Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

Sandman6472

Two of them are dead and only have the twin left and he's not cooperating...he's holding hostage any pics and things of mine that my oldest wants. She contacted him about coming down and he told her that until the litigation is done, he's giving her squat! She's pretty pissed but told her to be patient. The big problem here is going to be getting what was moved out of the estate moved back in and then getting repaid all the $ I am owed for almost 10 years...this could be costly but I feel I should get what the other 3 did which is fair. Time will tell but I will be fair here and hope they will be to or it will cost us all a lot of cash!
I came up with the division of the known assets last year and all are in agreement there which is good. The rest I haven't told them yet because I need to be put in charge first. Should be any day now since the original executor, my uncle, has refused for the 2nd time in a letter resubmitted a month ago. This has been going on since the end of 2005 when my mom died so it is long enough now...everyone wants their "gift"!

The Sandman

stever

Die broke.

One good way to do that is to keep buying cars (then your family can fight over who gets the Bimmer, who gets the Silverado and who gets the Crown Vic).

Sandman6472

Yep, best way so no one gets nothing! We were laughing earlier that it would be nice to leave the kids something, they will survive if we don't but I'd like them to get the house and they will if I have my way. We were also talking about long term care insurance and at our age, now is the perfect time to get it. But right now, I'd rather get that Bimmer drop top and have some fun! Plan to call in the morning and go see it and drive it just to see how it feels and looks. Neighbor also mentioned going to the dealer near us and see what I could find even though I would be paying substantially more but he thinks they would have a nicer, cleaner selection. But we decided that folks who spend the bucks for these kind of vehicles also pay to maintain them like we do our vehicles, they keep up on oil changes, alignments etc. and realize that by doing this, they spend less out of pocket in the long run and have a vehicle that's not likely to leave one stranded. Why buy something this nice to let it go to pot basically, just like if one buys a car that has to have high test, they obviously can afford th pay for it or why even bother going through the exercise?

The Sandman

oldfarmer50

"...very big of you..."

Not really. Neither of my brothers had done me wrong to the extent Sandy's and your's seem to have. If that was the case I might not have been so forgiving.

It's just sad when families tear themselves apart over money and old grievances. Funny how sometimes parents do things that seem to aggravate old wounds. My mother's will just said liquidate and divide by 3. Hard to fight over that.

oldfarmer50

"...same V6 engine..."

Maybe the premium gas allows the Acura to advance timing for more power.

Michaell

I did my first pizza shift in the Elantra GT last night. I'll use the alternate trip odo to record how many miles I drive each shift - last night it was 47.3 (plus 8 or so to get to/from the store).

A few more observations about the car now that I've used it for what it was bought (leased) for:

Now that the time has changed and it's getting dark earlier, I'm doing most of my deliveries in the dark. Which means that I have to figure out where everything is in the interior of the car in the dark. The only thing I'm struggling with is the interior door handle .. it's further back in the GT than in the ION.

The other thing is one of ergonomics. The ION had the instrument cluster in the center of the car, so I always had to tilt my head to the right to see how fast I was going. In the GT, they are right in front of me (as God intended), so I've got to retrain myself, as I kept looking at the radio last night.

Average MPG is up to 27.5 - this is on the tank that Hyundai sold me with the car. Still getting familiar with the technology.

EDIT - since we've been talking about fuel requirements, the manual says that the GT takes 87 octane. In the rest of the country, 87 is the lowest octane available. Here in Colorado, due to the altitude, the octane is lowered to 85. So - 85 or 87 for the new car? I've used 85 in the ION and other cars, but am thinking I will use 87. $.12 more at the local station.

oldfarmer50

"...I'm thinking I will use the 87..."

I'd go with the 85 since that's probably all it needs. I'm sure the dealer can advise you. Why spend more?

Speaking of spending money, how do you factor in all your car costs for your pizza job when you do your taxes. Are you considered a contractor or an employee? Can you claim that 47 miles against your income?

When I bought my first truck for the farm the IRS jerked me around because I was honest about the 1% non-business use.

corvette

If it takes 87 octane in the rest of the country, 85 should be fine at high altitude. If you take a long trip in the Elantra, by the time you get very far out of the mountains (and to lower altitude), you'll have to refuel, and then you can fill up with 87.

I had no issues at all running 85 octane in my Altima when I was in CO, but did notice that the car didn't perform as well at that elevation (and that was before I refueled with 85 octane)!

kyfdx

I agree.. 85 octane at high altitude... Anything more is wasted..

Sandman6472

Had the same tax talk with the wife the other night, she's a CPA, and very by the book. I am an independent contractor and there are tax implications that go along with it. Quarterly taxes, which I have paid already, and what about mileage and my home office. We are still discussing these issues and will figure things out as one must satisfy Uncle Sam!
No word from attorney yet but figure he hasn't heard from the judge and anyways, I haven't paid him yet! Trust me, he wants to be paid so he will get back with me! It is time to end this nonsense!

The Sandman

oldfarmer50

"...time to end this nonsense..."

Agreed. Let the lawyers handle it while you get back to buying the car of your dreams. Life's too short.

I'm finally going to take my social security next May so I have money for a monthly Mustang GT convertible payment.

Don't tell my wife.

stever

My best tanks on our summer road trip were with 85 octane at elevation in NM and along the Front Range (Tidester wouldn't let me use altitude for geography).

Be careful not to glance over and see 88.5 on the radio and slam on brakes "to slow down". Gotta keep those pizzas from crashing to the floor.

Sandman6472

Well, I went for a test drive...and it ain't gonna happen! No way, no how! First off, it's black over grey, the top is black with the seats and body grey but the drivers door has a nice scratch down it and there are a few more imperfections...bet they could be buffed out but just not sure. The minute I pushed down on the dead pedal to get a better seating position, it make a loud crack and it broke in 1/2! Wow! And did notice tremendous cowl shake as we went over a big pot hole, damn, the whole car shook and flexed and was very unnerving to say the least. The interior was probably a 7 out of 10 and the fake wood wasn't faded but there were other numerous scratches and marks which I didn't like. Seats were comfy but the leather was pretty worn on the drivers left hand side bolster from lots of use...would need to be repaired in short order. If the vehicle had 30k less miles I might be interested but with over 88.3k on the clock, just isn't a good fit for me though with the top down, it was fun to drive...but doubt the wife would go for it.
Next up I tried a 2008 325i with 52k and it drove very nicely...lots of power from the 6 but it did need some brake work as I did notice pulsation while trying to stop it...a nice blue over grey combo...now this is something I could live with! And as I recall the price was pretty reasonable. Saw a '06 Passat but it had over 90.3k on it and was the 2.0 turbo which scares me but truth be told, I loved that Passat much nicer than the current generation. Decided to pass on a test drive because if I do go the VW route, would rather go to the local dealer instead of this independent shop...sure I will be paying more but the piece of mind is worth it me. Just would rather go to the dealer...same with the BMW and I will go to that local store to check out their drop tops. Got a feeling that any convertible will have that cowl shake with some less than others.
Today was an education actually and for the right price, that 325ci could work, like at 10k plus tax. The cosmetics make it such that I would not want to pay any higher as I'd want that scratch taken care of, the seat repaired and the dead pedal plastic fixed. Also it's a 2 owner vehicle which isn't great as I prefer a 1 owner vehicle and the dealer is where those would probably be. But I did learn a lot and have also decided to include a 1 Series in my search as I do prefer the smaller size...and I do think I would like a toy. But getting in my Civic and driving home, I realized how tight it still is and that it is worth it to take care of one's vehicle as it feels brand new, something even the sales guy mentioned, he said mine was "pristine looking"!
So the search continues and eventually things might go my way and I will find my "toy" but for now, nothing. And I am o k with that honestly because this is a somewhat big decision and I need to do it right when I do take the plunge. Not sad in the least!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

Michaell

Speaking of spending money, how do you factor in all your car costs for your pizza job when you do your taxes. Are you considered a contractor or an employee? Can you claim that 47 miles against your income?

I am an employee. I get a W-2 at the end of the year that shows my earnings plus reported tips (any tip put on a CC and $2 for each run that is paid by check or cash).

Just goes into the hopper with my day job earnings.

stickguy

just curious, the 2008 325i, was that a 4 door? what was the price? That is my new fascination (I say a 2009 with 50K that I liked).

dave8697

By Indy airport: $2.93 a gallon for RUG ($3.85 diesel) a .93 spread?. This spread equates to 31.3%

kyfdx

Sandman was looking at a 2005 convertible...

stickguy

I know, but he mentioned also driving a 2008 sedan after that.

Michaell

Since I'm a bit of a stat geek, I did a bit of comparing between the ION and the E-GT. Y'all are welcome to skip if you're not interested.

The E-GT is a full 15" shorter than the ION (heck, the ION is 2/10 of an inch longer than the wife's CX-7!), but the wheelbase is an inch longer.

Headroom is about the same up front but an inch better in the back for the E-GT. More than an inch more legroom in the backseat of the Hyundai as well - not that it gets used all that much.

One thing I'm quite impressed about is that even though the ION has the plastic side panels and the Hyundai has about 3x the airbags (and other safety equipment), the E-GT is 18 pounds lighter than the Saturn!

The one area where the E-GT falls short is in fuel capacity - only 12.8 gal vs. 13.2 in the ION.

EDIT - I called my insurance agent today as well. The E-GT will cost just under $400 to insure every 6 months.

houdini1

When my mom died at age 89 there were six of us grown kids left to divide the estate. Rather than do that, we all got together (including our spouses) and agreed that our youngest sibling should get everything. He needed it more and deserved it because he had been her main care giver for years, plus he is a good guy. No muss, no fuss, no lawyers.

stever

That's amazing, and I suspect very unusual. Good for y'all!

Sandman6472

That was very nice of y'all actually but my family wasn't, isn't, that nice. They were always 'out for themselves" which is part of the reason we left basically after my dad passed. Not even 2 years went by and we just walked away and had minimal contact after that, all initiated by me. I figured after some time things would calm down a bit but that never happened but I always tried. I still think it really is funny that I have been left in charge though, like G-d is trying to right the wrong that was done to us. But i like to be fair, at work and in everyday life so I will follow my dad's wishes except I will give my twin his full share with no strings, I don't want the responsibility of him or his health care and think he and his partner can figure things out. I just hope I can get those assets that were "stolen" put back, I think I should, and I want my kid to have whatever pics and stuff left from my childhood. Don't think I am being unreasonable here.

The Sandman

Sandman6472

The internet price is $18k with a $399 dealer fee but the guy said it was a bit negotiable...it did drive nicely, much better than the convertible but think going with a true CPO model is the better idea here. Who knows how it was taken care of those first 50k and if all the maintenance was done on a timely basis. Plus right now I'm just not so sure this is the best course of action. Stopped by the Acura store before work this morning and saw a beautiful 2008 TSX there in theta charcoal color I love with a spoiler with only miles in the low 60's. No price on it but figuring in the high teens or so. Need to take a test drive to see how it drives and go from there. Makes no sense to trade the Civic on it but my mind is going in that direction now. It looks to be about 7 to 10 inches longer than mine, but will need to look that up. I think I can fit a 187" vehicle on my side of the garage but will have to measure. Call me crazy but I've always loved this generation TSX as I think the new one is a bit too bloated and not as sporty as the previous one. Totally makes no sense but that's why I want to do it! Crazy huh...and it's not a German vehicle so it won't need as much t l c if taken care of properly...and also would be so much cheaper since I could go to a Honda store if need be as it is an Accord underneath I would venture.
Am I nuts or what?

The Sandman

jayrider

If you want a convertible you might want to check out the Sebring / Chrysler 200 market. If nothing else, it will give you a new avenue for your energy.

Sandman6472

Yes, saw a couple of these yesterday and thought they might just be the right choice...a bit big for my tastes but the prices are pretty good for units with lower miles. And they do have a hardtop one that looks pretty decent...the soft tops all seem to limit rear visibility which could be a problem at times. Just not sure what to do though I have started to look at 1 Series drop tops as I do prefer the smaller size actually. And I really do want to keep the Civic if I go this route so I can keep the miles off whatever I might end up with. Luckily I am in no hurry and can wait for the right vehicle. Might take a run over to the BMW store and the nearby Carmax and check out what they got. Carmax will have a larger selection of different models which is good.
Time will tell but the itch is still there even though I was disappointed in that 2005 vehicle...it just looked so good online to!

The Sandman

crkyolfrt

I appreciate stats and comparos back to back, too. It's interesting to read about your findings with the new car compared to the ION.

The small tank of course, is in the quest for a few extra hundredths of a decimal point mpg bragging rights. Lots of mfrs are doing this.

Earlier someone said that having a car smell like pizzas would hurt depreciation values..Well, I sure can think of a lot of smells that would hurt it a whole lot more than fresh baked pizza. Mmmmm..I love Italian..

I'm having a recollection of the famous "Smelly Car" Seinfeld episode when the car jockey had been in Jerry's BMW for only minutes. He had not only really BAD BO, it was "mutant, with a life of its own" type BO, lolololol

hahaha...come to think of it..not sure if that killed the BMW, or was it the Saab at the time?? I think it was the Bimmer..

stickguy

we sat in a 1 series convert and liked it better than the 3 series overall. But, they are gong to be considerably more expensive since they have not been around as long.

crkyolfrt

My first blatant experience with this was when, back in 78 I ordered a new Z28 stick with A/C. It was sold out from under me when it came in and was talked into settling for a no A/C, auto that had those crappy aftermkt chrome accented T- Roof panels. If that ever happened to me today I'd say give me my deposit back immediately..and never darken their doors again. But I was young and ignorant back then. What a disaster those T roof panels were. And made worse by the fact that few installs had the ability (or care) to attempt to properly bring back some structural rigidity that a good old fashioned full roof provides. (the way G intended)

This car had so little structural integrity, that I notice once the rear fender had started to buckle when I had started to jack the right rear to replace a flat. Going over RR tracks the front fenders shook so badly, you really thought that there would be marks where they attach when you stopped to look.

So...FF over 3 decades when I had the op to drive a friend's 01 or 02? Miata. While I had high hopes for it in the cowl shake department, given what I had read, I was pretty shocked how much it had. I recall reading about one of the 3 Series convertibles about 7 or 8 years ago..and "how much improved body rigidity is now with the newer soft tops. They finally have figured out how to keep chassis flex in check with a rag top!" Ahhh...NO...and this is supported when I read here about an 05 3 Serie that had flex galore. So if it really was tight and stiff when it was new, then it sure lost that tightness after a few miles were put on.

I don't get it...the whole idea of owning a BMW is to drive refinement. Great steering, great urge, great feedback, timeless lines, great seats..but all this falls in upon itself if there's cowl shake.

Then there's that sun beating down on ya..

Of course I am bald.. :sick:

corvette

"The small tank of course, is in the quest for a few extra hundredths of a decimal point mpg bragging rights. Lots of mfrs are doing this."

My sixth-generation GLI's fuel tank is 14.5 gallons, same as the fourth-generation Jetta I had. I think Honda has kept the Civic's gas tank the same size for several generations, as well. My 2009 Altima had an 18 gallon tank, but my 2002 Altima had a 20 gallon tank. Both of those cars could pull some pretty incredible distances between refueling stops.

Although I usually refuel every week when I go to the grocery (and have a decent amount left in the tank when I do that), it's convenient to be able to drive most of the day without having to refuel.

crkyolfrt

I like big tanks. For the few extra pounds the fuel may weigh..what...gas is around 6.1? lb per gallon..whatever miniscule amt of extra fuel you may burn carrying it around, it more than makes up for being able to exploit a better price when you find it, less standing in the blowing rain or cold or heat, (or fuel stains).

Just ask any 4WD Ford Escape or Mazda Tribute owner what they thought of their 10 gal tank in their 3.0 V6 equipped SUV back when they first came out.

I like what VW has done with some capacities..their Touareg holds 26 or is it 29 gal? I think in Cdn so when I convert sometimes my memory of the specs, gets clouded.

I see Mitsubishi's Mirage has a 7. something gal tank. Do you guys get that in the US? Still, given its FE, 7 gal is more useable than many with bigger but not big enough tanks.

Michaell

Glad that someone besides me appreciates the comparison. I parked it in the garage briefly yesterday and was surprised at how much room there is to walk around the car.

Regarding the pizza smell, I bought a bottle of Febreze for cars and spray the cloth interior of the E-GT after every delivery shift. At the moment, the most prevalent smell is that of "new car", but I'll do everything in my power to ward off the smell of pizza. I'm even driving with the windows down (in 40 degree weather) to keep the smell from sticking to the interior. We'll see how that goes when it's 20 degrees and snowing outside, but for now....

Speaking of which, I was the lucky soul who had to deliver 50 pizzas to one of the high schools in town. Three of our large 'party bags' with 12 pies each, then three of our 'regular' bags - 2 with 5 pies and 1 with 4. It all fit into the E-GT just fine. Two large party bags in the hatch (after removing the hatch cover), the rest in the back seat.

I earned every penny of the $40 tip I got for that run.

Michaell

Gas tanks ... and other things.

Sandy, I know you've mentioned the VW EOS in the past - perhaps you should give them another look. Folding hardtop, same engine as the GTI/GLI, fun and sporty.

Yes, the Mitsu Mirage is available in the US. Small engine but decent mileage. The Prius c only has a 10 gal tank, but with 50MPG that still provides a lot of range.

I remember when the Suzuki SX4 was released and Edmunds had one as a long term tester. They were dismayed by the abysmal range - only a 10 or 11 gal tank coupled with mileage in the low 20's meant not many miles to a tank.

I think the winner in our household is the daughter's MINI. I think she's getting low to mid 30's for mileage, and the tank is a healthy 13 gallons. She probably gets close to 400 miles to a tank. The CX-7 and the E-GT have ranges around 350 miles or so.

oldfarmer50

"...he is a good guy..."

Sounds like you are all good.

oldfarmer50

"...I do prefer the smaller size..."

Then you might like this:

Low miles too.
http://fortmyers.craigslist.org/chl/ctd/4175671462.html

crkyolfrt

Yup..I was thinking the same. It's refreshing to see.

stickguy

I saw this in person. It was very sharp. real loaded too.

http://www.delawarevalleymotors.com/inventorymanager.php?action=view&Id=516372

stickguy

The older one (that recently graduated) just went online to set up his student loan payments. Not really that much (doing the minimum is ~170/mo.) if you don't mind paying for 10 years. He will be paying off well before that as long as he is working.

actually not a bad forced savings plan for a car. Drive the old junker while you pay off the student loans as quick as possible, and since you will be used to the payment by the time you are done (and have it in the budget) make that your car payment max, and just keep on paying!

nyccarguy

That's nice! Automatic, Sport Pkg, no I-Drive, RWD. I like it!

nyccarguy

Hey stick - you & I should go into a car dealership together & lease the same car for 10,000 miles per year, then swap the leases 1/2 way through so the mileage balances out;)

nyccarguy

The big questions are: Do I really want to go back to driving a manual transmission car & will my wife allow me to have 2 cars that she can't drive?

If I answer yes to 1 or both of the above, then I should consider a Civic Si sedan as my next ride. Simple, entertaining, practical, holds its value incredibly well, backup camera, Bluetooth & an MSRP of only $23,305. So not a bad car for $21,500 plus tax?

Michaell

I would say the answers to those questions are:

No
and
No

What would your wife drive if the Pilot went into the shop?

stickguy

interesting idea on the lease. Of course, you need to pay more otherwise I get screwed on the deal. But at least I know your half will be well taken care of.

I also loved the way that 328 was equipped. I could be real happy with one set up like that. Just hated the color combo (actually the tan was OK, but did not want the black insides).

and about the wife, no you should not get a 2nd AT if she can't drive it. Bad idea to have her locked into 1 car of the fleet.

Might cost more, but by the time you are ready, the ILX may have the 2.4l with an AT option.

or go with a Golf GDI or GTI. that could be fun! Heck, with the 1.8l engine now, a normal Golf is a nice package.

Michaell

or go with a Golf GDI or GTI. that could be fun! Heck, with the 1.8l engine now, a normal Golf is a nice package.

Sadly, the 2014 Golf is not available with the new 1.8L turbo. The 2015 refresh will have it - will that be available in time?

Heck, by September of next year, I think the Golf GTD might even be here.

stickguy

I actually meant to type GTD, though the base diesel could be just fine.

I know VW is phasing that engine in, but no clue when it hits which models (or when the 2015 Golf is showing up).

Michaell

I know VW is phasing that engine in, but no clue when it hits which models (or when the 2015 Golf is showing up).

AFAIK, the 1.8L turbo is available in the 2014 Jetta and Passat. I've heard that it will be the base engine in the Golf when the new model is released - sometime next spring?

At some point, it will also become the base engine in the Beetle, but I don't know when that will happen.

corvette

It does look sharp. I don't see that color on BMWs often. I like the black interior on those, but prefer the aluminum trim over wood trim. Also wish it had a folding rear seat.

Sandman6472

Found the vehicles I like the last 2 days but today's find was a black/black over camel leather 2005 drop top with just over 37k on it for $16k plus a $699 dealer fee. Drove very nicely once they figured out how to "drop the top"...it's at a Chevy store. Not too much cowl shake and flexing, gotta believe all convertibles do this. Sent a pic to the wife and told her I was very interested...she didn't say "no" so all is good. Had some work but the car fax showed all that.
Afterwards, stopped by the local BMW store and they looked up the vin for me and told me it had its evaporator replaced early on but looked to be a good unit. They had a white 1 Series in the show room, an 2011 with 30k on it, and were asking around $23k plus. Sat in it and it was very sweet but it wouldn't start! they decided to put a new battery in it and while they did this, we drove a 2012 grey over grey 1 Series with all the goodies and it was heaven, absolutely wonderful but I preferred the white unit. So went inside to get some paper work and then work called so I had to leave. They had the white one started and outside so i plan to go back in the morning to test it out. Still has factory warranty left which is great.
Drove a Lexus CT 200H in black at Carmax and loved it, absolutely loved it though it was a tad expensive. a 2011 model. Would probably trade the Civic if I went this route as it was more than I want to spend. So now I have no clue where to go and what to do. Stick, love the one you showed me but the miles are pretty high. Might end up at the Miami International car show tomorrow if we have no work...the wife told me to go since she'll be too busy on Saturday to go with me...a shame to. She played a trick on me today...after I texted her the pic of the black drop top, she told me she bought a car last might and the broker would deliver it today. she made it sound so real but the insurance man had no clue so I now know she was playing a game on me. But the funny part is, I am not playing here, I might go pick up that 2005 on Saturday and call her bluff!!!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

crkyolfrt

Ya better be carefu with the joke playing...you guys could end up with a pair of almost new convertibles and then there'd be TWO cars on the the street.

Altho...chances are you're safe...you might do it...but I don't think your missus has it in her to follow through..lol
She sounds a bit fun though..

nyccarguy

$699 dealer fee? The price you pay for sunshine I guess;). If you like that 2011 1 series, I think it's a better buy than the '05 for not that much more $$$.

Can I get a "true" Sandman write up on that CT200h? Miles? Price? Visibility? Getting in & out of it?

crkyolfrt

I'm curious too..including braking dynamics and get up and go when you really need it to..

Oh...and interior noise levels? They must have made it a lot quieter than apparently the Prius is supposed to be.