He wants mileage and a decent interior over anything else, I think. He also would like integrated nav, which the 1er and Accord had.
A few days ago he sent me a link to a 2011 C30 that had 46K on it - seemed kind of odd and I told him to be careful. He's also mentioned cars like A3, CT, and then to be inconsistent he throws in a GLK and a Taurus SHO. I should have him also look at a Mini as he had a thing for those once - he also liked the Fiat 500 until he drove one. He drove a few Scion, said he didn't really care for them - every one the dealer had was loaded with tacked on bric-a-brac. He also sends me links of cars "for me", best was a white 07 R350 with 130K on it.
I want a medium-large sedan that's comfortable yet has some performance, and gets above 20 on the highway.
All of my friend's looking had me thinking - next car might be a leased bluetec to test it out, then I can walk if I don't like it, and buy it if I do, with no risk. I might even test the new GS to see if I like it, esp if there's any sweetheart deal, as the maintenance should be easy.
I used to run into totally unfocused people on our lot like your friend.
They were the WORST! I knew I needed to get them focused quickly or I would be wasting a day test driving every kind of car on the lot and generally wasting my day.
I would ask a lot of questions..." What is important to you?" Then I woul help the shopper eliminate one by one the cars on their list.
" Reliability is important?...Then let's stay away from these Vokswagens and Audis" etc.
I got pretty good at it but these people were still tough. Many a newbie salesperson would waste an entire Saturday spinning their wheels with these types.
For a German car I have told him only to buy with warranty. He'll take my advice. I also told him to look at the new Impreza, but he's in GA right now and dealers aren't as numerous as here.
I like the Accord idea most, out of all he's pitched me, as he's somewhat familiar with the car and it is a rare model with a lot of depreciation already taken.
When I have looked at cars, I usually know more about the model than the salesperson, makes things easier :shades:
Yeah, I couldn't be a salesman for that reason. I'd be too into the car and not as much as the sale.
I like 4 doors, but I could deal with the right coupe. I like unusual options and colors, so I seek a rare used car or would likely custom order my own (probably won't be many 2012 E350 bluetec with P2, pano, sport, quartz blue on beige or almond, for example). I don't want a huge guzzler, but I don't need 50mpg. I live in a hilly congested area, stick would annoy me. Most cars I like have big tanks (E55 has 21 gallons, @25mpg freeway cruising, nice range), so that's not a worry. I will say the next car will likely have a softer ride, getting tired of dodging the potholes and poorly designed service covers on the road.
I couldn't sell high line cars for that reason. Too many questions and I really don't have the patience or time to learn every last spec on every car in the line.
With Hondas, I was as knowledgable as anyone and I usually had the answers but once in awhile I would get an oddball question I would have to go look up.
What is the wheelbase? (who really cares? one out of 10,000?)
How much does it weigh? (again, so few people care I didn't either)
A lot of the questions like that came from people who simply felt the need to ask a question. the Car Shows were the worst!
I worked the Seattle Auto Show every year and I knew which cars to stay far away from. Cars that attacted "certain people" such as S-2000's, hybrids etc were to be avoided. would stay by the mainstream cars such as Accords, Civics, Odysseys and CRV's.
Even then, some of the questions asked were so far out that after an hour or so, I had had enough. The rookies would get eaten alive!
I'd be pestering them about not offering the B-class here.
The upcoming A-class looks interesting - a stick A250 would be fun. Are they stuffing that engine in there? Should be light enough that it would be entertaining.
For me it's go big or go home. I want a roadster/sports car or a big van. An SLK250 or a Sprinter. Either extreme.
B-class will be here, likely the A too. I think the biggest A is an A200 turbo. Both cars will be relatively expensive, I am not sure how they will fare - but in Canada anyway the B does seem to sell OK.
I have no real desire for a van or SUV, not a huge SLK fan (but the new larger ones seem better), however, I wouldn't kick an S class out of my garage.
I might get annoyed having to explain some odd tech to rich people with short attention spans, or people the age of my mother or grandmother. And you probably get endless lookie loos (I guess I am one, too) in the highlines. I also wouldn't be a good buttkisser, which seems to be important too.
I wonder if people at shows ask questions just to see if they can get an answer. My car shopping friend will ask weird questions, like if Euro specific models are coming, etc. I remember at a show once he asked a Ford rep when the Elite was coming back.
I think why some shoppers get aggravated by that is because some feel the salesperson should know just about everything about what they are selling. Used cars, of course, is different, but why shouldn't a Honda salesperson be very well versed in Hondas? Aren't they interested? If they aren't interested, how in the world can they stand their job?
So many folks here have so much useless information in their heads about hundreds, if not thousands, of different cars, and they aren't even in the car biz. So is it too much to ask that a salesman for one particular line of products know them inside and out?
Mind you, i'm playing devil's advocate to a degree. You obviously knew what was appropriate and important. Wheelbase? Yeah, I agree, that's just silly. But knowing the option packages? I'm amazed at how many don't know this. Knowing fuel economy? You HAVE to these days! I would expect them to ramble off all of the basic specs .... but very very few can.
The guys walking the aisles of Home Depot know more about what they are selling than most car salesfolk do about their products. I spent only a few short months working at Home Depot, but within the first month I could tell people every damned thing they wanted to know about every line of kitchen cabinets we carried thanks to the training I received.
'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
Weight was important when I was looking for a tow vehicle for the motorhome. The Jeep Liberty weighed over 4,000 lbs (if I remember correctly)... but the Honda CR-V weighed 3,400 lbs.
I'm amazing too that some, well most, sales people don't know their product. All they have to do is browse through the brochures and have a good memory! :P
Mark156
2010 Land Rover LR4, 2013 Honda CR-V, 2009 Bentley GTC, 1990 MB 500SL, 2001 MB S500, 2007 Lincoln TC, 1964 RR Silver Cloud III, 1995 MB E320 Cab., 2015 Prevost Liberty Coach
I own a new 2012 E350 Sport with P2 pkg., ventilated seats, spoiler, custom contour driver's seat, etc. The 302 horsepower engine was exactly what was needed in the E Class sedan along with outstanding highway fuel economy (I'm getting 32 mpg's at 65 mph and even more at 55 mph). I ordered it in August and got it in October. With the USAA pricing and loyalty incentives, I was able to get it for $5000 under invoice (only reason I ordered all the goodies).
So, if you are interested in a great car at a great price, this one has it all!
Amazingly I can appreciate fintail's friend. Everything on his list appeals to me one way or another. That said I tend to shop quickly when it comes time.
I'm practicing for the day Craig goes back to sell and I'm in the Seattle area...
What's the ground clearance? How many cubic inches is the glove compartment? Where can you locate me one with a leather passenger's seat but a cloth driver's seat? Can we split your commission?
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
Our state police detectives are driving the new Tauruses (Tauri?). They look a lot taller than the Crown Vics. I can't help but wonder whether the Taurus will be as indestructible in police service as the Crown Vic was. Then again, I see a lot of Chargers in city police fleets.
Yeah, I'd love to be able to say I own the same car as The Dude in The Big Lebowski... Forget buying an old one like his, as the four door models are pretty much gone. (That's a bummer, man.)
I'm with you. I was all over the place on the last purchase and that had to be something OK for my daughter to learn on, and ultimately drive on her own. And I still ended up with something totally unexpected late in the process.
It is going to be real trouble when I actually need to be buying something for myself at the end of the year! I already spend too much time cruising Craig's every day, and that is a cornucopia of choices!
Funny thing - I was having all sorts of laughs at your expense as you were going through the process but the truth is I saw an awful lot of myself there...
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
Sounds nice, what colors? I'd want a diesel, but I wouldn't mind a car like that. Has to be specific colors and options for me to ever want it though, and that might make my weird lease then purchase idea hard to carry out.
First off, virtually all of the premium/luxury imports(Audi, BMW, Infiniti, Lexus, M-B, Volvo) stayed home. My BMW sales guy told me that it was a waste of time and money.
So, here's what my son and I looked at:
Buick Regal GS: Innocuous inside and out, not to mention even slower than my none too swift Mazda- all for $38,000. Such a deal.
Cadillac CTS-V: Big, and I don't go for the origami snowplow design language. The interior looked as if it had been cribbed from Infiniti.
Dodge Challenger SRT8: If I could afford to by a car just for cruise nights this would be it.
Dodge Charger R/T: Massive, a nice interior let down by too much glitzy chrome.
Fiat 500: Nothing to interest me until the Abarth shows up.
Ford Mustang GT: Slushbox, no Brembo Package. Yawn...
Ford Focus ST: Locked with blacked out windows. That should generate interest.
Honda Civic: Meet the new boss, same as the old boss...
Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty Edition: Way kewl; my son also liked it- but $44,000 for a Wrangler?
Subaru WRX STi: Nice, but I want RWD.
Manufacturers we totally ignored: Chevrolet, GMC, Lincoln, Nissan, VW.
At least I've narrowed down my requirements for my next car:
1. Weight of 3,500 pounds or less 2. At least 300 bhp 3. Manual gearbox 4. RWD 5. Not assembled by the UAW
Current finalists: 135i M Sport, E46 M3, Z4 M Coupe, Cayman S
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Watch out for things like burned out pixels in the display. Make very sure the top operates as it should etc.
The electrical problems are common to all European cars and they aren't the end of the world when they happen. Just damm expensive to fix in a lot of cases.
Also, the burnt pixel issue: It's not a matter of if, but when, they fail. It's not a failure of the pixel display itself but of the ribbon cable connecting to the display. There are independent shops out there that'll fix the issue (permanently) for a lot cheaper than a new display.
A collective raising of the glass/tip of the hat to you!
I'll update tomorrow how the test drive/inspection goes. Planning on doing it tonight weather permitting. Storms predicted at some point and while that would be a good leak test, it doesn't make for the best opportunity to pore over the car and work the top.
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They screwed up the shift boot, but I like the seats. Depending on the rust, it might be a good deal.
Yeah... that's an E46 console jammed in there... probably not the best idea..
If the mechanicals are sound, the S50 parts and the interior are probably worth the asking price, alone.. But, the rear suspension is on bags, and the front on coilovers.. They have coilovers for the rear, but no control arms..... if you took out the bags, you'd have to re-build the rear suspension (of course, you could sell the air-suspension..)
But, that's a non-S model... with maybe some rust issues, and definitely exterior cosmetic problems... Seems weird that someone would go to all that detail (interior/stereo/lights), and put an S50 motor in, without fixing up the exterior first....
So I drove the 02 Saab 9-3 convertible...nice car, clean and a very fourthright seller. Went over the repair history while under his watch (~60k of the 120k miles) and he mentioned that he had all of the work done at a good local, independant Euro shop.
However, I think I will pass. The champagne color didn't really do it for me plus it had a rough idle and seemed to lack in top end power. The latter makes me nervous as it could be a turbo headed south.
Saturday, on a flyer, it went and checked out an 83 380sl for 4k. Solid body and not bad looking for near 30 yrs old. Would need a paint job soon, but I could live with that. Ran ok, shifted ok, but wandered all over the road really, really bad. Plus the brake pedal nearly hit the floor. My quick guestimate said I'd need to put a grand in it just to be comfortable driving it around on the weekends.
I found another Saab that may be worth checking out. This one is an 03 with less miles and a bit cheaper than the one above, 5900 asking price. Its grey and grey leather which is a bit more appealing to me.
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I had to take the CX-7 in for an oil change ($49.95 for full synthetic!), so it gave me an opportunity to wander the lot.
The dealer sells VW and Volvo in addition to Mazda, so both their new car and used car lots have some eclectic offerings.
This week I took out the MB CLS' poorer cousin, a 2012 VW CC Sport with 24K miles (!). DSG transmission, toffee brown over black leatherette.
If I'm not mistaken, the CC is one of the few cars still built by VW in Germany. Very nice inside - this car didn't have a sunroof, so headroom was adequate for my 5'11" frame, even with a baseball cap on.
There are only 2 seats in the rear, with a fairly large console between them. Legroom seemed OK, but I didn't sit back there. Lots of room up front, but it still felt a bit intimate in a good way. All the controls fell readily to hand.
The one thing I didn't like about the car was the DSG transmission. I'm assuming that it's the same transmission that is available other VW models, and I didn't care for it at all. Moving away from rest, you could almost feel the gears slipping into place like it was a manual transmission. Very disconcerting.
Ride is nice - very quiet, even at speed on the highway. Would seem to be a pretty good long distance cruiser. Didn't get a chance to take any real twisty corners, so cannot comment on the handling. Power was adequate - of course, since my DD only has 140HP, anything with more is going to feel sprightly by comparison. Trunk was enormous.
All in all, a nice car. They were asking, I think, $23K for this one. If you occasionally needed 4 doors but still wanted a coupe-like profile, this could work.
about the driveability issues, I recently saw an episode of wheeler dealers (love that show!) where they did over an older SAAB turbo (mid 90s maybe?) that had very similar symptons. occasional lumpiness, and dead on the top end. Yup, needed a new turbo.
they also installed some sort of custom bracket (for the steering column I believe) to head off a common problem of the mount cracking. Which is a very bad thing.
about the driveability issues, I recently saw an episode of wheeler dealers (love that show!) where they did over an older SAAB turbo (mid 90s maybe?) that had very similar symptons. occasional lumpiness, and dead on the top end. Yup, needed a new turbo.
they also installed some sort of custom bracket (for the steering column I believe) to head off a common problem of the mount cracking. Which is a very bad thing.
I thought of that same episode when the Saab was mentioned last week. IIRC, they paid close to $1K for the new turbo - and that was a refurbished unit of the internet, not a new one.
Hey Michael - That's where we bought our GTI (another German-built VW, at least for now).
Did the Mazda dealer have any CX-5's yet to look at? We're missing the CX-9 a bit in a nostalgic way, but the Odyssey has been so useful in this first week, between hauling kids around, purchasing furniture, etc., that we're very happy with our trade.
I like those CC's quite a bit - very stylish and upscale at an affordable price, and I commend VW for offering it with a manual. We looked at used ones about a year ago and were thinking pretty seriously about it. My wife didn't like that, for a larger car, the backseats didn't seem particularly roomy. And that's not really the point of the car anyway - since they have the Passat as the "real" family car. But man, for low-$20's for a used one (of which there are several around), you sure are getting a good looking car that is something different on the road. I know you enjoyed the GTI you drove a little while back - maybe you should try out a used CC with the manual - same engine and trannie, but a little more "grown-up" package if that appeals to you.
Did the Mazda dealer have any CX-5's yet to look at?
Yep, a few had just come off the truck and were still wrapped up tight. Only looked at the interior through the window, but it seemed consistent with the -7 and -9, just in a smaller package. Not sure how it would perform with the 155HP Skyactiv engine, given that it's heavier than the 3. The one I looked at stickered for about $27K.
I know you enjoyed the GTI you drove a little while back - maybe you should try out a used CC with the manual - same engine and trannie, but a little more "grown-up" package if that appeals to you.
Yeah, I've given that some thought. I know that the VW dealer on Havana - Tysons - has a few CC's with manual transmission for sale in the same low 20's price range. Not sure where I stand with the whole "grown up" vs. "hot hatch" debate. When I bought the L300 back in '02, that was a 'grown up' car to me. Mid-size V6 with leather, sunroof and other amenities.
Now, we've got the CX-7 for family and hauling purposes, so I'm not sure I need 4 doors this next time around. The last 2-door we owned was our '98 Beetle, and the kids were much younger then, so it really wasn't that practical.
Hence, I'm leaning towards a coupe (CPO 3-series or G35 / G37) or a hatch (GTI).
But, it sure is enjoyable to get out there and test drive!
BTW, I'm planning on attending the Denver Auto Show on the 24th. You going this year?
You know, we go to the auto show every year, but I hadn't given it much thought this year yet - it seems like it has slipped into April the past couple years, so I was thinking it was still a month away. But, yes, I'm sure we will end up going - I'll let you know if we end up going on that Saturday the 24th.
And I'll tell you what, one of the main reasons I like our GTI so much is that it does have that "youthful" look, but I think it has a more usable backseat than many sedans, and of course, the hatchback is great.
Since the G35/37 is on your list, I'll give a big thumbs up for the recently relocated Infiniti dealer down near Schomp BMW. That's where we just bought our used Odyssey - it was a great experience and our salesman was awesome to work with (I can give you his name if and when you go look).
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A few days ago he sent me a link to a 2011 C30 that had 46K on it - seemed kind of odd and I told him to be careful. He's also mentioned cars like A3, CT, and then to be inconsistent he throws in a GLK and a Taurus SHO. I should have him also look at a Mini as he had a thing for those once - he also liked the Fiat 500 until he drove one. He drove a few Scion, said he didn't really care for them - every one the dealer had was loaded with tacked on bric-a-brac. He also sends me links of cars "for me", best was a white 07 R350 with 130K on it.
All of my friend's looking had me thinking - next car might be a leased bluetec to test it out, then I can walk if I don't like it, and buy it if I do, with no risk. I might even test the new GS to see if I like it, esp if there's any sweetheart deal, as the maintenance should be easy.
They were the WORST! I knew I needed to get them focused quickly or I would be wasting a day test driving every kind of car on the lot and generally wasting my day.
I would ask a lot of questions..." What is important to you?" Then I woul help the shopper eliminate one by one the cars on their list.
" Reliability is important?...Then let's stay away from these Vokswagens and Audis" etc.
I got pretty good at it but these people were still tough. Many a newbie salesperson would waste an entire Saturday spinning their wheels with these types.
Don't you already own one of those? (your E55)
'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
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited Velvet Red over Wicker Beige
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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
I like the Accord idea most, out of all he's pitched me, as he's somewhat familiar with the car and it is a rare model with a lot of depreciation already taken.
When I have looked at cars, I usually know more about the model than the salesperson, makes things easier :shades:
The average salesperson knows very little about cars. They know how to sell, though.
Funny thing is - my list of wants is nearly the opposite from yours:
Compact or Subcompact, manual, 5 door hatch, fun/light, range more important than mileage. A ride that can tolerate DC potholes would be nice.
I'm tired of the low fuel light going on every 250 miles, but I refuse to soften up my driving style.
I like 4 doors, but I could deal with the right coupe. I like unusual options and colors, so I seek a rare used car or would likely custom order my own (probably won't be many 2012 E350 bluetec with P2, pano, sport, quartz blue on beige or almond, for example). I don't want a huge guzzler, but I don't need 50mpg. I live in a hilly congested area, stick would annoy me. Most cars I like have big tanks (E55 has 21 gallons, @25mpg freeway cruising, nice range), so that's not a worry. I will say the next car will likely have a softer ride, getting tired of dodging the potholes and poorly designed service covers on the road.
With Hondas, I was as knowledgable as anyone and I usually had the answers but once in awhile I would get an oddball question I would have to go look up.
What is the wheelbase? (who really cares? one out of 10,000?)
How much does it weigh? (again, so few people care I didn't either)
A lot of the questions like that came from people who simply felt the need to ask a question. the Car Shows were the worst!
I worked the Seattle Auto Show every year and I knew which cars to stay far away from. Cars that attacted "certain people" such as S-2000's, hybrids etc were to be avoided. would stay by the mainstream cars such as Accords, Civics, Odysseys and CRV's.
Even then, some of the questions asked were so far out that after an hour or so, I had had enough. The rookies would get eaten alive!
The upcoming A-class looks interesting - a stick A250 would be fun. Are they stuffing that engine in there? Should be light enough that it would be entertaining.
For me it's go big or go home. I want a roadster/sports car or a big van. An SLK250 or a Sprinter. Either extreme.
I have no real desire for a van or SUV, not a huge SLK fan (but the new larger ones seem better), however, I wouldn't kick an S class out of my garage.
I wonder if people at shows ask questions just to see if they can get an answer. My car shopping friend will ask weird questions, like if Euro specific models are coming, etc. I remember at a show once he asked a Ford rep when the Elite was coming back.
So many folks here have so much useless information in their heads about hundreds, if not thousands, of different cars, and they aren't even in the car biz. So is it too much to ask that a salesman for one particular line of products know them inside and out?
Mind you, i'm playing devil's advocate to a degree. You obviously knew what was appropriate and important. Wheelbase? Yeah, I agree, that's just silly. But knowing the option packages? I'm amazed at how many don't know this. Knowing fuel economy? You HAVE to these days! I would expect them to ramble off all of the basic specs .... but very very few can.
The guys walking the aisles of Home Depot know more about what they are selling than most car salesfolk do about their products. I spent only a few short months working at Home Depot, but within the first month I could tell people every damned thing they wanted to know about every line of kitchen cabinets we carried thanks to the training I received.
'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 come on man give us the answer! I've been waiting for this comeback since driver's ed.
I'm amazing too that some, well most, sales people don't know their product. All they have to do is browse through the brochures and have a good memory! :P
Mark156
So, if you are interested in a great car at a great price, this one has it all!
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
I'm practicing for the day Craig goes back to sell and I'm in the Seattle area...
What's the ground clearance?
How many cubic inches is the glove compartment?
Where can you locate me one with a leather passenger's seat but a cloth driver's seat?
Can we split your commission?
Yeah, I'd love to be able to say I own the same car as The Dude in The Big Lebowski... Forget buying an old one like his, as the four door models are pretty much gone. (That's a bummer, man.)
It is going to be real trouble when I actually need to be buying something for myself at the end of the year! I already spend too much time cruising Craig's every day, and that is a cornucopia of choices!
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So, here's what my son and I looked at:
Buick Regal GS: Innocuous inside and out, not to mention even slower than my none too swift Mazda- all for $38,000. Such a deal.
Cadillac CTS-V: Big, and I don't go for the origami snowplow design language. The interior looked as if it had been cribbed from Infiniti.
Dodge Challenger SRT8: If I could afford to by a car just for cruise nights this would be it.
Dodge Charger R/T: Massive, a nice interior let down by too much glitzy chrome.
Fiat 500: Nothing to interest me until the Abarth shows up.
Ford Mustang GT: Slushbox, no Brembo Package. Yawn...
Ford Focus ST: Locked with blacked out windows. That should generate interest.
Honda Civic: Meet the new boss, same as the old boss...
Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty Edition: Way kewl; my son also liked it- but $44,000 for a Wrangler?
Subaru WRX STi: Nice, but I want RWD.
Manufacturers we totally ignored: Chevrolet, GMC, Lincoln, Nissan, VW.
At least I've narrowed down my requirements for my next car:
1. Weight of 3,500 pounds or less
2. At least 300 bhp
3. Manual gearbox
4. RWD
5. Not assembled by the UAW
Current finalists: 135i M Sport, E46 M3, Z4 M Coupe, Cayman S
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Excellent comment!
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
'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
To a Wrangler buyer the difference between the 2dr wheelbase and the 4dr wheelbase may be important if they plan on hitting the trails.
Towing capacity for a SUV/truck is important to a certain % of buyers.
However, knowing and describing the dealer "experience" while the car is being serviced is not as important to the Honda buyer as say a Lexus buyer.
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Well, hell, if the $$ and no back seat aren't problems, I don't see any contest here, personally. Cayman is just too gorgeous to pass up.
'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
For some reason, I've always liked Saabs but I would proceed with caution.
They are now an "orphan" make and some parts may become difficult to find.
A lot of shops won't work on them for a variety of reasons.
With all of that in mind, I wouldn't buy one unless I could steal it.
and no hole in the roof, since you hate that (would be a deal breaker to me though, not having one!)
From the reports, it almost sounds like an RX-8 without the sewing machine engine and goofy rear doors!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I too have always been a fan of the marque, especially the convertible.
The electrical gremlins do scare me though. If any present themselves on the test drive/inspection I will probably pass.
If it checks out and the price is right, I think it might come home with me. Would be a nice weekender to play with for a few thousand miles a year.
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
The electrical problems are common to all European cars and they aren't the end of the world when they happen. Just damm expensive to fix in a lot of cases.
This is vitally important: Make sure PCV Update #6 has been done. If not, do it immediately after purchase.
Also, google Viggen Resue Kit. You'll want one of those, too, even though this isn't a Viggen.
After that...enjoy! They're a blast to drive, and I'd still have mine had the back seat gotten too small for growing kids.
A collective raising of the glass/tip of the hat to you!
I'll update tomorrow how the test drive/inspection goes. Planning on doing it tonight weather permitting. Storms predicted at some point and while that would be a good leak test, it doesn't make for the best opportunity to pore over the car and work the 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
Yeah... that's an E46 console jammed in there... probably not the best idea..
If the mechanicals are sound, the S50 parts and the interior are probably worth the asking price, alone.. But, the rear suspension is on bags, and the front on coilovers.. They have coilovers for the rear, but no control arms..... if you took out the bags, you'd have to re-build the rear suspension (of course, you could sell the air-suspension..)
But, that's a non-S model... with maybe some rust issues, and definitely exterior cosmetic problems... Seems weird that someone would go to all that detail (interior/stereo/lights), and put an S50 motor in, without fixing up the exterior first....
If I was handy...... (but, I'm not...)
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However, I think I will pass. The champagne color didn't really do it for me plus it had a rough idle and seemed to lack in top end power. The latter makes me nervous as it could be a turbo headed south.
Saturday, on a flyer, it went and checked out an 83 380sl for 4k. Solid body and not bad looking for near 30 yrs old. Would need a paint job soon, but I could live with that. Ran ok, shifted ok, but wandered all over the road really, really bad. Plus the brake pedal nearly hit the floor. My quick guestimate said I'd need to put a grand in it just to be comfortable driving it around on the weekends.
I found another Saab that may be worth checking out. This one is an 03 with less miles and a bit cheaper than the one above, 5900 asking price. Its grey and grey leather which is a bit more appealing to me.
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
The dealer sells VW and Volvo in addition to Mazda, so both their new car and used car lots have some eclectic offerings.
This week I took out the MB CLS' poorer cousin, a 2012 VW CC Sport with 24K miles (!). DSG transmission, toffee brown over black leatherette.
If I'm not mistaken, the CC is one of the few cars still built by VW in Germany. Very nice inside - this car didn't have a sunroof, so headroom was adequate for my 5'11" frame, even with a baseball cap on.
There are only 2 seats in the rear, with a fairly large console between them. Legroom seemed OK, but I didn't sit back there. Lots of room up front, but it still felt a bit intimate in a good way. All the controls fell readily to hand.
The one thing I didn't like about the car was the DSG transmission. I'm assuming that it's the same transmission that is available other VW models, and I didn't care for it at all. Moving away from rest, you could almost feel the gears slipping into place like it was a manual transmission. Very disconcerting.
Ride is nice - very quiet, even at speed on the highway. Would seem to be a pretty good long distance cruiser. Didn't get a chance to take any real twisty corners, so cannot comment on the handling. Power was adequate - of course, since my DD only has 140HP, anything with more is going to feel sprightly by comparison. Trunk was enormous.
All in all, a nice car. They were asking, I think, $23K for this one. If you occasionally needed 4 doors but still wanted a coupe-like profile, this could work.
they also installed some sort of custom bracket (for the steering column I believe) to head off a common problem of the mount cracking. Which is a very bad thing.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
they also installed some sort of custom bracket (for the steering column I believe) to head off a common problem of the mount cracking. Which is a very bad thing.
I thought of that same episode when the Saab was mentioned last week. IIRC, they paid close to $1K for the new turbo - and that was a refurbished unit of the internet, not a new one.
Good that you passed on it.
Did the Mazda dealer have any CX-5's yet to look at? We're missing the CX-9 a bit in a nostalgic way, but the Odyssey has been so useful in this first week, between hauling kids around, purchasing furniture, etc., that we're very happy with our trade.
I like those CC's quite a bit - very stylish and upscale at an affordable price, and I commend VW for offering it with a manual. We looked at used ones about a year ago and were thinking pretty seriously about it. My wife didn't like that, for a larger car, the backseats didn't seem particularly roomy. And that's not really the point of the car anyway - since they have the Passat as the "real" family car. But man, for low-$20's for a used one (of which there are several around), you sure are getting a good looking car that is something different on the road. I know you enjoyed the GTI you drove a little while back - maybe you should try out a used CC with the manual - same engine and trannie, but a little more "grown-up" package if that appeals to you.
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Yep, a few had just come off the truck and were still wrapped up tight. Only looked at the interior through the window, but it seemed consistent with the -7 and -9, just in a smaller package. Not sure how it would perform with the 155HP Skyactiv engine, given that it's heavier than the 3. The one I looked at stickered for about $27K.
I know you enjoyed the GTI you drove a little while back - maybe you should try out a used CC with the manual - same engine and trannie, but a little more "grown-up" package if that appeals to you.
Yeah, I've given that some thought. I know that the VW dealer on Havana - Tysons - has a few CC's with manual transmission for sale in the same low 20's price range. Not sure where I stand with the whole "grown up" vs. "hot hatch" debate. When I bought the L300 back in '02, that was a 'grown up' car to me. Mid-size V6 with leather, sunroof and other amenities.
Now, we've got the CX-7 for family and hauling purposes, so I'm not sure I need 4 doors this next time around. The last 2-door we owned was our '98 Beetle, and the kids were much younger then, so it really wasn't that practical.
Hence, I'm leaning towards a coupe (CPO 3-series or G35 / G37) or a hatch (GTI).
But, it sure is enjoyable to get out there and test drive!
BTW, I'm planning on attending the Denver Auto Show on the 24th. You going this year?
And I'll tell you what, one of the main reasons I like our GTI so much is that it does have that "youthful" look, but I think it has a more usable backseat than many sedans, and of course, the hatchback is great.
Since the G35/37 is on your list, I'll give a big thumbs up for the recently relocated Infiniti dealer down near Schomp BMW. That's where we just bought our used Odyssey - it was a great experience and our salesman was awesome to work with (I can give you his name if and when you go look).
2024 Audi Q8 e-tron - 2017 911 C4S - 2025 BRZ - 2023 A6 Allroad - 2024 Genesis GV60 - 2019 Cayman
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