Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

stickguy

I love the color combo too.

kyfdx

Not a fan of Sedona, but I'm a big fan of that model.

jmonroe1

@roadburner said:
My wife announced that she found a very entertaining car to replace her X1- a 2008 Sedona Red/Coral Red 135i. 67K miles, 2 owners, and a full service history.
Works for me!

You better grab that beauty before @graphicguy sees it.

jmonroe

Sandman6472

I had it but canceled it as they wanted $4.99/month. Just wasn't worth it to me so canceled it right away. Use my smartphone to keep track of when to subscribe to things now like Sirius/XM as I want to know a good week in advance when something is due. This way, have plenty of time to discontinue things if I don't want them anymore.

Sandman6472

I almost bought a 128i in white over black but it wouldn't start. It was in the showroom and totally dead. They said they couldn't just jump it and said I'd have to come back. They had another one a few years later I drove but it felt real heavy in front. I asked the salesguy why and he said there was a 6 cylinder engine upfront which added weight. Definitely liked the size but just felt way too heavy for me so I passed. One thing I like about my Golf is it's weight, not heavy at all and it's easy to drive.

Sandman6472

The A3 is giving me fits right now. I found a dollup of oil on the garage floor twice last week, on consecutive day, and since that second day...nothing! It was driven down to Ft. Lauderdale the next two days, maybe 100 miles total, and still as of yesterday, no more drips. So not sure whether to bring it in to the mechanic to check out or to wait a bit longer? No light have come on so that's a positive but just not sure what to do? Only has just over 65K on the odometer and don't really want to get rid of it as doubt she'll want another Audi even though they do have vehicles now. I'd rather see what happens and if we see some more drops on the floor, then let the mechanic have a look see.
Just curious why it's not leaking after every time she uses it?

28firefighter

@corvette said:
I think he and I both fight the metaphorical kind of fires, now, although I never fought the real kind.

@Sandman6472 said:
The A3 is giving me fits right now. I found a dollup of oil on the garage floor twice last week, on consecutive day, and since that second day...nothing! It was driven down to Ft. Lauderdale the next two days, maybe 100 miles total, and still as of yesterday, no more drips. So not sure whether to bring it in to the mechanic to check out or to wait a bit longer? No light have come on so that's a positive but just not sure what to do? Only has just over 65K on the odometer and don't really want to get rid of it as doubt she'll want another Audi even though they do have vehicles now. I'd rather see what happens and if we see some more drops on the floor, then let the mechanic have a look see.
Just curious why it's not leaking after every time she uses it?

We already told you, it’s likely because you have a tray underneath catching the oil. It’s only making it’s way down to the garage floor when the tray is full enough to overrun.

You should get it looked at.

sda

Our Acura TL has a similar leak. It drips about a dime size oil drop but not every time it’s driven. The source of the leak has been identified and at this point will not be addressed. I do keep a close eye on the oil level and drip size to confirm the leak isn’t getting worse or that the car is low on oil.

Sandman6472

No pan under her car at this point, but I do agree, probably just best to drop it off and let him see what's going on. She likes the vehicle and can see us keeping it another few years if it behaves. Especially with the lack of vehicles to purchase right now, keeping it is the best thing to do. Will let her know that I'm going to call and make an appointment for either this Thursday or the following one, since she works from home both days.

tjc78

Sandman6472 said:

No pan under her car at this point, but I do agree, probably just best to drop it off and let him see what's going on. She likes the vehicle and can see us keeping it another few years if it behaves. Especially with the lack of vehicles to purchase right now, keeping it is the best thing to do. Will let her know that I'm going to call and make an appointment for either this Thursday or the following one, since she works from home both days.

Sandy, there should be a pan under the engine of the car from the factory. What the guys are saying is, the pan is making the leak erratic, it most likely is pooling in one spot and then when just at the right level spills over. It looks like this:

Sandman6472

Ahhh, understand now. So yes, a trip to the mechanic is definitely called for so he can see firsthand what's going on. She's almost due for an oil/filter change so might as well have it done while there. This way everything will be taken care of at once with minimal downtime. Best thing is that if they need it overnight, can always swing by the house and leave my Golf home just in case she needs to get out of the house for something as I work so close to home. Or, the team can even swing by and pick me up on the way to our first top. She's never driven the Golf yet but it's so similar to hers I doubt there'd be an issue.

stickguy

Sandy, definitely good idea to combine with the oil change. Should not even cost anything. They have to take the undercar tray off anyway, and while they are in there can easily just look to see where the source of the leak is. if you are lucky it is just a drain plug that isn't on tight, since that has to come off anyway!

tjc78

If I had to guess it’s a tiny leak at a sensor. I can’t imagine a rear main or something at that low mileage.

corvette

I'm perusing the Motor Trend lineup. Other than Hoovie's "Car Issues" series, it looks like they have a full complement of old BBC Top Gear episodes. Most of them were great, but I'm not sure I want to re-watch them. They also have Richard Hammond's "Big," which I haven't seen, and a series on cars in Cuba, which I also plan to watch. Unfortunately, I'm not very inspired by the rest of the lineup. Also, it appears only the first episode of the second season of "Car Issues" has dropped, so they aren't following the Netflix model of dumping the entire season at once.

xwesx

tjc78 said:

If I had to guess it’s a tiny leak at a sensor. I can’t imagine a rear main or something at that low mileage.

Good to give him hope. Don't forget though.... this *is* an Audi.

sda

xwesx said:

tjc78 said:

If I had to guess it’s a tiny leak at a sensor. I can’t imagine a rear main or something at that low mileage.

Good to give him hope. Don't forget though.... this *is* an Audi.

Careful where you throw rocks!

stickguy

tjc78 said:

If I had to guess it’s a tiny leak at a sensor. I can’t imagine a rear main or something at that low mileage.

it's from VAG. I can.

ab348

corvette said:

I'm perusing the Motor Trend lineup. Other than Hoovie's "Car Issues" series, it looks like they have a full complement of old BBC Top Gear episodes. Most of them were great, but I'm not sure I want to re-watch them. They also have Richard Hammond's "Big," which I haven't seen, and a series on cars in Cuba, which I also plan to watch. Unfortunately, I'm not very inspired by the rest of the lineup. Also, it appears only the first episode of the second season of "Car Issues" has dropped, so they aren't following the Netflix model of dumping the entire season at once.

Top Gear is also available on Amazon Prime. Hammond's stuff doesn't do anything for me. They used to have Fifth Gear, which was pretty good, but haven't updated it for a long time. The other thing I enjoyed which also hasn't had any updates in a long time was Steve Magnante's Junkyard Gold. But so much of the content is Roadkill variations which I cannot stand, and many of the fake reality car resto shows.

graphicguy

roadburner said:

My wife announced that she found a very entertaining car to replace her X1- a 2008 Sedona Red/Coral Red 135i. 67K miles, 2 owners, and a full service history.
Works for me!

Red interior….what’s not to love?

stickguy

one of you lease experts want to tell me if I got this about right? Sorry about formatting. Lost my excel layout.

Maverick Lariat 11/2021 program

INPUTS CALCULATED
MSRP 29,755 cap cost 28534.92
SP 27,890 Net cap cost 28,535
ac fee 645 residual 18448.1
residual % 62% Depreciation 10,087
MF 0.0015 DAS:
term 36 Interest: 70.47 1st pay 375.21
depreciation: 280.19 DMV 541
Down Payment 0 net payment 350.66 doc fees 394
tax 24.55 total 1310.21
total payment 375.21

stickguy

that is a mess. oops.

DAS is 1st payment, doc fees, and DMV stuff.

payment includes NJ tax.

Michaell

stickguy said:

one of you lease experts want to tell me if I got this about right? Sorry about formatting. Lost my excel layout.

Maverick Lariat 11/2021 program

INPUTS CALCULATED
MSRP 29,755 cap cost 28534.92
SP 27,890 Net cap cost 28,535
ac fee 645 residual 18448.1
residual % 62% Depreciation 10,087
MF 0.0015 DAS:
term 36 Interest: 70.47 1st pay 375.21
depreciation: 280.19 DMV 541
Down Payment 0 net payment 350.66 doc fees 394
tax 24.55 total 1310.21
total payment 375.21

I get $351/mo, without tax, using those numbers, which seems to agree with your calculations.

If you're rolling the tax into the payment (which you should), then the net cap cost will go up.

stickguy

maybe that is why I am always a little bit off. I don't think I built that in. but sounds like I am close enough for planning purposes. Assuming I get it, have to decide to lease or put down more $ and buy it.

not sure which would be smarter if I was potentially trading it in for a new one 5 months later! I assume buying it would be smarter all around. Discounted finance rate (.9%) and no lease incentives. So save the inception costs, and pay less interest. And of course, no issues with a different brand dealer getting a buyout price!

benjaminh

My guess is financing your Maverick would give you more flexibility to sell it at some point, maybe even at a nice profit. Ford's 0.9% on the Maverick for 48 months is a pretty great rate. Ford's 0% for 36 months is in some ways even better, but when I put that into the calculator the monthly payments started to make my eyes water. But wow, you build up equity really fast with a 3 year loan at 0%.

stickguy

I just closed the calculator. did not check years,

48 months at the .9%, with $7.200 down, comes out to be about $500/month, and only about $9-10/month in interest. So you don't save all that much dropping to 36months at 0%, but that payment does get up there!

same DP is about $653. and do a true nothing down (assuming they allow it) an eye popping $853. But at least own it outright in 3 years!

benjaminh

To get those subsidized rates maybe you'll need to put something down, but I think only 10%, and so maybe c. $3k at most. If it were my Maverick I might just do that—put the minimum down and enjoy the Ford financing. I just checked, and at 0.9% the total interest paid over 48 months is about $503. That's probably worth it compared to the high monthly payments that go with a 3 year loan. But then again back in the old days of the 50s to the 70s I think most car loans were 3 years long. Iirc it was sometime in the 80s that 48 month terms became popular, and then in the 1990s 60 months, and now for some 72.

tjc78

I match your numbers within a few bucks

corvette

My upcoming road trip (in a couple weeks) is almost 2,300 miles, not counting "running around" at the various destinations. Anyone care to predict the fuel bill for the Tundra?

jmonroe1

@benjaminh said:
To get those subsidized rates maybe you'll need to put something down, but I think only 10%, and so maybe c. $3k at most. If it were my Maverick I might just do that—put the minimum down and enjoy the Ford financing. I just checked, and at 0.9% the total interest paid over 48 months is about $503. That's probably worth it compared to the high monthly payments that go with a 3 year loan. But then again back in the old days of the 50s to the 70s I think most car loans were 3 years long. Iirc it was sometime in the 80s that 48 month terms became popular, and then in the 1990s 60 months, and now for some 72.

The way you presented it, which is actually the way it’s been going, a newborn that wants a car should expect to sign up for life long payments right out of the womb.

jmonroe

jmonroe1

@corvette said:
My upcoming road trip (in a couple weeks) is almost 2,300 miles, not counting "running around" at the various destinations. Anyone care to predict the fuel bill for the Tundra?

Don’t forget to cash your insurance policy before you leave so that you can be sure to get home again. Man, that would be a hellava way to lose a poster buddy.

jmonroe

Michaell

corvette said:

My upcoming road trip (in a couple weeks) is almost 2,300 miles, not counting "running around" at the various destinations. Anyone care to predict the fuel bill for the Tundra?

$600

benjaminh

corvette said:

My upcoming road trip (in a couple weeks) is almost 2,300 miles, not counting "running around" at the various destinations. Anyone care to predict the fuel bill for the Tundra?

$525

qbrozen

@corvette said:
My upcoming road trip (in a couple weeks) is almost 2,300 miles, not counting "running around" at the various destinations. Anyone care to predict the fuel bill for the Tundra?

$536.85

[Deleted User]

corvette said:

My upcoming road trip (in a couple weeks) is almost 2,300 miles, not counting "running around" at the various destinations. Anyone care to predict the fuel bill for the Tundra?

$725

corvette

So far, the MT videos seem to be encoded in a codec which plays really well in Chrome on my "final edition" Intel powered 2020 MacBook Air, which can't be said of YouTube and Netflix lately. Unless something is off, it appears they are streaming in HD at 1-2 megabytes per second, and I don't have the screaming cooling fan I get when playing YouTube at 1080 or Netflix at 720. I'm guessing less compression on the MT stream leaves less work for my device to do.

corvette

The Maverick with the 2.0T and a tuning chip is probably the modern equivalent of an El Camino with a 454... Change my mind!

stickguy

wrong. No El Camino had 4 doors. Or a cab that looked like a truck.

other than the 4 doors, a Santa Cruz 2.0t seems more faithful to it.

qbrozen

Uhhhhh…. Show me a RWD Maverick

stickguy

or an AWD El Camino.

xwesx

corvette said:

My upcoming road trip (in a couple weeks) is almost 2,300 miles, not counting "running around" at the various destinations. Anyone care to predict the fuel bill for the Tundra?

Zero, because you're going to take the Prius.

28firefighter

@corvette said:
My upcoming road trip (in a couple weeks) is almost 2,300 miles, not counting "running around" at the various destinations. Anyone care to predict the fuel bill for the Tundra?

$1 million dollars.

au1994

28firefighter said:

@corvette said:

My upcoming road trip (in a couple weeks) is almost 2,300 miles, not counting "running around" at the various destinations. Anyone care to predict the fuel bill for the Tundra?

$1 million dollars.

I heard it in the proper voice when I read it.

Thats my standard answer to my wife when she asks “how much did we spend on…?”. She doesn’t think its funny anymore.

tjc78

2300 miles / Avg MPG of 17 = 135.3

135.3 x $4.00 = $541.20

Add in some leftover when you return home. I’m going with $575

nyccarguy

au1994 said:

28firefighter said:

@corvette said:

My upcoming road trip (in a couple weeks) is almost 2,300 miles, not counting "running around" at the various destinations. Anyone care to predict the fuel bill for the Tundra?

$1 million dollars.

I heard it in the proper voice when I read it.

Thats my standard answer to my wife when she asks “how much did we spend on…?”. She doesn’t think its funny anymore.

It's not Mr. Evil, I'm a doctor

Michaell

tjc78 said:

2300 miles / Avg MPG of 17 = 135.3

135.3 x $4.00 = $541.20

Add in some leftover when you return home. I’m going with $575

I assumed 2500 miles, 16 or 17 mpg, and $3.50/gal, then rounded up.

jmonroe1

@tjc78 said:
2300 miles / Avg MPG of 17 = 135.3

135.3 x $4.00 = $541.20

Add in some leftover when you return home. I’m going with $575.

There’s always one in every group. Doesn’t want to play. Has to get all technical and breaks out his calculator. 😫😫

jmonroe

tjc78

@jmonroe1 said:

@tjc78 said:
2300 miles / Avg MPG of 17 = 135.3

135.3 x $4.00 = $541.20

Add in some leftover when you return home. I’m going with $575.

There’s always one in every group. Doesn’t want to play. Has to get all technical and breaks out his calculator. 😫😫

jmonroe

You of all people should appreciate this

jmonroe1

@tjc78 said:

@jmonroe1 said:

@tjc78 said:
2300 miles / Avg MPG of 17 = 135.3

135.3 x $4.00 = $541.20

Add in some leftover when you return home. I’m going with $575.

There’s always one in every group. Doesn’t want to play. Has to get all technical and breaks out his calculator. 😫😫

jmonroe

You of all people should appreciate this

There is a time and place for everything. However, I did check your math.

jmonroe

breld

Just caught up on several days of posts. I’m finally coming up for air after the move and everything that goes along with it.

Wife and I are pretty good at getting settled quickly when moving to a new house, so we’ve been running constantly to get things in order, to the point that we hosted Thanksgiving for her family last week.

Other than some furniture pieces on order (big surprise), we have the house pretty much put together. I spent an entire Saturday hanging shelving in the garage and organizing. I’ve had our usual dog run installed - I used a storage room in the back of the garage as the indoor dog room with a dog door leading to a fenced in outdoor section. I’ve done my usual thing going through and installing fan timers and motion sensor switches for certain rooms (like our closet and powder room).

Even got some Christmas lighting up - finally looked into some smart bulbs to add some color and scheduling.

Home theater and some other network/AV stuff is going in this week.

It’s been a whirlwind…found the house and went under contract October 1st, closed on that purchase October 29th, closed on the sale of our previous home November 19th. And now this past Sunday got to sit down, relax a little, and watch football all day Sunday.

explorerx4

You Acura fans won't be happy with this story. I only read the lead.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/this-is-the-slowest-selling-car-in-america/ss-AARemOZ