Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

Sandman6472

You're not serious...are you? Better to keep what you have now and save the $. Didn't y'all also buy and older BMW recently also? Stay the course and I'll bet you'll find something so much better within a year or two. Just ask yourself...do I really need to do this? Bet you'll decide not to.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

mark156

Akangl said..Sadly my truck will soon be facing a paint job due to flaws in the paint from the factory. I'm dreading it, but the Ford dealer assures me it will be fixed properly.

How much of the truck needs painting? With it being brand spanking new, I don't think I would worry too much about it. But, it better match perfectly after their done! :mad:

Mark156

mark156

With you guys talking about your garages and all.... my California garage has three single doors each off-set about 4 feet from the other. So, the far left door is the long slot, the middle is a little long and the far right is normal length. I can squeeze a forth car sideways at the end of garage 1 and 2 which I've done many times.

In slot 1 is the '64 Rolls, slot 2, the Bentley GTC, in slot three, the Land Rover LR4. I'll squeeze the Honda sideways at the end if I want them all inside. I've got it down pretty good, with the Bentley removed and the Land Rover backed out, I can back the Honda in the middle slot, and with precision, I can swing the back into the front of slot 3 and then pull forward to slot 1 almost touching the wall. The Bentley will just fit where I can't walk between the side of the Honda and the front of the Bentley, I have to walk around the back of the Bentley then close the garage door.

I know, useless babble.... but, it's getting late and I'm bored. :P

Mark156

kyfdx

My recent purchase..

The guy I bought it from lived in a residential/country area.... Ranch house, with a pond out back...

4 car attached garage, with a 2-car garage attached to the 4-car with a breezeway.... then, another detached 2-car garage next to that.... (that's 8, for those counting)

All full, which is why our car was for sale..

Also, had a lift in the 2-car attached portion.. which means, I got to see the underside of my car, before buying.... that was a first...

akangl

After Sunday, will still have four cars..... three is easy, four isn't...

We are down to 3, 4 is a pain, although it wasn't too bad with our little gravel spot off the side of the driveway. We had 2 cars parked there and 2 in the garage. Now it would be a royal pain since we have a horse trailer (aka mobile storage shed) parked where the 4th vehicle would sit.

We will be back up to 4 next summer, at least for a little while. I've given up on trying to teach the other kid to drive a stick, so will buy her a car next summer that's an automatic.

Hubby has decided he can't give up the Civic, so our son is happily taking the Escort with him. I offered to get the A/C fixed and put a new stereo/speakers in it, which made him even happier. Funny how much he loves that little car and amazing how reliable it is. He said he won't be like me, he's going to drive it til it dies and then buy a new car to drive until it dies, lol.

qbrozen

well, there's certainly no shortage of houses for sale here, Steve.

akangl

How much of the truck needs painting? With it being brand spanking new, I don't think I would worry too much about it. But, it better match perfectly after their done!

Not 100% sure how much they will have to paint since they aren't totally sure how they are going to fix it. It looks like driver's side door, driver's side rear door, and the cab corner on that side, then there's a spot on the pass side front door that needs fixing. A couple of the issues are chipped paint on the door edges where the two-tone paint is and then there's a problem with a crooked paint line on the driver's side.

The GSM is involved and she's awesome, she is going through the same thing with her Mustang that she just bought. She said that the manufacturer can fix transit damage before a vehicle gets to the dealer up to a certain dollar amount and not disclose it. She agrees its not a great policy but assured me that Cal Worthington Ford will make it right. We've purchased 3 vehicles from them and any issues they've always made right. Including one that really they didn't need to fix since it was a used truck, but they did anyway without question. They even paid another dealer to fix it since at the time we lived 300 miles away.

Honestly I'm not worried about it, no matter what I still love my truck and I'm sure they will fix it right.

rayainsw

When my BMW arrives [ 5 to 7 weeks, now ]
I will have 2 cars [ one driver ] and no room in the garage
for the second car...
I hope to dump my current car within hours
of picking up the new one...
- Ray
We shall see...

mark156

Ray, you may have mentioned it but what is your other car?

Mark156

rayainsw

2009 G8 GT.

ateixeira

Reunited, and it feels so goo-oood

Heck, talk to the other owner and use the CarFax to your advantage to get a deal.

tommister2

I've sold many cars that I look back on fondly but I don't think I would buy any of them again. Don't you think owning it again might spoil the good memories? Also, life is too short to own the same car twice. I would move on to something else...just my opinion.

Tom

qbrozen

I would own my 350Z again in a hearbeat. I only had it 9 months before trading it due to a baby on the way.

kyfdx

Same here.. sold my 911 the week after my son was born.. He is 17, now..

This morning, I would have traded him back for the car..

tjc78

I would take my 89 Town Car back in the condition I sold it in. Otherwise the rest are just meh. I could certainly tell you I wouldn't want my 93 Taurus 3.8 or my 98 Olds 88 back even if they paid me.

au1994

I'd take my Wrangler back for days like today. Sunny, mid 70's begs for top down driving.

However, I would prefer that the transmission not be slipping and various other little problems be cured. But hey, its a Wrangler what did I expect?

No way I would take my 89 Beretta back. Any of the others I've had, probably not either. Loved 'em at the time but I have CCBA so bad that I am definitely a love 'em and leave 'em type of guy when it comes to cars.

kyfdx

That reminds me...

I wish I could get my '76 CJ-5 back.... in the condition before I rolled it...

au1994

Unfortunately people that have rolled a CJ-5 is not an exclusive club.

That short wheelbase and "spirited" driving did not mix!

isellhondas

I used to work with a guy who rolled his Wrangler one night after having a few too many beers. Luckilly for him, it happened at an intersection where there happened to be a bar.

Some of the bar patrons ran outside and they managed to flip it back over before the cops had a chance to show up.

It started up and he drove it hope having learned a serious lesson!

ateixeira

I think I'd take my NA Miata back if I could.

I have an NC now, and it's too...I dunno, it's quicker, nicer, faster, etc. But it's heavier, and with Miatas, less is more.

fezo

well, there's certainly no shortage of houses for sale here, Steve.

Yeah, but I'd have to sell the current house first. There's a lot of houses here, too.... At least this one is half paid for.

qbrozen

I'm a pessimist, so I'd say it is half unpaid for. :P

qbrozen

I wish I could get my '76 CJ-5 back.... in the condition before I rolled it

My pre-totalled '79 CJ7 is another one I'd want back, too.

As well as my pre-miled-up '98 S70 T5.

andre1969

I would take my 89 Town Car back in the condition I sold it in. Otherwise the rest are just meh. I could certainly tell you I wouldn't want my 93 Taurus 3.8 or my 98 Olds 88 back even if they paid me.

I think the only three from my past that I'd want back were all cars that got totaled, so in my mind, they were good cars that were taken away from me before their time.

First was my '69 Dodge Dart GT hardtop. It just had a slant six, but was fairly lightweight, no emissions crap, so it wasn't too bad of a performer. Fairly economical as well, and decent room.

Second was an '86 Monte Carlo with a 305 V-8 that my Mom gave me. It had 179,000 on it, and was totaled 3 months later when I got t-boned delivering pizzas. I had racked up 13,000 miles on it in that short time! Another car that was comfortable, good blend of power and economy, roomy enough, not too big, not too small.

Third was my 2000 Intrepid, totaled in a hit and run in the parking lot, back in November 2009. It had about 150,000 miles on it, still ran great, although it had a few dings here and there. When that car got totaled, initially I thought about buying another, and even found another 2000 Intrepid, but a nicer ES that was fully-loaded, with around 76,000 miles, for about $4800. But, the more I thought about it, after 10 years of one Intrepid, it was time to try something else.

A distant runner up would be a 1969 Bonneville 4-door hardtop I had years ago. It needed some work, and I was too broke at the time to really get it fixed right. That thing was fast, when it ran at least, and handled great for such a big brute.

andres3

2003 Accord LX V6 Coupe in a heartbeat.

A few performance mods and that thing could be a beast.

Only reason I really sold it was financial justification of keeping it around. If it wasn't for greedy insurance companies, thieves that steal cars, uninsured motorists that cause all the accidents, I'd of been able to justify keeping it.

Having the garage space would help in that decision too. But insurance is killer.

breld

Alright - I'm back to earth now. Yesterday, I was ready to strike a deal on my old 5.

Today, I took my wife with me to take another look at it. This time, I looked closer:

1) The upper corner of the hood (near the driver's side) is misaligned.
2) Again on the driver's side, the front and rear doors do not align exactly right.
3) The ashtray lid in the rear driver's side door won't close properly.
4) The plastic trim around the windshield is a bit loose (on the driver's side).
5) The tow hook cover in the front was missing from the initial pictures on the dealer's website. It's there now, but upon closer inspection, the color is a bit off.

Hmmm. And, of course, there is that accident reported on the carfax. Funny how things that are so obvious today were missed yesterday when I was all emotional about it.

Maybe in a couple of years I can find a used manual F10 535, as rare as it may be. For kicks, I was "building" a 2012 528xi yesterday on BMW's website and discovered it can't be had with a manual. When I bought that 2007 530xi, I looked at the A6, GS, RL and M35, none of which offered a manual. I get the business side of it, but sad that BMW has gone there too.

Thanks for the advice and feedback. I suppose three car purchases this year is enough to maintain my membership for awhile anyway.

breld

I think I'd take my NA Miata back if I could.

I have an NC now, and it's too...I dunno, it's quicker, nicer, faster, etc. But it's heavier, and with Miatas, less is more.

Maybe all the rumors of the ND returning a bit to its roots will turn out to be true, though it's hard to believe that's even possible with all the safety requirements and such.

I don't miss my Miata too much yet (it's only been a couple months though), since I get to drive the GTI so much more than I ever did the Mazda. And it doesn't hurt we're entering the cooler fall season.

isellhondas

I miss my Miatas too but then I remember the feeling I used to get on the freeway with a semi on both sides of me.

ateixeira

Indeed, the new one has higher doors and cowl, and you feel far more protected.

But again, it's also less open, you have less freedom.

My commute mostly avoids highways and high speeds so it was OK, but yeah, on road trips? We took other cars. You get wind burn if the top is down for long periods anyway.

I'd like to see the ND get some of that open-ness back, and maybe a SkyActiv motor.

andre1969

those little two seaters really aren't my thing, but I remember sitting in the current-gen Miata, and being impressed by the roominess. Sure, you still felt hemmed in with the high beltline and such, but at least I could fit comfortably!

I was a lot less impressed with the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky. I liked the styling better, especially the Sky, but wasn't as comfortable.

roadburner

Here's my set-up:
Basement Two Car Garage: X3, 2002
Detached Two Car Garage: 318ti, Mazdaspeed 3, Speed Triple
Outside: Wrangler

roadburner

I wish I had my 1988 M6 back...

andre1969

my '85 Silverado pissed me off again today, and I'm thinking it's time to retire it. I'm thinking about selling my 2000 Park Ave to my roommate, and then buying something else, but I have no idea what I want. Yeah, I know that's an invitation to trouble, right there! :shades: :P

andres3

How about a CTS-V?

mark156

The only car that I would like to have back and restored is my 1973 Volkswagon Bus. It was a brightish blue with a white top, white vinyl interior.... and the RARE automatic, no air. I bought it in 1978 from a guy I used to work with (I was 19) and only kept it 8 months. I purchased a new 1979 Datsun 210 hatchback (white with blue plaid clothe).

Anyway, I would like to to have the old bus back.

Mark156.

stickguy

I never should have sold my 1991 mazda 626 at 90K. If it only didn't have those annoying motorized seatbelts. Couldn't stand them.

stickguy

as background, my wife hates car shopping. Even if ready to buy, she dreads it. And has no interest in just stopping, just to browes.

so anyway, at the end of another long day at work, I texted that I wanted to go look at some new car this weekend. I nearly fell off my chair when she answered back "ok", She was home today trying to get the rest of the kitchen stuff put away, so I accused her of dipping into all the wine we bought last weekend (during our finger lakes wine tour/anniversary getaway.

Maybe because anything we buy will be for her?

fezo

Oh, around my family the talk is always about that old 54 Mercedes 300 Adenauer. We loved that thing but bought it cheap and it took a bunch of work and was held together with bondo and a prayer... It was time to either get serious about fixing it up or sell it to someone who'd restore it. I didn't get a vote and they sold it and always regretted it.

Of course my brothers and dad always underestimated what restoring it would cost and overestimated what it would be worth today.... Dad's probably up trying to work a deal with God now about that car.

corvette

I know you're more of a chronic car keeper, but the lease deals on the Accord are pretty darn tempting. And the Altima has a nice 24-month lease deal going on right now.

twitchhd

if anyone is itching for an audi 2001 a4 1.8t:

listing

stever

Oh, around my family the talk is always about that old 54 Mercedes 300 Adenauer '53 Buick Special.

Don't know why my old man sold it in the first place (maybe because his pint bottles kept falling through the rusted out floorboards). The teenager who bought it promptly wrecked it.

roadburner

My dad sold his 1970 Torino GT(Bright Yellow, 351C 4V, shaker hood, and laser stripes) four months before I got my license...

Here's the same car in red:

fezo

Oh, I remember those!

The car I really wish we could have back was my grandfather's old 49 Buick. He had actually given it to my mom about six months or so before he died. She inherited everything being an only child. So we had his 62 Valiant wagon, a 56 Buick and that 49. My older brother just got his license. Mom would have kept the old car if my brother would drive that. He thought the clutch was too hard. To this day I remind of that periodically and will continue to do so until one of us dies.

Mom sold the car to a kid for $50.

roadburner

Here is a true story my father told me about growing up in
Louisville, Kentucky during the Great Depression:

His best friend was the son of a prominent garage owner who had
acquired a Duesenburg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton from a customer in
settlement of a large repair bill. As a result, my father and his friend spent their high school years cruising the avenue in a Doozey. In particular I recall one story concerning how the boys changed a flat tire in record time- their motivation being the fact that the car was stuck on a busy streetcar track! His friend's father died in the 1950's and my father naturally assumed his friend would get the car.

Unbeknownst to both of them, the garage owner's widow sold the car to an Indiana collector for $500.

fezo

Ouch! You win. I'll never top that one...

andre1969

My Dad had a '71 Torino, but it was nothing special, just a sage green 4-door sedan with a 302. It had been my great-grandparents' car, and after Great Granddad died in '77, it was given to my Dad. The two memories I have of it are 1) Dad leaving me in the car with the keys in it and wipers running. It stopped raining and the wipers were still going, but I didn't know how to turn them off! I asked a passing lady in the parking lot, and she showed me. 2) Dad backing into a light pole, which left a dent in the bumper and lip of the trunk.

andre1969

How about a CTS-V?

Nice car, but a little too pricey for me. But a very capable car. According to the Cadillac ads, one can do the quarter mile faster than an AMG Mercedes while towing an Escalade EXT! Or, something like that :P

andre1969

I know you're more of a chronic car keeper, but the lease deals on the Accord are pretty darn tempting. And the Altima has a nice 24-month lease deal going on right now.

I probably should look into a lease, considering I don't drive *too* much. With the Park Ave, it looks like I'm set to average around 10,000 miles per year, which is actually more than I had anticipated.

I called the dealership about that 2009 Altima hybrid I posted earlier. Unfortunately, it was in the process of being sold.

Whatever I do get, I think my budget is going to be around $18-20K, out the door. So that probably means used, most likely. Or, a very good deal on a somewhat modest new car, I guess.

stickguy

times change.

I remember many moons ago (probably mid-70's when I was in middle school, so think Gas crisis days) my friends older brother had a car I liked that he bombed around in (he was in HS at the time I believe). Can't reemmber if he just wore it out or wrecked it.

It was a Plymouth Superbird. Can't recall now if it was a hemi, but it was a real 'bird.

Bet he wishes he still had that!

stickguy

well, one good thing about you doing a lease. No worries about having something else to drive if you start running up too many miles!