Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

ateixeira

Subaru Outback Sedan

Subaru's least appealing car, IMHO.

js06gv

Ah, the simulated convertible package. Ugh.

Having grown up in the northeast, I used to fondly refer to that as the "New Jersey package." Probably has died down a bit these days, but there was a time period in the 80s/90s when they would put a fake convertible top on ANYTHING. My favorites were Tempos and Corsicas.

tjc78

My 04 Grand Marquis (that was my Grandfathers) has a cloth top. For some reason on Marquis and Town Cars the cloth roof isn't all that bad. I've seen a late model Altima with a cloth roof. That does look odd.

ateixeira

It looks tolerable on boxy cars, but awful on more rounded ones.

js06gv

You're right. Grand Marquis and Town Car always looked in their element with those. For some reason Cougars were also inordinately popular in NY/NJ and the cloth tops seemed to appear on about 75% of them! It's when they spread to Corollas that they started to become ridiculous.

kyfdx

Good news! It was the battery..

New Interstate battery... $157
1/2 hour labor.. $35

Total bill = $201, including tax...

Not too bad...

steine13

"Es war doch die Batterie!"

It was the battery after all.

Good on ya, mate! -m

roadburner

Good to hear!

nyccarguy

Good to hear it was just a battery! Your ZHP is now ready to tear up some asphalt!

stickguy

Ahem. And where exactly is the link to the nice looking wagon?

stickguy

hopefully not the same situation, but that is what they told my son the first time he had to have his TL towed in. 2nd time they found the bad alternator.

BTW he called tonight with yet another problem, thankfully minor this time. One of the chrome tailpipe tips fell off in his driveway up at school. I told him to bring it home next month, and not try to force it back on. With his luck lately, the entire exhaust would fall off in his hands.

He has definitely swung from "keep the TL a long time to save up for a BMW" to "get a job and buy a new(er) car ASAP". Can't say I blame him now. Just hope it makes 6 more months without major (or expensive) issues, and of course, he gets a job right away!

at least it did fine on the 500 mile RT over the holiday, so it is running well it seems.

kyfdx

Well.. aren't you a ray of sunshine? :P

stickguy

sorry. Been getting hit bad lately with the "hard knocks" stick!

you should be OK. The alternator in the TL was 13 YO with 167K on it when it went.

stickguy

Ah, if only I had convinced the wife to buy the used X3 that we could have paid cash for, so I could get something for myself that included a payment (actually, that may have been why she didn't...)

anyway, in the paper today, Kerbeck in AC had a bunch of Vettes listed for sale, most at around 11-13K of MSRP (and they were 2013s). And on a base coupe (6 speed stick!) a no money down, drive off for about ~$1,100 for 1st pay and bank fee lease for only $420/mo. This is for a coupe with a sticker of just north of 50 grand.

Too bad they had the fine print that it included a 3K Corvette loyalty bonus, so since I am not a prior owner, it looks much less attractive having to pony up 3K too!

qbrozen

funny. I'm in NJ and we refer to it as the Florida Package. :P

qbrozen

Oh, its not really for us. Automatic and no sport pack.
But since I know you just HAVE to look , here are the 2 I sent him...

"324" wagon

low mileage sedan

jayrider

My Dad bought a new 65 Ford Galaxie 500XL and everyone thought the vinyl roof looked great. My 71 Impala custom coupe was beige with a dark brown roof and I loved the look. A nice coat of Armor-All after a wash gave the roof a soft sheen. Total class back then.

tjc78

A nice coat of Armor-All after a wash gave the roof a soft sheen

Until it rained and the Armor-All rain down the back window and sides of the car!

breld

I don't know - that "324" must be pretty special. 324, 325 - whatever it takes.

jayrider

Maybe some had trouble with the roof glow but as long as you buffed it out nicely it would last at least a week or two -- rain or shine.

qbrozen

haha. Mr Mom reference. nice.

fintail

Looked at bikes again today. Although the most expensive option, the Ducati Monster really feels right. Well, haven't taken it out on the road yet, but it is nice to sit on and play with. Only problem is the price, which is outside of my initial budget. Used ABS models seem very hard to find.

I am still curious about the Ninja 300, something appealing about the sheep in wolf's clothing, but I am afraid I would outgrow it too fast, and it is kind of built to a price. Ninja 650 is nicer, but price approaches the Ducati.

And the 08 model SV650 I looked at a couple times awhile back is still for sale - cheapest option of the three and still in the running. I'm thinking I might buy by the end of the year - offseason is a buyers market, and end of the year might be good for dickering.

ateixeira

Dealer is probably busy selling snow mobiles, though.

fintail

Not here - dealers closer to the mountains maybe. Although Kawasaki dealer did have a dirtbike that had a rear track and a front ski, used as more of an attention getter than a sales volume maker no doubt.

stickguy

I like them both. I always wanted a wagon. A bit stiff on miles, but a plus is no AWD.

The sedan could be a good deal. i could live with that.

js06gv

Isn't Florida where most Jerseyites end up? That's the way it works in my family. At least my Grandpa's '98 Camry doesn't have a cloth roof. It may be one of the few running around Freehold without one :P

stickguy

wonder what this would actually be worth? Caught my eye since it is local. I do love the pictures date coded from 2007. Wonder if it changed at all in the last 5 years?

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/cto/3356245266.html

tjc78

I wouldn't worry about the date. The person probably doesn't know how to set it properly.

Looks nice. I'm sure Q can put a value on it, but just from looking you could do worse for 5K.

ateixeira

Let's translate what the ad is really saying:

Added Roll Bar = he raced it at track events

New Top = old one was neglected like the rest of the car

New Cat, 02 sensors = persistent emissions problems

maintained regularly = first-name basis with his mechanic

qbrozen

price is about right. $4k at the block and probably offered no more than $3500 trade, as long as its tip-top.

xwesx

Hahah; that's probably pretty accurate! The sad thing is that if those are 5+ year-old photos, and those are the best he could do, then that's saying more than any text ever could.

I'm never impressed by photos taken with the front wheels covered in brake dust - it's just always a bad sign. :sick:

ateixeira

I'm sure this won't make production, but interesting idea:

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/28/embargo-wed-nov-28-12-30pm-est-hyundai-drops-- the-top-on-velo/

It's like a baby El Camino on uppers.

fintail

Lift height might be too high. But otherwise, cool car if it had matching wheels (mismatched wheels seem to be a passed fad) and a nicer face.

ateixeira

They blacked out the grille, better angle:

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/28/embargo-wed-nov-28-12-30pm-est-hyundai-drops-- the-top-on-velo/

Add black wheels to the rear axle and it's actually cool looking.

fintail

Just needs a new face for me, I am sensitive about those specific aesthetics, and that one has too much far eastern panache. Still practical and cool in its own way, like a deluxe CRX for a new generation. I wonder if the top can roll the other direction too .

stever

Looks like it'd suck a ton of fumes into the cabin.

ateixeira

Also ditch the strange color on the mirrors and top.

corvette

Drove today:

2013 Honda Accord EX-L V6 Sedan (no navi): Very quiet compared to previous Honda products. Nice interior. Handled well despite the narrow (215mm, if memory serves) tires. Very powerful, but the six-speed automatic hesitated to kick down, which is probably part of the reason it claims to get 34 MPG on the highway. Steering felt a little numb. Nice assortment of technology. The cloth seats on the LX model look and feel like sandpaper--I think the uplevel models get better cloth. (By comparison, the cloth seats on the 2012 Civic look like sandpaper but feel better than the ones on the Accord.) The lane departure warning activated on a two lane road--apparently, the car thought I was about to stuff it into the ditch.

2013 Nissan Altima 3.5 SV (with navi): Since I have a previous-generation Altima, I felt more at home here than in the Accord. Blind spot around the C-pillar is worse than my car. :sick: The cloth seats are very comfortable and have very nice fabric. The CVT feels more responsive than the six-speed auto in the Accord. I drove this one on a different route and didn't get to test the car's grip, but it should be better with its standard 235-mm tires. Not as much technology, either standard or optional, compared to the Accord. Blind spot warning and lane departure warning are part of a package that also includes the navigation system. Forward collision warning and active cruise control are unavailable at any cost. It's rated for only 31 MPG on the highway, but in my opinion, this tradeoff is due to the Altima's wider tires and more responsive tuning compared to the Accord V6.

I went into these test drives wanting to like the Accord over the Altima. Overall, I think I would prefer the Altima as a daily driver. Honda needs to offer an Accord Sport with the V6 engine and more aggressive transmission mapping for the enthusiast crowd.

Not driven: The 2013 Mazda3 Skyactiv (different animal, I know). The Mazda dealer on Shelbyville Road couldn't be arsed to greet me. :mad:

roadburner

Not driven: The 2013 Mazda3 Skyactiv (different animal, I know). The Mazda dealer on Shelbyville Road couldn't be arsed to greet me.

That was a huge blessing in disguise; Oxmorons Mazda is a shady operation from the get-go. In 2007 they were asking several thousand dollars over MSRP for a Mazdaspeed 3 and they wouldn't allow a test drive without a signed buyer's order. And did I mention that they charge over MSRP for parts? Or that they slap crappy Chinese made alloys on new Mazda 2s and then charge a $3000 ADM for them?
I'd refer to them as amoral, low-life, sociopathic scumbags, but that would be a disservice to amoral, low-life sociopathic scumbags everywhere...

corvette

Yeah, all their Mazda3s had a $699 "protection package" addendum. I don't like Huffman, either, so that pretty much rules out a Mazda for me (the next closest dealership to me would be close to 100 miles away from home, which is too far for me to go if I have an urgent service need).

At one time, didn't Blue Grass have a Mazda franchise? I leased my A4 from them, and don't have any complaints. Mazda has some cool stuff, but (like VW) they need to instill some fear in their dealer network.

An unrelated thought on the Altima test drive: The 2013 Altima still doesn't have a grab handle above the driver's door. A small thing, but it can be a convenient way to stretch your arm on a long trip.

jayrider

Nissan dealers around here are very competitive on selling 2013 Altimas. 4k off msrp is pretty typical. Sat in one and liked the seating a lot. Wanted awd which lead me to the LaCrosse. Made a great decision -- maybe the nicest car I've ever owned.

nyccarguy

Nice write up on the Accord & Altima. "Steering felt a little numb (on the Accord)". DING DONG! Who is it? Electric power steering sucking the life out of driving enjoyment while netting an extra mpg or 2 on the EPA test.

corvette

Thanks for the compliment... You're right. The Accord has the dreaded full EPS; the Altima uses an electric pump to drive a regular hydraulic steering rack. (Even the Altima lacks steering feel compared to the BMW, though.) Amazing what you can tell from a ten minute test drive!

stickguy

I assume my RDX has full EPS. It certainly is light, but hard to say how much actual "feel" it has since I have never really gone back road storming with it.

The only real issue I have is that it seems pretty darty on center. I prefer something a little firmer that does not need constant corrections, but overall, it is not too bad and generally handles well.

would probably be more of an issue if it was something that was supposed to be sporty!

roadburner

Tempting: 2002 530i M Sport manual

Sandman6472

Funny, our Mazda3 has been pretty good over it's 113.5k miles with us...we've had to replace a few things but with the new motor mounts, car feels like new! In the past, we've never had a car past 80k...but we've decided to keep it, as the wife loves her car. I think we'll get it to 150k at least! So, I will disagree and say Mazda makes a pretty good & reliable car.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

corvette

Very low mileage. Price is too high, though. Looks good in the pictures, but the instrument cluster and radio LCDs are messed up. I wish mine had a folding back seat.

nyccarguy

Oooooooooo! According to the ad it has a tachometer. Was that a rare option on an E39? Lol! Nice ride. Still looks sharp w/ the SP. asking price seems high for an almost 11 year old car.

fintail

Co-worker of mine just picked up an oddball. 535i Xdrive Touring, nicely equipped. I think 2009. Dame Edna, but I think that's a pretty rare car. Still trying to get what was paid for it.

roadburner

So, I will disagree and say Mazda makes a pretty good & reliable car.

I was referring to a particular dealer, not the brand. However, it does seem that Mazda and VW have more than their share of clueless, inept, and shady dealers. I have to drive over 100 miles so that my MS3 can be serviced by a Mazda dealer that hires service technicians with opposable thumbs.
As for my 2007 MS3, the last 52,000 miles have been absolutely trouble free- a marked contrast to the first 60,000 miles, when the car needed a new turbocharger, a variable valve timing actuator, a front strut, both rear shocks, and a new EGR valve.