Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

Michaell

There were a couple of 3-series available with my parameters - under $25k, under 30,000 miles and AWD.

No rush, however. Current lease isn't up until this fall.

tjc78

With some of the crazy lease deals on the Infiniti I'd say that would be one of your best bets on the used market. They made AWD models as well so you should be all set.  

stickguy

8 miles isn't bad. Short enough that a lease is a viable option, and MPG does not have to be a huge concern.

Could get a legacy too if you want AWD.

Basically same debate I am having in my own head, just a year earlier. Lease something more economical, or get a couple year old MB or similar!

stickguy

A lot of HOAs are all bluster. They threaten, but don't have the money to fight, and the other homeowners aren't willing to pay a special assessment because some person put the wrong railings on their porch.

Michaell

stickguy said:

8 miles isn't bad. Short enough that a lease is a viable option, and MPG does not have to be a huge concern.

Could get a legacy too if you want AWD.

Basically same debate I am having in my own head, just a year earlier. Lease something more economical, or get a couple year old MB or similar!

Wait, what?

I don't know how long my new commute will be yet, just that I'm pretty sure there will be one.

Wife's commute is about 12 miles one way.

stickguy

Oops. Saw 8 and thought it was 8 miles. My bad!

Michaell

I. Need. To. Stop. Looking.

Just found a 2012 328xi coupe. 27,000 miles, $22k. Grey with beige interior.

Must. Find. Job. First.

au1994

Michaell said:

I. Need. To. Stop. Looking.

Just found a 2012 328xi coupe. 27,000 miles, $22k. Grey with beige interior.

Must. Find. Job. First.

Yeah, if that's the color combo I'm thinking of, it's a looker!

nyccarguy

Definitely some CPO German Iron @Michaell. @breld will help you sniff out the right one.

Michaell

nyccarguy said:

Definitely some CPO German Iron @Michaell. @breld will help you sniff out the right one.

Exactly.

suydam

What size are you inclined towards? Hatch, sedan, wagon? All of the above?

nyccarguy

My 40th birthday is coming up next Sunday. My parents have been asking me what I want. After spouting off some obligatory vehicles (///M2, Macan S) and projects that need to be done to my house (paint exterior, new driveway, new deck, new garage door). I was online looking at subaruonlineparts.com to get an air filter & cabin filter for my Legacy that I wouldn't buy from the dealer and started browsing different goodies for my car. I ended up buying a genuine Subaru rear sway bar kit (19 mm instead of my car's 16 mm) for under $100, and a genuine Subaru remote starter for under $300. Happy birthday to me;)

laurasdada

"This superb-looking 2015 BMW ?????is the rare family vehicle you have been looking to get your hands on."



Thanks for playing along and, Happy Easter! Good guesses, but of course this particular dealership was describing the obvious family car:

"This superb-looking 2015 BMW i8 is the rare family vehicle you have been looking to get your hands on".

Of course! What family would choose a sedan, wagon or SUV over the eminently practical i8? There you go, @Michaell, question answered.

Happy Birthday in advance, young Bradd. Why don't you attend the Greenwich Concours in a few months, pick up a birthday present there!

carnaught

Happy Easter to all who celebrate, and Happy b-day in advance, to NYC!

houdini1

roadburner said:

You need to start patronizing competent mechanics. Seriously. Even a car that is driven strictly on the street should have the brake fluid changed at least every two years. Brake fluid is hygroscopic and as the moisture level increases the boiling point of the brake fluid decreases.



The reduced boiling point may not be a big deal on a sedately driven older car, but excessively "wet" fluid can also do a number on a modern vehicle's the ABS modules/pumps. I'm not surprised US automakers are not as concerned about the issue; I once heard a European engineer say that the difference between European drivers and American drivers is:

European drivers don't care if the brakes squeal- just as long as they stop the car.

American drivers don't care if the brakes stop the car- just as long as they don't squeal.

That sounds more like what any BMW owner would say.

roadburner

houdini1 said:

<
That sounds more like what any BMW owner would say.

But it doesn't make it any less true...

Michaell

suydam said:

What size are you inclined towards? Hatch, sedan, wagon? All of the above?

I would say that nothing is off the table, size or body-style wise.

Though, truth be told, a coupe would be cool to have. Very rarely have more than 2 in the car at one time, and as long as my golf clubs fit in the trunk, we're good to go!

houdini1

roadburner said:

houdini1 said:

<
That sounds more like what any BMW owner would say.

But it doesn't make it any less true...

Yes, that is kinda what I meant.

sda

nyccarguy said:

My 40th birthday is coming up next Sunday. My parents have been asking me what I want. After spouting off some obligatory vehicles (///M2, Macan S) and projects that need to be done to my house (paint exterior, new driveway, new deck, new garage door). I was online looking at subaruonlineparts.com to get an air filter & cabin filter for my Legacy that I wouldn't buy from the dealer and started browsing different goodies for my car. I ended up buying a genuine Subaru rear sway bar kit (19 mm instead of my car's 16 mm) for under $100, and a genuine Subaru remote starter for under $300. Happy birthday to me;)

Happy Birthday in advance! Celebrate and enjoy!

Michaell

Just learned that my son replaced the Mustang yesterday.

He picked up a 2014 Hyundai Accent sedan. Grey on grey.

Sandman6472

I'd look at the new Encore to be honest. Lease prices are pretty killer if you go that route. An overall extremely nice vehicle with the higher seating position and lux enough where it doesn't feel econobox. Saw the new '17 model online and they did some great updates especially in the interior. Price wise, not bad at all for a brand new vehicle with a full warranty, 4/50 I'm guessing. Almost bought one back in 2013 and the '17's are so much nicer.
As much as I like CPO German iron, think with a new position back in the business world, a brand new affordable vehicle is the way to go. Hopefully they will have improved the mpg's and bring it up a bit so one could get maybe 33 combined. Also like the Honda HR-V but since your coming from a very similar vehicle, a change really seems in order here.

The Sandman

breld

Michaell said:

Definitely some CPO German Iron @Michaell. @breld will help you sniff out the right one.

Exactly.

Absolutely - land that job and we're off to the dealerships for some shopping!  

Good luck!  

tjc78

Was looking at options for lease end on the Enclave (yeah not even half way through, but well I don't need to explain it).  I really like the Tahoe/Yukon but wow sticker shock!  Equipped like our Enclave (except I would want 4wd) 60k+. Never mind!  $700 lease payment is not gonna happen. 

stickguy

If I am laying out $700/month, I want to own something really nice a few years down the line!

Michael, the Accent should be vastly more practical than an old Mustang, and overall may end up costing less to run. with a whole lot better cost certainly for budgeting!

Michaell

stickguy said:

If I am laying out $700/month, I want to own something really nice a few years down the line!

Michael, the Accent should be vastly more practical than an old Mustang, and overall may end up costing less to run. with a whole lot better cost certainly for budgeting!

That's what I'm thinking, too. I know that wasn't necessarily the car he wanted, but it was in his budget and should be easy and cheap to run and maintain.

He is, however, experiencing a bit of a problem already. The Accent has a USB port, but his Android smart phone will do nothing but charge from it. No music.

I've suggested he do a bit of poking around on the internet to see if others have had this same problem, or, at the very least, try a different phone to see if that works.

iluvmysephia1

He is, however, experiencing a bit of a problem already. The Accent has a USB port, but his Android smart phone will do nothing but charge from it. No music.

Strange, Michaell, because what I've heard is people are having the opposite problem, music but no charging. Although this was from a Scion iA website I am a member of. But the problem extends to more of the car population than the iA.

He might not be pushing the right buttons to access his smartphone's music storage - online he should be able to find answers to his questions regarding the problems he's having.

corvette

Often the cars don't offer full integration with Android. Does the audio play through the car's speakers if he has it plugged into the USB port?

Michaell

corvette said:

Often the cars don't offer full integration with Android. Does the audio play through the car's speakers if he has it plugged into the USB port?

I don't believe so.

breld

Michaell said:

corvette said:

Often the cars don't offer full integration with Android. Does the audio play through the car's speakers if he has it plugged into the USB port?

I don't believe so.

In our Kia, there are several USB ports - only one of them (I think it's the one beneath the armrest) actually interfaces with the stereo. All the others are only for charging.

It's possible that 1) the USB port on the Accent is only for charging or 2) there is another USB port elsewhere that interfaces with the stereo.

Michaell

breld said:

Michaell said:

corvette said:

Often the cars don't offer full integration with Android. Does the audio play through the car's speakers if he has it plugged into the USB port?

I don't believe so.

In our Kia, there are several USB ports - only one of them (I think it's the one beneath the armrest) actually interfaces with the stereo. All the others are only for charging.

It's possible that 1) the USB port on the Accent is only for charging or 2) there is another USB port elsewhere that interfaces with the stereo.

I'll ask him if there is more than one USB. My E-GT only has one, and it does everything.

tjc78

corvette said:

Often the cars don't offer full integration with Android. Does the audio play through the car's speakers if he has it plugged into the USB port?

Its so hit or miss. With the Intellink system in our Enclave my wife's Android (Note 4) works perfectly and streams Pandora wirelessly etc. My Iphone 6S+ will not stream Pandora unless plugged in (and that is so 2010)

stevedebi

Michaell said:

breld said:

Michaell said:

corvette said:

Often the cars don't offer full integration with Android. Does the audio play through the car's speakers if he has it plugged into the USB port?

I don't believe so.

In our Kia, there are several USB ports - only one of them (I think it's the one beneath the armrest) actually interfaces with the stereo. All the others are only for charging.

It's possible that 1) the USB port on the Accent is only for charging or 2) there is another USB port elsewhere that interfaces with the stereo.

I'll ask him if there is more than one USB. My E-GT only has one, and it does everything.

Just a thought here, I've come across a few USB cables that only work for charging. But if the cable works with a computer that isn't the problem.

corvette

One door closes, another one opens. Another TPMS sensor looks like it has bitten the dust. But, the CEL indicating the other catalytic converter has gone bad is no longer on (from what I can tell it's unusual for that to happen and I expect it to come back at some point). Also, the oil change reminder came on, so there's that to deal with. Getting the TPMS fixed tomorrow at Discount Tire, will probably wait until the oil life monitor hits zero in a week or so to get the oil changed. 

stickguy

I'm too old at this point to deal with needy old cars. Too much hassle.

iluvmysephia1

Makes me wonder what driving would be like now if I had traded the '11Kia Soul 5-speed in on the 1968 Datsun 411 Bluebird 4-speed stick sedan! A bowl full of...cherries?

stickguy

Your wife would hate you, and go out of her way to remind you of it.

Just my guess.

corvette

stickguy said:

I'm too old at this point to deal with needy old cars. Too much hassle.

Yeah, that would be a good reason to trade for a lot of people here. Only problem is that it's so quiet and comfortable I'm not that interested in replacing it, although 1-2 year old used Explorers seem to be decent values compared to their new MSRP. 

iluvmysephia1

What year Explorer, corvette?

How 'bout a 1962 Dodge Dart 440 with a pushbutton automatic transmission and slant 6 engine? And only 82,000 miles selling for only $9,900? 

Found me another have-to-have!

stickguy

always a personal decision. and of course, how much is just an "annoyance" vs. a safety/reliability issue.

I actually like doing some sort of Stage 1 or stage 0 deal on a car like that (if it has "good bones" and you really like it). Just bite the bullet, and get all the little things done in one shot. Pricey, but take the hit at one time instead of spacing it out. But, need to be comfortable that it isn't in danger of a catastrophic failure (engine or trans), and you really would be happy to keep a few more years at least.

you are likely correct that a few newer options are going to be good deals depreciation wise.

ab348

iluvmysephia1 said:

Makes me wonder what driving would be like now if I had traded the '11Kia Soul 5-speed in on the 1968 Datsun 411 Bluebird 4-speed stick sedan! A bowl full of...cherries?

Sour cherries. It would be the pits.

henryn

corvette said:

One door closes, another one opens. Another TPMS sensor looks like it has bitten the dust. But, the CEL indicating the other catalytic converter has gone bad is no longer on (from what I can tell it's unusual for that to happen and I expect it to come back at some point). Also, the oil change reminder came on, so there's that to deal with. Getting the TPMS fixed tomorrow at Discount Tire, will probably wait until the oil life monitor hits zero in a week or so to get the oil changed. 

Well, all cars and trucks require oil changes, no getting around that. I never replace one TPMS sensor, if one goes out and the car is more than 7 or 8 years old, do them all. The same with catalytic converters. The 2004 Gran Marquis that I owned a few years back developed a rattle in one cat at 150k miles, and I just replaced both of them.

stever

Widespread adoption of EVs would put a real damper on Quickie Lube.

Mr_Shiftright

It would just become Quickie Amp. 15 minute electron change.

stever

So a negative could turn into a positive for them and they could still get a charge out of us?

corvette

stickguy said:

always a personal decision. and of course, how much is just an "annoyance" vs. a safety/reliability issue.

I actually like doing some sort of Stage 1 or stage 0 deal on a car like that (if it has "good bones" and you really like it). Just bite the bullet, and get all the little things done in one shot. Pricey, but take the hit at one time instead of spacing it out. But, need to be comfortable that it isn't in danger of a catastrophic failure (engine or trans), and you really would be happy to keep a few more years at least.

you are likely correct that a few newer options are going to be good deals depreciation wise.

Dangit, now I am going to have to do a spreadsheet of expected repairs and depreciation on the Yukon vs. buying something newer. You guys are such enablers!

kyfdx

Mr_Shiftright said:

It would just become Quickie Amp. 15 minute electron change.

Quickie coal powerplant emission scrubber?

Mr_Shiftright

If I were going to sink a boatload into an older vehicle, I would have a very thorough inspection done, and a price estimate for the entire laundry list. It adds up fast, even if there's nothing "wrong" with the car or truck. Tires, brakes, fluid flushes, struts, AC recharge, misc. small repairs---BAM you're in $2K--$3K already. And cosmetics haven't even been brought yet into the equation.

iluvmysephia1

If I were going to sink a boatload into an older vehicle, I would have a very thorough inspection done, and a price estimate for the entire laundry list. It adds up fast, even if there's nothing "wrong" with the car or truck. Tires, brakes, fluid flushes, struts, AC recharge, misc. small repairs---BAM you're in $2K--$3K already. And cosmetics haven't even been brought yet into the equation.

Like in a 1962 Dodge Dart 440 with pushbutton automatic transmission and slant 6-225 c.i. engine. With 82,000 odd miles and selling for only $9,900, huh? This one would be more strong than the '68 Datsun 411 Bluebird 4-speed stick, or would it? The 411 eventually sold at the OKC auction for only $3,100.

stickguy

well, you are talking about collectible/toy cars that are really not suitable for everyday or travel duty.

now, if your fascination was a 1988 Taurus, then we might be talking.

tifighter

Going to Portugal for 2 weeks at the end of April and am trying to decide what size car to rent. There are some interesting choices. The typical Megane "or similar" for $150/week, an A3 for $350/week, a 3-series for $450/wk, or an E-class for $600. And you can go up to a S-class. I will be driving only for 1 week of the trip, and was originally thinking smaller since the roads in the villages are tight. But the choices do give me some pause...