Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

tjc78

@breld said:
I didn’t look at the comparison in detail, but mostly just admired the use of different shades of blue to greatly improve the presentation and readability of your spreadsheet.

Looks like he formatted this as a “table” in Excel.

nyccarguy

qbrozen said:

I thought so, too, but she says Sprinter. So I can only think she had her mind made up before I bothered doing that for her.

Oil change cost - WOOF!

mjfloyd1

@qbrozen I like the “old school halogen headlights” notation.

Hopefully you can get better bulbs.

Your maintenance costs may be low. You have to change the diesel fuel filter every 20k miles IIRC.

They do sell prepaid maintenance plans to save a bit too.

sda

I called to check when I had the Q5 serviced last and also inquired about potentially buying pre-paid maintenance as the original pre-paid was ful-filed. I didn’t get details what it actually covered, was told the service advisor would tell me at the next visit. I was quoted $899. Before I jump to conclusion, I believe that will be a big NO.

mjfloyd1

I’d check to see what all is covered and how many service visits.

sda

mjfloyd1 said:

I’d check to see what all is covered and how many service visits.

That’s the plan.

qbrozen

tjc78 said:

Looks like he formatted this as a “table” in Excel.

Word.

mjfloyd1 said:

@qbrozen I like the “old school halogen headlights” notation.

Hopefully you can get better bulbs.

Your maintenance costs may be low. You have to change the diesel fuel filter every 20k miles IIRC.

They do sell prepaid maintenance plans to save a bit too.

I made it just oil changes. The diesel still needs that adblue stuff, too, right?

I saw a place online that has LED replacement lights for the Sprinter. Pretty cheap.

mjfloyd1

Yes but ad blue is pretty cheap last I checked

fintail

On the subject of car buyers, I drove a couple family members recent purchases. My brother's PreRunner is very trucky and has that single cab tight space feeling. Not sure if I could live with it on road trips. The 50K mile 2013 (I think) Fit my uncle recently bought is surprisingly refined even at speed, I expected it to wind up like a CBR600RR at highway speeds, but it was smooth and relatively quiet.

oldfarmer50

qbrozen said:

Wife commented she would like to see these side by side, so I wrote it up for her. FYI, some things are missing from the Benz because the salesperson said those options are not currently available due to shortages. I based RV and gas on 5yr/60k miles. RV is as best as I can figure based on auction values of similar vehicles. Unfortunately, the same builds didn't exist 5 yrs ago.

The Transit looks like a winner but if it’s uncomfortable to drive, are the better stats on paper worth it?

qbrozen

oldfarmer50 said:

The Transit looks like a winner but if it’s uncomfortable to drive, are the better stats on paper worth it?

I'm not uncomfortable at all in the stock cargo version i have right now.

But since she says "Sprinter," it is all moot. We are working on the order. She found a dealer who claims to have open builds for delivery in winter. I'm waiting on his response if any of those are a passenger 4x4.

corvette

@qbrozen and @breld - my spreadsheets never look that pretty, but I also admire the effort.

ab348

Now here’s a type of recall I never saw before. Sometimes an old-fashioned electromechanical solution is the best one I guess.

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/hyundai-recalls-466000-sonata-sedans-for-blinkers-operating-backwards

qbrozen

wow do i hate people.
Local salesperson we talked to Saturday has not returned our calls or emails in 3 days.
So far, 3 other dealers, who don't even have them on the lot, have told us $10k ADM.
One dealer says 8-12 mos to order and even provided us a build sheet based on those options they currently can't order. Sent him a follow-up to see if he is selling at MSRP.
1 other dealer has 2 on their website. Emailed them yesterday and they said they have none. Still on their website today and I could click "start purchase," so I did. Waiting to see what they say about the van I just submitted paperwork to buy that they don't have.

xwesx

qbrozen said:

oldfarmer50 said:

The Transit looks like a winner but if it’s uncomfortable to drive, are the better stats on paper worth it?

I'm not uncomfortable at all in the stock cargo version i have right now.

But since she says "Sprinter," it is all moot. We are working on the order. She found a dealer who claims to have open builds for delivery in winter. I'm waiting on his response if any of those are a passenger 4x4.

If it was me, I would push the "bling-spot warning" on the Transit hard! It is difficult to tell when one overdoes the bling, so having a neutral sensor warning one of those things could go a long way toward ensuring you don't end up a laughing stock somewhere along the way....

corvette

Nobody said the "happy wife, happy life" mantra would be easy to achieve... or inexpensive!

xwesx

ab348 said:

Now here’s a type of recall I never saw before. Sometimes an old-fashioned electromechanical solution is the best one I guess.

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/hyundai-recalls-466000-sonata-sedans-for-blinkers-operating-backwards

Well, at least this sort of confusion isn't limited only to the manufacturers....

As per the article, the sub-heading reads, "If a driver signals to turn right, the blinker may instead show the right-hand turn signal in a wonky software glitch."

explorerx4

Steve Lehto did an episode on how the RV dealers are upset at the poor quality of the RV's being delivered.

qbrozen

xwesx said:

If it was me, I would push the "bling-spot warning" on the Transit hard! It is difficult to tell when one overdoes the bling, so having a neutral sensor warning one of those things could go a long way toward ensuring you don't end up a laughing stock somewhere along the way....

OH, now here I thought it was warning me of others' bling. Now that you explain it, I'm all about it.

ANYWAY, Edison mercedes is ordering at straight MSRP, so we're going that route, it seems. And it may not have bling-spot, but he tells me it does have blind-spot. And I'm deleting the parking assist and chrome grill from the build sheet he sent. Total is $67,682.

28firefighter

qbrozen said:

xwesx said:

If it was me, I would push the "bling-spot warning" on the Transit hard! It is difficult to tell when one overdoes the bling, so having a neutral sensor warning one of those things could go a long way toward ensuring you don't end up a laughing stock somewhere along the way....

OH, now here I thought it was warning me of others' bling. Now that you explain it, I'm all about it.

ANYWAY, Edison mercedes is ordering at straight MSRP, so we're going that route, it seems. And it may not have bling-spot, but he tells me it does have blind-spot. And I'm deleting the parking assist and chrome grill from the build sheet he sent. Total is $67,682.

And it will arrive sometime in 2023?

qbrozen

28firefighter said:

qbrozen said:

xwesx said:

If it was me, I would push the "bling-spot warning" on the Transit hard! It is difficult to tell when one overdoes the bling, so having a neutral sensor warning one of those things could go a long way toward ensuring you don't end up a laughing stock somewhere along the way....

OH, now here I thought it was warning me of others' bling. Now that you explain it, I'm all about it.

ANYWAY, Edison mercedes is ordering at straight MSRP, so we're going that route, it seems. And it may not have bling-spot, but he tells me it does have blind-spot. And I'm deleting the parking assist and chrome grill from the build sheet he sent. Total is $67,682.

And it will arrive sometime in 2023?

we could start a pool

Michaell

qbrozen said:

xwesx said:

If it was me, I would push the "bling-spot warning" on the Transit hard! It is difficult to tell when one overdoes the bling, so having a neutral sensor warning one of those things could go a long way toward ensuring you don't end up a laughing stock somewhere along the way....

OH, now here I thought it was warning me of others' bling. Now that you explain it, I'm all about it.

ANYWAY, Edison mercedes is ordering at straight MSRP, so we're going that route, it seems. And it may not have bling-spot, but he tells me it does have blind-spot. And I'm deleting the parking assist and chrome grill from the build sheet he sent. Total is $67,682.

You could probably sell the T&C for half that amount, in this market!

mjfloyd1

My daughter’s 4xe got ducked with a fancy note

mjfloyd1

@qbrozen - have either you or your wife driven a MB turbo diesel? Pretty big turbo lag but great highway cruiser

au1994

Yeah, thats a relatively new “Jeep thing” kinda like the Jeep wave. I’ve not been ducked.

Some like it, some hate it. I’m in the middle. I do wave though.

mjfloyd1

How can anyone hate being told that you have a nice Jeep?

oldfarmer50

qbrozen said:

oldfarmer50 said:

The Transit looks like a winner but if it’s uncomfortable to drive, are the better stats on paper worth it?

I'm not uncomfortable at all in the stock cargo version i have right now.

But since she says "Sprinter," it is all moot. We are working on the order. She found a dealer who claims to have open builds for delivery in winter. I'm waiting on his response if any of those are a passenger 4x4.

Can’t you just get the Transit and glue a few Sprinter badges on the side?

au1994

mjfloyd1 said:

How can anyone hate being told that you have a nice Jeep?

Who knows, there’s some strange folks on internet forums.

oldfarmer50

ab348 said:

Now here’s a type of recall I never saw before. Sometimes an old-fashioned electromechanical solution is the best one I guess.

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/hyundai-recalls-466000-sonata-sedans-for-blinkers-operating-backwards

So that explains the old people I see signaling for a left but turning right.

laurasdada

explorerx4 said:

Steve Lehto did an episode on how the RV dealers are upset at the poor quality of the RV's being delivered.

Friends ordered their dream RV. Refused it upon arrival at the dealer due to atrocious build quality. Wicked upset, a shame.

qbrozen

mjfloyd1 said:

@qbrozen - have either you or your wife driven a MB turbo diesel? Pretty big turbo lag but great highway cruiser

Nope.
Not my problem.
You want my wife's number? ;b

laurasdada

corvette said:

Nobody said the "happy wife, pain and suffering deferred for a bit" mantra would be easy to achieve... or inexpensive!

There, I fixed it for you.

mjfloyd1

@laurasdada said:
There, I fixed it for you.

I usually say “happy wife, then you at least have a chance at happiness “

mjfloyd1

@qbrozen said:
Nope.
Not my problem.
You want my wife's number? ;b

At least you didn’t add “Shut up”

qbrozen

explorerx4 said:

Steve Lehto did an episode on how the RV dealers are upset at the poor quality of the RV's being delivered.

Honestly, it is such a shame. I swear the build quality of the Explorer conversion was worse than stock, but we'll never know because it turned my wife off to the point she won't consider the Transit for fear it will rattle like that van did. But I can't convince her otherwise and certainly don't want to be caught in the crossfire, so I'm just shutting my mouth and letting her do her thing.

stickguy

maybe rent a Hertz transit 250 to drive around for a day. Just for her to experience what it is like to pilot a whale like that around. Might not be a big deal on a long highway run, but can get real old, real quick around town. Was especially fun navigating the tight streets in the old part of the north end in Boston!

ab348

qbrozen said:

28firefighter said:

qbrozen said:

xwesx said:

If it was me, I would push the "bling-spot warning" on the Transit hard! It is difficult to tell when one overdoes the bling, so having a neutral sensor warning one of those things could go a long way toward ensuring you don't end up a laughing stock somewhere along the way....

OH, now here I thought it was warning me of others' bling. Now that you explain it, I'm all about it.

ANYWAY, Edison mercedes is ordering at straight MSRP, so we're going that route, it seems. And it may not have bling-spot, but he tells me it does have blind-spot. And I'm deleting the parking assist and chrome grill from the build sheet he sent. Total is $67,682.

And it will arrive sometime in 2023?

we could start a pool

Damn, I was thinking of starting a pool on how long it takes her to tell you she wants something else that drives better.

stickguy

forget the sprinter. convince her she needs this instead!

https://carsandbids.com/auctions/92XbVzg6/1996-mazda-bongo-friendee-4x4

stickguy

these are neat. I love Acuras. these have great seats. and of course the fun drivetrain! Though this one sounds like an off combo of beat up and impeccably maintained. Wonder how high it is going?

https://carsandbids.com/auctions/KVyOa2kk/2012-acura-tl-sh-awd

qbrozen

meh. She has the Fiat. I'll get ramps and she can park inside the Sprinter and then she'll have a runabout everywhere she takes the van. Problem solved.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

forget the sprinter. convince her she needs this instead!

https://carsandbids.com/auctions/92XbVzg6/1996-mazda-bongo-friendee-4x4

With that name I can see why it’s no longer made.

corvette

I ordered myself a nice Mityvac brake bleeder from Amazon, and was preparing an Autozone list, when I discovered that apparently the Prius requires a Toyota service tool and software in order to properly bleed the brakes. Because of course it would! I’m thinking of skipping it for now and returning the unused Mityvac.

xwesx

corvette said:

I ordered myself a nice Mityvac brake bleeder from Amazon, and was preparing an Autozone list, when I discovered that apparently the Prius requires a Toyota service tool and software in order to properly bleed the brakes. Because of course it would! I’m thinking of skipping it for now and returning the unused Mityvac.

Naw. I don't even use my MityVac anymore. Just pumping them with a sealed tube to a bottle is an extremely fast and effective way to bleed brakes.

I would try that with even the Prius before I decided that I really did need special tools/software for it (hint: I suspect you don't!).

ab348

Mazda press release announcing future SUV plans.

https://newsroom.mazda.com/en/publicity/release/2021/202110/211007a.html

stickguy

Ambitious plans for a little company.

au1994

How much longer till there are no sedans left?

stickguy

There will be a few.

Good thing I like hatchbacks anyway.

ab348

au1994 said:

How much longer till there are no sedans left?

A better question might be "how much longer till there is no Mazda left?"

That's a lot of models to develop, produce and market. Their powertrain strategy seems out of step too. Their first electric vehicle has just been introduced and largely panned for its lack of range. Now they are doing rotary gas engines as a generator, and continuing with diesels? And the CX-5 sounds like it will go on in its present form for a number of years as well.

You just have to wonder...

stickguy

Mazda always did it’s own thing.

au1994

I’m sure the Camry and Accord will never go away. The 6 and Passat are goners, wouldn’t be surprised if the 3 goes away sooner than later. I know the Impala is gone, is the Malibu still around?

Its a real shame about the 6. That was a nice package and a real drivers car in a mainstream package.