Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

qbrozen

When things go well, Edd always gets chuffed.

Oh, you mean when he produces a crackin motor? Yeah, pretty chuffed.

I don't remember the LS400 "disgusting" me, but the Suzuki Sidekick was disturbing. As if that car wasn't bad enough stock, they lifted it and put big tires on it. Then, after all that, failed MOT for structural rust (how the hell did Ed miss that one??!) and had to sell it for a loss to some guy to use on his farm.

stickguy

I guess I missed a lot of episodes. Need to try and program the DVR to find them, but then you get a lot of the same ones taped multiple times.

and speaking of old tech, that Frank Rizzo Caddy that came up the other day (might have been on project car thread) was on the news last night (auction is this weekend). They had Frank Jr. showing it to some reporter. At one point, he was holding the giant 1980 vintage car phone (looked like the show from the 70's with the fat detective. I am sure Andre will remember!)

Funny thing was, the owner (Frank Rizzo jr) said that he noticed just earlier that day that the phone was still programmed with Rizzos old contacts, including the private numbers for past presidents and variuos other famous people! That could have been fun for the new owner, assuming any of the numbers were still the same!

guss

Can you imagine calling San Clemente and asking for Dick Nixon? Rizzo seemed to be a real squared away guy, he even had extra lug nuts in the trunk.

That far\t detective was Canon, by far the worst of the Private Investigators in those 70's detective stories.

jayrider

A car you really like at an auction price plus valium or xanax and glass of warm milk. Works for me. Now I'm into electronics, ebay and the Home Shopping Network. :shades:

stickguy

marketplace section of today's philly paper has an article Can't find a link, it is really more of an ad I guess) titled "what kind of car shopper are you"?

and no, Jip and GG are not a catagory.

they list:

-The I can't decide sopper
-The what's the net say?
-THe "don't talk to me"
-the Sure I'll take it!
-the don't bother me with comparison shopping
-the Yeah, Yeah, but what's the payments?
-The I'm only concerned about my trade in
-The I'm paying cash so cut me a great deal

And no, I am not typing out the entire article!

akangl

The Pilot goes on a consignment lot this weekend. I talked with one yesterday and they wanted to charge me $6000 in order to consign it. In other words I would get $15k and they would get the rest after putting it on the lot for $21k, all I could say was "you are kidding right?"

So today I went and talked to one that was near my house and the owner said no problem, we'll consign it and take $500 when it sells. That's more reasonable I think.

Pulled the Explorer into the garage since we are having heavy winds and trees keep falling. Gotta protect the little bugger, I have to have something to drive the next few months.

stickguy

consignment? what happened to the old standby of trading it in? Since I assume you need to buy something new anyway!

I guess that fuse blowing put you over the top after all?

Just buy some PU or FS SUV that can handle your towing desires, and get it over with.

akangl

consignment? what happened to the old standby of trading it in? Since I assume you need to buy something new anyway!

I guess that fuse blowing put you over the top after all?

Just buy some PU or FS SUV that can handle your towing desires, and get it over with

I've got plenty of time, so am selling this way to get a bit more out of it. Most dealers up here want nothing to do with a Honda, so are so far back of trade on it that I would keep it before trading it.

I've found the type of truck I want, but have to get the Pilot sold, then some other things paid off before I buy.

It wasn't the fuse that pushed me over, it was the realization that the seats are really getting to be too much. The seat has always bothered me, I know I've mentioned it before, but I lived with it because I truely love the Pilot. I've done a lot of driving the past few days and my back was so stiff this morning I could hardly get up. I know the Pilot is partly to blame, something about the driver's side seat just hurts and I don't know what or why.

I'll be very sad to see it go, but it doesn't help my back and it doesn't fit my needs really. If it doesn't sell, oh well, I'll keep driving it and keep pain pills handy. I won't trade it in, lose too much $$$. If it does sell I'll be driving the Explorer until probably spring.........even the Explorer's seats are more comfortable.

stickguy

actually do seem to be a love/hate situation. Mostly, it seems, the lumbar gets to a lot of people, and Honda does seem to overdo the lower back bulge.

Many people complained about the odyssey (latest generation, which I have one of), to the extent that they wanted to take it back, or paid a shop to open the seat up and take out the lumbar bar, and/or put in more padding.

I actually find the odyssey seat fine, and ditto for my Accord. A big reason is they both have long bottom cushions (for thigh support), and with the leather the bump is not too bad, to me.

I originally was looking at a current generation civic before I ended up with the Accord (a 2005) and a major reason I deep sixed it was the seats. horribly uncomfortable (back, and lower cushion).

and even worse, Honda (mazda too with the 3, a big reason that did not make the cut) cheaped out with a single lever height adjustment. So, no way to tilt up the front for thigh support, and when you raised the seat so you weren't sitting on the floor gansta style, it pitched you forward, which I hate!

Can't recall much about the Pilot. I never drove one, and only sat in it at the dealer a few times, but everyones back is unique.

Good luck with the sale. And having a spare car around can come in handy. If my son doesn't take his TL back to school after Xmas break, I might do the same thing with selling my Accord, and using that instead!

akangl

originally was looking at a current generation civic before I ended up with the Accord (a 2005) and a major reason I deep sixed it was the seats. horribly uncomfortable (back, and lower cushion).

My hubby drives an 09 Civic EX back and forth to work, its a 4 hr drive in good weather, he loves the car, says the seats are great. Me, I hate it with a passion, I doubt I've put 1k miles on that stupid car in the 2 years we've had it. I'm sure its a fine car, but the seats kill me.

Can't recall much about the Pilot. I never drove one, and only sat in it at the dealer a few times, but everyones back is unique

The main issue I find with the Pilot is the way my left hip sits in the seat, I can't get the bottom cushion up far enough to keep me from sitting in a strange position, I've never had this bad of an issue with any car's seat. I have a pinched nerve in my left hip, so it can get quite painful on long drives. Hubby loves the Pilot, says the seats are great.

I must love the Pilot if I've put up with that for over 3 years. My kids say the seats are like frozen bricks......pretty much, they are the same as they were when the car was new. I loved the way the car drove so much that I overlooked what is turning out to be a bit of an issue.

corvette

I've always liked Honda's seats, especially the bulge in the lower back. Chacun à son goût, I guess.

akangl

I will be back in the market for a car, if all goes well the Pilot leaves tomorrow for its new home. I'm sad, but it will be nice to look at trucks and not have a trade to worry about.

I'm going to try to drive the Explorer as long as I can.....hopefully til spring, but at least until dec/jan. I have my eye on what I want, but I need to wait, if I can wait then I will have a big down payment and only a tiny loan that I can pay off in a year.

Tomorrow will be a bitter sweet day. :sick:

stickguy

"but I need to wait, if I can wait "

I will take tomorrow in the pool.

akangl

I will take tomorrow in the pool

I wish, lol, but no, I have to wait.

This is what I want:

2008 GMC Sierra

stickguy

3 year old PU with 58K Alaska miles on the clock, for 33K? are they insane?

Couldn't you fly down to the "mainland", buy one for 10K less, and drive it back in a couple of days?

fezo

Keep in mind what she wants for the Pilot which is also insane.

stickguy

except based on the last note, the pilot is gone. so, cash in hand it sounds like (AKA crack for the crackheads).

I know the pricing structure up there is a bit out of the norm. Thats why I thought it might be worth shooting down to the lower 48 to find one cheaper.

fezo

Isn't the Pilot on a consignment lot? I've never heard of such a thing but it sounds like that's no closer to "sold" than putting an ad in the paper used to be. (I will admit, however, whenever I put an ad in the paper to sell a Honda it was as good as gone the next day.)

akangl

Nada retail on the Pilot is $22,625, trade in is 19kish. I put it out there for $22,500, got an offer of $21,700, and we settled at $22k. That price includes 2 sets of wheels and tires, plus the balance of the 120k honda care warranty and a few other goodies that aren't cheap. Now I'm not saying I should recoup my money on them, but they just sweetened the deal. There is very few Pilots for sale up here and most 07-08's are in the $25k-$28k range at the dealers.

Providing this doesn't fall through tomorrow the Pilot will have never made it to the consignment lot. If it falls through *shrug* I'll probably just keep the Pilot.

As for a truck, we'll see, I may fly out and pick one up if I find what I want a lot cheaper. I would never pay $33k for the truck I linked, that was just an example. To me its maybe a $24kish truck, but I know they won't go that low on it, so it can keep sitting on their lot for another 60 days.

fezo

Hey, if you can get that number for the Pilot and get the truck for what you want that would definitely qualify as a good deal - much better than what I was reading at the beginning of this chapter.

I'd keep the Pilot myself but go for it!

Sandman6472

But it's your $ and your life. With the extended warranty...just plain crazy! But' like I said earlier. Just think on this real hard...college for the kids, paying off the Pilot loan...many other financially smarter moves but hey...!

Good luck & g-d bless!!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

akangl

many other financially smarter moves

I know it sounds crazy. Needs change, I've had the Pilot 3 years, long enough to get myself right side up in a car loan which is a miracle for me. I was approx $15k upside down in it just 2 years ago, so I've paid off a LOT of the loan. I made a grave error in trading a couple times when I did and buried myself, but hey, what better car to bury yourself in then a Honda?

I'm getting a little more then payoff for it and I plan on driving the Explorer and banking the car payment + ins payment to add to my truck fund. I'm hoping I can wait until May or June to buy which will give me enough to probably buy a truck outright. So its a wash either way, pay off the Pilot and keep it or sell it for pay off and buy a truck outright.

trippinballs

Hello everybody I have a question that I have been unable to find the answer to researching it online. ok so I recently visited a the hyundai dealership on the west bank in new Orleans and I'm not trying to give the place a bad name or anything but while I was there I was checkig out the genesis coupe and I ended up test drivig the 3.8 track model coupe and while I was test driving I was discussing the price with the salesperson and he absolutley gaurnteed me that there was no incentive on my 2010 genesis coupe because it was a coupe and they don't have incentives on this car well all ive read on the enternet says defantley otherwise .. So I was wondering if anybody would know if there would be a incentive on this car and maybe a way to find out if yall didn't know the answer .. Pleasees help me I don't want to get ripped of by the tool

stickguy

the internet (wanna narrow that down?) is not always accurate. Incentives can change any day, plus they can be regional, and certainly can vary by car.

only the dealer will really have the exact answer, so if you don't trust the salesman, talk to a manager of finance guy? Or, just go to another dealer to get a 2nd opinion.

jayrider

Go to truecar or overstock and punch in the car you want and zipcode. You will get a discounted price --- including any rebates if they exist.You get a printout no nonsense price. Call the dealer and ask about any EXTRA charges. Bought my prius through truecar and saved 2300 over the local dealer. Had to drive 25 miles but worth it. Do all the negotiating from home other than the test drive.

mark156

Akangl, I went to the GMC website and built a new 2010 GMC Sierra 1500, 4WD, 4 door, short box and the MSRP was $35,025. Seems like it would make sense to me to buy brand spanking new if the prices are so crazy for used. Seems like a good year-end deal would be the ticket.

Mark

grandtotal

If it falls through *shrug* I'll probably just keep the Pilot.

No, you won't.

akangl

No, you won't

You're right I won't. The Pilot is with it's new owner, did the transaction at the bank, was very easy. New owner left with the Pilot and title in his name. Got what I wanted out of the car, $22k so I'm happy.

corvette

I've watched a couple of episodes and it's entertaining, but overly scripted, and from what I've been able to gather, the buy/sell exchanges are completely fake (which makes their profit/loss calculations a ruse), and there are sometimes significant repairs done to the cars that don't get mentioned on the show.

Still, it's really funny to see an old VW where none of the electronics work, and to see Edd China (who must be at least 6' 6") try to squeeze into a Miata.

stickguy

I'll take Saturday.

bolivar

You got $22,000. But did I see you still owed about $22,000? After owning it 3 years?

stickguy

Welcome to the miracle of buried negative equity.

akangl

Welcome to the miracle of buried negative equity

*hangs head in shame* I made a couple mistakes, first I bought that 06 Ram 3500, hated it with a passion after it broke down in canada. I traded it for an 01 Durango........WTF was I thinking??? I should have stuck the Durango out and paid it off, it was a cheap truck and I could have gotten myself right side up, but I didn't. I traded it for the Pilot and rolled way more neg equity then I care to talk about into the Pilot. In the past 3 years I paid off $17k on the loan for the Pilot, I owed just over $21k when it was paid off today. I'm not proud of being so stupid and trading cars, but I think it was lesson learned.........at least I hope so.

My next purchase will most likely be a cash deal on a used truck, 1 car loan is plenty for me and I'm hoping the Civic will be paid off in just over a year.

tommister2

Hey, at least you are in good shape now. You've learned something. Even if you go buy a brand new truck today you have no negative equity going in. That's better than you have been in your previous few vehicles! Good luck in your quest.

jayrider

Speaking of negative equity, how about those zero % 72 month truck loans.

qbrozen

OH, you just reminded me of the funniest Wheeler Dealer moment. They bought a C4 vette to fix and flip. One of Edd's comments was something about how American electrics can be fiddly.

Wait.... wait.... really, Edd? Aren't you from the country that blessed us with Lucas electrics? Can you seriously find fault with GM's in comparison??

lemmer

Yeah, that gave me "the lolz" as the kids say.

He also said the C4 handling sucks because the rear end would step out if you punched it hard. That is because of a little thing called "torque" that we have on this side of the pond.

au1994

Yes! Yes! Yes! I cracked up at that comment. Hello pot, meet the kettle.

Also thought it was funny when Edd was trying to wedge himself in and out of the MGB. They did an original Mini, but I can't remember him inside that one.

RE: the other costs incurred. Aside from Edd's time, which on some of these is significant, I could have sworn I noticed a few where they put new tires all around and did not disclose this. Probably had to in order to pass MOT maybe?

Faults aside, I love the show and wish they would bring the other seasons over.

corvette

Seems like they declared the electronics on an old Mercedes to be very solid, too. :confuse:

The LS400 had power adjustable seat belts--did the US models get those?

28firefighter

My dad had a 1992 LS400 and, IIRC, it did have the power adjustable seat belts. The car they worked on was a 1991 I believe.

akangl

I've driven the explorer several times since we got it in March and never really had an issue with it. I was fairly confident that it would be fine to let the Pilot go and drive the explorer for a few months. Monday after dropping the Pilot off with it's new owner I started the explorer to bring it into the garage. The engine was knocking, I figured well maybe it needs oil. Checked it and added 1/2 qt, started it last night to go get the power steering hose fixed and it's still knocking and now it's surging. Mechanic says it's probably ok to drive until I get my new truck. He did say the rear wiper has a short and if I can live with it then it's for the best lol.

stickguy

I am sticking with my earlier prediction fo Saturday.

just try not to do anything too rash. maybe you can finally buy the right vehicle, and beat the longevity record of the PIlot.

oregonboy

Hey, all she needed to do to beat the Pilot's longevity record was to keep it one more day. Every day would have been a new record!

akangl

I won't be buying anything before December or January, need to take care of some other things first. Thankfully we have the civic so I can schedule most appts and such for when hubby is home and just keep the explorer for emergencies. In the bright side maybe I'll be able to avoid yet another speeding ticket, one more and I lose my license. :sick:

fezo

That would certainly take care of that nasty car buying habit.....

mark156

Akangl,

I'm just curious.... what are the last 15-20 vehicles that you and hubby have owned. When you mentioned the Durango... I forgot about that one.

My quick list.. Current
1) 2010 Land Rover LR4
2) 2009 Bentley Continental GTC
3) 2008 Monaco Dynasty
4) 2007 Honda CR-V
5) 2001 Mercedes S500
6) 1995 Mercedes E320 Cabriolet
7) 1990 Mercedes 500SL
8) 1964 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III

Sold recently and recent past
2006 Land Rover LR3--replaced by new LR4
2002 Mercedes ML500-- replaced by '06 LR3
2000 Mercedes E430 Sport--- replaced by Bentley
1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited -- replaced by '02 ML500
1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited-- replaced by '99 Jeep
1994 Mercedes S500--replaced by new '01 S500
1991 Mercedes 560 SEL--replaced by the '00 E430
1987 BMW 325i convertible--replaced by the '90 500SL
1982 Mercedes 300SD---replaced by the '91 560 SEL
1978 Mercedes 450 SL--replaced by the '95 E320

Thinking of.... Replacing the '01 Mercedes S500 for a new 2011 Jaguar XJL

Mark156

guss

I think I like mark's list better than mine. Heck, I'll take the cars he owned 15 years ago over what I have now.

tifighter

That E320 is a classic, IMHO. What color?

I've never considered myself a traditionalist, but I haven't come around on the looks of the XJL yet. The XF has grown on me, though.

qbrozen

1) 2010 Land Rover LR4
2) 2009 Bentley Continental GTC
3) 2008 Monaco Dynasty
4) 2007 Honda CR-V
5) 2001 Mercedes S500
6) 1995 Mercedes E320 Cabriolet
7) 1990 Mercedes 500SL
8) 1964 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III

can't help but think of the song, "which one of these things doesn't belong. which one of these things is not like the other..."

michaellno

1) 2010 Land Rover LR4
2) 2009 Bentley Continental GTC
3) 2008 Monaco Dynasty
4) 2007 Honda CR-V
5) 2001 Mercedes S500
6) 1995 Mercedes E320 Cabriolet
7) 1990 Mercedes 500SL
8) 1964 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III

can't help but think of the song, "which one of these things doesn't belong. which one of these things is not like the other..."

I'm guessing the Monaco, since it's the only one on the list that was built in the USA!

:P