Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

kyfdx

Anyone want to give this guy some opinions?

http://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/19256/toyota/camry/end-of-lease-buyout-or-get-another-used-car#latest

corvette

@breld said:
Oh no. Just when I figured we were done for the year.

I really like that color combo. I'm not sure why VW and some other manufacturers (Honda on the Accord Sport, Chevrolet on the SS) require you to get a black interior. I normally dislike tinted windows, but they look good on that car.

rayainsw

SS: 'Cool. Now if they could just increase efficiency 20%, they'd have something competitive.'

True.

I was hoping that GM would equip the SS with their
new 8-speed automatic, to increase hiway fuel mileage...

= Ray

[ sigh ]

stickguy

ZHP looks nice. I don't like the tint, but that is one of my pet peeves.

fintail

Looks very nice in the pics. 124s have the beginnings of a cult around them now, but like with 123s, it can be kind of a cheapskate cult, so be prepared for optimistic offers. AC working, and no rust on a nearly 30 year old car in a harsh environment are big deals for one of these. Someone will want it.

@qbrozen said:
Chronic car selling?

nyccarguy

@stickguy‌

Yup. Right next door to Pound Ridge. In fact, if you get off the Merritt Parkway at Exit 34 and drive about 2 miles South you get to my house. Drive 6 miles North and you are in Pound Ridge.

stickguy

have not been there since about 1990, but it was extremely nice area from what I remember. some serious money up there.

au1994

@breld said:
Oh no. Just when I figured we were done for the year.

Local ZHP

I'm actually not very enthusiastic about making another punch - my "fun car" money was intentionally put toward the 535xi. But Imola Red over natural brown? Pretty low miles too. And, most importantly, it's local.

I talked to the owner - second owner who's had it for 5 years. Routine maintenance is all complete, but none of the bigger ticket items have been done. It was in an accident this past December - doesn't sound terribly serious, but did have some bodywork done on the driver's rear side.

Price is actually reasonable NOT considering the accident - so I don't know, figure another $1-2k off normal PP values, assuming the repairs were done well? When I asked if the price was negotiable (but not wanting to get into specifics), she was pretty enthusiastic about it being so.

If I end up looking at it, can't do it until the end of the week, and someone else is looking at it tonight, so could be gone by the time I get around to it, which would be somewhat of a blessing.

Oh boy, IR and NB...yeah, that won't last long. Agree with KYFDX, 1st 12k takes her home.
According to my secret sources on the interwebs its one of 14 coupes equipped with manual and that color combo.

graphicguy

@breld said:
Oh no. Just when I figured we were done for the year.

Local ZHP

>

Man....do I like that. Good thing it's too far away for me to give it a quick drive by-look see!

I agree with kyfdx..........$12K would be my number

breld

@au1994 said:
According to my secret sources on the interwebs its one of 14 coupes equipped with manual and that color combo.

Yeah - a few months ago I would've been all over it. But with just recently sinking the funds that had been reserved for a "fun" car into the 535i daily driver, I have a lot of reason to hesitate.

Have to say though, when I showed my wife, she simply said, "Well, you've been wanting one of these for awhile now, so maybe you should go for it." I chose well - even if it took me two tries.

breld

It does seem like a good opportunity to get into a ZHP though - assuming it's in as nice condition as it looks in pictures.

It's the situation you look for - I got the impression the female owner knows she has a nice car in that it's a well-kept BMW, but I don't think she realizes the rarity or desirability of the ZHP, or that natural brown interior, which she labels simply as "tan" in the ad. Accordingly, she's priced it in line with KBB, whereas a lot of other owners would attach a premium on the price, often in an exorbitant manner. That, and she didn't hesitate to say the price is negotiable.

We shall see.

Mr_Shiftright

It is kind of a cult, but you'd have to find a cult member to pay very much extra for it. I like 'em because the option is not radical at all---just the right combo of things to take a 330 and make it a little bit nicer for the enthusiast.

au1994

Breld-- How's the GTI? Initial impressions? Assuming you have had some seat time?

glayfan40

@nyccarguy said:
glayfan40‌

Hello & welcome to CCBA. So we need some more info regarding your trade and your "punch." How many miles were on the GLK 250? How big of a hit did you take on the trade? No need to worry about VW reliability if you are leasing:) What made you go with the 2014 over the new 2015?

The GLK had just over 9,600 miles. KBB valued it at $33.5-34K at the time of trade as-equipped. It's hard to pin-point exactly how much the dealer actually paid for my car as I rolled the trade difference (I owed just under $38K) into my GTI's payments. But I did reverse-engineered my monthly payment numbers w/ the residual and MF and it should be somewhere between $34-35K (trade-in). The discount I got on the GTI would be somewhere between $4200-5200 depending on which number I pick for the trade-in (bigger discount w/ lower trade, & vice versa).

I picked the 2014 because it's the last model year (that's built in Germany) for the Mk6 so in theory there will be less potential quality issues. I've already been hearing about lots of different issues with the Mk7's which are built in Mexico. Granted any issues will be covered under warranty during my lease period I simply don't want the headache nor could I afford to have my car in the dealership constantly. The discount I got on the 2014 was simply too good to pass up. And there is no way you could get into a 2015 without paying close to MSRP at the moment due to supply/demand.

The cosmetic differences between the two gens are IMO very minor. But the new gen EA888 2.0T engine does sound promising (based on numbers I've seen online from the aftermarket tuning crowd). I will likely get into a Golf R down the road once they've worked out some of the quality issues.

glayfan40

@au1994 said:
Breld-- How's the GTI? Initial impressions? Assuming you have had some seat time?

I'd be interested to know as well. BTW a simple ECU tune can get that engine up to 316 HP/380 ft-lb on 93 pump gas: goapr.com/products/ecu_upgrade_20tsi_gen3_mqb.html

xwesx

@nyccarguy said:
Forgive me if I've asked this before and it has been answered:

I'm thinking the Prelude most likely needs new shocks since I'm still on the originals 12 years & almost 153,000 miles later. Tire rack has a nice set of H & R Sport Springs for $210 & Bilstein Shocks ($135 each for "Sport" or $82 & $88 for "Touring"). What say you oh wise ones?

Regardless of what you get, new shocks on your car will be akin to a new car! Seriously.... replace these things ASAP!

stever

But can you really tell whether a shock is "bad" just because of age and miles? The old van always passed the old "rock the corner" test. Guess that's a lame test eh?

roadburner

The Mazda's were well and truly shot- they would bottom out traversing a speed bump at low speed.
The FSDs have transformed the car- it performs better than new.

breld

@au1994 said:
Breld-- How's the GTI? Initial impressions? Assuming you have had some seat time?

You know, I actually haven't had any driver's seat time in it (just passenger) - even during the test drives. I left this one totally up to the wife.

Hard to tell the increase in power from the passenger seat, but the transmission is definitely smoother than her TT or the daughter's A3. We rode home together from work last night and I remarked on how well balanced the car is - for a car with serious sporting pretentions and low profile tires, it handles well, which you'd expect, but it's also surprisingly comfortable even on rough roads and bumps. I don't think this is anything new to the MK7 - I remember thinking the same thing about our MK6. I'm just impressed at the thought and effort put into it by VW.

The wife is extremely satisfied - having settled into a car that is fun and functional after the "TT experiment."

breld

@glayfan40 said:
I picked the 2014 because it's the last model year (that's built in Germany) for the Mk6 so in theory there will be less potential quality issues.

I don't blame you - my wife was pretty set on finding a used MK6 and probably would have if she was going the manual route. The difference in the DSG responsiveness between the two models was very noticeable.

I have no doubt there will be some growing pains with the MK7 - but with that mindset, hopefully it won't be too bad. And I imagine it will be more annoyances than anything. For instance, one of the chrome strips underlining the red trim on the grill is coming loose already.

glayfan40

@breld said:

Solution to the DSG hesitation in D mode on the Mk6 - goapr.com/products/tcu_upgrade_dq250_exx_fxx.html

Sandman6472

Well, it finally happened...the a/c quit on the Mazda so now it s sitting at my kid's apartment while the Accent has been put into daily service. Finally saw the wife this morning, long story, and she's not sure what her plan is yet... mentioned a friend at one of her clients wants to buy it from her this way but she's still not sure what she wants. All I said was I want to be there for the final test drive and that she needs to get one with alloy wheels as I hate hub caps. Time frame is from now till last week of December, so who knows!

The Sandman

Sandman6472

You guys talking about Westchester New York and Connecticut have me homesick...grew up in a little town no one hardly ever heard of, Briarcliff Manor, and we always summered in Clinton Connecticut, even coming up from South Florida. It's a very nice part of the country but a bit pricey now. Will be back in a few years for my 45th which should be fun.

The Sandman

stickguy

Sandy, what is the logic for not at least finding out what the problem is? Doesn't cost much for a diagnosis, and it may be worth fixing after all. That could either buy her the time, or make it worth more selling.

But if you do have a real solid offer on the table, grab it and run. It sounds like you are not money constrained and have to get something anyway, so just get over the mental block and get a decent car!

corvette

Sandy, I looked up Briarcliff Manor on Google Maps--I've never heard of it but it's not that far from NYC. I happened to notice it's close to Sing Sing Correctional Facility, which would be convenient if I practiced criminal appeals.

Claires

LOL, @roadburner -- no whiplash but the airbags banged up my arm pretty well. A week later, it's healed to the point that it's not getting any attention or sympathy anymore. The insurance gave me 6K for my 2002 Jetta, which was a nice surprise, and they'll pay the sales tax on the new car, so the situation's better than I expected, but after 8 years with no car payments... grrrrr.

Tried to test-drive a Sonata yesterday but I was called away on an emergency before we could get into the car, and the salesman was in the emergency room himself today -- maybe this is a negotiating tactic that I'm not aware of?

I test drove a Jetta 1.8 SE tonight and liked it, but I'm wondering if I'm in a rut. So now that the salesman is out of the hospital, I'll drive the Sonata and Elantra tomorrow.

ab348

You'll like the Jetta better than the Elantra for certain. You may also like it better than the Sonata, depending on which trim level you are testing. The 2014 Sonata is very cheap to buy right now so it may be hard to pass up on that account; the 2015 Sonata is a disappointing effort for an all-new car. Is the 2015 VW Golf in the showroom yet? Nice car from all reports.

stickguy

Just GTIs I think. I'm waiting for the golf to show up too. Should be soon.

I still say to try the Mazda 3 if you like something modest sized but engaging to drive.

Michaell

@ab348 said:
You'll like the Jetta better than the Elantra for certain. You may also like it better than the Sonata, depending on which trim level you are testing. The 2014 Sonata is very cheap to buy right now so it may be hard to pass up on that account; the 2015 Sonata is a disappointing effort for an all-new car. Is the 2015 VW Golf in the showroom yet? Nice car from all reports.

Wait a moment - I test drove a Jetta and an Elantra and chose the Elantra (GT). If the Golf had been available with the 1.8T at the time, I might have gone with the VW.

stever

@sandman_6472, we "camped" at the cabins at Croton Point Park a couple/three years ago. We wound up liking the food we found around Ossining better than the spots we ate at in NYC.

@Claires, all this emergency stuff is starting to get a bit bizarre. Maybe you should just stick to the L....

Michaell

All this talk of NY makes me a little nostalgic. My dad was born and raised in Peekskill, and I was able to visit family there from time to time over the years. I remember taking the Dayliner up the Hudson to Poughkipsee and back as a kid.

ab348

@Michaell said:
Wait a moment - I test drove a Jetta and an Elantra and chose the Elantra (GT). If the Golf had been available with the 1.8T at the time, I might have gone with the VW.

Did you drive the Jetta with the 1.8? If not then it is understandable. If so, your decision is inexplicable.

Michaell

@ab348 said:
Did you drive the Jetta with the 1.8?

Yes I did. I liked the engine ... but I didn't want another sedan. The Golf had the 2.5 in it.

qbrozen

Almost perfect. Wish it was as sport, but the low miles is a huge plus. Still, its probably overdue for a cooling system overhaul since the seller doesn't mention it.

stickguy

@qbrozen said:
Almost perfect. Wish it was as sport, but the low miles is a huge plus. Still, its probably overdue for a cooling system overhaul since the seller doesn't mention it.

Holy batmans. That is absolutely perfect. At a cheap enough price great car for me. Will even let the daughter drive if she wants to.

Only way to be better is be a wagon. And maybe not black but I can live with it.

Sandman6472

We lived in Peekskill, all four of us were born there. One grandpa had the Dodge dealer there and the other had our clothing manufacturing warehouse there...yes, we have a long history with Peekskill and the surrounding area.

Stick, the wife can buy whatever she wants here but I think she doesn't want to go over the $25k price point. I have no say in this as like Breld's wife, she's going to get whatever she wants. At this point, she doesn't want to put anymore $ into it and I get it, at some point one has to say no more and hey...we got our money's worth out of it. So for the time being, it'll sit at my kids place and the Accent will finally get used like it should!!

The Sandman

Michaell

@sandman_6472 said:
We lived in Peekskill, all four of us were born there. One grandpa had the Dodge dealer there and the other had our clothing manufacturing warehouse there...yes, we have a long history with Peekskill and the surrounding area.

My grandparents never drove, so unless your grandfather was in the Elks, I'm not sure they knew one another. Was a small town, so anything's possible.

My dad left after HS and joined the Navy. Went back to Peekskill for one winter after discharge but hated the weather and returned to CA (and my mom). He's been in CA since.

I've got no immediate family there now; both grandparents are long gone and my aunt and cousin now live in Oklahoma. My cousins' husband works for GM, but when they closed the plant in Ossining, he transferred to OK - now he works at the Arlington, TX plant and commutes weekly.

Mr_Shiftright

Looks like a very nice car. If it can be had cheaply enough, it would certainly be wise to put in a new radiator, thermostat, hoses and water pump--if you plan to keep it long term I mean.

@qbrozen said:
Almost perfect. Wish it was as sport, but the low miles is a huge plus. Still, its probably overdue for a cooling system overhaul since the seller doesn't mention it.

qbrozen

I messaged the seller asking if any of that has been done. looks like the parts can be had for around $400-$550, and would be the first thing I would do. I'll definitely keep an eye on that auction. Wonder if he realizes he didn't put a reserve on it.

kyfdx

@qbrozen said:
I messaged the seller asking if any of that has been done. looks like the parts can be had for around $400-$550, and would be the first thing I would do. I'll definitely keep an eye on that auction. Wonder if he realizes he didn't put a reserve on it.

Check out ECS Tuning or oembimmerparts.com and they will have a "complete" cooling package for the E46.. I think my friend with the '03 325i automatic spent right around $800 for the whole thing.

qbrozen

already did.
Bavarian autosport is the $400 one and Turner is the $550.

stickguy

That kit at oem is for the AT only. The smaller one is only $284. Add a rad and only about $430 for everything you need. Not bad, but not sure I am brave enough to tackle it in the driveway. Good thing Q only lives 45 minutes away!

henryn

Someone on here mentioned recently that there are some very good deals to be had on new Mustangs, which caused me to go check it out. I found this one:

http://tommievaughnford.com/Houston-Texas-Heights-Area/For-Sale/New/Ford/Mustang/2014-2dr-Cpe-V6-Blue-Car/30296278/

And for me, with my bad knees, this one with an automatic:

http://tommievaughnford.com/Houston-Texas-Heights-Area/For-Sale/New/Ford/Mustang/2014-2dr-Cpe-V6-Red-Car/29334157/

Base model, but the V6 has 305 horsepower, automatic, air, pw, pdl, keyless entry. Does not have power seat, touch screen, bluetooth, SiriusXM.

But it does have nice wheels and Michelin tires. For $19.8, plus TT&L.

I fit kinda tight, but I do fit. I'm thinking seriously about it, a lot of fun for under $20k. Considering the incentives, it would cost almost nothing to own this for 2 or 3 years.

Mr_Shiftright

Doesn't really matter if he forgot to put a reserve on it. Any car auction (and real estate auction) on eBay is not binding legally, according to eBay. So you can bid and win and still lose.

@qbrozen said:
I messaged the seller asking if any of that has been done. looks like the parts can be had for around $400-$550, and would be the first thing I would do. I'll definitely keep an eye on that auction. Wonder if he realizes he didn't put a reserve on it.

stickguy

learned something interesting today. Took the RDX in for an oil change, and discovered that there is a new Carmax going up about 10 miles from me. Will make killing a day browsing much easier!

stickguy

while waiting for my oil changed, I took a lap of the auto complex. oddly, not much that excited me. And man, cars are crazy expensive now. Nicest overall package? The blue and Red Accord Sports sitting on the apron. Really would want a moonroof, but if that isn't important to you, nice car for reasonable cost these days.

BMW has an overwhelming array of models. Some good looking, many not. And I sat in a 55K i3. Truly odd, in a late-70's Subaru design way.

sat in an A3 (2.0 AWD). Nice. Tight headroom in the rear. 44K sticker.

xwesx

@stever said:
But can you really tell whether a shock is "bad" just because of age and miles? The old van always passed the old "rock the corner" test. Guess that's a lame test eh?

To be honest, the aging of shocks/struts is such a gradual thing that it is almost impossible to notice. It isn't until the damping effect of the strut is truly gone that you'll notice the "rock the corner" test to have any effect. I didn't pay attention to the struts on my '96 Outback (we bought it at 83,000 miles, so really the struts needed replacements at that time) and let them go to around 150,000 miles (!). They were totally gone at that point, and I finally realized the problem when I was going over some small washboard-like imperfections in some pavement one day. The resonance got going on that poor thing and I nearly jiggled sideways off the road!

I sprung for new struts, bought a spring compression tool, and was back on the road the next day with a new car. It was absolutely, truly amazing. But, the most amazing part may have been when I pulled the strut caps off the shafts. They literally dropped into the cylinders... no resistance at all (for those of you that don't know, the shaft should fully extend from the cylinder if there is nothing to stop them).

I replaced the struts on my Escort at about 120,000 miles (purchased car at 108K for $800), and the old ones at least still extended when the caps were removed. Still, after putting on the new ones (plus new springs on the rear due to one broken) and getting an alignment, it felt like a new car.

Even on my '10 Forester, whose struts I replaced on July 4 along with a new set of HD coil springs, the change was substantial in terms of the damping effect of the struts with "only" 73,500 miles on the originals. Again, the loss is quite gradual, but there is absolutely no mistaking the improvement of new ones. Not only is it a pleasing improvement for the occupants, but the rest of the car's suspension components will thank you for the stress relief as well!

jayrider

@qbrozen said:
I messaged the seller asking if any of that has been done. looks like the parts can be had for around $400-$550, and would be the first thing I would do. I'll definitely keep an eye on that auction. Wonder if he realizes he didn't put a reserve on it.

Selling an attractive car without reserve could actually result in people over bidding for the car. All you need is a few "must have" bidders to send the price into crazy money territory. I'm watching just or fun.

kyfdx

http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-323i-M52_2.5L/Engine/Cooling/ES2228847/

$640 for everything.. including radiator, etc... for a manual trans and after market parts..

$1258 if you want all OEM parts..

Includes all this:

system service.

GEBA water Pump with metal impeller

ECS Aluminum Water pump pulley

Fan Switch

Thermostat with Housing

Sealing Gaskets

Expansion Tank with level sensor and clamp

Pressure Cap

1 Gallon Coolant

Upper & Lower Radiator Hoses

Accessory Drive Belts

Radiator Drain Plug

Nissens Radiator

Idler Pulley

Hydraulic Tensioner and Pulley

A/C Belt Tensioner Assembly

roadburner

@henryn said:
Someone on here mentioned recently that there are some very good deals to be had on new Mustangs, which caused me to go check it out.

I found a 2014 GT with the Track Package and the Comfort Package in NC;

MSRP: $39,755

"Sale" Price: $33,271

An aside/rant: The dealer's web site has a button to click to request their "True Price"- I clicked it but as usual got the "When can you come in and test drive it?" e-mail spiel. This makes the fourth of fifth time I've clicked a "get your price" button(or requested one through Edmunds), and I have yet to get the first price quote. Granted, I understand that dealers don't want to give out a price and then have the customer shop it around, but if that's the case, then DON'T OFFER TO PROVIDE A PRICE! It only p****s me off and causes me to cross that dealer off my list.

As for the Mustang, I still suspect I'd wind up with a serious case of buyer's remorse; I drove a 2013 GT with a manual and it just didn't do anything for me. I think it would have to be a Boss 302 or nothing...