Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

roadburner

well, that '07 has the 6-speed ZF. Still, though, you really should try it out. It is an impressive transmission in manual mode. I can't imagine anything shifting faster as far as a human could reasonably judge based on feel.

Speaking of the transmission, however, that one is about 10k miles past due for a fluid change, per ZF's specs.

Yes, I don't know why I said 8-speed. I still think you'd still be good on the ATF if you changed it right away. I drove a 335i droptop with the autobox for almost 3 weeks back in 2007. It was a nice ride...

corvette

It's fine, so far. Just turned over 6,000 miles the other day. I ordered a new matching tire from Discount Tire Direct, and had it mounted, shortly after I got a sidewall bubble from the crater I hit (around 1,500 miles on the car then).

The left xenon light is a little wobbly on rough pavement/gravel, so I'll have that seen about at the 10,000 mile service. I love having Bluetooth audio streaming and radio controls on the steering wheel!

kyfdx

"We don't match Tire Rack's prices, we can't buy our own tires that cheap."
A local dealer really shouldn't be able to match Tire Rack's prices... maybe, if it's cash and carry..

By the time I paid the Tire Rack certified installer for mounting/balancing and an alignment.... I only saved about $50 over Tire Discounters total quote... What I saved in sales tax, I gave back in shipping charges.. ($1250 vs. $1300)

The main reason for using Tire Rack was that the installer was putting on new struts for me, and doing a custom (better) alignment.. If it wasn't for that, I would have gone with Tire Discounters..

Of course, if you are buying tire/wheel combinations (think winters), that you can slap right on the car, yourself..... then TireRack is much cheaper..

If you have to pay an installer? Just a little cheaper..

stickguy

some years back, I was shopping tires for my van. I did have a price from TR, and the NTB place (I think) was even an installer.

so, I asked about their price, and it was more. but instead of matching, they literally ordered the tires from tirerack (they did, not me) and I went back in a few days to have them put on. Other than the delay, it worked out the same.

except for 1 issue: RHW. no free rotations and balances (that can add up) and no on the spot replacements of a flat.

roadburner

If you have to pay an installer? Just a little cheaper.

We had an excellent TR Recommended Installer in Louisville that got virtually all of the BMW CCA and PCA business; he charged just $50 to mount and balance four tires. it was a two-man shop with one bay; you made an appointment and they always got you in within five minutes of the scheduled time and you were good to go in less than forty-five minutes. The owner retired(and soon passed, sadly) and his son was not interested in keeping the business going. It was a screaming deal while it lasted...

rayainsw

Some here might find this interesting ...
[ re-post from Edmunds host Steve ]

http://www.warrantyweek.com/archive/ww20130711.html

corvette

The last couple of times I've ordered, Discount Tire Direct has been cheaper than Tire Rack, if you compare the shipped price of the tires (DTD includes shipping in their prices). They had a screaming deal on the Pirellis I put on my Nissan.

akangl

Nice to see some other brands closing in on Honda. Maybe that will knock them off their high horses. I know we don't like dealing with them and it played a bit part in what we bought after the Civic. We have 22k miles on the 2012 Focus and other than a yet to be found intermittent problem with the cruise control the car has been flawless.

akangl

I took Chippy in for an oil change yesterday and got out of there for only $80, they said air filter at the next oil change. I was standing by the service counter reading the notes on the paperwork and sure enough the old girl needs repair again. Leaking wheel seal and the rear t-case output shaft seal. Makes me glad I paid for the GMPP esc, so far it's covered about $2k in repairs, mostly leaks but also an EGR and a mass airflow sensor. At least it will only cost me my $50 deductible.

stickguy

for new wheels. Was discussing today with wife and son (the recent college grad, that really needs to find a job!) the concept of a cheap lease on a Volvo S60 (or ILX) and dumping the old TL before it costs us more money. My wife hates the thing, so even if the kid gets a job and buys a new car, she does not want me to keep it.

so, a preemptive strike sounds good. He was more than fine with it, since we would be sharing the new car for now (like we share the TL) and his sister would keep the older Volvo.

probably not the most financially prudent move. But hey, it is a new car, so who gives a flying hoot, right? And once he is working, I can always pawn it off on him (and he would be getting new then anyway).

better go test drive one and price it out. Just to make sure I have all the facts straight...

28firefighter

Only thing I'll note is that the money factors and residuals for July have gotten worse on a 2013 S60, so the deals are not as good as when I was shopping it a week or so ago.

I should have pulled the trigger then instead of hesitating...

The current apple of my eye is a 2011 VW Golf TDI 4dr DSG pre-owned with 18k miles. It would be an even swap for my C30 - just not sure I like it as much...

fintail

I bet if you walked up and said "I'm ready to lease at the terms I saw last week", you could do it. Everything is negotiable, especially on 2013s - it's past the halfway point in the year.

28firefighter

The capitalized cost is negotiable, for sure - but this particular dealer said they could not swing the offer they gave me last week. I totally respect that (and as isell has said, some buyers don't know the deal when they have it...), I just don't want to do it at the higher price.

I'm not shopping it around, I've been dealing with one dealer all along. I told them to reach back out to me if they could figure out a way to swing the numbers from last week and in the mean time, I'm sitting tight.

ohenryx

Those numbers (for the Volvo S60 lease) did sound a little too good. I am reminded just a little of the (in)famous Mitsubishi "three zero financing" fiasco.

Osamu Masuko, chief executive of Mitsubishi Motors, knows a barmy sales strategy when he sees one. In 2003, the Japanese carmaker infamously offered US customers "three zero" financing: no money down, no interest and no payments for a year. Mitsubishis flew off the lots.

"The problem is, when it came time to pay, most people didn't," Mr Masuko reflected this week. "We didn't so much as sell the cars as give them away."

breld

Wife and I were without any kids yesterday, so we took the opportunity to buzz around town - "spalunking" as she puts it. A little antique shopping, looking at hot tubs, perusing the local bike store, burger at Culver's....and you can't really have a day like that without car shopping.

We stopped to take a look and a quick drive of the Fiat 500L. The only automatic they had was out on a test drive, so since we're perfectly capable, we took a 6-speed manual out. Nicely equipped with navigation (a package with that and back up sensors/cameras is included in most models for the first year of production apparently) with a sticker of $21k.

In the showroom, we were most impressed with the packaging - with a tall roofline, it feels spacious for a relatively small car. The two-tone seats added a bit of character.

I enjoyed the drive of the car - that engine (same as the Abarth's) is zippy enough to make the drive engaging and the ride was very smooth. As we compared it to the Countryman we drove a year ago or so, we both agreed the character of the cars is completely different. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Mini offers a sportier, but rougher ride, and its interior/dash quirks seems a bit much. The 500L is smoother and more relaxed, with a bit more traditional interior.

Next year when I look for that practical hatchback, I think the 500L will definitely make the list. For about the same money as a Mazda3 or Elantra GT, it offers an interesting alternative.

28firefighter

They were very good numbers but not in the "give it away" sense - at least not to me. Frankly, the numbers are still competitive but given that I'm not in a need-to-buy situation, it just isn't attractive enough for me to bite.

Instead, today, I'm living vicariously and taking my brother-in-law and sister-in-law car shopping. They need to add a second car to their fleet so we'll be driving the Jetta TDI Sportwagen, Subaru Outback, Ford Escape and Nissan Rogue.

tifighter

Funny, I've been looking into these a bit as well. The manual Easy-spec at $21k seems like a pretty good value, especially with the nav/6.5 uconnect thrown in on the first models. Might have to check one out, curious to compare to the Countryman I drove.

ohenryx

You must not live in Texas, if you're going car shopping on a Sunday. Here the blue laws force new car dealerships to be closed on either Saturday or Sunday, they can't be open both days. Naturally, most dealerships choose to close on Sundays. There are a few open, but Sunday is a very poor day for car shopping.

Now it is a good day to wonder around the lot, looking at window stickers without being harassed by predatory salesmen.

stickguy

In Jersey, no dealers are open Sunday. I assume it is a law down here. Bummer, since that is usually my "free" day!

Sandman6472

The one I drove last week hydroplaned terribly and it was downright scary...have never felt that in either of our subcompacts yet and have driven in even worse conditions. No way I'd ever allow my wife or kids to drive one of these awful vehicles. As for me, I'm sticking with the compact size as I just feel the most comfortable in them. Wife is complaining more and more about some noise in the front end now and keeps asking me when the 2014's are due...think she's about ready to retire her Mazda3. Again I told her that since her vehicle is just an appliance to her and her Mazda is the best vehicle she's ever driven to just wait till the 2014 arrives and go for it if also drives the same. She still refuses to test drive anything so I just gave up...told her to let me know when she picks the vehicle she wants and then call me...she takes all the fun out of test driving anything for me!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

fintail

Was this Barrier or another? S60s aren't selling like hotcakes (which is surprising as they seem to be a good car - but the Barrier lot in Bellevue must have a dozen of them in plain sight, maybe more), I can't believe a good deal can't be done. But you're right, hold your line and don't settle - the only time to make a move is when the deal is right.

28firefighter

No - this was the dealer further north. Extremely nice though, much different from the several encounters I've had with Barrier thus far.

In WA, it seems Sundays are a regular sales day - we visited VW, Subaru, Ford and Nissan. I was the car consultant and my wife and I were also the designated babysitters for my 6 week old nephew while Mom and Dad test drove cars.

Seems to be narrowed down to a Jetta TDI Sportwagen with Sunroof/Nav and the Ford Escape Titanium. I'll post my more detailed thoughts when I have more than 30 seconds.

breld

I'll be interested to hear your thoughts as well with regard to the 500L vs. the Countryman. Similar in process of expanding a one model lineup, but seems to me they ended up with very different vehicles. To me, the Mini is the cool, sporty one, while the Fiat is the more laid-back practical choice. Since I have a fun sporty car, I kinda like the Fiat.

And I agree - that Easy-spec with the nav/uconnect package thrown in is a really good value. I'm hoping it is even a better deal on the used market in a year or so.

oldfarmer50

In looking at Craigslist for cheap low mile transportation type cars I found this:

http://tampa.craigslist.org/hdo/ctd/3915947918.html

Normally I would say this was just transportation but seeing that they only made a few thousand coupes that year (6980) could this have any collector value? Just a thought.

stickguy

well, people collect just about anything. And though I am not an expert (just play one on the interweb!) I highly doubt it will become a collectible in the meaning of the value will go up, and people will want it. Or having conventions of like minded hoarders!

nice looking car though for cheap $$. Does that have the infamous Northstar engine? If not, and it runs well and is not leaking all over the road, could be a comfy beater. Great winter car too.

fintail

I'll raise that 100 levels of "style"

Maybe some curiosity value, but no collector value.

fintail

Yep, most dealers here are open Sundays. Shame about your experience local to me, I thought the dealer had a good enough rep.

corvette

I love how the photographer's finger covers part of the lens in four out of five photos.

Mr_Shiftright

That car will be collectible only after our sun burns out.

But it's a nice ride for cheap, so if you like it, just buy it and use it all up.

nyccarguy

I read this interesting article about how the values of used cars"are dropping.

Unless dealers still have sky high asking prices? I know those bottom of the market cars are still expensive.

qbrozen - have you looked at the auction value of anything lately and said to yourself: "this looks cheap"

fintail

Exactly. The 4.5 isn't a terrible engine IIRC, and the car probably has a nice ride on rough city streets. It's $1800 - my cars can eat that in an instant and pound on the table for seconds. For what it is, it isn't a bad thing. Use it, enjoy it.

nyccarguy

It might not have been the dealer as much as Infiniti. IFS might have pulled the program and changed it for the current month.

This happened to me back in 2007 when I was shopping for a car to replace my wife's aging 2000 Mazda Protege ES. I emailed a few dealers & this particular dealer broke down the lease exactly as I specified. I didn't get her email until after they had closed on a Saturday. The dealer told me that if I got back to her & got a credit app in, that they could honor the lease payment. She said the programs change on Monday.

So my wife, son (we only had 1 at the time), & I headed to this VW dealer after work. We drove the car, liked it, made sure the car seat fit... Everything was good, until she came out of the office & said: "you aren't going to like this."

Payment swelled from a very pallatable $398/month for $445/ month under the new month's lease program. So as the story goes, I was able to get my hands on a lightly optioned 2007 X3 for $471/month.

And the lease of that X3 is what made me sort of a chronic car buyer.

Kirstie_H

A reporter would like to speak to a recent new car buyer who is 60 years old or older, and who plans to buy more vehicles in the future for a story about how Baby Boomers are driving the car market. If you are an older Baby Boomer and you would like to share your story, please send your daytime contact information no later than Wednesday, 7/17/13 at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET.

oldfarmer50

"...the infamous Northstar engine..."

Probably has the older 4.9L like my 93 Deville sedan or maybe the 4.5L. No way I would buy a used Northstar made before the early 2000s.

oldfarmer50

"...I'll raise that..."

Wow, I like that even better. Crazy seats and all. Some of those old Caddys are great transportation bargains especially if they aren't loaded with electronic gremlins.

fintail

I'll admit I think it has a certain tacky retro charm, very 80s. And on that one, you get landau top + wire wheel covers + two tone interior - classy. I bet it has a digital dash too. If it all checks out, a definite bargain.

fintail

That's a shame. For the S60, I'd hold out - I've seen their $299 lease special ad on TV numerous times in the past, it will be back.

stever

I'd send my name in but "in the future" could be another decade, lol.

corvette

http://www.rallye-motors.com/2011-Volvo-S60/Used-Car/Cincinnati-OH/0/3180973/Det- ails.aspx

Or you can buy a used T6 AWD for about half price. The spare tire is an OEM accessory, and it looks shoddy laying there in the trunk. Other than that, nice car, and awesome color combination.

kyfdx

That's a good place to buy a used car. Been in business since the '60s. Honest and upfront.

stickguy

now that is a nice looking car. Though I probably would go with a T5 if I got one.

roadburner

My BMW dealer now has a 2011 CPO M Sport 335i Coupe on their lot; Alpine White with a Saddle Brown interior. Stick, CWP, Navigation. But the bloody thing is AWD. Grrrr...

stickguy

is AWD worse than a slushbox?

roadburner

is AWD worse than a slushbox?

Well, you are looking at serious money if either the slushbox or transfer case goes south(as the TC did on my son's X3)- but the other problem is that the AWD cars don't get the sport suspension AND they ride a bit higher than the RWD cars. So you are looking at some additional money to install a Bilstein, Dinan or other suspension upgrade.

tjc78

In other words, your wallet is closed!!

qbrozen

nothing comes to mind other than those off-brand luxo cars I mentioned before.

fintail

Hmm, I could import this less than a year before my lease is up Weird, but cool.

oldfarmer50

Which would you choose for basic transportation or winter beater?

http://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/ctd/3883688255.html

http://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/cto/3898427503.html

http://tampa.craigslist.org/psc/cto/3929253358.html

The first two have 4.6L V8s while the third has 3.8L V6.

fintail

The first one - I can't do such a loud cabriolet top, and the 3.8 scares me. The latter is quite a preservation piece anyway.

qbrozen

Yup, first one without any doubt. Car is ugly enough without the cabrio and there is no way I'd get it WITHOUT the 4.6. I mean, that would be the ONLY reason I would get such a car.