Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

akangl

ok...now that sounds like infatuation is becoming part of this equation..

Nah, I liked the car, but could I walk away from it and say no? Yup, no problem, I'm not attached to any car until after I drive it off the lot.

It really was a very pretty car, not a typical black. I'd love to have seen it clean rather then dusty dirty from our lovely winter weather.

ronsteve

ok...now that sounds like infatuation is becoming part of this equation..

But that's ok right?..

Of course... this is Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous, and there has to be SOME component of infatuation involved with being a CCB.

Speaking of... my fiancee's Jetta-lust is very dangerous when it gets me around SportWagens... might just end up being a his-and-hers kinda purchase.

lilengineerboy

I was thinking, well, I drove an '08 the other day and didn't like it, so why bother with this one. He got me to drive it and surprisingly it was so much different then the 3 year old one I test drove last week.

Will this one drive like that one when its 3 years old and you will feel the same way?

steine13

Will this one drive like that one when its 3 years old and you will feel the same way?

You're kidding, right?
This puppy will be looong gone when it's 3 years old.

Cheers -Mathias

isellhondas

I like that term, "feature creep" and that is exactly what has happened.

People "have" to have all of these little extras that, in the past we all did quite nicely without and in response, the car manufactures add them.

And, prices go up and up.

People think a six speed automatic is better than a five speed. One more speed, huh, so it "must" be, in some way better.

Can't live without keyless remote? I leave mine in the drawer because I hate the extra bulk in my pocket.

Headlights that turn themselves off and on? Ah...I'm perfectly able to do that myself. Leather which is hot in the summer and cold in the winter?

Oh, but easier to clean? Can't people eat at home?

Honda tries to resist this trend toward more and more but when they hear things like..." You would THINK that Honda would include XXXX" they get forced into adding "stuff".

Maybe it's me. Maybe I grew up in a time of less excess?

Sandman6472

Agreed, we're the only house on the block that can get both cars in at night...we have our "stuff" on the sides or hung on the walls. I bought a garage to put our cars into, not use as a storage facility! It's also nice to get into a dry car in the rain or a warm car in the cold. Down south here we have lots of morning dew on the windows which makes seeing out in any direction difficult. But since I have my side of the garage, it's never a problem for me...or the wife...the kids park outside when home...period!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

Sandman6472

My mechanic said the car is dry as a bone underneath & he found nothing wrong...all fluids up to snuff, NOTHING! The alignment was also in order but they did find a nail in my left front tire which caused the pressure to drop down to 20psi. They repaired the tire as per the road hazard warranty & I was on my way. He said to keep an eye out for the same sticky substance & if it returns, call him. If not, there's nothing wrong to fix. He also said the car's in great shape for it's age and mileage, 30,587. Figured I'd have at least 1/2 dozen years left keeping it the way I do...yay!!!

I'm a happy camper now, but I know the leak will return at some point. But if it's like that oil leak I had about 1 1/2 years ago, it won't come back!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

isellhondas

Our cars are parked in the garage too and I like it that way.

The people across the street from us keep an immaculate house inside and out but I think I might have trouble hammering a toothpick into their garage.

That "leak" may have come from something you ran over. 30,000 mile Hondas never leak anything!

akangl

That "leak" may have come from something you ran over. 30,000 mile Hondas never leak anything!

70k Honda Civics don't leak either, I watch our garage floor like a hawk, but nope, the little Civic doesn't leave anything but dirt behind.

isellhondas

Sometimes around 150,000 miles the oil pan gaskets can start leaking a bit but, other than that, leaks are highly unusual.

akangl

You're kidding, right?
This puppy will be looong gone when it's 3 years old.

Awww, give me a little credit, I did keep the Pilot for over 3 years......and the troublesome Titan for 2 years. I am capable of driving something for longer then 6 months.

Sandman6472

Exactly what he said, and since he maintains our cars for us, he knows how anal I am about keeping everything in tip top condition. Glad they found the nail though as I don't drive it much to even tell. Since I've got the "alignment policy" on both cars, they check it whenever I've got some time but all is well there too. And no matter how I'd like something different, back friendly, etc., this car does everything I need right now in transportation...and best thing is it's paid for!

No ,more looking/lusting for me. I can save that stuff for when the wife swaps her vehicle out next year. Can't wait till then!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

Sandman6472

The car sounds really nice actually. Great color & it checks all your boxes for $9k less...y'all do have something to think about here. Now the big question is...do you like it as much or better than the MDX? Go drive it again, and if it's still as good or better than the MDX, just buy it! A few months down the road, you'll be thanking yourself for saving the extra $9k...and I'm sure that y'all will find something else for that "extra saved $"!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

akangl

The car sounds really nice actually. Great color & it checks all your boxes for $9k less...y'all do have something to think about here. Now the big question is...do you like it as much or better than the MDX?

I plan on driving an MDX today and the Acadia one more time, plus a CX-9, then we'll see what I choose.

The Acadia gets better gas mileage and doesn't require the premium that the MDX does, that's a big plus. Sure the Acadia doesn't have the performance of the MDX, but its pleasant and gets the job done. Another nice thing about the Acadia is the dealer is 12 miles away vs 60 miles for the Acura dealer. I hate driving 60 miles for an oil change.

Now off to run errands and who knows, maybe park a new car in the garage!

isellhondas

Yep, "run errands" ..By now we all know what THAT means! :P

tifighter

C'mon, its an errand like any other.

"Today's List:
-Grocery store for milk
-Post office
-Dealer for new three-row SUV
-Dentist appt"

Also, now have driven about 400 miles on the new-to-me RDX. I recall a review I read about it said it drove like "a sporty sedan with a backpack." I'd go with that; its not a 3-series with the sport package, but it handles a lot better than you'd expect by looking at it. I like SH-AWD. And I'm really liking the seats. I think we'll be happy for awhile.

Sandman6472

Mechanic found nothing...just went outside...it leaked again. Drove it around the block, then put some paper towel underneath where it happens. Hopefully I'll find some more in the morning! Seems to happen a few hours after I drive the car. Some fluid must be leaking out after a period of time. Very frustrating!!!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

crkyolfrt

Is it a friendly neighbour playing a joke on you? Maybe he sees you nurturing your cars and decided to have some fun with you. If you never see the leak away from home, then keep and eye out past the curtains...catch 'em in the act..

stickguy

are there any cats nearby? Maybe a seagull?

roadburner

Roadburner - regarding that 335 your looking at, I'll say that the clincher on our purchase was, in fact, the "lemon" interior. We love the look of it, particularly because of the contrasting black pieces (doors, seatbacks, etc.). Of course, we also like the contrast with the Monaco Blue exterior - the one you're looking at is white, right?

I think he lemon color looks MUCH better paired with a dark exterior color, although my wife and son think the white 335i looks fine. I'm really conflicted on this one; it has all the options I want and no options I dislike(well, it does have a hole in the roof, but it was standard in 2007). I just don't know.

akangl

On my way out to pick up the new car now. Not the car I planned but I think you guys will be proud of me for making a sensible choice.

breld

Personally, I'd like that white/lemon color combination due to its uniqueness. There sure are a lot of 3 series around with the black or tan interiors. Nothing wrong with that, but again, we were drawn to the 328 we just bought largely due to that lemon interior.

Of course, if you're not "moved" by it like we were, maybe it's not the right choice. I suppose it depends on how much of a compromise it is for you. On this 328, we bought it "because" of the interior color, not "in spite" of it.

breld

For anyone interested, I thought I'd post some pics of our new purchase.







I'm a sucker for the sports package - I love the seats and steering wheel (I'm good with the AWD models only having the standard suspension). Plus, I like the upgrade on the wheels - those are my favorite wheels available on the 3, and they're staggered. So when we saw this one on the lot, I really took to it.

crkyolfrt

That seat sure looks comfy. Does the bottom leading edge extend at all too?

And a centre armrest that two can actually share with comfort. Proper P brake lever..very nice even if it is an auto.. :P

Do the seatbelts have shoulder belt height adjustability?

stickguy

is "sensible choice" the same as settling?

or more likely, code for "expect to see this traded in before christmas"?

roadburner

Beautiful car.

stickguy

the sports seats with the extendable thigh bolster were always a favorite with me.

and I like the interior color. Although it is hard to really see the detail on a little laptop screen. The contrasting dash/doors is striking.

I would not do a full black BMW interior. Too dark.

breld

That seat sure looks comfy. Does the bottom leading edge extend at all too?

Yeah, they do extend. I really like that feature, as I'm tall with much of that height in my legs.

And a centre armrest that two can actually share with comfort. Proper P brake lever..very nice even if it is an auto..

Yeah, we had been focused solely on ones with a manual trannie, but then we thought we'd at least try out an automatic, and we just fell for the overall package of this one.

And, we have a fun car as a third car (my Miata) with a manual. I've gotten to a point where I definitely want a car in "the fleet" with a stick shift, but it doesn't have to be my daily driver. We've talked plenty of eventually replacing the Miata with a complimenting 3-series, which would definitely have a manual (and likely a coupe).

rayainsw

'sensible choice.'
really?
REALLY?
- Ray
Most curious, now....

28firefighter

Beautiful car, Breld. Enjoy it. That lemon interior is really top notch - I love the contrast with the black dash trim.

qbrozen

My opinion is that if you live in a house with a two car attached garage, the cars you drive the most should be inside. Which makes a remote start unneeded.

I have our 2 toy cars in the garage. I'm much more willing to suffer the task of walking a few feet outside to my 4-year-old commuter car than let my 26-year-old car face the elements year round. The wife's Saab also takes up a garage spot, mostly because I'd like the canvas top to last as long as possible.

fezo

That makes sense. Canvas roofs are NOT cheap.

Haven't heard from Jolie since she said she was picking up her new vehicle. Maybe she's traded it in already...

qbrozen

I wonder how many dealerships are between her and the Chevy dealer.

tifighter

I wonder how many dealerships are between her and the Chevy dealer.

:P

Jolie, we're waiting...

Sandman6472

Gorgeous car...congrats! Just wish I had the $ for a more luxurious car like that or the C Class...guess I'm just not comfortable in that price range. Luckily, I can come in here & listen to all the fun y'all are having. It works for me!

Again, congrats & enjoy the car!!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

Sandman6472

My money's on the Arcadia, as it had everything she liked...and could live with, the price savings & hubby liking it also. And since it's a new car, would be a great choice for her. One thing, douby it'll be around as long as the Pilot!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

Sandman6472

Left the car with the mechanic overnight to try & duplicate the problem. He said he'd drive it a bit also & then wait to see if it comes back. Wife told me to just forget about it...but y'all know I just can't do that. Did find a notice from Honda that I got back in '08 about a leaking engine block...not sure if it is the problem but did mention it to him. I'm not a happy camper here!

No phone call yet, so that's bad news as doubt they found a cause. Ack!!!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

michaellno

No phone call yet, so that's bad news as doubt they found a cause. Ack!!!

Only bad news if you're keeping the Civic ... good news is that if there's a serious problem, you've got ample justification to get a new car.

breld, nice color combination. Didn't know (before rb posted) that BMW offered a "Lemon" color inside.

Guess I need to ping your salesman for a referral check! You did mention to him that you got your name from me, right?

You think Jolie went to the GMC dealer, picked up the Acadia, then over to the Acura place and .... nah, even Jolie's not that fickle.

breld

Guess I need to ping your salesman for a referral check! You did mention to him that you got your name from me, right?

I sure did. And I'm sure he recognized the name, 'cause he mentioned something about you looking for a Z4, but that you wouldn't be ready until June.

Thanks everyone for the kind feedback on the purchase.

I'll tell you one thing I've learned is the value of buying CPO. Of course I understood the economic sense of buying used, but I always had some justification for buying new - whether it be wanting a particular color or set of options or whatever else. The difference in buying my '07 530xi new a few years ago compared to buying this CPO '08 328xi is incredible. Of course it has about 40k miles, but the CPO warranty provides a lot of peace of mind.

tifighter

I'll tell you one thing I've learned is the value of buying CPO.

I hear you loud and clear. My recent Acura CPO deal made buying new seem crazy, and my last 2 cars were bought new. I figure I saved about $10k over new, plus warranty through 2015 and subsidized APR. Consumables like tires and brakes were replaced before the purchase. Tough to fault.

Since I never shared a few weeks ago:

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michaellno

I'm glad to hear you had a good experience with John and Schomp.

My daughter bought her MINI from Schomp last spring - nice folks to work with, and their policy not to add on any sort of "dealer" or "processing" fee is refreshing.

The wife liked the process, too, so, when the time comes, I'm sure it won't be hard to convince her to buy from Schomp - MINI, Honda or BMW. She's more dealer oriented that brand oriented - which is why we kept going back to Saturn so often.

Didn't Lisa Schomp own a Chevy store up in Ft. Lupton or something? Wonder what happened?

Sandman6472

Just called & they can find nothing after driving it & letting it sit...stinks actually. Will pick it up in the morning & just keep wiping up the mess...not happy about that but what else can I do? All the fluids are full so no problem there. So pissed off!!!

Nice RDX there...outstanding color combo...absolutely gorgeous!!! Enjoy.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

isellhondas

Your neighbors dog may have found a new place to lift his leg!

breld

Very nice RDX. I looked at those a couple of years ago and thought it was a great vehicle. I was surprised at how roomy it was in the back, and it has a huge center console, right? Don't they market it as being able to accomodate a laptop?

I also like the wheels and grill on the "pre-facelift" version.

Congrats!

breld

I'm glad to hear you had a good experience with John and Schomp.

My daughter bought her MINI from Schomp last spring - nice folks to work with, and their policy not to add on any sort of "dealer" or "processing" fee is refreshing.

I've really liked Schomp's approach for years, though this happens to be the first purchase I've actually made there. Their "no-haggle" pricing is really nice. As much as I feel I have a good grasp of the cost of cars, used and new, it's nice to not have to worry about the negotiating part. It seems they price their cars fairly, and if you can find one that's been sitting for a little while, and they've thus reduced their price, it's a good deal (that was the case with the car we purchased).

There was also no back and forth on the trade value. They offered a trade value higher than what KBB indicated, and since they have a set price for the new car, you can be comfortable they're not "playing around" with the trade offer.

I also like that the salesperson handled the entire transaction from beginning to end. We simply sat in his office and he brought all the paperwork for the purchase and financing to us.

Great experience.

steine13

Given that she isn't saying, I'm gonna put my money on the CX-9.

Who else is playing?

-Mathias

stickguy

I wrote off the Acadia when she said something more sensible. CX-9 isn't really cheaper I don't think.

so maybe she went smaller/cheaper. Big discount on a tribute at the mazda dealer?

in any case, likely something that will be a compromise, and will be getting traded in before labor day!

stickguy

talking to myself, but I will change my vote to the envoy, or whatever they call the smaller SUV that is based on the Chevy compact.

kyfdx

Equinox?

Nah.. too small..

tifighter

I was surprised at how roomy it was in the back, and it has a huge center console, right? Don't they market it as being able to accomodate a laptop?

Yeah, they do say that, and I believe it; it is a huge compartment. Even funnier than putting a laptop in the center console is this wacky contraption that is an actual Acura accessory:


They call it the cooler bag. Note the size of that OJ container...looks to be a half-gallon. What surprises me is that Honda is encouraging people to put a bag full of melting ice in their center console...the same one that has a 12V outlet, a light, and now, a USB plug. :confuse: