Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

isellhondas

How can a dealership sell that first Volvo as it sits? Brakes are metal to metal and they
plan to deliver it that way?

It sounds like a much neglected money pit to me!

breld

Must be nice to be familiar with and able to work on the mechanicals of a car. Definitely a skill and experience I don't possess. Opens up a whole world of cars available to you.

breld

Speaking of nyccarguy's generous offers to check out local cars, that 20k mile ZHP in his area seems to have sold. Once it dropped to the $18k's, I figured it would.

Oh well, the search continues (which I kinda like).

On a related note, I am delivering my 335 to the shipping company today or tomorrow for delivery to the buyer in SC. Then I'll have a nice little stash to put aside for that next purchase.

corvette

@abacomike said:
What say the group here?

I usually fill up the GLI with premium at Kroger, but try to run a tank of Shell through at least occasionally, due to the top tier certification it carries. I doubt either of us will own our cars long enough for it to matter. Direct injection engines are prone to intake valve deposits, and it's not clear that a certain type of gas or oil is effective in combating those deposits.

xwesx

@abacomike said:
I owned two Toronados and both were excellent vehicles - styled after the Cadillac Eldorado. It was FWD, but the engine was not transversely mounted - it was mounted the same as a RWD vehicle which is why it probably had a chain drive.

What year(s) were the "original" Toronados? A school friend's family owned a '79 Toronado, and it was an excellent car for them. I think that between the parents, my friend (their oldest), and her younger brother, the car had 330,000 miles on it in 1998 when I last asked about it. It still looked pretty good (int/ext cosmetics) at that point, too.

abacomike

@corvette said:
" I doubt either of us will own our cars long enough for it to matter."

You are most likely correct, however I will remind everyone that when I had the injector problems on the 2013 E 350 when it was 4 months old, I had been running on straight premium Costco gas from the day I bought it. They replaced all 6 injectors and they found the beginnings of build up clogging one of the injectors.

I have decided not to take a chance with this new CLS 550 since I will be keeping it for at least another 18 months.

If I was using Costco gas, I would only use it if I added Techron, which would increase the per gallon costs.

Mr_Shiftright

i think anyone with a turbo or supercharged car should be especially careful about the fuel they buy.

fintail

I've been using Chevron exclusively for ages, ever since two independent unconnected MB indy mechanics said it is best for the cars.

abacomike

@fintail said:
"I've been using Chevron exclusively for ages, ever since two independent unconnected MB indy mechanics said it is best for the cars. "

That 's what I've been using exclusively in the new CLS 550 since I got it in November. My Mercedes foreman mechanic told me it was the best premium fuel for the money.

Car is about to turn 2800 miles and I have not had a problem with the car or it's performance. I am averaging 21 mpg combined highway/city and 28 mpg at 65 mph on the turnpike.

The car continues to outperform any car I have ever owned - the acceleration is overwhelming, both from a standing stop to a huge burst of power at 55 mph to 85 mph in a flash. Awesome. And there is absolutely no turbo hesitation from either of the 2 turbos.

Love this car with all my heart!

stever

No Chevron around these parts but I do use Techron religiously.

Just last month I put my annual bottle in the Subaru, thanks to a sales flyer for an O'Reillys deal.

One thing about Costco gas, it's likely fresh (maybe so fresh that all the gunk in the tank never gets a chance to settle).

fintail

Glad that you're having a good time with it. That engine is a real sweet one. V8 is leaving the E after this model year, I don't know if it is being continued in the CLS or not.

My car is just over a year old, still under 10K miles, and has its first real defect. I am sure your car has a similar system - for "comfort access" or whatever it is called, the steering wheel can be set to automatically tilt up and down upon exit and entry. Mine tilted up and won't tilt down. It's not up too high, only an inch or two, but still annoying. It's a known fault that comes up now and then, others have reported it on forums. Car goes in on Tuesday, apparently an all day repair.

@abacomike said:
Love this car with all my heart!

nyccarguy

@abacomike

I'm glad you love your CLS!

stickguy

no actual pictures yet, or a price, but low miles for a 2005. Rare turbo legacy wagon, which apparently has a stick but I would want to see that with my own eyes to verify!

http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp?tracktype=usedcc&csDlId=&csDgId=&listingId=600226855&listingRecNum=13&criteria=feedSegId=28705&rpp=50&isDealerGrouping=false&sf2Nm=miles&requestorTrackingInfo=RTB_SEARCH&yrId=20199&yrId=20144&yrId=20200&yrId=20145&sf1Nm=price&sf2Dir=ASC&stkTypId=28881&PMmt=1-1-0&rn=0&zc=08043&rd=30&crSrtFlds=stkTypId-feedSegId-mkId-mdId&mdId=21378&stkTyp=U&mkId=20041&sf1Dir=DESC&aff=national&listType=1

stickguy

this one actually could be interesting. A little miley, but a 1-owner car just serviced by the dealer (T-belt). Again, no pictures, but price is probably not too bad.

http://www.subaruofcherryhill.com/used/Subaru/2005-Subaru-Legacy+Wagon-5dd05a480a0a000225889ff0da81fb1d.htm

stickguy

This Sube dealer is the one that a few weeks back had a 2006 Acura RSX (75K) that was sold before i got there. Otherwise I would own it if my son didn't buy it. Reason I mention that is they have another oddball (for some reason they actually sell older stuff).

a 1995 BMW 318ti. Absolutely no other info on it. But I may need to figure out an excuse to wander over that way tomorrow!

Fun (well, to me) story. This was the model that first got me into the local BMW dealer many years ago. Should have just bought it. Darn.

Michaell

A few automotive related things to mention from here in Colorado:

1) I got a recall notice earlier this week on the wife's CX-7. Something to do with the emissions system. Took it in to the dealer today for a software update to fix. 45 minutes in and out. However, in the service lounge there was a "We need your trade" sign and on that list was "2010 CX-7". Hmm, that's the model year I have, so I swing around to the sales side to have them appraise it. Guy looks it over and drives it for about 5 minutes. Goes inside to "check the books" and comes back with an offer of $14K. Remember, back in September or October Carmax hit it at $19K. Granted it's got a few more miles on it (just clicked over 47K), but really, $5K loss in just a few months? Needless to say, I passed on selling.

2) The E-GT finally got some time on the highway. First to Colorado Springs and back, then up to Aurora and back. Maybe 130-140 miles in total. Don't know what kind of mileage I got, but the average for the tank went up from 29 to 32.

3) Step-son was involved in an accident last week driving to work. Roads were very slippery and someone in a Ford panel van lost control, bounced of the center median and collected the Dodge Caliber the step son was driving in the left rear corner. Undriveable, and insurance thinks it might be a total loss. If they clear any money from it after paying off the loan, they might be in the market for a replacement. DIL would like AWD, heated seats, a USB port and a sunroof. Most certainly used. Won't count as a punch here as they no longer live with us.

nyccarguy

@michaell

Do they want To take over the lease on my BMW? AWD check, Heated Seats Check, USB Port Check, Sunroof Check;). Then I could get something & that would count as a punch;)-

Michaell

@nyccarguy said:
michaell

Do they want To take over the lease on my BMW? AWD check, Heated Seats Check, USB Port Check, Sunroof Check;). Then I could get something & that would count as a punch;)-

Let's see, the step son is making $13/hr and the DIL goes in for her last round of chemotherapy treatments next week. I rather suspect that your BMW is a bit beyond their budget.

Heck, it's probably beyond my budget. Though it is the right color combo - silver with black interior. Every car in my household are those colors. It's amazing the difference in the shades of silver between the Mazda, the MINI and the Hyundai. I'll have to get a picture of the three of them together and post here.

ab348

@Michaell@Edmunds said:
1) I got a recall notice earlier this week on the wife's CX-7. Something to do with the emissions system. Took it in to the dealer today for a software update to fix. 45 minutes in and out. However, in the service lounge there was a "We need your trade" sign and on that list was "2010 CX-7". Hmm, that's the model year I have, so I swing around to the sales side to have them appraise it. Guy looks it over and drives it for about 5 minutes. Goes inside to "check the books" and comes back with an offer of $14K. Remember, back in September or October Carmax hit it at $19K. Granted it's got a few more miles on it (just clicked over 47K), but really, $5K loss in just a few months? Needless to say, I passed on selling.

Maybe offers like that are why they are short on trade-ins.

nyccarguy

@ab348

HA!

jayrider

@Michaell@Edmunds said:
A few automotive related things to mention from here in Colorado:

1) I got a recall notice earlier this week on the wife's CX-7. Something to do with the emissions system. Took it in to the dealer today for a software update to fix. 45 minutes in and out. However, in the service lounge there was a "We need your trade" sign and on that list was "2010 CX-7". Hmm, that's the model year I have, so I swing around to the sales side to have them appraise it. Guy looks it over and drives it for about 5 minutes. Goes inside to "check the books" and comes back with an offer of $14K. Remember, back in September or October Carmax hit it at $19K. Granted it's got a few more miles on it (just clicked over 47K), but really, $5K loss in just a few months? Needless to say, I passed on selling.

The CX-7 has become a pariah in the last 6 months. It is at the top of the list of used cars that used car dealers don't want. Lots of problems that defy fixing. Doesn't mean your will be problematic but perception is that they are risky.

tjc78

@fintail said:
Glad that you're having a good time with it. That engine is a real sweet one. V8 is leaving the E after this model year, I don't know if it is being continued in the CLS or not.

My car is just over a year old, still under 10K miles, and has its first real defect. I am sure your car has a similar system - for "comfort access" or whatever it is called, the steering wheel can be set to automatically tilt up and down upon exit and entry. Mine tilted up and won't tilt down. It's not up too high, only an inch or two, but still annoying. It's a known fault that comes up now and then, others have reported it on forums. Car goes in on Tuesday, apparently an all day repair. >

The power tilt wheel in my Genesis was always a problem. It never returned to the exact spot it was supposed to. The dealer replaced the sensors/switches and it still was wonky. Hopefully you get better service and they fix it up for you.

nyccarguy

@breld @stickguy

I keep reading good owner reviews and write ups on the current crop of VW Passats & Jettas. The 1.8t & TDIs both seem to provide decent low & mid range power while returning excellent fuel economy along with solid daily driving ability (not too hard, not too soft, just right). VW seems to be fire sale-ing them for all kinds of reasons. They want to keep their factories working at capacity, they want to increase market share in the US, they want to be the world's #1 auto maker, blah, blah, blah. I "build" them online to my specs (along with numerous other vehicles) and say "I could really see one of these in my driveway" to myself. Then I see the weather forecast that says we are supposed to get clobbered with 8" to 12" of wet snow from late Sunday night through Tuesday morning.

I don't know if I can go back to owning a daily driver without 4 driven wheels. I did snow tires on my Prelude for 8 or 9 years and never got stuck. So I guess I could go back to snow tires on a FWD VW or I could take my wife's Pilot when it snows because she works less than 3 miles from home. I just don't want to get "that" phone call from her that she can't get up a hill or is stuck in a parking lot. My BMW doesn't even hiccup when the white stuff falls.

@breld - do you have snow shoes for your Passat? Have you driven it in the snow?

Sandman6472

Just got home from the first oil change...gratis since I bought it there! When I called, they casually mentioned that the first one is on the house if the vehicle was purchased there so I was pleased. Just hit 4300 miles so figured I had the morning off, so why not go early. Got there at 7:15 and apparently 9 other folks had the same idea to but they got me in and out with a wash thrown in to within a couple of hours. Have to be at my 2nd gig at 3:30 today, odd hour, so today was the perfect day. Have been working 7 days a week lately and will continue as they want me at 8 tomorrow. My transfer at Hertz starts Monday morning at an office about 1/3 closer to home which is fine by me. No more I-95, now it'll be I-75 plus a toll road. But a much better commute. Just have to make sure my hours are such that I have a few days off, I want to work only 4 days there so I can do the other gig maybe a couple and have a dedicated day off for me! Seems pretty fair because these 7 day weeks are a drag right now!!!

The Sandman

stickguy

@nyccarguy, they do seem to be pushing incentives of some kind to move the iron. And the Jetta really is a nice package, especially what you get (performance, mileage, room, features, comfort) for the money OTD.

I really want to see the Golf. I have always loved hatchbacks, and the euro model at the car show was super nice. They had a blurb about it in the latest (auto issue) of C-R, and said nice things. Best of all, that unlike the Jetta the Golf kept the high-end interior (so sounds more like a GTI than an americanized lower level Jetta). Huge moonroof too! Can't wait for June when they come in. I know our salesguy is going to call me the first time he sees one on the lot. I just doubt I will have the money, but no reason to tell him that!

corvette

@fintail said:
I've been using Chevron exclusively for ages, ever since two independent unconnected MB indy mechanics said it is best for the cars.

Chevron stopped selling gas in my state, but they were one of the original Top Tier fuels available here (I don't think Shell signed on until later).

corvette

@Michaell@Edmunds said:
3) Step-son was involved in an accident last week driving to work. Roads were very slippery and someone in a Ford panel van lost control, bounced of the center median and collected the Dodge Caliber the step son was driving in the left rear corner.

Ouch, that sucks. Was he hurt?

stickguy

I don't think I have seen a Chevron station in years. Around here, Shell, Exxon/mobile and Sunoco are common, along with a ton of "no names", and a bunch of the Citgo, Valero, etc. brands. And WaWa (a convenience store chain) has massive super stations under their own name.

I usually get Sunoco or Exxon based on quality and convenience. And cost. I know Sunoco is not top tier, but I still like them (goes back to my childhood, and hey, Nascar!). Shell is convenient, but expensive for the ones close to me. I rarely get anything else, usually only when travelling and I have to.

stever

The local "off-brand" around here is Top Tier which surprised me when I noticed. But I'd buy their gas anyway for the convenience factor. I think it's mostly marketing hype.

Sandman6472

1966 was the first year of the Tornado as we had a '67 and a '69 and also had the '68 Eldorado...we lived in Westchester at the time and needed the front wheel drive. Great vehicles actually but both were gone a couple years later as we were already down in Ft. Lauderdale.

The Sandman

fintail

I am certain I will - it's a known fault, some part breaks and the wheel sticks. The motor still works, it's just jammed. Unfortunately, it is labor intensive to repair. But with a warranty, not my problem. The system worked fine before this, but the thought had crossed my mind that the wheel moving around each time I drove would put wear on something.

@tjc78 said:
The power tilt wheel in my Genesis was always a problem. It never returned to the exact spot it was supposed to. The dealer replaced the sensors/switches and it still was wonky. Hopefully you get better service and they fix it up for you.

stickguy

that is one reason I don't like the wheel and seats that move every time you get in or out. Motors wear out!

Michaell

@corvette said:
Ouch, that sucks. Was he hurt?

Nope - he called me for a ride to work.

corvette

Glad he wasn't hurt!

breld

@nyccarguy said
breld - do you have snow shoes for your Passat? Have you driven it in the snow?

I haven't put snow tires on the Passat since I have Blizzaks on the Odyssey, but I'm definitely considering it for next year.

We haven't had much snow to speak of here in CO thus far this season (unlike you all in the NE), but I've driven the Passat a couple times in some snow and a little ice. I think it feels quite secure - with snows on it I wouldn't hesitate to have it out on snow packed roads.

But I know what you mean about the sense of security with AWD. It was at least a mental hurdle going from my CX-9 to the Odyssey as my winter driver, but with those Blizzaks, I have yet to experience any problems. I'd take a front wheel drive car with snow tires any day over an AWD without, but nothing gives you confidence like an AWD car with snows.

stickguy

I hope none of the Co. boys were involved in the 100 car pileup outside of Denver (I35?) today. Seems to be a theme this year. Had the same thing a week or so back not far from me on the tail end of the PA turnpike.

andre1969

Uh-oh...starting to feel the urge. Yesterday I went tire kicking with a friend, who like the Subaru Impreza. At the dealer, I noticed a silver Pontiac G8. Walked around to the back and saw it said "GT" on the back, so I knew it was the V-8! Price tag in the windshield was around $17,800. But then I saw the sticker on the side window, and saw that it had 84,000 miles on it.

Anybody know how these cars hold up, as they age out of warranty? I've always kinda liked them. I did a search on Cars.com and found three of them within 20 miles. Cars.com search

I'm a bit tempted, but no nothing of pricing on them. The two red ones are cheaper and lower mileage, albeit a year older. But, that red might be a bit too loud and "arrest me" for my tastes. Also, none of the cars have sunroofs, but I guess I could have the dealer put one in if I really wanted it. The dealer we were at yesterday said they could put in a sunroof in one of the Imprezas if my friend wanted it. He was being fussy, wanting a stick shift, sunroof, and leather...a combination you just can't get anymore. So the dealer said they could always install that stuff, but still warranty it, and it would be as good as factory. So maybe they could do that on the G8 as well?

kyfdx

Is that a stick-shift or an automatic? The new Chevy SS is pretty much the same vehicle, I think.

andre1969

They're all automatics. I just looked up the G8 on fueleconomy.gov, and it looks like the stick shift was only offered on the GXP, which was the higher-performance model with the 6.2 V8. The 6.0/automatic is rated at 15/24, just a tick below my Park Ave Ultra's 16/25. But according to the website, the 6.0 runs fine on regular fuel, compared to the premium the Park Ave has an appetite for. So in theory, I could argue that buying this car would save me a bit of money on fuel costs!

And yeah, the Chevy SS is the same vehicle, although I think it's on an extended wheelbase compared to the G8. At least, to me it looks longer in the back seat area.

graphicguy

andre.....that G8 GT .s a g.0L V8. Great motor. I would bet it's good for 200K miles. The rest of the car? Not sure. I'd probably drive it to see how it feels. Check the trans to see if it shifts smoothly. Check for overspray underneath the wheel wells and under the trunk lid/hood. IF it seems tight, I'd consider it. sounds like tall retail numbers to buy,though. $15K maybe? Stretch it to $15.5K if it's really nice.

tjc78

I think the G8 would feel a bit cheap compared to your Park ave. The interior isn't that great and many features weren't available at any price. I'd bet they would expensive to repair and most dealers aren't going to have parts in stock.

js06gv

@andre1969 said:

Anybody know how these cars hold up, as they age out of warranty? I've always kinda liked them. I did a search on Cars.com and found three of them within 20 miles.

Being a Pontiac fan, I've always liked these. Only made for two years before Pontiac was euthanized, some say that the company finally "got this one right" and I believe they have sort of a cult following as a special car, hence the high resale values. There aren't that many around, and a real find would be a GXP with a manual. The only aspect I find sorta weird is the interior with lots of Austrailian-styled bits and controls. Definitely different than the American car norm, and you couldn't get some features such as nav or fully powered seats. But I bet the car would hold up fine. New Chevy SS and police-only Caprice are the same cars.

andre1969

I think I could deal with no Nav...never had it before, so I don't know what I'm missing! Didn't realize the seats weren't fully power though. What kind of assists are they missing?

As for the interior, I think I could deal with it, as well. I don't remember anything particularly offensive about them, when I sat in them at the auto shows. But that's been a few years ago, so my memory might be a bit fuzzy. And, I think my Park Ave feels cheap, in some respects. It's also getting old and ratty, which doesn't help matters. The leather on the driver's seat ripped. Carpeting isn't looking too pretty. Headliner is a bit loose in back. Steering wheel molding is deteriorating a bit. Its seats are big, thick, and comfy though, like a livingroom couch. Might be hard to give that up. I'm driving my 2012 Ram moreso than the Buick these days though, and it's pretty sparse inside, so I don't think the G8 would be too much of a shock.

In the end though, I got a feeling I should just hold out for a Charger, when the time feels right. This G8 just happened to pop into my mind and tempt me a bit when I saw it, though.

Michaell

@stickguy said:
I hope none of the Co. boys were involved in the 100 car pileup outside of Denver (I35?) today. Seems to be a theme this year. Had the same thing a week or so back not far from me on the tail end of the PA turnpike.

Stick - thanks for thinking of us. It was I-25 and it was pretty close to downtown. A freak wave of snow and fog obscured vision which, when coupled with folks driving too fast, caused the mayhem.

My wife and step-daughter were out in it yesterday, but not on that stretch of the highway.

rayainsw

andre1969 - G8.

I had a G8 GT - 2009, purchased new. I drove it for over 40,000 miles. So I can not address the 45K to 80K+ miles possible issues.

If you have specific questions, I will try to answer.

The seat recline is not powered.

• Ray

Happy to have had a G8 GT, before it was orphaned .....

isellhondas

Andre, that Pontiac is an "orphan". No more Pontiac dealers and that hurts value a bit.

If I were a buyer I think I would make big deal out of that.

As far as sunroofs, I've never seen an aftermarket sunroof that was "as good" as a factory one.

laurasdada

The XK (and XF) have the powered steering wheel that raises/lowers for egress/ingress. The XK was making quite the groaning noise the last few thousand miles I owned it, so I turned that feature off. XF is under warranty, so I'll leave it on and enjoy the extra space, enabling me to leap out of the car, like a cat! No, not really...

I decided I had to give up on the ghost of the XK in order to start enjoying the XF. I still only have ~1700 miles on it, but am now appreciating its overall goodness. Put it in sport tranny mode the other night to do a bit of highway (responsibly done, of course) slalom as I had to get the boy somewhere with a bit of haste. Fun, fun, fun. Big-ish, heavy car that doesn't feel so. In sport, solid throttle response with very responsive steering. No center slop at all, turn the wheel, feel the car turning. Solid body, no noticeable listing in corners or quick (clear, signaled) lane changes. Getting used to using the blind spot monitor feature: signal, check mirrors, swivel head, check mirrors for warning...

While not as constant as with the XK, I have noted folks checking out the XF. In New England, thankfully for me, I still don't see them coming and going (as E, 5 and A6 are as ubiquitous as Subarus). I revel in my shallowness! Not yet tracking the mpg, unfortunately much of my driving is of the local variety, the EPA estimates seem reasonable, I think I'm doing a touch better (my one road trip, I did get >27mpg). With the warmer weather/gas blend the stop/start feature will become more prominent (it doesn't seem to engage much below 40 degrees), helping my local mpg. But, overall so far I think I'm at 20+mpg.

Interior remains "cool" in ambiance. Lower tech electronics, but they work and make sense. Nice that there are redundant buttons and steering wheel controls. Still not 100% as comfy in seat and driving position as the XK, but that is simply due to far fewer adjustment options. But, seats are nicely bolstered and supportive. Great feeling steering wheel, too. And, used the folding seats to cart my skis around, glad I got that option.

Maybe another road trip next week...

andre1969

@isellhondas said:
Andre, that Pontiac is an "orphan". No more Pontiac dealers and that hurts value a bit.

If I were a buyer I think I would make big deal out of that.

As far as sunroofs, I've never seen an aftermarket sunroof that was "as good" as a factory one.

This is one of those dealerships that's no-haggle. Usually they give you a pretty good price on the newer cars but used models can be a bit hit or miss. Is there any way to negotiate with them on something like this, then? For instance, they're wanting $17,688 for this particular G8. Wonder what would happen if I walked in there with the checkbook from my HELOC and offered them, say, $14K?

Anyway, I've been looking around on Cars.com, and noticing how cheap you can get a used Charger R/T, so my interest in that G8 is waning. I do like it for the obscure-factor. And I'm a long-time Pontiac fan, so the orphan factor doesn't scare me off...heck, I have a LeMans, Catalina, and a DeSoto! I'd also probably keep it a long time, so I wouldn't worry too much about further depreciation. But, at the same time, if that orphan status hurts its value, no sense in paying too much up front!

Just out of curiosity, I spread my search out to 100 miles, and found a G8 I like better... 2009 G8 GT, blue, with sunroof...

I like the color a LOT better, and this one has a sunroof. And about $10,000 fewer miles. But I don't know if I want to go all the way to Culpeper Va to get it. Although I did go down there once to get a bumper/grille for a 1969 Bonneville...hauled that sucker about a quarter mile through the mud and muck in the wintertime, and ended up getting Mono as a reward...

stickguy

turns out the VW 1.8t is pretty efficient. Son took a trip up to NY this weekend, and said that his MPG coming back down (basically all highway as he filled up after the local part of his trip) was 37, on a pretty green engine (maybe 800 miles on it at this point). Not bad at all for cruising probably at 75 ish on CC down 81 and the PA turnpike, then through Philly.

stickguy

@tjc78 Thought of you this morning (no, not like that...). I was walking the dog and noticed another new set of wheels up the street.

A couple that had 2 Avalons (a prior generation, and the one before that, I believe) now seem to have 1 Avalon, and a new Buick Enclave SUV. Sharp in a bronze color. Too big for my taste, but sharp looking. They got rid of the newer avalon, so I assume it may have been a lease.