Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

stickguy

Suy, sounds like a nice package. Actually has everything I would need, other than the push button start. But the rest of the key stuff is there.

enjoy.

Mr_Shiftright

Interesting that automatic transmission complaints were quite extensive as well.

brian125 said:

JD powers new 2015 vehicle Dependability list.... Lexus #1 4 yrs. running . 2 Buick. 3. Cadillac. 4 Toyota

Check out the 4 min clip on the 3 biggest complaints concerns with most vehicles.

http://www.jdpower.com/press-releases/2015-vehicle-dependability-study

qbrozen

xwesx said:

I do like the coloring of that Volvo (inside and out), but the overall style of the car just isn't speaking to me.

Q, does your wife have a preference of sedan vs. wagon? I think your S70 is a wagon, isn't it? I'm just curious if she would find the drawbacks of a sedan's space restrictions unsuitable over time.

S70 is a sedan. It would be a V70 if it were a wagon. She drives it all the time, so it must be sufficient. But it does need a rather large trunk to accommodate all of her and the kids' karate equipment, and it needs a ski passthrough for the bo staffs. That's it, though. I have not checked out the S60s trunk to make sure it will suffice. Nor the backseat room. Its only 1.5 inches less rear legroom than the S80, so I can't imagine it being TOO bad, especially since she'd be the main driver (she's only 5'4"). Honestly, I'm almost afraid to get her something like an SUV or wagon only because then I feel it would be taking the place of the van rather than just serving as a commuting/bad weather car.

berri

Volvo is now a Chinese owned company. Do the cars imported here come from Chinese factories or Europe?

corvette

Congrats, suydam! We are only at 3 punches for the year, not counting michaell's upcoming punch. Get cracking, people!

Michaell

berri said:

Volvo is now a Chinese owned company. Do the cars imported here come from Chinese factories or Europe?

At the moment, all Volvos are manufactured in Sweden. I've heard talk about a future Volvo being built in China and exported to the US, but I don't think it's happening anytime soon.

fintail

The S60 LWB is supposed to be made in China, if it actually arrives here, as I don't know if it will have much of market aside from Chinese expats, most of whom seem to have fancier tastes.

suydam

The Vibe was always utilitarian transport. No more, no less. A great dog car I have to say. It did get me from Point A to Point B in pretty much all weather. At least the Encore doesn't sound like an airplane taking off as it accelerates.

stickguy

that is a nice thing about having a crappy car. Anything seems fantastic after that! Problem comes in once you get something really nice. Gets expensive trying to top it.

xwesx

qbrozen said:

S70 is a sedan. It would be a V70 if it were a wagon.

LOL Goes to show what I know about Volvos! One can't be a fan of everything.

Good point about the usurping aspect. Variety is good!

graphicguy

Had a Vibe as a 2nd car a long time ago. Everyone's description and perceptions are correct. It made more noise than power. Was slower than a slug. But, it was as reliable as anything else in the market. It was a rebadged Toyota Matrix, which in turn was based on the Corolla. Not a bad starting point. I don't think I ever had it back at the dealership after I bought it. I had service done at a local place and aside from brakes, wipers, tires I didn't do anything but put gas in it and change the oil.

I hauled mulch in it, actually got my lawn mower in it and was able to close the hatch. I could park it anywhere and not worry about it. IIRC, it got about 23-25 M{PG bustling around town, which at the time, was pretty good.

I took it to Chicago (from Cincinnati) once and hit 30 MPG. That said, I would not do that trip in a Vibe or Matrix ever again. The drivetrain drone wore me out for 5 hours.

ab348

Funny - back a dozen or so years ago when money was tight I was envious of some friends who had bought a new Vibe. Wished I could afford one. Can't imagine driving one now.

suydam

As a second car used for errands and dogs, it was great. It didn't cost much and was very reliable. I mostly drove it around town. I also never worried about it getting the occasional ding. I'm already thinking about how to keep the new car nice doing all those things. But I guess I wanted some (all!) of the creature comforts of my other car. One thing I did not like about the Vibe was its poor rear visibility. The Encore is better in that regard and also has a backup camera.

qbrozen

wish i could say that about my Fit. The stereo still locks up when I try to use bluetooth and now there is a clunk from the left rear when going over bumps. I just don't have time to deal with the service dept. I took it in once for the stereo and they gave me the runaround and proceeded to on 3 follow-up calls and subsequent emails. The last thing that happened is they want me to bring it in and we have to diagnose while its happening and have corporate on the phone. something like that. Again, I don't have time for that. I just ordered an iphone 6+. Maybe that will help. Maybe it will make it worse. We'll see. If it doesn't, I'll probably just live without bluetooth, even though it was one of my key criteria when shopping for this car.

carnaught

suydam said:

As a second car used for errands and dogs, it was great. It didn't cost much and was very reliable. I mostly drove it around town. I also never worried about it getting the occasional ding. I'm already thinking about how to keep the new car nice doing all those things. But I guess I wanted some (all!) of the creature comforts of my other car. One thing I did not like about the Vibe was its poor rear visibility. The Encore is better in that regard and also has a backup camera.

I like this car. Isn't this model made in S. Korea? Due to its style, you may note some blind spots in the rear like many compact SUV's. Enjoy it and please share your ownership experience(s).

suydam

I believe the Encore is made in South Korea. So far visibility in the rear is improved from the Vibe, but I haven't driven it much yet. It does have blind spot and rear cross traffic alert. A few months down the road when I have more experience overall, I'll share. So far I have discovered that the dog cover we had for the Vibe actually fits better in this car, so that's a win.

stever

I shopped a couple of Matrixes (and a Vibe or two) back in Boise. Liked them a lot and liked the shifting in the manual we tested.

In other news, got a short deadline request - please reply to the email if you know of someone. Thanks!

A reporter would like to speak to a new car buyer who is happy with their longer-term loan because of the lower monthly payments. If you were able to get into a new car because a 72- or 84- month loan made the payments easier to swallow, and you would like to share your story, please send your daytime contact info to PR@edmunds.com no later than Friday, February 27, 2015 at noon PT/3 p.m. ET.

henryn

qbrozen said:

wish i could say that about my Fit. The stereo still locks up when I try to use bluetooth and now there is a clunk from the left rear when going over bumps. I just don't have time to deal with the service dept. I took it in once for the stereo and they gave me the runaround and proceeded to on 3 follow-up calls and subsequent emails. The last thing that happened is they want me to bring it in and we have to diagnose while its happening and have corporate on the phone. something like that. Again, I don't have time for that. I just ordered an iphone 6+. Maybe that will help. Maybe it will make it worse. We'll see. If it doesn't, I'll probably just live without bluetooth, even though it was one of my key criteria when shopping for this car.

Sounds very much like what I went through with the Ford Sync system in my F150. I actually left the thing for 2 weeks, telling them to call me when it was fixed. They never did anything, so I finally gave up and went back and got it. They had a guy who came in on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, between 10 and 12. And I had to be there to show him my problems, a written description would not do.

I remember when Honda cars first came to America, back in the 1970’s. One of the ways they made their reputation was by providing better service than the Detroit 3. Sounds like that has fallen by the wayside.


I was reading just recently (this week) that the number one complaint from new car purchasers was related to Bluetooth and connectivity. I do believe if I were running the service department at a dealership, I would hire some kid who was a real whiz at electronics and pay him a flat salary (forget flat rate).

qbrozen

and yet, what kills me, is that the $400 stereo I bought 3 years ago on ebay and put in our S70 has NO issues whatsoever with connectivity. Has always been completely stable regardless of phone or software. And, meanwhile, manufacturers with bottomless R&D budgets and expensive, integrated, proprietary systems can't get it right.

slorenzen

Someone looking for an Outback XT?

http://eugene.craigslist.org/ctd/4908743807.html

henryn

slorenzen said:

Someone looking for an Outback XT?

http://eugene.craigslist.org/ctd/4908743807.html

$14k for a 9 year old Subaru? I do believe I would just buy a new one.

Michaell

henryn said:

slorenzen said:

Someone looking for an Outback XT?

http://eugene.craigslist.org/ctd/4908743807.html

$14k for a 9 year old Subaru? I do believe I would just buy a new one.

I'll forgive you since you live in Texas and probably aren't aware of how in some parts of the country Subaru has an almost mystical ability to retain resale value.

The Outback XT has become sort of a "cult" offering and good clean examples, like the one cited above, are becoming increasingly hard to find.

stever

I got $3,400 for my '97 last April and if I had been in a "better" market, I bet I could have held out for close to $5k.

Cheapest new one MSRPs for just under $25k - TMV is $24,374.

But yeah, TMV is coming in around $10,500 for the '06.

slorenzen

henryn said:

slorenzen said:

Someone looking for an Outback XT?

http://eugene.craigslist.org/ctd/4908743807.html

$14k for a 9 year old Subaru? I do believe I would just buy a new one.

Yeah, it does seem high, but it's low miles, and like Michaell said, it's a bit of a cult car with the XT turbo engine.

I hear they go like scalded cat!

fezo

Well, after having a couple of would be deals not happen we're getting a 2010 Prius IV with that wacky solar package which I had to have because my wife won't live without it. Gave them an out the door price that they accepted. Have financing lined up that I'm inviting them to meet or beat.

Been two years. I was on the verge of being bounced out.

nyccarguy

Anybody in NJ looking for a fuel efficient, CPO, RWD, http://cpo.bmwusa.com/certified/BMW/2014-BMW-328d+Sedan-3b933d030a0a00640c497d36aa31bb4a.htm?geoZip=06902 with under 10K miles with an asking price of under $30K. Not a lot of options. A long warranty. Black/Black

jpp75

nyccarguy said:

Anybody in NJ looking for a fuel efficient, CPO, RWD, http://cpo.bmwusa.com/certified/BMW/2014-BMW-328d+Sedan-3b933d030a0a00640c497d36aa31bb4a.htm?geoZip=06902 with under 10K miles with an asking price of under $30K. Not a lot of options. A long warranty. Black/Black

I drove a 328d when I was looking for a car, the 335d is the way to go. That's a good deal though.

xwesx

slorenzen said:

Yeah, it does seem high, but it's low miles, and like Michaell said, it's a bit of a cult car with the XT turbo engine.

I hear they go like scalded cat!

Very, very high. Also, a recent collision in the car's past that involved structural damage. So, yeah, I can't see this one over $10K at all.

Thanks for the shout (or "enabling" in other circles) on this one; I cannot imagine considering the auto tranny on an '06, though. Also, I think I've decided that my wife's very strong feelings of opposition to a car swap at this time are sufficient to deter me from any further serious consideration in the near future. If someone wants to buy my Fiesta before the weekend is up, I'll do it. Otherwise, I'm out. LOL

stickguy

I like that BMW. equipped right. I don't care for black over black. I bet the RWD aspect is why they cut the price so much. But, fine by me!

breld

jpp5862 said:

nyccarguy said:

Anybody in NJ looking for a fuel efficient, CPO, RWD, http://cpo.bmwusa.com/certified/BMW/2014-BMW-328d+Sedan-3b933d030a0a00640c497d36aa31bb4a.htm?geoZip=06902 with under 10K miles with an asking price of under $30K. Not a lot of options. A long warranty. Black/Black

I drove a 328d when I was looking for a car, the 335d is the way to go. That's a good deal though.

Here's another used F30 that I find interesting:

manual 335xi

Lacking navigation, but sport package and a manual trannie was hard enough to find in the E90, much less this current model. Doesn't seem to be priced all that bad either. This is a new Carmax-like place that has been popping up here in the Denver-metro area.

stickguy

Breld, I love the colors on that one. much better than black over black. And of course, the correct # of pedals.

nyccarguy

stickguy said:

I like that BMW. equipped right. I don't care for black over black. I bet the RWD aspect is why they cut the price so much. But, fine by me!

No Bi-Xenon headlights though

stickguy

I'm not obsessed with xeonons. Not a deal breaker to me.

xwesx

stickguy said:

Breld, I love the colors on that one. much better than black over black. And of course, the correct # of pedals.

Color combo really works well. I'm not sure if it is the lighting, but the trunk paint looks like it has an orange peel texture to it. What's up with that, I wonder?

Michaell

breld said:

jpp5862 said:

nyccarguy said:

Anybody in NJ looking for a fuel efficient, CPO, RWD, http://cpo.bmwusa.com/certified/BMW/2014-BMW-328d+Sedan-3b933d030a0a00640c497d36aa31bb4a.htm?geoZip=06902 with under 10K miles with an asking price of under $30K. Not a lot of options. A long warranty. Black/Black

I drove a 328d when I was looking for a car, the 335d is the way to go. That's a good deal though.

Here's another used F30 that I find interesting:

manual 335xi

Lacking navigation, but sport package and a manual trannie was hard enough to find in the E90, much less this current model. Doesn't seem to be priced all that bad either. This is a new Carmax-like place that has been popping up here in the Denver-metro area.

Oh, that's the one they just opened up next to Groove Mazda - just a mile from the wife's office.

nyccarguy

stickguy said:

I'm not obsessed with xeonons. Not a deal breaker to me.

Besides the fact that I really like the technology (although I get by fine without it on my Legacy), I think they finish off the look of the F30 3er front end.

Michaell

More progress on the Subaru buying journey. Completed the on-line credit application with the Subaru dealer and have set an appointment for 10:30 tomorrow morning to get the Mazda evaluated at CarMax.

stickguy

good luck. I hope they give you what they want.

should also try that place with the BMW. see if you can get a better offer there.

Michaell

stickguy said:

good luck. I hope they give you what they want.

should also try that place with the BMW. see if you can get a better offer there.

I'll have to see if they have a location close to the CarMax. If so, I may pop by there as well.

jpp75

nyccarguy said:

stickguy said:

I like that BMW. equipped right. I don't care for black over black. I bet the RWD aspect is why they cut the price so much. But, fine by me!

No Bi-Xenon headlights though

For me this is a must have on any future car.

breld

Good luck Michael. I know I was a bit disappointed in the quote on my BMW at that Carmax, but I can't say I was surprised.

May not hurt to try EchoPark as stick suggests - as a new player, maybe they'd be a bit more aggressive than Carmax.

jpp75

@‌breld
Which trim levels of the Mazda3 have you driven? I need to get a daily driver that can also handle road trips and this is high on my list.

Michaell

breld said:

Good luck Michael. I know I was a bit disappointed in the quote on my BMW at that Carmax, but I can't say I was surprised.

May not hurt to try EchoPark as stick suggests - as a new player, maybe they'd be a bit more aggressive than Carmax.

Carmax hit the CX-7 at $19K about 18 months ago; I'll be interested in how much that has dropped.

Echo Park is interesting in that their quotes are good for 14 days instead of the 7 from Carmax. They have a location on County Line I'll probably stop by.

jpp75

@Michaell Curious to see how much the CX-7 has changed, good luck!

breld

jpp5862 said:

@‌breld
Which trim levels of the Mazda3 have you driven? I need to get a daily driver that can also handle road trips and this is high on my list.

I've just tested out the S Grand Touring models (sedan and hatchback) with the manual trannie.

While I'm certainly drawn to the performance of the WRX, the Mazda3 is still right there in competition for its great blend of comfort, features and dynamics. So, for a daily driver and for road trips, as you mention, I think it'd be a great choice. I'm on a stretch of highway for 30 miles each way on most days, and so comfort is definitely a consideration for me. Some reviews of the Mazda speak of higher noise levels on the highway - that's certainly not something I experienced on my test drives.

The 2.5l engine is great - I like the linear feel of the naturally aspirated engine, and it certainly is potent enough for everyday driving. The 2.0l isn't far behind on acceleration numbers, from what I've read.

qbrozen

hmmmm...something must be up with that 328d. They are going for more than that at auction.

slorenzen

If anyone is interested, I just added a set of HID lights to my wife's Accord from these guys:

http://www.ddmtuning.com/

Came with bulbs and ballasts, around $50 with shipping.

Gotta say, they are really nice!

I needed to replace a bulb anyway, and this wasn't much more.

nyccarguy

qbrozen said:

hmmmm...something must be up with that 328d. They are going for more than that at auction.

It did look awfully cheap to me too. Like stick said, it is a RWD BMW (hey, you know my uncle's son's college roomate's father's boss' son's 10th grade math teacher had a BMW...) here in the AWD/4WD crazy north east.

Mr_Shiftright

Price is nuts. You can pick these up all day long in San Francisco Bay area for maybe $10K-$11K and if you don't mind high miles, around $8K.. You can get a nice clean 2008 for less that what they're asking for the 2006. Rare? Not where I live.

henryn said:

slorenzen said:

Someone looking for an Outback XT?

http://eugene.craigslist.org/ctd/4908743807.html

$14k for a 9 year old Subaru? I do believe I would just buy a new one.

qbrozen

nyccarguy said:

qbrozen said:

hmmmm...something must be up with that 328d. They are going for more than that at auction.

It did look awfully cheap to me too. Like stick said, it is a RWD BMW (hey, you know my uncle's son's college roomate's father's boss' son's 10th grade math teacher had a BMW...) here in the AWD/4WD crazy north east.

yeah, but, heck, send it to an auction where there's no snow and it will get $34k. Just silly.