Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

andres3

oldfarmer50 said:

qbrozen said:

I had a random thought this evening. Well, not totally random, but it came to me when looking at an SL on carsandbids. My wife has always wanted an SL. I wonder what she’d think about receiving one as a gift for our 20th anniversary in Oct.

With your wife being a kindred CCB spirit that might fly at your house, it would probably get me kicked out of mine.

Is anyone following the story of Vroom losing big money by miscalculating demand during the pandemic? Seems they sold all their cars early on and now are taking a bath trying to replenish stock in an environment where dealers are paying over retail at auctions.

My experience was that sellers were scrambling to get rid of cars back in May and June but who could have predicted the surge in demand since July? I’m guessing that CarMax and Carvana are in the same situation.

Should I get a requote from Vroom? I got an offer a month or 2 ago that was absurdly low.

stickguy

Yes. Easy and free!

andres3

DAMN! Good Call @stickguy

Got a strong offer from Vroom, only problem is my 1,000 mile allowance is only 250 miles which means my August 6th exact mileage figure ain't flying...... GRRR... Hopefully I don't lose more than a $1/mile.

tjc78

stickguy said:

I learned long ago that you have to see a car in the flesh to decide on a color. And outside. Doing it from pictures online, risky business.

I think you are safe with white, black or silver. The rest, yeah probably have to see it.

I never actually saw a white over blond S60 but knew it was what I wanted by the pictures.

andres3

I'm still having a hard time believing these car buying online sites have reasonable algorithms behind their offers.

stickguy

I thought they were nuts offering so much on my Elantra (Carvana). And insane listing it for so much more. But it was taken in a couple of days so they made money.

they seem to be smart enough to pony up for "in the wrapper" cars that they can do nothing but a quick detail to, and make a quick profit.

oldfarmer50

qbrozen said:

oldfarmer50 said:

qbrozen said:

I had a random thought this evening. Well, not totally random, but it came to me when looking at an SL on carsandbids. My wife has always wanted an SL. I wonder what she’d think about receiving one as a gift for our 20th anniversary in Oct.

With your wife being a kindred CCB spirit that might fly at your house, it would probably get me kicked out of mine.

Is anyone following the story of Vroom losing big money by miscalculating demand during the pandemic? Seems they sold all their cars early on and now are taking a bath trying to replenish stock in an environment where dealers are paying over retail at auctions.

My experience was that sellers were scrambling to get rid of cars back in May and June but who could have predicted the surge in demand since July? I’m guessing that CarMax and Carvana are in the same situation.

You’re thinking of Breld’s wife. Lol.

I know vroom and carvana have been overpaying as of late. I should probably see what they’d give for the wife’s X2. We really like it but aren’t using all the miles we are paying for.

But I thought your wife was an enabler too. 🤭

I’m certainly not thinking of my wife...although she’s been unusually compliant in approving my last two purchases.

fintail

I think a growing number of car buyers look at a car as an appliance to want an appliance buying experience - pick one off a shelf, maybe choose a warranty, and that's it. They'll pay more for what they see as the privilege.

An old co-worker used one of these services, I forget which. They picked up the old car (miled up inherited old RX) and dropped off the new one (late model CX-5, I think) without incident. That was all the buyer cared about.

akangl

tjc78 said:

stickguy said:

I learned long ago that you have to see a car in the flesh to decide on a color. And outside. Doing it from pictures online, risky business.

I think you are safe with white, black or silver. The rest, yeah probably have to see it.

I never actually saw a white over blond S60 but knew it was what I wanted by the pictures.

Personally I can't do boring colors, I'd be looking to trade in 6 months. I think that's what kept me content with the Cherokee, it was different, it wasn't like all the rest on the street. I'm still waiting official word on the Cherokee but I'm trying my best to move on. My friend is just waiting until I give him the go ahead and he will order the JGC. Its nice to have good friends in the business that I can trust. He was saddened that my Cherokee was totaled since he knew how much I loved that car, he knows how fussy I am and how hard it is to find a car that *sticks*.

On another note we were trying to figure out what to do for another commuter for hubby since we don't want to mile up a brand new car so I think we are going to buy the oldest son's 2016 Focus. Its cheap, has a 100k warranty, and only has 50k on it. He bought it new so we know where its been and what its hit.....a parked truck to be exact.

oldfarmer50

ab348 said:

akangl said:

So should I get a red JGC? They have a cool color called redline, I'm kinda digging it. Figure I might as well try to move on......still holding on tightly to my string of hope though! I really do miss my bright blue Cherokee, never missed a car so much before, strange territory for me!

Yes, Jolie, you need to say goodbye to that Hydro Blue Cherokee you loved so much. You'll still have the memories, but it's not coming back, and you wouldn't want it to anyway after what its gone through.

As to red: my Cutlass is a shade of solid non-metallic red, and my last 2 new cars have been a metallic red. Obviously I like red, and lots of other people seem to as well. One thing I've noticed (this may be just me, so take it with a grain of salt) is that a solid red looks good on certain vehicles - sporty cars, vintage cars and the like - but on others it just doesn't seem to fit. I saw a first-gen Buick Lacrosse on the lots here years ago in a similar solid bright red to that on my Cutlass and figured it was a special order for the fire department or whatever. Turned out it wasn't, that GM made a decision to offer it on the Lacrosse and Impala late in that model year for some reason. Just didn't fit. You see that color on econoboxes sometimes too and it doesn't work there either.

I think the GC color you're looking at is a pearl red so it probably is fine and should look better than just a solid red. They seem to offer only a muted selection of colors on those so that is probably the best you're going to do.

I thought of our posters today. I got a 2019 Cherokee limited to take to NJ. It was more upclass than I remember. Drive better than I remember. I can see why akangl liked it. At 46k miles it had a drivetrain noise like a transfer case was whining so maybe the accident had a saving grace. Pretty good 29 mpg on the highway.

I also thought of Sandy when I got to drive a 2020 Jetta With 12 miles. VW cheaped out on the interior with tons of plastic including a strange jog in the B pillar that hit me hard in the hip every time I tried to squeeze into the driver’s seat. The seats strangely enough looked like leather or leatherette and were comfortable. Whatever engine was in this model was very tourquey with lots of zip. Handling seemed crisp. Stereo was pretty good and if my tin ear can tell the difference it was probably real good. If it wasn’t for that darn hip buster entry I could see myself owning this.

akangl

oldfarmer50 said:

ab348 said:

akangl said:

I thought of our posters today. I got a 2019 Cherokee limited to take to NJ. I was more upclass than I remember. Drive better than I remember. I can see why akangl liked it. At 46k miles it had a drivetrain noise like a transfer case was whining so maybe the accident had a saving grace. Pretty good 29 mpg on the highway.

I also thought of Sandy when I got to drive a 2020 Jetta With 12 miles. VW cheaped out on the interior with tons of plastic including a strange jog in the B pillar that hit me hard in the hip every time I tried to squeeze into the driver’s seat. The seats strangely enough looked like leather or leatherette and were comfortable. Whatever engine was in this model was very tourquey with lots of zip. Handling seemed crisp. Stereo was pretty good and if my tin ear can tell the difference it was probably real good. If it wasn’t for that darn hip buster entry I could see myself owning this.

I had a Trailhawk, quite a different beast than the Limited. Mine had 33k on it and never an issue, it was the best vehicle I've ever owned. I would have driven it for the next 10 years, it never bored me, I enjoyed sliding into the driver's seat and was rather possessive of it!

qbrozen

I didn't even think to check what they listed my Ioniq for. They seem to have electric and plug-ins at similar pricing, and I see electric 2018s with low miles for $20-$21k.

oldfarmer50

andres3 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

qbrozen said:

I had a random thought this evening. Well, not totally random, but it came to me when looking at an SL on carsandbids. My wife has always wanted an SL. I wonder what she’d think about receiving one as a gift for our 20th anniversary in Oct.

With your wife being a kindred CCB spirit that might fly at your house, it would probably get me kicked out of mine.

Is anyone following the story of Vroom losing big money by miscalculating demand during the pandemic? Seems they sold all their cars early on and now are taking a bath trying to replenish stock in an environment where dealers are paying over retail at auctions.

My experience was that sellers were scrambling to get rid of cars back in May and June but who could have predicted the surge in demand since July? I’m guessing that CarMax and Carvana are in the same situation.

Should I get a requote from Vroom? I got an offer a month or 2 ago that was absurdly low.

Who knows, they might be trying to low ball now to make up for overpaying a month ago. I think the car business is changing daily and the window for sweet deals can disappear quickly.

Didn’t a few of our guys get buy bids a short time ago that were overly generous?

oldfarmer50

fintail said:

I think a growing number of car buyers look at a car as an appliance to want an appliance buying experience - pick one off a shelf, maybe choose a warranty, and that's it. They'll pay more for what they see as the privilege.

An old co-worker used one of these services, I forget which. They picked up the old car (miled up inherited old RX) and dropped off the new one (late model CX-5, I think) without incident. That was all the buyer cared about.

Well that’s just nuts.🥜 What about the thrill of searching for weeks to find the perfect car and then swooping in on some unsuspecting salesperson with negotiation ninja skills?

suydam

akangl said:

stickguy said:

I am a big red fan now. My TLX is the bright red. Though I do like more muted, darker ones too. they can look really sharp. The one Fintail posted a picture of upthread might be nice.

this the redline? Pretty close to my car. Looks sharp. You obviously aren't afraid of something flashy, considering the color the old car was!

Yes that's the redline, I love flashy colors, I don't like the boring grey, black, silver that everyone else drives. It would of course be a Trailhawk. When I bought my Cherokee she was the only Hydro Blue Trailhawk in the area for a long time, as of Friday she was only one of 4 Hydro Blue Trailhawks but the only Trailhawk Plus. I enjoy being different.

You're right I am holding on to what she was and I know she would never be the same but dang it I loved that Jeep.

Love that red! I think JGCs In particular look terrific in red. Go for it!

oldfarmer50

akangl said:

tjc78 said:

stickguy said:

I learned long ago that you have to see a car in the flesh to decide on a color. And outside. Doing it from pictures online, risky business.

I think you are safe with white, black or silver. The rest, yeah probably have to see it.

I never actually saw a white over blond S60 but knew it was what I wanted by the pictures.

Personally I can't do boring colors, I'd be looking to trade in 6 months. I think that's what kept me content with the Cherokee, it was different, it wasn't like all the rest on the street. I'm still waiting official word on the Cherokee but I'm trying my best to move on. My friend is just waiting until I give him the go ahead and he will order the JGC. Its nice to have good friends in the business that I can trust. He was saddened that my Cherokee was totaled since he knew how much I loved that car, he knows how fussy I am and how hard it is to find a car that *sticks*.

On another note we were trying to figure out what to do for another commuter for hubby since we don't want to mile up a brand new car so I think we are going to buy the oldest son's 2016 Focus. Its cheap, has a 100k warranty, and only has 50k on it. He bought it new so we know where its been and what its hit.....a parked truck to be exact.

I support you fully with getting a bright color. The Jeep I had today was some sort of nondescript grey and I can’t even remember what color it was exactly.

As to the Focus, do you really want to get involved with that dual clutch fiasco? The 2017+ models were more or less fixed but I drove a 2015 that felt like a bucking bronco.

nyccarguy

AWD - Check
Bright Color - Check
Fun to Drive - I grinned every time I hit the gas on my 328 hp Infiniti, this would be a straight up riot (Check)
$50K budget - ...

stickguy

X3M?

stickguy

Farmer, my daughter has that car but a 2019 (same thing). the engine is a little 1.4T. Reasonably spunky, and can easily break 40MPG on the highway. I find it pretty comfortable, and have never noticed an issue with the B pillar. But sometimes, it is a weird little thing that takes a car off the list.

akangl

oldfarmer50 said:

I support you fully with getting a bright color. The Jeep I had today was some sort of nondescript grey and I can’t even remember what color it was exactly.

As to the Focus, do you really want to get involved with that dual clutch fiasco? The 2017+ models were more or less fixed but I drove a 2015 that felt like a bucking bronco.

Its already had that replaced....twice and is now behaving itself. It has an extended warranty (premium care) through 100k so not too worried about it honestly. Daughter had a 2015 that did pretty good, was only a turd about it once.

akangl

nyccarguy said:

AWD - Check
Bright Color - Check
Fun to Drive - I grinned every time I hit the gas on my 328 hp Infiniti, this would be a straight up riot (Check)
$50K budget - ...

I can tell its a BMW but what is it exactly......

28firefighter

Looks like an X3 M40.

corvette

oldfarmer50 said:

I thought of our posters today. I got a 2019 Cherokee limited to take to NJ. It was more upclass than I remember. Drive better than I remember. I can see why akangl liked it. At 46k miles it had a drivetrain noise like a transfer case was whining so maybe the accident had a saving grace. Pretty good 29 mpg on the highway.

I also thought of Sandy when I got to drive a 2020 Jetta With 12 miles. VW cheaped out on the interior with tons of plastic including a strange jog in the B pillar that hit me hard in the hip every time I tried to squeeze into the driver’s seat. The seats strangely enough looked like leather or leatherette and were comfortable. Whatever engine was in this model was very tourquey with lots of zip. Handling seemed crisp. Stereo was pretty good and if my tin ear can tell the difference it was probably real good. If it wasn’t for that darn hip buster entry I could see myself owning this.

I got a fairly loaded Cherokee as a rental on my Utah trip a year or two back. It had the 3.2 liter V6 and felt a little underpowered, but other than that and the messed up CarPlay system, I really liked the driving experience. It's probably one of the best rentals I've ever had. Leather seats and LED headlights, too.

VW has had leatherette in most Jettas for a while now. Doesn't smell as good as real leather, but it's an upgrade from cloth.

corvette

oldfarmer50 said:

Didn’t a few of our guys get buy bids a short time ago that were overly generous?

They significantly overbid on my G37, but I don't want to sell it, so it's a keeper for now.

fintail

Or looking for that specially equipped/colored car that is virtually a one-off, driving salespeople and managers nuts by asking them to search their databases for it and/or daring to negotiate.

But I doubt anyone here pines to pick a beigegrey roly poly CUV off a shelf, have it delivered, bought sight unseen, to use until someone fears it getting too old, then rinse and repeat/

oldfarmer50 said:

Well that’s just nuts.🥜 What about the thrill of searching for weeks to find the perfect car and then swooping in on some unsuspecting salesperson with negotiation ninja skills?

qbrozen

The other thing I might do is get a motorcycle. I know, I know. Crazy. BUT, it isn't necessarily to ride on the street. My son is into them after having driven a friend's. So I just ordered him his own. I went back and forth and searched and searched and searched, but it made the most sense to me to get one of the 125cc semi-auto Chinese deals, just like his friend's. So I'm thinking that maybe I should get something for myself so I can go with him. I don't want anything crazy. I'm definitely most attracted to classic "enduro" bikes, or dual-purpose, as I'd probably prefer to refer to it. lol. But I don't want a heavy or powerful one. Something like an early-to-mid 70s 125cc Enduro. I know they aren't great off road, but it is not like I'll be hitting jumps with it. I would just putter around and keep track of him.

xwesx

No reason not to go for it. At least they don't take up much space. And, used, it's a low-cost proposition because you should be able to get out of it what you put into it (in terms of purchase price) whether you keep it for a month or for several years.

xwesx

There is a class of "eMoto" bikes that are battery versions of these things, too. If you're interested.

nyccarguy

stickguy said:

X3M?

It’s an X6 ///M

corvette

nyccarguy said:

stickguy said:

X3M?

It’s an X6 ///M

I still say they should have named the X5 ///M the "MX5," inevitably starting a contest as to whether BMW or Mazda has better lawyers.

28firefighter

You know who wins in that case?

Outside Counsel

akangl

nyccarguy said:

stickguy said:

X3M?

It’s an X6 ///M

Nah, I'll stick to Jeep I think, at least it can go off the pavement if I want it to.....although mine never got a chance except for the times I dumped it in the ditch.

corvette

28firefighter said:

You know who wins in that case?

Outside Counsel

Had a settlement conference once where that was a topic of discussion - plaintiff's attorney was threatening a class action on a nuisance value case. His attorney (getting paid on contingency) got reminded he was about 1,000 hours of work away from a class certification hearing, and they decided to accept our offer.

roadburner

nyccarguy said:

It’s an X6 ///M

Back around 2011 I took an X6 M out for a test drive at a CCA Oktoberfest. You rode by yourself and followed the navigation prompts. A new M3 tried to lose me on an especially twisty section of road but I kept up with the car without trying hard. I’d still rather have the M3 but those big M models virtually repeal the laws of physics. I had a 2018 X5 M press loaner a couple of years ago and even I thought it was pretty fast(12.2 second quarter, anyone?) I gave it about 60% throttle merging on to an interstate and before I had to merge I was already well over 100 mph.

stickguy

can't wait to see this one in person. No clue what pricing is on these now, but probably a sharp looking car and a fun toy!

https://www.royaleasing.com/details-2003-chevrolet-corvette-2dr_z06_hardtop-used-1g1yy12s135110801.html

Michaell

stickguy said:

can't wait to see this one in person. No clue what pricing is on these now, but probably a sharp looking car and a fun toy!

https://www.royaleasing.com/details-2003-chevrolet-corvette-2dr_z06_hardtop-used-1g1yy12s135110801.html

Does it come with a package of white crew socks and a pair of New Balance shoes?

:laughing:

stickguy

uh, I already have both of those so all set!

roadburner

Michaell said:

stickguy said:

can't wait to see this one in person. No clue what pricing is on these now, but probably a sharp looking car and a fun toy!

https://www.royaleasing.com/details-2003-chevrolet-corvette-2dr_z06_hardtop-used-1g1yy12s135110801.html

Does it come with a package of white crew socks and a pair of New Balance shoes?

:laughing:

Corvettes don't usually intrigue me, bit I would take a clean Z06 or ZR1- they don't tend to attract the balding/gold chains/bimbo second wife Corvette enthusiasts.

stickguy

a stick shift eliminates 99% of the posers. So that should get some cred going!

Not sure what wife #1 will think about a bimbo though. I should probably ask her.

Michaell

stickguy said:

a stick shift eliminates 99% of the posers. So that should get some cred going!

Not sure what wife #1 will think about a bimbo though. I should probably ask her.

I'd maintain some serious social distancing when you ask the question.

Maybe even keep the dining room table between the two of you.

qbrozen

stickguy said:

can't wait to see this one in person. No clue what pricing is on these now, but probably a sharp looking car and a fun toy!

https://www.royaleasing.com/details-2003-chevrolet-corvette-2dr_z06_hardtop-used-1g1yy12s135110801.html

I’ll guess they price it at $25k.

qbrozen

xwesx said:

No reason not to go for it. At least they don't take up much space. And, used, it's a low-cost proposition because you should be able to get out of it what you put into it (in terms of purchase price) whether you keep it for a month or for several years.

Shocker of shockers, I said something to the wife about it and she said “oh, yes, you definitely should do that.” Then she said “you probably will have to get another for your other son, too.”

Maybe she is trying to get us all killed off so she can start over.

corvette

roadburner said:

Michaell said:

stickguy said:

can't wait to see this one in person. No clue what pricing is on these now, but probably a sharp looking car and a fun toy!

https://www.royaleasing.com/details-2003-chevrolet-corvette-2dr_z06_hardtop-used-1g1yy12s135110801.html

Does it come with a package of white crew socks and a pair of New Balance shoes?

:laughing:

Corvettes don't usually intrigue me, bit I would take a clean Z06 or ZR1- they don't tend to attract the balding/gold chains/bimbo secondfourth wife Corvette enthusiasts.

Fixed that for you.

corvette

qbrozen said:

Maybe she is trying to get us all killed off so she can start over.

Is she encouraging you to take up free climbing, BASE jumping, creeking, bull riding, or big wave surfing, by any chance?

kyfdx

I put a For Sale sign in the window of the Fit.

qbrozen

kyfdx said:

I put a For Sale sign in the window of the Fit.

that was pretty fast. lol. think you'll make back the maintenance costs?

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

Farmer, my daughter has that car but a 2019 (same thing). the engine is a little 1.4T. Reasonably spunky, and can easily break 40MPG on the highway. I find it pretty comfortable, and have never noticed an issue with the B pillar. But sometimes, it is a weird little thing that takes a car off the list.

I have to assume your daughter is more petite than I am so it might not be an issue with her. When I got in I had to slide the side of my leg against the B pillar and that jog hit my hip quite forcefully. I was super impressed with the milage though right out of the box. 47 mpg in the first hundred highway miles.

28firefighter

What is going to replace the Fit?

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

can't wait to see this one in person. No clue what pricing is on these now, but probably a sharp looking car and a fun toy!

https://www.royaleasing.com/details-2003-chevrolet-corvette-2dr_z06_hardtop-used-1g1yy12s135110801.html

I think those C5s were the best looking of the old Corvettes.


What do you figure? Mid $20s?

Is there a dress code/life style requirement to own one? I have the bald head, white socks and New Balance shoes but no gold chains or bimbo 2nd wife.

stickguy

oldfarmer50 said:

stickguy said:

Farmer, my daughter has that car but a 2019 (same thing). the engine is a little 1.4T. Reasonably spunky, and can easily break 40MPG on the highway. I find it pretty comfortable, and have never noticed an issue with the B pillar. But sometimes, it is a weird little thing that takes a car off the list.

I have to assume your daughter is more petite than I am so it might not be an issue with her. When I got in I had to slide the side of my leg against the B pillar and that jog hit my hip quite forcefully. I was super impressed with the milage though right out of the box. 47 mpg in the first hundred highway miles.

since she is about 5'2" I assume she is. But, whenever I had to get into the drivers seat, I never noticed an issue but I also really didn't pay attention and rarely drive it, and usually the seat is so far up I barely fit!