Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

sda

28firefighter said:

Normally I would do the detailing here myself, but given the circumstances and how bad it is in all the nooks and crannies inside and out, I'm going to let the professionals handle it. Should look great when it is done though - so far everything I've found is just surface dirt and grime. One exception is that the window controls on the driver side have the rubberized paint peeling off - so I may order a new one of those.

Current pictures please! Then follow up with pics after it is detailed. Those rubberized controls and various plastic pieces were popular for a while with VW/Audi as they have a soft touch to them and looked less like plastic. Seems they all peel at some point.

venture

xwesx said:

The world passed another COVID-19 milestone... 100,000,000 cases! Check, please!

I really hope we can keep the vaccinations moving along. With the combination of vax and prior-case immunity, maybe we can get the borders back to a sense of "normal" by the time summer rolls around.

Me too. The only ones getting the vaccine here are friends and relatives.

A lot of the pharmacies are saying not to call, or email, or register on their web site because they don't have any. I guess they think we don't know that the amount and date of delivery are public information.

corvette

Popped out to pick up Vietnamese takeout just as it started snowing here. Discovered the OE Bridgestone tires on the Tundra appear to be marginal in snow, which is not a shock, since they aren't great in the rain. At least it was a short trip there and back.

oldfarmer50

corvette said:

qbrozen said:

Michaell said:

28firefighter said:

It was about $1700 for this pseudo-enclosed option. $1300-$1400 open. Cross country, coast-to-coast.

I suspect it’d run you $400-$600 open carrier to Denver. Maybe a bit more.

Given that we're talking about an 18 year old Hyundai, open carrier would likely be fine. Add a couple hundred for a good detail once it gets here, and it's still likely less than doing it myself.

But, I really want a road trip - even one way would be good enough.

Congrats on the new (to you) car, however. The circumstances certainly suck, but at least the car will continue to get driven.

But do you want a roadtrip IN AN 18-yr-old HYUNDAI

That's part of the fun! I seem to remember Hoovie or one of the other YT car guys picking up an old Lexus ES and having to immediately stop at the closest tire shop for new tires because the old ones were dry rotted.

You should watch some of Weird Beard’s auction adventures. I just watched an old one where he was glad that he broke down in front of Walmart because he could get everything he needed to get it home.

oldfarmer50

corvette said:

Popped out to pick up Vietnamese takeout just as it started snowing here. Discovered the OE Bridgestone tires on the Tundra appear to be marginal in snow, which is not a shock, since they aren't great in the rain. At least it was a short trip there and back.

But that’s when you can have the most fun.🤩 I was actually drifting the Kia in the snow yesterday.

roadburner

corvette said:

Popped out to pick up Vietnamese takeout just as it started snowing here. Discovered the OE Bridgestone tires on the Tundra appear to be marginal in snow, which is not a shock, since they aren't great in the rain. At least it was a short trip there and back.

I'm headed from home to pick up my wife over at Southeast Christian Church; she's helping coordinate a simulcast on eliminating human trafficking. I'd take the Clubman but the Jeep gives me more options- like being to drive off the pavement to get around an accident.

28firefighter

Ask and you shall receive.

Michaell

28firefighter said:

Ask and you shall receive.

So cool to see that stick shift popping up from the console.

28firefighter

venture

28firefighter said:

That really looks good.

Michaell

28firefighter said:

When does the Outback lease expire? Are you staring to think about replacements?

corvette

Love that color combo!

au1994

Michaell said:

28firefighter said:

Ask and you shall receive.

So cool to see that stick shift popping up from the console.

Come to papa!!

28firefighter

Outback is up June 2022. Wife wants to keep it or get another Outback. I’m not going to argue with her. I love it, too.

tifighter

I like it. We need to have a blue/tan BMW meet sometime...

tjc78

Love that color combo! I also love the full beige interior, you almost never see that these days.

corvette

28firefighter said:

Outback is up June 2022. Wife wants to keep it or get another Outback. I’m not going to argue with her. I love it, too.

Happy wife, happy life (or so I've heard)!

tjc78 said:

Love that color combo! I also love the full beige interior, you almost never see that these days.

I didn't notice that. My 2007 A4 was the same way with the beige/ivory carpet. I had it less than a month before I ordered a set of black Weathertech floormats.

stickguy

I like that Wagon a lot. Would like it even better if RWD.

Michaell

28firefighter said:

Outback is up June 2022. Wife wants to keep it or get another Outback. I’m not going to argue with her. I love it, too.

You’d go with an XT next time around?

28firefighter

Yep. I need to drive it though. I really like the H6 in the current car...

Michaell

28firefighter said:

Yep. I need to drive it though. I really like the H6 in the current car...

I hear you. It’s not the most powerful engine, and there’s a fair amount of weight to pull, but I’ve never found it lacking for power.

cdnpinhead

xwesx said:

The world passed another COVID-19 milestone... 100,000,000 cases! Check, please!

Only 6,900,000,000 to go.

Point being, less than 1.5% of the world's population has tested positive. Could be a whole lot worse.

roadburner

cdnpinhead said:

xwesx said:

The world passed another COVID-19 milestone... 100,000,000 cases! Check, please!

Only 6,900,000,000 to go.

Point being, less than 1.5% of the world's population has tested positive. Could be a whole lot worse.

A little perspective never hurts.

laurasdada

The electronic trunk controls no longer work on the XF, it could simply be a busted wire or maybe the latching unit. I can't electrically lock the car or open trunk, need to use key. Also, trunk open warning light stays lit. Ok, I can deal with it, will call my shop. But, after 7+ years of joyful ownership, is this a sign?

I've always known the car I wanted, perhaps it's the recent events in my family and covid world in general, but I just have no strong feelings as to what would replace the XF (and I've babbled like this before here, sorry).

As I may be house hunting soon, I don't want to spend billions, so I'm thinking of used/CPO:
MB E400/450
Porsche Macan, 2018-2020. Is the update in '19 a much better choice than an '18?
Maybe a new M240, but I'm thinking I should still have four doors.
Audi A/S 5, coupe or Sportback?
A7?

Nothing really moves me, feel free to comment if you so desire.

stickguy

well, you have good taste. Not a bad option in the bunch.

I know what you mean though. Maybe because I hardly drive now, and when I do, it is a very nice new RDX, but I really don't have a burning desire for anything specific, and until our needs change, would not even consider another expensive car.

Sandman6472

Was at the Mini/BMW dealers in West Palm and Coconut Creek today and saw some nice loaners. Both Countryman S's. One was a white roof over a light gray body with white stripes down the hood. The one closer to our place was a black top over a charcoal body with black stripes. Both are ex-loaners and the darker one has a sticker price of $37,900. But it's fully loaded with the dual moon roofs, HK audio, 18' alloys and Sirius/XM for a year upfront. Got a salesman's card as I was smitten with it. Of course, my crew members were pushing me to go back and test drive it but I know I'll get a lot of push back if I even consider it. 169.8" so the length is perfect though the width might be another inch bigger. It's also inside the smallish showroom so they'd have to take it out so I could test drive it. Has just over 4K miles on it.
Wonder how much they'd actually discount this unit? It's a 2020 model which works for me. And to be honest, this is the first vehicle that if all the stars aligned, I'd have no problem trading the Golf. First vehicle I've seen that I feel that way to! Now that the Golf is running so well, might just be the time to let it go and move forward. But the price...the price could be a problem. Not sure I could actually spend close to $28K plus my trade for something new, and I'm just guessing here. I'm more comfortable spending around $20K plus mine.
But, I really think this could be the one! The lighter colored one in West Palm was also super nice but not sure what it includes since I didn't get to see the sticker sheet like the one closer to home. Suspect though that it's equipped almost the same or the same.

venture

28firefighter said:

Yep. I need to drive it though. I really like the H6 in the current car...

I really liked the 6 in my former Legacy and wasn't sure about the XT, but it is actually quicker than the H6; at least in the lower speed ranges. In the upper ranges it seems about the same.

I did look up the 0-60 times and the H6 was 6.8 and the T4 is 6.1. In other places you look the times may differ, but the same conclusion will be reached.

sda

I bet in extreme weather, say HOT, the H6 will be more consistent than the T4. Turbos don’t like hot weather, i.e. you can feel it throttle back the performance somewhat. At least that’s been my experience with 5 turbo cars we’ve owned. Premium fuel in all except my 18 Passat which calls for regular. I haven’t experienced the Passat in HOT weather yet, so say 4 cars.

corvette

I wonder whether the turbo in the Passat might be rated for regular, but still produce more horsepower running premium. I think some people have reported that result with the Ford EcoBoost engines.

28firefighter

I’m really not worried about performance numbers on this car so much as driving experience. I like the smooth delivery of the H6. But, I will give the XT its due closer to lease end especially because the weakest link of the current car is the infotainment and that won’t improve as it ages.

stickguy

sda said:

I bet in extreme weather, say HOT, the H6 will be more consistent than the T4. Turbos don’t like hot weather, i.e. you can feel it throttle back the performance somewhat. At least that’s been my experience with 5 turbo cars we’ve owned. Premium fuel in all except my 18 Passat which calls for regular. I haven’t experienced the Passat in HOT weather yet, so say 4 cars.

on the flip side, for the Colorado crew, turbos are much happier at higher elevations so once you start climbing the mountains that is a big advantage over the H6.

stickguy

we test drove an XT outback last year. The powertrain was very nice, though I did not get a chance to hammer it. Actually not positive I even drove it (I just remember the wife doing it)

breld

@laurasdada -

Based on what you’re coming from and the other candidates on your list, I’d probably skip the A5. We’ve had two - one current gen and one previous - and they both had style in spades and were very comfortable, but had a very “vanilla” driving experience.

An S5 of course should solve that.

For the Macan, when we were shopping them recently, my wife thought the 2019 updates with the taillights and larger infotainment screen made the pre-refresh model feel dated. Also, for the S model, I believe they changed the engine in that, FWIW.

Like @stickguy said, everything on your list is very desirable.

breld

@Sandman6472 -

Obviously you need to take a test drive in a Countryman, but it could hit all the right buttons for you. It’s compact, but you sit a little higher up, which may be nice for entry and exit. It’s sporty, like your Golf. And the styling attracts you - you’ve been drawn to them for some time now.

Give it a shot...but make sure to pay attention to the firmness of the ride.

Michaell

@Sandman6472 - regarding pricing of the Countryman, find out what the original MSRP on them are. For BMW (and, I'll guess, MINI), our recommendation has been to negotiate 15-18% off MSRP for loaner vehicles, before any incentives.

These still qualify for new car incentives, as well - $2000.

$37,900 - 18% = $31,078 - $2000 incentive = $29,078

Plus tax, title, fees, etc.

Offer them $29K less your trade and see what they say.

ab348

Would a charcoal-painted vehicle with a black roof be unbearable in Florida? I would also suspect the ride might be harsh on those. But you need to drive it of course.

corvette

Browsing Craigslist... Found a very rare RWD turbocharged Lexus RX350. Given its rarity, seller has it priced about double what a normal one with those miles should go for on a private party sale.

explorerx4

Not sure how that Lexus slipped in the country.

graphicguy

@laurasdada ....seriously? I’ve dumped cars for infractions way less than a busted trunk latch.

Anyway...agree with most, not a bad car in the bunch. Personally, I’d lean towards the M240. I’ve kicked the tires on a variety of “2s” in the past. Always liked them. I've tested a 235i. I would imagine an M240 would be better.

kyfdx

ab348 said:

Would a charcoal-painted vehicle with a black roof be unbearable in Florida? I would also suspect the ride might be harsh on those. But you need to drive it of course.

I read a study once, that said paint color had much less effect on interior temperatures than would be expected

laurasdada

Thanks, stick, breld and GG.
Back in '13, when I had to get a grown up car (adios, XK), I narrowed it down to the XF and the A5. And, while lovely, as breld noted, I found driving the A5 "efficient," but I wasn't moved to buy. The XF just hit all the right notes for me. Perhaps coming from the XK, perhaps the emotional relationship to my father's friend's E-Type of the late '60s.

So, I'm searching S5s vs A5. There's a '19 E450 with (IIRC) the same interior as Fin's wagon, Polar White exterior and AMG graphics. I'd really like a blue or red car next, tired of white and silver/gray variations. But, beggars...

Still not sure I'm an SUV guy, but having wrecked my left knee running back in November, for a few weeks getting in/out of the XF was a bit of an origami exercise. Knee's better, but that's one reason I'm thinking Macan. And, I do like the interior updates of '19, although I think the CD player went away. But, if I can xfer music to the hard drive, no biggie. Used '19+ Macan S are a bit more rare around here,

And, now that I've been reunited with my dog, probably want four doors, so unlikely M240i. Why must I continue to be an adult???

Yup, GG, I'm a dilettante on this board.

coldinohio

i'll give my $.02

i have a '17 macan S-- bought CPO; prior had '14 A4 (like several others here) and acura TL before audi; CPO adds two years to the 4 year factory warranty

porsche is by far the most fun; the DSG is fast and i use the paddles most days...the SUV is much easier to get into and out of esp for wifey who has bad knee

porsche like most german cars have very expensive maintenance as has been discussed;

'19 vs prior generation-- nicer interior esp HVAC and infotainment; if you have android phone-- doesn't work like carplay as no android auto-yet

stickguy

How about a bmw 440 5 door?

sda

corvette said:

I wonder whether the turbo in the Passat might be rated for regular, but still produce more horsepower running premium. I think some people have reported that result with the Ford EcoBoost engines.

I've wondered the same and am tempted to fill it up with premium to find out. @stickguy is correct, in higher altitudes turbos do well.

Michaell

sda said:

corvette said:

I wonder whether the turbo in the Passat might be rated for regular, but still produce more horsepower running premium. I think some people have reported that result with the Ford EcoBoost engines.

I've wondered the same and am tempted to fill it up with premium to find out. @stickguy is correct, in higher altitudes turbos do well.

My last two leases - Elantra GT and Jetta SE - had similar HP (around 150), but the Jetta was the 1.4T, and felt decidedly peppier in all driving conditions. I suspect it's the torque developed lower in the RPM band that is the difference.

corvette

I got a follow up from the customer service rep at the Toyota dealership on Monday. Forwarded her all of the documentation showing the issues with the service visit. She asked me to come in again and said the service advisor would call me Tuesday. He called Tuesday and left me a voicemail in which he (possibly disparagingly) referred to the customer service person as "the lady in the cashier's office."

I emailed today and asked politely whether they would provide a loaner, given that I had paid for a rental last time in anticipation of them performing a thorough diagnostic of the vehicle, which they did not do. The response was "Unfortunately we do not offer loaners our dealership doesn’t have them...what I can do for you is set you up a rental through enterprise and you would only have to pay our price of $35 a day."

Too little, too late. I'm done investing time, money, and energy on an in-warranty vehicle trying to fix an annoying issue that doesn't affect drivability when it's halfway through its lease.

xwesx

corvette said:

Browsing Craigslist... Found a very rare RWD turbocharged Lexus RX350. Given its rarity, seller has it priced about double what a normal one with those miles should go for on a private party sale.

That guy is drinking too much Kool-Aid.

stickguy

Michaell said:

sda said:

corvette said:

I wonder whether the turbo in the Passat might be rated for regular, but still produce more horsepower running premium. I think some people have reported that result with the Ford EcoBoost engines.

I've wondered the same and am tempted to fill it up with premium to find out. @stickguy is correct, in higher altitudes turbos do well.

My last two leases - Elantra GT and Jetta SE - had similar HP (around 150), but the Jetta was the 1.4T, and felt decidedly peppier in all driving conditions. I suspect it's the torque developed lower in the RPM band that is the difference.

That, and turbos compensate for the thinner air at higher elevations. So a NA car loses power as it climbs, a lot more than turbos.

If you ever watch a TFL review on YouTube, they always mention it (they are in Boulder I think, somewhere around there).

au1994

28firefighter said:

Ask and you shall receive.

There’s an 06 Silver over gray that just hit BaT. Automatic though, 124k miles. Will be interesting to see what it goes for. Looks nice although a little bland compared to this beauty.

venture

sda said:

corvette said:

I wonder whether the turbo in the Passat might be rated for regular, but still produce more horsepower running premium. I think some people have reported that result with the Ford EcoBoost engines.

I've wondered the same and am tempted to fill it up with premium to find out. @stickguy is correct, in higher altitudes turbos do well.

I had a Fusion with the 2.0 Ecoboost. Ford even said it would produce more power using premium gas. I tried a few tanks and didn't really notice any difference.