Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

stever

For some reason, when I stumbled upon this website, I couldn't help but think of this discussion.

Sandman6472

@Stever@Edmunds said:
That sounds like my kind of job - after years of running rivers, I'm well versed in the pains of trying to work out shuttles. And I like to drive.

So, how does the retired guy get to the dealer to pick up the car? Rides over with another retired guy and two cars come back?

Too bad the closest dealer is an hour away LOL.

My company does this all the time. It really is a very easy thing to do. But yes, us "retired guys" get to do this all the time! When I got my new Tuscon at the beginning of the month, they trucked it over from a sister store over by the beach. After we shook hands, they had the vehicle at the dealership within the hour. After I came out of finance, we took it for a test drive to check the alignment and all the working parts and then went to fill it up at the gas station since I was picking it up the next day. All they needed to do was detail it the next morning and when I got there with my trade and check, she was ready to go.
But yes, retired guys like me at my company get to do the dealer trades...and it's a lot of fun to!

The Sandman

stever

There's enclaves of "retired guys" who run river shuttle out of Blanding Utah, Flagstaff Arizona and Stanley Idaho (where one shuttle driver wrecked my bud's Volvo wagon and tried to cover it up). You get to drive a variety of vehicles, many of them of the well used and abused variety.

There must be similar jobs for sag wagon drivers for bike tours, Appalachian Trail hikers and who knows what else.

In the case of your Tucson, it sounds like one driver hauled the car over and take the truck back empty (or was the dealer trade put on the truck going back?). That'd be a way to keep the miles off the new car for picky buyers.

kyfdx

@corvette said:
If they used synthetic oil, a $79 oil change at a BMW dealer is a loss leader and they probably have to make it up by finding other things that need fixing. I'm guessing $1-2,000 for both, depending on the dealer's labor rate. The CCV looks like a royal pain to replace.

Well. .it is a loss leader.. That's a $50 discount from the normal rate.. But, I definitely had issues, and knew it. Those are good guesses... the alternator replacement is $11XX ($6XX for the part alone), and the CCV replacement is just over a grand...

But, besides the oil change being a great deal, I get a free diagnosis... It's going to my local independent.. He'll use an aftermarket Bosch alternator, and that job drops to around $600. I told him that they sell a CCV kit on-line, with all OEM parts for $159, and he said I should get it, and he'll just charge labor.. So, that job might be $450-$500, including the parts.. So, $1100 vs. $2200 at the dealer.

roadburner

@kyfdx My dealer charged $505 to replace the CCV system on the X3, and that included an induction system cleaning(@$40) to eliminate the sludge that had begun to accumulate in the intake manifold as well as a new intake boot(the original had cracked after just 157,000 miles- piece of junk!).

nyccarguy

@breld - that Jetta SE w/ Connectivity (1.8t) looks like a nice car for the money. Especially since VW is (I think) offering free money (0% financing).

breld

Yeah - if you don't care about a sunroof or touchscreen, it definitely offers "the essential" features, along with nice driving dynamics and good gas mileage.

I was searching local dealer's websites and came across one in Colo Spgs (60 miles south of here) that is advertising heavy discounts on 2014 Passats and Jettas. $19,364 for a Jetta w/connectivity ($3.3k off MSRP) and $21,477 for a Wolfsburg (1.8t) Passat ($3.4k off).

Not sure what kind of undisclosed "fees" may be on top of those prices, but my experience has been if you go in as a serious buyer and say you'll buy for the advertised price (plus tax), they usually go for it.

Those prices do make it difficult to justify a slightly used model.

On a similar note, I had asked about a 2013 Accord Sport (CVT) on Saturday - the salesperson got back to me today saying it was used a little as a service loaner, has about 1,000 miles on it, and they'd sell it for a little over $21k. Good deal - the kicker is it's the gold color. Why do they even offer the gold on a "sport" model?

roadburner

@blizbb said:
Thanks roadburner and isellhondas

Is that the type of thing that varies with state law?

Did it make you at all nervous that the dealer is less likely to help you out if you've already purchased and the car shows up with a ding in it?

I had complete confidence in my salesperson and the dealer, and in any case it was a once in a lifetime shot; it was an extremely limited production car and the only way I could be certain to get exactly what I wanted was to custom order the car. As it turned out I was one of only about ten people who ordered a Club Sport without a hole in the roof, so had I tried to find a car later I almost certainly would have had to pay for an option that I would never use and didn't want...

jayrider

@Stever@Edmunds said:
For some reason, when I stumbled upon this website, I couldn't help but think of this discussion.

The graphics almost gave me a seizure !!

nyccarguy

Random Thoughts -

As I constantly ponder "what's next, I was thinking about power this AM. I decided to see how well I could do gas mileage wise on my current tank. I've set my cruise @ 60, kept the car in 6th gear on the highway, shut down the engine at long lights, taking it easy accelerating from lights... No it's not fun, it's more of an excersize in self restraint than anything else. Anyway, I've been diligent about it until this morning when my alarm didn't go off. Once the pickup truck that stopped at every yellow light finally turned, I was able to put my BMW through its paces. I slid the shifter into DS and put my foot down for an uphill merge onto a 3 lane interstate highway. I got behind (& kept my distance) from an E46 who was moving at quite a nice clip. With my cruise control set at 85 in the left lane, I had to move over to let a 2013 Accord EX Sedan (with its whopping 185 hp) pass me. Now the point to my story here is not to say that my BMW is superior vehicle to an Accord. Nor is it to "put down" the Accord 4cyl's power rating. How much power do I really need? Yes I'd love to have a 326hp G37x, a 300 lb/ft of torque 335xi, or even a HEMI V8 powered AWD Charger as my daily driver. In the meantime as long as whatever I pick next has decent midrange passing power and isn't a complete slug off the line I should be ok;)

breld

I realize it may be "easy for me to say" with my 335xi, but I'm with you nyc. None of my other cars have come close to the torque in the 335, and I never had as a goal to have the most powerful car out there. And, for that matter, I still don't. My wife and I have discussed this at length - no doubt the 335xi is a blast to drive in some conditions, but in most day to day driving, it's more satisfying and engaging to row the gears in her 328xi, even more so in my Miata.

In that Miata, I could wring out each gear, approaching redline with each shift...and get to a whopping 50 mph! Similar experience in other 4 cyl Honda/Acuras I've owned. If I attempted the same approach in the 335, I'd be adding to my speeding ticket total quickly.

There's definitely a point of too little power, as I experienced with the recently departed Veloster. Also had an 1999 Infiniti G20 that made it scary to make left turns. But I'd say about the time Nissan came out with crazy hp in their Altima back in the early 2000's, most cars have had sufficient power.

The Accord Sport I drove the other day felt plenty powerful. As did the 170 hp Passat.

I'm thrilled to be an owner of a 335 and have that experience, but I already plan to get the 328 when I finally end up with my 328 GT.

nyccarguy

@breld - for some it is a smoothness thing too. My best friend's wife drives a 2012 X5 35i. She had an X3 28i (4cyl turbo) as a loaner once and didn't particularly care for it. The next time the car was in for service, they gave her an X3 35i (with the same motor as her X5) and she really liked it.

OK, so since we are getting down to the wire. I'm putting my 2014 CCBA card punch guess @ 28.

I want to wish all of my friends here a Happy, Healthy, & Prosperous New Year! All good things to all of you and your families in 2014!

roadburner

26 is my pick...

breld

I'll throw out a number of 32 - think we have a few more users jumping on board.

And yes, Happy New Year to all.

roadburner

@breld said:
I realize it may be "easy for me to say" with my 335xi, but I'm with you nyc. None of my other cars have come close to the torque in the 335, and I never had as a goal to have the most powerful car out there. And, for that matter, I still don't. My wife and I have discussed this at length - no doubt the 335xi is a blast to drive in some conditions, but in most day to day driving, it's more satisfying and engaging to row the gears in her 328xi, even more so in my Miata.

Each of my cars is fun in its own way. Even though the Mazda isn't all that fast(it can barely break into the 13s in the 1/4 mile) it is fun to surprise the hordes of idiot rednecks and ricers who don't know how much power it does have. I have to say I really enjoy the Club Sport and '02 the most. They aren't as insulated from the road like my other Bimmers. In fact, I think the ti hits the sweet spot. Not as soft as the E90 but just a bit smoother and more precise than the '02.

au1994

Happy NewYear to all! I'll pen the 14 number at 35.

abacomike

I am adjusting my number upward to 32 for 2014

stickguy

I decided to go with 30 after all, and hope we don't get too many newbies skewing the results!

I am also counting on myself to put up at least a 2 this year, after a goose egg in 2013.

stickguy

speaking of my allotment, stopped today at a used lot with my daughter. Just to browse. She has no problem picking a favorite. The current one is a 2008 528. Has to be a 2008 because she loves the fancy beer tap shifter. At least it would not be a hardship for me!

one day I will stop (without her, no reason to feed that obsession more!) to take one for a spin and see how I like it.

my son was chiming in on the side that as soon as he gets his new car, I should dump the TL for something fun like a Miata. Not a bad plan I guess, other than the Miata part (didn't fit 10 years ago, probably not doing any better now!)

should be a fun year, and as long as I can pull off the car swaps without acquiring a payment, no harm no foul!

crkyolfrt

I was sorta hoping that just one more enterprising CCB makes a punch today before midnight. That'd make me the winner for 2013. So what was that prize again, corvette? I'm quite partial to the GLK250 if that's doable :wishful praying face: Edmunds has the bucks...make my decade!!

Have a safe and Happy one tonight everyone. Chat next year..

stickguy

@crkyolfrt said:
I was sorta hoping that just one more enterprising CCB makes a punch today before midnight. That'd make me the winner for 2013. So what was that prize again, corvette? I'm quite partial to the GLK250 if that's doable :wishful praying face: Edmunds has the bucks...make my decade!!

Have a safe and Happy one tonight everyone. Chat next year..

If you can get a sizable check here in the next 30 minutes, I will have my son run over and lease an ILX to make you the winner. He drove one last night, and the saleslady really wanted him to come back in today, and they would really "work hard" to come up with a deal for him. They want to move a car bad.

he was wishy washy on it. Not that he did not like it, but he did not LIKE it. He really liked the mazda 3 though. The primary reason to even get it was the strong lease deal, but we are going to wait for now to look at other options, so he eventually gets something that really is right for him. And hopefully on a buy, not a lease, but we shall see what makes the most sense in the end.

roadburner

I wish I didn't like being debt-free so much; otherwise I'd be bringing home a 500 Abarth, Fiesta ST, or possibly even that 135i M Sport DCT(if they'd drop the price by $3k-$4k). I also like the GTI DSG, but I'm still not convinced that any of the Louisville VW dealers has a competent service department...

Michaell

My original guess for 2014 was 20 .. I'd like to revise that upward to 29. Some days I feel like the members here single-handedly keep the auto business running.

laurasdada

Bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, two down and the hometown nine (read: World Series Champion Boston Red Sox) are down by three. Up to the plate strides Big Laurasdada, who has taken a collar this game. And looked bad doing so. After being fooled badly on the first two pitches, he steps out of the box, takes a deep breath, tightens the batting gloves, claps and steps back in...

Here's the pitch, a nasty curve, and he swings. He got a piece of it, a good piece, it's heading towards the Pesky Pole...and wraps around the Pesky Pole in fair territory for a walkoff....PUNCH!!!

Yes, folks, add one more punch to the '13 list: A 2013 Jaguar XF, AWD. Rhodium Silver, 825 watt Meridian Sound System Premium, Cold Weather and Convenience packages. Plus split folding rear seat with Ski sack pass-through. And, at the last minute, they "threw in" expensive all-weather floor mats.

Good news: Well below invoice price (over $14,300 off MSRP!), in time for the next New England Snowmageddon that's a'comin.

Bad news: Traded in my beloved 2009 Jaguar XK, for a more sensible pair of cleats. Trade allowance a little lower than I received from other dealers, but somewhat made up for by purchase price of car.

I will clean out the XK tonight/tomorrow morning, take myself to lunch on my way to the Jag dealer and then exchange cars. Bittersweet, I had thought I was in a place in my life where I could continue to enjoy my mid-life crisis XK, but man plans and God laughs. I suppose I could have picked up a used Subie for the winter, but (and, again, anathema to the CCBA credo) I decided I did not want two cars at this time in my life. Que lastima.

Looking forward to tales of punches in 2014.

Happiest of New Years to all. And to all a good buy!

rayainsw

'Up to the plate strides Big Laurasdada'

Congrats - enjoy - and I expect that we will see impressions post haste???

• Ray

Driven a few XFs - could not pull the trigger....

laurasdada

I'll try, but with the snow that's coming, no road trips for a few days!

stever

I'm curious to see if you'll win the Red Lantern award or if someone else will pull something out of their hat (and pull it into their garage) before the year is over. Maybe we'll have to rename it the Red Taillight award. Congrats!

(good day to buy a car btw - our '99 Quest was picked up and registered on 12/31/98).

abacomike

laurasdada@ said:

...and wraps around the Pesky Pole in fair territory for a walkoff....PUNCH!!!

Great news! Hope you have much enjoyment with the new Jaguar. You were lucky to find a 2013 in the color and with the equipment you wanted. They are just about sold out at the local dealer down here.

The price sounded outstanding! Good luck with your new car!

jpp75

@nyccarguy said:
jpp5862 - a local dealer has a 2010 Amulet Red G37X sedan listed for $25K (25K miles).

That's in line with what I saw around here, the highest was $28k but most were around $26k and had more miles. No wonder Infiniti was willing to drop the buyout by $4k. Of course now that they've lowered the MSRP of the G37 those are realistic prices.

oldfarmer50

@kyfdx@Edmunds said:
Took my 3-series in for the $79 oil change special at the dealer.. Alternator is going bad, and CCV valve needs replacing (plus associated hoses/gaskets). Any guesses on cost of either of those items?

Probably more than the value of my second worst car.

jpp75

@laurasdada

Congrats, that's a great deal!!

crkyolfrt

@laurasdada said:
..and wraps around the Pesky Pole in fair territory for a walkoff....PUNCH!!!

Yes, folks, add one more punch to the '13 list: A 2013 Jaguar XF, AWD. Rhodium Silver, 825 watt Meridian Sound System Premium, Cold Weather and Convenience packages. Plus split folding rear seat with Ski sack pass-through. And, at the last minute, they "threw in" expensive all-weather floor mats.

snip

Well that really is awesome! Congrats for sure! The sound system will be terrific. Do Jags still have the best leather smell going? They were famous for that. I have fond memories of my Uncles Austin something many many MANY years ago with its rich red leather interior..It musta been a mid 60s or so..wow it smelled great inside.

Then FF a few decades later (Asian especially) manufacturers decided (for us I guess?) that we didn't want a too leathery smell. And whatever it is they do to it, they also extracted longevity. Poked my head in a Jag about 10 years ago. And I thought to myself.. "There!...there's that smell and they ain't tryin' to hide it..good for them." And the bonus is, they tend to stand up better too.

Well..congrats again..ok everyone, no more punches for '13..don't wanna read about anymore stragglers sauntering in here now till next year, lol

crkyolfrt

@stickguy said:
he was wishy washy on it. > snip

Well..it's good that he didn't fold. It's a lot of money, and it's best to actually LIKE it.. not just be sorta take-it-or-leave-it.

oldfarmer50

@stickguy said:
speaking of my allotment, stopped today at a used lot with my daughter. Just to browse. She has no problem picking a favorite. The current one is a 2008

It's nice that your kids have a rich dad. My kids only THOUGHT they had a rich dad.

jayrider

I'm going low on the punch list estimate == impulse buying will be replaced by restraint and financially responsible thinking when it comes to car buying.
I say 14 punches in 2014.

qbrozen

@gouldn said:
The big worry for me is VW reliability. I've heard plenty of scare stories about these cars, and I've had good luck with Asian makes, and so-so luck with European cars. Have they gotten better?

The big problem with VW is the extras. The more options, the more complicated, the more problems. That's why I'd largely avoid Audi. However, a low-optioned GTI is, IMHO, pretty reliable. The 2.0T has proven itself a pretty stout powerplant, putting up with far higher power levels in the aftermarket, which speaks to robust engineering. There have been some maintenance issues that drive up ownership costs, but that's German for you. I don't, however, know about the longevity of the DSG. 40k mile services are a must, though. If I had one, I'd probably opt for 30k services to be safe.

nyccarguy

@laurasdada

Great post! Mazel-Tov & congrats on your new XF AWD! I was thinking about you this morning when I passed a Silver XK Coupe on my way to work. Such a beautiful design. You are going to miss that car;)

stickguy

@oldfarmer50 said:
It's nice that your kids have a rich dad. My kids only THOUGHT they had a rich dad.

If that kid has a rich dad, I need to have a serious talk with my wife to find out who the heck it is. I'm the guy that doesn't even have a car of his own. Not like you rich men with a whole fleet of your own.

the BMW is on the high end of the budget (certainly a 2008). maybe a 2006-2007, if I get enough selling the TL and S40. We ain't talking close to new here!

qbrozen

@laurasdada said:
A 2013 Jaguar XF, AWD. Rhodium Silver, 825 watt Meridian Sound System Premium, Cold Weather and Convenience packages. Plus split folding rear seat with Ski sack pass-through. And, at the last minute, they "threw in" expensive all-weather floor mats.

congrats. So which engine is in that? The supercharged 3.0? So how do you find that compares to your XK?

qbrozen

Received a coupon in the mail from the Dodge dealer near my place of business with an offer I just couldn't refuse. Drive belt, coolant flush, spark plugs!, oil change, and a bunch of inspections for $199. Uprading to synthetic oil was a pricey $39.95, but that's still an incredible bargain overall. The service guy even commented "I can't see how they are making money on this. The parts alone cost almost this much." My comment was "hell, I would pay you $200 just to replace the plugs on that engine. Have at it!"

The wife was waiting with the kids to take me home so we could leave it with them for a day, so I only had a moment to peak in the new T&C sitting in the showroom. I liked the seats and gauges better than our 2008, but it seemed tighter inside than ours. Not sure how it stacks up for real. Certainly could have been the illusion of a dark interior. Anyway, van seems much happier now after the service. Peppier and smoother. Wife still loves it and nothing I've suggested she considers a viable replacement. The only one she mentions from time to time is the XC90. She misses the one we had. If we had purchased a 3-row FWD model originally, we'd still have it, I'm sure. And I told her if she could find such a unicorn, she could consider it (however, I'm sure we are well buried in the Chrysler, given the extraordinary miles she has piled on it... purchased it just 3 yrs ago with 23k and it now has near 83k).

Thankfully, sort of, she has been driving my S70 much much more to keep the miles down on the van. Leaves me with no alternative to the mustang, which isn't necessarily a bad thing until the snow hits the ground. It has been too cold for the Leaf. Kinda can't wait to get out of that one. another full year to go on the lease, though. The Benz still sits in the garage awaiting me to cure it.

stever

"Chrysler Group has filed a patent to improve its signature Stow 'n Go seats, an upgrade that may show up on the 2015 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans." (link)

Something to keep in mind when you go in next fall for an oil change.

abacomike

@stever said:
Chrysler Group has filed a patent to improve its signature Stow 'n Go seats

OK, I give up - what are Sow 'n Go seats?

vinnyny

WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO EDMUNDS.COM? THIS SITE IS ABOUT AS USER FRIENDLY AS HEALTHCARE.GOV! DID THEY TEST IT FIRST?

stever

@abacomike said:
Stow 'n Go seats

Minivan middle row and third row seats that fold flat into the floor. The current setup requires you to first move the front seats forward. The new ones won't care about the front seats. Think hauling plywood or bikes, refrigerators, etc.

nippononly

LOL! Give it a longer tryout and you will quite like it I think - I had the same reaction and now like it more than the old site.

When I bought the SI last month, they could not get my car from the other dealer until the next day, even though the deal was finalized with several hours to go before they closed. On the other hand, I never gave any sign that I was anxious to get the new car in my hands. Once I knew they had the exact car I wanted at the other dealership and I could get it, it didn't matter to me if it waited a couple of days, which is what eventually happened.

nyccarguy

Wrapping up 2013 with officially tallied nyccarguy family vehicle fleet miles:

2001 Honda Prelude Type SH
Total Miles: 150,988
2013 Miles: 2,911

2011 BMW 328xi
Total Miles: 34,559
2013 Miles: 19,078

2011 Honda Pilot EX-L w/ Navigation
Total Miles: 45,491
2013 Miles: 15,451

rayainsw

Good idea, nyccarguy

2013 VW GTI DSG - miles: 6,700

• Ray

Already feeling the CCBA itch . . .

corvette

@crkyolfrt said:
So what was that prize again, corvette?

A lifetime membership to the Edmunds.com forums!

tjc78

I must be a slacker, couldn't even tell you what miles we put on our cars.

corvette

Congratulations to laurasdada on the last punch of 2013, unless we have some precincts which aren't yet reporting. We are at 33 for the year, assuming andres3 picked up his Audi S4. Haven't seen him in these parts lately. It would appear that, having guessed 33 punches, gimmestdtranny is the winner for 2013.

Happy New Year everyone!