don’t layer on too many option packages.

ab348

stickguy said:

That chart indicates an XLT 2.0 AWD is about $27k, so not bad if you don’t layer on too many option packages.

Cheapest 2.0 AWD according to Build & Price on the Ford Canada site is a XL which you can order with zero options and comes in at just over $30K in worthless Canadian dollars. Looks pretty plain. They seem to be going with a pricing strategy different from the Bronco Sport, which reserves the good engine for the high-priced model only. Colors shown here are black, silver, white, 4 shades of gray, and a bright blue.



Next model up is the XLT which gives 3 or 4 additional paint colors and a slightly less low-rent interior. With the 2.0 AWD powertrain it goes for $33,500 Cdn. The high-zoot Lariat gets the brown leather interior shown in the launch pics, nicer wheels and a bunch of other stuff and lists for $37K Cdn. If deals eventually start to happen on these that would be the way to go.

stickguy

That, is not an attractive color.

Michaell

I like the Maverick.

Just built one - 2.0T EcoBoost, AWD, XLT Lux package, a couple of small options ... MSRP just a tick over $30K.

I can see Ford selling a lot of these.

I'm still waiting for the Santa Cruz pricing to be released, however.

mjfloyd1

The police didn’t give us the actual report - just exchange of information.

It’s pretty clear from the destroyed front end of the bus who was at fault.

qbrozen

could have called it the Explorer Sport Trac

ab348

qbrozen said:

could have called it the Explorer Sport Trac

Except that was RWD body on frame.

28firefighter

I built out a Maverick Lariat Hybrid and I'm definitely interested. Even at full MSRP, I'm interested.

Michaell

28firefighter said:

I built out a Maverick Lariat Hybrid and I'm definitely interested. Even at full MSRP, I'm interested.

Wish they would pair the hybrid engine with AWD...

[Deleted User]

mjfloyd1 said:

The police didn’t give us the actual report - just exchange of information.

It’s pretty clear from the destroyed front end of the bus who was at fault.

I could be wrong, my fellow Coloradoans can correct me if so, but I believe in Colorado, anytime you're rear-ended, the rear-ender is almost always at fault without question.

Michaell

dad23 said:

mjfloyd1 said:

The police didn’t give us the actual report - just exchange of information.

It’s pretty clear from the destroyed front end of the bus who was at fault.

I could be wrong, my fellow Coloradoans can correct me if so, but I believe in Colorado, anytime you're rear-ended, the rear-ender is almost always at fault without question.

I think that’s pretty much true, anywhere. Unless you’ve got dash cam footage to prove otherwise.

qbrozen

@ab348 said:
Except that was RWD body on frame.

So was the Maverick. At least the explorer sport trac was a 4-door compact pickup, whereas the Maverick was a car.

henryn

ab348 said:

stickguy said:

That chart indicates an XLT 2.0 AWD is about $27k, so not bad if you don’t layer on too many option packages.

Cheapest 2.0 AWD according to Build & Price on the Ford Canada site is a XL which you can order with zero options and comes in at just over $30K in worthless Canadian dollars. Looks pretty plain. They seem to be going with a pricing strategy different from the Bronco Sport, which reserves the good engine for the high-priced model only. Colors shown here are black, silver, white, 4 shades of gray, and a bright blue.



Next model up is the XLT which gives 3 or 4 additional paint colors and a slightly less low-rent interior. With the 2.0 AWD powertrain it goes for $33,500 Cdn. The high-zoot Lariat gets the brown leather interior shown in the launch pics, nicer wheels and a bunch of other stuff and lists for $37K Cdn. If deals eventually start to happen on these that would be the way to go.

Looking at that picture, those are exactly the same wheels (although undoubtedly smaller) as the steel wheels on my recently purchase 2013 F150 XL. They are perfectly adequate for a work truck, but they do not look good. And looking at the other post, with the 360 degree view, that is one small bed. As in miniscule. Reminds me of a car the Highway Department here in Texas used to drive, back in the 60s or 70s. If memory serves, it was a full sized Dodge sedan with an open trunk. And the trunk compartment had some kind of metal box instead of the normal trunk.

Any way you slice it, that is not going to be much use as a truck. Now you make it in a regular cab or an extended cab, put a 6.5' bed on there, and you might just have a small truck instead of a toy. I actually kind of agree with @nyccarguy (even though I'm sure he was being sarcastic).

stickguy

It’s 4.5”. If you need longer, get the bed extender option. That should get it to at least 6’.

It’s still plenty useful to a lot of people that have no desire for a full size beast!

Showed my family. They all liked it. Even the boss thinks it’s a good option for us, especially since we are trying to get cleared out to move in the next year. It is too bad though that no AWD with the hybrid. Though they charge an eye popping $3,300 for that on the 2.0t version.

I specced out an XLT with various (lots of) options. About $27,200 for hybrid FWD, and $33,000 for AWD 2.0 and FX4. For what you get, prices are not bad. Skip the off road package and it’s about $32k

stickguy

Oh, I agree that a cab and a half model with 6’ bed would also be quite popular. Hopefully down the line they add it. The ranger comes that way.

henryn

stickguy said:

It’s 4.5”. If you need longer, get the bed extender option. That should get it to at least 6’.

4.5' is not a bed, it's an open trunk.

As for bed extenders, while I have seen many trucks equipped with such, I don't recall ever seeing anyone actually use it.

I expect we will just have to agree to disagree on this one.

I have owned several Silverados and F150s in the crew cab version, with the 5.5' bed. I actually prefer the extended cab (cab-and-a-half) with the 6.5' bed, but they sell in such small numbers that dealers usually stock about 100 to 150 crew cabs, and about 6 or 8 extended cabs. I am talking about normal times, not the present insanity. And even though the crew cab will usually show about 1.5k to 2k more on the MSRP, you can often get the crew cab for less. And the crew cab will have better resale / trade-in value down the road, so I have learned to go with the flow.

stickguy

I don’t want a truck that big though in the first place. So a mid sized one with a smaller bed is a legit option. If I really had need to tote around longer items on a regular basis I would probably get a little utility trailer of some sort. Best of both worlds!

tifighter

I think Ford will sell a lot of these. But yeah, a 2 door / longer bed would be more my preference.

oldfarmer50

explorerx4 said:

Here is a sample of Maverick pricing.
Looks like you will have to magnify it.

Does it come in a 2 wheel drive version? $27k isn’t bad for an AWD but I can get a base Ranger for that price. Probably like the Ranger, no standard shift available.

ab348

qbrozen said:

@ab348 said:

Except that was RWD body on frame.

So was the Maverick. At least the explorer sport trac was a 4-door compact pickup, whereas the Maverick was a car.

No, the Maverick was the same cheap unibody platform Ford developed in the late 1950s for the original Falcon. No frame.

henryn

stickguy said:

I don’t want a truck that big though in the first place. So a mid sized one with a smaller bed is a legit option. If I really had need to tote around longer items on a regular basis I would probably get a little utility trailer of some sort. Best of both worlds!

I used to own a little utility trailer, 4x8 with small tires. The kind that can be folded up, at least in theory. The weight limit on that thing was pretty small, and if you put a solid piece of plywood on it for the bed, it can no longer be folded. You have to use two separate pieces of plywood with at least a 1 inch gap in the middle. I eventually got rid of it, sold for more than I paid for it, as I didn't really have a good place to store it. I would like to have a more conventional open trailer, maybe 5x10, with real tires. The cost is not the problem, more a matter of where in the heck would I keep it?

corvette

I think you get a shorter final drive ratio if you opt for the 4k tow package, which should help performance. My dad is considering the Ford performance chip for his Ranger; I told him he should research whether you can reap some of the claimed gains by just burning premium instead of regular with the stock tune.

ab348

A blown-up version of the Maverick pricing guide:

henryn

corvette said:

I think you get a shorter final drive ratio if you opt for the 4k tow package, which should help performance. My dad is considering the Ford performance chip for his Ranger; I told him he should research whether you can reap some of the claimed gains by just burning premium instead of regular with the stock tune.

In general, the performance chips are most helpful on turbocharged engines, and do very little for normally aspirated. There was an article in Car and Driver, just a couple of years back, where they tried using 93 octane versus 87 octane in various cars and trucks. The high performance cars, which specified 93 octane in the first place, did suffer from using 87 octane. But among the ones which only called for 87 octane, the only surprise was the Ford F150 with 3.5 ecoboost. That F150 turned in much better numbers for 0-60 and the 1/4 mile when using 93 octane. All others which specified 87 octane showed no gains from running 93 octane.

Okay, found the link:
https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a28565486/honda-cr-v-vs-bmw-m5-ford-f-150-dodge-charger/

0-60 5.3 secs 5.9 secs
1/4 mile 14.0 secs 14.5 secs

Anyone who's ever competed on the 1/4 mile knows that it takes quite a bit to knock a full half second off your time.

oldfarmer50

Michaell said:

dad23 said:

mjfloyd1 said:

The police didn’t give us the actual report - just exchange of information.

It’s pretty clear from the destroyed front end of the bus who was at fault.

I could be wrong, my fellow Coloradoans can correct me if so, but I believe in Colorado, anytime you're rear-ended, the rear-ender is almost always at fault without question.

I think that’s pretty much true, anywhere. Unless you’ve got dash cam footage to prove otherwise.

That’s the question I wanted to ask, did the bus have a dash cam. Most school buses theses days have multiple cameras. That doesn’t look like an official school bus, maybe a private contractor or church school. As you say though, a hit from the rear is a de facto at fault.

explorerx4

Base Maverick is a FWD hybrid. $19,995 plus shipping.
The prices I posted are all for an XLT model.
2.0 and AWD are packaged and priced together.

stickguy

You can I think get FWD 2.0t. Based on Ford site build your own.

I think they need to basically replicate my old 1991 Nissan king cab (jump seats, but could have down a small bench like Mazda had). That was about 195” long (I think the Maverick will be about 198”?). And the bed was about 6’2”. Garageable, but nice useful bed size.