Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

jmonroe1

explorerx4 said:

I'm following a RUF Porsche on BAT. Bidding up to 964K with about 2 1/2 hours left.

————————————————-
Damn, somebody’s already topped my 960K bid. I better get over there. It would be a shame to lose it now.

Thanks.

jmonroe

laurasdada

Not that you're particular...

explorerx4

Didn't sell at 1.03 Million(Reserve Not Met).

stickguy

Crazy to not take that and run.

28firefighter

No punch to report, but the Tesla did leave us today. Since we picked up the Audi, my wife has been expressing both her love for it and dismay at how much the Tesla was costing us to own given that she only drives about 3 miles a day on average. The other day we received a really strong, borderline insane offer, from a dealer through AutoTrader's buy it now - they went up 3k+ over the initial quote. I was still hemming and hawing this morning, but when our insurance renewal came for the Tesla today and doubled to $2400/year, my wife said to ship it.

So, we're back down to 2 cars, unexpectedly.

I figure this is a two way door - if we decide we want another EV we can easily pick one up at a fraction of the cost of what this one was running us.

oldfarmer50

“ I figure this is a two way door - if we decide we want another EV we can easily pick one up at a fraction of the cost of what this one was running us.”

Give Hertz a call. The guy whose name dare not be mentioned here says they are selling EVs for a thousand bucks. Of course that may have been click bait.😗

kyfdx

oldfarmer50 said:

“ I figure this is a two way door - if we decide we want another EV we can easily pick one up at a fraction of the cost of what this one was running us.”

Give Hertz a call. The guy whose name dare not be mentioned here says they are selling EVs for a thousand bucks. Of course that may have been click bait.😗

You know they have a website, right? You can just pull it up and see the listings.

28firefighter

If they're selling EVs for a thousand bucks, I'll buy 10 and put them on Turo!

xwesx

28firefighter said:

If they're selling EVs for a thousand bucks, I'll buy 10 and put them on Turo!

Yes! Put in my order, too.

pensfan83

There's all kinds of problems with battery longevity on PHEVs and EVsk so do your due diligence before picking up another.

jmonroe1

xwesx said:

28firefighter said:

If they're selling EVs for a thousand bucks, I'll buy 10 and put them on Turo!

Yes! Put in my order, too.

————————————————
I’m with you. The sheet metal and tires/wheels alone have to be worth at least 2 grand.

jmonroe

qbrozen

I have failed to provide any update on my trip. Or, more specifically, the Suzuki. After much procrastination, I had to settle on a storage place about 10 mins inland of our condo. It runs $75/mo. The smallest I could get anywhere with a full roll-up door was 10x15. Lots of extra room. But I feel better that it is locked in full protection from the elements. Wife and I both had the thought that maybe we’ll just tow it home at the end of August. We’ll see.

oldfarmer50

qbrozen said:

I have failed to provide any update on my trip. Or, more specifically, the Suzuki. After much procrastination, I had to settle on a storage place about 10 mins inland of our condo. It runs $75/mo. The smallest I could get anywhere with a full roll-up door was 10x15. Lots of extra room. But I feel better that it is locked in full protection from the elements. Wife and I both had the thought that maybe we’ll just tow it home at the end of August. We’ll see.

Do you have to pay extra or do any special prep to store a car at a storage facility? I thought they frowned on that because of fear of fire.

stickguy

The unit I rented recently they said nothing with gas in it. But one day I noticed a guy taking his mustang out of one of the units.

qbrozen

I thought that might be the case, but none of the places I spoke with cared. They only asked for copies of my registration and insurance.

I was pressed for time when I dropped it off, so all I did was throw some Stabil in it, which is more than I did when I left it for the previous 9 months. Will only be 3.5 months this time.

pensfan83

nyccarguy said:

pensfan83 said:

That 1999 Prelude SH sold for $8,200 and there's another 1997 Prelude on Facebook marketplace for $6,500 that has over 160K...and that one is auto. I may need to revaluate my asking price.

That was on Bring A Trailer?

You think you are asking too much or too little?

Yep that one. Maybe I'll throw it out to one of the Prelude groups and see what it would bring and ignore the peanut gallery with their comments.

venture

I ordered my wife a 2025 Forester a while ago.

I pinned her down on what color she wants through process of elimination. The rest I guessed at. She doesn't use cruise control no matter what type, doesn't use her automatic climate control, doesn't open a sunroof, doesn't use her heated steering wheel, and on and on.

I tried without success to get her to decide on an Outback or a Forester.

It should be here sometime next month.

xwesx

Sounds like you at least narrowed it down to another Subaru... so that's something!

nyccarguy

@pensfan83 said:
Yep that one. Maybe I'll throw it out to one of the Prelude groups and see what it would bring and ignore the peanut gallery with their comments.

Their comments are brutal. Sometimes well deserved as people ask $3,500 for their cars with 250K miles, mismatched body panels, and have intermittent electrical issues…

There’s also the “I bought mine for $2K with less miles.” Those people neglect to say they bought their cars 10-15 years ago.

jmonroe1

venture said:

I ordered my wife a 2025 Forester a while ago.

I pinned her down on what color she wants through process of elimination. The rest I guessed at. She doesn't use cruise control no matter what type, doesn't use her automatic climate control, doesn't open a sunroof, doesn't use her heated steering wheel, and on and on.

I tried without success to get her to decide on an Outback or a Forester.

It should be here sometime next month.

————————————————-
Sounds like you should have gotten her an “outback-horse”. You know, the kind farmers keep outback waiting for the glue truck to come along because they’re out of options.

jmonroe

dad23

@venture, just curious if what you wanted wasn't available in any nearby inventory or if it was easier to order what you want?

venture

dad23 said:

@venture, just curious if what you wanted wasn't available in any nearby inventory or if it was easier to order what you want?

The 2025's aren't even on the Subaru website unless you dig down. Even then you can't configure one.

It is all new for 2025 - as "new" as Subaru makes them anyway.

xwesx

I think that's a great move. The new, sixth generation cars are certainly the nicest exterior and interior since the SH (third generation) cars, and by a wide margin. With all the tech updates year after year, that's certainly worth considering, too, but it's a hard sell, to me, to go with the end of the fifth generation just to get one now or to wait for what comes on the local lots when you already know that you want one (and what you want in one).

qbrozen

Attempted to take the maser to finally get the tires done and hopefully an oil change (9.5 qts 5w40 synthetic, FYI). Of course, it is raining this morn and I’ve got bald back tires. Had to be oh so gentle with the throttle. Got there about 8:05 for my 8am appt to find that someone had taken out a nearby power pole, leaving the shop in darkness for an undetermined time. Rescheduled for Monday. I was hoping to enjoy it this weekend. Sigh.

jmonroe1

qbrozen said:

Attempted to take the maser to finally get the tires done and hopefully an oil change (9.5 qts 5w40 synthetic, FYI). Of course, it is raining this morn and I’ve got bald back tires. Had to be oh so gentle with the throttle. Got there about 8:05 for my 8am appt to find that someone had taken out a nearby power pole, leaving the shop in darkness for an undetermined time. Rescheduled for Monday. I was hoping to enjoy it this weekend. Sigh.

————————————————-
That could only happen to a car guy.

And on Monday it will probably be raining even harder and your tires will be even more bald (or is it balder?).

Good luck.

jmonroe

stickguy

planning to stop in the AM and price out a garage. might give me heart palpitations.

qbrozen

@stickguy said:
planning to stop in the AM and price out a garage. might give me heart palpitations.

If I was permitted to build a typical pole barn, it would have been downright cheap.

stickguy

I'm thinking about one of those tent jobs, with the zipper door. I bet my wife would love that.

xwesx

Hey, as long as you have the concrete floor!

corvette

xwesx said:

Hey, as long as you have the concrete floor!

To sleep on after his wife kicks him out?

True story, my (late) great aunt had a heated tile floor in their bathroom. When her back got a certain way, she swore that the only thing that helped it was turning on the heated tile and sleeping on a towel there.

stickguy

My BIL has a heated tile floor in the kitchen. Nice to stand on in socks, and the dogs love it.

stickguy

xwesx said:

Hey, as long as you have the concrete floor!

well, that would have to get put in. I supposed I could have that done, and just use it as a parking pad until I can afford to build the garage!

the other decision will be, full blown garage, or just a big shed with a garage door? Might need that if I need to buy a riding mower.

venture

stickguy said:

My BIL has a heated tile floor in the kitchen. Nice to stand on in socks, and the dogs love it.

I installed a heated tile floor in our primary bathroom. It's nice to step out onto it in the winter when I take a shower. (Mrs. venture is cheap and turns it off when I leave the bathroom. )

oldfarmer50

qbrozen said:

@stickguy said:

planning to stop in the AM and price out a garage. might give me heart palpitations.

If I was permitted to build a typical pole barn, it would have been downright cheap.

I built mine for half the price of a conventional building.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

xwesx said:

Hey, as long as you have the concrete floor!

well, that would have to get put in. I supposed I could have that done, and just use it as a parking pad until I can afford to build the garage!

the other decision will be, full blown garage, or just a big shed with a garage door? Might need that if I need to buy a riding mower.

Why not just get a steel shipping container?



Or two:

ab348

The HOA in his newly-constructed neighborhood might look askance at such rustic choices. Don't want to get off on the wrong foot with them.

On heated floors: I lived in a 1960s-era apartment tower for a few years that provided heat as part of the rent. It was electric floor heat in the slab which was covered by carpet, hardwood or tile depending on the room. Talk about luxury! There was nothing better than waking up on a cold winter day, rolling out of bed and putting your feet on a nice warm floor.

qbrozen

@oldfarmer50 said:

Or two:

That’s pretty darned brilliant right there

qbrozen

@oldfarmer50 said:
I built mine for half the price of a conventional building.

Yes. I can’t remember the exact numbers but I believe it would have been $45k to have mine done as a standard pole barn with cement floor. When I had to switch to wood/vinyl/shingles, it doubled.

stickguy

I don't have an HOA but the WIFE would definitely veto that idea (of a single container). That double one though, is a fantastic idea. Lots of options to finish out the center space too.

the spot for the garage would not fit that. I am just looking for a generous 1 car. Not sure I have enough room for a full 2 car, and don't really need it. So probably about a 14x24 to serve as a garage and cover shed duties too (not needing to pay to put in a shed helps justify the extra charge to go to a garage!)

Not that I really need it. And may wait until next year to save up the money to pay cash for it. Though I could go ahead and have the slab put in and the driveway run up to it now and treat it like a parking pad.

jmonroe1

oldfarmer50 said:

stickguy said:

xwesx said:

Hey, as long as you have the concrete floor!

well, that would have to get put in. I supposed I could have that done, and just use it as a parking pad until I can afford to build the garage!

the other decision will be, full blown garage, or just a big shed with a garage door? Might need that if I need to buy a riding mower.

Why not just get a steel shipping container?



Or two:

————————————————
Pretty good idea.

China would never think to look for missing shipping containers in the back/side yards of Americans.

jmonroe

28firefighter

The Tesla is already up for sale. They didn’t do a thing to it, not that it needed it. https://www.leejohnson.com/auto/used-2022-tesla-model-y-performance-kirkland-wa/90298741/

qbrozen

I don’t understand this one bit: Maserati insurance is $430/yr. That is the cheapest on my Geico policy. $50 less than the Suzuki.

xwesx

qbrozen said:

@oldfarmer50 said:

Or two:

That’s pretty darned brilliant right there

It really is!

I am planning to do exactly that for my new property. I'll probably use larger connex units (pictured are 20'), but otherwise mine will be very similar. Poor man's shop.

stickguy

qbrozen said:

I don’t understand this one bit: Maserati insurance is $430/yr. That is the cheapest on my Geico policy. $50 less than the Suzuki.

they probably assume it will spend half the year laid up in a shop someplace.

stickguy

stopped to get some details on a garage from a local place that does sheds and garages. Building itself is not terribly expensive, but I still need to get an estimate from a concrete place. and electrician (to pull a line from the house and wire the building). Neither of which will be particularly cheap. But at least I have a ballpark. Though after talking to the person there, and looking at the pictures, it really would be like a large shed with a concrete floor! To get something that looks more like the house will certainly cost more. Got an estimate request in through my BIL to a builder friend of his that does really good work. He probably won't be interested in the job but should be able to give a good $ figure to expect to pay for a complete job.

after discussing with the wife what really makes sense, the plan we came up with was to just pave a parking spot at the top of the driveway (where the garage would go) to add extra capactity when needed, and put a larger shed at the back of that spot with a ramp for the snow blower or lawn tractor (depending on season) to keep all the equipment out of the main garage. Then take the $20K++ savings and trade her car in for something fun like a BMW coupe or convertible. Or a Mini. But something that would serve as the fun vehicle, without having to add a 3rd car to the fleet (and insurance).

Makes sense. I can barely keep 2 cars exercised. 3 would be really hard. Between the 2, we put about 7,500 miles on them in the last year. Once we move, that might not crack 5,000. And almost all of it is me, the better half might drive a couple of times a month. So as long as she is OK with whatever the new car is, and is fine with the Maverick, we should be more than covered. and if someday she wants something different, another buying opportunity!

I am meeting with the builder tomorrow, and for the heck of it, will ask him for a quote on a side job to build a garage. and also to extend the driveway option.

the new garage is over 50% bigger than the current one, so plenty of room for 2 cars and plenty of extras. and a shed close by would be good for taking all the overflow out of it.

jmonroe1

28firefighter said:

The Tesla is already up for sale. They didn’t do a thing to it, not that it needed it. https://www.leejohnson.com/auto/used-2022-tesla-model-y-performance-kirkland-wa/90298741/

————————————————-
If the tires had 3 more inches of side wall, @stickguy would be all over it.

jmonroe

jmonroe1

qbrozen said:

I don’t understand this one bit: Maserati insurance is $430/yr. That is the cheapest on my Geico policy. $50 less than the Suzuki.

————————————————-
Could be because of its age if it’s in an accident they’ll total it and give you 1200 bucks.

jmonroe

stickguy

I drove through one of the poorer ends of one of the local towns today, and the roads were so chopped up it practically knocked your fillings out, and that was with the 60 series tires on my truck. rubber band sidewalls would have given me a nervous breakdown.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

I drove through one of the poorer ends of one of the local towns today, and the roads were so chopped up it practically knocked your fillings out, and that was with the 60 series tires on my truck. rubber band sidewalls would have given me a nervous breakdown.

You don’t want to take your fancy wheels and tires into the seedy section of town anyway, unless you want them stolen. My coworker who also drives for the high end multi dealer where I bought my truck tells me of the numerous attempts by thieves to get at those expensive Mercedes, BMW and even Honda parts.

ab348

About 5 years ago as part of doing some repairs on my old 12x20 garage I had a contractor attach a shed structure to the back end which is 8x12.The idea was to have a place for the lawnmower, snow thrower, garden tools & supplies, etc out of the main garage. They did a decent job. The new addition kept the same roof profile as the old garage and so when the new shingles and siding went on it all looks like one structure. The shed part just is on piers with a wood floor and has an interior sliding door through the old garage back wall and an exit door into the back yard with a ramp down to ground level. It is invaluable.