Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

ateixeira

Just got their spam on new lease deals...

328i lease for $329 Per Month. 535i for $499. 528 must be even less.

Wonder how many sell for that price, vs. the upsell?

jpp75

I hadn't considered that but it makes sense. IMO it needs to be toned down a bit, it doesn't really have a sporty sound to it, it's more gruff which doesn't fit the image of the car.

kyfdx

Leaving work, yesterday.... car wouldn't start... Just clicked and clicked...

Called AAA for a jump.. They informed me that they will send a special truck, that will troubleshoot my charging system and install a proper battery on the spot, if needed.. Well, that's fine, but it makes me a little nervous, as my battery is in the trunk, and has to be vented, etc... but, either way.. I get a jump, at least.

So, pop the hood, open the trunk, remove the battery cover.... hop back inside and it fires right up.. .. Call AAA, cancel the service call... close up the car, get in, and then I notice... Every single light on the dash is lit up... airbag, traction control, seat belt, battery, etc, etc..

It's 16 miles and 20 minutes home.... almost all suburban freeway.. So, I take off...

First thing I notice... is the self-leveling headlights aren't working.. pointed mostly down.. Then, radio comes on, but no sound.. I'm thinking that at some point, I'm going to lose electricity, and the car is going to die, so I'm really watching things, now... The clock on the radio starts flickering.... so, I make sure I'm in the right-hand lane... turn off the climate control, and that turns the clock back on... (about half-way home, now)..

Decide to get off the next exit, as my break-down lane options get a lot worse on the 2nd half of the trip.. Fortunately, not many stop lights.. notice as I make a right-turn, the turn signal makes no noise.... About 2 miles to go now.. Radio lights give up... Gauges, which up to now have been working, start going wonky... Tach showing 1000 RPM, speedo stuck on 25 mph... Headlights go out... turn down to DRLs and running lights, which helps a little... Didn't want to waste the electric, but forced to turn on blinkers (it's dark.. 6 pm).

About a 1/4 mile from home... when it hits me: If I drive home, I'll need a tow or a house call... So, crest the hill and coast the last half-mile to a local repair shop (who's owner I just met socially last weekend!).. Place looks closed up, but a light is on in the office.. and, sure enough... he is still there, closing up... Pull my car in, and call for a ride home.... shewwww!!

Unfortunately, shop is closed until Monday... So, I'm driving a 20-yr-old Acura for awhile...

Just wondering if its the battery or the alternator..

rayainsw

Sounds very stressful.
Glad you made it home-ish!
- Ray
Happy Thanksgiving to all.....

jayrider

Super K, what car were you driving ? Nice thinking on the drop off at the repair shop. Happy T day.

qbrozen

through that long-winded description, he fails to mention how many miles are on the car.

benrey23

Might look at the Chevy Spark. Affordable, great warranty, low low maint. and has great options for tooling around in plus fuel economy.

kyfdx

2006 BMW 330Ci (E46 coupe) with 68K miles....

I've had it since 40K miles.... no issues prior, since I've owned it... Not sure if the battery is original... those trunk mounted batteries always look brand-new..

dieselone

I have seen gauges go wonky due to a bad alternator/voltage regulator. I don't think a bad battery would cause that as properly operationg alternator should be able to put out enough volts/amps to run the electronics of the car.

So my vote is the alternator.

stickguy

I would bet battery based on age/miles, but with a BMW, you never know.

Many of the symptoms are eerily similar to what my son just went through with our Acura TL, and that turned out to be the alternator.

I had a much less problematic issue with the Volvo. My kids were out yesterday, and texted that the info screen had some on saying that a low beam was out. I now know how to replace headlight bulbs on this car.

actually a pretty good system (which seemed crazy when I first read the manual). You actually have to take the entire headlight assembly out to replace any bulb. But, that was quite simple. Pull out a pin that holds it in, fiddle it loose, unplug the main power wire, and the whole thing comes right out. Then I took it to the kitchen table, and there is a weather tight cover to pop off, then great access to all the bulbs.

Much easier than trying to finagle blindly on the car, and the whole unit is nicely protected from the elements.

Went with the mid-level Silvanias (xtremevision?) Have not had it out yet in the dark, so it will be interesting to see if I notice a big difference in brightness. My daughter said they seemed pretty bright in the garage when she moved it this afternoon!

roadburner

I vote for the battery; it's at the right age to fail, and a bad battery can cause all manner of electrical weirdness on a late model Bimmer.

roadburner

Went with the mid-level Silvanias (xtremevision?) Have not had it out yet in the dark, so it will be interesting to see if I notice a big difference in brightness. My daughter said they seemed pretty bright in the garage when she moved it this afternoon!

Next time try Osram Night Breaker Plus bulbs. I put them in the Hella E-Codes in my Wrangler and the results were phenomenal. Amazon usually has them at a reasonable price.

kyfdx

I hope you are right...

houdini1

That Dodge Dart may have had the "slant" v6 engine. The engine was mounted learning a bit to the right. This may have put more weight on the passenger side motor mounts.

steine13

In the spirit of the Armed Forces Network's "AFN Phrase of the day," we will be learning a little German:

"Die Lichtmaschine ist kaputt."

The alternator is broken.

Anyway, that's my vote.
The only way it's the battery is if it's so catastrophically failing that it's shorted internally and pulling down the alternator voltage.

I think we can all guess what the German's think a Lichtmaschine should cost.

I remember when you could get Big Three truck alternators at Meijer for $50....

Good luck, and may it be "die Batterie."

Cheers -Mathias

stickguy

at least for my 17 YO daughter. She managed to fail her road test today. Needless to say, this is a crisis, and she may have to go into the witness protection program, out of sheer embarrassment.

She seems to be the only one of her friends that did not pass 1st time, even the ones that barely drove and are scary to watch. My kid has a lot of wheel time, and is actually pretty good. We even spent a lot of time (way more than other kids) working on parallel parking, since she is OCD about these things. So of course, that is what got her.

The lady was quite surly. Probably hung over, and cranky about having to work black Friday! But, now we have to spend time working on PP and getting closer to the curb if you are too far out the first time That is, of course, if she ever is willing to get behind the wheel.. or try the test again.

they make you wait 2 weeks, and I am afraid to think what happens if she freaks out and fails it again (she is going to be a nervous wreck). Online, they say you need to wait 2 weeks, and if you fail again, they may require a 6 month wait.

At least this pushes off my need for a spare car. At the expense of a 17 YO having a nervous breakdown.

corvette

The system in the original VW New Beetle was like that, except that the plastic was almost impossible to get loose, and had to be sprayed with oil. That, and the headlights both went out every 50,000 miles like clockwork. Sometimes both at the same time. :P

fintail

Or hopefully it wasn't built on a Freitag during Oktoberfest :shades:

I don't know about new cars, but my old E55 feels so small and nimble compared to that A8 yacht I piloted around Germany and environs. Gives me no itch for something new. Although the bike itch is still nagging me.

steine13

>> Although the bike itch is still nagging me.

Well, keep in mind that this is the off season, when all the good deals happen!

Go for it, man!

I love this support group,
-Mathias

fintail

I noticed an SV650 I looked at a while back is still for sale. Overpriced and needs some detail work, but it is a rare late model with ABS and fairings. I am also curious about the new Ninja 300, I sat on one and it had a fun vibe. I ultimately want an over-powered performance machine, but I want more practice first.

Cheaper than jumping into a new car anyway :shades:

tjc78

She managed to fail her road test today.

That really sucks for her. For you, think of what two weeks of insuring a 17 year old in Jersey costs!

Remembering back to my driver's test I got yelled at for being a little too "confident and aggressive". I took a short window to merge from a yield sign. Thank goodness the instructor was cool and only commented on it.

Do they still do the test on Cuthbert by the Courier Post building?

roadburner

My son failed the first time as well- parallel parking the X3 did him in.

roadburner

I think we can all guess what the German's think a Lichtmaschine should cost.

Not all that much, actually. A rebuilt Bosch goes for @$200+core.

jayrider

Most states have Motorcycle safety courses. Some are free and some aren't but the ones in Illinois even supply the motorcycles so you get a taste. Check it out.

fintail

Oh, I already have the endorsement, just haven't taken the purchase plunge yet.

The courses here supplied the bikes too. Great deal, as the MSF course was $125, but you'll pay $75 simply to take the test with no other training. $50 for 8 hours of practice on someone elses bike, their fuel, their course? Bargain.

fezo

When I took the driver's test I was ever so polite and deferential to the guy doing the test,asked what the speed limit was on the closed course. He read his paper while I was driving along. Did the parallel parking fine and just as I am hitting the last turn I look out and see that I am at a STOP sign and haven't stopped. Testing guy still looking at his paper so I come to a nice quiet stop past teh sign, make my left an complete the course.

He passes me on all counts, including an outstanding rating for attitude and ATTENTION!

kyfdx

I hope you are wrong....

oldfarmer50

"...spend time on PP..."

Is that what she failed on? Next time you're in upstate NY swing by, I'll teach her how to parallel park a 35' bus. Or you could get one of those cars that park themselves.

My niece turns 16 in December and she has the license fever big time. Her parents were badgered into letting her get her permit right away instead of in the summer. So she's already asking if I will teach her since I taught her older brother and he passed on the first try. If she passes she will make my record 4 for 4 on first time passers.

tjc78

I learned to parallel park an 89 Grand Marquis, then took the test in a Neon. Much easier!

fintail

I did something similar - practiced a lot in a 1960 Ford Country Sedan, then tested in a ~92 Sunbird. It was pretty easy.

akangl

She managed to fail her road test today.

That sucks. My son had it easy and took a driving school right before he was going to get his license. They took care of the road test, as luck would have it no other instructors were available to give him his road test, so his same instructor did it. Although I know Butch would not have passed him if he wasn't ready.

I'm stalling for time with my soon to be 17 year old, trying to get her to wait on getting her license. I don't want to pay for insurance. Bad thing is she's a good driver and she knows it. :sick:

steine13

>>I think we can all guess what the German's think a Lichtmaschine should cost.

Not all that much, actually. A rebuilt Bosch goes for $200+core.

That's great!
A friend of mine had an 87 Audi 5000 -- he told me that the dealer wanted $1100 for an alternator -- 15 years ago. He went and had it rebuilt locally, which was around $250, so definitely the way to go.

I'm suprised the BMW parts are so reasonable...

I should say my buddy had TWO 87 Audi 5000's. It's the only way to go...
Also an 87 Dodge conversion van, which always ran.
A matched set, if you will. :P

-Mathias

stickguy

yup. next to the inspection station. Quite a silly est. Other than the parallel parking piece, the rest of it is pretty much a square with a 25 mph SL. Pretty sure most people could pass that part with no more than 1 hour of instruction and practice.

The part I guess I did not work on her enough was getting closer when you were already in the spot. Then having the lady writing notes rattled her.

but, we will go out a lot in the next 2 weeks and work on that until the car begs for mercy, and if she still can't do it after that, she will have to move out of state.

what kills me is that some of her friends, that I know should not be on the road yet, managed to pass 1st time.

Pretty sure it had a lot to do with the particular instructor she got and when she got he.

kyfdx

I'm betting on the alternator, as well... actually..

Slowly losing the electric power over a 20 minute drive just points that way.... at least to this non-technical person...

I'll know Monday... Dang, that Acura needs tires balanced.... Plus, now the coolant light just came on in the '87 325i.... Good thing I started with four cars for three drivers..

oldfarmer50

"...It had lot to do with the particular instructor..."

Although it was more than 45 years ago I can clearly remember the older guys warning that "you better not get the white haired guy, he flunks everybody". This was the teenager's version of the license Boogeyman.

Of course, when I went for my road test I got the white haired guy. I figured I was doomed and just did what I thought was right. I passed.

I think test-takers nerves trips up more kids than anything.

stickguy

in my daughter's circle, the "fat guy" is the one they are all afraid of getting. So she was real excited when the middle aged lady walked up. Joke on her, since she turned out to be HOW.

jayrider

Back in Chicago the late 60's early 70's, if you knew to drop $20 on the seat next to the instructor, you always passed. Otherwise you would have to retake it. I flunked the first time due to ignorance of the corruption but my wife who was 23 wore a mini-skirt and passed without the bribe and she was a terrible driver. Go figure. I passed the second time and a few years later -- big scandal with arrests and press. Seems the money went up the food chain. Recently, there were truck driver training schools who would give you a license for a bribe with no testing. Just pay the man and jump into the 18 wheeler and head out on the interstate. Surprisingly, it came to light after a few horrendous fatal accidents which after an investigation, exposed the scam.When I got my license at 16, I first took lessons from a friend of my father's who retired from the Pa. State police. He accompanied me to my test and got to see all his old buddies at the testing facility. I passed !!!!

houdini1

She will get it next time. The odd thing is, I bet I haven't had to parallel park but once or twice in the last 20 years.

oldfarmer50

"...drop $20 on the seat..."

Ah, "the Chicago way". It's still the same today except now you drop $20 million on the seat and the government funds your solar business. :sick: ">

ateixeira

Friend trade her Tribute in for a new CR-V.

Then another friend traded in his Ody for a CR-V. He was shopping for an XC60 not long ago, maybe he got a pay cut?

Then the teenage girl next door got a used 2nd gen CR-V.

I'm surrounded!

dieselone

Friend trade her Tribute in for a new CR-V.

5 years ago when we moved into our house, my neighbors on each side of me drove domestics. During the past two years they've all replaced the domestics with new toy/hondas.

ateixeira

Ironically those are probably US built. Am I right?

ateixeira

Dad's new convertible has issues already.

We thought it was just from sitting too long, losing a charge. First it wouldn't start. But even after a long drive the battery would die.

He called Chrysler and they had the dealer contact him and make a quick appointment. They replaced the entire battery and I'm not sure what else, but it's better now.

It was funny, though, to see him driving around his 14 year old Outback while his shiny new convertible was in the shop.

dieselone

Ironically those are probably US built. Am I right?

Probably. Odyssey, Highlander on one side which replaced a Grand Caravan and Ford Freestyle. My other neighbor replaced a Lucerne with a Camry and a G6 with a Corolla.

I think they're all made in the US except for maybe the highlander. Not sure where they come from.

Both couples are retired/ soon to be retired.

ateixeira

retired - that explains the Camry.

dieselone

retired - that explains the Camry.

And the Corolla;) Perfect for a retired 2nd grade teacher:)

Heck, he had the perfect old mans car with the Lucerne. Ironically, he didn't it long. Only a couple of years. I don't talk to him much, but I'll have to ask next time we chat.

stickguy

I parked next to a newish Camry yesterday at Target. It had a full "roadster" roof on it. Shockingly, it might have made the car look better! Car was a bronze, and roof a darker brown, so the colors worked.

and yes, I saw the owner get in. A woman that made me feel young, and that is hard to do! I won't get into the lousy park job, and interesting work getting it out of the spot...

fintail

Did it have whitewalls too?

Of all things, there is a Kia Amanti in my area with the "full Florida" treatment.

ateixeira

Ah, the simulated convertible package. Ugh.

Ugliest I've ever seen was on a Dodge Intrepid.

qbrozen

A couple of weeks ago, my father informed me he is selling his CLK320, which was the replacement for the Saab 9-3 vert I bought off him a while back (and since sold, of course). He told me he wanted to sell it to have the cash on hand for what may be impending hospital bills.

I'm not interested in the Benz, so, no, I'm not going there with this story. Anyhoo, he already had a buyer lined up, so it wasn't ever actually "for sale."

On Friday, he calls me and tells me I have to talk him out of a car. OK, I thought you wanted the cash? Well.... and here we go with the excuses that we are all well versed in. Thinks that something fuel efficient would be helpful in the long run. Yeah, OK. But he's looking at an '05 or '06 (I forget) Subaru Outback Sedan 3.0R.

I explain that this is NOT a fuel efficient vehicle. He agrees. I nudge him in the direction of a 325i or 325xi. Far better mileage, and similarly valued to a used subie of that vintage, believe it or not. I even send him a couple of examples I found in the area, one of which was a very nice looking wagon. He tells me its a great idea. He hadn't thought about that. I've given him alot to think about, etc, etc.

Saturday, I call over to the house to ask a question about something unrelated, and my brother tells me dad is out buying a car. Hmmm... I think, there is an outside shot its one I sent him, but deep down I know he went to buy that Subaru. Turns out I was right. Very very disappointing. He texts me a pic later that night and says "I really like it." I replied "You'd better LOVE it because that's the ONLY reason to even own it." :sick: