And as for me, if I were to get a new car now, it would be a tossup between a Charger and an Altima. Both of which I consider to be sporty midsized cars.
I've never even sat in a Charger, but from things I've read I expect it's going to have a lot of the same rowdy and unrefined character as a Mustang. The (V6) Altima is more sports sedan, and is close in character to the pre-'04 Maximas. If I was thinking about a Charger, I'd toss a Mustang GT in the mix. You know what I'd REALLY take a close look at, though is the GTO. In fact, if I didn't live in Michigan, I can almost guarantee I'd be driving one of those. 400hp for $30k? Where do I sign?
What kills those cars for me is the whole RWD thing. I'd have to mess with snow tires... no thanks. The other killer which isn't quite so bad is I have a 2 year old, with another one on the way (due in Sept.). My brother has kids and a coupe, and it looks like a royal PITA.
The old truck (2007 Classic, GMT-800) will be made thru the end of the year and after for all three cabs.While other plants are now ready to produce the NEW 2007 (GMT-900) all-new truck.
Spiders, existing damage, spiders, $2000 worth of repairs, and spiders??? Makes the $3500 for our never-wrecked, spider-free Civic EX seem like a steal.
Gee did the brakes on the Accord. Drives like a new car still. We drove it to S. GA to see Gee's Dad Monday. We put 800 miles on it in 24 hours (I had to get back in time to work Tuesday) and it handled it like a dream. It will hit 40,000 miles and 2 years old in July. That's pretty impressive longevity for us.
just curious, but what pieces did you put on? Obviously I'm not due yet (since I barely broke 4K on mine!), but I haven't been too impressed with the brakes. They do the job, but don't seem to really "bite" too well, and require a bit more pressure to get the expected results.
It transpired that with the Vibe gone, I didn't even, technically, own a car. Not usually a big deal in May, but it's been raining 3 weeks straight, so bicycling was less attractive than usual.
I borrowed a '93 Villager with 210k miles and idiot belts from my buddy Andre... hey, the price was right, and the AC worked.
Wednesday I went down to the auction with him -- this would be the 250-car, local show; not the "detroit auto auction". We look over a couple Tauruses in the $4 range and agree that he'll buy one of those for me.. the more expensive one should not, no way, have gone above $4,700 or $4,800.
Sure enough, someone bid it up to $5, Andre got out, and I still had no wheels and was looking down the barrel of buying the Villager. Ugh. But when the need is greatest, the Lord's help is closest.
1996 Mazda Millenia "L" -- not the Miller cycle, supercharged one -- with 150k. All leathered up, nice car in the basics, but a bit of a rat cosmetically. Bumper covers cracked front and back, hot air, needs a new CV joint on the left side. Other than that, it's decent; no accidents, non-smoker, no rust, off-white over tan leather, sunroof, automatic climate control, bozo sound with 6-disc in the trunk... and new BFGoodriches... what did the Zen master say to the wiener vendor? "Make me one with everything".
It's a classic case of "treated well for eight years, neglected for two", but the engine runs well, the valve train looks reasonably clean, and I NEEDED A CAR. I bought it for $1,800.
Updates to follow, and maybe a picture or two. Whoo-Hoo! It is time to pimp mein Auto...
I just got the cheapest ceramic pads from Advanceautoparts.com. I did the pads and rotors. They seem to be more progressive than the stock pads. We are also going to wash our cars at home from now on to avoid spray hitting hot rotors and warping them.
you just use OEM rotors, or the basic ones that they sell at the parts store?
Whe I finally do need brakes done (not an issue when you trade in cars at12K of course), I go for the best pads I can find. A cheap upgrade. I did this on my Quest. Cost about $20 to upgrade from the crappy OEM pads to the top of the line Raybestos (?) quiet stops, or some thing that worked much better.
I was about to ask what pads you put on. I've heard good things about the ceramics. Seems like they work well, and you'll have little or no dust.
I will get a free set of super-dusty OEM pads at 45,000 miles or so... One negative of the prepaid maintenance is that it limits upgrade possibilities (at least, not without being wasteful).
Dad's getting an inspection on the Beetle on Tuesday so we can put it on eBay. I'm almost certain it needs rear brakes, just from looking at the pads through the little holes in the steel wheels. Looked into doing it ourselves, but it requires a special parking brake wind-back tool plus a new set of bolts which may or may not be included with aftermarket pads. Plus we'd have to buy a jack, jackstands, and torque wrench... Maybe someday the planets will align for that sort of thing, but this way we'll get a clean bill of health to use in the auction.
And I went with the Ford. It came down to exactly what I figured. The Ford Dealer was willing to give me $1350 more for the Mountaineer than the Nissan Dealer was. Rebates totaled $3895. $3500 Customer Cash, and $395 XLT package rebate. I could have also gotten an additional $500 for financing with Ford Credit, but the bank's rate was slightly lower and got the payment a few dollars lower than I could have gotten through Ford Credit with the rebate.
After rebates, the out-the-door price on the truck was $25856.70, including tax, title, doc fee, and state inspection. Yes, it's quite a bit more than a comparably equipped Chevy/GMC, but the Ford seems IMO to be a much nicer truck than the Chevy. The ride is smoother, the brakes are better, and I could get the interior in something other than gray.
As for those who wondered about shopping between the F150 and the Frontier. To start with, a comparably equipped Titan would have run me another five grand. The Frontier has more horsepower, but less torque than the F150 with the 4.6. Both have exactly the same towing capacity. The Nissan is only 6 inches narrower than the Ford, but it is considerably shorter. Fuel mileage figures for Nissan with V6 - 16/20. For Ford with V8 - 15/19, so gas mileage was not a factor. Bottom line is I narrowed it down to the two I like the best, and then took the one that I got the best deal on. Nissan low-balled me on the Mountaineer, so Ford got the nod. Case closed.
I could have perhaps gotten a little better price on the F-150 by going to Jackson, MS or Baton Rouge, LA, but I don't think the "big boys" in the big town would have given me any more for my trade. Besides, I'd rather keep my tax dollars closer to home, and I'd rather give my friends the business than some stranger.
All in all I'm satisfied with the deal I got, I could have haggled a little more, but sometimes it just ain't worth it.
So, I don't know what this means for my CCBA membership. I'm going to be driving this one for a while. Beth will kill me for sure if I don't keep it at least five years. :P I suppose there's always that minivan she mentions from time to time, and who knows, after a year or so, she may be softened up enough to get another beater. Anybody know where I can get a good used Civic? :shades:
By the time its all said and done I will have approx $1000 into this car, not too shabby for a car that in good condition books for $7k and up here in Ak I could sell easily for $3k as it sits. No sense fixing the damage and the spiders will leave eventually, lol. Its a good running car that I enjoy driving.
While I was at the dealership today I also learned some interesting news for Ford Fans. The word that the guys at our local dealership have gotten is that Ford is going to offer a new engine in the F150 in 07 or 08. The new engine is a little bigger than the 5.4 and is being designed to go head to head with the Dodge's Hemi engine.
Also, the new Lincoln Aviator, which was previously built on the Explorer platform, is going to be built on the new Edge platform.
Another tidbit I got was that Ford does have plans to phase out the panther platform. So any of you fans of big, rear-wheel-drive cars with V8 engines might want to jump on one while they're still available. BTW they have somewhere around $7500 - $8000 in rebates and other incentives on the Mercury Grand Marquis right now.
Awesome!! Ain't beaters great?? Sounds like my Sebring, treated great for 7 years and then it all went down hill. Powertrain on mine is in good shape, just needs brakes, can't get past how great she runs.
What would you do?? I'm over the miles on the lease, so that means either huge mileage fees or park the truck and pay on it until the end of the lease.....approx 30 more months and $19k. OR Take the $10k hit now and trade it in? This has got to be the biggest mistake I ever made, I knew better, but did it anyway. I'm trying to figure out the least painful wait out of this mess. I have the $$$ to get out without rolling negative equity.
Am I being stupid and making things worse by trading it in? This is one time I really don't know what the right answer is and I'm tired of making stupid mistakes. :sick:
Getting rid of your truck and taking a $10K hit now? Probably not a bad thing to do.. You really aren't losing the $10K... that money is already gone, you just haven't paid the bill yet..
Trading all of your cars to buy another $30k-$40K truck? This is where I don't get it... Hubby has a work truck, right? Just keep that for now.... As near as I can tell, the Titan is just your personal transportation? Get rid of it, keep driving the Focus/Sebring.... Keep the Dodge truck..
Let the dust settle... Take some time... If after all this, you decide that you really need to trade the Dodge in on another truck.... make that move..
It seems that buying the new truck is the easiest way for you to get rid of the Titan.... but, that seems like an expensive way to do it.
regards, kyfdx (who shouldn't be giving lessons on fiscal responsibility)
Hubby's truck is a reg cab, we still need something that will fit all of us and tow the TT. The other thing I failed to mention is the new truck is deductable for the business. With our business we really do need 2 trucks, one just doesn't cut it.
I'm also looking at used trucks.......beaters, found a couple in the $10k range that I could possibly pay cash for and still get out of the Titan and Zippy (sell them outright on my own). Problem is are those trucks going to be better or worse than what I'm dealing with right now, my guess is worse.
The Dodge won't go anywhere, its set up with a hot start to start our skidder, something I wouldn't want to put off on a brand new truck.
But, your post reminds me of a lot of car ads... uh.. got a mileage figure on that puppy?
No, not yet, but it's gotta be within 3 or 4 of 25 mpg. I don't much care, at 8k/year.
Remember Steiner's rules of used-car buying? No rare cars. No 1996's (1st year of OBD-II) No buying without a thorough mechanic's check. No high-mile luxo cars. ...
I've violated all of these tenets, and I still love the car. I do need 4 (four) new ball joints and one axle.. maybe two, while the ball joints are out. Can't say I didn't see it coming... she's almost pretty, though.. sorry for the lousy light, it's sunny out...
I'm guessing by the time it looks alright and the air blows cold, I'll have spent a fair bit of money... driving ain't free.
I'm trying to understand the "Beater Philosophy". (This is from someone who tries to squeeze the Buffalo off of almost every Nickel).
I can understand buying beaters by people who--that's all they can afford. Or--for a work truck, winter vehicle, a 2nd vehicle you keep around as a spare.
I guess, if I had a German flag next to my name, I'd subscribe to the Roundel, & if I wanted to spend low $$, own a 10+ y.o. or so bmw.......that would be way more interesting to me than owning old Taureses, Villagers, etc. But that's just me..... (And yes, I know that bmw parts are probably more expensive than ford parts; I'm not so sure about mazda parts).
I remember urging you 6 mo. ago to just get rid of the Titan. It just always seems to get worse--the repairs, the financial hole, etc. Eating a $10K loss is not pretty--but I can't see it getting any better, esp. once the warranty runs out. Paying more, & more, & more on a parked truck.......$19K?.......sounds even worse.
I don't know the details on the new Dodge truck purchase--I can't pretend to know if it makes sense or not (for you). But I'll echo kyfdx, & urge *fiscal responsibility*......
Definitely, DEFINITELY, don't stay in a vehicle with as many problems as this one has, once the warranty is up. No matter how much you like it. Not to mention, the numbers are on the side of getting rid of it - why pay $19K to park a truck, rather than $10K now (and $20K more in the next 30 months) to have a brand new truck, something you like, which is under warranty and hopefully doesn't give you all these problems.
Better yet, get something smaller and cheaper, still with four doors, on which you can come out closer to the "$19K in 30 months" scenario, but actually have a new vehicle to drive during those 30 months.
Now I don't pretend to understand the write-offs you can get for your business by buying a second truck, or your specific vehicle needs for the business, but no matter how you slice it, staying in a vehicle the dealer CAN'T EVEN FIX seems lke the worst of all possible options right now.
Oh yeah, footnote: with all the driving you do, don't lease next time! I feel for you - I do a ton of driving too, and it is what has always kept me out of leasing.
It really is such a shame that those early Titans were such lemons.
Now me, I am flirting with breaking my cardinal rule of car-buying - NEVER roll negative equity - to pick up one of these new Fits, or possibly a Yaris. It wouldn't be much, maybe $1000-1500, and I almost certainly won't do it - I have learned this lesson pretty well. But I sure have been spending a lot of time cruising car lots lately.
It helps that neither car is well-stocked even at the largest dealers! :sick:
It's "good" for me that I am not quite ready to buy a Hyundai yet, as Accents are all over the place.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
A local used car lot has a 2002 Silverado 2500HD x-cab (really would prefer a crew cab/diesel) longbed with an 8.1L V8 (gas), allison tranny, really nice clean truck with 27k miles on it, one owner per Carfax. I could finance $21,500 on it for 36 months and end up with the same payment I have now. Kicking that idea around too, but I'm going to wait until the new truck gets here and then decide I think, still have about 40 days to mull it over.
I agree though, the Titan cannot stay, even if I was rich I think it would break the bank in repairs. Not to mention I don't trust it at all anymore. It'll be out of warranty at 60k..........currently has 52k on it now. Its too bad really, I do like the truck.
I'm trying to understand the "Beater Philosophy". (This is from someone who tries to squeeze the Buffalo off of almost every Nickel).
Based on discussions with a lot of my friends who are "into" beaters:
1) A lot of people dump their cars at 100k even though they have taken good care of the cars. If I can get the car for south of $2k, why not buy a car that will run well for another 50-100k miles.
2) Lower cost per mile. If I buy a beater and the thing has a major repair (read failed transmission/engine), I can dump it and start all over again. The cost of dumping a car I paid little for is minimal compared to all the people on Edmunds who dump a new car after two years or so (and suffer from the depreciation).
3) New cars have all kinds of gadgets that fail and that are costly to repair. Personally, I prefer cars with fewer electrical motors and simpler electronic systems.
4) Why get rid of a car that runs great?
5) I run a car until the wheels are ready to fall off. Somehow, despite driving old "unreliable GMs and Fords", I am the one driving my company frivers to dealerships as they take their Saabs, Lexus, Volvos, etc. into the dealership for a warranty repair/ recalls etc.
6) Most of my friends subscribe to the "Use it up, wear it out, make it last, or do without" philosophy. Why do you need to take on a ton of debt to drive a new car every two or three years?
I guess I'm having beater envy (there's no way, financially or psychologically, I could do a brand new car right now); we're tossing around the idea of moving, and if we buy a condo it'll probably be in a further-out neighborhood (there aren't too many condos around here, and the smallest of them start at ~$300k), which would likely facilitate me needing a grocery getter. It's probably six months away, but I guess that gives me some time to plan/save/look around. I'd really like another Protege, but they're a bit hard to find, and most seem overpriced to me ($3k for a ten+ year-old 'economy' car seems ridiculous to me).
150k. And no, Walt, that wasn't an ad.. I intend to keep it for awhile. You know, like six months, or even longer.
Yes, it has electric adjustment for the steering wheel... and if you're fat, there's a mode where it moves alll the way up when you turn the car off. Good grief. I've had cars where the dang wheel was in the proper place to begin with...
As of three hours ago, it also has AC again. Let's see if it's still there tomorrow. At least it works; leaks can be fixed.
Thanks for the lively interest, everyone :-)
And woodyww, it's not like I went out looking for one.. it kinda fell in my lap. And I didn't have a car. The German flag is there 'cuz that's where I'm from... but I'm not sure one way or the other if I'll ever have a bimmer... if I do buy one, it'll likely be an older 5-series. More likely, if I go German, It'll be an A6. But I'll be sure to let y'all know :-)
Even came almost sorta close to buying one in 1997 or so. Very nice inside and we like the way they look but they feel sort of slow without the Miller engine. $1500 seems like a great price. Post pictures.
My Oldsmobile has crank windows and manual seats and pretty much as little electronic stuff that you could get in a 1996 model.
I don't know if I'd ever actively seek one out, but I do find myself having more respect for the Ciera/Century as they age. I guess I just like the fact that they're pretty roomy inside, yet not that big on the outside, cheap, fairly reliable, and pretty nicely trimmed on the inside. They were still from an era where cloth/velour interiors were still common, as opposed to all this stark, hard plastic of today.
While messing around on the Nada site. I plugged in identical 2005 3/4 ton Dodge and Chevy trucks, both diesel. The Chevy books nearly $3k higher than the Dodge, I always thought the Dodge would have higher resale due to the Cummins engine. Guess not, then again, books don't buy cars......if they did I'd be getting $23k for my Titan vs the $19k I'll be lucky to get.
What I have liked about the '96 model (vs. the '89 that it replaced) is that the exterior is almost free of rust (after 11 years in salt country) and that there are relatively FEW accessory motors to break down. Also, now that I have a great mechanic one block from work - a guy who loves to work on older domestic vehicles - the few issues that i have are quickly resolved.
The problem with buying any 10 year old car is how much the prior owners have maintained the vehicles. Unless you knwo the person you are buying from, it is a crapshoot. That is why I prefer to buy corporate fleet cars that are 3-4 years old and "produce my own beater".
...there are relatively FEW accessory motors to break down.
It's getting harder to find something like that. I've seen Echo and Rio rentals with no power options, but everything that's not a subcompact (or a work truck) seems to come with power stuff.
I've been following your car knowledge for quite a while.
As I recall, when you purchased the 04 Vibe, you stated to Terry (RROYCE10) what a great deal you rec'd. You also state that you don't drive too much-maybe 7k/year.
A day or two ago you wrote that you and a friend went to an auto auction because you NEEDED a beater car-no more than 4k dollars. What I don't understand is didn't the Vibe provide you with decent and reliable transportation?
Please understand, I'm not berating you just trying to understand...
...there are relatively FEW accessory motors to break down.
I wonder how hard something like a power window motor is to replace on a modern car? I learned how to do it on my '89 Gran Fury and '79 New Yorker, and could probably change one out and have the door all back together in under an hour.
I have a feeling though, that they've found ways to make them more complex and expensive these days. :sick:
I wonder how hard something like a power window motor is to replace on a modern car?
It is not that difficult, I guess. However, if you have to have a mechanic do it, it can set you back $200 or more depending on how hard the motor is to get to.
When I bought the Vibe, I cashed in a nearly "full" GM Card. So the car was dirt cheap. 2.5 years later and with 6 month warranty remaining, I sold it easily and for a lot of $$. A year from now, it would be more difficult and probably not bring ten grand...
I have a local connection to get cars from the auction; my goal is to buy them, drive them for a while, sell them, and get my money back. Rinse and repeat. For me, this is entertainment.
Selling the Vibe provides me with the cash to do this.
And in three short years, when my rebate is near $3k again, I'll probably get another Vibe... and sell it when I get tired of it.
Most of us here in CCBA aren't all that normal. -Mathias
My little brother and his buddy are thinking about buying up some of the cars that come through the junkyard that need minor repairs (you'd be stunned at what they get in) and then selling them.
I had my eye on an 01 Stratus that needed an engine, but book value wasn't high enough. It really was a nice car, very clean.......but its already started parting out since we all decided it wasn't worth fixing for resale.
I missed out on a Mazda that needed a clutch and a Corolla that needed a tranny, both cars were very nice, clean and cheap.
Dern near missed out on the Sebring, 2 weeks into driving the car and no real major issues other than the obvious have popped up. I'm very pleased, now if people would stop trying to get me to sell it to them things would be fine.
Most of the door guts and internal dodads nowadays are held together with BIG pop rivets ! No more nuts and bolts!
I recently put a window motor in the kids Cavilier. Had to borrow the GIANT rivet "gun" from a auto body tech buddy to anchor the new motor.............. Could of "cobbed" it with nuts and bolts tho. :P
Could you elaborate on why radar detectors are essential for high speed travel? I used to have one, and found it to be essentially useless.
On the interstate, in light/no traffic, detectors will do nothing. Cops don't keep the radar on all the time, they turn it on only when needed.
If you're speeding and there are no other cars in front of you for the cop to clock, then the sound of your detector going off just means "pull over, you just got a ticket." There is no advance warning under these circumstances.
Detectors are only useful when cops are "running radar" in moderate/heavy traffic, when the cop is using his radar to clock vehicles in front of you. Only then will your detector alert you BEFORE the cop clocks you.
*Could you elaborate on why radar detectors are essential for high speed travel? I used to have one, and found it to be essentially useless.*
What kind of radar detector did you have? After using cheaper ones, that's why I finally sprang for a V1. The difference in various radar detectors is huge.
You still need to use a Huge amount of common sense of course. Even a Valentine One won't save you from every ticket. But it will save you from some, or most, tickets......& speeding tickets start at about $200 in the Northeast. I did have a cheaper detector & "found it to be essentially useless" as you did.......
Comments
I've never even sat in a Charger, but from things I've read I expect it's going to have a lot of the same rowdy and unrefined character as a Mustang. The (V6) Altima is more sports sedan, and is close in character to the pre-'04 Maximas. If I was thinking about a Charger, I'd toss a Mustang GT in the mix. You know what I'd REALLY take a close look at, though is the GTO. In fact, if I didn't live in Michigan, I can almost guarantee I'd be driving one of those. 400hp for $30k? Where do I sign?
What kills those cars for me is the whole RWD thing. I'd have to mess with snow tires... no thanks. The other killer which isn't quite so bad is I have a 2 year old, with another one on the way (due in Sept.). My brother has kids and a coupe, and it looks like a royal PITA.
Gee did the brakes on the Accord. Drives like a new car still. We drove it to S. GA to see Gee's Dad Monday. We put 800 miles on it in 24 hours (I had to get back in time to work Tuesday) and it handled it like a dream. It will hit 40,000 miles and 2 years old in July. That's pretty impressive longevity for us.
Got a ticket on the S. Ga trip too. 84 in a 70. I didn't even know they wrote tickets for that. No points or anything just another friggin bill.
Hmm, I guess this is a bit OT..
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
It transpired that with the Vibe gone, I didn't even, technically, own a car. Not usually a big deal in May, but it's been raining 3 weeks straight, so bicycling was less attractive than usual.
I borrowed a '93 Villager with 210k miles and idiot belts from my buddy Andre... hey, the price was right, and the AC worked.
Wednesday I went down to the auction with him -- this would be the 250-car, local show; not the "detroit auto auction". We look over a couple Tauruses in the $4 range and agree that he'll buy one of those for me.. the more expensive one should not, no way, have gone above $4,700 or $4,800.
Sure enough, someone bid it up to $5, Andre got out, and I still had no wheels and was looking down the barrel of buying the Villager. Ugh. But when the need is greatest, the Lord's help is closest.
1996 Mazda Millenia "L" -- not the Miller cycle, supercharged one -- with 150k. All leathered up, nice car in the basics, but a bit of a rat cosmetically. Bumper covers cracked front and back, hot air, needs a new CV joint on the left side. Other than that, it's decent; no accidents, non-smoker, no rust, off-white over tan leather, sunroof, automatic climate control, bozo sound with 6-disc in the trunk... and new BFGoodriches... what did the Zen master say to the wiener vendor? "Make me one with everything".
It's a classic case of "treated well for eight years, neglected for two", but the engine runs well, the valve train looks reasonably clean, and I NEEDED A CAR.
I bought it for $1,800.
Updates to follow, and maybe a picture or two.
Whoo-Hoo! It is time to pimp mein Auto...
-Mathias
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Whe I finally do need brakes done (not an issue when you trade in cars at12K of course), I go for the best pads I can find. A cheap upgrade. I did this on my Quest. Cost about $20 to upgrade from the crappy OEM pads to the top of the line Raybestos (?) quiet stops, or some thing that worked much better.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
But, your post reminds me of a lot of car ads... uh.. got a mileage figure on that puppy? :surprise:
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I will get a free set of super-dusty OEM pads at 45,000 miles or so... One negative of the prepaid maintenance is that it limits upgrade possibilities (at least, not without being wasteful).
Dad's getting an inspection on the Beetle on Tuesday so we can put it on eBay. I'm almost certain it needs rear brakes, just from looking at the pads through the little holes in the steel wheels. Looked into doing it ourselves, but it requires a special parking brake wind-back tool plus a new set of bolts which may or may not be included with aftermarket pads. Plus we'd have to buy a jack, jackstands, and torque wrench... Maybe someday the planets will align for that sort of thing, but this way we'll get a clean bill of health to use in the auction.
After rebates, the out-the-door price on the truck was $25856.70, including tax, title, doc fee, and state inspection. Yes, it's quite a bit more than a comparably equipped Chevy/GMC, but the Ford seems IMO to be a much nicer truck than the Chevy. The ride is smoother, the brakes are better, and I could get the interior in something other than gray.
As for those who wondered about shopping between the F150 and the Frontier. To start with, a comparably equipped Titan would have run me another five grand. The Frontier has more horsepower, but less torque than the F150 with the 4.6. Both have exactly the same towing capacity. The Nissan is only 6 inches narrower than the Ford, but it is considerably shorter. Fuel mileage figures for Nissan with V6 - 16/20. For Ford with V8 - 15/19, so gas mileage was not a factor. Bottom line is I narrowed it down to the two I like the best, and then took the one that I got the best deal on. Nissan low-balled me on the Mountaineer, so Ford got the nod. Case closed.
I could have perhaps gotten a little better price on the F-150 by going to Jackson, MS or Baton Rouge, LA, but I don't think the "big boys" in the big town would have given me any more for my trade. Besides, I'd rather keep my tax dollars closer to home, and I'd rather give my friends the business than some stranger.
All in all I'm satisfied with the deal I got, I could have haggled a little more, but sometimes it just ain't worth it.
So, I don't know what this means for my CCBA membership. I'm going to be driving this one for a while. Beth will kill me for sure if I don't keep it at least five years. :P I suppose there's always that minivan she mentions from time to time, and who knows, after a year or so, she may be softened up enough to get another beater. Anybody know where I can get a good used Civic? :shades:
Also, the new Lincoln Aviator, which was previously built on the Explorer platform, is going to be built on the new Edge platform.
Another tidbit I got was that Ford does have plans to phase out the panther platform. So any of you fans of big, rear-wheel-drive cars with V8 engines might want to jump on one while they're still available. BTW they have somewhere around $7500 - $8000 in rebates and other incentives on the Mercury Grand Marquis right now.
Happy shoppin' yall!
Jeff
They are thinking the new diff is bad, but have to talk to Nissan first to see what to do.
Only have 8000 miles left on the warranty so I really hope they figure it out or I end up buying a new truck before the warranty is up.
Am I being stupid and making things worse by trading it in? This is one time I really don't know what the right answer is and I'm tired of making stupid mistakes. :sick:
Trading all of your cars to buy another $30k-$40K truck? This is where I don't get it... Hubby has a work truck, right? Just keep that for now.... As near as I can tell, the Titan is just your personal transportation? Get rid of it, keep driving the Focus/Sebring.... Keep the Dodge truck..
Let the dust settle... Take some time... If after all this, you decide that you really need to trade the Dodge in on another truck.... make that move..
It seems that buying the new truck is the easiest way for you to get rid of the Titan.... but, that seems like an expensive way to do it.
regards,
kyfdx
(who shouldn't be giving lessons on fiscal responsibility)
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I'm also looking at used trucks.......beaters, found a couple in the $10k range that I could possibly pay cash for and still get out of the Titan and Zippy (sell them outright on my own). Problem is are those trucks going to be better or worse than what I'm dealing with right now, my guess is worse.
The Dodge won't go anywhere, its set up with a hot start to start our skidder, something I wouldn't want to put off on a brand new truck.
........geo
No, not yet, but it's gotta be within 3 or 4 of 25 mpg. I don't much care, at 8k/year.
Remember Steiner's rules of used-car buying?
No rare cars.
No 1996's (1st year of OBD-II)
No buying without a thorough mechanic's check.
No high-mile luxo cars.
...
I've violated all of these tenets, and I still love the car. I do need 4 (four) new ball joints and one axle.. maybe two, while the ball joints are out. Can't say I didn't see it coming... she's almost pretty, though.. sorry for the lousy light, it's sunny out...
I'm guessing by the time it looks alright and the air blows cold, I'll have spent a fair bit of money... driving ain't free.
-Mathias
Jeff
I can understand buying beaters by people who--that's all they can afford. Or--for a work truck, winter vehicle, a 2nd vehicle you keep around as a spare.
I guess, if I had a German flag next to my name, I'd subscribe to the Roundel, & if I wanted to spend low $$, own a 10+ y.o. or so bmw.......that would be way more interesting to me than owning old Taureses, Villagers, etc. But that's just me..... (And yes, I know that bmw parts are probably more expensive than ford parts; I'm not so sure about mazda parts).
I don't know the details on the new Dodge truck purchase--I can't pretend to know if it makes sense or not (for you). But I'll echo kyfdx, & urge *fiscal responsibility*......
Better yet, get something smaller and cheaper, still with four doors, on which you can come out closer to the "$19K in 30 months" scenario, but actually have a new vehicle to drive during those 30 months.
Now I don't pretend to understand the write-offs you can get for your business by buying a second truck, or your specific vehicle needs for the business, but no matter how you slice it, staying in a vehicle the dealer CAN'T EVEN FIX seems lke the worst of all possible options right now.
Oh yeah, footnote: with all the driving you do, don't lease next time! I feel for you - I do a ton of driving too, and it is what has always kept me out of leasing.
It really is such a shame that those early Titans were such lemons.
Now me, I am flirting with breaking my cardinal rule of car-buying - NEVER roll negative equity - to pick up one of these new Fits, or possibly a Yaris. It wouldn't be much, maybe $1000-1500, and I almost certainly won't do it - I have learned this lesson pretty well. But I sure have been spending a lot of time cruising car lots lately.
It helps that neither car is well-stocked even at the largest dealers! :sick:
It's "good" for me that I am not quite ready to buy a Hyundai yet, as Accents are all over the place.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I agree though, the Titan cannot stay, even if I was rich I think it would break the bank in repairs. Not to mention I don't trust it at all anymore. It'll be out of warranty at 60k..........currently has 52k on it now. Its too bad really, I do like the truck.
Based on discussions with a lot of my friends who are "into" beaters:
1) A lot of people dump their cars at 100k even though they have taken good care of the cars. If I can get the car for south of $2k, why not buy a car that will run well for another 50-100k miles.
2) Lower cost per mile. If I buy a beater and the thing has a major repair (read failed transmission/engine), I can dump it and start all over again. The cost of dumping a car I paid little for is minimal compared to all the people on Edmunds who dump a new car after two years or so (and suffer from the depreciation).
3) New cars have all kinds of gadgets that fail and that are costly to repair. Personally, I prefer cars with fewer electrical motors and simpler electronic systems.
4) Why get rid of a car that runs great?
5) I run a car until the wheels are ready to fall off. Somehow, despite driving old "unreliable GMs and Fords", I am the one driving my company frivers to dealerships as they take their Saabs, Lexus, Volvos, etc. into the dealership for a warranty repair/ recalls etc.
6) Most of my friends subscribe to the "Use it up, wear it out, make it last, or do without" philosophy. Why do you need to take on a ton of debt to drive a new car every two or three years?
Doesn't your Mazda have a motorized tilt wheel and auto climate control? :P
I do not have a Mazda. My Oldsmobile has crank windows and manual seats and pretty much as little electronic stuff that you could get in a 1996 model.
I have generally avoided Mazdas over the years because they are more expensive to repair for my friends who own them.
Umm, I don't even have a Mazda in the fleet.
I like it...
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150k. And no, Walt, that wasn't an ad.. I intend to keep it for awhile. You know, like six months, or even longer.
Yes, it has electric adjustment for the steering wheel... and if you're fat, there's a mode where it moves alll the way up when you turn the car off. Good grief.
I've had cars where the dang wheel was in the proper place to begin with...
As of three hours ago, it also has AC again. Let's see if it's still there tomorrow. At least it works; leaks can be fixed.
Thanks for the lively interest, everyone :-)
And woodyww, it's not like I went out looking for one.. it kinda fell in my lap. And I didn't have a car. The German flag is there 'cuz that's where I'm from... but I'm not sure one way or the other if I'll ever have a bimmer... if I do buy one, it'll likely be an older 5-series. More likely, if I go German, It'll be an A6.
But I'll be sure to let y'all know :-)
Time to turn in,
-Mathias
I don't know if I'd ever actively seek one out, but I do find myself having more respect for the Ciera/Century as they age. I guess I just like the fact that they're pretty roomy inside, yet not that big on the outside, cheap, fairly reliable, and pretty nicely trimmed on the inside. They were still from an era where cloth/velour interiors were still common, as opposed to all this stark, hard plastic of today.
What I have liked about the '96 model (vs. the '89 that it replaced) is that the exterior is almost free of rust (after 11 years in salt country) and that there are relatively FEW accessory motors to break down. Also, now that I have a great mechanic one block from work - a guy who loves to work on older domestic vehicles - the few issues that i have are quickly resolved.
The problem with buying any 10 year old car is how much the prior owners have maintained the vehicles. Unless you knwo the person you are buying from, it is a crapshoot. That is why I prefer to buy corporate fleet cars that are 3-4 years old and "produce my own beater".
It's getting harder to find something like that. I've seen Echo and Rio rentals with no power options, but everything that's not a subcompact (or a work truck) seems to come with power stuff.
As I recall, when you purchased the 04 Vibe, you stated to Terry (RROYCE10) what a great deal you rec'd. You also state that you don't drive too much-maybe 7k/year.
A day or two ago you wrote that you and a friend went to an auto auction because you NEEDED a beater car-no more than 4k dollars. What I don't understand is didn't the Vibe provide you with decent and reliable transportation?
Please understand, I'm not berating you just trying to understand...
Take Care...Richie
I wonder how hard something like a power window motor is to replace on a modern car? I learned how to do it on my '89 Gran Fury and '79 New Yorker, and could probably change one out and have the door all back together in under an hour.
I have a feeling though, that they've found ways to make them more complex and expensive these days. :sick:
It is not that difficult, I guess. However, if you have to have a mechanic do it, it can set you back $200 or more depending on how hard the motor is to get to.
I don't do my own repairs.
I have a local connection to get cars from the auction; my goal is to buy them, drive them for a while, sell them, and get my money back. Rinse and repeat. For me, this is entertainment.
Selling the Vibe provides me with the cash to do this.
And in three short years, when my rebate is near $3k again, I'll probably get another Vibe... and sell it when I get tired of it.
Most of us here in CCBA aren't all that normal.
-Mathias
Hey, I resemble that remark, lol.
My little brother and his buddy are thinking about buying up some of the cars that come through the junkyard that need minor repairs (you'd be stunned at what they get in) and then selling them.
I had my eye on an 01 Stratus that needed an engine, but book value wasn't high enough. It really was a nice car, very clean.......but its already started parting out since we all decided it wasn't worth fixing for resale.
I missed out on a Mazda that needed a clutch and a Corolla that needed a tranny, both cars were very nice, clean and cheap.
Dern near missed out on the Sebring, 2 weeks into driving the car and no real major issues other than the obvious have popped up. I'm very pleased, now if people would stop trying to get me to sell it to them things would be fine.
I recently put a window motor in the kids Cavilier.
Had to borrow the GIANT rivet "gun" from a auto body
tech buddy to anchor the new motor..............
Could of "cobbed" it with nuts and bolts tho. :P
Could you elaborate on why radar detectors are essential for high speed travel? I used to have one, and found it to be essentially useless.
On the interstate, in light/no traffic, detectors will do nothing. Cops don't keep the radar on all the time, they turn it on only when needed.
If you're speeding and there are no other cars in front of you for the cop to clock, then the sound of your detector going off just means "pull over, you just got a ticket." There is no advance warning under these circumstances.
Detectors are only useful when cops are "running radar" in moderate/heavy traffic, when the cop is using his radar to clock vehicles in front of you. Only then will your detector alert you BEFORE the cop clocks you.
What kind of radar detector did you have? After using cheaper ones, that's why I finally sprang for a V1. The difference in various radar detectors is huge.
You still need to use a Huge amount of common sense of course. Even a Valentine One won't save you from every ticket. But it will save you from some, or most, tickets......& speeding tickets start at about $200 in the Northeast. I did have a cheaper detector & "found it to be essentially useless" as you did.......