Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

tifighter

28firefighter said:

So, I decided to take a look at my average energy consumption on the Tesla over the first couple charging cycles to understand how aggressively I’ve been testing the car. An average of 345 wh/mile. To give you some sense, Tesla’s estimates are based off a combined average of 304. Hahahahaha.

Once I started driving like a human most of the time my averaged dropped to 294.

My lifetime average on the X Performance was 354, and I did not baby it. So, yeah, it's probably you.

tifighter

Took the Montero into the mountains the other day with a buddy of mine. Must say that I’m impressed with it’s capability off road. We took it over a few obstacles that would be way beyond what you’d normally deal with overlanding, and it just rolled up it’s sleeves and went to work. The traction management, in all it’s 20 year old glory, did a surprisingly good job in sending power to the right wheel. Not bad for an old guy.

nyccarguy

So I drove the Jeep to the beach on Long Island yesterday. Not on the beach, just to the beach. Roof was open all day, it was perfect. When I got home last night, I plugged it in and got an error message. Service charging system. Huh?

ab348

Did you try unplugging it and then plugging it in again?

qbrozen

Ctrl-Alt-Del

stickguy

Smack it on the side of the box.

pensfan83

Pull the plug out, blow in it, plug it back in.

jmonroe1

pensfan83 said:

Pull the plug out, blow in it, plug it back in.

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Yeah, just don’t lick it.

jmonroe

breld

Wife and I had a totally free day yesterday to go spelunking around. After a nice breakfast out, we roamed all around town walking the car lots. As everyone knows, it’s a bit depressing car browsing these days, with little inventory to look at and crazy prices on what is there. But there was still some fun to be had…

• Local BMW shop had a Thundernight M240i (with a sold sign on it). The vehicle is very muscular looking…it’ll be interesting to see what they do for the M2. I’d consider this exact model for myself…the purple is a bit dark for my taste, but such a cool color.
  
• Same BMW shop also had a couple used M2 Comps…one Long Beach Blue (manual) and one white (SMG). Both were listed in the $60k’s.
  
• We spent a lot of time looking at Genesis’s’s’s (not sure what the plural would be). My wife likes the GV70 quite a bit. They were scarce on the lots, but we did manage to see a few. One dealer has an incoming loaded 3.5T model incoming in the gray exterior and red interior that you could reserve at MSRP. The dealers finally have some GV80’s on the lots…I still really like that SUV. A co-worker just picked one up this weekend.
  
• We also took another look at the Santa Cruz. Admittedly, that would fit my wife’s needs better than the Bronco, and when I said we could probably trade the Bronco for a nice Santa Cruz and get a check for $10k back, she got all excited to do it. Then we got home and she looked at her Bronco and said we better hold off.
  

And seeing this Rivian in my garage everyday makes me anxious to get my own, and perhaps keep it. Such a cool vehicle. I’ve only put a couple thousand miles on it since @jpp75 brought it over to be stored…you know that Ferris Bueller movie was right? You can’t take those miles off the odometer. Just kidding @jpp75…it hasn’t left this spot since you dropped it off.

jmonroe1

@breld said, “ Genesis’s’s’s (not sure what the plural would be).”

Yeah, that’s for sure. Next time just say Genny’s.

jmonroe

rny421

tifighter said:

28firefighter said:

So, I decided to take a look at my average energy consumption on the Tesla over the first couple charging cycles to understand how aggressively I’ve been testing the car. An average of 345 wh/mile. To give you some sense, Tesla’s estimates are based off a combined average of 304. Hahahahaha.

Once I started driving like a human most of the time my averaged dropped to 294.

My lifetime average on the X Performance was 354, and I did not baby it. So, yeah, it's probably you.

Those numbers aren't too bad... 354 wh/mile is equal to 2.82 mi/kwh (the unit of measurement that I use in my e-tron). I rarely get better than 2.8mi/kwh on my e-tron. In the winter, it's more like 2 mi/kwh.

Speaking of the e-tron, the AC stopped working recently, some sort of pressure sensor that is on back order. It seems to be a common problem amongst the Audi forums. The e-tron has been sitting at the dealer for 2 weeks waiting for the part. Luckily I have the M235i, and this is the perfect weather for driving it.

GLC is fine as well - just over 55K on it.

I've been stuck at home with COVID, so with my endless free time I've been looking at new cars and drumming up plans. The new XC60 and S60 Recharge Extended Range have me interested. XC60 now has 35 miles of EV range, and the S60 has 41 miles of EV range. The bad news is that I've heard horror stories on the reliability of the earlier years. People also say bad things about Mercedes reliability, and the GLC has been fine (*knock on wood*), so what do they know

I'm also trying to be fiscally responsible though

28firefighter

I don’t need it, but I want it.

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/d/seattle-2002-bmw-540i-sport/7503333467.html

jmonroe1

28firefighter said:

I don’t need it, but I want it.

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/d/seattle-2002-bmw-540i-sport/7503333467.html

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Go for it but start at $3,500 and go as high as $4K if you really love it after seeing it and driving it. And of course a PPI from your own indy guy. Just be prepared to put more money into it. After all it is 20 year old BMW that you haven’t owned for any of those years but it does come with some paper.

jmonroe

Michaell

28firefighter said:

I don’t need it, but I want it.

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/d/seattle-2002-bmw-540i-sport/7503333467.html

Me likey.

28firefighter

I think I’d be a taker at $3k. Probably throw new tires in and swap the head unit and flip it. At 5, eh.

oldfarmer50

jmonroe1 said:

28firefighter said:

I don’t need it, but I want it.

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/d/seattle-2002-bmw-540i-sport/7503333467.html

————————————————-
Go for it but start at $3,500 and go as high as $4K if you really love it after seeing it and driving it. And of course a PPI from your own indy guy. Just be prepared to put more money into it. After all it is 20 year old BMW that you haven’t owned for any of those years but it does come with some paper.

jmonroe

Talking about getting a PPI got me wondering about the logistics of that. Would you ask the seller to take the car somewhere to be checked? What if the car was located a distance away, how would you select someone to look it over? What if the seller was unwilling to go through that for a relatively cheap car?

I always thought a PPI would be a good idea but all my car purchases were either new or so old that a PPI seemed like overkill. How have the folks here gone about arranging them?

stickguy

it's a slushbox. who wants that?

Bid on this one instead soon when it shows up on mods and miles! he did a ton of work on this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANgpQi-ib0k

pensfan83

The Honda I didn't have one done and I can't recall why. The BMW I did. I set it up on my dime, it was dropped off, and it revealed nothing I wasn't already informed of. One recommendation for a brake fluid change and that was done.

Usually regional chapters of car clubs or brand/model specific forums can guide you to a reputable shop.

jmonroe1

oldfarmer50 said:

jmonroe1 said:

28firefighter said:

I don’t need it, but I want it.

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/d/seattle-2002-bmw-540i-sport/7503333467.html

————————————————-
Go for it but start at $3,500 and go as high as $4K if you really love it after seeing it and driving it. And of course a PPI from your own indy guy. Just be prepared to put more money into it. After all it is 20 year old BMW that you haven’t owned for any of those years but it does come with some paper.

jmonroe

Talking about getting a PPI got me wondering about the logistics of that. Would you ask the seller to take the car somewhere to be checked? What if the car was located a distance away, how would you select someone to look it over? What if the seller was unwilling to go through that for a relatively cheap car?

I always thought a PPI would be a good idea but all my car purchases were either new or so old that a PPI seemed like overkill. How have the folks here gone about arranging them?

———————————————
When Son #1 bought his used ‘95 Trans Am (in 2012, I think, to be used as a track car) it was from a youngish school teacher in Charleston West Virginia. The only way he’d buy it was if the guy could take it to an Indy shop that some of his track buddies recommended down there. The guy had no problem doing that so that when we got down there, if the car checked out, the deal could be done quickly with no waiting around for it to be checked out. Turned out the guy was more than willing to do that.

Since then he’s bought at least 3 cars out of town by doing research of reliable inspection garages in the area where he planned to buy used cars. An immediate deal breaker would be if the seller hemmed and hawed about having their car checked out. So far so good.

jmonroe

xwesx

qbrozen said:

The brakes worked really well. But it did not like having ~4100-4200 lbs out back when it came to turning or broken pavement. And I would have felt so much better if the trailer had brakes, too, regardless of how well the Jeep’s work. I got a lot of sideways looks from the dock workers. Lol.

Really?! All that hideous iron at the port, and they were looking at you sideways over a car dolly?!

roadburner

oldfarmer50 said:

jmonroe1 said:

28firefighter said:

I don’t need it, but I want it.

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/d/seattle-2002-bmw-540i-sport/7503333467.html

————————————————-
Go for it but start at $3,500 and go as high as $4K if you really love it after seeing it and driving it. And of course a PPI from your own indy guy. Just be prepared to put more money into it. After all it is 20 year old BMW that you haven’t owned for any of those years but it does come with some paper.

jmonroe

Talking about getting a PPI got me wondering about the logistics of that. Would you ask the seller to take the car somewhere to be checked? What if the car was located a distance away, how would you select someone to look it over? What if the seller was unwilling to go through that for a relatively cheap car?

I always thought a PPI would be a good idea but all my car purchases were either new or so old that a PPI seemed like overkill. How have the folks here gone about arranging them?

I had a PPI performed on the 535is I bought in 1990. A few years later I had one performed on a 530i Touring; I didn't buy it. I gambled and won when I bought the M6 in 1992- no PPI but an extended test drive. No complaints.

stickguy

probably harder these days to get a remote PPI. Lots of places just too busy to even get you in, and in a sellers market sellers probably don't want to bother with the hassle. Somebody else will come along and buy without one.

qbrozen

@stickguy said:
it's a slushbox. who wants that?

Bid on this one instead soon when it shows up on mods and miles! he did a ton of work on this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANgpQi-ib0k

The manual in my 540 was about the worst I have ever experienced.

corvette

qbrozen said:

The manual in my 540 was about the worst I have ever experienced.

The five speed automatic had an annoying second gear start which would leave it flat footed nearly every time I tried to accelerate after making a hard right or left turn from a dead stop. You could force it to start in first by giving the throttle a swift poke, which is not something you'd generally do with the steering wheel turned hard to one side.

corvette

Happy Fourth!

jmonroe1

stickguy said:

probably harder these days to get a remote PPI. Lots of places just too busy to even get you in, and in a sellers market sellers probably don't want to bother with the hassle. Somebody else will come along and buy without one.

_____________________________________
That’s what my Son thought this past Winter when he bought his 2012 Infinity EX 35 that just turned 37K miles when it was delivered to his driveway from a Jeep dealer in Niagara Falls. I posted about this back when he bought it.

The dealer was OK with a PPI but the inspection guy had to come to the dealership to do it. The dealer mentioned insurance as the reason not to allow it off his lot. So, the inspector went to the dealership. My Son liked the detailed report that guy used. He saw a sample of it on the guys website and was impressed by it. All the car needed was new brakes. It would pass inspection but barely, so my Son asked for a $400 allowance or have new brakes installed. The dealer didn’t balk about installing new brakes. My Son would have preferred the allowance. That way he could have installed pads of his choosing and probably not gotten some cheapie brand that the dealer surely installed. Chalk this up to not winning them all.

FWIW, this PPI has to be a big thing for an indy garage to provide that kind of a detailed report.

jmonroe

stickguy

qbrozen said:

@stickguy said:

it's a slushbox. who wants that?

Bid on this one instead soon when it shows up on mods and miles! he did a ton of work on this one.

The manual in my 540 was about the worst I have ever experienced.

one of the things he fixed had to do with the shifter. I forget exactly what, but some sort of pin or bushing maybe? Whatever it was, supposedly transformed the shifting experience.

jmonroe1

stickguy said:

qbrozen said:

@stickguy said:

it's a slushbox. who wants that?

Bid on this one instead soon when it shows up on mods and miles! he did a ton of work on this one.

The manual in my 540 was about the worst I have ever experienced.

one of the things he fixed had to do with the shifter. I forget exactly what, but some sort of pin or bushing maybe? Whatever it was, supposedly transformed the shifting experience.
————————————————
I’m pretty sure it just needed lubed. WD-40 and PB Blaster are 2 of the best inventions that grease monkeys don’t want to talk about. Charging 6 hours for an “adjustment” makes owners feel better.

jmonroe

corvette

My latest harebrained plan is to pull a @stickguy and order another Maverick from one of the low cost dealers once the 2023 retail order banks open. Probably a hybrid with AWD (if they offer it with AWD). Once it arrives, sell whichever one I like the least, possibly or likely making money on the whole thing.

qbrozen

@stickguy said:
one of the things he fixed had to do with the shifter. I forget exactly what, but some sort of pin or bushing maybe? Whatever it was, supposedly transformed the shifting experience.

Shifter itself was fine. Clutch was AWFUL.

corvette

@qbrozen weird, I think the E39 was before BMW introduced the "clutch delay valve."

Michaell

corvette said:

My latest harebrained plan is to pull a @stickguy and order another Maverick from one of the low cost dealers once the 2023 retail order banks open. Probably a hybrid with AWD (if they offer it with AWD). Once it arrives, sell whichever one I like the least, possibly or likely making money on the whole thing.

Unless it changes for 2023, hybrid is FWD only.

corvette

Michaell said:

Unless it changes for 2023, hybrid is FWD only.

There was speculation that they might offer it with AWD next year, especially considering that the Escape with the same powertrain offers it. I could still order a FWD one as a flip, especially if fuel prices continue to be high.

stickguy

given how the first year went, I would bet that AWD is not happening for 2023. Most likely just minor tweaks and reconfiguring the options packages (stuff like taking bedliner out of the luxury package). Could see AWD for 2024 though. and at some point a plug in hybrid. I would trade in for that!

qbrozen

@corvette said:
@qbrozen weird, I think the E39 was before BMW introduced the "clutch delay valve."

At the time, I had read the dual-mass flywheel could be to blame. I was not getting into that and sold it instead.

corvette

stickguy said:

(stuff like taking bedliner out of the luxury package).

I had that discussion with my parents when they asked about my order--if there is so much as a coat or bag hook where Ford believes there may be supply constraints, it will be decontented for 2023.

qbrozen

Been sick this weekend so I didn’t get to do anything with the Gloria other than vacuum the carpets and scrub out the few small stains in the seats. I did discover the gas gauge is stuck, which explains how it didn’t waiver from 1/4 tank. But when it failed to start yesterday morn, I threw some fuel in and she was all better. Not sure if I’ll try to fix that. We’ll see. I did order up all new filters and a T-belt and water pump kit. Can’t risk having that snap, even though everything looks new on it.

Oh, and I can get a new set of Kumho tires installed at BJs for under $420, so I’ll go that route rather than do it myself.

graphicguy

stickguy said:

it's a slushbox. who wants that?

Bid on this one instead soon when it shows up on mods and miles! he did a ton of work on this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANgpQi-ib0k

I like his channel. Looked at the auction. He must have sold it already as it’s not listed anywhere.

stickguy

I don’t think it went up yet. Soon.

nyccarguy

qbrozen said:

Been sick this weekend so I didn’t get to do anything with the Gloria other than vacuum the carpets and scrub out the few small stains in the seats. I did discover the gas gauge is stuck, which explains how it didn’t waiver from 1/4 tank. But when it failed to start yesterday morn, I threw some fuel in and she was all better. Not sure if I’ll try to fix that. We’ll see. I did order up all new filters and a T-belt and water pump kit. Can’t risk having that snap, even though everything looks new on it.

Oh, and I can get a new set of Kumho tires installed at BJs for under $420, so I’ll go that route rather than do it myself.

Feel Better

oldfarmer50

Help me out here as I’m retired and don’t understand how the world works any more.

Today I went out for a late breakfast at about 9:30 and was shocked at all the traffic. It was like rush hour but long after rush hour should be over. At the breakfast drive-thru it was a mad house and what usually took less than 5 minutes was more like 20.

So what’s the deal? Do people start their vacations right after the 4th? Does no one work any longer? Or is this just a vast conspiracy to annoy me?

laurasdada

Probably folks taking the July 4 week off; or at least extending the weekend a bit.
Or Stickguy's relatives now house hunting!

stickguy

Nah, they would be looking to move away instead!

Farmer I notice that even though people complain constantly about gas prices, nobody seems to be staying off the roads. And can still eat out with inflation.

right now, like Dada said, probably a lot of vacations with a holiday short week. and with so many of us working from home, easier to run out during the day and goof off run errands.

stickguy

Definitely see why people like a PU in the fleet. Took another big load of donations to goodwill. So much easier to pile it in the bed than to crawl around in the CUV to make it fit. Plus anything dirty or stinky stays outside. And don’t lose the backseat.

Will definitely be keeping one around, even if eventually it becomes an old beater instead to go along with a nice fun car for good weather.

jmonroe1

stickguy said:

Definitely see why people like a PU in the fleet. Took another big load of donations to goodwill. So much easier to pile it in the bed than to crawl around in the CUV to make it fit. Plus anything dirty or stinky stays outside. And don’t lose the backseat.

Will definitely be keeping one around, even if eventually it becomes an old beater instead to go along with a nice fun car for good weather.

————————————————-
I didn’t know that Goodwill accepted dirty or stinky stuff.

jmonroe

corvette

Had the lease end inspection on the Tundra this afternoon. They are supposed to email me a report within a couple of days, but the inspector said everything looked good. He also left my passenger window rolled down, so I am glad I went outside to check the truck after he left.

henryn

corvette said:

Had the lease end inspection on the Tundra this afternoon. They are supposed to email me a report within a couple of days, but the inspector said everything looked good. He also left my passenger window rolled down, so I am glad I went outside to check the truck after he left.

8 or 9 years back, I had an A/C checkup for my house in the spring. The weather was nice, the house was open (all windows, all rooms). The guy did a quick check, everything good, and left. That night, in the middle of the night, I noticed a soft roaring sound. I got up to check, and the heater was on, blowing hot air into a wide open house. I had a few unkind works for that A/C guy, and switched to a different company.

jmonroe1

henryn said:

corvette said:

Had the lease end inspection on the Tundra this afternoon. They are supposed to email me a report within a couple of days, but the inspector said everything looked good. He also left my passenger window rolled down, so I am glad I went outside to check the truck after he left.

8 or 9 years back, I had an A/C checkup for my house in the spring. The weather was nice, the house was open (all windows, all rooms). The guy did a quick check, everything good, and left. That night, in the middle of the night, I noticed a soft roaring sound. I got up to check, and the heater was on, blowing hot air into a wide open house. I had a few unkind works for that A/C guy, and switched to a different company.

————————————————-
Why would an A/C check require that all windows be opened?

jmonroe

qbrozen

3.5 weeks later and the wife's Volvo is finally returned. They replaced the flywheel and say all is well. I'm going to try very hard to NOT find out!

andres3

corvette said:

Had the lease end inspection on the Tundra this afternoon. They are supposed to email me a report within a couple of days, but the inspector said everything looked good. He also left my passenger window rolled down, so I am glad I went outside to check the truck after he left.

Did you have to show him BOTH KEY FOB's?