Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

corvette

Nice! I previously had a 2013 Jetta GLI, which was a lot of fun to drive. (Strange coincidence, I also traded in a 2003 BMW 540i on it.)

mlevine

Nice car enjoy and congratulations.

Michaell

Let the mileage charges commence!

corvette

Michaell, hopefully that doesn't happen quite yet. How many miles were on the car when it was delivered?

kyfdx, I also have a bit of the "want to quit my job and retire bug," but I'm a good bit away from being able to. I also have the "like to go on vacation and stay in fancy hotels" bug, which hinders the other one, although it would be a nice compromise if I could wrangle four (or more) weeks of vacation time instead of two.

Michaell

corvette said:

Michaell, hopefully that doesn't happen quite yet. How many miles were on the car when it was delivered? kyfdx, I also have a bit of the "want to quit my job and retire bug," but I'm a good bit away from being able to. I also have the "like to go on vacation and stay in fancy hotels" bug, which hinders the other one, although it would be a nice compromise if I could wrangle four (or more) weeks of vacation time instead of two.

 Good point! I'd have to look at the contract, but I don't think it was very many miles 

Sandman6472

Told the wife tonight that I want to retire again in two more years as my chronic pain is making it harder to get up and go the three days a week I do go. I really just want to do nothing for awhile to rest my body...figure the beginning of 2018 will be my time line.
As much as I love Hertz, I'm just hurting so much it's taking away from the enjoyment. And having the last three days off hasn't helped much. To be honest, have been going through a bad pain period which seems to happen every few months. Don't know why this is but it does happen. And honestly, if the wifey would say sure, go ahead, I'd give in my resignation tomorrow. But as of earlier, she knows my time line and will try and stick to it!

The Sandman

stickguy

Your body. Should be up to you. Collect your SS and take care of yourself.

stickguy

Michael, swap it out and save money!

nyccarguy

@eriknorcal - Congrats on the punch!  Nice ride!

tommister2

@sandman_6472 sorry to hear that your pain levels are up.

kyfdx

corvette said:

Michaell, hopefully that doesn't happen quite yet. How many miles were on the car when it was delivered?

kyfdx, I also have a bit of the "want to quit my job and retire bug," but I'm a good bit away from being able to. I also have the "like to go on vacation and stay in fancy hotels" bug, which hinders the other one, although it would be a nice compromise if I could wrangle four (or more) weeks of vacation time instead of two.

When you get close to it, it's just a matter of trusting the numbers. If we had to give up traveling, etc, then I wouldn't do it. Of course, every month you work helps the numbers, and makes you more secure, but you can do that forever, and never retire.

Rationalization: I already get 5 weeks vacation, so I might as well quit, anyway

kyfdx

stickguy said:

Michael, swap it out and save money!

enabler

stickguy

Financially prudent move in this case.

qbrozen

eriknorcal said:

Couldn't resist.. 2012 GTI, DSG, every option but still has plaid seats  52k miles and came with VWs certified 24/24 warranty bumper to bumper. Paid a bit over $15k. Very pleased! She won't be stock for long

Congrats.

Well, if swapping out the turbo right away, the CPO warranty is worthless.

I can't recall offhand if the TSI engine solved the cam follower issue or not. And has the DSG fluid been changed?

Michaell

stickguy said:

Financially prudent move in this case.

I can rationalize it, but I think I will stick with what I've got and deal with the penalties later this year. It's not like they will stop making the new Elantra, and the dealer will still have great deals available.

Kind of "the devil you know" ... I really like my E-GT.

Even though it's filthy at the moment and needs a good cleaning, inside and out.

eriknorcal

qbrozen said:

Couldn't resist.. 2012 GTI, DSG, every option but still has plaid seats  52k miles and came with VWs certified 24/24 warranty bumper to bumper. Paid a bit over $15k. Very pleased! She won't be stock for long

Congrats. Well, if swapping out the turbo right away, the CPO warranty is worthless. I can't recall offhand if the TSI engine solved the cam follower issue or not. And has the DSG fluid been changed?

Eh the kit I'm doing is the K04 which is a factory turbo. Looks stock. It will have software but my local dealer doesn't care about that. I've asked them and they won't deny warranty work if a car has aftermarket goodies. VOA can but that's in the rare event they demand to inspect my car. 

nyccarguy

Good news folks!  The Prelude is back in action.  I brought it to my mechanic this AM and he was able to get a hold of an (aftermarket) idle air control valves.  While it was at his shop, I had him remove he front springs & struts so he could make sure they were positioned correctly.  He set them correctly with and old school spring compressor and set the struts to their stiffest setting.  The front right still has a bigger gap than the other 3.  It just doesn't make sense to me.  The car drives great once again.  He ordered some 

nyccarguy

In other non-chronic car buyer news, the title to our Pilot came in the mail yesterday.

au1994

nyccarguy said:

In other non-chronic car buyer news, the title to our Pilot came in the mail yesterday.

Time to head to the dealership!!

sda

nyccarguy said:

In other non-chronic car buyer news, the title to our Pilot came in the mail yesterday.

That's a great feeling, bravo! Only true to CCBA and to the chagrin of my wife, having title in hand doesn't last long in our household!

Michaell

nyccarguy said:

In other non-chronic car buyer news, the title to our Pilot came in the mail yesterday.

Congrats! That didn't take long at all. 

stever

Please everyone, don't raise your hands at once, we don't want to crash the servers.

A reporter is looking to speak with someone over the age of 50 who recently purchased a new vehicle within the last six months. If you're willing to assist, please reach out to pr@edmunds.com by June 2, 2016.

roadburner

I assume CPOs don't count?

stever

I think they are looking for "new" cars only with this request. Not "new" to you in other words.

henryn

My last purchase was 8 months ago. Could I be suffering from withdrawal?

nyccarguy

Good thing I paid off the Pilot. I just spent $775 having a new IAC valve replaced on the Prelude & having the shocks & springs uninstalled & reset. Now the Pilot needs Front pads & rotors. Do I go OEM Honda for $505 installed or $355 aftermarket? I checked tire rack. Does it make a difference if I were to use aftermarket from "Centric" or "Stop Tech" rotors? I don't want to skimp on price. They are brakes and they are important. I just want to do the right thing.

sda

nyccarguy said:

Good thing I paid off the Pilot. I just spent $775 having a new IAC valve replaced on the Prelude & having the shocks & springs uninstalled & reset. Now the Pilot needs Front pads & rotors. Do I go OEM Honda for $505 installed or $355 aftermarket? I checked tire rack. Does it make a difference if I were to use aftermarket from "Centric" or "Stop Tech" rotors? I don't want to skimp on price. They are brakes and they are important. I just want to do the right thing.

Even though I know there are some really good after market choices, for peace of mind I would go with oem. If I put aftermarket on and they made the slightest noise, I would get an earful from you know who.

henryn

I can't speak for a Honda, but on Chevys and Fords that I have owned, I like to go with Wagner products. Wagner Thermoquiet brake pads, and Wagner rotors. I usually get the part number from Rock Auto, and then compare prices with Amazon (using the part numbers I found on Rock Auto). Rock Auto is usually a little cheaper, but with free shipping from Amazon Prime, their bottom line is often the best.

And I have never been disappointed with Wagner brake parts.

roadburner

nyccarguy said:

Good thing I paid off the Pilot. I just spent $775 having a new IAC valve replaced on the Prelude & having the shocks & springs uninstalled & reset. Now the Pilot needs Front pads & rotors. Do I go OEM Honda for $505 installed or $355 aftermarket? I checked tire rack. Does it make a difference if I were to use aftermarket from "Centric" or "Stop Tech" rotors? I don't want to skimp on price. They are brakes and they are important. I just want to do the right thing.

A lot of the Subaru and Mazda hotshoes like the Centric High Carbon 125 rotors. Hawk HPS pads are pretty well liked..

qbrozen

I completely toasted a set of Hawk HPS pads over one 2-day HPDE in my 135i. Previously ran 4 days and several thousand miles on the stock BMW pads. Oh well.

andres3

qbrozen said:

I completely toasted a set of Hawk HPS pads over one 2-day HPDE in my 135i. Previously ran 4 days and several thousand miles on the stock BMW pads. Oh well.

I wouldn't recommend Hawk HPS pads for an S4 either, but since this is for his Pilot which I doubt will see any track time, he should be fine with them.

tommister2

sda said:

nyccarguy said:

Good thing I paid off the Pilot. I just spent $775 having a new IAC valve replaced on the Prelude & having the shocks & springs uninstalled & reset. Now the Pilot needs Front pads & rotors. Do I go OEM Honda for $505 installed or $355 aftermarket? I checked tire rack. Does it make a difference if I were to use aftermarket from "Centric" or "Stop Tech" rotors? I don't want to skimp on price. They are brakes and they are important. I just want to do the right thing.

Even though I know there are some really good after market choices, for peace of mind I would go with oem. If I put aftermarket on and they made the slightest noise, I would get an earful from you know who.

I agree with @sda, unless you don't like the Honda parts I would stick with them.

stickguy

just got back from a trip to NC to help the princess move into a new apartment. So the RDX got some exercise for the first time in a long time. Seemed to enjoy it. Got about 29 overall on the way done (over 2 days, with a pit stop in N. VA). On the way back up, from a fill up just N of Richmond (about 240 miles), the TC was at 31.4. And that was mostly running 70-75, and a little bit of construction stoppage time. A new record. pretty impressive IMO for what it is!

stickguy

Oh, for the move, I did (desperately) need a van for a day. Got the U Haul straight van. Turned out to be a nearly new Ram Promaster 1500. Looked a lot like a new Ford Transit. Drove well. Much different feel than the old school GMC I had last time I rented.

corvette

That is pretty impressive mileage for a V6 crossover that weighs about the same as my Murano. 23 MPG highway is pretty much the best case scenario for me. One highway leg of my recent road trip returned 16 MPG due to a combination of rain, heavy wind, cold temperatures, and going 80+ the whole way.

tjc78

The Nissan 3.5 is a great engine but not the most efficient in the class.  It's probably better than the GM 3.6 but not as good as the Toyota and Honda offerings (however, it sure sounds a lot better!)

sda

corvette said:

That is pretty impressive mileage for a V6 crossover that weighs about the same as my Murano. 23 MPG highway is pretty much the best case scenario for me. One highway leg of my recent road trip returned 16 MPG due to a combination of rain, heavy wind, cold temperatures, and going 80+ the whole way.

23 mpg is about tops for our Pilot. Just returned from a weekend trip to Jacksonville and over 750 miles we averaged 22.5 mpg. Not bad, but could be better.

stickguy

The VCM really seems to be effective in the 70-75 range on flat ground. Basically running at 2k RPMs on either 2 or 3 cylinders.

henryn

The 2016 Chrysler T&C that I had last week as a rental did 26 mpg on the highway. With mostly highway driving, I did see 24 mpg. Around town, about 20 or 21. Which I thought was fairly good for what it is, namely a box on wheels that can still go fairly fast when pressed.

tjc78

All those numbers are pretty good. Our Enclave is a pure pig! We average barely 16.5 with a 60/40 highway/city split. Its a heavy beast and neither of us are light footed. I never clocked pure highway but if it cracked 20 I'd be surprised.

My 100K mile 04 Grand Marquis does better.

stever

henryn said:

The 2016 Chrysler T&C that I had last week as a rental did 26 mpg on the highway. With mostly highway driving, I did see 24 mpg. Around town, about 20 or 21. Which I thought was fairly good for what it is, namely a box on wheels that can still go fairly fast when pressed.

I don't keep close track anymore but that sounds similar to our '09 Grand Caravan. The dash readout will vary between 19 and 21 in town and 24 and higher is common on the highway.

corvette

BTW, I really like the digital gas gauge on Michaell's Elantra. Seems like mine goes from a quarter tank and 60 miles remaining to showing empty and range too low to calculate really quickly. 

Michaell

corvette said:

BTW, I really like the digital gas gauge on Michaell's Elantra. Seems like mine goes from a quarter tank and 60 miles remaining to showing empty and range too low to calculate really quickly. 

I like it, too.

When it gets to the last bar, the low fuel warning comes on - usually with about 40-50 miles on the distance to empty. Once the DTE goes below 30, the display changes to "---" but the last bar starts to flash.

Which it was doing to me yesterday as I finished my errands. 365 miles on the current tank, which may be a record.

I think I've got less than 10 miles before I run out of gas. Fortunately, the gas station is <2 miles from the house.

So, I think I may need my CCBA membership revoked. Hyundai dealer called me today; it's their new "VIP" consultant calling me about the lease on my E-GT. Told him I had talked with both a salesperson and the sales manager last week, and that they wanted me to come in to talk numbers, which I wasn't really inclined to do.

He keeps going on about the great deals are available, how he can get me into the '17 Elantra for a payment comparable to what I'm paying now.

I interrupt him to tell him I've been laid off, and that the budget is tight. No problem, he says. We can work something out.

I ask him if he'd pull the trigger on a deal for a new car (purchase or lease) if he didn't have any income. Well, no, he replies. I explain that my debt to income is frightful at the moment and that my best course of action is to make the last 5 payments on my existing lease, then figure things out.

"But, we can get you into a purchase of the Elantra for only $249/mo!" he states. Right, how much down does that require. "Oh, $3400". Again, I remind him that I've got a severance check and cashed out vacation that I've got to make last for however long it takes me to get a new job, and that committing to a 5 or 6 year loan isn't fiscally prudent. "Well, how much can you put down?". Nothing, I tell him.

Then he says he can get me into a nice clean used car with all the bells and whistles I want. Same answer - I don't think Hyundai finance is going to approve me for a loan when all we've got is the wife's income.

Oh. My. God. It's June 2nd - are they already that desperate to make a deal?

When did I become the grown up in this conversation? I tell him that I love cars, I like having new cars and new tech and so on, but I'm in no position to do anything but continue making the lease payments and deal with the damage and mileage charges in October or November. Yes, their dealer will be my first stop. No idea if I'll lease or buy, or buy new or used.

Hopefully I'll have landed some sort of employment by then - I just applied to a job that is 50+ miles from my house. If that comes through, no way could I lease.

I think I finally got through to him that I'm not a candidate for a car at this time.

kyfdx

That's really good on the RDX. My wife's X3 averages about 23.3 mpg, overall. We are pretty happy with that. I'd say it tops out about 25-27 mpg on the highway.

roadburner

My wife's 2004 X3 averages a bit under 20 mpg in her mostly suburban driving, but does get a bit over 25 on the road.

fintail

I hit 15 mpg on my commute today, thanks to sketchy local traffic controls and hilariously bad local drivers.

Sandman6472

Called VW service department and made appointment for the 20K service for July 7th. Did the 10K at 9950 so the car is telling me I've got 900 miles to go. Luckily I prepaid for the 20K and 30K so will have to find an indie after that. There's an excellent German auto repair shop down the street from us and their reviews are pretty good online. Will check them out before time is due to see if I will use them.
Not sure about going oem once I need new front brakes. Would prefer a brand with a bit better bite when needed. Am sure the indie shop will have a good recommendation when the time is due. Don't really trust the local Midas shop as they always find something else to fix whenever I use them for an oil change. That trust factor just isn't there anymore with them.

The Sandman

andres3

sda said:

corvette said:

That is pretty impressive mileage for a V6 crossover that weighs about the same as my Murano. 23 MPG highway is pretty much the best case scenario for me. One highway leg of my recent road trip returned 16 MPG due to a combination of rain, heavy wind, cold temperatures, and going 80+ the whole way.

23 mpg is about tops for our Pilot. Just returned from a weekend trip to Jacksonville and over 750 miles we averaged 22.5 mpg. Not bad, but could be better.

Over the last 1,000 miles (all after break-in) I'm averaging long term mileage of 24 MPG in the TTS. That includes a very mixed mostly commuting drive routine, along with some spirited jaunts on the way home taking the "scenic" route. This is according to the computer which seems accurate. About a 10% improvement from the old S4; can't complain, as I drive with a pretty heavy foot and like to cruise with the spoiler up which forces me to go 75+; at least that's my prepared excuse for exceeding the speed limit as it is just too hard to push the button.

Anyone know if the spoiler might provide significant down-force at speeds of just 40-60 MPH? It seemed to button down the rear a bit at those speed in the tight twisties. An Audi with a loose rear end; who'd of thunk !

stickguy

Sandy, I would not be surprised if the total cost at the dealer is as low as the indy once you factor everything in. Plus of course, coupons. dealers always have coupons!

stickguy

speaking of service, I got an Email Friday from my Acura dealer saying it has been a year, so wassup? I figured that can't possibly be right, since the maintenance minder was still at about 60%. Actually just dropped to 50% this week on our trip south,

so today I dug out my file (got a folder for every car. every piece of paper goes in there. Even rip off and date/miles the end of the box from stuff like air filters). Turns out that yup, last service was on 5/27/15.

looked at the miles. Since then, it has gone almost exactly 4k miles. And that is after this week's trip which was close to 1,000 miles of the total! This is almost embarrassing.

we do tend to take the Sonata most of the time, and that, at 19 months, is sitting at about 10,400 miles. I think we need to go more places. Once we don't have a geriatric dog that needs daily shots we will probably travel a bit more.

told the wife that with all the extra lease miles, we may take a road trip and do a lap of the country to burn them up!