Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

jmonroe1

oldfarmer50 said:

What do you guys think of the 2024 Nissan Titan pick up? I drove a brand new one on a trip today and it averaged a ghastly 9 mpg! I know it’s a pretty big 5.6L V-8 but really? $51k sticker including destination.

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That’s Peterbilt range isn’t it?

jmonroe

stickguy

a big clumsy boat.

xwesx

stickguy said:

being up in salt country (they have salted more than once already, it is awful) I hate taking the car out. So instead of getting a 3rd car winter beater, getting a low mile lease to replace one of the cars (probably the RDX) and just using that for winter duty when there is evil salt spray stuff on the roads, and in 3 years when it is already getting crusty, just give it back.

I suspect that is a "thing" in those parts! That's how we got ahold of our Crosstrek!

xwesx

oldfarmer50 said:

What do you guys think of the 2024 Nissan Titan pick up? I drove a brand new one on a trip today and it averaged a ghastly 9 mpg! I know it’s a pretty big 5.6L V-8 but really? $51k sticker including destination.

Both the Titan and Tundra get truly horrific fuel economy. My friend with the NV3500 has the same engine in his van, and it's been a good machine for them. It pulls their huge travel trailer with ease and does duty as their daily runabout (for 5+ years running now!). Terrible fuel economy, though. I think he said his long-term average on it is just over ten mpg, and he gets right at seven when he is towing.

tjc78

@xwesx said:
Both the Titan and Tundra get truly horrific fuel economy. My friend with the NV3500 has the same engine in his van, and it's been a good machine for them. It pulls their huge travel trailer with ease and does duty as their daily runabout (for 5+ years running now!). Terrible fuel economy, though. I think he said his long-term average on it is just over ten mpg, and he gets right at seven when he is towing.

Numbers like that make me appreciate the 16-17 the Ram averages with my heavy foot

venture

tjc78 said:

The paper protects them so that you can’t come in after a major out of warranty repair and say you weren’t offered coverage.

In the grand scheme not a big deal to sign off saying you don’t want it. That’s the last thing about the car buying process I would stress over.

Yeah. I get that. I've never heard of that happening for real though. I know all the ones I have dealt with, except for the Mazda dealer, do the same thing, but I wonder if it's the "monkey see, monkey do" syndrome.

Wouldn't it be something if all stores did that?

Stress? There is no stress.

qbrozen

@Sandman6472 said:
Then I've got a big issue if none on my short list are going to make me happy...a really big issue. Got to put my thinking cap on for this one folks. A GTI is the last thing I'd purchase at this point so not sure what's left for me. I do need something "fun" to drive like my Golf or I ain't getting rid of it. Did think a Mini Cooper might work but not so sure actually. So, someone in here, please help me out here as there's got to be something small that I would love to own, there's got to be! I had tossed around the Lexus UX as it's small and a hybrid so it could work. A bit on the pricey side but maybe at months end they'd be willing to do a deal just to move one more unit.

At the post office this morning, pulled a nail out of the sidewall of my front drivers side door. So far, so good but will know better in the morning. That would suck as I've got four brand new tires on there, Tire Plus's home brand which I really don't mind. Just don't want to go through the hassle of it all right now. Therapy was rough today as my regular guy called out & this different guy had me do too much...think it would've been better to just postpone for a week truthfully. Am scheduled for three more weekly sessions & then who knows after that. I was down all afternoon actually so going to bed soon as tomorrow is a work day. So tired of not feeling well!!!

What happened to your Corolla Cross obsession? What is the size limitation? Pretty good lease deal on a Dodge Hornet right now.

au1994

Titan is going away. I’ve seen 10k discounts already. But hey, 10k buys a lot of gas!

tjc78

@au1994 said:
Titan is going away. I’ve seen 10k discounts already. But hey, 10k buys a lot of gas!

From what I hear all full size pickups are sitting on lots and readily discounted.

corvette

My Tundra had a few tanks below 10 MPG, and several fill-ups over $100. I suspect the new Tundra with the turbocharged engine is better.

au1994

I had the 5.7 in my Land Cruiser with some miles on it. I’d say 12-14 in town and only marginally better ay 16-18 on the highway in the year I had it.

mjfloyd1

@au1994 said:
I had the 5.7 in my Land Cruiser with some miles on it. I’d say 12-14 in town and only marginally better ay 16-18 on the highway in the year I had it.

Wasn’t it a 4.7 V8? I had one. Good motor. Could rarely pass a gas station though😂

tifighter

Mobile tire installer from Discount here to mount that set of Pilot wheels I bought with new winter tires. Discount buying out Tire Rack is great!

jmonroe1

mjfloyd1 said:

@au1994 said:

I had the 5.7 in my Land Cruiser with some miles on it. I’d say 12-14 in town and only marginally better ay 16-18 on the highway in the year I had it.

Wasn’t it a 4.7 V8? I had one. Good motor. Could rarely pass a gas station though😂

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I’ve never had a car in my life that got good mileage. However, they never lacked for power either and that’s what mattered to me.

When it comes to guzzlers you have be like a parent and know when to say NO. Like the times you approach a gas station with less that a 1/2 tank.

jmonroe

au1994

mjfloyd1 said:

@au1994 said:

I had the 5.7 in my Land Cruiser with some miles on it. I’d say 12-14 in town and only marginally better ay 16-18 on the highway in the year I had it.

Wasn’t it a 4.7 V8? I had one. Good motor. Could rarely pass a gas station though😂

That was in the previous generation. I think they went to the 5.7 in the L200.

pensfan83

tifighter said:

Mobile tire installer from Discount here to mount that set of Pilot wheels I bought with new winter tires. Discount buying out Tire Rack is great!

Pictures when complete please.

laurasdada

When I bought the A7, Mr. F&I was all sweetness, "Can I get you coffee, water?" No, I'm good, let's just BTO this and take care of business.
When I declined the extended warranty on the blinker fluid storage capacitor, he did quite the 180. Once we had signed the appropriate papers, he got up and left (closed the dealer) with a quiet, "good night."

Cuz ya gotta have friends!

corvette

I inadvertently had to do the EV road trip thing with my MacBook at a continuing education class a couple weeks ago. They used to have a row or two of tables with power strips, but didn't this time. Nor were there available plugs along the outside walls. The battery generally lasts 3-5 hours depending on usage and screen brightness. Started the day with a full charge, and used two or three 15 minute breaks between sessions to add some charge. Ended the day at about 20% charge.

Sandman6472

I drove a couple new Corolla's this week and they were, for lack of a better term, AWFUL! Not sure if the Corolla Cross has the same engine but still, don't think I'll be happy with one. Agree with Stick here on the 2024 Kona. Saw a new one coming in to the dealer from a test drive today and definitely liked the looks. A bit ore modern then the 2023 model my wife just bought. It'll fit on my side with no issues and have no issue owning the same vehicle even though mine would look different.

Not crazy about the Mazda CX-30 and just hope for 2024, they fixed that dreadful infotainment system. Our 2005 3s stayed with us just over ten years & we liked it...a lot. But not sure I want another one.

au1994

For todays bit of humor, I was quoted $920/mo on a 36/12 for a Lincoln Nautilus with a MSRP of $55k.

explorerx4

@au1994,
Is that for the new China built 2024 model?

au1994

explorerx4 said:

@au1994,
Is that for the new China built 2024 model?

It was a ‘23.

I know 1% leases are long gone but that number is ridiculous, even for first pencil.

explorerx4

@au1994,
Lincoln website has lower lease numbers for the 23's. No numbers for the 24.

jmonroe1

au1994 said:

For todays bit of humor, I was quoted $920/mo on a 36/12 for a Lincoln Nautilus with a MSRP of $55k.

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I suspect you’re going to get a follow-up price of around $855/month. Be patient. You may be fishing from that boat come Spring time.

jmonroe

explorerx4

@au1994,
You should ask about the numbers on the appropriate leasing board here on Edmunds.

tjc78

@au1994 said:
It was a ‘23.

I know 1% leases are long gone but that number is ridiculous, even for first pencil.

Not gone but harder to find and can’t be picky!

That payment is insane!

au1994

Some background on what has me looking. Earlier this week the 328i died on jr on his way to school. He stopped to get a drink and came out and it was dead, wouldn’t even release the key or go into neutral. Of course it’s a day I am in the office 35 min away so I leave and arrange a tow as he and a friend supposedly tried to jump it. The shop calls me that afternoon and says everything checked out…battery, alternator etc. I’d have much rather them told me the alternator was shot rather than a random electrical gremlin.

So being the end of the year we decided to see if we could come up with a good lease for my wife and hand down the X1. As I said earlier I am casting a wide net for now: XC60, GV70, Atlas, RDX, Q5, GLC…you get the picture. I’m trying to steer her to the RDX. Even at first blush it has the best numbers. She is more partial to the Q5 or GV70. I’d be ok with the Q5 on a lease but wouldn’t want to own it outside that term. I know the inside of the GV is really nice but the outside is a heaping serving of ‘meh’ to me. We’ve got a lacrosse tournament this weekend so won’t get to any test drives but I’ve got some time to burn this year so I may take a day off and do some drives and take them to her at work to scope out.

Don’t have to do anything but if a good deal presents itself it might get done. And yes, my first offer is going to be 1%.

Michaell

au1994 said:

Some background on what has me looking. Earlier this week the 328i died on jr on his way to school. He stopped to get a drink and came out and it was dead, wouldn’t even release the key or go into neutral. Of course it’s a day I am in the office 35 min away so I leave and arrange a tow as he and a friend supposedly tried to jump it. The shop calls me that afternoon and says everything checked out…battery, alternator etc. I’d have much rather them told me the alternator was shot rather than a random electrical gremlin.

So being the end of the year we decided to see if we could come up with a good lease for my wife and hand down the X1. As I said earlier I am casting a wide net for now: XC60, GV70, Atlas, RDX, Q5, GLC…you get the picture. I’m trying to steer her to the RDX. Even at first blush it has the best numbers. She is more partial to the Q5 or GV70. I’d be ok with the Q5 on a lease but wouldn’t want to own it outside that term. I know the inside of the GV is really nice but the outside is a heaping serving of ‘meh’ to me. We’ve got a lacrosse tournament this weekend so won’t get to any test drives but I’ve got some time to burn this year so I may take a day off and do some drives and take them to her at work to scope out.

Don’t have to do anything but if a good deal presents itself it might get done. And yes, my first offer is going to be 1%.

I really like the GV70 - I test drove the 2.5T a year ago. @breld suggested I try the 3.5T but there wasn't one available at the time.

I didn't like the Atlas - felt a lot like the Expedition we had years ago, size wise, and just felt cheap inside compared to the others you've listed.

Since it's a lease, the Q5 might be a good option. Big incentives on them, at the moment, especially if you can find a leftover 2023 model.

tjc78

@au1994
Check out the brokers on LH.

One example:

XC60 with a $53,100 MSRP is $613 with Costco and 6.625% tax. Can do MSDs too if you want to lower the payment.

Not an amazing deal but I’d wager tough to duplicate without a lot of legwork

Sandman6472

MSD's...what are those? Since we've never leased, have no clue.

jmonroe1

Sandman6472 said:

MSD's...what are those? Since we've never leased, have no clue.

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Google can explain it without a long post here.

jmonroe

Michaell

Sandman6472 said:

MSD's...what are those? Since we've never leased, have no clue.

MSD = multiple security deposit. The ability to "buy down" the interest rate you pay on a lease, and you get that money back at the end.

Sort of like buying down points on a mortgage.

(see, @jmonroe1, not that long of an explanation)

mjfloyd1

MSD are Multiple Security Deposits. They are used to lower the MF (money factor) that is akin to interest rate in a lease. The multiple security deposits are refunded at the end of the lease. Typically one security deposit is roughly equal to a monthly payment. Much better than a down payment on a lease because down payments would disappear if the vehicle was totaled.

The manufacturer leasing company dictates how many security deposits that you can put down and each lowers the MF by a bit. BMW allows up to 7 MSDs if I recall correctly but it is different for each manufacturer’s leasing company.

jmonroe1

Michaell said:

Sandman6472 said:

MSD's...what are those? Since we've never leased, have no clue.

MSD = multiple security deposit. The ability to "buy down" the interest rate you pay on a lease, and you get that money back at the end.

Sort of like buying down points on a mortgage.

(see, @jmonroe1, not that long of an explanation)

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Show off.

jmonroe

stickguy

gave my son some buyers remorse. he still missed his old Genesis (G70) and was interested in the GV70 before he bought the Telluride. A big reason he passed on the Genesis was because the dealer was about an hour away from him (only on in the area) and he didn't like dealing with that. So last night I saw an article online that the franchise just got sold and was moving down close to where he lives. I told him to ride out the Audi until the spring before making a move!

corvette

JRGo mentioned in a recent episode that his Tesla reduced its charging current because it detected a significant voltage drop when charging at a higher amperage. That got me curious, so I tested my garage circuit with the Volt not charging, and it was around 122 volts. With the Volt charging at 8 amps, it dropped to 117. That circuit is shared with a radon fan, but no other significant loads. I don’t plan to switch to 12 amp charging unless I run a dedicated circuit.

corvette

Verified that the dashcams in both the Volt and Maverick are functioning. If the right curtain airbag in the Volt ever goes off, the camera and cable are going to become projectiles, but I guess we all take our chances… I felt like there was no way the A pillar trim was going to come off without breaking.

qbrozen

This was great. Such a strong lead. I should keep messaging him daily “when can you come in to the store?”

breld

@stickguy...I mean, it's not like he can't make a quick trade of the Telluride for a GV70.

Realistically, I'd assume the Telluride holds its value pretty well.

breld

This is fun...

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a46065165/2024-bmw-z4-manual-drive/

I bet it'll be easier to get your hands on a manual Z4 than how it's been for a Supra, simply due to the dealership network and ability to place orders.

stickguy

@breld said:
@stickguy...I mean, it's not like he can't make a quick trade of the Telluride for a GV70.

Realistically, I'd assume the Telluride holds its value pretty well.

I would never suggest it but it would not shock me if it happened but would likely require a deal that has him come out while (essentially a discount on the GV to get trade in be what he paid). At least in that scenario no tax hit!

stickguy

@breld said:
This is fun...

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a46065165/2024-bmw-z4-manual-drive/

I bet it'll be easier to get your hands on a manual Z4 than how it's been for a Supra, simply due to the dealership network and ability to place orders.

If I was independently wealthy I would love that car for a toy. Gorgeous.

nyccarguy

Thinking out loud about what to do with my current automotive fleet.

We've got the '22 Jeep Wrangler 4Xe which is fun, quite economical, & the perfect size for my 17 year old. At $508 per month it seems like a good price to be paying for a $60K+ vehicle. The downside is the fact that I took out a 10K per year lease (30K total) and am currently sitting at 31,500. Also the personal property tax for the year is close to $1000 that I have to pay on or before August 1. I never planned on riding out the full lease. Sometime between now and March (the 2 year mark) would seem like a good time to try and ditch it somehow (trade in or 3rd party sale).

Next up is out '22 Highlander. So much to love about it like the strong V6 and comfort for 2-4 people. 42,000 miles and we recently had new Cross Climate tires installed at 36K miles. Financed at 2.49% for 60 months. Current payment is $848 per month. We only owe a little more than $30K on it and it will be 2 years old at the end of February. Cons on the Highlander besides the high monthly are the space when the 5 of us do travel together.

3rd, but finally not least is the '23 Tacoma SR. As crazy as it sounds, this has turned out to be the perfect commuter vehicle for me. The $350 per month payment is palatable. It is comfortable, rough road surfaces aren't a problem, it does hustle when called upon, and fuel economy isn't terrible. It is tough, well built, & has a wonderful "commanding" view of the road.

I don't want a different 3 row SUV. Assuming I can get out of each car free & clear (the Wrangler might be borderline). Maybe a Tundra would give me the interior space I need as well as plenty of cargo space in the bed. Could maybe get my wife a Camry or Accord. Then what do I do for my son?

28firefighter

I think you're going to have a tough time flipping the Wrangler without spending a lot. Values have dropped dramatically on these and the market is a bit flooded. @qbrozen can tell you best, for sure, but you may be better riding that one out and limiting the mileage.

stickguy

A tundra commuting into the city does not sound like fun at all.

I would try to dump the jeep and get a cheap sedan for the kid, and ride out the other 2.

jmonroe1

stickguy said:

@breld said:

This is fun...

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a46065165/2024-bmw-z4-manual-drive/

I bet it'll be easier to get your hands on a manual Z4 than how it's been for a Supra, simply due to the dealership network and ability to place orders.

If I was independently wealthy I would love that car for a toy. Gorgeous.

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Here we go again. But a good excuse to build than extra garage sooner than later.

jmonroe

cdnpinhead

Commuting into the city is never fun.

It's all relative.

pensfan83

Mass transit is one's friend.

stickguy

@pensfan83 said:
Mass transit is one's friend.

When it exists. Pretty sure his options are limited in that area!

And I was thinking more about the logistics of driving that barge in and having to street park it.

stickguy

@jmonroe1 said:
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Here we go again. But a good excuse to build than extra garage sooner than later.

jmonroe

Definitely need the garage first. Though by the time that is paid for the budget might cover a rusted out Miata with a blown engine!