Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

michaellno

Must be a BMW issue ...

nippononly

is happening all over the place...

:confuse:

akangl

I checked out a Ford Freestyle yesterday, just looked in the windows. Seats 7 and still seems like it has lots of room. Liked the gas mileage too.........20 and 27. My Titan is hanging between 13 and 15 mpg, its killing me.

Oh, looks like I may have found a job as an assistant manager at the local Dollar General store, will find out for sure next week. Just have to pass the background and drug tests.

stickguy

figure out the real world difference in MPG, and see how long it will take just to make back the closing costs to buy a new car. Even if you could swap even up, there is still usually some DMV, state, dealer fees to cover.

besides, you think a Freestyle can tow the trailer (didn't you bring the TT or something with you)?

Depending on the relative values of the trade vs. the new one, and what your needs will be (towing, cargo, etc)., might end up being cheaper to get a economical commuter car. Something like the '97 Civic someone just got, and old Tercel or sprint, something cheap to buy and great on gas.

Sort of an older replacement for zippy.

michaellno

I think you'd like the Freestyle, though the CVT takes a bit of getting used to. Took one for a test drive when they first came out -- nice, high seating (for a car), interior was pretty nice (it was the Limited model; don't know what trim level you are looking at) and we found it to be more flexible than the Pacifica.

Talked with my sister last night -- she's got a "For Sale" sign on her Yukon Denali. If she can get the right price for it, she says that they will probably lease an Acura MDX for $399/mo. BIL's lease on his BMW (530i) ends in 18 months or so; sister says that they might buy an Accord Hybrid, since all he does is commute with his car. I told her it was silly to spend $30K for the Hybrid, when they could get a 4-cyl EX-L auto for $23K and get similar mileage. But, with the BIL, it's all about image - he's the comptroller for a mortgage company, and I guess he can't be seen driving something "ordinary".

guss

Make sure you study for your test.

Do not trade just for the gas mileage, you will never break even. How ever I can understand a good excuse to get something new and gas mileage is as good as any.

jefferyg

She would be content to drive the car she has until the wheels fall off. AND she is one of those people whose main concern is getting the car paid off.

However, she has an eye for expensive automobiles. Whenever she says, "that's a nice-looking car," I know without looking that it carries an MSRP of at least $35K. She also has her preferences about a car when it comes time to buy one. When we recently traded for an 06 Passat 2.0T the biggest issues were that the car had to be larger than the 03 Civic we'd been driving and the kid's booster seats had to "fit" in the back seat. We'd looked at Accords since we've been long time Honda drivers, but when the booster seats didn't "fit", she was not interested. Anyway, so far she has really enjoyed the Passat, especially the heated seats. And one thing she said really surprised me. She came home from school one day and told me about other teachers who'd noticed her car. Perhaps image is becoming more important to her.

Wives truly are complex, but it's a good thing I have one. Otherwise, I'd stay in a 12-month lease just so I could drive something different on a regular basis. :shades:

michaellno

Funny, my wife also works for a school district and when the topic of "prestigous" cars comes up, she says she couldn't be seen driving a BMW, Audi, etc. because of the potential effect it would have on the parents of the kids she serves.

Of course, she works for a semi-rural school district where the vehicle to aspire to is either a fully loaded F-series/Ram/Silverado or a Yukon/Expedition/Grand Cherokee/Durango.

jefferyg

How could it be that your wife and mine work for the same school district, though we live in different states? We don't have too many teachers in pickups, and sedans and minivans seem to outnumber them, but we have an abundance of SUVs at the school where my wife teaches. AAMOF she is now driving our Mountaineer b/c they are working on the road at the school. I just can't bear to have her drive the Passat, which is black, through the mud every day.

michaellno

Tell me about it .. the last couple of blocks that my wife drives every day is a dirt road, which, when the snow falls (like it did today), turns into a slushy, muddy mess. Even though she drives a car with a bit of ground clearance (Saturn VUE), it still comes home filthy.

Of course, when she was commuting in the VW New Beetle, there were days when she couldn't even get into the parking lot, so this is at least a step in the right direction.

anonymousposts

As we toyed with the idea of selling the MDX Gee found a 97 Montero Sport 4 cylinder 5-speed manual. Only thing wrong with it is that it is BRIGHT red. It's very clean but too red. Only 120,000 miles and only $2500.

We still aren't sure whether we are going to keep the MDX or sell it in anticipation of maybe the new RDX or a new Ody Touring with NAV/DVD. We are going to put the running boards on it this weekend and make a decision. We could probably get $22,500 out of it selling it private party.

woodyww

Not to sound critical, but you just got the mdx, & spent a bunch of $$ for big tires & wheels & running boards. You don't like it any more?

Maybe I just don't get it--people leasing brand new $50K bmws they don't like a month later, or buying a used mdx, gotta sell it 2 months later. Cars that most people in the world, even in the US, would kill for.

I remember the guy here that bought a new mega-buck Land Rover a few months ago, which personally I thought was nuts, but at least he seemed to really like it.

Just my weekly rant, don't take it personally.....

anonymousposts

The wheels and tires can be resold on Ebay. Whether we keep the MDX or sell it the runnings boards will make it look better. We still like the MDX but we are CCB'ers in the truest sense of the words. There's always something different, if not better, to be had. It helps that we got a good deal on the MDX and would break even if not make money on it.

We are at about 80% in favor of just keeping it. The only new car we could buy now to replace it is the Ody Touring. The only other options that we can agree on are the upcoming RDX or maybe the redesigned MDX. We don't really want to spend Ody Touring money right now so we will either keep the MDX or sell it and pocket the money. We might pick up a cheap daily driver just to have that back-up car in the garage.

lemmer

It is almost as if woody doesn't get the point of this thread.

You inspire us all.

guss

As we toyed with the idea of selling the MDX Gee found a 97 Montero Sport 4 cylinder 5-speed manual. Only thing wrong with it is that it is BRIGHT red. It's very clean but too red. Only 120,000 miles and only $2500.

Uh Oh better get Maaco. Their presidential is only $300.I have seen that red and it is pretty bright

I always liked the Montero Sport and have had my eye out for a low mile 6 cylinder.I did not know they even made a 4cyl./5 speed. If it is 4 wheel drive I'll bet zero to sixty must be 13 or 14 seconds.

nippononly

they made a stick shift 4-cyl Montero Sport? As late as 1997??

I will bet it is RWD - I highly doubt they made any 4WDers in that configuration.

corvette

Isuzu also made a 2wd Rodeo with the same 115-hp, 2.2L Cavalier engine that was also used in the GM pickups. IIRC, that one was available with an automatic.

I would think that you could do a better job painting a car in your yard than anything Maaco could do for $300. That probably barely covers the cost of the chemicals.

nippononly

Surely Isuzu only stuck that powertrain in the little two-door version of the Rodeo? At least that would have been a relatively light vehicle, probaby 3000 pounds or less. Which still would have been slow with a 115 hp 2.2

corvette

IIRC, it was offered in two and four door form. You could get a base 4-door Rodeo 2WD for around $20,000, or $22,000 with power windows, locks, and other niceties.

nippononly

well, IMO $20K sounds like way too much for a 4-cyl, 2WD Rodeo with manual windows and locks. It's no surprise they didn't sell many of those. :-|

andre1969

a 2-door Rodeo. Are you all talking about the Amigo? It was on a shortened Rodeo platform, and I believe used the same front-end clip. It was still pretty chunky, around 3500-3600 lb IIRC.

stickguy

pretty sure that was just a 4 door (and donated to Honda). The Trooper II came in a 2 or 4 door version, and had a 4 cyl standard.

corvette

There was a soft-top, which I think was introduced in 1998, offered with either the 2.2 or the V6. They didn't sell many.

andre1969

I remember seeing the soft-tops all the time, but the closed 2-door model seemed much more elusive.

michaellno

The Amigo was released in '89, I think - was meant to be a 'sporty' alternative to the Trooper.

In the mid 90's, it was rebadged the "Rodeo Sport".

The original V6 in the Trooper was the crappy GM 2.8L that was in the X-cars (Citation, etc.). 125HP, IIRC. Then they redesigned the Trooper and offered the 3.2L with 190HP.

stickguy

every day around here. So the 2 door was the old Amigo? And the "real" rodeo that became a Honda was just a 4 door.

andre1969

I never knew of the Rodeo 2-door, because I always knew it as the Amigo! I wasn't even aware of the name change!

michaellno

I think Isuzu probably sold about 19 of the Rodeo Sports, which may account for why you weren't aware of the name change!

The Rodeo was actually a pretty good seller for Isuzu, and I know that, for a while, the Trooper was only one of two SUV's (the other being the Jeep Cherokee) that was available with 4 doors. At least, that was the case when we bought our Trooper in '88.

Yes, the Rodeo was sold as the Honda Passport. The Trooper was also rebadged and sold as the Acura SLX. Not entirely sure what Isuzu got in return, other than $$$$$.

sigh - I always looked at Isuzu as sort of a Japanese Jeep. Rugged and quite off-road capable. Sort of a shame that the SUV market got so popular and people started demanding more luxury than capability; Isuzu was never really able to adapt, in my mind.

jaserb

Pretty much the same powertrain that's in my Dodge Ram 50. 2.4L 4 cyl. My truck is pretty gutless so the extra weight of the SUV body would flat kill it. The good news is that it's a rock solid motor. Mine just hit 168k miles the other day.

-Jason

danf1

Honda gave Isuzu the first generation Odessy. Isuzu sold it as the Oasis.

michaellno

Sorry, how silly of me to forget! The original 4 hinged door Oasis was Honda's contribution to Isuzu so that Honda could play in the SUV marketplace.

I know I've said it before, but if you haven't read the book "Arrogance and Accords", I suggest you find a copy. Written by a Honda sales exec, it details the fraud and outright theft of monies by Honda sales executives in the 80's and 90's.

Most of the money was provided by Honda dealer principals, who would do anything (including "gifts" of wine, watches, clothes, cars and even houses!) to get extra cars sent to their dealerships and to get more dealerships granted to them.

Towards the end of the book, the author talks about the change in the car buying climate and how Honda was caught behind the curve when it came to trucks, minivans and SUV's.

Quite a fascinating read.

danf1

I'm going to have to get a copy of that one. Not that any of it would surprise me, but it does sound like some interesting reading.

anonymousposts

We are seriously in heat. We are in the process of trying to buy a new car. Can't seem to find what we want but we may be able to order it. Anyone want to guess?

kyfdx

Honda Civic SI..

EDIT: Oh yeah.. someone throw a bucket of water on these two.. :surprise:

steine13

I have to disagree, Walt... not an Si. Reason being, no need to order; they're all the same except color... pretty much, anyway.

I don't have any better guesses... I'm thinking something I've only seen on the pages of magazines so far... something brand-new.

And yeah, these guys are nutcases.
I like to watch...

-Mathias

nippononly

it could be something with limited variations that is just a configuration that the dealer won't order for his stock. In my area that would include a 5-speed Accord EX, but we know they already have one of those...

anonymousposts

the first post hit the nail on the head - almost.

kyfdx

Okay... go ahead and spill the beans!!

anonymousposts

Hopefully, we will be able to pick it up today. We will keep you posted.

qbrozen

well, the new Si has Nav available, right? So maybe that's the reason for needing to order it ... or they really wanted a certain color.

anonymousposts

Gee wanted me to wait but he's not here so .....

Today we will be picking up (if the dealer can get the car and if they don't do any last minute price dickering) a 2006 Honda Civic EX Coupe with NAV.

qbrozen

just curious ... why not the Si?

anonymousposts

but for the driving we do the EX made more sense. The Si is premium only, gets less MPG, and all dealers in the Atlanta area are sold out or charging $2000 over MSRP. Would we have bought the Si if one was available and in front of us for a similar deal? Probably. But we both like the EX and insurance will be less and Gee might be able to keep his license.

guss

Let me see if I have this right. Your stable is;

1)Acura MDX

2)Honda Accord 5 speed

3)Honda Odyssey

4)2006 Honda Civic EX

Wow, that's alot of Hondas. Your Honda dealer must really love you.

kyfdx

Very cool..

I like the Civic SI, but I have a hard time getting past the Acura RSX... Even though it is not as attractive, it is faster and handles better, and with the deals you can purchase or lease for less than an SI.. and, get leather in the deal.

I think the EX is the way to go..

regards,
kyfdx

qbrozen

Huh?
Even a discounted RSX-S is still $3k more than a full MSRP Civic Si.

kyfdx

I was speaking of transaction prices.. not MSRP..

And.. if you lease, it is decidedly cheaper..

qbrozen

well, leases aside, i was also speaking of transaction prices. MSRP on the RSX-S is more, but I was talking about $23,5 buy price vs. $20,5 sticker on the Civic.
If I could find a $20,5 new '06 RSX-S, I might be tempted .... although the looks and interior really don't impress me.

I REALLY like the new Civic coupe, by the way. But, what the heck did they do to the sedan? Those new tailights really screw it up.

anonymousposts

The Odyssey was traded for the MDX and the MDX is leaving to make room for the Civic. So, if all goes well, we will have the 04 Accord, 94 Lexus, and 06 Civic.

As for the RSX. Gee likes the outside but has never liked the interior. He says that he fits perfectly in the Civic. We tried to think of alternatives but we kept coming back to the Civic much as we did with the Accord.

Hopefully, everything will work out and we can bring it home by this weekend.

kyfdx

Yeah.. I guess I'm thinking of the RSX-S, but pricing the RSX.. What? Am I supposed to know about car pricing? :surprise:

Still I think the better value is the EX..

regards,
kyfdx
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