Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

boomchek

nyccarguy said:

@boomchek‌

Glad to see you back posting my friend. I know the advantages of winter tires as well as how well they work. I switched every December & then back every April on my Prelude for the better part of 9 years. I never got stuck once. I leased an AWD 2011 328xi back in March of 2012 and was so confident in its AWD system with all season tires, that I decided I could be lazy and get by with AWD/All Seasons. I'd never even attempt to drive any car (FWD, RWD, or 4WD/AWD) during the cold winter months with snow on the ground. We do get snow in southern New England, but not so much that it justifies me buying a set of winter tires and an AWD vehicle.

Thanks. I've been away for a bit busy with work, life, etc.... Now I run a small car lot for a friend so I have a bit more time to chat online. Since my wife drives the BMW I want to ensure she's safe on the road with proper tires.

stickguy

hopefully I don't have to go down that path anytime soon. Depending on how this semester and the summer goes, might make a change before she goes back in the fall. I would consider an Elantra (she did not like it much, but she can deal). especially after reading the article recently about how they were going to be upcontenting the 2016s and aggressively pricing/leasing. that could work.

I don't think I would go down in size from a compact. A corolla, civic or 3 (maybe even a Jetta) would be a nice compromise for ease of use and parking, and OK for long highway trips.

I kind of like the idea of doing at the end of the summer. Sell the Volvo, pay off the Acura, and replace the payment with a much lower lease (heck, the Sonata and a Corolla combined lease payments would be just about what the payment on the RDX is!).

good thing the autoshow is this week. need to research! My son is coming home to visit. time for his 1 year service, and mostly to go to the show with me. He is Jonesing for a GLI or A3. Though he did just call to say he is applying for a job back down this way. who knows, but he will feel dumb after changing to a NY license and reregistering the car in NY a few months ago, to move back to NJ. Might be easier to just trade the Jetta in and get something else!

Sandman6472

Have a cell phone question. Just got a Samsung unlocked unit at BrandsMart and even though the sales guy assured me it was 4G LTE compatible, it turns out it is only 3G, and 2G, compatible. There is a 30 day return so I am treating it with kid gloves as not to hurt it just in case I do return it.
My question is how important is the 3G vs. 4G really? I only use it for talk and text and playing on he internet and gps, nothing really heavy. It's a Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime model, nice looking, and got it for around $220.00. It's an unlocked phone and it was a cheaper alternative to get a Samsung Galaxy for me. Do like it and it's plenty for me but just not sure what the difference in data is with the 3 vs 4. Turns out it's a phone from October 2014, so it's got current stuff except the 4G LTE capabilty. Personally, like the idea of new vs. used with a smartphone, have looked on Ebay but like to see and feel what I buy especially in electronics so local is preferred.
Thoughts, comments...any advice? Help!!!

The Sandman

stickguy

I doubt for your use you will really notice a difference between 3 and 4. Or more accurately, with the one you have will never feel like you are missing anything.

though I believe my iphone is only 3G. I also very rarely use anything off wifi except for calls and text, and pretty sure neither of them are impacted.

probably need someone more "G" savvy to weigh in though!

I always just get new phones that are compatible with Verizon, so have never dealt with used phones or unlocking.

nyccarguy

@‌boomchek

If I lived any further north, like Mass or Upstate NY, I'd most likely put winter tires on my AWD Legacy. For sure if I had a 2WD car as my DD, I'd put snow shoes at all four corners (I had snow shoes on my 2010 TSX) during the winter.

rae52

LTE is the fastest followed by HSPA+, followed by 3G. What all these terms mean is the rate at which data, i.e. web pages and videos (You Tube) is downloaded to your smartphone. A quad core processor is faster than a dual core which is faster than a single core.

Any questions class?

graphicguy

I was hoping to hear what hdfatboygirl decided with the Monte Carlo. Take the money and run? Or, have it totalled and move on down the road into something else?

xwesx

sandman_6472 said:

Have a cell phone question. Just got a Samsung unlocked unit at BrandsMart and even though the sales guy assured me it was 4G LTE compatible, it turns out it is only 3G, and 2G, compatible. There is a 30 day return so I am treating it with kid gloves as not to hurt it just in case I do return it.
My question is how important is the 3G vs. 4G really?

While the 3G may seem fine, it is a much, much slower standard than 4G or even 4G LTE by orders of magnitude. I believe that 3G is somewhere around 25 kilobytes/second minimum download, while 4G LTE is supposed to have peak rates upwards of 10 megabytes/second. Of course, this is dependent upon connection strength and network traffic, but that's a pretty bit difference in potential when it comes to data transfer.

The bigger issue for me would be the fact that the sales guy sold it to you based on the assumption of LTE, and you do not get that performance from it. At the very least, he flat out lied to you to make the sale hoping you either wouldn't find out or would end up settling for what you received. $220? I wouldn't be a happy camper....

Sandman6472

Just came from my AT&T store and my guy said not to worry, it's got that HSPA thing in the upper toolbar and should just be fine. Said it downloaded very fast, has amazing resolution and a great screen...asked him flat out if I should return it and he told me, honestly, it's going to do all you want and if it were him, he'd just keep it and enjoy it. Basically he said I got a good phone for a great price so just enjoy it. Since I've dealt with him for years on all our tech stuff, gonna take his advice and try it for a few weeks and see. If I really don't like it, will return it before the 30 days is up and find something else. He did make me feel much better and I do trust his judgement as he's never steered us wrong before.

The Sandman

stever

A tv reporter is hoping to interview a family that is currently shopping for a new car in the NY, Boston or DC metro area, and has not yet been approved for a car loan.

Please email PR@edmunds.com before Friday, February 6, 2015 to share your story.

ab348

sandman_6472 said:

Just came from my AT&T store and my guy said not to worry, it's got that HSPA thing in the upper toolbar and should just be fine. Said it downloaded very fast, has amazing resolution and a great screen...asked him flat out if I should return it and he told me, honestly, it's going to do all you want and if it were him, he'd just keep it and enjoy it. Basically he said I got a good phone for a great price so just enjoy it. Since I've dealt with him for years on all our tech stuff, gonna take his advice and try it for a few weeks and see. If I really don't like it, will return it before the 30 days is up and find something else. He did make me feel much better and I do trust his judgement as he's never steered us wrong before.

The Sandman

I looked up your phone and it is 3G. Your have to move to the Galaxy S4 to get 4G. I don't know about the HSPA business nor whether 3G is going away any time soon.

Sandman6472

Well right now, keeping what I got because it is working just fine. For my needs, it's fine as I want to stay contractless and mine ends in 2 days. Now all 5 of our cell phones are off contract so if any of the kids want to leave, they are free to go and if so, we'll just lower our monthly plan. But they all know that I'm more than happy to keep things status quo and cover everyone's cell bill as it really does work out cheaper if they stay, like $35/month for unlimited talk/text with 15 gigs of data/month. So far, we've never gone over 2 gigs/month so think we're good here and AT&T has been a great provider for the past 20 or so years...no complaints here.
Keeping this car related, seems I can pair up to 4 different cell phones in my Golf. Don't need it but nice to know that it can handle that many cell phones and their contacts. Just don't understand why VW got rid of the cd player and put an sd thing in the glove box. Not even sure what I can do with that sd thing anyways??

The Sandman

imidazol97

sandman_6472 said:

I want to stay contractless and mine ends in 2 days. Now all 5 of our cell phones are off contract so if any of the kids want to leave, they are free to go and if so, we'll just lower our monthly plan. But they all know that I'm more than happy to keep things status quo and cover everyone's cell bill as it really does work out cheaper if they stay, like $35/month for unlimited talk/text with 15 gigs of data/month. So far, we've never gone over 2 gigs/month so think we're good here and AT&T has been a great provider for the past 20 or so years...no complaints here.

You say you're going to be contractless in 2 days. So you're using ATT and on a month-to-month plan for $35 for 15 GB data/month?

Your phone looks like the Samsung my son got on Net01 as far as the morphology of the case. Yours is quadcore processor and his is dual core. Both are Android 4.4 KitKat operating system. But it's a perfect size. I was looking at getting an Android Tracfone or Net10 or Straigh Talk for me but one I liked was a 5-inch screen. Seems too large for pocket.

Phones are like cars. Whatever you buy will be bested by something else someone else has or points out. Just pick what you like and be happy.

xwesx

Think of SD as a CD without any moving parts (in the drive), WAY higher capacity, and far, far smaller.

It is a cheap media card that you plug into your computer (if you have a reader drive for it - otherwise, you can get little multi-card drives that plug in via USB), transfer your music to it, then pop it in the car and go. A 32GB drive would be able to store more hours of music than you'd ever want to sit through! LOL

As for the phone, I'd still be a bit peeved. Discount, perhaps?

Michaell

Not a great car day here in Colorado.

First, I've been working with the local Mazda dealer to get a quote for the 60K service. Finally talked to them today - here's the breakdown:

Transmission Flush - $210
Spark Plug replacement - $240 (plus $21.75 each, $153 labor)
Differential fluid change - $110
Transfer Case fluid change - $69
Oil Change - $35
Cabin Air Filter - $65
(optional) Coolant Flush - $119

So, $800, give or take, before tax, without the coolant work. Which, admittedly, isn't as bad as I thought. I told the wife about $1000 or so. Given that all we've done the first 60K is oil and filters, that's not too bad.

Oh, and the service advisor dropped some more bad news - the VVT is a wear item that will cost $1700-2000 to repair/replace. Most of that is labor. He said he just did one on a CX-7 that had 105K on it - was surprised it lasted that long. Can't wait to tell the wife about this ....

RB, you've got the same engine in your Speed 3; is this something you've had to worry about?

Second, the Elantra wouldn't start this morning. Drove it yesterday and was able to put it in the garage overnight (wife and daughter are out of town attending training). Jumped in it, turned the key, and .. nada. No click, no starter, nothing. Used the MINI to run my errands, then called Roadside Assistance when I got back. Tow driver wants to give it a jump .. still no luck. So, we roll it out of the driveway and onto the street ... and it starts! Tow guy figures it's either a bad starter or a bad connection. Either way, I tell him to take it to the dealer and let them sort it out. He can explain the problem pretty well, as he saw first hand that it didn't start, then it did, then the starter started making noises upon subsequent restarts.

Then, while I was out with the MINI, I get a TPM warning ... left rear is low. Take it to my local tire place and they check the pressure in all 4 tires. Problem solved - for now.

Sheesh.

stickguy

scrap the service. trade it in on something new instead. problem solved!

those prices seem high to me. Especially since it takes less time to do them together, since it will be up on the lift anyway. I wonder what a indy shop would quote for all that?

and do the cabin filter yourself. Save $45 or more just on that.

Michaell

stickguy said:

scrap the service. trade it in on something new instead. problem solved!

those prices seem high to me. Especially since it takes less time to do them together, since it will be up on the lift anyway. I wonder what a indy shop would quote for all that?

and do the cabin filter yourself. Save $45 or more just on that.

I'll call my local Midas shop tomorrow and get a quote from them. They've done the last few oil changes and I like the quality of their work.

And, I suspect the brakes are going to need some attention as well shortly. If we weren't still a bit upside down I'd seriously consider trading it in. Wife wants newer tech!

kyfdx

Someone give this guy some feedback... thanks!

http://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/32211/cadillac/sts/used-caddy-vs-new-toyota#latest

stickguy

yeah, once you get the new goodies/tech, it's hard to go back. My Volvo seemed like such an antique on our drive last weekend. No backup camera, no bluetooth, no Blis, no fancy radio display, no USB. Heck, you have to pull out the keyfob to open the doors, and put the key in it and turn to start the car! At least it has an aux input so you can plug in your phone (just no display to know what you are playing). Oh, and of course, no fancy Navi system. Daughter seemed real interested in some of those.

she also lobbied a bit to take the new car instead. Wife and I actually discussed a bit up to the end. Heck, if she hadn't gotten ambitious and loaded the car while I was getting organized, I still may have changed my mind at the last second! thankfully it drove just fine all the way down. I think the exercise was good for it.

suydam

Sandman: the car doesn't have a CD player because it's old tech, like an 8track. It's so much easier to plug in an iPod. My latest laptop doesn't have a DVD drive either. Time marches on. 

Sandman6472

But what's funny is the wife's 2015 A3 has a cd player in the glove compartment...I guess this really is old tech and is going the way of the dinosaurs. Still deciding about keeping XM but luckily I have a cord for my ipod which charges it also...my letter from XM should be here any day now as the wife got hers yesterday and she bought her vehicle about 12 days before I got mine. Just not really sure what I want to do now and will probably decide once I get them on the phone to see the lowest price I can get. Plan to start really low and work my way up. We shall see how this all plays out.

The Sandman

ab348

stickguy said:

scrap the service. trade it in on something new instead. problem solved!

That's the spirit!

Spend $25K to save a thou... I'd probably do that too.

nyccarguy

@Michaell‌

Well, at least you had the MINI to drive. Diff Fluid & Xfer Case Fluid seem reasonable. I feel like those dealer transmission flush services are just money makers that they up sell you. Did you get a quote for a simple transmission fluid drain & fill? I'm quite sure you can change that cabin filter yourself & save some dough. Look up "how to" on YouTube, buy the part online and see if you can.

I know what you are saying about the wife wanting new tech. She wants a power lift gate, backup camera with "the lines," a different color... It is so tempting with the trunk money, the loyalty cash, the cheapo lease rates, & I've got equity. I just changed the oil & filter, new battery, new front pads (went with Honda pads BTW), & resurfaced the rotors.

stickguy

here you go. this is one of the easiest I have seen. Heck, the video is only 1:31 long! Meaning the dealer guy is doing it in less than a minute.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vp9F5gon18

I had the rear diff fluid changed on the RDX at 15K when it was called for. I think it was $89. Actually, my Honda and Acura dealers seemed to have that as a standard fluid price. brake fluid, trans, coolant, all the same price.

I actually asked my Volvo dealer about having the trans fluid changed on the S40, and they said they don't do it. Just not recommended, I checked with a local swedish specialist and they said the same thing (something to do with the special synthetic fluid). If it wasn't giving problems, just make sure the fluid was full.

corvette

Might be worth a 3rd opinion on the Volvo transmission fluid change. Our local Volvo shop recommended the change on my mom's S80.

Very few shops will do a drain and fill anymore. I've heard the flush machines tend to result in fewer leaks after it's been serviced.

Michaell

Uh, oh.

stick and ab may have been right. Talked to the wife tonight; she isn't as enamored of the Mazda as she once was. Her and the kid are up in Greeley this week, about 100 miles from home. They had a few inches of snow. Mazda didn't handle it well. Wife commented that the MINI has never lost control like that.

Told her I didn't want to influence her decision. She's not into research; that's my job, apparently. She's more of an impulse buyer.

Her desired list of features & attributes:

AWD
Wagon or Hatch
Lower to the ground
Decent power
Lots of tech

The short list:

Outback (probably the 3.6)
Countryman S
CrossTrek (I know, not enough power, but she likes the looks of it)

She doesn't want a luxury brand, so the Audi allroad, 3-series wagon, Lexus NX, etc, are out.

Am I missing anything?

qbrozen

yeah, the Focus RS previously posted.

stickguy

Michael, I thought your wife was in love with the Volvo V50? Also, the CX should be just as good as the Mini in snow, so I would bet that the only variable is tires. Is it running older all-seasons?

anyway, to the other question. Options.

I think the Outback isn't the best option (reading between the lines). Will be too big and floaty. But, the Forester turbo could be fun. Get it with the eyesight package, and it is loaded and plenty fast. Cheaper too. Assuming you can get the tech stuff on the premium, and don't have to go up to the Touring.

let's see, what else is out there? Tiguan if you want small, and don't mind VW. Murano if you are blind. RDX could work but that might qualify as "luxury". A loaded escape.

graphicguy

Phone option....familiar with the company. High quality stuff. Unlocked phone, no contract....good phone!



http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NMWJSBK

Michaell

stickguy said:

Michael, I thought your wife was in love with the Volvo V50? Also, the CX should be just as good as the Mini in snow, so I would bet that the only variable is tires. Is it running older all-seasons?

anyway, to the other question. Options.

I think the Outback isn't the best option (reading between the lines). Will be too big and floaty. But, the Forester turbo could be fun. Get it with the eyesight package, and it is loaded and plenty fast. Cheaper too. Assuming you can get the tech stuff on the premium, and don't have to go up to the Touring.

let's see, what else is out there? Tiguan if you want small, and don't mind VW. Murano if you are blind. RDX could work but that might qualify as "luxury". A loaded escape.

She doesn't want a Forester ...someone at work has one.

Yeah, she wanted an XC70. Optioned up, they are knocking on $50K. Outback 3.6R is $35K loaded with voice nav, eyesight, power liftgate, etc. She'd have to drive it to see how she likes it. Found 5 at the closest dealer.

I don't think she wants an SUV/CUV this go around.

CX-7 has newer Yokohamas; maybe 20K on them. Plenty of tread.

qbrozen said:

yeah, the Focus RS previously posted.

Ha! I'm pretty sure she's done with stick shifts.

stickguy

well, based on that, if she wants more of a "luxury" car and not something driver focused, with comfortable cruising, than a 3.6 outback loaded up could be the ticket. I was lobbying hard for one when we got the RDX (though a 2.5i). They are nice in an "old person's car" kind of way!

I have never driven a 6 cyl model though. I hear they are nice. Not super fast, but much smoother than the 4.

roadburner

Michaell said:

Not a great car day here in Colorado.

First, I've been working with the local Mazda dealer to get a quote for the 60K service. Finally talked to them today - here's the breakdown:

Transmission Flush - $210
Spark Plug replacement - $240 (plus $21.75 each, $153 labor)
Differential fluid change - $110
Transfer Case fluid change - $69
Oil Change - $35
Cabin Air Filter - $65
(optional) Coolant Flush - $119

So, $800, give or take, before tax, without the coolant work. Which, admittedly, isn't as bad as I thought. I told the wife about $1000 or so. Given that all we've done the first 60K is oil and filters, that's not too bad.

Oh, and the service advisor dropped some more bad news - the VVT is a wear item that will cost $1700-2000 to repair/replace. Most of that is labor. He said he just did one on a CX-7 that had 105K on it - was surprised it lasted that long. Can't wait to tell the wife about this ....

RB, you've got the same engine in your Speed 3; is this something you've had to worry about?

Second, the Elantra wouldn't start this morning. Drove it yesterday and was able to put it in the garage overnight (wife and daughter are out of town attending training). Jumped in it, turned the key, and .. nada. No click, no starter, nothing. Used the MINI to run my errands, then called Roadside Assistance when I got back. Tow driver wants to give it a jump .. still no luck. So, we roll it out of the driveway and onto the street ... and it starts! Tow guy figures it's either a bad starter or a bad connection. Either way, I tell him to take it to the dealer and let them sort it out. He can explain the problem pretty well, as he saw first hand that it didn't start, then it did, then the starter started making noises upon subsequent restarts.

Then, while I was out with the MINI, I get a TPM warning ... left rear is low. Take it to my local tire place and they check the pressure in all 4 tires. Problem solved - for now.

Sheesh.

Well, I change the transaxle oil in the MS3 every 30k miles using an über-expensive($20/qt.) Ford synthetic fluid made in Germany, so count yourself lucky on that score. My dealer gives me a Service Menu with my receipt and based on the most recent one their prices are as follows:

A/T Flush: $180
Differential oil change: $80
Coolant flush: $109
60k Service(Oil change, cabin filter, spark plugs. tire rotation): $385
The dealer always has a 10% off or $20 off coupon on their web site so I pick the one that nets me the largest discount.

And as for the VVT actuator? Mine was replaced under warranty at 47k(early 2007 motors had a defective part). Some guys on Mazdaspeed Forums have over 140k miles on their original actuator. My unit is at 103k and is as quiet as a mouse. I suspect a MS3 or CX-7 fed conventional oil at 5k-7.5k intervals would me much more likely to be a candidate for an early VVT failure.
$2000 is very expensive for that repair- I'd say $1200 tops from a dealer; labor is $800 at most, methinks. And I'm assuming a new chain, guides, and such would also be replaced as a matter of course...

roadburner

stickguy said:

yeah, once you get the new goodies/tech, it's hard to go back. My Volvo seemed like such an antique on our drive last weekend. No backup camera, no bluetooth, no Blis, no fancy radio display, no USB. Heck, you have to pull out the keyfob to open the doors, and put the key in it and turn to start the car! At least it has an aux input so you can plug in your phone (just no display to know what you are playing). Oh, and of course, no fancy Navi system. Daughter seemed real interested in some of those.

she also lobbied a bit to take the new car instead. Wife and I actually discussed a bit up to the end. Heck, if she hadn't gotten ambitious and loaded the car while I was getting organized, I still may have changed my mind at the last second! thankfully it drove just fine all the way down. I think the exercise was good for it.

When I take the Club Sport on a trip the only things I actually wish it had are steering wheel mounted audio controls and heated seats. I found a low buck yet high quality way to hook up my iPod and as for all the cameras, navigation and nannies? Not missed in the slightest.

kyfdx

I know she said "no luxury makes", but we had an X1 loaner this weekend.. It's a hatch, low to the ground, and you can load it up with all the tech that you want.. 240 HP..

Great residuals on leases, too..

Michaell

kyfdx said:

I know she said "no luxury makes", but we had an X1 loaner this weekend.. It's a hatch, low to the ground, and you can load it up with all the tech that you want.. 240 HP..

Great residuals on leases, too..

Yeah, I'm not sure what that's about. I would have thought an X1 would be about right ... or a 3-series wagon. Or the Audi allroad.

Sigh.

Not that the Outback is a bad car, mind you. She's just not label conscious when it comes to cars. But, she's got a collection of about a dozen Vera Bradley purses and bags. Go figure.

jayrider

Michaell said:

Uh, oh.

stick and ab may have been right. Talked to the wife tonight; she isn't as enamored of the Mazda as she once was. Her and the kid are up in Greeley this week, about 100 miles from home. They had a few inches of snow. Mazda didn't handle it well. Wife commented that the MINI has never lost control like that.

Told her I didn't want to influence her decision. She's not into research; that's my job, apparently. She's more of an impulse buyer.

Her desired list of features & attributes:

AWD
Wagon or Hatch
Lower to the ground
Decent power
Lots of tech

The short list:

Outback (probably the 3.6)
Countryman S
CrossTrek (I know, not enough power, but she likes the looks of it)

She doesn't want a luxury brand, so the Audi allroad, 3-series wagon, Lexus NX, etc, are out.

Am I missing anything?

There have been issues with the CX 7. You may be on the right track to cash out and get something else. I definitely would wait to do all that service until you are sure you want to keep it.

Michaell

jayrider said:

Michaell said:

Uh, oh.

stick and ab may have been right. Talked to the wife tonight; she isn't as enamored of the Mazda as she once was. Her and the kid are up in Greeley this week, about 100 miles from home. They had a few inches of snow. Mazda didn't handle it well. Wife commented that the MINI has never lost control like that.

Told her I didn't want to influence her decision. She's not into research; that's my job, apparently. She's more of an impulse buyer.

Her desired list of features & attributes:

AWD
Wagon or Hatch
Lower to the ground
Decent power
Lots of tech

The short list:

Outback (probably the 3.6)
Countryman S
CrossTrek (I know, not enough power, but she likes the looks of it)

She doesn't want a luxury brand, so the Audi allroad, 3-series wagon, Lexus NX, etc, are out.

Am I missing anything?

There have been issues with the CX 7. You may be on the right track to cash out and get something else. I definitely would wait to do all that service until you are sure you want to keep it.

I've been following closely those issues ... sludge, VVT issues, engines lunching themselves. Seems prevalent on the early model years (2007-8), but I've been diligent about oil changes with semi-synth and only running Shell V-Power 91 as preventative measures.

Looks like a fully loaded 3.6R sells for around $35K - this includes Eyesight, voice activated nav, sunroof, all the bells and whistles.

Sandman6472

Hate to say it but I really do like the Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime phone I got last week. For what I do on it, seems pretty fast to download. The AT&T guy said for the price I paid and for what I actually use it for, just keep it. I personally don't want to spend the cash to get the S5 even though that's the one I really want but the price is just crazy even if I go through the Next plan at AT&T. At this point, am leaning towards keeping it.
I finally did get an invite for a One Plus One phone but since I'm not real techy, really just the opposite, think that smartphone might just be too much for me. I want simple and easy and this Grand Prime is just that, simple and easy. My case came from Amazon.com yesterday and it fits nicely though I haven't put the included screen saver also.
Still have 3 weeks from today to make a decision as they have a 30 day return policy. But as of now, think it's a keeper.

The Sandman

stever

@Michaell, how about a Kia Trail'ster? Rear electric AWD for your remaining days in Colorado, turbo, and a canvas roof for when you guys move south.

Debuts in Chicago on the 12th. And it'll probably go the same way as the Track'ster concept. Nowhere, lol.

stickguy

Michael, the loaded outback is very nice. Even without A snob badge. Tons of features and high quality interior materials. Much better value than an audi for her needs it seems, as long as she likes the way it drives. Certainly more of a cruiser than a sports car! The eyesight package is kind if cool too. And they offer some nice colors.

Sube is interesting in that they offer a ton of accessories. It us a good car to special order if the timing works out.

Michaell

stickguy said:

Michael, the loaded outback is very nice. Even without A snob badge. Tons of features and high quality interior materials. Much better value than an audi for her needs it seems, as long as she likes the way it drives. Certainly more of a cruiser than a sports car! The eyesight package is kind if cool too. And they offer some nice colors.

Sube is interesting in that they offer a ton of accessories. It us a good car to special order if the timing works out.

Wife turns 50 later this month, so I suspect her 'sports car' days are behind her. Her idea of a 'fun' car is the Fiat 500.

She's mentioned getting a Countryman like the daughter, but it doesn't have some of the features that she's used to, like a backup camera or power seats.

I supsect the Outback, with the H-6, would be just right for her. And, it gets 20/27 MPG, compared to the 17/23 of the Mazda.

stickguy

That turbo engine was a bit of a guzzler. I thought about an NA cx7 a few times but not that hard.

Michaell

stickguy said:

That turbo engine was a bit of a guzzler. I thought about an NA cx7 a few times but not that hard.

I've seen up to 25-26 MPG on the highway a few times on trips to NM and AZ. Generally, though, it gets 20-21 is a mix of driving, so right on the EPA estimates.

Yeah, the last couple of model years they offered the 2.5i in the CX-7 as the "base" engine.

Need to find out if the 3.6 in the Outback takes regular or premium - I only put Shell V-Power 91 into the CX-7, so saving a bit of money on fuel would also be nice. Not that it would compensate for a new car, mind you.

venture

sandman_6472 said:

Hate to say it but I really do like the Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime phone I got last week. For what I do on it, seems pretty fast to download. The AT&T guy said for the price I paid and for what I actually use it for, just keep it. I personally don't want to spend the cash to get the S5 even though that's the one I really want but the price is just crazy even if I go through the Next plan at AT&T. At this point, am leaning towards keeping it.
I finally did get an invite for a One Plus One phone but since I'm not real techy, really just the opposite, think that smartphone might just be too much for me. I want simple and easy and this Grand Prime is just that, simple and easy. My case came from Amazon.com yesterday and it fits nicely though I haven't put the included screen saver also.
Still have 3 weeks from today to make a decision as they have a 30 day return policy. But as of now, think it's a keeper.

The Sandman

I'm not a cell phone expert by a long shot, but according to what I see about the Grand Prime it can use 4G LTE.

http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_grand_prime-6708.php

stickguy

The 6 runs on regular too.

nyccarguy

@‌Michaell

I can't say enough good things about my Legacy. I'd recommend it to anybody.

jayrider

Michaell said:

stickguy said:

Michael, the loaded outback is very nice. Even without A snob badge. Tons of features and high quality interior materials. Much better value than an audi for her needs it seems, as long as she likes the way it drives. Certainly more of a cruiser than a sports car! The eyesight package is kind if cool too. And they offer some nice colors.

Sube is interesting in that they offer a ton of accessories. It us a good car to special order if the timing works out.

Wife turns 50 later this month, so I suspect her 'sports car' days are behind her. Her idea of a 'fun' car is the Fiat 500.

She's mentioned getting a Countryman like the daughter, but it doesn't have some of the features that she's used to, like a backup camera or power seats.

I supsect the Outback, with the H-6, would be just right for her. And, it gets 20/27 MPG, compared to the 17/23 of the Mazda.

My best deal ride is the AWD CRV EXL which without Nav can be bought around here for less than 27K.

Michaell

jayrider said:

Michaell said:

stickguy said:

Michael, the loaded outback is very nice. Even without A snob badge. Tons of features and high quality interior materials. Much better value than an audi for her needs it seems, as long as she likes the way it drives. Certainly more of a cruiser than a sports car! The eyesight package is kind if cool too. And they offer some nice colors.

Sube is interesting in that they offer a ton of accessories. It us a good car to special order if the timing works out.

Wife turns 50 later this month, so I suspect her 'sports car' days are behind her. Her idea of a 'fun' car is the Fiat 500.

She's mentioned getting a Countryman like the daughter, but it doesn't have some of the features that she's used to, like a backup camera or power seats.

I supsect the Outback, with the H-6, would be just right for her. And, it gets 20/27 MPG, compared to the 17/23 of the Mazda.

My best deal ride is the AWD CRV EXL which without Nav can be bought around here for less than 27K.

My wife is not a huge Honda fan, and there isn't enough HP in the CR-V to satisfy her.

Sandman6472

Venture, thanks for the link, very helpful. Right now, it's working just as fast as my old HTC smartphone which was 4G LTE compatible so think we're o k here. Really wanted the Galaxy S 5 but the price for those is just stupid so thought I'd get a Galaxy but spend a bit less. Right now it works for me and gives me what I want...I need a gps for work and love the Waze app for traffic. Sometimes log into my Facebook account and use texting/calls, that's it really. So, I'm good here and keeping it and not looking back!
Again, the info you provided definitely makes me feel better about my choice and since I don't want to be under contract with any provider anymore, this works!

The Sandman

stickguy

The CRV is a respectable appliance, but does nothing for me. When we test drove, it seemed to roll quite a bit and was kind of pokey. I took my SIL out last summer looking, and she loved the Subes (she bought a Forester). we also test drove a CRV and she did not like it at all. and she was coming out of an Odyssey that she loved.