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Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)
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Me either.. starts at $116K.. Not a good value, even if you have the money.. Not that I have to worry about it..
Starting at $116K? So what is that, $125 - $130K with options? That's Porsche territory.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
As of now, no response to my email but we'll give it a couple of days before I send a follow up letter through the regular mail. When I feel I'm right, I will fight to make things right and when I am wrong, I will admit it, apologize and move on like a normal person. On this though, I am not wrong...something just isn't right!! Luckily, it's all part of the game and I am not letting it get in the way of my enjoyment of this great vehicle!
The Sandman
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2025 VW GTI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
Is it the right way to go about things? Probably not, but it does seem to be the approach a lot of people take these days.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
The dealership may be sheepish about it, 'cause I don't think they're technically supposed to swap those wheels out - not that they don't fit and are interchangeable, but I believe the stock wheels that are specified on the sticker are supposed to be sold with the car. What do they say to the buyer of that TDI model that has TSI wheels?
But they agreed to do it, so they do need to make it all right.
2024 Audi Q8 e-tron - 2017 911 C4S - 2025 BRZ - 2023 A6 Allroad - 2024 Genesis GV60 - 2019 Cayman
It's a Volkswagen. It's supposed to run flat out, all day, and safely. The word is "vollgasfest" and it used to be a big deal, back in the carburator days. This is what Germans do. Comedy, not so much.
However.
Some of these issues can be subtle, and while I suspect Sandy is getting the runaround from a typical VW dealer, here is my story ... all the way back to 1998. I had just bought my very first very own new car. Sophisticate that I was, I shelled out the princely sum of $9,837 OTD on a leftover Chevy Prizm. It was so bare, it didn't even have a radio. Total poverty spec, but with AC. Yay, AC.
The steering was "notchy". Like you could feel the teeth in the rack. It was weird. I left the car, they couldn't figure anything, I took the car, drove it, drove back to the shop and went for a ride with the service advisor. Properly coached, he could feel it, too. So I got a new steering rack, at GM's expense.
Would you believe the new one felt just like the old one? As did another, similar car I test drove? "They all do that" is sometimes true, and I still feel a little guilty about this stunt.
Sandy, why don't you go an a real test drive with one of their people. Either the wheel shakes, or it doesn't. I mean, you can both put your hands on it at speed; you should be able to come to some sort of resolution.
I don't know if your back is up to it, but how about swapping the wheels from the A3?
How about doing it one at a time?
So many fun permutations...
Good luck, -Mathias
If all goes as planned, I will be driving this
home tomorrow:
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/rayainsw/media/2015 RedLine Charger RT/minefront5photo3crop_zps85751a00.jpg.html
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/rayainsw/media/2015 RedLine Charger RT/minefront99photo11crop_zpsc60e1f20.jpg.html
- Ray
Finally arrived at my dealer.....
I Like it!
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2024 Audi Q8 e-tron - 2017 911 C4S - 2025 BRZ - 2023 A6 Allroad - 2024 Genesis GV60 - 2019 Cayman
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
You're trading in the GTI for that?
Wow.
Congratulations.
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2025 VW GTI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
http://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/31716/general/x/tco-for-more-than-5-years#latest
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I can't believe I'm reading this now. Hold out a year. That 300 hp Mazdaspeed 3 with AWD is coming....
GTI is gone.
Punch = 2015 Dodge Charger R/T Premium.
Details later.
- Ray
[ driving ]
I guess Feb. 2.
(for the first time the cops pull you over - maybe not for a ticket so much as an excuse to look at it a bit closer).
on last weeks episode.
Synopses here - for anyone interested:
http://www.motorweek.org/reviews/road_tests/2015-dodge-charger
- Ray
Very pleased, so far [ abput 60 miles ]
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
23 Telluride SX-P X-Line, 23 Camry XSE
[ Warning – long post. Executive summary: I am very pleased, so far! ]
My initial impressions are very positive. I am very pleased, indeed. I drove it from the dealership to my house, read a few portions of the manual, then headed out for a drive. Local, surface streets [ errands ] and then about 45 miles of highway – mid-Saturday traffic around here [ north east of Atlanta ] is typically quite heavy, but moving OK once outside built-up areas. Then I drove it to a local park, where I typically jog a few times each week.
The drivetrain is a jewel. The 5.7L V8 makes appropriately V8 noises, but nicely subdued most of the time. The ZF 8-speed automatic is just as good as I remember it in a couple of 235i BMWs and a 550i.
[ Aside – I am well aware that this is NOT a BMW, nor a M-B. But everything important TO ME is very well done, by my standards. And the price \ value proposition is much more reasonable, to me, right now. ]
So, varying engine speeds & load, staying below about 3,000 RPM and half throttle – the drivetrain provides effortless thrust. Fun! I have not yet tried ‘Sport Mode’, but the trans. shifts smoothly & very quickly, up & down, in manual & fully automatic modes.
Top gear [ eighth, thank you ] is purely highway, and will not engage below about 55 mph. But it does provide that very low RPM cruising that I like. The trans. is quite happy [ in Drive or Manual ] to start off in second gear. When in ‘stop & slow’ traffic, this works well, for me. There is plenty of low RPM V8 TQ and no hint of strain.
I would characterize the drivetrain as effortless and engaging. But well suited to really entertaining acceleration, when called upon. Top marks!
The ride and handling are a different world from the GTI. [ No surprise there, given the much longer wheelbase & weight increase. ] I have certainly not approached the car’s cornering limits - and never will, in even [ um ] spirited street driving. The handling feels solid and secure and well-planted. The ride is excellent – particularly for 45 series tires. It handles all the varying road surfaces I encountered on my drive with control & composure. Even harsh bumps like a railway crossing near me are smothered well. No extraneous movement. Well damped and not at all harsh. Nice. Full credit to the suspension & tire engineers!
The interior, I find to be a very nice place to spend time. The seating leather is nice and soft – and perforated across the middle – to allow the forced ventilation. The seat heaters come on quickly enough & the heated steering wheel was particularly nice when we first started in this morning – outside and about 22 degrees. The seat’s side bolstering is adequate and the adjustability is appreciated. The driver’s seat and driving position I found immediately comfortable.
The instruments and displays and the customization available for them is much appreciated. Clear, sharp and easily read at a glance – and lots of information available.
Aside from significantly over-inflated tires [ + 15 lbs in each, a common occurrence, adjusted quickly ] the car was prepared well for delivery. So far, it looks and drives flawlessly.
Enough, for now.
- Ray
I am a very happy Dodge driver!
The MSRP [ well ‘loaded’ – a few details below ] was $41,680 w/dest.
The transaction price was almost exactly $3,000 below invoice.
And NO ‘doc fee’.
Fair wholesale \ trade-in value for the GTI.
Done & done.
- Ray
Base price R/T = $32,995.
[ ‘Base' is pretty well equipped = 5.7L V8 & ZF 8-speed automatic trans.,
heated front seats, with 8 way power & 4 way lumbar, paddle shifters,
remote start, LED Fogs & DRLs, Bluetooth, Sat Radio, etc. ]
Options on this unit -
Premium paint [ ‘RedLine Red’ Tri-Coat Pearl - looks gorgeous, to me! ]
Sunroof.
‘Premium Group’ \ Package – includes:
Nappa Leather Sport Seats
Bi-Function HID Projector Headlamps
20" x 8.0" Polished Alum Wheels w/Black Pockets
Uconnect® 8.4-Inch Touchscreen AM/FM/
SXM/BT/NAV 3D GPS Navigation
HD Radio
SiriusXM Traffic(TM) / 5-Year Traffic Service
SiriusXM Travel Link(TM) / 5-Year Subscription
10 Beats(TM) Premium Speakers with
Subwoofer & 552-Watt Amplifier
Ventilated Front Seats
Heated Second-Row Seats
Heated Steering Wheel
ParkView(TM) Rear Back-Up Camera
ParkSense® Rear Park Assist System
Blind Spot and Cross Path Detection
Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop
Full Speed Fwd Collision Warning Plus
Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist
Advanced Brake Assist
Exterior Mirrors with Courtesy Lamps
Automatic High Beam Headlamp Control
Rain Sensitive Windshield Wipers
Power Adjustable Pedals with Memory
Power Tilt / Telescope Steering Column
Auto Adjust-in-Reverse Exterior Mirrors
Driver's Auto-Dimming Exterior Mirror
Memory for Radio, Driver Seat and Mirrors
And a few other doo dads . . .
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
Try not to replace your 3 day park runs with charger excitement.
23 Telluride SX-P X-Line, 23 Camry XSE
- the Vsport.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
As a current driver of a 5-series, I agree with you and RB that these products are becoming more and more compelling over the German makes.
2024 Audi Q8 e-tron - 2017 911 C4S - 2025 BRZ - 2023 A6 Allroad - 2024 Genesis GV60 - 2019 Cayman
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
1) WRX - started out not thinking too much of it. Interior design is just very plain and a bit outdated. Passenger seat (while the salesperson drove the car off the lot) was uncomfortable with very little adjustment ability (4-way manual). Initial driving impressions didn't do much to change things - a little difficult to shift smoothly, and throttle response seemed a bit jerky. Not surprisingly, imperfections in the road are felt and heard throughout the cabin.
But as the test drive progressed, I got more comfortable with the drivetrain and started settling in. About halfway through the drive, I commented to my wife that performance-wise, it felt much like my 335xi. Strong acceleration, very planted to the road. Unfortunately, it doesn't strike the same balance between that performance and comfort, but that's to be expected at this price point. Gotta pay to "have it both ways."
Overall, I find the new model exterior very pleasing, the interior pretty blah, and the performance excellent, albeit at the expense of some comfort on rougher roads..
2) Civic Si - excited to go drive the Honda immediately after the Subaru. Walking up to it, I find I really like the look of the exterior - white suits the model well. Similarly, the interior is fun. Perhaps a little juvenile, with its dual screens, digital speedometer and red accented seats - but definitely fun. Feature-rich, with smart entry, Lanewatch, sunroof, push button start, etc.
So, I was feeling more excited and optimistic about the Honda than I had with the 'Ru, and looked forward to that linear feel of the normally aspirated 4 cylinder and sweet six-speed shifter. But...
The shifter was indeed excellent. The engine? Not quite as great as I expected, or remembered. Acceleration was pretty good, but the overall feel wasn't all that exhilerating, and a bit raucous. It was more comfortable over rough patches in the road, which is a plus over the WRX. Overall, the fact the Subaru was quicker was certainly no surprise, but more importantly, it felt more...substantial.
So....good experience today to drive them back to back. Even after the WRX test drive, I was thinking the Civic would remain at the top of my list, but with the immediate comparison, some of the performance shortcomings of the Civic became more apparent. It's still very impressive feature-wise, and is definitely a hoot to drive - not out of the running by any means. But I think the WRX moved its way up.
Quick footnote on value - the Civic Si offers a lot for around $23k. But the salesperson at Subaru was pretty straightforward with the WRX and brought out the sheet with dealer invoice and holdback, and seemed to think a base model could be had for around $25k, maybe $25.5k. If you can live without a sunroof, heated seats and leather, I find that a very compelling car. Particularly as well as they hold their value here in CO.
Okay - thanks for allowing me the long post. Next stops...Mini, Mazda, maybe VW.
2024 Audi Q8 e-tron - 2017 911 C4S - 2025 BRZ - 2023 A6 Allroad - 2024 Genesis GV60 - 2019 Cayman
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
At this time of year, cars get awful dirty with the snow melting and back-spray being blown onto your car from those in front of you. Front, rear, sides, it doesn't matter. Filth is the name of the game in the winter.
Anyway, I pulled up to a house last night to deliver some food. In the garage is a Hyundai Sonata Sport - don't know the year, but relatively new.
Filthy, but with words written on the trunk. Not "wash me" as you'd expect, but "Lexus LS 600 HL" and an approximation of the stylized "L" for the Lexus logo.
Yeah, I know there isn't a Lexus LS 600 HL, but still ....
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
Then, I took the MINI to the local car wash to remove the aggregated filth I referenced above. Took a lot of quarters and some patience, but it certainly looks better. Was playing around with the paddle shifters on the drive, too.
The problem is, we're still waiting for a replacement bonnet to come in so the hail damage from September can finally get repaired. We're hoping by the end of January.
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
Funny, I do not see that exact phrase
in the Break-In section on the manual .....?
OTOH: 'While cruising, brief full-throttle acceleration within the
limits of local traffic laws contributes to a good break-in.'
Sounds fun!
- Ray
Will report here when I do that.
Gorgeous car & color! Enjoy!
@breld
Thanks for sharing your WRX & Si thoughts. Sounds like you weren't thrilled with either one, so keep us posted!
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD