I think I remember Akangel also really liking the Pilot(?). That makes 3 people on the board recommending it--I should check it out. I assume it has good Honda reliability & resale value, etc?
Yup, liked the Pilot a lot, downside was driver's side leg room. Was fine for me (5'7") but hubby was too cramped (6'). He couldn't have driven it any distance without being in pain. However the MDX did not have this same issue. They both have pros and cons, there were things I liked about the Pilot and things I liked about the MDX. I would have chosen the MDX over the Pilot due to legroom, other than that it would have been the Pilot hands down.
I still sometimes wish I had bought the MDX, but I like my 1-ton truck and am pretty much committed to having a 1-ton with the horse trailer I have now. I do miss having an SUV though.
The Pilot is about a foot longer than the Rav4, but offers a usable third row. I never got around to driving the Rav4. BMWs tend to ride quite low to the ground, especially if you have the sport suspension, and the painted bumper on mine is something like 4" off the ground. The Audi (also with sport suspension) rides a lot softer, and the ground clearance is noticeably higher, plus the lowest part on the front end is black plastic instead of painted, so it won't look terrible even if it scrapes something.
Thanks for the heads-up... I don't really have room for a pro audio system in my room (shared house with two other roommates), but once I get my own place, I'll look into it. I have a set of Cambridge Soundworks powered speakers now, which have gotten good reviews, but they've always had a problem where you can (faintly) hear radio transmissions when you're not playing anything through them, especially at night... I'll probably just live with it for now.
If you are running an Airport Express for wifi for your iMac, you can connect the airport direct to a receiver's aux-in (RCA input)and listen to your music (itunes) through your main home system. It's not the perfect source, but I have been pleasantly surprised by this set-up. I'll take my Mission bookshelf speakers over a computer speaker anyday.
The Mazda CX-7 might be a possibility . I have not sat in one yet, so I can't tell you if the actual room inside is much more than your 5 series. But, I have been seeing alot of them around and they look real sharp. The Edge just came out also. I am sure you could get new for under $30k.
The Tacoma Crew Cab is nice, but I understand what you are saying about daily use. Where do you put the groceries when it rains and you have passengers.
A loaded up Outback with the turbo or flat 6 is a pretty nice, quick car. The AWD on a Subie is one of the best. The look is a little "different" but that kinda appeals to me. We don't see to many Subies here in the south so I'm attracted to the idea of not seeing myself at every stoplight.
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited Velvet Red over Wicker Beige
2024 Audi Q5 Premium Plus Daytona Gray over Beige
2017 BMW X1 Jet Black over Mocha
Thanks for the tip--I'm using a generic, cheap-o router and, actually, haven't ordered the iMac yet, but plan to in the next week or so. Hey, at least someone is buying something, right?
We don't see to many Subies here in the south so I'm attracted to the idea of not seeing myself at every stoplight.
Being in Seattle, this statement seems inconceivable. Next, you're going to tell me there are parts of the USA where it doesn't rain all the time... :P
As some of you may remember, I am planning on buying a motorhome. I have driven a few and have decided on a Monaco Dynasty (42ft, 4 slides, 425hp Cummins, 3 camera system, aqua hot water system, leather seating, dishwasher, stackable washer/dryer, king bed, exterior entertainment package, tandem axle, 3 roof air, solar charging, electric residential fridge, auto sunvisors and auto privacy curtain and full tile living/kitchen, etc, etc...
Going to order tomorrow or Wednesday... will be a 2008 model leaving the factory in Oregon on March 2nd.
Can't wait.... List is $435K... so my CCBA member card should get two punches. :P
I'll post pics when I can.
mark156 PS. Very excited about this purchase.
2010 Land Rover LR4, 2013 Honda CR-V, 2009 Bentley GTC, 1990 MB 500SL, 2001 MB S500, 2007 Lincoln TC, 1964 RR Silver Cloud III, 1995 MB E320 Cab., 2015 Prevost Liberty Coach
Congrats!! You will enjoy it I'm sure. Now you just have to plan a trip to Alaska!
We just got registration renewal on our TT, surprised the heck out of me, didn't realize we'd had it that long, lol. Will be 2 years on March 11th. I haven't seen it since September but I guess we still own it, lol.
My ignorance on RV's is showing here, but will you be able to do laundry while you are driving ? If that's the case I could see getting one for my daily commute just to get the laundry done.
Since this is the car buying forum, I need some advise on getting a second car as a toy. I kinda stumbled across a Toyota Spyder with very low miles for sale relatively cheap. I am just weighing the pros and con of a third car with 2 drivers in the family.
The main drawback is having to give up my garage space now that it's 20 degrees out now. The way our driveway is setup there would not be any other place to park it. In the garage it would be subjected to kids bikes and toys possibly scratching it though.
I know alot of you have second cars, so I guess my question is it worth it ? Not so much in terms of money, but more the inconvenience.
The biggest problem isn't the kids' bikes... It is scraping your windows and getting into a cold car in the morning... Your toy car will be just fine.. you will be freezing your butt off!
Really.... this is the main thing that keeps us from having a third car.. Plus, if you drive the toy a lot, you'll contantly shuttle cars back and forth to get your toy out... and, whatever you do, don't forget and block your wife's car in..
what's an "exterior entertainment package" on an RV? That thing sounds fantastic, BTW.
guss: the inconvenience of a second car? What inconvenience? :-) I am thinking of going back to three, which means the hassle of finding street parking for the third (condo complex, I only get two parking spots). Too bad they don't offer the option of purchasing a third parking spot. Maybe I'll talk to my neighbors with only one car....
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Funny you mention the cold butt. This weekend I was doing some wood working projects on my side of the garage and had to leave my car outside for a few days. I harley ever wear a coat in the winter, so sitting down on the cold leather made me wonder if I could do that all winter.
Nippon, if I were still single I'm sure I would have 3 cars by now . We have 2 now, but Mini-vans should not count.
An entertainment package usually refers to a TV and stereo system in one of the storage bays for outside enjoyment while sitting under the awning.
The cool thing about how this one is set up, is that the TV is situated behind the sofa that is located behind the co-pilot seat. When the slide-out is opened, you can hit a button and a flat screen TV comes down and you have a 32 inch TV outside. This was designed as not to take up bay storage space. There is a small "credenza" behind the sofa where the TV is stored which is about 4 inches wide and runs the length of the sofa.
There is a 32 inch HD flat screen TV above the windshield and a 26 inch flat screen in the bedroom.
Another cool feature is that there is a "see vision coach monitoring system". As you may know, RV's have rear camera's for backing up, this one has the side camera's for lane changes. When the turning indicator is activated, that "camera" will come on so you can see down the side of the coach.
Inside the coach where the rear view mirror would be is a small round smoke glassed dome (about the size of a coffee cup). This is part of the "see vision system. If I'm in the bedroom and hear a noise in the coach (let's say my nieces and nephews are sleeping up front) I can turn on the small screen by the bed and monitor the inside of the coach. This system will also activate all of the outside camera's to monitor what is going on outside.
It' also has three mirrors on each BIG side rear view mirror that are electrically adjustable separately.
Mark156
2010 Land Rover LR4, 2013 Honda CR-V, 2009 Bentley GTC, 1990 MB 500SL, 2001 MB S500, 2007 Lincoln TC, 1964 RR Silver Cloud III, 1995 MB E320 Cab., 2015 Prevost Liberty Coach
435k? :confuse: Wow... :surprise: I'm speechless. Here I am wondering if its too early to get a new set of tires and putting off that darn alignment. Shame on me
Growwise, I know that it's a big chunk of change.. but, I have been wanting to do this for SO long and have been planning and reading about this for almost 10 yrs. I rented 3 units in the past 3 years and felt like I knew what would work best.
You would not believe how expensive these things can get... this is "upper middle" in price. My friends just bought the Monaco Signature (top of the line) that had an MSRP around $700K.
The Prevosts, Newells and Marathons (aka bus conversions), start at about $1.2 and go up, way up!
There are options of outdoor cook centers that store under the coach which include ice machines, gas grills, etc.
It's a whole new world when you discover motorhoming.
Mark156
2010 Land Rover LR4, 2013 Honda CR-V, 2009 Bentley GTC, 1990 MB 500SL, 2001 MB S500, 2007 Lincoln TC, 1964 RR Silver Cloud III, 1995 MB E320 Cab., 2015 Prevost Liberty Coach
I was painfully reminded how much of a hassle it is to have more cars than drivers at your house this past month.
As most of you know, I inherited my FIL's '92 Subaru late last year after he passed away. The plan is to fix it up and give it to my son in CA this June, so for now it sits at my house.
Over Christmas both my step-daughter and step-son were in town visiting, so they both had their cars at home. Plus, the two that my wife and I drive daily. Theis means we now have 5 cars at our house, albeit temporarily.
The week before Christmas, we get 26" of snow. There goes all the on-street parking - after everyone shoveled out their driveway and sidewalk and the city did their plowing, there was no room on the street. Snow was piled probably 3' high.
What to do?
Well, the cars that got driven the least found there way into the garage - the Subaru and my daughter's ION. That meant that both mine and my wife's car were in the driveway, and my son's car was behind one of them.
The following week, we get another 16" of snow. So, we have to dig out all the cars in the driveway (again), and jockey around vehicles so the right cars are in the right place.
The week after that - fortunately, my son returned to Utah so we "only" had 4 cars to deal with - we got another 8" of snow. Again with the digging and repositioning.
Finally, my daughter and her friends got bored enough one night after that 3rd storm that they dug out a spot on the street for the Subaru.
Hurray! We now only have 3 cars to jockey around in the garage and driveway.
My daughter has since returned to school so my car reclaimed its garage spot and the Subaru stays on the street. We got another 9" of snow this past weekend, so I'll have to dig it out if I want to drive it.
I'm thinking that a 3 car garage may be a mandatory feature in the next house that I buy. That way, if I ever do get myself a weekend toy, it will have it's own spot.
Mark: enjoy the new RV! If the average new car purchase is something like $26K, then you qualify for a minimum of a dozen punches on your CCBA punch card. You oughta be able to get that tow vehicle for free!
I like the Subaru idea, the "vibe". I've never driven one I really liked, but I haven't driven a new model in maybe 8 years. And in the metro-boston area, you don't see as many as you might assume. In my Yuppie neighborhood, it's mainly hondas & Highlanders.
I read the Edmunds review on the current Outback, & the owner's reviews. Kind of mixed reviews--some people loved 'em, others complained about the auto. trans., or repairs needed. Still, the AWD could sway me. There is $750 Cash back on Outbacks right now, but paying over $30K for a New Subie (even a loaded one) somehow doesn't compute for me. I get the impression tho that loaded ones depreciate quite a bit in the 1st year--if I see a great deal on a slightly used one I'd certainly consider it.
I'm still thinking of used 4runners--but there are so many advertised online it's almost too confusing. The Taco idea is still in the mix--probably the least practical, esp. considering the length of the vehicle-- ext. cab, for parking, but I love the idea of just buying something New that has great resale. (I wonder how the resale of the Rav4 compares?).
Shopping for used (Cars) has started to give me a Headache, & I never thought I'd say that. At least buying New, you know the dealer cost, etc. upfront.....
I had a 95 Taco and an 04 4Runner and I have to say that they are the most uncomfartable vehicles to take a trip in. If they are in town run abouts, then no problem, but if you spend more thant 2 hours straight in the drivers seat, better have the chiropractor on speed dial.
The seat just seemed to flat to me an offered no support. And I'm not a big guy at all, 5-9 in cowboy boots.
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited Velvet Red over Wicker Beige
2024 Audi Q5 Premium Plus Daytona Gray over Beige
2017 BMW X1 Jet Black over Mocha
My truck is having an issue with the interior lights and both the dealer and Chrysler say its because of the timer for the lights which happens to be located IN the instrument cluster. So, in order to fix it they have to replace the cluster, which of course means the odometer too.
Now the question is do I just live with the way it is, meaning basically no interior lights for more than 10 seconds at a time. Or do I let them replace the cluster?
My concern is that this will hurt the value of the truck since the odometer will be replaced.
They told me that what Chrysler does is down the vehicle, meaning it sits locked on the dealer's lot and then they enter the current mileage on the cluster (odo) that they are sending. That way it reads correct mileage. However, won't this still hurt the value? I'm inclined to just live with this issue rather than risk replacing the cluster/odometer.
What say you all? Am I worrying for nothing? :sick:
I thought that the odo display was controlled in the ECU these days, so it shouldn't matter that the cluster was replaced? I had to have the one in my '96 Voyager replaced (the lights kept going spastic), and I don't remember any issue or sticker, and the mileage stayed the same. The dealer that I traded it into didn't care either.
If the mileage is going to read the same, what's the difference? Besides, with the way you roll up miles, do you think anyone is going to suspect you of rolling it back?
Akangl, something similar happened to me on my 2000 Mercedes E430. The digital clock that is located in the instrument cluster would lose about a minute or two a month. So, the dealer ordered a new instrument cluster and I set up an appointment.
A few days later my service advisor called me and told me to drop the car off. I did and a few hours later he realized that the wrong cluster was ordered, he apologized and I made an appointment for the next week.
The new cluster came in and I dropped the car off. My car had just turned 10,000 miles at that time (currently 34,700). When I picked the car up, it had 9,800 miles on it. They had written down the mileage from the previous week's visit. So, I got to see my car change to 10,000 miles twice! LOL!
Didn't bother me in the least as it was all done by the dealer and I don't think it would effect the value at all. I've had the car just over 8 years and it still looks like new as I keep it garaged, washed and [non-permissible content removed]-and-span clean!
Mark
PS. I have an appointment at 10:00 today to close the deal on the motorhome!! YEAH!!! :shades:
2010 Land Rover LR4, 2013 Honda CR-V, 2009 Bentley GTC, 1990 MB 500SL, 2001 MB S500, 2007 Lincoln TC, 1964 RR Silver Cloud III, 1995 MB E320 Cab., 2015 Prevost Liberty Coach
If what they're saying is true, that: meaning it sits locked on the dealer's lot and then they enter the current mileage on the cluster (odo) that they are sending,
Then I can't think of a reason it would hurt the value. With an older mechanical OD, they wouldn't or couldn't reset the new OD, & then you'd get a sticker on the door-sill indicating the mileage when the OD was replaced, which could lead to a TMU title when the vehicle is sold. I'd just grill the dealer more on whether they report it to your state RMV, or if it somehow shows up on a carfax.
As long as the vehicle doesn't end up with a TMU title down the road, you should be fine.
Thanks for the tip on the 4Runner seats-- seats are really important. I have to say my 5-series is THE most comfortable car on road trips I've ever owned. I'm gonna try to live with the broken rear hatch for awhile, & just use the 2 rear doors to load/unload stuff. Which is a hassle, but....cheaper than a new car.
My trying to go Japanese, at least with the vehicles I've mentioned, may be unrealistic, in the sense that after owning 2 bmw's, a saab turbo, & a Range Rover, I may just be too "spoiled".....
OTOH, I still want to check out the Rav4 more--I think I've read comments that the seats are pretty good? I priced a Sport AWD V6 with Moonroof--invoice is $25,209. Has 18" wheels, "fender flares", & I think it looks better than the Limited--more "hunky" with the larger rims. Downside, no heated seats, or leather available.
Service advisor if it was going to affect the value of the truck at all. She said no, because they down the truck so that the mileage stays the same on the truck and the odometer that's coming. Its not reported to anyone other than Chrysler that its replaced. I'm sure someone searching service records could find out though.
I dunno, just gives me a hinky feeling I guess. Not that it should matter, my plan is to drive it well past 100k. That is if that Dodge Charger on the showroom floor quits calling my name.
Thanks for the replies, guess I'll drop the beast off next week and let them lock it up. Then I'll go to running up miles on hubby's truck.
Nah, even as bad as I want it I can't have it. I mean I *could* buy it and trade my Ram in, but that wouldn't be very sensible. I asked hubby and he asked what I would pull my horse trailer with, I said his truck of course. That was met with laughing and a big huge NO.
Maybe when his truck is paid off he'll allow me a play toy like the Charger. I drove one as a rental in WA and it was way too cool!
I've driven my 4Runner 12 hours at a stretch, my Echo 10 hours at a stretch, without a problem. Both have good upper back support, the 4Runner has better lumbar adjustment/support. Ditto for other Toyotas in the past. Just pointing out that this is a highly subjective measure, and also blanket statements on the matter may be limited in usefulness as there is such a wide variety of Toyotas and Toyota seats available. YBMV. (Your Back May Vary)
My fruitless search for something older to buy continues - why is it nothing has caught my fancy yet? Seems like this used to be easier...and has anyone noticed that cars today don't seem to be as well taken care of as they used to? I blame this on lengthened maintenance schedules and improved reliability: 20 years ago if you didn't maintain the car frequently, you had good odds of ending up on the side of the road before too long. Nowadays people just ignore all the maintenance because they can. The only thing that seems to still be in Joe Average's consciousness is those oil changes.
I may just spend some money upgrading the vehicles I have, rather than looking for a third toy.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I found an '86 Camry (the very first gen, smaller and lighter than the current Corolla, shared an engine with the '86 Celica) with a stick and a new clutch, in good shape for $1500. I thought it looked so cute, it kinda took me back, and I almost pulled the trigger. But I have a feeling the nostalgia would wear off pretty quickly and leave me with a car that would likely be hard to unload.
I would love to find a well-loved Celica or Supra from that era, or an older 4-cyl pick-up in decent shape. So far, nuttin' doin'.
Oh, and vis-a-vis the '96 Accord, I love the styling but my personal rule is to pass up all the cars with the crappy aftermarket tints (which by the age of 10 years or more are beginning to bubble, crack, look like junk, are usually too dark, shall I go on?).
:-/
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
The angular one? I liked the next gen ('87-'91?)..
Hard to find anything Japanese from the '80s that hasn't rusted away.. I did like that '84 Supra that was on Ebay for $2500, though... That would be hard to pass up, if it were local...
Good point about Toyota seats. I did test-drive a few previous-gen. 4Runner's a few years ago, & also some previous & current-gen. LC's--I never noticed the seats being "bad". I always had a "thing" for LC's; too bad I can't afford a new one, & used they are still very pricey.
Are any older bmw's on your used car search? Sometimes the owner's are fanatical about maintenance, &/or upgrades. 5-10-15 y.o. 3 or 5 series can sometimes be very affordable (& fun to test drive!).
Nah, I'm looking for something old and worthless to have a bit of fun with. Old worthless German cars don't run. :-)
I DID see a couple of cars I almost thought about driving - one was a 318is with a stick. Yes, I know the engine is no great shakes by BMW standards. It was in good shape though, and being the 4-cylinder, the price was low.
The other was a 190E 2.3 from the late 80s I believe. Nice looking model, this one in very good shape just like the BMW. I will see if they are still there next weekend.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
YUP........TMU ! true mileage unknown and worth a lot less to boot! Isn't it time for a new vehicle?????????
I'm going to check a little further before I let them do it. They said that the mileage will read the exact same, so I'm not certain it will be a TMU situation. It just sucks all the way around, ugh. :sick:
I tried to talk hubby into that lime green Charger, but it was a big fat NO, lol.
I agree with the consensus here--it's only TMU if it gets reset to zero (or the odo quits working/registering mileage altogether for a period of time).
I'm betting she'll get the Charger and complain about how RWD and 300hp with limited visibility isn't very good for Alaska, and be out of it by labor day.
I checked out autotrader for used cars and found 03 Acura 3.2 TL, 02-03 Infinit I35 and 03 Nissan Maxima GLE tempting. However, one quick look at those model forums, I'm a bit scared by transmission troubles (3.2TL) and maf sensor issues (max). So, I wondered how about a compact sedan for same price? like a brand new versa sedan. Sure.. it wont have the leather, moon roof, brushed aluminium/wood, bose stereo etc.. but you do get peace of mind with brand new and only maintenance for some time would be just oil changes.
So off I went to a few dealers near my place last night. Checked out the following: 1. Hyundai Elantra GL Comfort Auto 2. Nissan Versa sedan 1.8S 3. Nissan Sentra 4. Honda Civic LX They all are new designs and are economical to own. Resale wise, civic wins hands down while versa/elantra not so sure. Elantra surprised me a lot. Its light years ahead of previous models. Very nice execution.
At nissan dealer, Versa impressed me the most. Its based on Renault megane and the greenhouse is tall (tons of head room front and back) and seats are raised so rear passengers have more foot room. But I thought the sedan version of versa was an afterthought (felt like a hatchback with trunk sticking out). Sentra was meh.. why bother.. nothing outstanding about it.
While I was at Honda dealer, I also checked out if there were any new deals on Accord SE. Not a whole lot.. considering that this is the last model year run. Redesigned 08 Accord is supposed to bow in november or so. But salesman winked at me and said he could do sumthin on 07s..
Even though its more expensive, resale of accords are good so I am adding that to my list as well. Then I figured if I'm gonna go over my budget by considering Accord, why not add Camry to the list as well since that is a bit wider and has a comfy ride. Also, camry has lower front overhang compared to accord.
Accord's engine bay had a lot of unutilized space with the fourbanger. So tight turn ins and wiggling in/out of parking spots is easier in say civic or even camry. I might be wrong and still its not a deal breaker.
So, my shopping seem to be all over the place.. from used pseudo luxury cars to compacts and midsize. I need to get my head examined for becoming so indecisive. Anyways, thinking April/May timeframe would be a good time to pull the trigger. Galaxy grey Civic LX might just fit my needs but then there's that Accord SE in Carbon Bronze pearl calling me. And then there's the practical side which says that 03 Maxima GLE might be sensible... Aaargh why's car shopping becoming such a head ache?
I highly recommend an 04 Acura TL. Shop around - there should be a glut of lease returns in the market.
BTW any of the 3 used cars you have mentioned are head and shoulders above the used compacts you can buy for the same price.
I know that the Acura transmission issues affected a very small number of cars - and were probably taken care of by 03.
But salesman winked at me and said he could do sumthin on 07s
There is a reason for that. Most people think the 06 and 07 Accord sedans look hideous, IMHO. An 03 Accord EX has all the goodies and is a lot of car for the money. You can add that to your list of used cars.
Is a 2006 BMW 325 6MT. Very nice car with the typical German carved out of solid metal feel to it. The trunk lid makes our Accord and TSX feel like aluminum foil. And getting 33 mpg too. But it's $30K with 18k on it. Manual seats, teeny looking tires, no temp gauge, and pleather on the seats.
Very nice manual transmission though and the engine is like butter. We hope to get a 530i next. We shall see.
I'm gonna start putting demo pix in our carspace and start a blog.
Hmmm, I saw an '83-84 Camry hatchback this morning at work. It was pretty rusty and had exhaust problems. When I heard the loud rumble I was expecting a much bigger car, and was a bit shocked to find out it was coming from this Camry!
I remember sitting in a first-gen Camry at the local junkyard once. They had just gotten it in, and it hadn't been picked at yet. I was pretty impressed, actually. For a car that really wasn't that big on the outside, I fit just fine, both front and back. How they managed that kind of space-efficiency and comfort from something that small, I'll never know. I don't think they know, either, because today they seem to have taken some cues from 1970's Detroit, making the things bigger and fatter, but not necessarily roomier.
Ditto to what myself & others said before--based on what you've told us, I think you're worrying too much. I'd let them replace whatever--after all, this shouldn't be happening on a New Vehicle.
I asked you this before maybe--is a Chrysler ext. warranty available at a reasonable price for your Ram? I know they are well built, but they are also expensive, complex vehicles.....
Comments
Yup, liked the Pilot a lot, downside was driver's side leg room. Was fine for me (5'7") but hubby was too cramped (6'). He couldn't have driven it any distance without being in pain. However the MDX did not have this same issue. They both have pros and cons, there were things I liked about the Pilot and things I liked about the MDX. I would have chosen the MDX over the Pilot due to legroom, other than that it would have been the Pilot hands down.
I still sometimes wish I had bought the MDX, but I like my 1-ton truck and am pretty much committed to having a 1-ton with the horse trailer I have now. I do miss having an SUV though.
Thanks for the heads-up... I don't really have room for a pro audio system in my room (shared house with two other roommates), but once I get my own place, I'll look into it. I have a set of Cambridge Soundworks powered speakers now, which have gotten good reviews, but they've always had a problem where you can (faintly) hear radio transmissions when you're not playing anything through them, especially at night... I'll probably just live with it for now.
25 NX 450h+ / 24 Sienna Plat AWD / 23 Civic Type-R / 21 Boxster GTS 4.0 / 03 Montero Ltd
The Tacoma Crew Cab is nice, but I understand what you are saying about daily use. Where do you put the groceries when it rains and you have passengers.
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited Velvet Red over Wicker Beige
2024 Audi Q5 Premium Plus Daytona Gray over Beige
2017 BMW X1 Jet Black over Mocha
Being in Seattle, this statement seems inconceivable. Next, you're going to tell me there are parts of the USA where it doesn't rain all the time... :P
25 NX 450h+ / 24 Sienna Plat AWD / 23 Civic Type-R / 21 Boxster GTS 4.0 / 03 Montero Ltd
Going to order tomorrow or Wednesday... will be a 2008 model leaving the factory in Oregon on March 2nd.
Can't wait.... List is $435K... so my CCBA member card should get two punches. :P
I'll post pics when I can.
mark156
We just got registration renewal on our TT, surprised the heck out of me, didn't realize we'd had it that long, lol. Will be 2 years on March 11th. I haven't seen it since September but I guess we still own it, lol.
Since this is the car buying forum, I need some advise on getting a second car as a toy. I kinda stumbled across a Toyota Spyder with very low miles for sale relatively cheap. I am just weighing the pros and con of a third car with 2 drivers in the family.
The main drawback is having to give up my garage space now that it's 20 degrees out now. The way our driveway is setup there would not be any other place to park it. In the garage it would be subjected to kids bikes and toys possibly scratching it though.
I know alot of you have second cars, so I guess my question is it worth it ? Not so much in terms of money, but more the inconvenience.
Really.... this is the main thing that keeps us from having a third car.. Plus, if you drive the toy a lot, you'll contantly shuttle cars back and forth to get your toy out... and, whatever you do, don't forget and block your wife's car in..
Other than all that, I recommend it highly...
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guss: the inconvenience of a second car? What inconvenience? :-)
I am thinking of going back to three, which means the hassle of finding street parking for the third (condo complex, I only get two parking spots). Too bad they don't offer the option of purchasing a third parking spot. Maybe I'll talk to my neighbors with only one car....
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Nippon, if I were still single I'm sure I would have 3 cars by now . We have 2 now, but Mini-vans should not count.
The cool thing about how this one is set up, is that the TV is situated behind the sofa that is located behind the co-pilot seat. When the slide-out is opened, you can hit a button and a flat screen TV comes down and you have a 32 inch TV outside. This was designed as not to take up bay storage space. There is a small "credenza" behind the sofa where the TV is stored which is about 4 inches wide and runs the length of the sofa.
There is a 32 inch HD flat screen TV above the windshield and a 26 inch flat screen in the bedroom.
Another cool feature is that there is a "see vision coach monitoring system". As you may know, RV's have rear camera's for backing up, this one has the side camera's for lane changes. When the turning indicator is activated, that "camera" will come on so you can see down the side of the coach.
Inside the coach where the rear view mirror would be is a small round smoke glassed dome (about the size of a coffee cup). This is part of the "see vision system. If I'm in the bedroom and hear a noise in the coach (let's say my nieces and nephews are sleeping up front) I can turn on the small screen by the bed and monitor the inside of the coach. This system will also activate all of the outside camera's to monitor what is going on outside.
It' also has three mirrors on each BIG side rear view mirror that are electrically adjustable separately.
Mark156
There.. feel better?
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You would not believe how expensive these things can get... this is "upper middle" in price. My friends just bought the Monaco Signature (top of the line) that had an MSRP around $700K.
The Prevosts, Newells and Marathons (aka bus conversions), start at about $1.2 and go up, way up!
There are options of outdoor cook centers that store under the coach which include ice machines, gas grills, etc.
It's a whole new world when you discover motorhoming.
Mark156
Um.
Or maybe 3 - or 4.
- Ray
Wondering how many punches for a free Value Meal????
As most of you know, I inherited my FIL's '92 Subaru late last year after he passed away. The plan is to fix it up and give it to my son in CA this June, so for now it sits at my house.
Over Christmas both my step-daughter and step-son were in town visiting, so they both had their cars at home. Plus, the two that my wife and I drive daily. Theis means we now have 5 cars at our house, albeit temporarily.
The week before Christmas, we get 26" of snow. There goes all the on-street parking - after everyone shoveled out their driveway and sidewalk and the city did their plowing, there was no room on the street. Snow was piled probably 3' high.
What to do?
Well, the cars that got driven the least found there way into the garage - the Subaru and my daughter's ION. That meant that both mine and my wife's car were in the driveway, and my son's car was behind one of them.
The following week, we get another 16" of snow. So, we have to dig out all the cars in the driveway (again), and jockey around vehicles so the right cars are in the right place.
The week after that - fortunately, my son returned to Utah so we "only" had 4 cars to deal with - we got another 8" of snow. Again with the digging and repositioning.
Finally, my daughter and her friends got bored enough one night after that 3rd storm that they dug out a spot on the street for the Subaru.
Hurray! We now only have 3 cars to jockey around in the garage and driveway.
My daughter has since returned to school so my car reclaimed its garage spot and the Subaru stays on the street. We got another 9" of snow this past weekend, so I'll have to dig it out if I want to drive it.
I'm thinking that a 3 car garage may be a mandatory feature in the next house that I buy. That way, if I ever do get myself a weekend toy, it will have it's own spot.
Mark: enjoy the new RV! If the average new car purchase is something like $26K, then you qualify for a minimum of a dozen punches on your CCBA punch card. You oughta be able to get that tow vehicle for free!
A Kia Rio and a go-kart, and a few cases of Mobil1?
I read the Edmunds review on the current Outback, & the owner's reviews. Kind of mixed reviews--some people loved 'em, others complained about the auto. trans., or repairs needed. Still, the AWD could sway me. There is $750 Cash back on Outbacks right now, but paying over $30K for a New Subie (even a loaded one) somehow doesn't compute for me. I get the impression tho that loaded ones depreciate quite a bit in the 1st year--if I see a great deal on a slightly used one I'd certainly consider it.
I'm still thinking of used 4runners--but there are so many advertised online it's almost too confusing. The Taco idea is still in the mix--probably the least practical, esp. considering the length of the vehicle-- ext. cab, for parking, but I love the idea of just buying something New that has great resale. (I wonder how the resale of the Rav4 compares?).
Shopping for used (Cars) has started to give me a Headache, & I never thought I'd say that. At least buying New, you know the dealer cost, etc. upfront.....
The seat just seemed to flat to me an offered no support. And I'm not a big guy at all, 5-9 in cowboy boots.
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited Velvet Red over Wicker Beige
2024 Audi Q5 Premium Plus Daytona Gray over Beige
2017 BMW X1 Jet Black over Mocha
Now the question is do I just live with the way it is, meaning basically no interior lights for more than 10 seconds at a time. Or do I let them replace the cluster?
My concern is that this will hurt the value of the truck since the odometer will be replaced.
They told me that what Chrysler does is down the vehicle, meaning it sits locked on the dealer's lot and then they enter the current mileage on the cluster (odo) that they are sending. That way it reads correct mileage. However, won't this still hurt the value? I'm inclined to just live with this issue rather than risk replacing the cluster/odometer.
What say you all? Am I worrying for nothing? :sick:
If the mileage is going to read the same, what's the difference? Besides, with the way you roll up miles, do you think anyone is going to suspect you of rolling it back?
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
A few days later my service advisor called me and told me to drop the car off. I did and a few hours later he realized that the wrong cluster was ordered, he apologized and I made an appointment for the next week.
The new cluster came in and I dropped the car off. My car had just turned 10,000 miles at that time (currently 34,700). When I picked the car up, it had 9,800 miles on it. They had written down the mileage from the previous week's visit. So, I got to see my car change to 10,000 miles twice! LOL!
Didn't bother me in the least as it was all done by the dealer and I don't think it would effect the value at all. I've had the car just over 8 years and it still looks like new as I keep it garaged, washed and [non-permissible content removed]-and-span clean!
Mark
PS. I have an appointment at 10:00 today to close the deal on the motorhome!! YEAH!!! :shades:
Then I can't think of a reason it would hurt the value. With an older mechanical OD, they wouldn't or couldn't reset the new OD, & then you'd get a sticker on the door-sill indicating the mileage when the OD was replaced, which could lead to a TMU title when the vehicle is sold. I'd just grill the dealer more on whether they report it to your state RMV, or if it somehow shows up on a carfax.
As long as the vehicle doesn't end up with a TMU title down the road, you should be fine.
My trying to go Japanese, at least with the vehicles I've mentioned, may be unrealistic, in the sense that after owning 2 bmw's, a saab turbo, & a Range Rover, I may just be too "spoiled".....
OTOH, I still want to check out the Rav4 more--I think I've read comments that the seats are pretty good? I priced a Sport AWD V6 with Moonroof--invoice is $25,209. Has 18" wheels, "fender flares", & I think it looks better than the Limited--more "hunky" with the larger rims. Downside, no heated seats, or leather available.
I dunno, just gives me a hinky feeling I guess. Not that it should matter, my plan is to drive it well past 100k. That is if that Dodge Charger on the showroom floor quits calling my name.
Thanks for the replies, guess I'll drop the beast off next week and let them lock it up. Then I'll go to running up miles on hubby's truck.
Oh boy, should we start the pool???
Nah, even as bad as I want it I can't have it. I mean I *could* buy it and trade my Ram in, but that wouldn't be very sensible. I asked hubby and he asked what I would pull my horse trailer with, I said his truck of course. That was met with laughing and a big huge NO.
Maybe when his truck is paid off he'll allow me a play toy like the Charger. I drove one as a rental in WA and it was way too cool!
My fruitless search for something older to buy continues - why is it nothing has caught my fancy yet? Seems like this used to be easier...and has anyone noticed that cars today don't seem to be as well taken care of as they used to? I blame this on lengthened maintenance schedules and improved reliability: 20 years ago if you didn't maintain the car frequently, you had good odds of ending up on the side of the road before too long. Nowadays people just ignore all the maintenance because they can. The only thing that seems to still be in Joe Average's consciousness is those oil changes.
I may just spend some money upgrading the vehicles I have, rather than looking for a third toy.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Last up: 1984 gray-market BMW M6.. (only $17.5K)
Two days earlier: 1996 Honda Accord LX.. bad tint, dent, missing wheel covers.. Postives: Coupe and stick-shift.. $1500
I think he needs a job...
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I would love to find a well-loved Celica or Supra from that era, or an older 4-cyl pick-up in decent shape. So far, nuttin' doin'.
Oh, and vis-a-vis the '96 Accord, I love the styling but my personal rule is to pass up all the cars with the crappy aftermarket tints (which by the age of 10 years or more are beginning to bubble, crack, look like junk, are usually too dark, shall I go on?).
:-/
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Hard to find anything Japanese from the '80s that hasn't rusted away.. I did like that '84 Supra that was on Ebay for $2500, though... That would be hard to pass up, if it were local...
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Are any older bmw's on your used car search? Sometimes the owner's are fanatical about maintenance, &/or upgrades. 5-10-15 y.o. 3 or 5 series can sometimes be very affordable (& fun to test drive!).
Remember what Terry aka Royce used to comment on vehicles
with swapped clusters or odo change outs?
YUP........TMU ! true mileage unknown and worth a lot less
to boot!
Isn't it time for a new vehicle?????????
I DID see a couple of cars I almost thought about driving - one was a 318is with a stick. Yes, I know the engine is no great shakes by BMW standards. It was in good shape though, and being the 4-cylinder, the price was low.
The other was a 190E 2.3 from the late 80s I believe. Nice looking model, this one in very good shape just like the BMW. I will see if they are still there next weekend.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
to boot!
Isn't it time for a new vehicle?????????
I'm going to check a little further before I let them do it. They said that the mileage will read the exact same, so I'm not certain it will be a TMU situation. It just sucks all the way around, ugh. :sick:
I tried to talk hubby into that lime green Charger, but it was a big fat NO, lol.
Any takers. :P
So off I went to a few dealers near my place last night. Checked out the following:
1. Hyundai Elantra GL Comfort Auto
2. Nissan Versa sedan 1.8S
3. Nissan Sentra
4. Honda Civic LX
They all are new designs and are economical to own. Resale wise, civic wins hands down while versa/elantra not so sure. Elantra surprised me a lot. Its light years ahead of previous models. Very nice execution.
At nissan dealer, Versa impressed me the most. Its based on Renault megane and the greenhouse is tall (tons of head room front and back) and seats are raised so rear passengers have more foot room. But I thought the sedan version of versa was an afterthought (felt like a hatchback with trunk sticking out). Sentra was meh.. why bother.. nothing outstanding about it.
While I was at Honda dealer, I also checked out if there were any new deals on Accord SE. Not a whole lot.. considering that this is the last model year run. Redesigned 08 Accord is supposed to bow in november or so. But salesman winked at me and said he could do sumthin on 07s..
Even though its more expensive, resale of accords are good so I am adding that to my list as well. Then I figured if I'm gonna go over my budget by considering Accord, why not add Camry to the list as well since that is a bit wider and has a comfy ride. Also, camry has lower front overhang compared to accord.
Accord's engine bay had a lot of unutilized space with the fourbanger. So tight turn ins and wiggling in/out of parking spots is easier in say civic or even camry. I might be wrong and still its not a deal breaker.
So, my shopping seem to be all over the place.. from used pseudo luxury cars to compacts and midsize. I need to get my head examined for becoming so indecisive. Anyways, thinking April/May timeframe would be a good time to pull the trigger. Galaxy grey Civic LX might just fit my needs but then there's that Accord SE in Carbon Bronze pearl calling me. And then there's the practical side which says that 03 Maxima GLE might be sensible... Aaargh why's car shopping becoming such a head ache?
BTW any of the 3 used cars you have mentioned are head and shoulders above the used compacts you can buy for the same price.
I know that the Acura transmission issues affected a very small number of cars - and were probably taken care of by 03.
But salesman winked at me and said he could do sumthin on 07s
There is a reason for that. Most people think
the 06 and 07 Accord sedans look hideous, IMHO. An 03 Accord EX has all the goodies and is a lot of car for the money. You can add that to your list of used cars.
Very nice manual transmission though and the engine is like butter. We hope to get a 530i next. We shall see.
I'm gonna start putting demo pix in our carspace and start a blog.
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I remember sitting in a first-gen Camry at the local junkyard once. They had just gotten it in, and it hadn't been picked at yet. I was pretty impressed, actually. For a car that really wasn't that big on the outside, I fit just fine, both front and back. How they managed that kind of space-efficiency and comfort from something that small, I'll never know. I don't think they know, either, because today they seem to have taken some cues from 1970's Detroit, making the things bigger and fatter, but not necessarily roomier.
I asked you this before maybe--is a Chrysler ext. warranty available at a reasonable price for your Ram? I know they are well built, but they are also expensive, complex vehicles.....