Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

lilengineerboy

OK, you all have me convinced that the Civic dash works better than it looks. As one who is desperately trying to avoid bifocals (I'm only 42!), it sounds as if the speedo position may work to my advantage.

Bingo my friend, that is exactly what its for. It appears far enough away that correction for near sightedness won't interfere with reading it. Just wait until we get some HUDs going. Then we will be in real business.

nyccarguy

There are some great "entry-level" euro-wagons out right now.

The X-Type wagon is really sharp looking, it might not be as pricey as you think...remember they are owner by FORD so maybe some crazy $4000 rebate will kick in at the end of the year :confuse: I'd definitely have to drive one again before taking the plunge. My Uncle had an X-Type 2.5 sedan with an automatic (the first year they came out). I thought I was going to get car sick between the body roll, lazy slushbox, and an AWD system that couldn't make up it's mind.

Audi's A4 Avant 2.0T is definitely a player with the S line package. Audi usually has some decent factory backed lease rates to ease the pain of a mid to upper $30K sticker.

I love BMW's E90 328i Sport Wagon. You can now get a RWD BMW wagon with a proper sports package. No if they'd only put the 255hp 3.0L or 300hp Bi-Turbo in it...yummy.

guss

as I liked my Mazda6 Wagon, I would not buy one new due to the resale value. I drove by the Ford dealer that I traded it in at 8 months ago in at. It is still sitting there with an asking price of $3,500 more than they gave me. Heck, they are asking more for it that I paid for it used 2 years and 15k miles ago.

I think Audi makes the nicest wagons around, but their price and reliability scare me off.

If I was going new , I think my number one choice would be a Subaru Outback. At their base price of about $22k you get AWD and Subie resale value. Plus you get the a roof rack, something alot of wagons(Mazda6, Magnum)are missing.

graphicguy

ny....if BMW put that turbo engine in a 3 series AWD wagon, I'd have to seriously consider it over my current 330i.

Nahhhh....I've got to clear out some cars, not add to them.

kyfdx...I know you're putting dedicated snow tires on your BMW 'vert. I was thinking of relegating me 330i to "dry pavement only" duty this winter. How do those snows affect handling/ride on your 'vert?

kyfdx

If you put V-rated snows on, and you currently have all-seasons, then you can hardly tell the difference..

If you've got the sport package (can't remember if you do), then it is a big change... but, not so much in the way the car handles.. just a lowering of the limits...

It isn't like the car turns into a big pig.. It is still very enjoyable to drive..

Of course, you have the runflat situation to deal with.. I'd just go with regular snow tires and take my chances..

regards,
kyfdx

Edit: Funny you brought this up...dropping off the snows today, and having them put on Tuesday..

boomchek

I finally picked my C240 yesterday, and left my Civic behind.

I love almost everything about the Benz, including the dual zone climate control (no more arguing with my finace about it being too hot or cold), all the gadgets like the cooled/heated armrest storage, ESP, dimming/heated mirrors etc, programmable lights/locks, auto up/down on ALL windows.

One gripe about it is the side view mirrors are tiny, the wiper stalk feels a bit cheap, and the rear legroom is about same if not less than on my Civic 2 door. But that's ok since I won't be carrying people that much in the back anyways.

Too bad the weather is so crappy makes me now want to go for any long drives.

akangl

including the dual zone climate control (no more arguing with my finace about it being too hot or cold),

Congrats on the new car! My Ram has that dual zone thing, I never used it until this week, its kind of cool. I was freezing and hubby was too warm, so I put his side on cool and mine on hot, seemed to work pretty good. Might use it more often now, well, except for I'm usually the only one in the truck.

Kirstie_H

A writer for a national magazine is writing a story on the dealership experience and would like to talk to consumers who have bought a new car within the last few months. he writes "I want to hear your experiences with the sales staff, good, bad or ugly. You must be willing to be interviewed by phone and quoted by name." If you have bought a new vehicle recently and want to chat about your experience, including how you shopped it, what the negotiating process was like and whether you think you got a fair deal, please email your story to carguy147@hotmail.com and/or jfallon@edmunds.com no later than Wednesday, November 15, 2006.

corvette

I'll chime in here...

Late last winter, I swapped out the staggered 17" sport package tires on my E90 325i for non-staggered 17" snow tires. I never pushed the snow tires that hard, but the lack of staggering reduced the understeer induced by the staggered setup. The car rode a little softer on the snows, but handling was still great.

I drove on the summer tires on some very cold mornings with no problems. Low temperatures reduce the available traction of summer tires, but it wasn't a huge problem in normal driving on dry pavement. I wouldn't recommend driving on the summer tires in winter unless you're absolutely sure there's no snow or ice anywhere on the roads you'll be driving on.

If you have the all-seasons, they should be fine for light, infrequent snow, as long as they're not worn.

woodyww

A few years ago, I test-drove a new E-46 3 series wagon, stick, sports package. It was like driving a go-cart--one of the most fun cars I've ever driven.

About 3 years ago I drove a new A4 Avant 4 cyl. Turbo, w/stick, & sports package. Very cool car. My biggest problem was trying to hold the speed down to not get a ticket. If I lived near an Audi dealer for potential repairs, & got a great lease rate, I could see doing it.

A current Jag--I'd only lease, but even then I probably wouldn't. It's a Fancy Ford at this point, basically. You see them all over, & every one who knows cars knows they're not much like "real Jags" from the past. Kind of like Saabs since GM took over.....

rockylee

Five-year no- or low-interest loans will be offered on some 2006 models to free up room for 2007s.

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061103/AUTO01/611030339/- 1148

Rocky

corvette

You see [Jags] all over...

Not around here!

anonymousposts

I just saw a S-Type stick at work. That might be a fun car to drive for a week or so. I am driving a Pilot right now. Nice truck-like wagon. The NAV screen in the TSX has us spoiled because the one in the Pilot seems tiny in comparison. That's probably my only gripe .. that and no sunroof. Other than that I have enjoyed having it for a few days.

corvette

Not sure what year that Pilot is, but the newer ones have a sunroof--I suppose you already knew that, though!

anonymousposts

I can't wait until we get some new Odysseys's to drive.

corvette

Haven't heard a bad thing about the new Odyssey, other than the runflats on the Touring model.

I'm impressed with the styling on the new Ford Fairlane. Has Ford done the impossible and made a sexy minivan? It may lose its luster once they're commonplace, though.

grandtotal

The S type is a "fancy Ford" too.

qbrozen

and?

there are very few luxury marques out there that you can't make a similar statement about.

However, I will say that there is no "Ford" badged product that has the same platform as the S-type, to the best of my knowledge. The S-type and Lincoln LS shared platforms and it was deemed too expensive to continue producing for the LS, so I'm pretty darned sure its WAY too expensive to be under anything with a Ford badge.

grandtotal

And... I was replying to British-rover's assertion that only the X-type is a "fancy Ford".

You added a paragraph to your post while I was posting. But nevertheless the Ford Thunderbird was closely related. The fact that the LS and the Thunderbird are no longer produced is not relevant. The S type did share a platform with them.

qbrozen

ok ... so, in reply, i'm pointing out what i've heard about the s-type. it just doesn't fall in the same category, as far as I know. I believe the x-type was based on the Contour.

qbrozen

actually, i just looked it up on wikipedia. I was correct. The LS and S-type are on the same platform. And the contour and X-type are on the same (as well as the Mondeo).

And, you're right. I forgot about the T-bird. Also claimed to be on the of the reasons it was so expensive, which is what led to its demise. So I stand corrected, it WAS on something with a Ford badge. Wikipedia claims it was heavily modified for the S-type, but I'm not so sure. I thought I read that the LS was very similar. I could be wrong about that.

guss

Whenever I see a x-type I see a ford Taurus. I know it is on a different platform , but the same guy's that did the exterior on the Taurus must have had a hand in the x-type.

andre1969

Whenever I see a x-type I see a ford Taurus.

LOL, you're giving it more credit than I do. Whenever I see an X-type, I immediately see a 1996 Contour! To be fair though, in the late 1990's, it seems like Ford tried to apply Jaguar-esque styling to more of its cars, with a more tapered front and rear end, slightly Jag-ish taillights, oval grilles, etc.

Even in something like a 1998 Crown Vic, I can see a slight resemblance to the Jag taillights. Not an outright copy, but a larger version of the same basic shape.

corvette

I see similarities between the final-generation Taurus and the 1999-2006 Volvo S80 (although the S80 was conceived and designed before Ford bought Volvo). The greenhouse, shaping at the beltline, and taillamps seem to have a similar shape.

woodyww

I'm not even that knowledgeable about which "platforms" current Jaguars share with Fords. More just my own perception-- I "Think Ford", when I see a current Jaguar. And that the people buying them are trying to buy into the Jaguar image, but don't know that they're not really "real Jaguars" anymore. And according to CR, the reliability ratings are still pretty bad.

I don't think that way about Volvos tho. Maybe because Ford has left them alone, or because they've had less time to influence designs & share platforms, etc. (?)

qbrozen

what about the XKR? Does that still make you think "ford"?

I only have that perception about the x-type, personally. I think the s-type, XJ, and XK still retain alot of classic jaguar styling.

Kirstie_H

A reporter is looking to interview people who are considering using a home equity loan to make a vehicle purchase.
Please provide your daytime contact info to jfallon@edmunds.com no later than Friday, November 10, 2006.

boomchek

I agree with you on the X Type. It could have pretty much any manufacturers badge on it because of the generic styling, except for the grille on the front.

The 3.0L V6 in it is basically a Taurus V6.

But I'd love to have a used S Type cause you can pick them up for cheap nowadays. The XK is IMO one of the most beautiful Jags ever.

qbrozen

Are you talking about the new XK? If so, I agree.

Funny thing ... I've always been a bit gah-gah over Astons and felt the new XK reminded me of them, which is why I like it better than a few of the previous renditions. It was a bit later that I read the designer of the new XK came from Aston. Go figure.

woodyww

Oh, right, the XKR, good point. I guess once I'm into that price range (not that I actually will be!), I'm thinking: bmw, porsche, mercedes, maybe corvette. But I guess that's my personal bias.

I should probably revise my comments to say that the X-type seems Ford-like. The S-type, I just don't like the looks--it seems over-styled, like a bmw Z3. So then I remember the Ford connection.

Maybe my attitude towards current Jags is because I'm old enough to have read about the E-type when it was current. There was never any doubt about what a Jaguar was then, pro or con.

Same thing with Saabs--I was a huge Saab fan, pre-GM.....owned a 9000 Turbo. Drove a 9-5 a few years ago, & it seemed only slightly better than the typical GM rental car.....

andre1969

you guys do realize that Ford builds that one off a modified Crown Vic/Grand Marquis platform, right? After all, what better platform to build a Jaguar off of than one named the Panther! :P

(okay, that was a joke, don't take this post seriously)

graphicguy

kyfdx....thanks for the snow update.

Good to hear about the snows not having a dramatic affect on handling.

You're right....the runflats become an issue. But, the way I look at it, they're an issue whether they're on the car, or not. If I'm lucky enough to get a flat where I'm within 50 miles of a dealership, I'm OK. If not, it's being flat-bedded anyway.

Personal opinion....bad move by BMW with the runflats...even though I like the Contis that came on my car better than the test drives I did with the Bridgestones.

Let's see what the Conti all seasons do. If they prove to be unsuitable for me, I think I can get some "regular" Pirelli M&S (P-Zero) tires to fit the bill....maybe some MIchelin dedicated sports snows.

boomchek

I like both the new XK and the previous gen XK. I think they're both beautiful cars.

rayainsw

Picked up my car last night.
Just a few quick pics I shot after I picked it up yesterday - here:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v298/rayainsw/C6%20A6%2007%20MINE/

Impressions later - as I have less than 100 ( break-in ) miles on it.

But: No disappointments yet!

- Ray
Happy, happy camper....

lilengineerboy

That looks like a beautiful grand touring car. Many miles of motoring pleasure await.

corvette

Very nice! I love the color.

boomchek

Good job, your CCBA membership is in good stnading.

kyfdx

..I tell you... they build the coolest cars.. I was drooling.. but, with a serious case of sticker shock!

Touareg V10 TDI... $70K.. very cool.

4-door GTI, loaded.. in black..with DSG tranny.. $27,600

Passat 3.6 litre AWD.. loaded.. $37K

My son was begging me to buy him one, just so he could get a guitar..

Oh, yeah... a used '04 VW R32.. Unreal seats..

michaellno

For VW's, the MSRP and transaction price are quite different ... over on the "Prices Paid" board, someone had recently commented that they were offered $30K for a fully loaded ($42K MSRP) Passat 3.6 AWD.

Regarding the GTI .. I like the idea of 4 doors and a hatch. Wonder what the dealer would let that puppy go for?

corvette

My son was begging me to buy him one, just so he could get a guitar..

And, for the price of a really expensive guitar, you get a free car out of the deal. Everyone wins!

kyfdx

He actually called his mother from the car lot... and asked her to tell me to buy a car.. :surprise:

The seats in the GTI (leather) were more comfortable than the seats in a sport package BMW.. $27,600 is a lot, but it is basically the same car that Audi sells as the A3 for around $3K-$4K more..

The seats in the R32 look like Recaro racing seats.. radical, but very cool.

british_rover

The Seats in the R32 are Recaro seats and they are the second most comfortable sport seats in any car that I have ever driven.

The most comfortable sports seats in any car I have ever driven was a 2006 F430 so the VW is in very good company.

Did you see an Eos at the VW dealership? Those are about the coolest VW that is out right now. Looks very understated on the outside but the driving dynamics are very good for a heavy FWD HARDTOP Convertiable.

boomchek

There's a bunch of Eoses at the VW dealer across the street from us. The hard top ir really funky the way it folds.

corvette

The A3 is a really sweet drive. I drove the first one that Bluegrass Audi in Louisville received last year--basically a no-options FWD model with a manual. That thing had some moves!

kyfdx

Didn't see an Eos.. but, this is an urban dealership with a small showroom and lot, so one could have been tucked away somewhere..

My son spotted a Phaeton being moved out of a service bay... pretty impressive looking..

A base Jetta TDI.. is around $23,XXX... rated 36/41 EPA mileage... that would be great if you drove 20K+ miles/yr.

nippononly

Someone was trying to sell a Phaeton at the sell-it-yourself lot near me the last few weeks. Every weekend I would watch the price drop: $40K, $38K, $37K...

I missed last weekend so I don't know what happened. It was a 2004 with about 35K miles, in perfect condition as far as I could see. TALK about depreciation...

woodyww

I had Michelin Artic Alpin snow tires on my 5-series. They were very good in snow, & I didn't notice any difference on dry pavement over the OEM Contis. The car is pretty much undriveable in snow with the "all weather" Contis.

Not a good idea IMO to drive a RWD bmw in snow w/o good snow tires. Right now I have Dunlop Winter Sport M3's--but I haven't had them mounted or driven on them yet.

kyfdx

I have the Dunlops also.... and had them on last winter.. They were great... I've used Goodyear Eagle Ultra-Grip GW3 also... no issues..

guss

Ray,that's a beautiful shade of red. I definitely like the shorter overhangs of the C6 over the C5.

I think my eyes are going bad because it looks like you have a P R N D 1 2 on your center console. Maybe it is just the green eye of jealousy coming from a 44 year old just hitting his mid life crisis.

Good luck with the 'vette.I love it.

qbrozen

one of the mags did an article on their Phaeton, I believe it was a long-term wrapup or something. They talked about the steep depreciation and how it would be a GREAT buy used. If I'm not mistaken, it took a larger hit than that car you saw would even indicate.