Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

kyfdx

How about this one for $26K?

http://ohiobimmers.com/forum/showpost.php?p=152623&postcount=1

stickguy

well, that is nice. I can't get into the site. just curious, year and miles and trans?

kyfdx

@stickguy said:
well, that is nice. I can't get into the site. just curious, year and miles and trans?

'07, 39K miles, 6 speed stick.. And, it's local to me.. 316 HP

kyfdx

That's weird that you can't view, without being a member... Not sure that is supposed to be that way... but, when I signed out, I couldn't see it, either..

roadburner

I like that a LOT better than the 135i M Sport DCT I was pondering. Where in Ohio is it?

kyfdx

@roadburner said:
I like that a LOT better than the 135i M Sport DCT I was pondering. Where in Ohio is it?

Close to me... Not sure I want to tell you, yet..

nyccarguy

@breld‌

I like the Legacy very much. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, it is most likely going to be my next vehicle

kyfdx

@kyfdx said:
'07, 39K miles, 6 speed stick.. And, it's local to me.. 316 HP

Got that wrong... 333 HP...

breld

@nyccarguy said:
breld‌

I like the Legacy very much. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, it is most likely going to be my next vehicle

Glad to hear it - it does seem to be a great car to "transition" to from your current ride. I've probably mentioned it before, but we had a '98 Legacy GT sedan. That was the first car my wife (at the time) and I purchased a car together, and we felt so "grown-up" buying a 4-door (she traded her Integra and I still had my Prelude). That was well before the turbo GTs (the hood scoop was just for looks), but with the manual trannie, I was quite fond of that car.

stickguy

Ok NYC, I got a wrinkle for you. I was out today, and stopped at Sube again. Sat in a base 2.5i. It is a nice, restrained interior. good value. But would have to get a premium level for sure. Did not drive it again.

But, what I did drive was a new 2015 Golf. 2 actually. Oh boy. seriously nice upgrade from the old one, and much nicer interior than the Jetta. drove very nicely. Same 1.8t engine as in the Jetta, but a smidge less weight. drives like a bigger, more expensive car (very audi-ish). and amazing room inside for such a tiny footprint. I had plenty of room in the back seat at 6' tall too.

and SE can get pricey, but an S is still well equipped. about 23K with AT and pano roof. Manual seats (SE is power recline) and no back up cam, but if you can back up this little box without one, get the heck off the road.

I knew from sitting in it that the interior was good. Did not realize who enjoyable it would be to drive.

Not going to lease out super cheap, and not that big a supply now, but an interesting option. And much different than a big, roomy mid-size sedan (that would lease out cheaper with more equipment!)

Need to get the wife out to look at one. I am sure a Legacy is a more practical choice. And the Camry is a smashing value. But this is neat!

breld

That'd be a great choice for you stick! You've been eyeing those Golfs for months now.

Despite giving up my Passat, I am definitely a big fan of that 1.8T engine. Having had the 2012 GTI and now the wife's 2015, I'd say the GTI is a nice improvement but not as dramatic as I seem to read in the mags. But the Golf with the 1.8T, I'm sure is a great leap forward from the old base 2.5l engine.

If the pano roof is important to you (which I know it is), sounds like a good choice - but if not, it's not much more for a base GTI.

nyccarguy

What did you notice about the 2.5i that would make you go for the 2.5i Premium for sure?

breld

I know you're asking stick, but I was just looking at the specs, and the alloy wheels, body-colored side mirrors and leather-wrapped steering wheel would definitely put me into the Premium. The 10-way power seat may be a very practical need for comfort on longer trips too, as would be the climate control. $1,800 well spent, I would think.

stickguy

Breld hit the high points. To me, the power seat is a huge deal. And no steelies please, though they have very impressive hubcaps! There are some other minor tweaks and gizmos (better stereo I think). And of course, have to go premium to get the roof!

stickguy

Breld, true on the 1.8t. My son has gotten close to 40 (well, 37/38) highway on his, running in the 70-75 range. And punchy around town.

I think the difference on the new/old Golf is much bigger than on the GTI. because the old GTI was a huge upgrade from the comparable golf (interior, engine, features). The new platform, the Golf is way better and closer to the GTI. so the step up on the golf was bigger than the GTI.

one thing that was interesting was the tire size. The S I drove had 195/65-15s (when was the last time you saw something that small?). Looked like the tires (sidewall "meat" on my RDX). but dang, it drove/handled just fine, and has a fighting chance with our potholes. But the SE (next step up) skipped the expected 215/55-16 and jumped up to a 225/45-17 set-up. The SEL had 18" 40s, which should only be on a GTI. way too low profile for a compact normal car IMO.

If I bought an S (not lease) I would consider a 16" wheel/performance summer tire package, with the 15s in reserve for winter duty.

stickguy

oh yeah, for the cheap folks out there. The VW dealer also had a 2 door gray Golf "launch edition" with a stick (6 speed I thought, but probably 5). MSRP was $18,815. still a lot of economy car for the money, and a fine platform for some creative tweaks (wheels/tires/chip) to turn it into a real sleeper, and probably the closest spiritual descendant to the original GTI.

just read the specs. lots of features I was not expecting.

http://www.cherryhillvw.com/VehicleDetails/new-2015-Volkswagen-Golf-2dr_HB_Man_Launch_Edition-Cherry_Hill-NJ/2339725693

stever

Hm, wonder if the dealers are dealing since VW sales are still in the doldrums. That base Golf sounds darn nice for the price.

Meanwhile:

A reporter is looking for shoppers who recently traded in a midsize sedan for an SUV because they think gas prices aren’t a big deal anymore or they were just blown away by the fuel-efficient crossover offerings now available. If you think you can help, please reach out to pr@edmunds.com by no later than Wednesday, September 10, 2014.

stickguy

Spammer!

stever

Where? I don't see any flags.

Surely someone wants to see their name in the national press (I mean in a good way).

stickguy

that 2 door golf is a real steal. If I just needed a commuter/runabout for just me, I would be all over it. Everything you need, and no excess stuff that you have to pay for. Wheels can be added.

stever

Am I reading that right - you get the cooled glove box with the Launch Edition?

I need that out here - my Hershey Bars keep melting on me.

Seriously, my sister should grab one of these for her trips to TN to see Mom and for all the buzzing around she does. She could keep the '05 Forester for dump runs. Maybe if I tell her it's like a MINI but more reliable she'll think about it. Not sure she's over her '00 New Beetle unhappiness yet though.

kyfdx

I love the Golf idea...

ab348

@stickguy said:
that 2 door golf is a real steal. If I just needed a commuter/runabout for just me, I would be all over it. Everything you need, and no excess stuff that you have to pay for. Wheels can be added.

That's exactly what I was going to say. Aside from the wheels there isn't a whole lot it lacks. Wonder if they are dealing on that one?

stickguy

basically alloy wheels (which are super easy to source), and the pano roof (if you are into that) are all you need to have it well loaded. So for anyone that does not care about, or does not want, the roof and wants to shift themselves, all the car you need.

I did not realize how much stuff it had on it, or ask if they are dealing. Pretty skinny markup, so maybe a few hundred?

stickguy

I either need to look at more cars, or stop looking. Just making it harder to decide what to do. Though I did take a big step today. Picked up some touch-up paint so I can hide some of the battle scars on the Volvo. I am home next weekend, so early next week will get it all detailed up and up on CL. Once that sells, I will feel better about buying a replacement!

Not only will I know how much $ it brings in, having 4 cars in the driveway for the 2 of us seems ostentatious (no offense to Mr. and Mrs. Breld!)

I did drive the Volvo around today. First time in 2 weeks it has been started, and fired right up. runs fine, but dang, that thing needs new suspension bad. S40s were always a bit stiff, but I think this one is overly so at this point. So the key is, only allow test drives on smooth roads!

corvette

I was up at my local dealer yesterday for the 20k service on the GLI and they had a 2015 GTI on the lot. Dark blue over black with the pano roof. I think it stickered around $31k. Looked great. They also had 1-2 1.8T Golfs and a TDI. They were all fairly well optioned. The pano roof looks great.

It looks like I'm relocating much closer to said local VW dealer, so any and all car purchases are probably on hold until I sell my house. Notice how I said "probably," LOL.

On the Legacy, the upgrade to an OE leather wrapped steering wheel (and not a cover) alone is worth several hundred bucks to me. You feel that every time you drive the car.

oldfarmer50

@qbrozen said:
oldfarmer - oh, I see. Well, the page states "MSRP" not selling price or sale price. So my guess is they would just say "whoops. we don't have any with that MSRP."

And, looking at Ford.com, I see that Tom's Ford has exactly zero 2015 Mustangs.

When I ran the numbers I knew intellectually that it was too good to be true but emotionally I hoped I had found a raging bargain. Probably what they count on.

I stopped responding to the salesman when he wanted to engage me in mutual family discussions instead of verifying numbers. Now the sales manager is sending me "come on down" form emails.

I feel the need for a shower.

benjaminh

Is Mini in trouble? Seems like it. They have an all-new model that fixed most of the problems with the last generation. The new Mini is faster, has better controls, has more passenger and cargo room, and now gets up to 42 mpg on the highway—and yet is priced almost the same as the last generation.

The result of all of these improvements? Sales for August are down more than 16% compared to last year. And that's in a market that's significantly up.

Mini is known to have high maintenance and repair costs (Mr. Shiftright confirms), and apparently so-so reliability and indifferent dealer customer service. If that's what's causing the sales slump at Mini, then BMW has really shot themselves in the foot. They now have a great car that they seemingly can't sell in very high numbers.

I thought Mini, in part, was a way for BMW to meet the CAFE standards going up to 2025. But since it's a sales-weighted average, weak sales like this aren't going to help much.

The contrast with BMW sales is extreme. BMW was up 11% in August, and is a close 2nd to leader MB in luxury sales.

rayainsw

FWD - another possible BMW approach...

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1094148_possible-seven-front-wheel-drive-bmws-in-the-works-including-z2-roadster

roadburner

@benjaminh said:
Is Mini in trouble? Seems like it. They have an all-new model that fixed most of the problems with the last generation. The new Mini is faster, has better controls, has more passenger and cargo room, and now gets up to 42 mpg on the highway—and yet is priced almost the same as the last generation.

The result of all of these improvements? Sales for August are down more than 16% compared to last year. And that's in a market that's significantly up.

As I've stated before, I've been less than impressed with my local dealer. And while I love the interior of the new Mini I have to say the new front is homely, to be charitable. If I was going the hot hatch route again I think I would go with either a GTI Performance Pack, a Fiesta ST, or maybe even an Abarth.

jayrider

@oldfarmer50 said:
I feel the need for a shower.

Isn't it nice to feel important ? Sounds like you made some new friends.

carnaught

The Mini is homely but as an alternative, you would consider an Abarth ?

roadburner

@carnaught said:
The Mini is homely but as an alternative, you would consider an Abarth ?

Yes; I've driven one and I really liked it. Add an ECU reflash and it's almost fast(0-60 in 6.5 seconds). Me, I would wait until the end of the model year and pick one up for under $20k- then it's a real bargain...

stickguy

so, looks like my wife is an enabler. I had to head to NY this morning, and she is coming up tomorrow with my sister (who has to pass by anyway) saving bringing 2 cars up. I offered to take the TL, but she nixed that idea, not wanting to have to drive home in it. So, I took her RDX (which certainly is a nicer drive!)

so she texts me before, telling me I need a new car because that one is "old and smelly". Heck at this point, she might have gone out and bought it for me!

Plus we got at least 1 call at home from one of the car dealers we visited (Subaru). So I think she has had enough of "the process" and just wants it over with! We both still seem fixated on the cosmic gray Camry. Really a nice color, though I guess we should consider the car the paint is on...

maybe next week. At this point, only rush is if I want a cheap deal on a 2014 of some kind since they are starting to run out. Plus I need to post a CL ad for the Volvo next week (after I get the war wounds touched up, and a nice detail done). If that sells, it can really jump start the process!

sda

If it hadn't been for the $1100 last minute dealer add on I would have driven out with a new Camry XLE instead of the Accord EX. I did a lot of comparison shopping and discovered the XLE was very similarly equipped as the EX. It seems, at least at that time, base XLEs are scarce and I didn't want a loaded one with leather and nav. Thus the Accord won out. Good luck with your purchase, you will be pleased with the XLE.

jayrider

@stickguy said:

At this point, only rush is if I want a cheap deal on a 2014 of some kind since they are starting to run out.

Are you looking for a cheap deal on a base car or a cheap deal on a loaded one ? Having a hard time keeping up with all the posters and their dreams.

slorenzen

@jayrider said:

"Are you looking for a cheap deal on a base car or a cheap deal on a loaded one ?:

Yes.

qbrozen

I had a thought cross my mind that has been sticking with me for a few days. I just happened to notice I might be able to score a 2014 mazda2 for under $13k and get 0% financing for 60 months. To buy a new car for a hair over $200/mo is not a bad way to go. Seems like it might be a smarter move than buying a 100k-mile car for $5k-$6k. I'm going to swing by a dealer and see if it is big enough for me. The dealer nearest my work has several 5-spd Sport models in stock, apparently.

Heck, I'm even thinking about bringing the Benz with me and see if they want to take it on trade. haha.

ab348

I noticed today the Mazda dealer had a sign offering new Mazda 2s for $11,xxx Cdn. Probably no 0% though. They're awfully small.

benjaminh

gbrozen: Probably I shouldn't ask this, but why do you own so many cars?

The Mazda2 is awfully small. For a few grand more you might be able to get a Mazda

Heck, recently a Honda dealer offered me a brand-new Accord for $18.5k.

!!

stickguy

well, a cheap deal on a mid level car? But I will pay a little more for more features.

The difference from an LE to XLE Camry was ~$15. that was worth it to me. but it still has to be relatively cheap overall.

oldfarmer50

@qbrozen said:
I had a thought cross my mind that has been sticking with me for a few days. I just happened to notice I might be able to score a 2014 mazda2 for under $13k and get 0% financing for 60 months. To buy a new car for a hair over $200/mo is not a bad way to go. Seems like it might be a smarter move than buying a 100k-mile car for $5k-$6k. I'm going to swing by a dealer and see if it is big enough for me. The dealer nearest my work has several 5-spd Sport models in stock, apparently.

Heck, I'm even thinking about bringing the Benz with me and see if they want to take it on trade. haha.

I like that idea. You'll get at least a thousand for the Benz. The salesperson will tell you he can buy those all day at the auction.

jpp75

@qbrozen said:
I had a thought cross my mind that has been sticking with me for a few days. I just happened to notice I might be able to score a 2014 mazda2 for under $13k and get 0% financing for 60 months. To buy a new car for a hair over $200/mo is not a bad way to go. Seems like it might be a smarter move than buying a 100k-mile car for $5k-$6k. I'm going to swing by a dealer and see if it is big enough for me. The dealer nearest my work has several 5-spd Sport models in stock, apparently.

Heck, I'm even thinking about bringing the Benz with me and see if they want to take it on trade. haha.

I'm always conjuring up ideas like this as well, definitely not a bad thing to get a new car for just over $200/mo and free money at that. But overall I agree with Stick, in the long run it's worth it to pay a little more and get a lot more. Interested to hear your thoughts on the 2.

How much longer on your Leaf lease?

nyccarguy

@qbrozen‌

Good idea;)

qbrozen

The Leaf has 4 mos left. Comparing interior dimensions online, the mazda2 has more front and rear legroom than the Leaf! Pretty sure it gives it up with cargo room though. If I like the 2, I think my "uncle" point would be $10,500 plus the Benz. I'm sure they would never do that but it can't hurt to try.

Why do I have so many cars? Have you noticed the name of this board? Ha. But, seriously, in my opinion, there is no one car that does it all for me. So I have the Stang, but its not great for kid taxi duty or foul weather. Wife has the van, but thats not the most economical choice for running errands and commuting every day. She would use the van all the time, but I'm against it. Its an expensive vehicle and I hate watching her put 20k per year on it. So she has been driving the $4k volvo about 12k of those miles. The volvo was supposed to be my beater, but she stole it. So i've been left with the benz and leaf (both of which were failed experiments for her). I will get rid of those two shortly in exchange for one practical car for myself.

jayrider

@qbrozen said:
I had a thought cross my mind that has been sticking with me for a few days. I just happened to notice I might be able to score a 2014 mazda2 for under $13k and get 0% financing for 60 months. To buy a new car for a hair over $200/mo is not a bad way to go. Seems like it might be a smarter move than buying a 100k-mile car for $5k-$6k. I'm going to swing by a dealer and see if it is big enough for me. The dealer nearest my work has several 5-spd Sport models in stock, apparently.

Heck, I'm even thinking about bringing the Benz with me and see if they want to take it on trade. haha.

Ford Fiesta SE 12677 and everyone qualifies. Chevy Cruz LS stick 14931 auto 16057 Jetta S Auto 14910 plus Zero % for 72 month financing and everyone qualifies so get in line !!

tommister2

qbrozen has had me dreaming about a Mustang GT for a few weeks. I finally test drove one yesterday...wow. I guess if I am going to make a move I should do something soon, since they aren't making any more 2014s. I've said my next purchase would be something fun, and that definitely checks the fun column. With the rebates right now it would seem the price is as good as it will ever be.

I'll admit the big thing holding me back is my insurance. I can't get a get an online quote because I already have 4 vehicles on my policy. To add a fifth I need to open a second policy. Wouldn't be chronic car buyers without some insurance policy craziness.

roadburner

@tommister2 said:
I'll admit the big thing holding me back is my insurance. I can't get a get an online quote because I already have 4 vehicles on my policy. To add a fifth I need to open a second policy. Wouldn't be chronic car buyers without some insurance policy craziness.

Yep, I have two policies. Goes with the territory...

stickguy

getting one step closer. just am in the process of finishing touching up the Volvo. Not sure that I did not make it work, but at least it is shades of blue, not whit scrapes! A couple of days to cure, and by Tuesday/Wednesday I can give it a wax job and interior detail, then throw a CL ad up for the weekend. I hope it sells quick because I really just want to move on, and simplify something in my life.

oldfarmer50

@tommister2 said:
qbrozen has had me dreaming about a Mustang GT for a few weeks. I finally test drove one yesterday...wow. I guess if I am going to make a move I should do something soon, since they aren't making any more 2014s. I've said my next purchase would be something fun, and that definitely checks the fun column. With the rebates right now it would seem the price is as good as it will ever be.

I'll admit the big thing holding me back is my insurance. I can't get a get an online quote because I already have 4 vehicles on my policy. To add a fifth I need to open a second policy. Wouldn't be chronic car buyers without some insurance policy craziness.

2014 Mustangs are a bargain for sure but wouldn't you rather have the new model? I considered the two choices and decided since this will be a once in a lifetime purchase for me I'd rather have the 2015 even if it cost $5k more.

I had the same issue with insurance when I added my fifth car before I sold my forth. The only problem was that they would only write the policy for six months instead of a year.