Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

Sandman6472

Read about this in Car And Driver and was amazed at the price...this is for a Chevy Spark clone right? It was close to $28k loaded up and $24.5 just stock. Is Buick and GM out of their minds? $24.5 for this little thing? One could get a Civic EX-L for that price or 7/8 of an Acura ILX for G-d's sake...but $24.5 for a small as sh-t Buick cute ute? Damn, how many do they really think they're gonna sell here in the states? Maybe in China or Europe but not here in America. They need to lower their price point down to the mid teens. Granted, the Chevy Spark does get the job done but it's butt ugly, truthfully and the mileage is sucky. One just can't change the facia's, stick a Buick nameplate on it and expect folks to shell out almost $25k for this little thing...it just ain't gonna happen folks! But Buick does have the styling advantage over Chevy here as most Buick's are pretty nice looking and they seem to handle a bit smoother than a Chevy. I really need to try one to give an honest review but the pricing is just wacko right now.

The Confused Sandman :confuse: :sick: :shades:

Sandman6472

"Premium compact" is the exact term of what I really want Fin, you nailed it. Even showed a co-worker a ;07 silver C Class on 95 yesterday and even she thought it was a real looker...not too big and not too small, just right. And the new generation is a nice look really and I do like the dash layout so much better. The led's are also a nice touch up front yet as we were driving home last night, again on 95, saw a new Chrysler 200, a great vehicle, and it also had led's in the headlight area as well in the tail lights so these seem to be making their way down the food chain now. The '06 & '07 Accords also had them in their tail lights I recall...when they did the re-refresh of that generation Accord after the hideous '05 tail lights. Someone had told me that led lights are more economical and come on faster but wonder if this is really true or he suspect he was pulling my leg here. Anyways, I think they look great on any vehicle personally. Am getting closer to making a decison about my new radio also and if it'll add some more low end volume, I'm gonna go for it. Then I can fall in love with the Civic all over again!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

stickguy

finally broke down and spent the day doing my taxes. Getting money back, but not as much as last year. And certainly not enough to get a new car out of it! Maybe enough to let us replace the decrepit shed in the yard, though I am hoping to stretch that another few years (assuming I can do my first roofing job in my advanced age!).

boomchek

Time will tell. I can see some future grannies driving these. Easy to enter because of the height, better visibility than in a car, and easy to manouver and better on gas.

I would not buy one though.

isellhondas

They were "willing" to sell you the road hazard warranty?

Yeah, I'll bet they were! You just bought yourself a VERY expensive insurance policy but, hey, if it gives you peace of mind it may be worth it!

fintail

The C is really a sweet spot right now. The facelift did everything right, sales continue to be healthy even with the current style in its 6th model year.

LED running lights are a good fad now, soon to be replaced by tube light styles in some cars, I think. Audi got the LED thing going for the mass market around 09 (probably 08 in Europe), MB put it on S and E class for 2010, and soon after everyone jumped in. BMW is a holdout, using their light tube style that they've had since around 08. LEDs do use less power, and illuminate faster.

You'll fall in love with the Civic again. When I added the satellite unit in my old car, it gave me a "new" feeling.

Sandman6472

Still waiting for the wife to do ours but we're usually last even though we usually get a refund. But that just goes to pay her quarterly's which I'll have to start doing now as I'm an "independent contractor" so they say! Still feel like a retired guy but hey, such is life. Was all set to finally wash the car earlier but the back acted up after sweeping/re-arranging the garage. Still have my old steelies and bolt on hubs for the Civic and hate to get rid of them as I'd sell 'em all with the car when the time comes. Haven't washed the car in the driveway since my accident back in April of '05 but G-d had other plans today. Finally feeling a bit better now after taking my meds, using my neuromuscular implant and lying on my ice pads so will give it a shot in the a m if I don't get called into work. I still love to wash my own vehicles but the bad spine prevent s me from doing it. And with the lack of rain here, the car is filthy!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

Sandman6472

Happened when we got the Mazda back in '05 when 2 weeks in, she also hit a big pot hole and ruined a new tire. Since we didn't get the "wheel and tire" protection package in F&I, we were so outta luck and had to purchase a new Toyo tire. Such is life we reasoned and still not sure we'd buy that same policy next time we do purchase a vehicle...maybe yes maybe depending on the price. The prepaid maintenance plan we did buy was totally worth it and i think has helped the car stay so healthy actually as we were forced to do 3k mile oil changes and had the tranny serviced once and the radiator fluid changed twice before the 45k mark. So far, those things have remained problem free. But I do feel for you and the tire and didn't expect anyone to come to your aid here except your own checkbook!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

nyccarguy

97,000 miles. Asking $7600.

2001 Mustang Cobra

stickguy

just came up as the search screen. I've had that problem before with autotrader links.

Sandman6472

Funny, I didn't get the feeling of better visibility in the Sparks I've driven and they are the same vehicle really but the view out was excellent just like my Civic. A few of the newer vehicles have the high headrests in them which does compromise the view out and I've seen more than a few vehicles with these rear ones removed...the front one's need to stay for safety purposes. I know last time, the wife refused to buy a few vehicles where they took away too much vision for her. SO this is a real everyday issue I'd think. They need to make headrests that are safe enough but size appropriate so as not to block the view out in any direction. Even with a reverse camera, looking yourself has to be done just to make sure I'd imagine as cameras can screw up to and not work properly.

They just need to lower this price point substantially or they will have unsold units sitting there and even if they go to fleet sales, most folks need a somewhat larger vehicle especially with family along. And hopefully the Buick will be a quieter vehicle with more sound deadening materials as the Spark is a bit loud especially on acceleration!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

corvette

"You just bought yourself a VERY expensive insurance policy but, hey, if it gives you peace of mind it may be worth it!"

It does give me peace of mind, and it was less than half the cost of a new tire. I know it's not scientific, but reading the reviews of that particular tire on Tire Rack, they seem to be extremely prone to sidewall bubbles, and several people have replaced more than one tire for that reason before wearing out a set. Also, I'm not sure how this compares to other programs, but if I have to use one, it's not prorated based on the tire's wear, so even if the damaged tire is almost completely worn out, they pay 100%.

I would never buy this sort of warranty on my Altima's tires, as they are 215/60R16s and have a ton of sidewall to absorb large potholes. For me, it's a different decision with lower profile tires.

tifighter

Recently on the "Buying American Cars" thread, an autoblog comparison between the Acura ILX and Verano Turbo was discussed. I noted that the ILX was an $8K premium over the Civic Si from which it was based, while not offering its front LSD or available Navi. I concluded that the Si actually seemed like a decent deal around $23K and would probably be pretty fun to drive.

So yesterday, I test drove a 13 Civic Si sedan in white, no Navi and will report my findings to the respected CCBA membership. It had 4 miles on it. Sticker was $23k. I am not a fan of the coupe, but find the sedan to be a pretty nice shape, and like the update on the rear taillights. Alloys are 17" and look good. Apparently, you can get it with summer tires from the factory but this example wore all-seasons. Inside, we get to the two-tier dash. In pictures, it looks like a mess, shrinking visibility out the front and making the entire dash look like a huge piece of plastic. Guess what? In person, it IS a huge piece of plastic, but it works better than expected and I forgot about it shortly. You may have heard that the interior plastics were upgraded for 13 and they look pretty good, and seem entirely satisfactory for the price class. And speaking of inside, I am 6'2" and had the seat all the way down, and while my head did not touch the roof, it was close. Yep, the moonroof is standard. The seats, in black cloth (leather is not avail; ILX only I guess) seemed pretty good, supportive and nicely bolstered, so no issues that would be obvious on a short test drive cropped up.

The six speed manual, as one expects from a Honda, is a real highlight; positive, smooth, not too notchy, not too loose. Really a pleasure to use. Clutch was good. One thing that is strange is a tendency for the revs to float up between gear changes. Another surprise was in gear acceleration; we've always heard that Hondas need to be revved to 8K for any power, but the 2.4 in this model actually has some torque and felt pretty responsive without downshifting. Its no Focus St or Mazdaspeed 3 with turbo level of torque, but its a lot lighter too. Grip on highway cloverleafs is good, steering is linear and not too light. Highway noise is is there, with a little wind noise, but its tolerable. I should note the stretch of highway I drove was pretty smooth, so YMMV.

I liked the car. I'm typically more of a hatchback guy, and that would be the issue for me. There is a pass-through for the trunk but the opening is small. Some alternatives:
-I like the idea of a GTI, but every visit to Vortex seems to have some new story about check engine lights, etc. Of course, who knows what to believe, but it seems like VW buying Vortex, then sending it into some vortex would be marketing dollars well spent.
-The aforementioned Focus ST is a first year car and costs "more" to "a lot more" as every local dealer carries mid to top trim cars only. Many have the dreaded ADM sticker. It also has another acronym - MFT. Positive or negative? You decide.
-The Mazdaspeed 3 is thirsty but does give you a lot more power in exchange. But the 3, with its smiley face and hood-scoops-galore styling, makes me feel older and more awkward than a recent invite to my 20 year HS reunion.

I'm too old to be "in the know" about what the hot car to have is, but I'm pretty sure it isn't the Civic Si anymore. It's the GTI, ST, Speed 3, Cooper S, WRX, Abarth and obviously the FRS/BRZ. Or something used with a badge and preferably a 'M' on it. In comparison, there is something late 90's about the Si, back when 160hp of fury was to be respected, and nobody heard of Vin Diesel. Now there's no DI, no twin clutch anything, etc. But it feels light and responsive to me. Simple. That's a compliment. In white, it doesn't look entirely boy-racer, and pulling those "DOHC" decals off the side would only help the cause. I'd definitely skip the Navi as Honda seems to use a low-resolution unit from the Ridgeline circa 2006, and charges you $1500 for the privilege. Ouch. You do get USB audio, bluetooth phone and audio connectivity standard. At $23k, there's a lot to like here.

I haven't driven that Verano Turbo. Obviously, a car with a different mission.

Sandman6472

Always get the road hazard when we buy new sneakers but it's a pro-rated policy. Still , we have used it more than a few times over the years and I just look at it as part of the cost of purchase. The piece of mind is definitely worth it as the wife seems to pick up all the road debris she can find. Would never buy tires without again!

Cheap insurance and a good thing. next time we buy a vehicle, am seriously going to consider the wheel/tire extra warranty package they try to sell in F&I as it would've paid for itself with the Mazda3. Depending on the tire size and the alloys, it just might be cheap insurance!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

isellhondas

Back when I managed a large Sears Auto Center, a road hazard warranty CAME with the tires we sold at no additional charge.

I think I can honestly say I can't remember even one incident where I had a "road hazard" damage a tire even when I was driving 35,000 miles a year.

Maybe I've just been lucky but I always pass on extra cost warranties and I just consider them expensive insurance. If they weren't, they wouldn't sell them.

Now, watch me run over something today and blow a sidewall!

Sandman6472

Am thinking of swapping out my headlights for a set of these to get better night vision. Any thoughts on this? Anyone own these or similar units and are they worth the "investment" or are they mainly just for show and that "cool factor"? Just looking to improve my night vision. Also might need to do the front brakes as the rears seem fine and the handbrake has maybe 4 clicks till engaged but sometimes I feel a grinding sound up front after heavy use. Just hate to bring it in as I know they'll find something. And if I do change out the pads, should i just go with the non-metallic kind they carry? They told me they'll have minimal brake dust which is a good thing. And not sure about how much life my rotors still have. I'll need to check all my receipts but doubt I've done any brake work yet except to have the rears adjusted a couple of times.

Thanks all for your input here.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

xwesx

My take on lighting: You don't have to spend a lot, or get unusual colors, to get good lighting. I've been really happy with Wagner's "TrueView" line. The light is much whiter than you're basic bulbs, but it also has far less glare. This is more noticeable by other drivers, but I find it to be easier on my eyes as well, especially when it's rainy.

Turns out that in one application, I could not get the TrueView, so I went with Phillips CrystalVision. Those produce nearly the same quality and quantity of light, with a little more glare. Neither were particularly expensive, both have lasted well, and both were quality upgrades from stock lighting. I plan to stick with these until (unless) I find something better or they are no longer offered.

Sandman6472

For some crazy reason, the wife picks up any debris on her travels and comes home with an almost flat tire sayin' she needs me to take care of it. Luckily I have a really good team at my local Tires Plus and they make it right. Sure it's a pro-rated price but it's still a bit cheaper than buying a whole new tire...any price reduction helps. And it's just insurance and I know they make out like bandits on these policies, but I want it in place just in case and look at it at the price of a tire. Better to have than not to I think but hey, that's just me. Obviously others have a different idea on this subject.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

Sandman6472

Where can I pick these up? Not sure my local Tires Plus would carry these. How much was your total price about? Don't want to spend a whole bunch as I'm used to what I've got...just want some better light for night vision up ahead. But am not gonna pay ridiculous prices if possible.
Thanks for any advice here.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

corvette

"I think I can honestly say I can't remember even one incident where I had a "road hazard" damage a tire even when I was driving 35,000 miles a year."

I assume they were mostly highway miles? Now that I think about it, I had a nail in one of the Altima's new tires that was outside the repairable area (it was at the edge of the tread, almost into the sidewall), so I had to shell out about $100 to replace it. I seem to get a nail at least every year or two--sometimes they're repairable, sometimes not.

isellhondas

In your case, a tire warranty sounds like a good investment that has paid off for you.

Maybe I've just been lucky or something?

I know when I worked for Sears, they loved to sell Maintenance Agreements on lamost anything they sold including vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers etc.

They made tons of profits on these and they really pushed them. For some people thjey really paid off and they were glad they bought them.

Just like buying a warranty on a used car. Of course they make money but, if you ever to use it they can be a godsend.

I once sold a Mazda Millenia to our next door neighbor. It turned out to be a pure piece of junk. The transmission went, the radiator, water pump, power steering pump and other things. Didn't cost them a dime. They were so happy they went with the warranty and so was I!

This same warranty company refused to sell a warranty on any Land Rover. No matter how high they raised their rates they always lost money.

Thjey would sell warranties on other troublesome cars but WOW, were they expensive and for good reason!

Sandman6472

But we've yet to buy an extended warranty on a vehicle yet and have been lucky to never have really needed one. But that's a big drawing card for the wife and Hyundai/Kia. They've taken very good care of our Accent and the one major problem we had, the brake light switch. No questions asked and I was in and out within 2 hours. Since I do all the maintenance on all four vehicles, i like it when it's so easy. Depending on what I get next time also, the warranty of Hyundai/Kia is a strong variable in choosing one of their vehicles. Read in Automobile about the new Forte out now. It's growing on me and one model even has a power seat...just what I really want next time. It's very hard to find a power seated vehicle in my price range, $20k or so, and in the 180" size...very difficult and I'd have to go German to get this important feature I think right now. So the Kia Forte will be one that I will look at closely. Definitely not as boring as the current Forte...this one has some style to it!

If I do go the cpo route next time, a distinct possibility here, I'd definitely get an extended warranty to ease the pain so to speak as I know there will be certain issues that will crop up. But not too keen on buying German in the 1st place but that's just me and it's a personal reason. But I do like Lexus and their IS line as they'd be more reliable and not prone to problems. One of my favorites still is the 1st gen of the Acura TSX, a '07 or '08 model. They're about the size of my current Civic but they take premium petrol from what I've read. But I'm betting that one could use 87 without much going wrong as the engine would compensate. Now, that is my favorite Acura model with the RS coupe right behind. And I've seen some nice '08 TSX's on lots for a great price. But again, it's so similar to my Civic and I know how I've taken care of my vehicle that to swap out for a TSX would be pretty stupid unless I found one in pristine condition with stupid low miles on it for a great price. Now that could be fun! And I'd do it. The '09 and later ones have just gotten too big for my tastes but am sure they drive wonderfully...didn't Bradd have one? Not sure I'd really want this new generation because of it's size.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

xwesx

I picked mine up off Amazon - better than hunting around for them! I'd say they should be no more than $10-15 a bulb. With some of the "performance" bulbs, you can pay upwards of $30 per bulb and then get the "bonus" of the bulbs only lasting six months to a year, tops! :sick:

Sandman6472

Amazon...right. And I already have a credit with them from some gift cards. This is doable for me but want to do the stereo first and the brakes. Then I can look into doing the headlights. But great suggestion about buying on Amazon and then just have my tires Plus guy throw 'em in for me. They'd have to be aimed properly I'd imagine or do they already come aimed at the perfect height. And are they vehicle specific? Sorry for all the questions but have never swapped out headlights before and just want to do something special for my ride. Figure since I'm gonna keep it for at least the next 4 or so years, might as well make it feel like a new vehicle so I can enjoy it more than I do now. And spending like $500 is so much better than buying new with all the additional costs that brings into the mix over the price of just the new vehicle. I want to do something for my ride and don't care what the other 1/2 is gonna say. That's the nice thing about getting "gifted" from the parents and grandparents...we have no say in what the other does with it or even know for that matter! It's finally nice to be at the stage where I can afford something I want and not need permission to buy it. I remember many years ago when driving my old Corolla FX and needing/wanting a new vehicle and asking can we afford it now and being told no. Felt horrible really and I've always remembered that lousy feeling. Luckily, I no longer have to ask and when I finally did purchase my Civic back in '06, I let her know after the fact that I did trade in the Sentra and bought the Civic. Made for an easier experience not having to get another opinion. Soon, I'll be in that position again and will be able to purchase a new C Class if I want and then some...but I won't for obvious reasons. But I still want to upgrade a few things on the Civic just to make me happy and I do deserve it...the last few years since I had my accident haven't been the best but am finally turning the corner here luckily and by the grace of G-d!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

roadburner

I'm too old to be "in the know" about what the hot car to have is, but I'm pretty sure it isn't the Civic Si anymore. It's the GTI, ST, Speed 3, Cooper S, WRX, Abarth and obviously the FRS/BRZ.

As some of you may remember, I checked out the Si and the GTI back in 2007 prior to buying my MS3. I still don't regret passing on those two cars(but in retrospect I know I would have been much, MUCH, happier with either an E36/46 M3 or a Z3 M Coupe). The Si just left me cold- I didn't like being forced to buy a hole in the roof. The two tier BSG dash didn't help either. I liked the GTI a lot, but the VW sales folk had ZERO interest in ordering a car to my specs. Couple that with the Louisville dealers' reputation for abysmal service and the result was no sale.
I'm still tempted to buy an inexpensive(sub $25k) buzz bomb to use for my last couple of years on the "circuit," and only the Abarth interests me. The ST option bundling fiasco and its erratic track performance pretty much kills any interest I might have in it. The GTI also has a nasty option bundling racket going, and it would be a lateral move compared to the MS3 as well. The FR-S/BRZ are selling at sticker and as I said, I'm determined to keep the price below $25K+ttl. Yes, the Abarth is slower than the rest of the pack(@0.7 seconds slower 0-60 than the current MS3, @0.3 slower than the FR-S/BRZ) but I like a small relatively lightweight car. The Fiat dealer is conveniently located and I also like the fact that it is in the same dealer group as my BMW dealer. Reliability appears to be good based on everything I've read, and it has a slightly hyper personality which I also appreciate. Best of all, I can get one with an upgraded audio system, heated seats and NO hole in the roof.
Still, I'm in no hurry...

stickguy

ti, take out an ILX also to compare and let us know what you think. I have that high on the list of what to get my son into when he graduates, assuming he actually finds a job! Though that has a lot to do with the killer lease deals right now.

For bulbs, when a LB when out on the Volvo, I replaced them with a mid-level model (I think Philips?) which IIRC were about $25/pair at pep boys. really not that much extra cost going up-market on them, though I honestly don't know if I could tell the difference.

tire warranties? I never bothered on a new car, but get it on replacements, because it is usually pretty cheap, and in some cases, more than pays for itself with free rotations, and flat repairs. I did get a free (or mostly, slightly prorated) replacement from Mr. tire on a Yokohama on my Accord, when it self destructed on the highway. In that case, I was out of their area, so bought a new one elsewhere, brought them the dead tire and the bill, and they reimbursed me.

stickguy

sure you can't get a base model Sube (or Scion) close enough to your budget? At least it is a real handler, and no worries about that pesky hole in the roof.

isellhondas

I am slowly coming to grips with the fact the Koreans have vastly improved but not to the point where I would buy one. That's just me...I know..I have a long memory and I wouldn't buy a Fiat either.

Thje Koreans HAD to go to that 100,000 mile powertrain warranty in an attempt to instill some confidence in their product and for a lot of buyers that was a MAJOR selling point and continues to be.

Honda has a 60,000 mile powertrain warranty that, unlike the Koreans is transferable.

The chances of having a powertrain problem in ANY modern car between 60 and 100K is so remote yet people buy for that reason.

When I was in the tool business, we called some customers "Warranty Freaks" because that was the NUMBER ONE reason they bought something.

I used to tell the Honda brass (like they cared) that Honda should shut up the Koreans by matching their warranty. I doubt if it would cost then 100.00 more per car to do that.

I've always said..." The BEST warranty is the one you never have to use"

Sandman6472

Road repairs are free and have done that twice on the last set of sneakers the Civic wore and the Mazda has had 3 done within the last year...all free because of the road hazard policy. Without, it would've cost about $20 a pop so it has already paid for itself. they also pro-rated a tire on the old set the Mazda wore...paid about $22 for an $90 tire so again, felt like I did get our money's worth. But that's just us and the wife drives through an area under heavy construction near my kids house just west of Lauderdale, the new I-595 repair debacle which is a nightmare for all of us...I even almost went to Miami instead of Naples last week as the signs are just horrendous.

I'll but the road hazard on each tire for each vehicle always...cheap insurance as without a tire, no one goes anywhere!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

stickguy

if your memory is that long (as is mine) you would remember when the Japanese cars were basically tin cans that rusted away in 2 years.

Actually, since you were a So Cal guy, that could be why. You should have seen what an early Accord or Subaru looked like after a couple of salt filled winters in the NE.

stickguy

the few times I was offered the wheel/tire package on a new car, it seemed to be a giant rip off. But, the RHW on replacement tires, that is normally well worth the cost.

Last new tires I got were at B.J.s. There install/RHW package is $15, and includes road hazard, flat repairs and lifetime rotations. So $60 for all 4 tires is a bargain, even if you just use the rotations.

ateixeira

The 5/60 b2b warranty remains on 2nd hand Hyundai's, FWIW.

Compare features, though, the Navi is way better, seats are heated and cooled, rear seats and steering wheel also heated, glove box is cooled, moonroof is panoramic, etc.

There is a lot of extra content on those, it's not just a low price any more. In many ways they simply offer more. I bet if you asked buyers many chose them because they simply liked them more.

It is nice to see Honda finally fighting back by adding content. They were complacent for too long.

stickguy

I was pushing hard for the Santa Fe, but my wife just liked the RDX better, even though the SF did have more "stuff" for less $.

but, the Acura did beat it on powertrain and ride/handling/NVH. Less space though (RDX is small in the cargo area, with no flexibility)

Hyundai though makes some really nice cars. They compete and win on their merits, not just price or warranty, these days.

Sandman6472

Just washed my car in the driveway for the 1st time since my accident on April 27th of 2005...I feel like me again!!! My back hurts somethin' awful but I did it, slowly and with my cane holding me up but man...I DID IT! Car looks awesome to especially after I used that tire protector. Wasn't gonna do this but saw my neighbor washing his Chevy truck and said, what the heck...let's try and do this. Thank you G-d for getting me through this but i know I will pay for this later...but it was so worth it man, so worth it!

I think The Sandman is almost back to normal, whatever that is. It's just me & my trusty cane "Forrest" and in time, we'll conquer the world! We named this cane "Forrest" because of the movie...another co-worker was mocking me with "Run Forrest run" so I turned a negative into a positive here and now we all laugh about it...used humor to turn a situation around for me and a somewhat rude person who now is best bud's with me at work! I tend to use humor to defuse any situation and it always work, especially when we can laugh at ourselves which I do on a regular basis. My other cane is named "Cain" and it's got the head of a fox on it and came from an old friend. I collect canes now as a hobby and have a few nice one's from customers and friends. So anyone find any interesting canes, send 'em on down. I'm always on the lookout for canes at thrift stores and all but wooden one's have to be the correct size or a bit longer so I can have them cut down like I had to do with "Cain" at the local Ace hardware. I look for canes everywhere especially at flea markets and thrifts.

The Sandman and Forrest
:sick: :shades:

ateixeira

If you know rsholland, his daughter just picked up a new Santa Fe, black turbo with Navi.

roadburner

The headlamp bulb I like is the Philips X-treme Power. @$30/pair from Amazon.

Sandman6472

Funny, when I put in my year and make, those didn't come up in the list of headlights. Will look for them next time I go to Amazon. Right now my bulbs are all fine so will wait a bit and see. Also, do there replacement bulbs last as long as oem? Not looking to get into a pattern where every few years I need to replace bulbs. And if i do swap 'em out, probably best to do both low & high beams to have a uniform look when both are on. Seems almost silly to replace only the lows only but maybe not...what do most people do in this situation I wonder?

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

roadburner

I think that they may have a shorter lifespan, but I like to be able to see as well as I possibly can. I'd just try the low beams and see how you like them-you an always add the high beams later.

roadburner

Too bad it's at Jake (the) Weenie BMW...
2009 135i M Sport

Sandman6472

I'm not rushing into anything like usual...always think things out, sometimes too much, but always think things out as I hate to make a wrong decision on things. Do think I would like to be able to see better at night when I do drive then. So one step at a time here to get my vehicle up to the point of max enjoyment. The lighting & sound system are the 1st two improvements I plan to make in the near future as well as checking out the front brakes. Just taking things day to day with the Mazda3 as so far, it is behaving though I still need to detail it and take care of those oxidized headlamps.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

roadburner

One other thing, a bulb that does well in one size may not do well in another. The Phillips tested well in the H7 size but did not do as well in the H4 size.
Auto Expess Headlamp Bulb Test
I have the H4 Osram Night Breaker Plus bulbs and Hella 7" round E Code headlamps in my Jeep Wrangler and they are phenomenal- almost as good as Xenons.

stickguy

sometimes you have to suck it up and deal with the devil if they have what you want.

Sandman6472

Not sure what size I have in the Civic as I'm just in the gathering information stage, the reason for all my questions on this subject. No sense doing something that may not give me the desired results and may be a waste of funds. Nothing worse than to throw hard earned $ out the window when doing an upgrade so to speak. If this is not the right move for me, I simply will not do it but I do want to get the most bang for my buck here and have a brighter path of light for night driving...the reason for all these questions. I love those HID's but those are so way over the top in my situation and I don't need them...just brighter light for better night vision.

All the posts have been useful.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

tjc78

sometimes you have to suck it up and deal with the devil if they have what you want.


Reminds me of the time that giant auto complex near us had the car I wanted. I get there to look at it and it was a demo but listed as brand new. I really hate those guys down there, I've never had any luck. It is, however, a nice place to walk around and check everything out while they are closed on Sundays.

Sandman6472

Sometimes a demo is a good way to go to get a little extra bang for the buck. My folks did this back in the '80's with a new Pontiac Bonneville. The owners wife had use of the car, she had a driver, and it only had about 4k miles when the folks bought it. It was pristine and they got a nice % taken off plus an added warranty so it worked out well for them. My dad was a pretty shrewd guy when it came to $...he retired at 47 with 4 kids, so he must've done something right. I drove that car many times and it indeed was a good GM product. They had given up the Cadillac's and Lincoln's when he retired and this worked out fine as they by then were sharing a vehicle...my dad had his golf cart which he used daily going to his "office" at the clubhouse.
In the right circumstances and with the right car, I'd have no problem purchasing a demo if the miles were low enough and the discount was pretty good. There has to be some incentive given on a demo or no one would buy them and instead opt for the brand new product. Sometimes a nice clean demo is the ticket & personally, I always ask. I did when I purchased the Civic as it would have been great to get an EX for an LX price which was the reason I inquired in the 1st place. Looking back, I should've gone with the EX I wanted in the 1st place and not have listened to my other 1/2. In the next purchase, I will listen to my gut and get the real deal as I have to pay for it and I have to drive it!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

stickguy

I almost bought a demo back in 2001 when I was looking at an Acura TL. I had internet pricing (quite good) and they offered 2 prices. 1 for brand new, and 1 for a demo. IIRC, there was about $2,000 difference. I stopped to look at it, and it was being used by one of the salesmen and had maybe 3K on it. not clean, but I am sure once it was detailed up it would have looked as good as the new one.

for that difference in $, I would have gotten the demo, but decided to get something different all together.

stickguy

which one? I have no problem with Turnersville (we bought our Odyssey from them, and I have looked and driven numerous times, and they have been pleasant). Plus its fun to drive on the racetrack!

Now, the Rt. 70 bunch? No way I would ever deal with them!

Sandman6472

Great article about rentals and how far they've come.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324162304578301904201370898.html?m- od=WSJ__MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsTop

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

tifighter

You have the first generation MS3, and that one was a nice looking car. Clean. I just can't warm up to the styling of the current one. Not clean.

tifighter

ti, take out an ILX also to compare and let us know what you think. I have that high on the list of what to get my son into when he graduates, assuming he actually finds a job! Though that has a lot to do with the killer lease deals right now.

There are a few people out there on the webernets claiming to have purchased the ILX 2.4 Premium for $27.5K. At that price, it starts to make more sense vs. the Si with heated leather, a power driver's seat, smart key, HID's, dual zone climate and a longer warranty. Honda traditionally offers some strong leases when the sales get slow, and the ILX has been really slow. So hearing that they have crazy lease deals comes as no surprise. If I drive it, I'll let you know.