Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

andre1969

stickguy said:

Having recently had practice clearing out my father's house in record time, I know I can make it happen. Would probably be divorced before the house sells, but you gotta do what you gotta do!

Any tips/insights on cleaning out a house? We're going through a similar thing with my grandmother's house, although the one saving grace is that we're not in a hurry to sell it. My uncle still lives there...a good thing, because if it wasn't for him living there, Grandmom would've probably gone into assisted living years ago and, my guess is, probably would have died sooner.

But, I've got kind of a 5 year plan, where I get a newer, bigger house, that either has an in-law suite, or can be adapted fairly easily to have one. Oh, and a big garage is a must as well...either that, or a place that will allow me to build one! Then, I figure we move into it and sell both places here. It's gonna be hard to pull up like that...Grandmom and Granddad bought their house in 1950, and my Grandmother's uncle built my house, back in 1916. But, the neighborhood is changing. More crowding, more congestion. Higher taxes, more bureaucratic shenanigans, and so on. And, both houses need a lot of work.

Oh, and speaking of long-term planning, on the car front, I just realized that pretty soon I'm going to have to sing or get off the pot. In September it'll be 3 years since I bought my leftover 2012 Ram. I remember thinking, at the time, that I might just trade it in right before the 5 year mark, so I can get into something new and under warranty. But, here it is, 21 1/2 months, and it only has about 19,500 miles on it. And hasn't needed anything other than oil changes, a tire rotation, and one new set of windshield wipers. When I first bought the truck I thought heck, 5 years is a long time...plenty of time to not worry about it. But, it's coming around quicker than I thought it would.

stickguy

advice? well, it is easier if the occupants are no longer occupying. that was not our case.

lots of dumpsters. we called it "packing in the big red box"

it helps to identify anything that is going to a certain family member, and have them take it out first. then anything left just goes (donate, sell on craigs, toss, whatever makes sense).

jpp75

nyccarguy said:

Fezo & Stickguy - congrats on your 4th of July punches! Nothing for me, but I do have a parental punch to report. Mom & Dad unloaded their 2013 X5 today for a 2016 Porsche Cayenne.

Congrats to your parents! What made them go back to the Cayenne? If I remember correctly they had one and got rid of it due to the maintenance costs.

jpp75

@akangel First, great to hear from you and glad you are enjoying the Explorer, they really are great vehicles.

I agree with the others here, pass on the Focus ST. We all want to help family out, but it sounds like this isn't the right choice for a car.

Michaell

stever said:

Getting a storage unit?

No. A local moving company offers a "pack and hold" option. Similar to a pod. 

The timing of all this is going to be tricky. Wife wants to tile the entire house before we move in, plus a couple of small demo jobs to remove the fireplace and replace the railings with wrought iron. Figure 1 to 2 weeks total, since stepson and his friend will provide the labor. 

stever

Our MI friend did that. Her stuff is in Ohio pending closing. Read the fine print - not that big of a deal locally but her outfit tried to bump the fees and she's had to quote the contract to them.

Ah projects.

akangl

So has anyone purchased a Veloster? Test driven one? Thoughts? We really liked it, great first impression. Handles amazing. If I'd settle for red we'd buy the one on the lot but truthfully I'm sick of red. I want something different this time. 

jpp75

akangl said:

So has anyone purchased a Veloster? Test driven one? Thoughts? We really liked it, great first impression. Handles amazing. If I'd settle for red we'd buy the one on the lot but truthfully I'm sick of red. I want something different this time. 

I had a friend who leased one a few years ago, maybe 2012? He liked it for the novelty but didn't love it and eventually traded it for a leased Sonata 2.0T.

28firefighter

A co-worker has a Veloster. He enjoyed it for a few months but now is counting down the days until he can flip it for something more fun and more practical. 

stickguy

Breld bought a Veloster for his daughter. Did not last long, before they dumped it and got a used A3 instead.

IIRC, it might have been a bit rough/noisy, and I think visibility issues?

I'm sure he will wander by eventually and give an opinion.

the other car I liked was the Elantra GT. same basic car underneath I think, but way more practical and comfortable.

corvette

kyfdx said:

stickguy said:

Having recently had practice clearing out my father's house in record time, I know I can make it happen. Would probably be divorced before the house sells, but you gotta do what you gotta do!

Well... if that happens, you can get a lot smaller house. Assuming you have any money left (doubtful).

Back when I still practiced law, I had some clients I thought shouldn't get divorced because they were too perfect for each other. That being said, divorce is usually very embittering and financially devastating for both parties.

andre1969 said:

Any tips/insights on cleaning out a house?

The last one I was involved in, the garbage company gave the runaround about providing a dumpster. We ended up stuffing the normal ~85 gallon bin completely full every week for several months. It helps if the house has a full basement, makes it easier to sort things into piles for keep/donate/trash/sell/shred, etc. This may be obvious to some, but having been involved with several estates, most of the personal property people want to sell does not bring very much money. The overwhelming majority of funds come from selling the real estate.

ab348

I understand the Veloster is built on the Accent chassis but with its own body.

When they were introduced there was an initial rush of demand but that did not last long and recently sales have been so slow here that there was talk of Hyundai discontinuing it. I don't know the accuracy of that and whether it is Canada-only or broader than that.

A coworker bought one within a couple of weeks of introduction and liked it well enough, but I think it was a case of more sizzle than steak.

fezo

I'm the pack rat here. We'd have to spend a year gettingthings straight before even thinking about it.

nyccarguy

akangl said:

So has anyone purchased a Veloster? Test driven one? Thoughts? We really liked it, great first impression. Handles amazing. If I'd settle for red we'd buy the one on the lot but truthfully I'm sick of red. I want something different this time. 

I helped the parking lot attendant move a Veloster once (turbo, stick). Outward visibility is non existent.

akangl

Ok, so I think the Veloster has been pushed off the table. Trying hard to not spend more than $23k. Preferably new, will hold its value, and not a total toaster to drive. Help me out here!

nyccarguy

Civic Si

suydam

What are your wants and needs? Hatchback? Need to seat 4? Fuel economy? Would a new Focus fit the bill, since you seem to like Fords?

stickguy

Civic Sis can be had real cheap right now. But stick only.

Might be better slightly used for depreciation reasons. Especially with a ford!

stever

Really curious to see how this is going to go down:

Program to Provide Edmunds' Vehicle Protection Plan and $200 Gas Card to Every Used Car Buyer (MarketWatch)

Maybe someone here can run out and try it out when it hits their market?

akangl

Needs are room for a car seat, good fuel economy, reliable, hatchback would be probably easiest, but sedan is ok too. Daughter finally learned to drive a manual, but I think automatic is going to be what we go for. Funny how she learned to drive a manual, we got home late last night and she decided it was time to learn. She asked me how to back the Focus up and how to get it going, then she took off for 1/2 hr, came back and was pretty proud of herself.

We'd like the car to have some fun factor, but practical is more important. Oh and sunroof is mandatory!

stickguy

The Elantra GT fits the bill, if you aren't worried about neck snapping acceleration, or taking it on the track.

akangl

I'm thinking about checking out that and the Kia Forte. Corolla S and Mazda 3 are on the list as well. Nah don't care about neck snapping acceleration or going to the track. Kind of got over those thoughts really fast and my practical side came back out.

Michaell

stickguy said:

The Elantra GT fits the bill, if you aren't worried about neck snapping acceleration, or taking it on the track.

The new E-GT has the 172HP engine in it; mine is saddled with only 148HP.

rayainsw

Congrats to Stickguy & Fezo on punches !
- Ray
[ to "punchers" ? ]

rayainsw

Had a long time friend of mine [ also in his 60s ]
drive the Charger this Sunday.
[ He had a 1969 with a 440. ]
One comment - "It sounds a lot like mine did!".
- Ray
Charger is an excellent long distance cruiser - to Apalachicola, FL & back
over the weekend...

suydam

I was quite pleasantly surprised by the new Corolla. It has tons of room in the back seat for passengers and a car seat and the interior is way nicer than it used to be. It drove very nicely, gets great fuel economy, and best of all, you can get a fully loaded one for way under your $23k limit. I would definitely put it on your list. I liked it much better than the Civic (regular Civic! Not Si).

slorenzen

rayainsw said:

Had a long time friend of mine [ also in his 60s ]
drive the Charger this Sunday.
[ He had a 1969 with a 440. ]
One comment - "It sounds a lot like mine did!".
- Ray
Charger is an excellent long distance cruiser - to Apalachicola, FL & back
over the weekend...

How many miles on yours now?

Any issues or weak spots?

Is yours the 5.7 liter(or litre)

rayainsw

How many miles on yours now?
Passed 8,000 miles on this weekend’s trip.

Any issues or weak spots?
A few very minor issues, for me - but no surprises.
For example: The front doors open very wide [ nice ]
but the intermediate ‘stops’ are not conveniently
spaced, for me.
Do not open far enough for easy entry, or ‘all the way’,
and even with my long arms I have to stretch.

Is yours the 5.7 liter(or litre)
Yes, ‘only’ 5.7L = [ almost ] enough TQ for me !

Sandman6472

Lumbar handle came off, found it on the floor after getting the Golf washed...the attendants all played dumb of course! Stopped by my VW store and went in to see the service manager and she actually told me what it was. She set up for me to come in tomorrow afternoon to have it re-installed. She first said to come at 11:30 but since it's right before lunch time, told her let them eat first so they don't rush the job. Found the best time to have anything done is first thing or right after lunch.
We joked about how I seem to be having little issues but I got my point across...enough of this crap already! Have found using a bit of humor gets the point across in a nicer way with no hurt feelings...she definitely gets it now that I'm at that point already!! Reliability wise, the Audi has been flawless with no drama whatsoever...a good call! Starting to understand why an automotive friend of mine said to lease it and not purchase...didn't listen and maybe, just maybe I should have. Still really love the vehicle and love the great handling but might just be time to go back to Japanese or Korean in a few years. Thinking when they do the refresh on the HR-V, 2019 or so, might just be the time to jump. I miss the reliability and cheap to keep factor!

The Sandman

stickguy

Forte is nice package and good value. Mazda 3 is the sportiest of the bunch, but stay with the I to keep costs down.

xwesx

sandman_6472 said:

I have a thing for wheels

You don't say! LOL

xwesx

akangl said:

Well. Hubby decided to be the "voice of reason" and said he's going to cut the kid a check for $2500 (what we would have spent to ship the car). He did say he will still buy me a sporty car, so we are going to take another look at the Veloster this next weekend when he comes home. Would have to order the car though since there's none in the state with options/color we want. 

Ah, and just as I was going to offer to drive it up for you. LOL There goes my latest plan for trip #16 up the highway!

xwesx

Well, I had far less automotive drama/excitement in my July 4 weekend.

It was *supposed* to be my annual automotive maintenance weekend, but my wife nixed that and put me to work on a project instead. I did get Sunday to work on them, so I knocked some of the bigger maintenance projects off the list. Sadly, I didn't get any of the oil changes accomplished!

So, my truck ('69 C20) has new shocks (Rancho RS9000) and drives dreamily compared to the old worn-out cheapos I put on there in 1999. I mean, it is still pretty high-strung (sprung?), but in a soft (rather than jarring) way. My '08 Forester now has new rear struts as well, along with a new rear wiper motor and blade. My son also helped me fix the washer tubing, whose line was severed where it passes from the body to the door. I suspect this was due to the roll-over, but who knows? We added a splice from one of his hydronics kits, realigned the placement of that splice, and it is now good as new.

Oil changes, air filter cleanings, and work on the '69 E100 and '76 F250 remain pending!

nyccarguy

jpp5862 said:

nyccarguy said:

Fezo & Stickguy - congrats on your 4th of July punches! Nothing for me, but I do have a parental punch to report. Mom & Dad unloaded their 2013 X5 today for a 2016 Porsche Cayenne.

Congrats to your parents! What made them go back to the Cayenne? If I remember correctly they had one and got rid of it due to the maintenance costs.

Good memory. They think the X5 is just OK, nothing special, they don't LOVE it. There is something wrong with the keyless go. My Mom has opened the passenger side door, put her hand bag (with the keys in it) on the floor, closed the passenger door, & the car locked itself. They both really LOVE the way the Cayenne drives. They feel the interior quality, fit & finish on the Cayenne is flawless. They are more aware of the service costs now and will plan accordingly. I tried to convince them to get a diesel because of the superior mileage (my Mom does 25K plus per year) and the fact that there are NO SPARK PLUGS to replace as there are in the DI V6 engine at 50K, but that idea was shot down.

kyfdx

Hey... my car is part of the Takata airbag recall, and supplies are in. Getting mine replaced on Saturday (passenger airbag).

jpp75

nyccarguy said:

jpp5862 said:

nyccarguy said:

Fezo & Stickguy - congrats on your 4th of July punches! Nothing for me, but I do have a parental punch to report. Mom & Dad unloaded their 2013 X5 today for a 2016 Porsche Cayenne.

Congrats to your parents! What made them go back to the Cayenne? If I remember correctly they had one and got rid of it due to the maintenance costs.

Good memory. They think the X5 is just OK, nothing special, they don't LOVE it. There is something wrong with the keyless go. My Mom has opened the passenger side door, put her hand bag (with the keys in it) on the floor, closed the passenger door, & the car locked itself. They both really LOVE the way the Cayenne drives. They feel the interior quality, fit & finish on the Cayenne is flawless. They are more aware of the service costs now and will plan accordingly. I tried to convince them to get a diesel because of the superior mileage (my Mom does 25K plus per year) and the fact that there are NO SPARK PLUGS to replace as there are in the DI V6 engine at 50K, but that idea was shot down.

I had the same thing happen with my Grand Cherokee, put my computer bag in the back seat with the keys in it at the airport, closed the door and it locked. The dealer swore that wasn't possible, fortunately a friend took me home to get the other set. I loved driving the Jeep but it was plagued with problems from the beginning.

As long as they are prepared for the maintenance costs they'll be much happier. That's why I leased the S60, I don't trust it outside the warranty.

suydam

My Honda Accord will not let you do that. We threw a bag in the trunk, not realizing my car keys were in it. It let out a loud alarm and would not let us close the trunk! We had to get the manual out to figure out what the problem was! Actually a pretty good feature.

jpp75

suydam said:

My Honda Accord will not let you do that. We threw a bag in the trunk, not realizing my car keys were in it. It let out a loud alarm and would not let us close the trunk! We had to get the manual out to figure out what the problem was! Actually a pretty good feature.

It's a great feature, you would think Jeep, BMW, etc. would have thought of this.

corvette

My keyless access VW wouldn't let you lock the keys in the trunk or inside the car, neither would my Altima. The Yukon doesn't have that but I can always call Onstar to unlock it.

andre1969

corvette said:

My keyless access VW wouldn't let you lock the keys in the trunk or inside the car, neither would my Altima. The Yukon doesn't have that but I can always call Onstar to unlock it.

I know it's not the same thing, but my '57 Desoto's trunk is designed so that you can close it without it locking. Dunno if that was common back in those days, or a Chrysler-only thing?

stever

nyccarguy said:

I tried to convince them to get a diesel because of the superior mileage (my Mom does 25K plus per year) and the fact that there are NO SPARK PLUGS to replace as there are in the DI V6 engine at 50K, but that idea was shot down.

Any particular reason(s)?

I spent $65 last month getting my keys out of the van when I managed to throw them in the back hatch for "safe keeping" and then shut the hatch. Just ordinary keys and fob though. Finally got the hide-a-key routine going after that.

stickguy

my Sonata yells at me about the keys too. Though it yells at me about all kinds of stuff (steering wheel not straight in a parking spot, left the roof open, etc.).

I don't leave the keys in it (they never come out of my pocket) but my wife sometimes leaves her pocketbook, with the other set, in the car. That deactivates the keyless touch feature. But, I can still lock it using my fob. I guess they figure if you go that far, you are doing it on purpose!

fezo

andre1969 said:

corvette said:

My keyless access VW wouldn't let you lock the keys in the trunk or inside the car, neither would my Altima. The Yukon doesn't have that but I can always call Onstar to unlock it.

I know it's not the same thing, but my '57 Desoto's trunk is designed so that you can close it without it locking. Dunno if that was common back in those days, or a Chrysler-only thing?

Hey, Andre! Long time no see. How IS that DeSoto doing?

iluvmysephia1

akangl - have you guys thought of the Kia Soul for the kid? 24/30 mpg, great looks, fun ta drive. I have a 2011 Kia Soul base 5-speed stick and love it!

nyccarguy

@corvette - you beat me to it. The VW salesman pointed this cool feature out to me before we went on a lengthy test drive with a Passat TDI last year. If the keys are in the trunk, it pops back open.

nyccarguy

@stickguy - it beeps if the wheel isn't straight in a parking space? I would LOVE that! My wife always parks with the wheels turned & it drives me BONKERS!

nyccarguy

@stever - My Dad was hung ho when I brought up the diesel idea to him. My Mom (she's the neurotic sky is falling type) is afraid she's going to have "low fuel" and there won't be a station with diesel anywhere within range. Now mind you, my parents live in a suburb of New York City where there are a decent amount of stations that dispense diesel & my Dad usually goes out and fills up for her when she's at a 1/4 tank. Not logical at all, but you know how the old saying goes: happy wife, happy life.

I was hoping for her to get a diesel just so I could buy it off them in 3 years

rny421

Speaking of stupid designs, right after we got the S60, my girlfriend drove it to the grocery store, and locked the keys with the fob still in the "slot". Our S60 doesn't have keyless access, so you still have to have the fob in the slot on the dash to start it. How a 2009 Focus doesn't let you do that, yet a 2012 Volvo lets you lock the door and shut it with the fob in the ignition baffles me.
Luckily the grocery store is close and I have a spare. Hopefully she only makes that mistake again, but I doubt it

stickguy

nyccarguy said:

@stickguy - it beeps if the wheel isn't straight in a parking space? I would LOVE that! My wife always parks with the wheels turned & it drives me BONKERS!

yup. one of the many reminders it yaps at me. I think it only does it if you are parked, with the wheels turned, and start the car. Not sure now if it waits until you put it in reverse. I will have to try it out.

with a car like this, who needs a wife?

akangl

Ok, still on the list.....
Dodge Dart GT automatic, drove one tonight and really liked it, down sides....a LOT of road noise and the engine seems to poop out when merging on the highway. Other than that really nice little car with tons of room believe it or not.
Wednesday's test drives will include:
Toyota Corolla S
Mazda 3i
Ford Focus SE
Kia Forte
And maybe the Elantra GT

Still like the Mini Cooper in a 4 door/auto, would have to test drive that combo, but it really pushes it out of my "hopeful" price range.
The Veloster keeps coming up in conversation, really do like that little car but am hesitant.