Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

oldfarmer50

28firefighter said:

We made it 14 months back in child care without a hiccup, but both my little one and my niece in separate rooms at the same school have been exposed to COVID.

My niece last week (and tested positive - she’s OK no symptoms) and my son this week. My son is fine, tested negative on Sunday and will test again tomorrow. Daddy day care is in full swing for 14 days until they reopen.

My niece who works at a nursing home tested positive and both she and her father with whom she lives were quarantined. He never tested positive and her second and subsequent tests were negative so I wonder how many false positives there are out there disrupting lives. I hope that turns out the same for your loved ones.

BTW, my niece and her father made full use of the quarantine. They laid around the patio drinking and watching tv for the duration, both at full pay. It’s almost enough to make you want to go lick a doorknob.

xwesx

stickguy said:

Have to tire shop. Son needs tires since the S4 came with summer performance tires, and he lives in cold snow country. Not going to be cheap. Shopping wheel/tire packages and just all season pilot sports and maybe just keep those on year round.

I just purchased a set of wheels and tires for my wife's Forester earlier today. I sold the old winter tires last October, which I used over the last couple of summers, with the wheels they were on. However, I was having a hard time getting ahold of the wheels I wanted in Alaska, so I decided to just wait until I was down here to take care of it. And, that's one thing to write off the list!

$1,500 for the set, and they're not even mounted yet.

28firefighter

If I did not have at home, a 14 day quarantine would be a vacation. But alas.

benjaminh

xwesx said:

stickguy said:

Have to tire shop. Son needs tires since the S4 came with summer performance tires, and he lives in cold snow country. Not going to be cheap. Shopping wheel/tire packages and just all season pilot sports and maybe just keep those on year round.

I just purchased a set of wheels and tires for my wife's Forester earlier today. I sold the old winter tires last October, which I used over the last couple of summers, with the wheels they were on. However, I was having a hard time getting ahold of the wheels I wanted in Alaska, so I decided to just wait until I was down here to take care of it. And, that's one thing to write off the list!

$1,500 for the set, and they're not even mounted yet.

Seems about right. Good work. Any pix?

xwesx

I came across this one a week or two ago, and I can't put it out of my mind....

kyfdx

xwesx said:

I came across this one a week or two ago, and I can't put it out of my mind....

I test drove one of those before I found the Audi TDI. I couldn't ascertain with certainty that it wasn't a corporate lease, so I didn't take a chance on it. I liked it a lot, though. Not as pretty as the one you got.

xwesx

benjaminh said:

Seems about right. Good work. Any pix?

Only stock photos. I am having the set shipped to Oregon, and I'll pick them up on our way through before we head up to Alaska. The wheels are Black Rhino "Arches" in bronze. I think it will work well with the black cherry color on the Forester.

benjaminh

Hey @stickguy : I just realized that if that Philly dealer actually gives it to you for 4% less than invoice it might even pay for your moonroof.

benjaminh

Nice wheels. What brand of tire did you end up ordering? What size tires?

stickguy

I like that Passat. Never knew you could get that in a manual.

stickguy

I found a nice (to me) set of 18” alloys. Mounted with Vredestein snows, inc. tax and shipped to an installer, $1280. Son picked a wheel he liked better which made it about $1400. Will pay for itself probably if he doesn’t have to put tires on at lease end, and he can resell the snow package.

xwesx

benjaminh said:

Nice wheels. What brand of tire did you end up ordering? What size tires?

Yokohama Geolandar G015, 215x70R15. They are basically identical in size (0.7% larger circumference) to the stock size of 225x55R17.

benjaminh

Is Vredestein a Dutch tire? Seems like they've been getting really good ratings.

xwesx

stickguy said:

I like that Passat. Never knew you could get that in a manual.

Same here! I had to do a double-take. Manual... diesel... and blue over ivory?! I'm in love. Hahah

stickguy

I’m not sure about the diesel, but the rest pushes all my buttons.

stickguy

This is the best video I saw of carbonized gray in the sun. Nice sparkles. I like it, not too dark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9FsQYni9qk

corvette

benjaminh said:

A Maverick with the options and accessories you'd like, plus this shell, will be something like $32k with destination.

That's an interesting comparison... The CR-V is a great CUV, but the performance numbers aren't going to be in the same category as the Maverick with the 2.0T.

benjaminh

corvette said:

benjaminh said:

A Maverick with the options and accessories you'd like, plus this shell, will be something like $32k with destination.

That's an interesting comparison... The CR-V is a great CUV, but the performance numbers aren't going to be in the same category as the Maverick with the 2.0T.

Probably not. But strangely one video I watched said that Ford is targeting a 0-60 for the Maverick hybrid of 8.6, but the 0-60 target for the Maverick 2.0 turbo was only 7.5, which is better but clearly nowhere near the Escape with that engine. I don't know why it would be so much slower than an Escape with the 2.0, and so maybe that was bad information? Or a bad guess by Ford? But the C & D test of the CR-V turbo is also 7.5 0-60. In any case, we'll need to wait for the embargo on the Maverick to end to find out. I'm guessing a 0-60 on the Maverick 2.0 of about 6.5 seconds, which would be great from my pov, but we'll see.

benjaminh

Yeah, the Carbonized Gray does look good that video. Here's a screen shot. Actually reminds me a bit of the Lunar Silver of my TLX, which also has flake in it.

benjaminh

Glad I got my Michelins almost the first day of the Costco sale. Shortly after I got my set of CrossClimate2 tires they went out of stock in my size, and it's not clear if they are going to get them back in stock before the sale ends. Costco still has the Michelin Defender T + H in stock, which is no doubt still a good tire, but I don't think it's on the same level as the CC.

mjfloyd1

@28firefighter said:
In other news, Jeep made it 1800 miles before first issues. Is at the Jeep dealer for half a dozen software updates, a suspension rattle in the rear, and a weird clicking noise in the front at low speeds.

Clicking in the front is probably lower ball joins need torqued to spec. That’s been a common problem

explorerx4

I think the Carbonized Gray Explorer looks better then the Magnetic Gray.

stickguy

mjfloyd1 said:

@28firefighter said:

In other news, Jeep made it 1800 miles before first issues. Is at the Jeep dealer for half a dozen software updates, a suspension rattle in the rear, and a weird clicking noise in the front at low speeds.

Clicking in the front is probably lower ball joins need torqued to spec. That’s been a common problem

kinda sounds like something the factory should have done. But what do I know?

tjc78

Tight ball joints really aren’t that important.

au1994

Tight is a relative term. There are a few things to look for at delivery.

Tires often come inflated rock hard (40+ PSI), fuses not seated that cause any number of warning lights. One guy had his taken back to the shop at the end of delivery for an hour and a half’s worth of S/W updates.

But… I can’t wait to get mine!!

28firefighter

I just want mine back - I really love it!

benjaminh

Not a surprise, but....

stickguy

even more happy that I decided to go big power! Once it finally gets ordered of course.

breld

dad23 said:

@breld, is today still punch day?

Yup - went really smooth. We showed up for our 11:00 appointment and my wife was driving the Model Y home around 11:30. Regardless of how you feel about the actual product, the buying process is pretty slick.

The associate was naturally enthusiastic about delivering to us our first Tesla! We didn't have the heart to tell him that we're buying it already planning on trading it in a few months.

stickguy

Tesla must be the only dealer in the area that didn't have your pictures up on the wall of fame.

au1994

30 minutes? I’ve made a couple of cash transactions and they weren’t that quick.

Any chance that the Model Y will win out and the Polestar will get sold?

28firefighter

30 minutes? Most dealers can't even get the dot matrix printer setup to print the contract in 30 minutes.

tifighter

I think the X took 20 minutes. Congrats @breld - now go take it on a trip.

sda

@kyfdx said:
I have the Pilot A/S. They are "okay" in the snow. Not what I would pick if I actually lived in snow country. Especially, since he has a set of summer rubber.

On which car are the Pilot A/S?

kyfdx

sda said:

@kyfdx said:

I have the Pilot A/S. They are "okay" in the snow. Not what I would pick if I actually lived in snow country. Especially, since he has a set of summer rubber.

On which car are the Pilot A/S?

VW GTI

stickguy

au1994 said:

30 minutes? I’ve made a couple of cash transactions and they weren’t that quick.

Any chance that the Model Y will win out and the Polestar will get sold?

Wait, they still have that antique? Might have even needed a wash by now.

and of course that is possible. As is they both disappear before Thanksgiving.

tifighter

Well, today I listed the toy-

https://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/cto/d/tacoma-2011-bmw-speed-manual/7377511195.html

A friend of @28firefighter is coming by tonight to check it out, and I have another local BMWCCA guy that wants to see it as well. I'm a little sad to list it, honestly, but after a road trip with my wife this past weekend, we'd like a little more space. I got two offers from Vroom and Carmax for reference, and Carmax actually came in higher for the first time in my experience. Anyhow, more to come.

sda

@tifighter said:
Well, today I listed the toy-

https://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/cto/d/tacoma-2011-bmw-speed-manual/7377511195.html

A friend of @28firefighter is coming by tonight to check it out, and I have another local BMWCCA guy that wants to see it as well. I'm a little sad to list it, honestly, but after a road trip with my wife this past weekend, we'd like a little more space. I got two offers from Vroom and Carmax for reference, and Carmax actually came in higher for the first time in my experience. Anyhow, more to come.

Sweet car, I like a lot.

stickguy

gorgeous car. If I was ready for toy that would be a really nice one to have!

qbrozen

tifighter said:

Well, today I listed the toy-

https://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/cto/d/tacoma-2011-bmw-speed-manual/7377511195.html

A friend of @28firefighter is coming by tonight to check it out, and I have another local BMWCCA guy that wants to see it as well. I'm a little sad to list it, honestly, but after a road trip with my wife this past weekend, we'd like a little more space. I got two offers from Vroom and Carmax for reference, and Carmax actually came in higher for the first time in my experience. Anyhow, more to come.

I have unblurred your license plate, sir, and now I have the top secret information you display on public roads every day. mwuhahahahaha!

tifighter

So now you know about my personalized plate - QBROZEN ?

explorerx4

Cloned plates.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4-enskhXfc&t=311s

Michaell

stickguy said:

Tesla must be the only dealer in the area that didn't have your pictures up on the wall of fame.

Nah, @breld has avoided lots of dealers - Kia, Mitsubishi, Fiat, etc....

stickguy

maybe, but they probably have pictures on the breakroom wall, telling salespeople to run to help if they walk in because it is a guaranteed sale.

28firefighter

Jeep is back. 6 software updates, one recall for the charge port, one set of torqued ball joints. The Transmission module flash is most noticeable - much smoother downshifts now - and then also the fact that the regenerative braking option now latches and doesn’t need to be turned on with every start.

qbrozen

@explorerx4 said:
Cloned plates.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4-enskhXfc&t=311s

Moral of the story: don’t ask too much for your car so that it sits unsold and people have enough time to find it, clone the plate, and do lord knows what.

Anyway, I never thought of the cloned plate angle. Wonder if that happens elsewhere. Still not hard to get that info if you are looking for it, though. Drive around for a day and you are bound to find a similar vehicle to your own if it is common enough. And you should own a common car if you are a criminal. It is in the handbook.

qbrozen

@28firefighter said:
Jeep is back. 6 software updates, one recall for the charge port, one set of torqued ball joints. The Transmission module flash is most noticeable - much smoother downshifts now - and then also the fact that the regenerative braking option now latches and doesn’t need to be turned on with every start.

Ok, I want that last one!

28firefighter

@qbrozen said:

@28firefighter said:
Jeep is back. 6 software updates, one recall for the charge port, one set of torqued ball joints. The Transmission module flash is most noticeable - much smoother downshifts now - and then also the fact that the regenerative braking option now latches and doesn’t need to be turned on with every start.

Ok, I want that last one!

If you can suffer through the Mensa members running your local Jeep service lane, you too can have it!

stickguy

got ambitious today after watching a video (chris fix maybe) on best way to clean your windows inside the car. Multiple steps, and involved using a magic eraser. Can't wait to get it outside tomorrow to see how it worked! Really can't tell in the garage.

had to do it tonight because the wife left me stranded all yesterday afternoon and all day today, having to go into the office to train somebody. So I was carless. Thankfully I had no place I really had to go that I couldn't do tonight. Heading to the finger lakes tomorrow for our anniversary so had to gas up, clean the windows and go to the bank. Exciting stuff.

RDX will actually break 10k miles this weekend, at almost exactly 18 months. And isn't likely to go up much the rest of the year since we might be done with long trips until Christmas.

will need another oil change when I got back. Acura dealer was nice enough to send me another coupon good until 9/30. $69.99 for oil, filter, tire rotation, and new wiper blade inserts. Plus fluids and MPI, and a wash if I want it. Seems like a good deal to me!

mjfloyd1

Successful 4xe pickup today. Less painful process than with the grey one. Shockingly the white one drives just like the grey one and that’s a good thing. Daughter is very happy with it.