Yeah, quite similar. But, from all I've read, Porsche (naturally) a better drive. We'll see, I fear my "good sense," will prevail. As it so often has...don't know why I deny myself...
I don’t think the minor gain of a Panamera over the A7e would be worth blowing up your current deal.
If you wanted a 911 or Cayman, I’d say, Go for it.
buying a new build house is like buying a Porsche. You might be able to afford the base price, but man they skimp on included features so everything is an "upgrade". the model we just went through plans on and created a wish list went up quick (we zoom called with the agent who took down everything, and got with the builder on pricing which we just got back). Pushing 10% additional, mostly because I chopped some really absurd items off.
odd though. Some extra seem normally priced (putting in stuff that did not otherwise exist). but the increase for some upgrades (where the labor is the same but the material changed) makes no sense.
we asked about changing the baseboards from 3.5" to 5". Install is the same, literally only the delta in material cost. I think that was about $5,000. making the standard 3x4 kitchen island into a 3x6 was $3,500. adding a laundry tub in the unfinished basement, $2,500.
but adding an overhead box and ceiling fan in the bedroom (2 switch) was only $390.
We are way over 10% additional because we added some pricey add on's, covered 14x14 porch($16,500), loft area with bedroom and full bath(500 sq/ft $35,000) and 3rd garage ($20,000).
2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
@stickguy - that was the case with our first house, which was a new build. IIRC, the base price was something like $140-145K (this was in 2001), but we ended up adding close to $20K in "upgrades" to it.
The things I remember are:
Rounded drywall Windowsills A/C Service door from garage to the back yard Stairway railing (instead of drywall) Converting the upstairs loft to a third bedroom
The house is now worth over $570K, according to Zillow.
We are way over 10% additional because we added some pricey add on's, covered 14x14 porch($16,500), loft area with bedroom and full bath(500 sq/ft $35,000) and 3rd garage ($20,000).
I would have gone with those upgrades! we did not add any SF.
forgot the craziest (I need to ask if it was a typo and they added a zero). they can make the garage 2' wider. does not change anything else with the house, there will just be a little nook area behind the extension. so a little more concrete for the slab and however much material to close it in.
This weekend my town is having its spring festival. A friend was in the festival’s parade today. He’s running for re-election as a county magistrate. He had several unique vehicles in the parade but this one was my favorite; the driver and passengers were dressed in ‘40s military uniforms:
One of the local Jeep clubs also participated; I was honestly surprised that there were so many as all true automotive experts know that Wranglers are dangerously unstable and incredibly uncomfortable to ride in…
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Someone tell me why it would be a bad idea to do the falling:
(1) Trade the Model 3 for an in stock Mach E on driveway - I’d make $7k over what we paid, plus get a sales tax credit of $5200
(2) Claim the $7500 federal tax rebate
(3) Keep it or trade it when the Model Y comes in.
2025 Jetta GLI Autobahn, 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xE
11 in stock with 4 in transit at one South Jersey dealer. It amazes me the manufacturers are still in this mess. Most every other industry has recovered in some way.
On another note, I have a theory that change is coming…. For the first time in over a year, my GCs have actually lowered pricing and two came to me asking for more bids and time to sharpen their pencil. Typically I’ve had to on board more because they were all so busy and pricing was out of control.
What’s a GC? Didn’t you used to be in the supermarket business? My coworker who was a supermarket manager has heard rumblings of big shortages in many items come September. That combined with the baby formula shortage and gas nearing $5 has me wondering. Do you have any insight?
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
It amazes me the manufacturers are still in this mess. Most every other industry has recovered in some way.
Call me cynical, but maybe they want the mess to continue? The dealers are grossing far more on every deal, have likely laid off a lot of sales staff due to the lower volume, and I’m assuming the manufacturers are paying out a lot less in CSI bonuses because the customers who are able to get a new car tend to be less happy with the dealer experience. Plus, to the extent they can get parts to build new cars, the manufacturers can tweak their production to build mostly higher end and more profitable trim levels, since they are selling all they can build, and don’t have to offer incentives.
————————————————
Just because you’re cynical doesn’t make you wrong.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis Ultimate just like jmonroe's. '18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
rel="explorerx4">We are way over 10% additional because we added some pricey add on's, covered 14x14 porch($16,500), loft area with bedroom and full bath(500 sq/ft $35,000) and 3rd garage ($20,000).
I would have gone with those upgrades! we did not add any SF.
forgot the craziest (I need to ask if it was a typo and they added a zero). they can make the garage 2' wider. does not change anything else with the house, there will just be a little nook area behind the extension. so a little more concrete for the slab and however much material to close it in.
just for that, they wanted $25,000.
Soft close drawers and cabinet doors are nice and fairly standard with new builds here. One thing our house has and find them a huge plus is roll out lower cabinet shelves. No more craning and reaching back for stuff.
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
@28firefighter said:
Someone tell me why it would be a bad idea to do the falling:
(1) Trade the Model 3 for an in stock Mach E on driveway - I’d make $7k over what we paid, plus get a sales tax credit of $5200
(2) Claim the $7500 federal tax rebate
(3) Keep it or trade it when the Model Y comes in.
I’d do it. Does that help?
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
@28firefighter said:
Someone tell me why it would be a bad idea to do the falling:
(1) Trade the Model 3 for an in stock Mach E on driveway - I’d make $7k over what we paid, plus get a sales tax credit of $5200
(2) Claim the $7500 federal tax rebate
(3) Keep it or trade it when the Model Y comes in.
I’d do it. Does that help?
As an enabler, yes, it does.
2025 Jetta GLI Autobahn, 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xE
Hey @benjaminh, you’re off topic. We’re doing burger joints today. We’ll get back to cars when this is settled. I think.
jmonroe
Well, what's more important, food or automobiles?
Or the nice looking two-tone white and light blue VW Beetle I saw being towed on a flatbed eastward toward New Mexico? I was too intent on watching my driving to get my cellphone out and snap a picture.
And asking my wife to snap a picture of it wouldn't work, either. She'll help me get a delicious burger, but a '67 VW Bug? No way. She'd refuse to snap the picture, she would!
It amazes me the manufacturers are still in this mess. Most every other industry has recovered in some way.
Call me cynical, but maybe they want the mess to continue? The dealers are grossing far more on every deal, have likely laid off a lot of sales staff due to the lower volume, and I’m assuming the manufacturers are paying out a lot less in CSI bonuses because the customers who are able to get a new car tend to be less happy with the dealer experience. Plus, to the extent they can get parts to build new cars, the manufacturers can tweak their production to build mostly higher end and more profitable trim levels, since they are selling all they can build, and don’t have to offer incentives.
--------------------end quoted material-------------------- From what I've seen and read, it seems that some of the bigger dealership networks are doing very well right now, record high profits on record low sales. But I don't think the automakers are happy. Just my opinion, based on what I've read.
That color scheme was cruising down I-10 eastbound. I first spotted him in the extreme eastern end of Arizona and then saw him while going through Lordsburg, NM. Lordsburg is the first city you come to on I-10 in New Mexico.
Oh, I first caught this VW Beetle bug while living here in Alamogordo the first time, right in the year 2014 sometime. I saw a white one selling for $3,000 right in town at Ralph's Cars. Should've nabbed it.
The hunt will go on - I have 5 V-Dub Bugs saved on my cellphone's home screen page 8 right now. And this one is white and it's fairly priced and it doesn't need all that work the grey one needs that's in NW Texas for sale right now.
It has been a long time since I drove a beetle but I do remember it was not all that much fun. these days probably even less so, with traffic, how big cars have grown, terrible roads (at least around here) and being old! Cute to look at though.
living out in the boonies where the weather is nice and the roads smooth is probably a better environment for one!
but as always, everyone should buy what makes them happy!
Lol! Not in the market, just randomly looking to waste time. I love car bargains, but not even a bargain is likely to get me out of my TLX, because I just like it too much. I'm even wondering if I should try to take a long car trip, maybe even thousands of miles. Looks like my spouse can't join me because of work, but I have friends or relatives along most of the way from Kentucky to California, and there are some National Parks and art museums I'd like to see. But even with my highway mpg in the high 30s, I'm not sure doing it with premium at $5 a gallon is such a good idea.
But anyway, how do you like the the Accord Hybrid Touring? Seems like a great combo of luxury and high mpg. You sure got a great deal on that one. Anything you miss about the TLX?
Yeah, too bad I don't have a friend that has one so I could test drive it. One of the one's I like is in NW New Mexico, off the Greyhound route. This hunt may prove futile, or, which is a lot of time's the case, I find another rig that I fancy more.
And we go from there. The primary rig is already bought and I won't spend over $5,000 for a Beetle.
Lol! Not in the market, just randomly looking to waste time. I love car bargains, but not even a bargain is likely to get me out of my TLX, because I just like it too much. I'm even wondering if I should try to take a long car trip, maybe even thousands of miles. Looks like my spouse can't join me because of work, but I have friends or relatives along most of the way from Kentucky to California, and there are some National Parks and art museums I'd like to see. But even with my highway mpg in the high 30s, I'm not sure doing it with premium at $5 a gallon is such a good idea.
But anyway, how do you like the the Accord Hybrid Touring? Seems like a great combo of luxury and high mpg. You sure got a great deal on that one. Anything you miss about the TLX?
Yikes and several spikes, benjaminh, your post reminded me of our 2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed's ghastly mileage yesterday on our 338 mile trip eastward: 39.2 mpg. Kia really intelligently rebuilt the Kia Soul for 2020 and/on.
As we were new build shopping, a Toll Brothers sales dude told us to expect to pay ~10% above the base build for extras/upgrades. We ended up buying from a local builder (with several neighborhoods completed locally) and ended up at base + ~7.5%. Big upgrades were more hardwood floors, soaking tub in third bath and, the biggie, pavers in the courtyard. We went with the basic rear deck, 12'x6' I believe (maybe wider than 12'), as extending and/or enclosing would have been a big hit. Big courtyard, so no real need for big rear deck.
I also enjoyed the sales pitch at a different development. The nice saleslady was discussing the deck, the wife asked about enclosing to make a three-season room. Which was big $$$... saleslady said if we'd like, they could also turn it into a four-season room. To which I replied, "In other words, a room." Wife laughed; saleslady looked at me as if I was speaking Greek.
And, kyfdx, yes, I keep thinking if I'm to buy a Porsche, buy a Porsche: 911 or Cayman. So, I think I'll shelve the ePanamera thought. Although, I still get misty over the mention of Jaguar, maybe I'll shop F-Type. Stupid New England frugality still won't let me pull the third car trigger. Shoulda 6 months ago, like many I've lost way more $ in the markets than a third car (or five) would have cost.
Much cooler to go to cars & coffee in an F-Type or 911 than the A7 (which remains a wonderful large GT).
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
Yeah, too bad I don't have a friend that has one so I could test drive it. One of the one's I like is in NW New Mexico, off the Greyhound route. This hunt may prove futile, or, which is a lot of time's the case, I find another rig that I fancy more.
And we go from there. The primary rig is already bought and I won't spend over $5,000 for a Beetle.
I had a change of heart for about an hour on pursuing the '73 VW Super Beetle. After doing the books for a while and playing my Roger Clemens MVP Baseball game for a while more I started thinking about the fact that the Super Beetle (and all of the VW Beetle iterations) is small and...very slow. Here's a for instance: the 1973 VW Super Beetle I have my eye on now has a top speed of 86 mph and a 0-60 time of 18.6 seconds. My 2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick has a 0-60 time of 8.2 seconds. The Super Beetle will take 10 more seconds ta get to 60 mph!
Do I care? No. I like other things about cars than speed. I love being there at the wheel admiring the Super Beetle's lack of interior lights yet placing value on the simplicity and functionality of the design. Let's look at it this way. There's always going to be a Dale Earnhardt on your tail wanting to speed around you. Look where that got him. 6 feet in the ground. That's not a sane way ta look at life, now, is it?
Yeah, too bad I don't have a friend that has one so I could test drive it. One of the one's I like is in NW New Mexico, off the Greyhound route. This hunt may prove futile, or, which is a lot of time's the case, I find another rig that I fancy more.
And we go from there. The primary rig is already bought and I won't spend over $5,000 for a Beetle.
I had a change of heart for about an hour on pursuing the '73 VW Super Beetle. After doing the books for a while and playing my Roger Clemens MVP Baseball game for a while more I started thinking about the fact that the Super Beetle (and all of the VW Beetle iterations) is small and...very slow. Here's a for instance: the 1973 VW Super Beetle I have my eye on now has a top speed of 86 mph and a 0-60 time of 18.6 seconds. My 2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick has a 0-60 time of 8.2 seconds. The Super Beetle will take 10 more seconds ta get to 60 mph!
Do I care? No. I like other things about cars than speed. I love being there at the wheel admiring the Super Beetle's lack of interior lights yet placing value on the simplicity and functionality of the design. Let's look at it this way. There's always going to be a Dale Earnhardt on your tail wanting to speed around you. Look where that got him. 6 feet in the ground. That's not a sane way ta look at life, now, is it?
Slow and no ac, not great where you live.
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
I owned, or my family owned 3 VW bugs. A very long time ago. I rather liked the cars personally. But the lack of A/C would be a complete and total deal breaker for me these days. I grew up here in Texas without A/C, in the house or the cars, and that was the way most people I knew lived. But now I'm spoiled and I'm not going back.
The lack of air conditioning is a red flag, indeed. I'm just hunting and gathering right now, the BigFoot could jump in and whack that Bug out of my hands at any time.
@iluvmysephia1 , I was coming to ask what happened with that bug. So you are no linger after the grey one? Maybe you mentioned and I missed it, but why not?
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Profit taking seems to be a factor in recent inflation, I would be surprised in no ways if carmakers are dragging their feet with all this. For once, it is a seller's market, and they have to be loving it.
The relative earth of affordable new models might be a fun one to study with a similar shortfall in new residential construction, too.
It amazes me the manufacturers are still in this mess. Most every other industry has recovered in some way.
Call me cynical, but maybe they want the mess to continue? The dealers are grossing far more on every deal, have likely laid off a lot of sales staff due to the lower volume, and I’m assuming the manufacturers are paying out a lot less in CSI bonuses because the customers who are able to get a new car tend to be less happy with the dealer experience. Plus, to the extent they can get parts to build new cars, the manufacturers can tweak their production to build mostly higher end and more profitable trim levels, since they are selling all they can build, and don’t have to offer incentives.
IDK. Ford’s Q1 earnings show over a $1b loss vs last year even after you back out the loss from their Rivian shares. While someone might be making money, it isn’t the shareholders.
@iluvmysephia1 , I was coming to ask what happened with that bug. So you are no linger after the grey one? Maybe you mentioned and I missed it, but why not?
gbrozen - I'm texting the owner of the grey one in NW Texas and he's showing attitude by not answering my questions. Plus, he texts me a picture of a Bug selling for $19,995 and says to me "this must be the Bug you want." IOW's, he's irritated I'm asking him so many questions and he's also thinking that I'm expecting too much Bug for $5,000. In reality, I'm not, I'm just trying to find out what I'm going to have to fix or get fixed on his Bug if I buy it. And, now, the list is like this:
1) Gas tank sloshes ghastly out indiscriminately while driving after filling up the car 2) Fuel gauge doesn't work 3) I think the speedometer/odometer works but have to guess because the guy goes in to pissy mode if I ask too many questions 4) His '71 Bug also needs a muffler job done - he said one half is broken off
He wants $5,000 for his Bug. A couple days ago I found one in NW New Mexico selling for $4,500 and the body looks straight. The owner says the body is in fair condition. The body looks cherry in the pictures. The car runs and drives well but needs a tune-up. I'll take it to this place in Alamo that I just discovered on Highway 70 that does a great job with VW's ( I read the reviews) and what does a tune-up cost these days? $150-$200 bucks? Beats the other guy's pissy attitude and his Bug needs at least 4 things done on it.
The tune-up is the only thing the Herbie Bug from New Mexico needs! The inside has kind of a yellow tint to material that lines a lot of the interior, but I can clean and/or more likely replace that material. What's cool is it doesn't look torn anywhere that I can see, anyway. The yellowed look is by no means a deal-breaker to me.
The only thing I don't like is he'll need to drive from the small town in NW New Mexico or have a friend follow him there in another rig to Albuquerque because the town he lives in is not on a Greyhound route. Alamogordo to Albuquerque is on a regularly scheduled bus route. So, we'll just have to work together a bit to get it done. The Texas bug's owner lives in an even more Oakie town called Kermit in NW Texas and he's not on a Greyhound route, either, plus he's pissy and might gripe about bringing his car to me.
The grey Beetle's owner's attitude and the fact that he wants $500 more, with his car needing at least 4 things done that I know of that I estimate will cost at least $600 to do, is eliminating him from the hunt automatically.
The winner is the white Herbie bug that's for sale in New Mexico. Here's a pic of that yellowed material lining the interior.
IDK. Ford’s Q1 earnings show over a $1b loss vs last year even after you back out the loss from their Rivian shares. While someone might be making money, it isn’t the shareholders.
Stock price is down 35% from peak in January, as well.
IDK. Ford’s Q1 earnings show over a $1b loss vs last year even after you back out the loss from their Rivian shares. While someone might be making money, it isn’t the shareholders.
Stock price is down 35% from peak in January, as well.
I made the mistake of looking at my 401(k) balance - bad move.
@oldfarmer50
A GC is a general contractor. I run Store Development for a specialty retailer (not grocery). Right now one of the biggest expenses crushing the bottom line is freight costs. Domestic and import rates are astronomical.
As for insight on the baby formula, the only thing I can think of is a perfect storm of material delays and labor shortages
@iluvmysephia1 , sound like a good choice avoiding that grey one.
White interior looks to be mold, but I could be wrong. Nice thing about Bugs is the availability of cheap parts. You could get all new repro seat upholstery for a few hundred bucks and door inserts for another couple bills, if they don’t clean up.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
This weekend my town is having its spring festival. A friend was in the festival’s parade today. He’s running for re-election as a county magistrate. He had several unique vehicles in the parade but this one was my favorite; the driver and passengers were dressed in ‘40s military uniforms:
One of the local Jeep clubs also participated; I was honestly surprised that there were so many as all true automotive experts know that Wranglers are dangerously unstable and incredibly uncomfortable to ride in…
Did the organizers have a crew of strong men just out of frame at that corner to roll all of the Jeeps trying to make that dangerously sharp corner back onto their wheels?
@iluvmysephia1 , sound like a good choice avoiding that grey one. White interior looks to be mold, but I could be wrong. Nice thing about Bugs is the availability of cheap parts. You could get all new repro seat upholstery for a few hundred bucks and door inserts for another couple bills, if they don’t clean up.
Hey, gbrozen, is that a couple hundred bucks to repro-upholster an old Bug if someone else does the work? Or if I buy the material for $200 and put the material on myself? Because we have an upholstery store for RV's and cars here in Alamogordo where they do that kind of work. Wow, $200 ain't bad at all. That will be a must - not only do I not like the way that looks, if it is indeed mold I'll be sick inside my Bug every time I drive it. I'm allergic to mold really bad! I can't tell if that's an off-white color on the door inserts or white that's gotten dirty over time. No way to tell without being there inside the car.
Thanks for the tips!
As to the fact that old Bugs don't have A/C, yep, that's a solid point. But yesterday I drove my '21 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick with Sparkling Silver paint and black trim around Alamogordo with the A/C off ta test it. It was 91 degrees in Alamo with no wind ta speak of. I messed with the power windows - moving the passenger window down a tad more than mine, etc. Ya know what? It's the same conclusion I came to when I was crushin' on '62 - '79 MG Midgets for a while. Not a big deal. The Midget is a convertible, which I have decided I wouldn't like - the convertible down, not the Midget itself. So with the Midget I would be all out in the open in the blistering southern New Mexico sun. Not good. I would leave the convertible top closed over if I drove an MG Midget, or put a hardtop on it and leave it like that. But the MG Midgets don't have A/C and I not once eliminated that car because of that. So I've checked that problem off as not being a problem and not being an obstacle to getting a Beetle - Bug.
It all depends on the humidity. Yesterday afternoon, I was driving around at 6:00PM and the temperature was 91 degrees but the humidity was only 2%. As you can probably figure out, I was comfortable in my Soul. Ahh...comfortable. But crank up that humidity to 44%, which is the humidity average for the state of New Mexico, that's more uncomfortable. So I've got to think about that. The Bug will bounce on our streets here because a lot of them are patched up with asphalt all over the place. I don't think American towns and cities (and certainly foreign cities, too) can keep up with road maintenance work. I think we should build it back better. No, really, the car will bounce like a Golden State Warrior Gary Payton, Jr. on Alamo's streets. I don't care about that.
Really, when the last cup of Starbuck's French Roast coffee is drunk, all that remains is paying the $4,500 and enjoying my own little piece of history. I think that by messing with the crank window on the passenger side I can fluctuate the wind while traveling to ease the feeling of being hot while I drive the German history capsule around. I have found one that has been consistently driven so I know what's working and what's not, but I'm glad I found a shop locally that works on foreign vehicles that people are crazy about. I guess the owner is someone who loves a challenge and I don't think my Bug will bring him any nasty challenges, but I've been wrong before. Nice ta know he's there, though.
This is how I approach research. BigFoot research, Paul McCartney (Billy Shears) research, the Great Reset research starring Klaus Schwab, etc., etc. Now I've got scads of time to do it, too. I did the BigFoot and Billy Shears research while I was doing full-time Sleep Tech work. And I still had buttloads of time for it. But that's because I love to research, I love to research, and I don't do much of anything fast.
And because of that, I think I've found my used foreign automobile to add to my stable of one.
Lol! Not in the market, just randomly looking to waste time. I love car bargains, but not even a bargain is likely to get me out of my TLX, because I just like it too much. I'm even wondering if I should try to take a long car trip, maybe even thousands of miles. Looks like my spouse can't join me because of work, but I have friends or relatives along most of the way from Kentucky to California, and there are some National Parks and art museums I'd like to see. But even with my highway mpg in the high 30s, I'm not sure doing it with premium at $5 a gallon is such a good idea.
But anyway, how do you like the the Accord Hybrid Touring? Seems like a great combo of luxury and high mpg. You sure got a great deal on that one. Anything you miss about the TLX?
Ya’ know how it goes. It’s new and shiny. So, yeah…I like it a lot. Pros and cons…
Pros…. -44 MPG around town on REG (used PUG in the TLX) -Quicker than I expected -Comfortable, quiet and smooth…can’t tell when the gas engine even comes on -Handles well -Stereo is better than I expected -Sublime ride quality and handling mix -Typical Honda/Acura build and quality, both quite good -Can’t really tell the difference in materials between the Germans (or Japanese) lux cars and the Accord -Tech is better than the TLX (wireless CarPlay has been flawless, can’t say that about the TLX) -I could probably flip it tomorrow and make a grand. Hybrids and electrics are quite popular now, and they’re as hard to get as hens teeth
Cons… -Doesn’t handle as well as the TLX with SH-AWD -I can get close, but can’t adjust the stereo to match the TLX’s ELS -Not as quick as the TLX -Warranty not as good (one less year B2B with the Accord)
Do I miss the TLX? I miss every car I’ve ever had. Wish I could have kept all of them….that includes a couple of BMW 3 series, Audi S4, Cobra, Mustang GT, RX8, 280Z, Tahoe, 4-Runner, ‘ 60s era Impala SS that had more rust than paint, 2 TLs, an MGB GT, and probably some others that I’m forgetting right now.
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If you wanted a 911 or Cayman, I’d say, Go for it.
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Very nice corall!!!!!!!
odd though. Some extra seem normally priced (putting in stuff that did not otherwise exist). but the increase for some upgrades (where the labor is the same but the material changed) makes no sense.
we asked about changing the baseboards from 3.5" to 5". Install is the same, literally only the delta in material cost. I think that was about $5,000. making the standard 3x4 kitchen island into a 3x6 was $3,500. adding a laundry tub in the unfinished basement, $2,500.
but adding an overhead box and ceiling fan in the bedroom (2 switch) was only $390.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
The things I remember are:
Rounded drywall
Windowsills
A/C
Service door from garage to the back yard
Stairway railing (instead of drywall)
Converting the upstairs loft to a third bedroom
The house is now worth over $570K, according to Zillow.
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
forgot the craziest (I need to ask if it was a typo and they added a zero). they can make the garage 2' wider. does not change anything else with the house, there will just be a little nook area behind the extension. so a little more concrete for the slab and however much material to close it in.
just for that, they wanted $25,000.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
$25k seems like a lot for something that seems pretty minor.
This weekend my town is having its spring festival. A friend was in the festival’s parade today. He’s running for re-election as a county magistrate. He had several unique vehicles in the parade but this one was my favorite; the driver and passengers were dressed in ‘40s military uniforms:
One of the local Jeep clubs also participated; I was honestly surprised that there were so many as all true automotive experts know that Wranglers are dangerously unstable and incredibly uncomfortable to ride in…
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Someone tell me why it would be a bad idea to do the falling:
(1) Trade the Model 3 for an in stock Mach E on driveway - I’d make $7k over what we paid, plus get a sales tax credit of $5200
(2) Claim the $7500 federal tax rebate
(3) Keep it or trade it when the Model Y comes in.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Call me cynical, but maybe they want the mess to continue? The dealers are grossing far more on every deal, have likely laid off a lot of sales staff due to the lower volume, and I’m assuming the manufacturers are paying out a lot less in CSI bonuses because the customers who are able to get a new car tend to be less happy with the dealer experience. Plus, to the extent they can get parts to build new cars, the manufacturers can tweak their production to build mostly higher end and more profitable trim levels, since they are selling all they can build, and don’t have to offer incentives.
————————————————Just because you’re cynical doesn’t make you wrong.
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
forgot the craziest (I need to ask if it was a typo and they added a zero). they can make the garage 2' wider. does not change anything else with the house, there will just be a little nook area behind the extension. so a little more concrete for the slab and however much material to close it in.
just for that, they wanted $25,000.
Soft close drawers and cabinet doors are nice and fairly standard with new builds here. One thing our house has and find them a huge plus is roll out lower cabinet shelves. No more craning and reaching back for stuff.
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
I’d do it. Does that help?
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
As an enabler, yes, it does.
As an enabler, yes, it does.
————————————————What would this place do without enablers?
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
jmonroe
Well, what's more important, food or automobiles?
Or the nice looking two-tone white and light blue VW Beetle I saw being towed on a flatbed eastward toward New Mexico? I was too intent on watching my driving to get my cellphone out and snap a picture.
And asking my wife to snap a picture of it wouldn't work, either. She'll help me get a delicious burger, but a '67 VW Bug? No way. She'd refuse to snap the picture, she would!
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Call me cynical, but maybe they want the mess to continue? The dealers are grossing far more on every deal, have likely laid off a lot of sales staff due to the lower volume, and I’m assuming the manufacturers are paying out a lot less in CSI bonuses because the customers who are able to get a new car tend to be less happy with the dealer experience. Plus, to the extent they can get parts to build new cars, the manufacturers can tweak their production to build mostly higher end and more profitable trim levels, since they are selling all they can build, and don’t have to offer incentives.
--------------------end quoted material--------------------
From what I've seen and read, it seems that some of the bigger dealership networks are doing very well right now, record high profits on record low sales. But I don't think the automakers are happy. Just my opinion, based on what I've read.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
and GC is general contractor.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Nah. We have the SR model anyway, so I don’t think we’d experience much loss. I’m also still expecting we’d flip it for our MY when it comes in.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Baby blue and white looks good on this car.
That color scheme was cruising down I-10 eastbound. I first spotted him in the extreme eastern end of Arizona and then saw him while going through Lordsburg, NM. Lordsburg is the first city you come to on I-10 in New Mexico.
Oh, I first caught this VW Beetle bug while living here in Alamogordo the first time, right in the year 2014 sometime. I saw a white one selling for $3,000 right in town at Ralph's Cars. Should've nabbed it.
The hunt will go on - I have 5 V-Dub Bugs saved on my cellphone's home screen page 8 right now. And this one is white and it's fairly priced and it doesn't need all that work the grey one needs that's in NW Texas for sale right now.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
living out in the boonies where the weather is nice and the roads smooth is probably a better environment for one!
but as always, everyone should buy what makes them happy!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
But anyway, how do you like the the Accord Hybrid Touring? Seems like a great combo of luxury and high mpg. You sure got a great deal on that one. Anything you miss about the TLX?
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And we go from there. The primary rig is already bought and I won't spend over $5,000 for a Beetle.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
But anyway, how do you like the the Accord Hybrid Touring? Seems like a great combo of luxury and high mpg. You sure got a great deal on that one. Anything you miss about the TLX?
Yikes and several spikes, benjaminh, your post reminded me of our 2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed's ghastly mileage yesterday on our 338 mile trip eastward: 39.2 mpg. Kia really intelligently rebuilt the Kia Soul for 2020 and/on.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Like he really needed another enabler.
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
Big upgrades were more hardwood floors, soaking tub in third bath and, the biggie, pavers in the courtyard. We went with the basic rear deck, 12'x6' I believe (maybe wider than 12'), as extending and/or enclosing would have been a big hit. Big courtyard, so no real need for big rear deck.
I also enjoyed the sales pitch at a different development. The nice saleslady was discussing the deck, the wife asked about enclosing to make a three-season room. Which was big $$$... saleslady said if we'd like, they could also turn it into a four-season room. To which I replied, "In other words, a room." Wife laughed; saleslady looked at me as if I was speaking Greek.
And, kyfdx, yes, I keep thinking if I'm to buy a Porsche, buy a Porsche: 911 or Cayman. So, I think I'll shelve the ePanamera thought. Although, I still get misty over the mention of Jaguar, maybe I'll shop F-Type. Stupid New England frugality still won't let me pull the third car trigger. Shoulda 6 months ago, like many I've lost way more $ in the markets than a third car (or five) would have cost.
Much cooler to go to cars & coffee in an F-Type or 911 than the A7 (which remains a wonderful large GT).
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
And we go from there. The primary rig is already bought and I won't spend over $5,000 for a Beetle.
I had a change of heart for about an hour on pursuing the '73 VW Super Beetle. After doing the books for a while and playing my Roger Clemens MVP Baseball game for a while more I started thinking about the fact that the Super Beetle (and all of the VW Beetle iterations) is small and...very slow. Here's a for instance: the 1973 VW Super Beetle I have my eye on now has a top speed of 86 mph and a 0-60 time of 18.6 seconds. My 2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick has a 0-60 time of 8.2 seconds. The Super Beetle will take 10 more seconds ta get to 60 mph!
Do I care? No. I like other things about cars than speed. I love being there at the wheel admiring the Super Beetle's lack of interior lights yet placing value on the simplicity and functionality of the design. Let's look at it this way. There's always going to be a Dale Earnhardt on your tail wanting to speed around you. Look where that got him. 6 feet in the ground. That's not a sane way ta look at life, now, is it?
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
@iluvmysephia1 , I was coming to ask what happened with that bug. So you are no linger after the grey one? Maybe you mentioned and I missed it, but why not?
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
The relative earth of affordable new models might be a fun one to study with a similar shortfall in new residential construction, too.
Call me cynical, but maybe they want the mess to continue? The dealers are grossing far more on every deal, have likely laid off a lot of sales staff due to the lower volume, and I’m assuming the manufacturers are paying out a lot less in CSI bonuses because the customers who are able to get a new car tend to be less happy with the dealer experience. Plus, to the extent they can get parts to build new cars, the manufacturers can tweak their production to build mostly higher end and more profitable trim levels, since they are selling all they can build, and don’t have to offer incentives.
25 NX 450h+ / 24 Sienna Plat AWD / 23 Civic Type-R / 21 Boxster GTS 4.0 / 03 Montero Ltd
gbrozen - I'm texting the owner of the grey one in NW Texas and he's showing attitude by not answering my questions. Plus, he texts me a picture of a Bug selling for $19,995 and says to me "this must be the Bug you want." IOW's, he's irritated I'm asking him so many questions and he's also thinking that I'm expecting too much Bug for $5,000. In reality, I'm not, I'm just trying to find out what I'm going to have to fix or get fixed on his Bug if I buy it. And, now, the list is like this:
1) Gas tank sloshes ghastly out indiscriminately while driving after filling up the car
2) Fuel gauge doesn't work
3) I think the speedometer/odometer works but have to guess because the guy goes in to pissy mode if I ask too many questions
4) His '71 Bug also needs a muffler job done - he said one half is broken off
He wants $5,000 for his Bug. A couple days ago I found one in NW New Mexico selling for $4,500 and the body looks straight. The owner says the body is in fair condition. The body looks cherry in the pictures. The car runs and drives well but needs a tune-up. I'll take it to this place in Alamo that I just discovered on Highway 70 that does a great job with VW's ( I read the reviews) and what does a tune-up cost these days? $150-$200 bucks? Beats the other guy's pissy attitude and his Bug needs at least 4 things done on it.
The tune-up is the only thing the Herbie Bug from New Mexico needs! The inside has kind of a yellow tint to material that lines a lot of the interior, but I can clean and/or more likely replace that material. What's cool is it doesn't look torn anywhere that I can see, anyway. The yellowed look is by no means a deal-breaker to me.
The only thing I don't like is he'll need to drive from the small town in NW New Mexico or have a friend follow him there in another rig to Albuquerque because the town he lives in is not on a Greyhound route. Alamogordo to Albuquerque is on a regularly scheduled bus route. So, we'll just have to work together a bit to get it done. The Texas bug's owner lives in an even more Oakie town called Kermit in NW Texas and he's not on a Greyhound route, either, plus he's pissy and might gripe about bringing his car to me.
The grey Beetle's owner's attitude and the fact that he wants $500 more, with his car needing at least 4 things done that I know of that I estimate will cost at least $600 to do, is eliminating him from the hunt automatically.
The winner is the white Herbie bug that's for sale in New Mexico. Here's a pic of that yellowed material lining the interior.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
Yeah … I did too. 17% down
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
@oldfarmer50
A GC is a general contractor. I run Store Development for a specialty retailer (not grocery). Right now one of the biggest expenses crushing the bottom line is freight costs. Domestic and import rates are astronomical.
As for insight on the baby formula, the only thing I can think of is a perfect storm of material delays and labor shortages
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
@iluvmysephia1 , sound like a good choice avoiding that grey one.
White interior looks to be mold, but I could be wrong. Nice thing about Bugs is the availability of cheap parts. You could get all new repro seat upholstery for a few hundred bucks and door inserts for another couple bills, if they don’t clean up.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
White interior looks to be mold, but I could be wrong. Nice thing about Bugs is the availability of cheap parts. You could get all new repro seat upholstery for a few hundred bucks and door inserts for another couple bills, if they don’t clean up.
Hey, gbrozen, is that a couple hundred bucks to repro-upholster an old Bug if someone else does the work? Or if I buy the material for $200 and put the material on myself? Because we have an upholstery store for RV's and cars here in Alamogordo where they do that kind of work. Wow, $200 ain't bad at all. That will be a must - not only do I not like the way that looks, if it is indeed mold I'll be sick inside my Bug every time I drive it. I'm allergic to mold really bad! I can't tell if that's an off-white color on the door inserts or white that's gotten dirty over time. No way to tell without being there inside the car.
Thanks for the tips!
As to the fact that old Bugs don't have A/C, yep, that's a solid point. But yesterday I drove my '21 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick with Sparkling Silver paint and black trim around Alamogordo with the A/C off ta test it. It was 91 degrees in Alamo with no wind ta speak of. I messed with the power windows - moving the passenger window down a tad more than mine, etc. Ya know what? It's the same conclusion I came to when I was crushin' on '62 - '79 MG Midgets for a while. Not a big deal. The Midget is a convertible, which I have decided I wouldn't like - the convertible down, not the Midget itself. So with the Midget I would be all out in the open in the blistering southern New Mexico sun. Not good. I would leave the convertible top closed over if I drove an MG Midget, or put a hardtop on it and leave it like that. But the MG Midgets don't have A/C and I not once eliminated that car because of that. So I've checked that problem off as not being a problem and not being an obstacle to getting a Beetle - Bug.
It all depends on the humidity. Yesterday afternoon, I was driving around at 6:00PM and the temperature was 91 degrees but the humidity was only 2%. As you can probably figure out, I was comfortable in my Soul. Ahh...comfortable. But crank up that humidity to 44%, which is the humidity average for the state of New Mexico, that's more uncomfortable. So I've got to think about that. The Bug will bounce on our streets here because a lot of them are patched up with asphalt all over the place. I don't think American towns and cities (and certainly foreign cities, too) can keep up with road maintenance work. I think we should build it back better. No, really, the car will bounce like a Golden State Warrior Gary Payton, Jr. on Alamo's streets. I don't care about that.
Really, when the last cup of Starbuck's French Roast coffee is drunk, all that remains is paying the $4,500 and enjoying my own little piece of history. I think that by messing with the crank window on the passenger side I can fluctuate the wind while traveling to ease the feeling of being hot while I drive the German history capsule around. I have found one that has been consistently driven so I know what's working and what's not, but I'm glad I found a shop locally that works on foreign vehicles that people are crazy about. I guess the owner is someone who loves a challenge and I don't think my Bug will bring him any nasty challenges, but I've been wrong before. Nice ta know he's there, though.
This is how I approach research. BigFoot research, Paul McCartney (Billy Shears) research, the Great Reset research starring Klaus Schwab, etc., etc. Now I've got scads of time to do it, too. I did the BigFoot and Billy Shears research while I was doing full-time Sleep Tech work. And I still had buttloads of time for it. But that's because I love to research, I love to research, and I don't do much of anything fast.
And because of that, I think I've found my used foreign automobile to add to my stable of one.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Yeah … I did too. 17% down
I'm down 10.9% YTD.
But, I'm up 36% since Jan 2019. So, still good.
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Ya’ know how it goes. It’s new and shiny. So, yeah…I like it a lot. Pros and cons…
Pros….
-44 MPG around town on REG (used PUG in the TLX)
-Quicker than I expected
-Comfortable, quiet and smooth…can’t tell when the gas engine even comes on
-Handles well
-Stereo is better than I expected
-Sublime ride quality and handling mix
-Typical Honda/Acura build and quality, both quite good
-Can’t really tell the difference in materials between the Germans (or Japanese) lux cars and the Accord
-Tech is better than the TLX (wireless CarPlay has been flawless, can’t say that about the TLX)
-I could probably flip it tomorrow and make a grand. Hybrids and electrics are quite popular now, and they’re as hard to get as hens teeth
Cons…
-Doesn’t handle as well as the TLX with SH-AWD
-I can get close, but can’t adjust the stereo to match the TLX’s ELS
-Not as quick as the TLX
-Warranty not as good (one less year B2B with the Accord)
Do I miss the TLX? I miss every car I’ve ever had. Wish I could have kept all of them….that includes a couple of BMW 3 series, Audi S4, Cobra, Mustang GT, RX8, 280Z, Tahoe, 4-Runner, ‘ 60s era Impala SS that had more rust than paint, 2 TLs, an MGB GT, and probably some others that I’m forgetting right now.