Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

Michaell

corvette said:

Where's Andre? Wasn't he due for a punch on account of his Park Avenue needing a bunch of work?

With his stable, he didn't need to replace the PA.

stickguy

Andre also seems to move at more of a Roadburner pace than a Breld pace, when it comes to making a change.

cdnpinhead

Well put. Me, too.

iluvmysephia1

Well, I asked 2016 Scion iA owners for feedback on the "buziness" question shifty brought up. No buzzing at freeway speeds, but, they mention that there is some body sway in high winds.

Pfft. Gonna have ta do better than that, guys. And this morning I noticed my Denver dealer just lowered the 6-speed Stealth Scion iA  price again with a $500 rebate. It's now down to $13,895. Wow. This was the extra incentive  that I needed ta fall off the fence! I don't know how I could go too wrong. We might have differences in my trade-in value, or they may demand at least $1000 down instead of the $0 I was planning on putting down. 

I'm getting excited again. The kids must not know how ta drive sticks in DEN!

graphicguy

laurasdada said:

PUG $2.20 at Costco outside of Boston (was $2.00 about 10 days ago). Highway robbery, I tells ya!

Also, got invited to a "viewing only" event at my local Jag dealer to ogle the new XE and F-Pace. I'm a goin', leaving the checkbook and credit cards at home. Unless, of course, they make me an offer I can't refuse! Do I have any breld or qbrozen in me?

No, must resist. Looks like I bought me a condo. Buyer's remorse already, that can't be good.

Take pics. Jag is on my short list for the (eventual) next ride.

Michaell

iluvmysephia1 said:

Well, I asked 2016 Scion iA owners for feedback on the "buziness" question shifty brought up. No buzzing at freeway speeds, but, they mention that there is some body sway in high winds.

Pfft. Gonna have ta do better than that, guys. And this morning I noticed my Denver dealer just lowered the 6-speed Stealth Scion iA  price again with a $500 rebate. It's now down to $13,895. Wow. This was the extra incentive  that I needed ta fall off the fence! I don't know how I could go too wrong. We might have differences in my trade-in value, or they may demand at least $1000 down instead of the $0 I was planning on putting down. 

I'm getting excited again. The kids must not know how ta drive sticks in DEN!

It might be worth the drive to go check it out.

Me, that is. I can drive stick.

That's an amazing price. My local dealer is selling automatics for $15,745.

If only I wasn't buried in my E-GT.

stickguy

At that price, I might buy it to stash in the garage for a year until I need it!

sda

Recently we were sharing stories about our pets and how much joy they bring to us. stickguy, I hope your pup is doing better. I took this picture and sent it to my parents. Our dogs, they are sisters, are partners in crime. Here they are just about to start a Mexican standoff on who is going to ultimately get the Kong--under their paws.

stever

Dang, maybe I should buy your Soul (cheap) for a fun toy @iluvmysephia1. Bet I could pop the top off with a sawsall from Harbor Freight.

sda

sda said:

Recently we were sharing stories about our pets and how much joy they bring to us. stickguy, I hope your pup is doing better. I took this picture and sent it to my parents. Our dogs, they are sisters, are partners in crime. Here they are just about to start a Mexican standoff on who is going to ultimately get the Kong--under their paws.

Sorry, I meant to post this in the Edmunds Cars and Conversations not CCBA.

iluvmysephia1

sda - they are so adorable! Michaell - if the iA doesn't sell this week I may want to take a stab at it a week from tomorrow.

The Soul would go for $9,750 stever. That's priced pretty competitively on the free market.

stever

Yeah but for $14k I can get a new Scion. For $15k I can get a new base base base Soul.

iluvmysephia1

You can...but will you?

henryn

No plans (or desire) to commute to Boulder or anything on the north side of Denver, truth be told.

Plans and desires go out the window when you’ve been out of work for a long period of time. Now if you’re in a position to consider retirement, then that’s different. But if you need to work / have to work, and the only job is in BFE, then you’re going to move to or commute to BFE.

I would also agree on not getting into another lease, when you’re situation is uncertain.

henryn

You people in here are enablers, I gotta tell ya! I keep hearing talk about Kia Souls, and the more talk I hear, the more I notice them on the roads, and the cuter they look. I have to get down this weekend and see if I actually fit comfortably in one.

andres3

kyfdx said:

UI was the best job I ever had...

in CA tops out at closer to $10/hour, so not really that great a "job" Also, it is taxed just like income. You would work part time to reduce their payments to you in the short term, but what that means long term is you'll get MORE weeks of UI benefits as the benefit is a fixed dollar amount, not really tied to weeks.

andres3

28firefighter said:

Yeah. On second thought, forget the Dart. Passed one broken down on the side of I-5 this evening. 

I had a much better experience buying a 10 year old 166,000 mile '92 Civic than I did a brand new '95 Neon. I think I've seen graphs where the Honda's and Toyota's are more reliable at 7 years than the new Chrysler iron (statistically). Since my anecdotal story is a sample of just 2 cars.

rayainsw

My 'Chrysler iron' at just past 20,000 miles [ this morning ] and 1.25 years
has been perfect.
[ Knock on wood. ]
- Ray
One data point

stever

iluvmysephia1 said:

You can...but will you?

At this point no one would believe me anyway. Even if I posted the registration and title, everyone would claim it had been photoshopped.

@henryn, some more feedback would be good. I think I've snookered @pflyer into checking a base Soul out too (base, because the higher trims lose the manual transmission).

henryn

stever said:

iluvmysephia1 said:

You can...but will you?

At this point no one would believe me anyway. Even if I posted the registration and title, everyone would claim it had been photoshopped.

@henryn, some more feedback would be good. I think I've snookered @pflyer into checking a base Soul out too (base, because the higher trims lose the manual transmission).

The manual transmission is a "no go" for me. My daily commute is 5.3 miles one way, stop and go traffic. Every time I refill the 2006 DTS (my daily driver), and reset the trip computer, the "average speed" shows somewhere between 13 and 16 mph. Yes, "Miles Per Hour", not "Miles Per Gallon". If anyone thinks I'm going to do that with a clutch, they have another think coming!

andres3

rayainsw said:

My 'Chrysler iron' at just past 20,000 miles [ this morning ] and 1.25 years
has been perfect.
[ Knock on wood. ]
- Ray
One data point

I think if Chrysler implemented a "if you have a problem in the first 20,000 miles or 1.25 years, then you get to return it for an exchange on another new one, they'd be onto something that would skyrocket their sales for people previously damaged by them.

With this policy they could make sure everyone has an experience close to equal to yours!

I won't even charge them to use my idea.

breld

@iluvmysephia1 - with the projected snow coming into Denver this weekend, that Scion will probably sit make it through to next week unsold, and you can come take delivery when it clears up and is Spring-like again!

breld

@michaell - nice to get some good advice here from friends. Good luck with the job search - I have no doubt something will come through before long. You're a pretty decent guy.

ab348

Well, my cheapskate older brother finally let some moths escape from his wallet this week. After having yet another problem with his wife's 2007 Focus wagon, he went car-shopping with her. He ended up making a deal on a car that is not sold in the USA, a Kia Rondo. Looks like this:

http://www.kia.ca/rondo?sourceid=hp-dropdown

They gave him $2200 for the Focus and with all discounts, plus sales taxes and fees he wrote them a cheque for somewhere just under $23K Cdn. He was happy with the deal as he got around $5K off list. He got the LX automatic version, which is a pretty hi-tech deal for him even though he used to be in IT. He thought the other trims above that had too many frills.

They were fixated on a small wagon-like vehicle of which there are very few available. The only other vehicle he looked at was a Mazda 5, which he thought looked too much like a shrunken minivan. I don't know if he looked at a Golf wagon or why it didn't make the cut. I haven't seen the Rondo yet as he doesn't take delivery until tomorrow, but the Kia design looks pretty good to me. Titanium Gray metallic. I'm sure his wife will like it.

stickguy

I like that. Seems practical.

breld

I'm starting to see some new Civic coupes at the dealerships and I'm finding myself drawn to them. In the previous gen, I thought the sedan had better proportions than the coupe, but I like the lines of the current coupe. It also received a pretty complimentary review in this months C&D - even stating it felt somewhat reminiscent of the GTI.

One of the dealerships I drive by has a bright lime green one out front - definitely catches my eye, not that I'd actually want to own one in that color.

Curious to see the hatchback in person and also what body styles the Si will come in. I assume the sedan and coupe will continue to be offered, but if I had to guess, I'd say the "hot" hatchback will be reserved for the Type R. Either way, Honda could capture some of its old magic with a slick 6-speed and turbo engine.

stickguy

I just read that road test at lunch. Very positive. If they are coming out with a 1.5t stick, non-si, I have something else on my list for next year.

breld

I agree on the appeal of the 1.5t stick (which Honda has confirmed to be available in all body styles with the 2017 models) - that C&D article claimed a 0-60 with the CVT of 6.6 seconds. Not bad for the class. I bet that's about a full second quicker than the Mazda3s I had. The turbo also gets better gas mileage than the n/a 2.0l.

Though I may be a sucker for the Si treatment, especially if it's offered in the hatchback. That would be nostalgic for me, looking back to my high school graduation where my parents bought me a 1990 Civic Si (yes, I know I was spoiled, though we didn't opt for the options of air conditioning or factory-installed radio ).

iluvmysephia1

Hey, breld. Been sleeping ( I work the night shift) and I check Edmund's and your comment awaits me. Thank you very much. I just hit serious on my '16 Scion iA over there in Bronco-land. Their $500 surpise rebate makes it $13,895. I mean, it's starting to hit my '11Kia Soul's value. They are hungry ta sell, too.

Thanks for your snow tip, very cool. Yes! My buddy over on scioniaforum.com and his Atlanta Autocross absolutely just blew me away. Was it his driving skills or the iA's ability to scoot? The little subcompact slaloms well. Thanks buddy!

breld

iluv - I've grown to like that dealership (Mountain States, right?). We bought the minivan there late last year and we've shopped a little bit for Tacomas there as well. They have a no haggle price approach with no dealer handling fees, though I get the sense you may be able to get a little more discount if push comes to shove. I pushed on the used minivan and they offered something like a few extra hundred off. Point being, I think you can trust their up-front price.

They also advertise pretty sizable discounts on Tacomas, generally around $1,500. Considering the market for those trucks, I respect that the dealership doesn't treat them as too "precious."

stever

@ab348, we got Rondo's here from '07 through '09. Not sure why Kia dumped them. Our editors liked them well enough.

iluvmysephia1

iluv - I've grown to like that dealership (Mountain States, right?). We bought the minivan there late last year and we've shopped a little bit for Tacomas there as well. They have a no haggle price approach with no dealer handling fees, though I get the sense you may be able to get a little more discount if push comes to shove. I pushed on the used minivan and they offered something like a few extra hundred off. Point being, I think you can trust their up-front price.

They also advertise pretty sizable discounts on Tacomas, generally around $1,500. Considering the market for those trucks, I respect that the dealership doesn't treat them as too "precious."

Mountain States Scion looks sound as a pound, breld. I could give them an e-mail to tell them I'm interested. The one I want (Stealth) has been there for about a month and a half and it hasn't sold. So, I'm hoping no one nabs it this weekend. I don't think anyone will, the young kids that would want the iA have not been taught to drive a stick, that helps me in my quest. I'll be getting my ducks lined up and be ready ta go next Friday. I have to decide what I want to put down. The dealer will want a $1,000 or so, I would think. Every time I watch that YouTube vid where this guy takes his 6-speed MT '16 Scion iA through the slalom in Atlanta I can't believe how fast that guy goes through that slalom. I mean, for a small FWD this iA can match the new Ford Focus RS! Unless I'm going to be absolutely blown away by a dash-cam video of someone slaloming in his Ford Focus RS.

Sandman6472

Yes, we had Rondo's for a few years there but they didn't catch on much. Have seen that lime green Civic in person, Tuesday, and it is a bit much on the eyes...one has to get used to it I think before purchasing. One things for sure, if you're a speeder, do not get this color because it's worse than red because it can be seen from a distance. Am surprised in how much I like the new Civic the more I drive them. Hertz took title to another dozen the other day and we had to bring them down from the parking garage. Nice seating material in the LX and like the digital speedo, though I didn't mind the dual one in my 2006 model one bit. Think Honda will sell a boat load of these and think Toyota needs to do something with their Corolla, and soon. Still am liking the new Elantra a bit more and if had to buy today, the Elantra would be sitting in our garage.

The Sandman

Sandman6472

Opened the garage door at 8:20 this morning and my detail guy was unloading his van. He was due at 8:30 but just knew he'd be early so I was up early myself. As usual, he did an excellent job on both the cars and it's the best $40 I've ever spent. Will have him back in a few weeks to tackle the Versa as it's in pretty nasty shape right now. My kid does a lot of driving for her job as Social Media Director for Goodwill of Palm Beach County. Social media has taken off in the last few years and she was lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time. Kids in her generation were brought up with computers and they get how the tech works so when her bosses found out about this new medium, they asked her if she knew how it all worked. She did and the rest is history.
But, her Versa is showing all this driving and needs some extra attention. So, in a couple of weeks, will call him back to do his magic.

The Sandman

iluvmysephia1

sandman, does he use a toothbrush in the tight spaces?

stever

Seinfeld? And wasn't it a Q-Tip on the peephole?

iluvmysephia1

The mind is a funny thing, huh? Racing thoughts? Bad sleep hygiene like leaving the TV on while trying to go to sleep?

slorenzen

Is this what happens when they legalize pot in my state?

http://eugene.craigslist.org/cto/5537034955.html

ab348

Well, it does make the user act stupid, so...

xwesx

slorenzen said:

Is this what happens when they legalize pot in my state?

http://eugene.craigslist.org/cto/5537034955.html

Wow, so he goes through all of that to turn the XT into a beast XT, and it still has a TMIC? I think he's probably about $7K high on his asking, but I think he's somehow thinking he has a car with 30,000 miles instead of one with 116,000. LOL

stever

Drove a 2016 hipster Matrix today.

andres3

Checked out the TT-S today.... starting the collection basket for donations now; pass it around.

Beautiful car! The pictures honestly don't do it justice. The TT-S is a much improved looker over even the TT; it's the subtle details and big front air intakes and chin spoiler! I liked the exterior styling so much I honestly forgot to look at the details of the interior, but i do like the all red Napa Leather seats you can get. The 20" wheels are overkill but don't look huge on the car. It really is the mini-R8.

Who here is a color committee member? What do you think of Vegas Yellow exterior coupled with Red Nappa Leather interior? Good combo, or clash city? I like the "launch edition package" list of items and value, (not perfect, but good) though if it only comes in black exterior that's a deal killer.

Recommendation: Go look at one (TTS) in person at your local Audi dealer; forget the pictures you can find online.

Mr_Shiftright

andres3

Mr_Shiftright said:

That looks like the pedestrian Audi TT, not the TTS. However, it sounds like many of the improvements found on the TTS model are also included in the TT model. The 50 lb. battery is no longer up front for instance.

breld

Surprised to have just seen a tesla model X on the road.  It was a quick look, so I reserve the right to change my mind, but it was quite the ugly duckling.  Kinda Aztek ugly.

Mr_Shiftright

Not so different

kyfdx

slorenzen said:

Is this what happens when they legalize pot in my state?

http://eugene.craigslist.org/cto/5537034955.html

Well.. that's nuts, but those Forester XTs with a stick do bring stupid money.

Here is one that's slightly more sane, in my area:

https://cincinnati.craigslist.org/cto/5532970118.html

nyccarguy

Yellow with a red interior?  Hulkamania runnin WIIIILD!

andres3

nyccarguy said:

Yellow with a red interior?  Hulkamania runnin WIIIILD!

Hahahaha, it seems to be a good match as the taillights are obviously red and they match well with yellow in my opinion. Also, a lot of the interior is still black even with all red seat surfaces. Yellow and all black interior is a bit too bumble bee for me.

andres3

Mr_Shiftright said:

Not so different

As I said, you have to see it person; the pictures don't do it justice as nice as they are. I think one difference might be that those lower air vents in the front bumper are not just decorative in the S-models.