Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
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Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)
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It is funny (odd) to me that NHTSA will require things like backup cameras, but mirror defrosters are still considered a convenience feature.
Oh, that's right, there are people living up in the frozen tundra who need such things. I had completely forgotten about that!
That Scion is more her style to be honest and will get her to try it once we start looking. The wife doesn't do used vehicles, if she can't afford something new, she just waits. Think the kid also would want new and for them, I tend to agree. Used, have done in the past and would do for the right vehicle in the future. I was lucky enough to be able to purchase new the last two times I bought. And seriously, the folks who got both my Civic and Tucson got a good vehicle, especially the Tucson which had just a bit over 16K on the clock. I tend to baby my vehicles inside and out and do most services in the book earlier than normal.
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)
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
I turn off the ignition and get out to put up the hood. There was antifreeze here and there, not a lot of radiator hiss, really, but definitely an overly hot motor. I got back in and tried to start the Lancer GTS back up. No sound of an electrical whining going on...a few clicks, though, very minimal sounds.
Great. Called the tow truck and he hooked us up and brought us in to El Paso. Dropped the car off at a mechanic the tow driver recommended. We walked over to a motel from the shop and checked in. The next day the mechanic told us our timing chain had seized or slipped and we had, as a result, experienced catastrophic engine failure. Not good. Car was paid off for about a month and then this.
We wanted a 2nd opinion so had the Mitsu towed to a Kia/Mitsubishi dealer. The verdict? Same thing. We were without transportation 90 miles south of our Alamogordo, NM, home. OK then...who wants a new Kia or Mitsubishi? What will the dealer offer us for our engine-less trade in? They offered $2,000 for the car. Long story short we traded for the '11 Kia Soul we have now. Bummed that we were going to be looking at payments again we wanted low payments and the 5-speed 2011 base in clear white was that. I loved the test drive - went on to I-10 for a couple of miles and then exited off and came back. I could more than just exist driving this car and they were selling it for $11,995 with 35,875 miles on it. Bingo!
Fast-forward to about August of 2014. Mitsubishi sends us a recall notice on the car we no longer owned. What? We called them up and asked about this prematurely failing serpentine belt problem. Yes, it's happened to our '08 Lancer GTS! "You should've called us right after the dealer told you what happened. We would've been willing ta help you....then. But not now."
Really? Would they have called their car manufacturer and sought to negotiate a truce settlement? Maybe but realistically no. Nothing from Mitsubishi on this. That's not good business management, in my view. I loved my Lancer GTS but that leaves bad feelings boiling up. Ugh.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Yeah, yet another loom. Kinda like an upright piano. Wouldn't fit in the van without taking it apart and it's a mishmash put together from two looms, so it was better to leave it in one piece so we could study on it. It may have to come apart to get it into the house, but it's easier to take pics here if I have to dismantle it..
And yeah, the liftover height on a pickup is a killer. Should've tried for my neighbor's El Camino instead of the F-150 we used. All my friends with raft trailers live too far north.
Shoulda borrowed a chevy...
.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
sandman - it's a longshot with me because Mrs.iluvmysephia1 wrings hands so much, but, you might look in to the 2016 Scion iM for your daughter. I like the new design and how it's sprung for fun driving, and, a 6-speed tranny comes out of the box happy and ready for you. The CVT they offer sounds like above the garden variety CVT, but, come on, an iM with an automatic tranny? Pffft. :@
One price on the manuals and it's $19,290 which includes the destination charge.
2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick
Our neighbors had to convert their garage to another bedroom for a kiddo, so they leave two SUVs and a Bimmer out all the time. They have three of those mechanic's lights in their driveway on timers so when they get home from work, they just park on top of a light, and the lights come on automatically in the evening. Will try to get a pic sometime - seems easier than popping the hood and the led lights wouldn't burn too much juice.
Between the raptors and the rattlesnakes, coyotes and bobcats, the rats aren't too numberous.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
I miss the snow, but like the heat (80°F today) and the view of the mountains from every window. Don't miss the mowing at all.
And cars last forever down here. No more rust!
It's pretty nice up in @Michell's neighborhood too. You get to enjoy the snow, but it doesn't hang around, and it's easy enough to drive to it. Boise was like that.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
compare.com
to compare several insurance companies online. Give your information once and many companies will
be compared. Sort of like select quotes started out years ago for life insurance.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Of course, it ended around 11:20 my time
Two evenly matched teams. Should be a great series.
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Good thing my car is leased. Otherwise I too would have been looking for the killer GTI deal.
Why couldn't VW wait 2 years to get caught? Would have timed out much better to me.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
The GTI Performance Package looks sweet. 220 hp & 259lb/ft of torque:) How low will they go?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
http://bringatrailer.com/listing/1991-bmw-850i-4/
Gee, do you think repairs and maintenance would be expensive?
I want a 4 door GTI DSG S with Lighthing in Pure White...
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Let's do the math ...
378 miles per week (63x6)
48 weeks per year = 18,144 (I'll assume 4 weeks vacation each year)
3 years = 54,432
9432 extra miles @ .20/mi = $1886
That works out to just over $12/week (call it $50/mo) for a 3 year lease.
See! We can get you into the car of your dreams.
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
Opinion is divided on the economics of owning an E31. At the time, the press harped about the car’s complexity, including the proliferation of computers and electric motors. Now, I’d wager that your basic suckling Toyota Celica is a more electrically complex car. The E31 8 Series and the E32 7 Series shared the new twelve-cylinder M70 engine. The engine itself is reported to be quite reliable, but because it was basically designed as two M20 engines forced into a V, it has two of everything—two ECUs, two throttle bodies, two air flow meters, two fuel pumps—and if something isn’t right, it’ll throw the car into limp-home mode, where it runs on half the cylinders.
In addition to electrical complexity, the car was mechanically complex, with stability control and a multilink rear end. Some folks who own them tell me that, by a country mile, they’re the most expensive BMW to keep running, much less keep well-sorted—but others tell me that it’s not that bad if you hack and scrounge.
Obviously not a car for the person who wets his/her pants at the thought of changing their own oil or swapping pads and rotors.
And yes, I've been tempted to bid on it ever since the BAT auction went live...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
378 miles per week (63x6)
48 weeks per year = 18,144 (I'll assume 4 weeks vacation each year)
3 years = 54,432
9432 extra miles @ .20/mi = $1886
That works out to just over $12/week (call it $50/mo) for a 3 year lease.
See! We can get you into the car of your dreams.
_________________________
Well, and correct me if I'm wrong, but if you know you're gonna drive more miles, getting the extra miles upfront is usually cheaper by quite a bit than $0.20/mile. I did that math when we leased the Kia, and the lower residual for 15k mile/year was cheaper than paying $0.20/mile for the extra 3k miles per year.
But then again, I wasn't sure if we'd necessarily use all those extra miles, though we are indeed on track to do so.
2024 Audi Q8 e-tron - 2017 911 C4S - 2025 BRZ - 2023 A6 Allroad - 2024 Genesis GV60 - 2019 Cayman
We also had the Autobahn version, mostly 'cause the wife really wanted navigation. The models being talked about here, particularly the S model with the cool plaid seats, combined with healthy discounts and incentives, is a screaming deal.
Not that I'm enabling or anything.
2024 Audi Q8 e-tron - 2017 911 C4S - 2025 BRZ - 2023 A6 Allroad - 2024 Genesis GV60 - 2019 Cayman
Since this dealership is affiliated with VW and Mazda, I've sort of had a nostalgic tour of cars past with the loaners - last week I had a Passat 1.8T and today I have a Mazda6.
Last week I was reminded at what a spacious car the Passat is - if backseat room is important to you, the Passat has it to spare! And I do still like that 1.8T engine.
And today, they actually were trying to get an Audi for me, but I thought it'd be more interesting to have the Mazda6, reminiscent of my recent Mazda3 experience. After driving the 6 back to work, I'd say I'd still go for the Mazda3 for its more compact size and availability with the hatchback, but the Mazda6 is definitely smoother and quieter over rough roads.
2024 Audi Q8 e-tron - 2017 911 C4S - 2025 BRZ - 2023 A6 Allroad - 2024 Genesis GV60 - 2019 Cayman
As are the following:
VW Jetta / Golf
Toyota Corolla / Camry
Hyundai Elantra / Sonata
Ford Fiesta ST (yep, it's an outlier)
Honda Civic (EX-T)
Subaru Impreza
I'm sure I'll get lots of additional suggestions from you fine folks .. at the moment, my primary goal is value. I'm paying $232/mo for the E-GT and I'd like the next lease to be in that same ballpark for 36 months and 15,000 miles per year.
@breld has graciously agreed to accompany me while I do some of these test drives. Clear your calendar next September / October.
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2015 Subaru Outback 3.6R / 2024 Kia Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
(via Automotive News)
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6