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Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

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  • au1994au1994 Member Posts: 3,714
    I have a black on black 328i coupe. The exterior does require more frequent washings than other colors I have had (hey this is the CCB board, don't expect me to name them all ;) ) but nothing looks better than a clean, shiny black car!

    The interior however, was a mistake. Never, never, never will I do black interior again. Every thing shows and it is HOT in the summer as I live in Atlanta. I need to look into having the windows tinted but given the new laws I'm not sure if I can get a dark enough tint to make a difference.

    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

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Black carpets in my Miata, and you're right, it's horrible. One spec of dirt and it looks dirty. I must shake out the carpets every other day.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,469
    edited June 2012
    My dark grey car is a pain to keep clean, but looks nice when cleaned up:

    image

    Interior is maybe half a shade darker - seats, dash, wood, all grey. Mats are black (get shaken out weekly), headliner and side upper interior trim is a light color. It's kind of monotonous at the very least.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,749
    well the car itself always looks filthy.

    Black wheels have an advantage, though, I think. The brake dust doesn't show. ;)

    '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

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Clean. I like those substantial looking rims.

    For interiors, I like when you get a mix of two-tones, Reese's style (chocolate & peanut butter), or mocha (coffee & chocolate colors) works for me.

    I hate when the only choices are black or beige. I prefer gray or tan if it has to be monotone.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Yeah, black wheels are perfect.

    All wheels turn black eventually. :D
  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    The interior however, was a mistake. Never, never, never will I do black interior again. Every thing shows and it is HOT in the summer as I live in Atlanta.

    I think that the same is true with us. Our CX-7 has a black leather interior and the wife does not like it one bit in the summer. Leather - yes; black leather - no.

    The problem is that the wife likes silver and grey as exterior colors, and it's hard to find those colors without black on the inside.

    I put black wheels on the ION - love the looks of them with the dark grey exterior.
  • tifightertifighter Member Posts: 3,793
    My Miata's dark blue and trust me it's not any better!

    I have the same Stormy Blue color on mine...total dirt magnet. Drives me nuts...

    25 NX 450h+ / 24 Sienna Plat AWD / 23 Civic Type-R / 21 Boxster GTS 4.0

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Crystal white was only slightly better. I had issues with leaves in the fall. Wet leaves would put tea stains all over it.

    Pretty soon we'll all obsess and have military-spec flat olive drab exteriors with mud colored carpets inside. :D
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,469
    The wheels are now considered classic, old school AMG. They give the car a look, for sure.

    I liked the interior in my W212 rental, light seats and door panels, light wood, dark other areas to change things up a little:

    image
  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    edited June 2012
    Picture of the ION at 70K:

    image
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,463
    my wife really likes that look. Dark upper dash, light lower dash/door cards/seats and dark carpet. Makes a nice impact, and hides the dirt on the floor (tan carpets not good!)

    a couple of the cars we looked at lately (Tiguan for sure, and I think the outback) are like that and it looks sharp.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Black carpets look good when they're clean, and perhaps even wear well, but ... they're never clean!

    Maybe a nice tan color, medium toned, is best.
  • corvettecorvette Member Posts: 11,330
    Does the Ion have a timing belt? I thought the Ecotec had a timing chain.
  • corvettecorvette Member Posts: 11,330
    I agree. I also like a tan dash/seats with black carpet. The A4 I leased had an ivory interior with ivory carpet and ivory cloth floor mats. Beautiful, but I bought a set of black all-weather rubber mats after about a month because the ivory cloth ones were too hard to keep clean!
  • nyccarguynyccarguy Member Posts: 17,527
    I love your 135i w/ Black Rims! Looks spectacular!

    2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD

  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,749
    thank you, and the other folks, for the compliments.

    The beefier rear tires definitely make it a quieter and smoother ride.

    '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

  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    Does the Ion have a timing belt? I thought the Ecotec had a timing chain.

    Some quick research on the web shows that the L61 Ecotec does in fact come equipped with a timing chain.

    Yay!

    Now to find out if / when I need to think about changing it....
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,463
    a chain? No.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 17,032
    I agree with the rest of you here. The dark carpet combined with the lighter interior color is the way to go IMHO. My Genesis was like that. My Buick is all one color, and I had to resort to my clear plastic mats on top of the light grey factory mats. (I know, I'm nuts).

    Oh, and my Buick made it 9 months before it's first door ding. It is very slight, but I'm considering PDR. My Fiance couldn't even see it, but its driving me nuts.

    I usually park so far out of the way, but on Friday night it was pouring and the parking lot where I went was packed to the gills so no choice.

    2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Ivory would be impossibly high maintenance. :sick:
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,749
    Its been about 2.5 weeks, so I figured it was time to make an actual Ebay auction for it.

    Why is it my reserve and BIN prices are always SO close to each other? I guess I just know what I want for it. Ah well. Let's see if it gets any more action this way. Cost me $9, but I guess that's not bad for a nationwide ad.

    '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

  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 266,942
    Want me to get the bidding started? Just say how much! ;)

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  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,463
    I thought we were both already in at 3K

    Oh, better find the ad and look at the BIN...

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 266,942
    I don't want to jump in there high.... and kill all the interest for him... just figured I'd pop in at $500 to get it moving....

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  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,749
    Go right ahead. I mean, until the reserve is met, it really means nothing, right?

    What stinks about ebay, though, is that I have to put a higher reserve than I would actually take in the end just to cover all the fees.

    '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

  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,749
    And you are the high bidder! lol.

    thanks for helping me test my iphone app, though. It buzzed me when the bid was received. Oh, BTW, that's my wife's Ebay account. I've sold too many cars through my qbrozen account, so it was cheaper to use hers. haha.

    '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

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    edited June 2012
    How come I see current bid as still just $1? Strange...

    I'll DOUBLE that. :D
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,463
    well, I jumped over him. At least now I know that I remembered by Ebay ID and PW!

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,749
    edited June 2012
    its a strange rule ... but, even with a reserve, it will withold your highest bid, UNLESS your highest bid meets the reserve.

    So, for example, reserve is $500 and bidding is at $1. You put in a $700 max bid, it will kick your bid up to the reserve amount of $500, leaving you a $200 cushion still. However, if bidding is at $1 and you put in a $499 max, it will only show the $1 and 'reserve not met.'

    I think its kinda silly, personally, but it is what it is.

    There was a time when I refused to do a reserve price. It only made sense to me to start the bidding at my reserve. It made it more transparent PLUS it cost nothing to start the bidding higher, but there was a fee for having a reserve. However, ebay got wise to that, I suppose, and now charge higher fees the higher you start the bidding.

    '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

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I guess they try to get a solid first bid, vs. just a speculator beating the current bid by a buck?
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,749
    wow. An ebay newb. haha. C'mon, you need project car where the parts you need are only on ebay so you can build up your feedback score! :P

    '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

  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,463
    I bought a couple of things. I think baseball cards for my son. And maybe something else small. Never sold anything though.

    I used to check out lots of auctions, and at the beginning, trolled some low bids, and almost got burned. Say a 1998ish Volvo S90, in Fla. For some reason I bid on it (not a huge amount, maybe $7,500?), then realized shortly afterwards that it was probably a really dumb idea.

    well of course, auction close to ending, and somehow I am high bidder. Had the seller (some women with a used car business, though from feedback was probably legit) sending me emails because I had no feedback (being a newb!) and she needed to "vet" me. I ignored those!

    Went to bed thinking I needed to explain to my wife that I just bought a Volvo sight unseen in Florida, and either had to ship it or fly down and drive it home. But, at the last minute, someone overbid me.

    I learned after that not to bid unless I was damned sure going to be happy if it won!

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,749
    I never actually bought a car that way, I don't think. I have bought cars that were on Ebay, but not through the auction. Just went and made a deal in person.

    '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

  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 17,032
    I once put a pretty high bid on a piece of stereo equipment and afterward thought better of it. I was really happy someone sniped the auction and outbid me at the end.

    2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart

  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,749
    you guys are cracking me up. Its a low-ball bidding war! You'd better be careful. You never know when you'll hit my reserve! ;)

    '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

  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 266,942
    Eat THAT! stick..

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  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,463
    well, if you were going to drop the reserve to my current high bid of 1K, I can be there with cash in about an hour.

    Out of your driveway before dinner! Make the wife happy!

    if nothing else, people will see action on it (though unless I was missing it, you can't seem to see bidding history anymore, or # of bids?)

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    Watch out, q! Stick's moving backward in his bid!

    I bought the 99 Celica on Ebay. The seller was here in NJ (Cumberland County). Piece of cake and have more than gotten my money's worth out of it.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    edited June 2012
    That is a nice looking "Mister Two"!

    With 6 days left, most potential bidders are probably holding back.

    You "shills" are doing a good job of throwing "chum" into the water which is probably the thing to do!

    What does it cost to sell something on Ebay anyway? I've bought quite a few things but never sold anything.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    I'm the leading bidder at the moment. If I can pick it up real cheap I can try to sell it to stick....
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 266,942
    .. that BIN price includes shipping, right? :P

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  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    To stick's house, sure.....
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 53,463
    delivery included, but only within 1 hour of his house.

    You are out of luck.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 266,942
    not helping...

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  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,749
    What does it cost to sell something on Ebay anyway? I've bought quite a few things but never sold anything.

    It varies. They have gone with a flat rate on cars now, at least for the final auction fee. $60 for cars $2k and under and $125 for cars over $2k. Listing fee can vary from $0 if you don't want any frills, accept the standard 7-day listing, and are willing to start at $0 with no reserve! Cost me $9 to set a reserve and have a BIN price.

    BUT... then you have your Paypal fees! So when you accept a deposit on the car of $500, you pay something like another $20 to paypal, I believe. So a bit over $150 when all is said and done.

    When I sold my FILs caddy a couple of years ago to an overseas buyer who paid the full amount through paypal, the final fees for the listing and accepting payment was nearly $300.

    '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

  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 33,749
    edited June 2012
    my seats and wheels are way cooler. :P

    At least mine is cheaper!

    I really don't like red on that car, nor do I like the spoiler. The black one is a bit better... although the shifter boot and engine compartment don't strike me as 46k mile examples. Engine compartment on the red one is quite nice.

    '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

  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    well, someone outbid me. I've done my part....
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
This discussion has been closed.