Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

au1994

@28firefighter said:
I took a 2024 WRX Premium manual for a test drive this afternoon. For a car that has been largely panned as meh, it is an exceedingly fun sedan. Clutch and shifter were not nearly as sloppy as I expected and despite not having touched a manual car since I sold the ZHP, I got back in a rhythm quickly.

It’s very tempting. Huge discounts on them, competitive residuals…

Glad you like it! I’d always heard them described as crude or unrefined but sounds like they are better now.

suydam

Day 2 trip. Charged overnight at the hotel to 80%. Cost $16. Very easy. I notice several EVs here at the hotel, including a Ford F 150 Lightning. We may see if later today we can find a fast charger around here so we can charge to the full 100%.

28firefighter

I was doing some reading last night and the irony is that Subaru heard the feedback and made it more refined for daily driving and then the loyal fan base got upset. Can’t win them all.

corvette

@suydam - did you have the Blazer set to stop charging at 80%, or was that all the juice you got overnight?

suydam

This station only allows charging to 80%. I think maybe that’s common for hotels? I can’t complain, as we just had to plug in where we are already staying, and then unplugged this morning and moved the car to give someone else the opportunity. We will probably have lunch somewhere where we can get that last 20% at a fast charger.
Most hotels run by Hilton have these charging stations now. Bonus: they are pet friendly too.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

that's why I have insurance. If someone wants my car bad enough to go to all that trouble, they can have it and I will just have to get another one!

prices probably going up though with all the storms. Even though dealers seem to be stuffed with inventory. Maybe 2 hurricanes will actually be enough to get Stellantis dealers off the skids and selling units.

They’re probably counting on doing dealer trades to Florida to clear their lots.

au1994

28firefighter said:

I was doing some reading last night and the irony is that Subaru heard the feedback and made it more refined for daily driving and then the loyal fan base got upset. Can’t win them all.

With every new generation of Wrangler, the Jeep forums do the same thing.

laurasdada

suydam said:

This station only allows charging to 80%. I think maybe that’s common for hotels? I can’t complain, as we just had to plug in where we are already staying, and then unplugged this morning and moved the car to give someone else the opportunity. We will probably have lunch somewhere where we can get that last 20% at a fast charger.
Most hotels run by Hilton have these charging stations now. Bonus: they are pet friendly too.

Good etiquette.

There's a local Hilton Garden Inn that has 4 chargers. I plug in and get free juice while having a bite at a local restaurant, I swipe my Chargepoint card and here come the electrons. Funny, it's not a Chargepoint station, I don't get charged.

Ain't that America!

roadburner

au1994 said:

28firefighter said:

I was doing some reading last night and the irony is that Subaru heard the feedback and made it more refined for daily driving and then the loyal fan base got upset. Can’t win them all.

With every new generation of Wrangler, the Jeep forums do the same thing.

Oh yeah, every new Wrangler iteration is the end of Jeep as they know it. I loved my TJ but my JLU can do everything the TJ did, is much quicker and is also much more economical to run.

jmonroe1

laurasdada said:

suydam said:

This station only allows charging to 80%. I think maybe that’s common for hotels? I can’t complain, as we just had to plug in where we are already staying, and then unplugged this morning and moved the car to give someone else the opportunity. We will probably have lunch somewhere where we can get that last 20% at a fast charger.
Most hotels run by Hilton have these charging stations now. Bonus: they are pet friendly too.

Good etiquette.

There's a local Hilton Garden Inn that has 4 chargers. I plug in and get free juice while having a bite at a local restaurant, I swipe my Chargepoint card and here come the electrons. Funny, it's not a Chargepoint station, I don't get charged.

Ain't that America!

————————————————
That would never happen at a gas station.

jmonroe

corvette

Washed the Ariya and put a coat of Zaino on it. It needed to be clay barred, but I decided not to bother since it’s a lease.

stickguy

sharp looking. I like the color.

ab348

laurasdada said:

I swipe my Chargepoint card and here come the electrons. Funny, it's not a Chargepoint station, I don't get charged.

Is a Chargepoint card a prepaid debit card that gets drawn down every time you use it?

suydam

Most of the EV apps have you store a credit card that they will put the charge on. Some hotels don’t charge guests, some are content to have the third party do it.

suydam

corvette said:

Washed the Ariya and put a coat of Zaino on it. It needed to be clay barred, but I decided not to bother since it’s a lease.

The Arya is a good looking vehicle. Nice ground clearance too. I haven’t seen any out here yet.

laurasdada

ab348 said:

laurasdada said:

I swipe my Chargepoint card and here come the electrons. Funny, it's not a Chargepoint station, I don't get charged.

Is a Chargepoint card a prepaid debit card that gets drawn down every time you use it?

Yes, it's a key fob key. You can use the phone app, too, but I can never remember my password!

I believe it keeps a running $10 on account, once you spend that it replenishes. But I rarely have to pay for electricity, I know where the (dwindling) free stations are in my area and take advantage of them.

Being a PHEV, if my battery is reading a big fat goose egg and I decide to check out a charging station with the cents/kwh not to my liking, I don't have to nuke it; just let the dino's do their magic along with the electric motor.

Sandman6472

Told me my front brakes were at 5 mm so will wait a bit to have them done. New brake pads are between 12mm to 10 mm so I've basically used alf their life after about 10 years now. Think the coolant flush is the more important thing to have done and will schedule one for next week at this point. If they mention the brakes again like the VW dealer did, might just have them done while I'm sitting there. Either spend the money now...or spend it later. As long as I keep the Golf, these things will need to be done.

Kid ended up getting just 2 new tires up in St. Augustine. Still has tread in the other two and had a coupon for a free alignment. Wife got her on the T P credit card so was easier to pay. If it were me, she'd have four new tires on there right now as I don't mess with tires or batteries. I'd rather not get stuck with any issues because one always gets stuck at the worst possible moment in a bad place. So, she's sitting there anyways, so why not just get all four done? In about 6 weeks, you'll be sitting here again doing the same waiting game. I know when I got new tires last year, only 3 were really bad with one, the newest one, having decent tread, so I only replaced 3. Well, 2 weeks later the tire icon came on and they found a large nail in the sidewall of the, you guessed it, the one tire I didn't change. So, now have basically all new tires, all of the same tread, which makes me feel better. Tend not to cheapen out when it comes to vehicular maintenance because I hate getting stuck & waiting on repairs that could've been avoided if I did things the right way at the right time.

mjfloyd1

@Sandman6472 said:
Told me my front brakes were at 5 mm so will wait a bit to have them done. New brake pads are between 12mm to 10 mm so I've basically used alf their life after about 10 years now. Think the coolant flush is the more important thing to have done and will schedule one for next week at this point. If they mention the brakes again like the VW dealer did, might just have them done while I'm sitting there. Either spend the money now...or spend it later. As long as I keep the Golf, these things will need to be done.

Kid ended up getting just 2 new tires up in St. Augustine. Still has tread in the other two and had a coupon for a free alignment. Wife got her on the T P credit card so was easier to pay. If it were me, she'd have four new tires on there right now as I don't mess with tires or batteries. I'd rather not get stuck with any issues because one always gets stuck at the worst possible moment in a bad place. So, she's sitting there anyways, so why not just get all four done? In about 6 weeks, you'll be sitting here again doing the same waiting game. I know when I got new tires last year, only 3 were really bad with one, the newest one, having decent tread, so I only replaced 3. Well, 2 weeks later the tire icon came on and they found a large nail in the sidewall of the, you guessed it, the one tire I didn't change. So, now have basically all new tires, all of the same tread, which makes me feel better. Tend not to cheapen out when it comes to vehicular maintenance because I hate getting stuck & waiting on repairs that could've been avoided if I did things the right way at the right time.

Your front brake pads should last for at least 5 more years if not longer based on them being half used after 10 years and that should give you a 3 mm buffer to get them replaced on your own schedule. I would be surprised if they don’t last longer than 5 years based on your current driving habits vs what you were driving when you initially got the Golf.

I’d especially hold off since you seem to be on the slow train to trade it in. It would pass inspection as is with no further cost to you.

Sandman6472

Probably right. Funny thing, this is the first vehicle I've ever owned that I'm so reluctant to trade out of. I mean, I'm till looking like I usually do but have not found another vehicle out there to make me want to do it...now. Totally unlike me. Think eleven years is the longest I've ever kept a vehicle in the past and I was so ready to swap out al those other times. But something about this vehicle I guess I really like. Funny thing is, I get the chance to drive so many vehicles at work that one would think I'd have found another one to purchase by now. And leasing makes zero sense since I drive so little amount of miles these past many years.

Still haven't gotten behind the wheel of the new 2024 Kona yet so not sure if it'll make me finally ready to trade but, not holding my breath here. So, best course of action is to just do noting and do any needed repairs until that time comes. Same as my cell phone, takes me a long time to switch to something new...and not having the money to do so ain't the problem. I get to a point of "analysis paralysis" as I like to call it. No matter what, I just can not commit, either way. And thinking about it, really think the whole Tucson debacle from 2014 could be the reason for it all. Don't think about it much but, when I do, it kinda bothers me for some reason. It was definitely the right thing to do getting out of it, but it's still there, in the background, keeping me from moving on I'm thinking. Crazy I know!

mjfloyd1

Sandy, you are not getting any younger. Life is short. If you want and can easily afford a new vehicle, then trade it and move on. You will have a warranty - a long one if you get a Hyundai/Kia.

kyfdx

If life turns out not to be short, do you want to be stuck driving a Hyundai for the next ten years?

mjfloyd1

corvette said:

Washed the Ariya and put a coat of Zaino on it. It needed to be clay barred, but I decided not to bother since it’s a lease.

Is that… old man gray?😎

mjfloyd1

kyfdx said:

If life turns out not to be short, do you want to be stuck driving a Hyundai for the next ten years?

Ouch.

On that note, my friend’s 2023 BMW X6M50 appears to have a transmission fluid leak.

He thinks they will bring a vehicle to him and they will tow it back. I tried to explain that they will contract with a local towing company but he could perhaps call his salesman to see if they would bring a loaner but that it may be an easy fix and may balk at that. We will see.

He never asks me for advice on buying and happily pays full tilt, so maybe it will work out for him.

suydam

kyfdx said:

If life turns out not to be short, do you want to be stuck driving a Hyundai for the next ten years?

Ouch, indeed. Respectfully I disagree.

stickguy

I saw another new design Kona today. It is a sharp looking car. Seems much bigger than the previous version.

jmonroe1

mjfloyd1 said:

corvette said:

Washed the Ariya and put a coat of Zaino on it. It needed to be clay barred, but I decided not to bother since it’s a lease.

Is that… old man gray?😎

————————————————
I bit my tongue and didn’t say it. Now we find out you’re not as nice as me.

jmonroe

28firefighter

Erm. Punch pending?

kyfdx

Spill it!

28firefighter

I’m not picking up until tomorrow since it literally came off the truck today. But here is a preview.

stickguy

love the color. 6 speed I assume. Sharp.

mjfloyd1

I’ve never seen a Golf R quite like that😂

nyccarguy

Slick top. I know it is a 6-Speed. Base model? WR Blue of course! We need details! Inquiring minds want to know.

28firefighter

It’s actually not a slick top. I had to compromise on that.

It’s a loaded Premium. Moonroof. HK stereo. Pop package 1 which includes somethings like homelink, STI mufflers, short shift, all weather mats.

I’ll share more details on the deal once it’s signed. And yes 6spd.

kyfdx

I really wanted you to get the Golf R, so you could tell us about it. No chance I’m getting a WRX.

nyccarguy

@28firefighter said:
It’s actually not a slick top. I had to compromise on that.

It’s a loaded Premium. Moonroof. HK stereo. Pop package 1 which includes somethings like homelink, STI mufflers, short shift, all weather mats.

I’ll share more details on the deal once it’s signed. And yes 6spd.

Looked again. Now I see the sunroof. Took one off the truck? What did their inventory look like of WRXs? A dealer near me has had the same orange WRX on the lot for months. I think they finally sold it.

28firefighter

Yeah it landed today. I was never gonna get a brand new R.

jmonroe1

28firefighter said:

I’m not picking up until tomorrow since it literally came off the truck today. But here is a preview.

————————————————-
Euu, a Sube. I can’t remember the particulars so please refresh us. Nice color.

Good luck with it.

EDIT: OK, I see you already answered some questions. Still looks good. Challenge @venture to a trip around the block.

jmonroe

roadburner

Congrats! The WRX is another of the very, VERY few new cars under $50k that I'd enjoy owning.

stickguy

I assume the WRX is a lease?

tifighter

Blue JDM manual chapter of CCBA in the PNW? When is the first meetup???

28firefighter

Next weekend? Need to confirm soccer schedule.

28firefighter

And yes, a lease. It’s not a lease hackr worthy deal but very good for getting more than I planned for.

nyccarguy

@28firefighter said:
And yes, a lease. It’s not a lease hackr worthy deal but very good for getting more than I planned for.

As long as you like the car, it doesn’t matter whether or not it is Hackr worthy!

mjfloyd1

I think @28firefighter is channeling his inner kiasoul5speed except he is actually buying and not window shopping😳

qbrozen

@28firefighter said:
I’m not picking up until tomorrow since it literally came off the truck today. But here is a preview.

Enjoy!

It is a fun car that gets the job done.

stickguy

Are used prices going up? Carvana still emails me on my maverick. August to September it went up $1,000. In October jumped another $2,000. And probably understated because they assume I have 10,000 more miles than I actually do!

qbrozen

Not as a whole. I get several emails a week from them about vehicles I’ve requested a number for (friends and family asking what vehicles are worth so I plug it in there to see what Carvana will pay and then get harassed for many months after), and all of the emails the past couple of months have been “your vehicle has decreased in value.”

tjc78

@28firefighter
Congrats!

graphicguy

28FF...nice!!!!!

Congrats on the WRX!

Michaell

@28firefighter - congrats on the WRX. I was able to drive the WRX that @breld briefly owned. Fun car!