Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

gouldn

http://www.edmunds.com/used/2003/buick/parkavenue/100118036/colors.html#

They call it 'Jade Green' The color picker within the browser is probably not all that accurate though.

tifighter

Andre -
Maybe like this?

qbrozen

Funny thing is, looking at this V70, it reminded me very much of looking at a JRL car. The front seats have been "refinished," car has been serviced, new tires, etc.

Now, I think it could be a crapshoot with torchlight if you aren't careful or aren't picky. I actually came close to walking away because I was looking at the wrong wagon at first. He's got 2 that are almost identical and priced almost the same. BUT, the one with 91k miles is in worse shape. Wrong wheels, mismatched and balding tires, etc. So someone looking at that is going to be quite disappointed.

we had a similar experience when we went there looking at XC90s. The vehicles just weren't in top shape.

Like I said, I went over this one carefully ... more carefully than I would have had it been a JRL car. I couldn't find much to fault. It is a very nice car. When you buy and sell as many as torchlight does, they can't ALL be bad.

andre1969

Ooh, I like that color! I probably should just leave well enough alone and stick with the car I have, but I am curious to go check that '03 out.

imidazol97

>'03 out.

The cupholders may be more substantial in 03. Our leSabre has a solid cupholder that flips to hide the cup side and looks like a part of the armrest when the holder is hidden.

fezo

There you go! Attack him at his weak spot!

Andre - cup holders..... cup holders.....

q - nice! With you settled on things it quiets things down a ton. Of course give it a couple weeks and the bug will get you again...

ghulet

Gbrozen, congrats on the new ride. It sounds nice (and looked it as well on the website). Should prove practical and safe with the lil ones. Good papa!

Andre, whenever I have questions re factory paint, I consult (it's set on '66 Caddy, forgive me):

http://www.tcpglobal.com/aclchip.aspx?image=1966-cadillac-pg01.jpg

stickguy

Broz, which is it? I can never tell with this font and a small letter!

Anyway, congrats. I really liked that one. So, I call dibs when you decide to unload it in 3 months (unless, of course, it turns out to be a lemon, then you can sell it to someone else).

I do remember that the one I drove was wicked fast when you nailed the throttle and it got off the line.

Well, when I actually need one, I will hire you (although I pay like crap) to keep an eye on his inventory, and see if another super clean unit shows up. JRL now seems to have p1 cars, and Rs. Although I guess he could find one like this, just not sure I want to pay the premium...

actually, I wonder how cheap a 2004ish 2.5T is thesse days? ALthough yours does have the GT, something that I have to have if I finally move to an AT car (silly I know, but it is my silliness!)

stickguy

go ahead, trade up if the newer car has features or a color you prefer. Just make sure the condition warrents it, then fire up the old checkbook.

roadburner

Congrats and good luck!!!

qbrozen

That would be a Q.

Thanks for all the well wishes.

BUT... I've been doing some reading and I am getting a bit concerned. It seems the 5-speed geartronics are not highly regarded and often give up the ghost by 110k. With regular service and the correct software update early in life, they can hold on, though.

So I don't know what I should do. I can still walk away, as I haven't taken delivery. Or I can plunge in and just change the fluid immediately, take it to the dealer for a software change, and keep my fingers crossed. But do I want to go through this ownership experience with constant concern?

I have an email out to volvomax and hope he responds soon.

andre1969

Yeah, I like that TCP global website too. For some reason, whenever I start typing in "tcp..." the first think that auto-fills in is for 1972 Pontiac, for some reason! Guess that was the last page I browsed. Only problem though, is once you get to about 1979 or 1980, they start going to corporate color charts, rather than breaking it out by division, and it starts getting confusing, especially when you start trying to read all the blurry little footnotes. And the charts swelled up, too. The 2003 paint chart for GM has 43 pages! However, the majority of that it just text and footnotes and explanations and such...I think there are only about 10 pages of actual colors.

And that's something that perplexes me. Nowadays it seems like most cars only offer maybe 6-10 colors at most. Yet looking through the 2003 GM chart, I'm seeing a whole rainbow of color, enough variety to make the 1970's look almost black and white in comparison! Maybe that list is all of GM's worldwide colors though...Europe, South America, Asia, Australia, etc?

qbrozen

Ok, so I made some calls this morning. First was to my favorite volvo dealer (princeton). Service rep was kind enough to pull the history for me. He found nothing extraordinary. Alot of the common things have already been fixed, however, like the ABS module and oil return seal.

I asked him about the transmission troubles in these and he said he's not aware of it. (hmmmm...)

I then called my favorite private volvo specialist (Pro VoVo in Freehold). She said she has seen this transmission issue in the '01s. She wouldn't say it is common or guaranteed, just that they have had to do several. She has an '01 herself with over 140k on it now that she bought with 60k and hers is fine. So some good and bad news there. I then asked her if she knows of Penn Warranty. She does and has filed claims with them on behalf of customers and had no problems.

So I'm having a bit more faith. Question is on the warranty. It seems I should get it, but for how long. I need to contact the dealer again and have him send me the info.

breld

Man, I just love reading this forum, but have never participated. Not sure if I "qualify" as a chronic car buyer, but I am always looking at ads, thinking about my next move. And my friends and acquaintances certainly enjoy kidding me about my relative quick turnarounds on cars.

So, I'm a single father, and own a 2007 530xi and just purchased a 2010 Mazda CX-9. I purchased the BMW when I was still married, and it was meant to serve all purposes - large enough for the family, but still plenty of sport in its genes.

Well a couple of years ago, when I became single, I found myself in a major dilemma - my own 3 car garage, but only one vehicle! What a waste, huh? So I bought a used Highlander, for Home Depot trips, taking the kids around, etc., whilst preserving miles on the BMW. What I found though, was that I quite enjoyed driving the Toyota around most of the time, and the 530xi became my "fun/toy" car. In the first year after buying that Toyota, I put about 20k miles on that, and about 2k on the BMW.

So....since I found myself driving that Highlander so much, I wanted an SUV that was nicer and sportier. So about a month ago I traded in the Highlander for my CX-9.

Continued....

stickguy

I remember that Torchlight includes some kind of 3 month warrenty. At least that is something.

From the sounds of the V70, it was maintained. Not that I pay super close attention, but the only issues I really remember hearing were related to the AWD versions. So, if this one passed your scrutiny, shifts well, clean fluid, etc. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

besides, you won't put too many miles on the thing before you want something sportier or a manual tranny (or something!) And considering you are coming out of a Benz with 2x the miles, funny time to become a worry wart.

heck, if it is as clean as you say, I might have to take it if you pass (and no, I don't actually need it, and have no desire to try and sell my Accord on my own!)

qbrozen

well, yes, its not like I typically worry about these things. But it is one thing to have a $1500 paperweight and another to have a $6800 one. Having a $6800 car with a $3500 transmission problem is not something I would be happy about.

I do have one more question I'm awaiting an answer to. I want to know if torchlight's service guy changed the trans fluid. If not, that's a good sign given the way it shifts now. If he DID change it, it might only be temporarily feeling good.

breld

So here's where I'm at now - since the CX-9 is my primary driver, and I really enjoy it, the BMW seems to be a bit much for what I use it for - the occasional weekend sports car. So I'm considering selling it and spending the next several months considering what that second car should be. My thoughts are between a more dedicated sports car, or a fun, "sporty" economical car, since I drive quite a few miles a year.

Thoughts include used 350/370z, 335i, maybe a 135i, maybe something like a WRX. Also intrigued by the Toyota FT-86 thing coming out in a couple of years. And right now, I'm intrigued by Honda's CR-Z - not nearly as sporty as these others, but probably pretty fun and economical.

Hardest thing to overcome is selling my 530xi. Part of it's financial - at 3 years old, I just endured the worst of the depreciation and kinda hate to sell it now. Most of it's emotional - I do love the car and am trying to have the forethought to realize that once the "newness" wears on a new toy, I may miss (and regret selling) the 530. And it's very personal to me - I ordered it with all the options I wanted (had to to get the manual trannie) and put some additional options on it myself, like larger wheels (OEM) and the BMW body kit.

Anyway - thought this may be a good forum to write all those thoughts out. Thanks for the therapy!

qbrozen

An empty garage space? Now there is a dilemma I need.

nippononly

Exactly, right? What breld should do is KEEP the BMW, and get one of those fun sport coupes to fill the third spot in his garage!

roadburner

Well, the 530xi is a nice sports sedan, but it isn't all that light on its feet; the AWD filters out a bit of the fun. The 350z is a nice car, but I think I'd look for a used Boxster or M roadster. The 335i is fast, but it's still a bit of a porker- I'd go with an M Sport 135i. In fact, I'd take a 128i M Sport stick over a 335i or 135i with a slushbox. Every time. A WRX STi is a hoot, but it's a bit raw if you prefer a softer cruisers like the standard 5er. It also might be hard to find a Soob that hasn't been thrashed.
Hey, I could make you a GREAT deal on a 2007 Mazdaspeed 3... :P

jayrider

The real issue among many is selling the bmw. You have to commit to that first and then do it. It could take a long time if you want a fair price -- lots of time and aggravation potential but do-able. It could take 5-6 months to get it done. Do lots of folks want your car at the price you want to sell at? Find out. You can also find out a real auction price and work from there. If you are happy with wholesale and want to move on you can divest yourself quickly. Take it to dealers and ask for a buy it now price. Who knows. The plan should be to spend energy selling the bmw. Once that's done decide what if anything else you want. Good luck.

boomchek

Congrats on your Volvo and on keeping your CCBA membership active!

fezo

I give up - who's JRL?

I have a neighbor who works for princeton Volvo and he recommended Pro Vovo. It's amazing I haven't had a Volvo in 20 years....

breld

Yeah - the 530xi was a perfect choice for me, when I was targeting one vehicle to suit all my needs - sports sedan, roomy, all-weather capabilities. But now that I have a dedicated vehicle for the snow days and hauling around cargo and kids, I don't really need to compromise on the "fun" car anymore.

Good suggestions - I probably will take a closer look at the 135i. I've only admired them from afar. And the Mazdaspeed 3 does make it on the ever-changing list, depending on my mood that day .

breld

Jayrider - you're absolutely right that selling the bmw is the first priority, if I want to go ahead with it. With that manual trannie, it's a pretty tough sell - but it only takes the one party interested in the manual.

I actually had it for sale a year ago, planning on replacing it with a 335i coupe. I had the one perfect buying candidate - it was an older couple who was looking to replace their older 530 manual with a newer one. They offered what was a pretty fair price, but still a couple grand less than I had hoped, and since I didn't have my heart set on the whole deal, I passed.

We'll see - the idea of selling it, and being in the market for a fun car - oooh, gives me the chills.

roadburner

And the Mazdaspeed 3 does make it on the ever-changing list, depending on my mood that day.

I was just kidding.
I HATE mine.

qbrozen

JRL is a guy who buys, fixes, and resells volvos privately. He works through the swedespeed forums. He's a trusted reseller who typically only deals with the cream of the crop (and prices them as such).

lilengineerboy

JRL is a guy who buys, fixes, and resells volvos privately. He works through the swedespeed forums. He's a trusted reseller who typically only deals with the cream of the crop (and prices them as such).

Is that like the place in Cincy with all the E36 M3s? It seems like he buys, fixes, and re-sells for premium...

stickguy

he normally doesn'tcarry inventory. He does a lot of locates for people (he will post good looking cars coming upat auction, or will find what you want). He does sometimes buy a car on spec though. No real lot to work from either. But, normal mark up from auction cost I think is about $1,200, and that includes a service and detail, so way less than what the dealers mark up for the same car.

qbrozen

he's in PA.

qbrozen

But, normal mark up from auction cost I think is about $1,200

Except if its a '99 V70 T5m.

So everything is in order. I'm picking up the wagon tomorrow early afternoon.

I have decided to go with the warranty. I'm not sure how long, though. It is $499 for 1yr/ulimited miles, $799 for 2yr/unlimited, or $999 for 3yr/unlimited. The longer terms, while cost effective when looking at a yearly cost, are only cost effective if the warranty turns out to be NOT a total joke.

So how much am I willing to gamble is how I'm looking at it. I would do at least $800. But should I push $1k? If the warranty company bombs, I feel like I'd say "well, took a shot and its only $800." But at $1k, for some reason, I feel I'd be much more pissed.

jayrider

Just check to see what is excluded from coverage and decide if it's worth it. Ask the dealer if he has performed work under the warranty with no problems. Say you are holding him partially responsible since he is selling it to you.

qbrozen

This dealer doesn't have a shop.

My indy volvo mechanic has placed claims with this warranty company and had no problems. With the standard warranty, I'm giving up coverage of the climate control. That's pretty much it. I've read the fine print and it seems to be a good contract. Of course, I've also read many complaints on the internet. If it wasn't for the positive feedback from the indy mechanic, I wouldn't be buying it.

jayrider

If your indy man feels it is a decent product then it might be worth it for peace of mind while you get to know your car. Even though most auto sites advise against the ext warranty, I'd probably buy it as well. Cost isn't too bad -- there is an indy dealer in St. Louis that sells a policy that he uses and has had no problems. Might be the same company. The internet policies seem to have a greater share of issues. Does the indy shop sell a policy as well?

jayrider

Any one have thoughts re audi a4 quattro avant vs bmw 328xi wagon? Both 09's less than 5k miles -- priced mid 30's.

jimbres

Sooner or later, most of these warranty companies go belly up. This happened to me back in the 70s, & I haven't bought an extended warranty since then.

Put the money that you were planning to spend on an EW in a bank account.

roadburner

They are both nice cars to drive. I don't have any first hand knowledge of Audi maintenance or repair issues. We almost bought a CPO A4 Quattro back in 2000 but the moronic sales department at Bluegrass Audi(in Louisville) was so inept that we left their showroom, drove over to Swope BMW, and bought a CPO 528i that very same day.

boomchek

I'd go with the 3 year warranty. You're really only paying $200 more for the 3rd year, and the older the car is the more likely there is a chance of something breaking. Therefore the chances are higher that you'll need an expensive repair in the third year.

At least that's just my opinion. After my 01 MB C class experience, I won't touch any used luxury car without a comprehensive warranty for the time I plan to own the vehicle.

fezo

I agree that the third year is cheap - it's also when you're most likely to need teh warranty.

I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the idea that q is committing to a car enough to buy an extended warranty!

jayrider

Swope sells bmw and infinity -- like the ex as well-- are they always aggressive on price ?

jayrider

Saw pictures of 328xi's and some of the front seats have what looks like thigh extensions and some don't. Is this a special order seat or part of a package. It makes the sort of short seat much more comfortable looking. Way better than the A4 --- and I'm into nice seats.

breld

Those thigh extensions are part of the sport package, which also includes a different steering wheel and wheels (no sport suspension on the AWD models). You may be able to order the sport seats as a separate option on their own - I can't remember.

A buddy of mine has a 2009 328i wagon and his wife has a 2008 A4 wagon (er, avant). They both agree the BMW offers more of a sporty, dynamic experience, though to be fair, his has the sport package (including the sport suspension, since it's the RWD model). He also much prefers the in-line 6 of his BMW versus the 2.0T in her A4.

Then again, you're talking about the new-gen A4, right? Those look real nice and have greater torque than the older 2.0T. Only an automatic trannie on those now, if that matters to you.

When I bought my 530 a few years back, I was originally considering a wagon. I may have gone with the A6 Avant over the 5-series wagon. Styling-wise, I think Audi does an outstanding job with the wagons.

jayrider

Thanks for the reply, breld, the sports suspension may be a bit firm for me but who knows. I love my 03 jeep liberty since I changed out the stock shocks with bilsteins. That is my main beef with my murano -- it seems a bit ponderous in turns and the shortwheelbase jeep is quick and solid in traffic. It's just more fun. Those bmw seats need tush testing but they do look like deal makers.

kyfdx

BMW sport seats are awesome.. But, as breld noted... if you get AWD, there is no sport suspension, so no worries there..

I really like the new Audi, though... this would be one tough choice that I woudn't mind making..

roadburner

In the past decade I've only dealt with the BMW dealership but Swope's prices are usually very reasonable.

qbrozen

I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the idea that q is committing to a car enough to buy an extended warranty!

That's another reason why I'm doubting the need for a 3rd year. ;b
Anyway, the warranty is transferable.

normally, I wouldn't go for such a thing and put the money in a bank account instead, but all I've read of the tranny has me worried. I'm picking the car up tomorrow and still haven't made up my mind about the warranty, to be honest.

qbrozen

in my experience, the answer is bmw. better resale and better reliability.

qbrozen

no new posts since last night? What's the problem? You all have jobs or something? :P

Anyhoo... picked up the wagon today. And my final decision on the warranty hit me at 6am this morning as I was feeding the baby. I did not buy one. Yeah, probably not the best time to make a decision like that, but here is my reasoning, feel free to agree/disagree.

Warranties are gambles. You are betting it will break, the warranty company is betting it won't. This particular warranty puts a cap of $2k per occurrence on their coverage. The 2-year plan was going to cost me $800. My one and only concern with this car is the transmission. SO, I was betting my $800 against their $1200 that the transmission will fail within the next 2 years. That's 1.5:1 odds. In other words, I need to be convinced that, for every 1.5 of these cars, 1 transmission will fail. I don't believe that. Even if I believe 1 in 100 ... or, heck, 1 in 10, playing 1.5:1 odds is just dumb.

The wagon is a real joy to drive. I am amazed at the power. At one particular light, I decided to give it the full throttle. I didn't want to abuse it before servicing the trans, so I used a rolling start. Even with that, I wound up laying down rubber for several feet when I got on the gas. :surprise:

So, let's see... just ordered the special trans fluid I need to use. I have an appointment with the dealer for next monday to get the latest software. And I do need to order the upper engine mount because I did notice upon initial inspection that it is cracked. Then I can enjoy it.

boomchek

I guess you may be correct on that part with the transmission odds. However that were true if you were only buying a transmission. What about the rest of the car's components?

jayrider

It almost never makes sense to buy an extended warranty. I've had several and never used them. It is strictly a peace of mind thingy.