Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

qbrozen

The Foresters and Outback Sports seem to run quite a bit cheaper than Legacys and Outbacks.

corvette

I saw it on TTAC. Looks nice. Also appears that it will have a lot of "big car" features available, like radar cruise control, LDW, blind spot warning, forward collision warning/braking, automatic high/low beams, etc.

stickguy

just took a look. I like it. a lot.

not quite sure when it is coming out though. Maybe it will work out as an option when my son is finally ready?

breld

From the online Road & Track article:

Buyers will be able to get their hands on the new Mazda3 around September, and the car will be built in Japan. A Mexican plant will supplement Japanese production starting in spring of 2014.

Hmmm, buy an early production model out of Japan, or a later production one from Mexico?

Mr_Shiftright

A car is only as well built as the particular factory is well-run. You can have crummy cars coming out of a German plant or excellent ones coming out of Brazil.

Quality is not country-specific anymore, unless of course you cite extremes.

akangl

Kia sportage
hyundai santa fe
suzuki aerio
subaru forester/imprezza/outback sport

Not a fan of kias or subarus. The subarus have too many head gasket issues and most of the older ones are severely molested.

I found a nice 04 Pontiac Vibe not AWD but clean, not sure of miles. Asking price is $3800 OBO.

Also a 2004 Buick regal with 121k for $3k

That seems to be the theme in that price range. Going to go start checking cars out soon. The kid's gotta get a car soon, I'm tired of being her taxi!

Sandman6472

From the rear 3/4 shot, hatch looks very Ford Focusy though not a bad thing as I really like the Focus hatch and if I had to get one, that would be the one. Wonder if the sedan will look as nice as I still think the wife would stay with another 3 if it drove the same way as hers does now...she says it's the easiest vehicle she's ever driven and really doesn't want to give it up. This would solve the problem if it's the same size and same everything else even though I doubt she'd go for the "S" model this time...but I could be wrong here to! Surprised that they've gone with the all black dash after the a/c problems with our generation but maybe they have solves that issue. Regardless, the 2014 looks so much nicer than the in your face last generation with nicer lines and definitely a much better dash layout. This new 2014 model could solve her problem of what to get next if it's very similar to her '05 model and I wouldn't mind one bit actually!

Going over to the body shop probably later to get an estimate of the damage to the Civic. Not sure when it was hit but it's been within the last 9 days and luckily the paint wasn't damaged in the slightest! The door is scraping the front where it was pushed under and looking from the rear, the door is bowing out a bit. Hopefully it should be a pretty easy job to just pull out the fender a bit and realign the front door. Funny, I thought something looked strange the other day and when she opened the front passenger door we both heard the scraping noise like popping metal...still can't figure out at what angle the [non-permissible content removed] wipe hit it without damaging any paint! And that person had to know they hit the vehicle and just took off...wish folks weren't so jerky in this world! And I'm betting any repair will come in just under the magical $500 deductible amount...and even though I usually drive alone, not repairing it is just not an option here! I'm really pissed here!!!

The Angry Sandman :sick: :shades:

P.S. My neighbor just got a new toy, a 2002 pristine navy over gray Porsche 911 with just under 60k on the clock...I actually could get into the front seat though it is a bit low but what a stunning vehicle! It's an slushbox but I think that's to make his wife happy so she can drive it also, he's a chiropractor and she works with no kids so they have $ to burn. This is the newest toy to go along with his really nice bike...noticed he was cleaning out the other side of the garage and then saw the new temp plate so walked on over. Man, it's really sweet! Damn, I sure wish the wife wouldn't object to me gettin' a toy eventually!!!

stickguy

posted this a few days back. But the 2005 X3 stickshift with 130K on the clock pulled $7,600. Strong money IMO.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/X3-AWD-6-SPD-/200935414637?_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2- 649&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&forcev4exp=true#ht_19192wt_1165

stickguy

someone in a bad neighborhood of Philly is going to be driving in style soon. At least until the 1st breakdown (so not too long) that costs more than the car (IOW, anything).

does look nice for the age/miles. And love the vintage car phone in the rear console.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Rolls-Royce-Silver-Spirit-Spur-Dawn-Silver-Spur-R- olls-Royce-Silver-Spur-LEATHER-POWER-SEATS-HAND-/321151910468?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&- hash=item4ac6254244#ht_20565wt_1165

fintail

I love how primitive the switchgear is on those. 1980s outside, 1950s inside.

Mr_Shiftright

I'll keep an eye on it--I'm thinkin' $9K to $12K to a motivated buyer, and may god have mercy on his soul.

That clean 1982 Mercedes Turbo Diesel (they go 5 million miles, easy :P ) that I pegged at $3500 was bid to.....$3550!...and a no sale...didn't meet reserve even with 19 bidders.

roadburner

I want this puppy bad- but I know I'd probably regret it:

1973 XJ6

Sandman6472

Drove brand new X vehicles today and an SLK with 10k on the clock and all I can say is "meh", wasn't that impressed actually and that start on/start off is annoying. The leather was nicer in the X3 I thought than the X5 and maybe I just missed it, but paying large sums of $ for these vehicles is a good thing because...? Totally underwhelmed!

The Sandman :confuse: :sick: :shades:

fintail

A decent series I XJ6 is uncommon anymore. It'll break a lot, but cosmetics look good, and that's probably the most expensive part.

Mr_Shiftright

I think this review sums up the XJ6 Series I and II fairly:

"Upon its introduction in 1968, the Jaguar XJ6 was almost certainly the best sedan in the world. It was fast and smooth thanks to its big straight-six, as comfortable as a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow (if not nearly as tall and syrupy) and gorgeous beyond dispute. It was also an utterly terrible, completely unreliable automobile. The absorption of Jaguar into British Leyland and the succeeding “Series II” model didn’t help matter. Series II XJ6s are utterly hopeless."

However, the Series III, 1987-88, with fuel injection *could possibly* turn out to be an okay car if you pick the right one, have some luck, know good mechanics and keep a close eye on things.

kyfdx

However, the Series III, 1987-88, with fuel injection *could possibly* turn out to be an okay car if you pick the right one, have some luck, know good mechanics and keep a close eye on things.

Yeah... but those are the ugly ones....

kyfdx

If you are going to buy an unreliable car, might as well get the coolest one... XJ12 coupe...

au1994

Yeah, that sure is pretty. I would really enjoy watching the tow truck take her to the garage every other week.

Mr_Shiftright

Oddly enough, that coupe is not worth much more than the XJ12 sedan. It's like trying to sell the coupe version of the Car Nobody Wants, (except we bottom feeders who will pay little and probably pull the rip cord anyway) as if that would somehow make it better.

I don't mind...in fact I *encourage* car lovers to take a chance once in a while, even some money over time....so what if you had some fun?....but this car is different. This car represents the possibility of being wiped out in a week. :surprise:

fintail

I snapped this pic a few years ago - appears to be very similar:



It was moving alone with no smoke or visible flames.

Mr_Shiftright

hey c'mon..it's only the V12 that catches fire.

Bonfire of the Vanity Plates

stickguy

was going out shopping this morning, and my 17 YO daughter was complaining (imagine that) about where we were going (the mall). She wanted to go look at nice cars! my wife just SHH.

but, while going past the Ford dealer, she got all excited (is that the place with the Mustangs?) so I pulled in. Wife, not pleased, but we dragged her in.

sat in a Mustang coupe. Really nice. The kid liked it. Sticker was 42K! per the wife. ouch. But I was shocked to find comfortable seats. Always hated them in older mustangs. And loved the airy feel (and extra headroom) of the glass roof, but it would drive me nuts knowing I could not open it.

I did not look at the sticker but it was a red GT/CS, with hood louvers, faux side vents (shades of a '65 GT350) and probably lots of other options.

stickguy

they actually had one she loved on used car row. It was orange (odd shade, looked like Mango). a 2008 for $9999.

it was a 4.0l AT, with a whopping 114K on it. But, looked sharp. I am sure the little blond kid would look cute in it.

andre1969

"Damn, Damn, and double-Damn!"

The brakes just went out on my 2000 Park Ave. Pedal goes right to the floor. Dual master cylinder and ABS be damned, it's acting just like my '57 DeSoto and '67 Newport did when their brakes failed. And if anything, those cars were actually more drivable with no brakes, because the handbrakes were easier to use than the foot brake on the Park Ave.

So, off to the mechanic it goes. I'm really tempted, after they fix it, to unload it and get something else. I'm just wondering what else is going to fail on this car. It doesn't seem to be aging very well.

So, it looks like both my uncle and I might be in the market for another car. :sick:

stickguy

on the way home yesterday, just outside my neighborhood, there was another same-vintage (2008ish) Mustang parked on the side of the road with a 4 sale sign on it. And it was the same odd orange color (mango/creamsicle?) as the one at the dealer! this one was only 8K, and had a stick shift! No idea of exact year, or miles, but oddly (being I am in NJ) it had Texas plates. I assume someone moved up, because there was an HHR parked a bit behind it, also with Texas tags.

corvette

That sounds scary, glad it didn't turn out worse than it did! Did the brake warning light even come on?

stickguy

I can guarantee, if that happened to my wifes car, she would never drive it or ride in it again, and it would be traded in as soon as it was fixed.

fintail

That's no fun. I've had two brake failure experiences, and don't want another.

Hmmm...I am sure they are dealing on Chargers and 300s right now, and the new Impala looks nice...it's not a bad time to be a big car buyer :shades:

andre1969

That sounds scary, glad it didn't turn out worse than it did! Did the brake warning light even come on?

Yeah, it's a good thing it didn't come on during a panic stop! The brake warning light came on the second the pedal went to the floor, so at that point, it was simply stating the obvious.

Anyway, it's off to the mechanic tonight. Hopefully it's not anything too expensive, but I really don't have the warm fuzzies about this Buick anymore. This is going to be the fourth time it's been in the shop in the past 8 months, and that's getting a bit old.

rayainsw

Based partly on reading early reviews in MT, C+D and a preview in R&T I drove a 2014 IS 350 F Sport on Saturday morning.

First, this is a Lexus. Meaning, the interior materials, fit & finish are very high quality. It does drive well, under all conditions I encountered. It is a nice car.

But.
With pervious cars I have had, and with my current BMW, I am used to [ and really enjoy ] low RPM Torque. I also find that very useful in all my typical driving – including ‘stop and slow’ traffic.
The IS would likely be a lot of fun, when & where one can safely run that V6 at high RPM. Sadly, for me, that is very rare.
[ I certainly do enjoy it when I can. ]
Highway speed acceleration required downshifting 2 or 3 gears, to provide any real feeling of thrust.
And the 8-speed transmission’s response to my manual shift requests was [ um ] rather leisurely. This was in ‘Sport +’ mode.
[[ As a point of comparison, the BMW 335iS has a TQ rating of 370 – as low as 1,500 RPM. The IS 350 peak TQ is 277 – at 4,800 RPM. ]]
Nothing in what I had read prepared me for how little urge was available here at low RPM.
Thus, as a Sport Sedan, and also a ‘daily driver’ for me, it falls short in a critical area of high interest to me.
Ride was good, particularly with the low profile 18s – similar size to those on my BMW, except NOT run-flats.
The car is generally quiet & smooth.
The V6 is quite smooth – particularly for a 3.5L.
Again, the IS 350 F Sport is certainly a very nice sports sedan. I expect that they will sell well.

Though I have not crossed the F Sport off my ‘short list’, it is currently moved well down.

My $0.02 cents worth of opinions.
- Ray
And the quest continues . . .

breld

Nice review - like yourself, I've been reading all the praise the mags have thrown at the new IS. I do like the interiors of the newer Lexus models - GS, and now this IS. Sounds like a really nice option for someone who wants the fit and finish and reliability of a Lexus.

My wife and I did some tire kicking this past weekend too - at RVs! Nothing serious at all - we enjoy road trips and have always been intrigued at the idea, so with some free time on Saturday, we thought we'd just go look. I'd love to experience one on a long road trip, but would be scared to death to drive it. :surprise:

andre1969

on the Nissan Cube? My uncle sat in one, and said he liked it a lot. Called it an "ugly son of a bee", but it still had some endearing quality about it. He didn't drive it, but liked the way it felt sitting in it, and the visibility out of it.

After we dump my Buick off at the mechanic this evening, he wants me to go with him to the Nissan dealer so he can get my opinion. My uncle tends to buy things on impulse, so I can actually see this happening! :surprise:

stickguy

unless you are retiring and planning to see the country for a few years, I have to figure that overall you are better off just renting one for your occasional excursion. Kind of like a boat for most people.

stickguy

It is a weird looking beast, but most likely, a perfect usable little vehicle. Small, economical, but exceedingly roomy for a small footprint. I have never sat in one, but I assume it is kind of like a Sentra that sits up tall with lots of headroom?

if he likes the way it drives, and doesn't mind people pointing and laughing, probably could get a great deal on one.

I like the Kia Soul better though, at least looks wise. But the Cube is very practical I would guess.

imidazol97

How does it handle crosswinds?

michaellno

This is going to be the fourth time it's been in the shop in the past 8 months, and that's getting a bit old.

And the Buick is supposed to be your daily driver.

I'm with you ... perhaps it's time to get that Charger you've been going on about for the last couple of years.

3.6 with the 8-speed auto. 280+ HP and 31 MPG on the highway. What's not to like about that?

suydam

I think the Kia Soul handles better and also gives that spacious feeling. It's a very nice weird little vehicle.

rayainsw

I am really glad to hear that nothing worse happened.
[ Sounds like it easily could have. ]
Happy hunting - for a replacement!
- Ray
Also hunting.....

fintail

Funny thing - I stopped by the local dealer to look at the new IS today, and the very enthusiastic young "vehicle delivery specialist" talked me into taking a drive. As I was free, I did it. I drove an IS250 AWD F-Sport, silver on red.

We went on an extended test drive, maybe 30-45 mins. I must say I am impressed with the interior - seats seemed excellent, ergonomics nice, design worlds better than the old IS. ICE seems cheaper than my E, but this is also in a cheaper car. Manual tilt/tele wheel seems odd for something in this price range. But overall, it is very nice inside, and visibility is good. The exterior styling is still a bit harsh to my eyes, especially the cow catcher grille, and flamboyant droopy rear lights.

If you felt you had to rev the 350 to get torque, the 250 was a degree more like that - I wasn't used to pushing so much it to get moving, as my diesel car just kind of idles off the line. It didn't mind being pushed though, shifts were smooth, and seemed to accelerate willingly. Handling was neutral and stable in the few hard turns I got to play with, and the ride was unobstrusive. This car is probably the closest Lexus has come to playing with the 3er/C/A4.

nippononly

I took a look at the Cube back when it first came out, found a lot to like especially if you like quirky cars. But there were 2 deal-killers for me:
1. Wind noise at highway speed is extreme, and this is coming from someone used to driving small cheap cars
2. If you try to turn a corner with even the faintest bit of zeal, you will be riding the door handles almost immediately. This thing keels over like a dinghy in a hurricane when cornering.

That, and of course the only automatic available is a god-awful CVT, and you can only get the stick on the stripped base trim.

But the price and the features are great, and it is very spacious. And you don't see too many around, Which is a plus for me.

akangl

Looked at this car for the kid today.

Camry

I figured low miles for the year, it appeared clean by the pictures. Daughter called and set up a time to look at it. The guy met us at Walmart.....red flag #1, he was Russian (some have a reputation here for selling wrecks).....red flag #2, at that point my gut said RUN! However, I thought this could be a good learning experience for the kid. The guy said he'd owned the car for 3 months and had driven it up from Florida (another red flag), said he was selling it to get a bigger car. Right away I noticed poor body work, I asked him what kind of accident it had been in, he said he didn't know. I pressed further and he said it was just the rear bumper (uh huh). I kept asking and finally the truth came out, he bought the car from an auction and his brother repaired it. At minimum it had a pass side front fender replaced, a bondo'd pass side front door, and a badly repaired rear quarter panel. I opened the trunk and pulled back the carpet, there was 2 inches of water. He tried to say the car was old and I couldn't expect perfect. Didn't bother driving it, simply said I'll pass and we left.

Best I can tell it was a salvage purchased here and the title washed in florida. I highly doubt the car was ever in Florida physically, just the title.

Back to the drawing board. Found a nice '99 Legacy for $2200, clean car but 181k miles kinda scares me. Might check out the '97 CR-V with 154k but its a reconstruct title, owner is honest about why though, he's asking $3k, I'm thinking much lower.

Legacy
CR-V

nyccarguy

Hey Jolie, I'm sure this isn't what you want to hear but a '97 CRV with 154K on a salvage title, a '99 Legacy with 181K miles for your new driver daughter? How much money are you going to sink into these cars to keep them running for her over the next few years? These cars are like ticking time bombs!

Have you thought of leasing her a new car, then she can finance the buyout of the lease when it's up? How much driving will she do? I saw an ad for a 2013 Civic LX sedan for $159/month with $0 down (plus tax & tags). That's $5,724 over 3 years & you won't have to spend 1 red cent on repairs. Plus you'll have the peace of mind that she will not break down.

I know you've got school, the house, & the baby coming, but think about it :surprise:

akangl

Have you thought of leasing her a new car, then she can finance the buyout of the lease when it's up? How much driving will she do? I saw an ad for a 2013 Civic LX sedan for $159/month with $0 down (plus tax & tags). That's $5,724 over 3 years & you won't have to spend 1 red cent on repairs. Plus you'll have the peace of mind that she will not break down.

I know you've got school, the house, & the baby coming, but think about it

We'd rather not buy her a new car, right now she has $3500 cash for a car. I doubt she will drive a whole lot, there's a limit of 1 tank of gas every 2 weeks unless she spends her own money. I know the older car choices aren't that great, we did get very lucky with the '95 Escort, a friend owns it now and it's still a great car.

My parents didn't even buy me a car, so I'm of the mind that no kid needs a new car. We have no issue giving her the $3500 to buy a car but that's it. Not to mention insurance on an older car with a new driver is much cheaper.

Our only debt is 2 car loans and the mortgage, the focus will be paid off in October. Then it's 1 car payment from then on. Thus the reason our mortgage broker said our loan was the easiest one he's had in years......we had a whopping 10% DTI. He said most are at 28% before buying a house. :sick:

suydam

What we did with our kids was match what they saved. That way she will have a significant stake in the car as she paid for half of it and knows how hard she had to work to save up for it, but she won't be drivi g a wreck either. For 7k you will still have an older, cheaper to insure car but it will probably run a lot better and be safer too.

andre1969

How does it handle crosswinds?

That was one of my uncle's biggest concerns. He thinks it's going to have roughly the aerodynamics of a box kite.

Anyway, I think the Cube is out, or at least he's cooled his heels a bit on it. Yesterday after work, we dropped the Park Ave off at the mechanic. Driving without brakes isn't so bad once you get used to it, but I imagine all that manual downshifting would get rough on the transmission after awhile.

After that, we drove down to the local Nissan dealer, because he wanted my opinion of the Cube. Ugly looking thing, but they also had a couple Cubes on the lot, which helped put things in perspective a bit. Not bad inside, though. I sat in it, and the driving position's not bad for me. Legroom's a bit short, but the seat sits up high enough to offset that a bit. It's sort of like my old '85 Silverado, but with the steering wheel in a better position.

Somehow though, my uncle just liked it less the second time around. We also looked at a used one, an '09 with only 30,000 miles on it, and I noticed that the top of the dash was actually peeling around the defroster vents. That's just a minor detail, but it makes me think what else they might have skimped on when they built these things.

Oh, as for his Corolla, it's been a week now, since the mechanic said the dreadful phrase "rod knock", and it's still running fine, so I guess it's not that. And I drove his car yesterday, from the mechanic to the Nissan dealer, and back home, and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. I could hear a buzz every once in awhile coming from the exhaust, like a heat shield rattle or something. And the engine sounds a bit thrashy to me, but I'm guessing that's more because my ear is used to V-8 engines, often with modified exhaust, so my hearing is probably a bit off. It probably sounds about how any small 4-cyl engine with 225,000 miles on it should sound. And, my uncle mentioned that the sound usually only happens when he first starts the car, and then it goes away. My guess is that it's just old age creeping up on the car. My '85 Silverado sounds the same way for the first few minutes sometimes. And most of my old cars, if they've been sitting awhile, sound that way as well until they warm up a bit and the oil gets flowing.

My uncle explained the noise as sounding kind of like a sewing machine, sort of a tick-tick-tick (his words). I thought that a bit odd, as I've heard "sounds like a sewing machine" used a a compliment for these little engines, as being a euphemism for "smooth and refined" :P

But, overall, it felt like it still had some life left in it. There were a few times that I had to stomp on it a bit to merge into traffic, and it feels like it still has plenty of power. I just didn't want to stomp on it *too* much, because of the age, mileage, and longevity concerns!

andre1969

what do y'all think of these two?

2012 Civic LX, 15K miles, $15,383

2009 Accord EX-L, 51K miles, $15,842

I know they both probably seem out of character for me, but for whatever reason, both of them caught my eye yesterday. The Civic appealed to my cheap side, but the Accord caught my eye because it seemed pretty well-equipped, with leather and the sunroof, and still for a reasonable price.

They also had a couple Maximas that caught my eye, but they were, understandably, more expensive. And, I'm a bit tired of having to buy premium fuel, which my Park Ave requires. So, there's my cheap side poking through again!

imidazol97

>How does it handle crosswinds?

If there's any gusting to the winds I would think it would be really irritating to drive. A constant wind might not be too bad.

I drove my friend's Corolla (2007?) to take her to dialysis. It was awful in the uneven winds that day. Required constant correction. My Cobalt is dream compared to her Corolla in winds.

nyccarguy

Being a chronic car keeper is expensive too. So those of you who recall, I replaced all 4 tires on my wife's 2011 Pilot a few months ago with 32,000 miles. I don't remember the exact amount, but it was very close to $1000. I know it had to be done. So last week, the service light comes on. 15% oil life left (no big deal since I use full synthetic only). The Pilot is calling for "Service A13" which is an "A1" Service - oil change/tire rotation and a "3" Service which requires a transmission fluid change and a fluid change that sends power to the rear wheels (this is separate from the VTM-4 rear differential fluid). While the car doesn't call for a brake fluid change until next year, I figure it has been 2 + years & 37K miles, so lets get that done too. I figure this is going to cost me somewhere around $400.

Service advisor calls this AM & tells me the rear brakes are down to 3mm & most likely won't make it to the next oil change. The dealer I bring the car to service has been spot on honest & NEVER tries to upsell me stuff I don't want/need. Cabin filter is filthy (last replaced at 15K miles under warranty) & the air filter is very dirty (the service advisor even suggested I do these 2 myself). So rear pads w/ rotor resurfacing is about $300 plus the cabin & air filter.

I think this is going to be a $750 - $800 service visit. It's all required maintenance & I know it has to be done, but as a certified cheapo, I don't have to like it!

stever

Yep, I'm out about $1,200 in recent months for new tires and a timing belt and a good throttle body cleaning on my '99 Quest.

That's what, 3 maybe 4 car payments? Here's hoping I get another year or so out of those repairs, and don't hit a deer.

And to think Akangl and I both owned the same make/model/year van for about a year there. That was probably back in 2000, lol.

nyccarguy

Not quite 3 car payments, but damn sure close between the tires @ 32K & today's 37K service/maintenance visit. $678.66/month for 60 months @ 2.9%. Sign & Drive.