Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
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Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)
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1927 Pontiac Oakland.
27k original miles.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Thanks, Steve. My 14th wedding anniversary is coming up in a couple of weeks, and we've got reservations to have Sunday brunch at the Broadmoor Hotel.
Would be nice to make the drive in a nice convertible, but am afraid that if I did this without spousal knowledge or approval, it might be the last anniversary I celebrate.
q - sorry about the subscription; I guess I've started to count on you for some good pricing information.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I hear ya. Edmunds puts the TMV at around $19.5, so the dealer ask of $19.9 seems to be right on target.
However, no CPO, so I'd have to invest in some sort of warranty to hedge my bets on major mechanical issues.
I understand you like being married so I'll calm my nudging.....
Too bad I'm heading out for a week. I see in the local craigslist a senior owned 02 Solara convertible for like $6K. That would work as something for the time being drop top....
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited Velvet Red over Wicker Beige
2024 Audi Q5 Premium Plus Daytona Gray over Beige
2017 BMW X1 Jet Black over Mocha
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
But then again, you aren't supposed to.
I justified my e92 as a 40th birthday present to myself.
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited Velvet Red over Wicker Beige
2024 Audi Q5 Premium Plus Daytona Gray over Beige
2017 BMW X1 Jet Black over Mocha
Yeah, I'm thinking the same thing, except it's 2.5 years until my 50th birthday. Perhaps by then I can get an e92 'vert for a decent price.
Not if you keep wimping out on us.......
Come on ! Let's see some action! :P
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
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-Rebuild the power steering gear box (no new ones available....have to rebuild the one you have).
-New starter
-Valve cover gaskets
-Radiator leak repair
Total estimate.... $8,700 plus tax.
So, I'm doing my part to keep the antique car market alive!
If the car didn't get so much attention while driving (thumbs up)... I probably would sell it as I've had it for almost 14 yrs. The next item will be to refreshen the interior.
Mark156
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
High Torque Starter: $475+shipping
New Radiator: $725+shipping
Valve/tappet cover gaskets $74+shipping
Let's estimate that shipping from England is $500(which is probably high)
Total: $1774
Are those guys telling you it's going to cost nearly $7000 to rebuild the steering box and install the above parts? The rebuild of an S3 box is not for the fainthearted but still...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Didn't start commuting in it, until almost August, when my lease was up on the old car..
I'm only at about a 13K/yr pace, right now... The boy having his own car has cut down on my mileage.. Plus, since the wife won't (not can't..won't...lol) drive the stick, if there is any serious beer drinking ahead, we take her car....
So... we take her car a lot!
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'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Mercedes is also supposed to be pretty good.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
I'm pleasantly surprised by the gas mileage. OBC told me 25.5 on my last tank, but the calculation told me 22.6, which is much more realistic. That was with about 90% highway driving, 10% rual, and maybe 20 minutes stuck in heavy stop and go traffic. Considering fueleconomy.gov rates it at 14/21, I'm more than happy with my figure. Of course, I bought it figuring I might get 20 on average, so any better than that is gravy. Heck, on my morning commute, the OBC tells me 27.5. If the variance is consistent, that means over 24mpg.
I still haven't figure out what is wrong with the clutch. I guess it is on its way out ... although its behavior still doesn't make sense to me. We'll see. I'll be glad to upgrade it anyway. I just don't want to get stuck anywhere. I was planning on a track day with it, but maybe that's not such a great idea. Certainly don't want to lose the clutch amongst 120mph traffic.
I'm very happy to have both this and the GTI. The GTI is just so easy to drive in comparison. Makes me love it even more. But when I want that RWD V8 grunt, I've got that, too. Of course, in the meantime, the MR2 sits untouched. That's mainly because it lacks a back seat, though.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Well, the V8s ARE hard on clutches. UUC Motorwerks has some a nice selection of kits in the $700-$900 range.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Sorry to hear that the seats do not work well, for you.
According to the Manual, for the 2000 540, the lumbar adjustment
is only on the 'Comfort Seats'.
Oops.
- Ray
With a back that appreciates adjustment....
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Had my two foreign cars, new 1958 and 1959 Porcshes, took delivery at factory in Stuttgart, Deutschland, both were 1600 Super Coupes..Bought the 59 back to the states, and sold it a year later to settle my foreign car ledger at a break even cost..60k miles of trouble-free driving..End of foreign car ownership for the other 51 autos came out of the Big3..
The German cars are great. little pricey, and usually limited to a single dealership within a 40 mile radius, however my association of selling assemblies and parts to the Big3 for 34 yrs dictated my loyalty to Detroit..
Growing up the family had Fords, Packards, Nashs, Chevys, and Mercurys, Lasalle, Caddies, and Lincolns..I had 3 Chrysler products, 34 GMs, and balance from Ford..
I just spun off a 2010 Mustang GT w/track pkg, and will wait for a bargain 5.0 Mustang GT either 2011 or 12..No more GM, current left over in the garage is a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix GT, which I will keep until it reachs 100k..No more FWD cars, total waste of time ..
Buy the Bimmer, and enjoy life...
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Where are you guys buying your used cars these days? I just sold by BMW, and am starting to look around. I like the ebay format, but the whole idea of sight unseen seem dangerous. How many people have purchased a car off ebay, and how well did it work for you?
I bought my 1975 2002 off eBay. No surprises; I didn't bother to have it inspected as I wasn't paying all that much for it. Won the auction on Wednesday and drove 90 miles to pick it up/drive it home on Saturday.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Every few weeks we get someone posting on Answers about a fake "Edmunds" car escrow service and those usually involve eBay sellers.
We actually came to a deal via e-mail/phone... asked him if he just wanted to do it that way... but, he said, "No, bid for it on eBay... I want to get my feedback up."..
So, I did.. but, the car was only 7 months old, so not as much risk..
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Good opportunity to check out the selection at the local BMW dealer:
Sliver and a manual
Also a manual, but not a BMW
More of a boulevard cruiser with higher miles
I'm killing myself here .....
seats with additional adjustments...
- Ray
Will have a 2011 3 series - in less than 90 days....
The silver 3-series coupe that I linked to earlier was shod with winter tires. Odd.
However, they did have another silver 3-series coupe that they had taken in trade. Also with sport pkg and a manual transmission, with only 41K miles. They were asking $23K for this one.
Very nice looking car, but both the front wheels had major scarring on them. Salesman said it would take about $100 each to put right.
Also stopped at the local Audi dealer. They had a couple of TT 'verts, both with the 3.2L 6-cyl and S-line packages. Nice looking cars, but a bit small. And a bit out of my price range.
They also had a tasty CPO S4 with the 3.0L supercharged V6 - 333HP.
Here is the breakdown...
Radiator leaking, will be sent out for repair....$1,164
Replace valve cover gaskets... $1,035
Rebuild power steering gearbox...$4,975
Replace starter with updated version....$905
Total... $8,079
PS.. I posted $8,700 in my previous post... I read the invoice wrong, sorry.
The engine has a 'butter'fly' hood which is going to make it very hard to get to the engine unless they remove the center bar.
These guys have been very good to me and honest as far as I can tell. Not cheap, but honest.
Mark
1) It's not a CPO car
2) The salesman told me that had only taken it in trade the day before - not sure that it's had a chance to be looked over and freshened up
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
but, the reason for the post, a in the road. A green 4 door Accord. I forget if it was an LX or EX, but it was a 2004. with a whopping 29,000 miles on it. $12,000 asking price.
If I was by myself I would have looked, but the wife wasn't interested in that! Not that I have the faintest need or interest in another accord, but someone will probably get a good deal on a low mile creampuff.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
We have a lot of 55+ communities in this neck of the woods. I'll get a chance.
well that, and I am curious about it!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Now I'll just use the stock wheels for winter tires. Just have to hunt down a set of lug nuts for the new set of wheels.
Bedliner and leveling kit in the next couple weeks.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I don't think I'm gonna disagree with you on that statement.
From a "fun to drive" perspective, I'm not which one is better. VW with FWD, or the BMW with RWD. Both have 6-speed sticks, HP is about the same (200 vs. 230), but the lighter weight of the VW probably means the power to weight ratio is about the same. Both have 18" wheels and tires.
The BMW just looks more sporty - the coupe shape is very appealing to my eyes. However, the practical side of me thinks that the hatchback utility of the GTI would make it a better all around vehicle to have - golf clubs, trips to Sam's club, etc.
Having said all that, I'll probably hold off for now ....
On Saturday, I saw the movie "Company Men" with Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, Tommy Lee Jones and Craig T. Nelson. Made me think about how precarious we all are with respect to our job status.
The Ben Affleck character starts out the movie driving a Porsche Boxster S. After losing his job - and not finding a new one - there is a scene where his wife hands the keys over to a new buyer, with Ben standing on the lawn watching the transfer looking quite forlorn. Later in the movie, he is seen driving a '97 Lumina.
Certainly some food for thought when contemplating the purchase of a new / used car for $20K or more, especially when one has a perfectly serviceable - and paid off - car in the garage.
There is a guy who is selling a Solara convertible with 102K and a new timing belt and water pump senior car - for $6,700 in Toms River. That could be a fifth car in the fleet.....