Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

nyccarguy

@qbrozen said:
Oh, so the bimmer is up for sale. Not sure if OK to post this here. Just showing off my first web page. haha. I've only posted it on bimmerfest for starters.

Awesome job on the site and the pics. Very impressive!

roadburner

stickguy said:

roadburner said:

Still looking for a truly off-road capable SUV; I wish Nissan still sold the Xterra; that's about the only thing I like as well as a Wrangler...

what about a 2 door Bronco?

Not bad, I just prefer the JK/JL and the Xterra.

stickguy

Well, the Brelds really have few things left they haven't owned so need to scrape the bottom of the barrel a bit.

qbrozen

@stickguy said:
nice pictures and video. But (maybe I am just old) seems like more written descriptions would be helpful? This was a federalized import, right? I would want to know that.

nice use of the Charger in your logo too.

Thanks. The description is in the bimmerfest post. I probably should mention the NJ title. Forgot that.

tjc78

@breld said:
So, I know it’s strange, but a few weeks ago at the Denver Auto Show, I decided to poke around the Lexus GX460 and found it appealing in its old school way. I’ve since driven a couple examples and both my wife and I are impressed. I think it’s the traditional feel of the drive…it has this solid tank-like ride and the comfort level surprised me given what it is. Equally surprising is how slow the V8 is, but it adds to the old school manner of the vehicle.

Brand new model is due out by the end of the year, surely with a turbo 6 and obviously with updated styling inside and out.

The 4Runner and GX are the Panther of the SUV world. I like the GX as well, certainly not a penalty box by any means.

tjc78

@qbrozen said:
Oh, so the bimmer is up for sale. Not sure if OK to post this here. Just showing off my first web page. haha. I've only posted it on bimmerfest for starters.

Great ad!

explorerx4

The picture of the underneath of the car really help show how clean it is.

kyfdx

nyccarguy

@breld said:
So, I know it’s strange, but a few weeks ago at the Denver Auto Show, I decided to poke around the Lexus GX460 and found it appealing in its old school way. I’ve since driven a couple examples and both my wife and I are impressed. I think it’s the traditional feel of the drive…it has this solid tank-like ride and the comfort level surprised me given what it is. Equally surprising is how slow the V8 is, but it adds to the old school manner of the vehicle.

Brand new model is due out by the end of the year, surely with a turbo 6 and obviously with updated styling inside and out.

The GX is a cool truck for sure. They hold their value incredibly well. There is a broker on LH selling new ones at 10% off and says they are going for MSRP at auction. Thirsty V8, body on frame, indestructible. I’d consider a used one except I don’t think it’s any bigger than our Highlander on the inside.

The one thing i'd caution is how thirsty it really is as far as range goes. My best friend has a '17 LX570 which is bigger, heavier, and has a bigger engine than the GX. He LOVES the way it is built. He's going on 2 years with it (which speaks volumes). The one thing he doesn't like is the fact that it barely gets 300 miles to a tank of gas.

stickguy

Porsche looks good in the driveway. And practically brand new.

enjoy it!

Michaell

kyfdx said:

Congrats! Shakedown cruise today?

nyccarguy

@kyfdx - WOW! Looks great!

kyfdx

Getting ready to head out now. 🙂

qbrozen

kyfdx said:

I'm ashamed of how dirty most of my cars are right now.

stickguy

did you drive this back from PA or have it shipped?

explorerx4

Ooh, moderator is going to be gone for a while. Play time!

pensfan83

@stickguy said:
did you drive this back from PA or have it shipped?

I didn't get a ride so shipped I assume

oldfarmer50

qbrozen said:

Very displeased with my Mini purchase. I realize it is Copart, but I didn't realize they can just flat out lie. How can you say it runs and drives when it won't start? And how is "minor dents and scratches" the same as "looks like a repaint is in order"? And it appears at least one corner of suspension is well bent. OH yeah, and there is the little matter of a previously shattered window that has since been replaced (without removing any of the busted glass) with one from a different vehicle AND we totally failed to get it to roll back up, so water has been inside the vehicle and destroyed at least the driver's seat. So glad I went with a cheap first purchase from them.

Auto Auctions Rebuilds gets a lot of cars from them and they are generally in need of major repairs just to become beaters.

28firefighter

Looks awesome, @kyfdx! How is it?

oldfarmer50

explorerx4 said:

If you want to roll the dice.
https://www.govplanet.com/for-sale/Humvees-AM-General-M1097R1-HMMWV-4-Door-Soft-Top-w/Truck-Body-Pennsylvania/9860051?h=5000,ct|35,c|3468,l2|USA-PA,sm|0,mf|1&rr=0.5&hitprm=&pnLink=yes
or this.
https://www.govplanet.com/jsp/s/item/9748584?&feedage=20230516&feedacct=GOVUSA&utm_source=criteo&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=Non Buyers&src=criteo

Looks like high quality stuff. I wonder if the Humvee was one from Afghanistan that the Taliban didn’t want.

oldfarmer50

nyccarguy said:

@breld said:

So, I know it’s strange, but a few weeks ago at the Denver Auto Show, I decided to poke around the Lexus GX460 and found it appealing in its old school way. I’ve since driven a couple examples and both my wife and I are impressed. I think it’s the traditional feel of the drive…it has this solid tank-like ride and the comfort level surprised me given what it is. Equally surprising is how slow the V8 is, but it adds to the old school manner of the vehicle.

Brand new model is due out by the end of the year, surely with a turbo 6 and obviously with updated styling inside and out.

The GX is a cool truck for sure. They hold their value incredibly well. There is a broker on LH selling new ones at 10% off and says they are going for MSRP at auction. Thirsty V8, body on frame, indestructible. I’d consider a used one except I don’t think it’s any bigger than our Highlander on the inside.

The one thing i'd caution is how thirsty it really is as far as range goes. My best friend has a '17 LX570 which is bigger, heavier, and has a bigger engine than the GX. He LOVES the way it is built. He's going on 2 years with it (which speaks volumes). The one thing he doesn't like is the fact that it barely gets 300 miles to a tank of gas.

If a vehicle is going for sticker at auction why is the broker offering it to you for 10% off? What am I missing?

kyfdx

stickguy said:

did you drive this back from PA or have it shipped?

Shipped. $800. Paid for it, yesterday morning. They picked it up around Noon. Delivered at 7:45 AM today

kyfdx

28firefighter said:

Looks awesome, @kyfdx! How is it?

Pretty nice. I'd rather have 18" than 19" wheels. It rides okay, but expansion joints are noticeable. More rattles than my GTI. Great handling. Stiff clutch, notchy shifter, but easy to drive. Sounds great! Plenty of punch.

I'm driving it around on historic plates, leftover from our '87 325iS, so can't let loose, as I really don't want to get pulled over. (I do have an insurance card and bill of sale, though). Appears to have homelink, but I haven't tried setting that up, yet. CD changer in the frunk. Single CD slot in the dash. (old man approved).

10 way power seats. tilt/telescope wheel, so easy to get comfortable. I like the seat pretty far down, so that makes it easy to get in and out of (relatively).

Cosmetics are great. Have some really nice service records. It appears the last owner bought it in 2012 as CPO. Major service in 2020 that included plugs, belts, pulleys, water pump, etc. Car only as about 1200 miles since then. Oil change, just last month.

qbrozen

oldfarmer50 said:

If a vehicle is going for sticker at auction why is the broker offering it to you for 10% off? What am I missing?

Well ...
1. It isn't typically acceptable behavior for a broker to buy up vehicles from his dealer network and sell them at a profit. He/she'd lose dealers very quick.
2. Dealers can't sell their own new vehicles at auction, lest the manufacturer stop providing inventory.
3. As a consumer, buying at 10% off but then adding back tax, tags, and fees leaves zero profit if selling back at MSRP.

explorerx4

When I shipped my Mustang from basically Hartford to Cleveland, it got picked up at 8pm and was delivered by noon the next day. About the same amount to ship.
I went through Shiply(a broker) on Qbrozen's recommendation.

jmonroe1

kyfdx said:

————————————————
Just showing off to the hood.

Have a good time with it but you didn’t need to hear that from me.

jmonroe

kyfdx

explorerx4 said:

When I shipped my Mustang from basically Hartford to Cleveland, it got picked up at 8pm and was delivered by noon the next day. About the same amount to ship.
I went through Shiply(a broker) on Qbrozen's recommendation.

The BaT seller (small dealer) arranged the shipping. Driver told me this morning, that he got to the area around 1 AM this morning. With better communication, I could have taken delivery then (about 13 hours). But, I was happy to wait until this morning, to unload and inspect in the daylight.

kyfdx

Really great service records came with this car, since it was sold CPO in 2012.

In 2020, it had a $3500 service. And, it's only been driven 700 miles since then.

ab348

Looks great and the history sounds the same. Very nice, @kyfdx !

kyfdx

Thanks to everyone for all the good wishes.

Please see my GoFundMe to accumulate funds for the next service visit.

laurasdada

Congrats, kyfdx. Welcome to the Punch '23 club!

kyfdx

Oh yeah... hey, @corvette ! I have a punch!

corvette

Congrats, @kyfdx! Looks like we're at 16 punches for the year, counting @stickguy's Maverick later this week.

jmonroe1

kyfdx said:

stickguy said:

did you drive this back from PA or have it shipped?

Shipped. $800. Paid for it, yesterday morning. They picked it up around Noon. Delivered at 7:45 AM today

————————————————
I’m not saying you paid too much because you have to pay the going rate at the time of purchase. However, as I mentioned before, Son #1 had his X3 shipped from Portland OR to Southwestern PA for a tick over $1,100 excluding drivers tip. Based on what you paid for shipping from eastern PA to Kentucky it looks like my son didn’t do bad at all for his shipping costs.

jmonroe

28firefighter

Cross-country shipping in my experience is a better "value" in terms of cost per mile (assuming you aren't looking for top tier enclosed/solo vehicle carrier transport), but the pick-up and delivery windows are really fluid.

kyfdx

In any case, $1100 was a great deal.

Sandman6472

Jmonroe, found this pic from 1976 of my twin & me next to the folks '75 Pontiac Grand Prix, white vinyl roof over black with a blood red interior. Was surprised they bought it because we usually owned 4-door vehicles for the most part. Up until then, they always had Cadillacs, Lincolns and a Buick in their fleet. And when we were all home, there was no way to fit all six of us in that thing. Typical GM for that time period and they stayed with Pontiac's for many years after that until my mom, a widow by then, started getting Mercury Grand Marquises.

qbrozen

kyfdx said:

Really great service records came with this car, since it was sold CPO in 2012.

In 2020, it had a $3500 service. And, it's only been driven 700 miles since then.

So it hasn't been serviced in 3 years?

tifighter

breld said:

So, I know it’s strange, but a few weeks ago at the Denver Auto Show, I decided to poke around the Lexus GX460 and found it appealing in its old school way. I’ve since driven a couple examples and both my wife and I are impressed. I think it’s the traditional feel of the drive…it has this solid tank-like ride and the comfort level surprised me given what it is. Equally surprising is how slow the V8 is, but it adds to the old school manner of the vehicle.

Brand new model is due out by the end of the year, surely with a turbo 6 and obviously with updated styling inside and out.

Just make sure you also like a 15mpg city...

Sandman6472

Wow, that's a really nice vehicle! Is it going to be put in the garage or stay outside? Mazel tov on the new addition to the family!!

kyfdx

qbrozen said:

kyfdx said:

Really great service records came with this car, since it was sold CPO in 2012.

In 2020, it had a $3500 service. And, it's only been driven 700 miles since then.

So it hasn't been serviced in 3 years?

Oil change, last month. It was only driven 700 miles in those three years. Oil change done by the same shop that did the service in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020.

pensfan83

kyfdx said:

stickguy said:

did you drive this back from PA or have it shipped?

Shipped. $800. Paid for it, yesterday morning. They picked it up around Noon. Delivered at 7:45 AM today

Assuming they came out the turnpike into Ohio at least $100 of that went directly to tolls so I don't think that's bad at all.

kyfdx

pensfan83 said:

kyfdx said:

stickguy said:

did you drive this back from PA or have it shipped?

Shipped. $800. Paid for it, yesterday morning. They picked it up around Noon. Delivered at 7:45 AM today

Assuming they came out the turnpike into Ohio at least $100 of that went directly to tolls so I don't think that's bad at all.

I paid the seller, so they probably get a $100 cut. Considering I wired the money on Tuesday morning, and got delivery just 22 hours later, I'm pretty happy.

kyfdx

05/2023: delivery 39,671 odo
04/2023: oil change 39,645 odo
03/2020: oil change, drive belts, pulleys, air/cabin filters, spark plugs, man trans fluid change, ignition coils, inner and out tie rod end replacement 38,994 odo (appears to be $3500 total for this service)
09/2018: evap leak. gas cap replaced 38,463 odo
07/2018: oil change 38,304 odo
03/2016: oil change, A/C evacuate/recharge 36,891 odo
04/2014: oil change 32147 odo

This is from the last owner who bought it CPO in 2012.

You can see why he sold it. Only 1600 miles in the last five years, and only 700 miles in the last three years.

kyfdx

Assuming these are all the records since 2012, what I don't see is a brake fluid change.

jmonroe1

kyfdx said:

Assuming these are all the records since 2012, what I don't see is a brake fluid change.

————————————————
You can’t have everything. I doubt you’ll have any trouble keeping fresh gas in it.

jmonroe

stickguy

And, it starts!

tjc78

@stickguy said:
And, it starts!

Didn’t even get one day!

@kyfdx
Awesome car!! Know you’ve been waiting for this

tifighter

Pricing for the Ineos Grenadier dropped today-
https://caranddriver.com/news/a43916167/ineos-grenadier-suv-pricing/

rayains

kyfdx -
Congrats!
- Ray
Hope it is very enjoyable!