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A guy at work needed a donor and many people got tested to see if they were compatible.
He must have found someone because he is currently healthy and even bought a VW.
I guess he figured buying a VW was a small risk compared to his health issues.
Best wishes and keep us in the loop as best you can, however you can.
We are here for you. :shades:
I couldn't imagine doing the kitchen and bath at the same time. I did the kitchen (full gut) over the winter and it was a tough six weeks (did it myself, nights/weekends). Looks great now and was certainly worth it in the end.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart
Sounds beautiful. Black is my first choice too, but my wife said if I get black I will have to wash it every day.
I am going to see the mafia guy next week to see what he can do for me - I think it is called Cosa Nostra BMW. I could sure use your help....I'll never get a deal like that one. You did really well........you have given me an incentive to go in there and fight for what I want. There is hope!
I still can't believe you basically lost nothing on your trade in, you drove the car for a year and it only depreciated what it would have cost to have leased it for a year! It's the deal of the century!
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
besides, if I wait on it, I can hopefully do some work myself, of serve as the GC on the project.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Richard
I had the SRX washed this afternoon---couldn't stand it a minute longer. The Morman choir was heavenly; the Great Salt Lake was awesome. On to Denver in the morning---a long 500 miles.
Richard
No. You have the "feel of a good steak".
Richard
LOL and congratulations...........for washing your car.
Your trip sounds like a great adventure.....you are seeing (and hearing) such great sites.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
The swing in trade prices was pretty big.....$27.5K-$33K. I know the used car market is strong right now. But, once it was established what a dealer would allow on the trade, the rest was pretty easy in getting others to pony up.
Funny, I had always heard that CARMAX came in on the high side on trades, and that they were a "no hassle" store when it came to sales of their cars. First, all I wanted was a buy bid. They came in the lowest. And, my sales person at least, put the full court press on me to buy from them, after I told him I wasn't buying a car from them.
Probably won't be visiting them again, for any reason.
I think several things conspired to make a great deal on the car I bought. First, it's at the end of the model run. 2nd, it was at the end of the month. 3rd, BMW corporate was piling on the incentives. No offense to Edmunds, but I really do like TruCar.com. They established a base of what the car can be bought for.
Ends up, this was probably one of the easiest deals I've ever made. Something I've used before to good affect....I had the VIN#, the MSRP, the Invoice, the TruCar Price, incentives, taxes, tags, trade-in, etc all on one sheet of paper, with a total at the end. I made copies of it and handed it to the dealers for the deal I expected.
That worked pretty well
Someone asked about "feel of the road". I don't know what that is. I will say that BMW has indeed spent a whole lot of time on their drive train and suspensions, and it really shows. Probably confidence inspiring is the best descriptor.
I haven't had a chance to "let'r rip" yet. Probably will do that this weekend. While I don't redline it every gear, I do believe that you break it in exactly how you plan to drive it while it's in your care.
The Acura is one heck of a car....especially for the money. You realize what a bargain it is when you start comparing it to other similar cars you test drive. I know that styling is subjective. But, I really liked the way it was edgy. Too bad they messed with it to tone it down, but I guess I was way in the minority in liking the way it was styled. It won't take the dealer long to sell it if he doesn't get stupid on asking price (ask $36K, sell for $34K-$35K).
I've tried to like Audi and Mercedes. In Audi's case, they just don't have enough cars at their dealerships. I looked at 3 of them. Not much there...at least not much that appealed to me. Mercedes is a different animal....plenty of cars. Just nothing that called me or that stood out in one way or the other.
Still waiting for my original deposit from the BMW dealer 50 miles away. They'll be getting a very curt phone call from me today.
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2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
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2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
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Just kidding GG. Congrats, I'm jealous. If you get any buyers remorse you can see a nice puff piece on BMW starting Wednesday on CNBC at 9:00pm. There should be enough good things said about BMW to make you feel like a king.
BTW, richard64 said he got his car washed and that the Mormon Choir was great...
When did they start washing cars? :confuse:
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Me, of course. It is a feeling of lots of control when steering. Not light steering where the steering wheel turns very easily. Cornering is level at almost any speed so you have complete control of the car. Because of the firm suspension the car doesn't get away from you, you always have control.
* I only use that phrase because it was used in a review of BMWs and I thought it really explains the way the car handles.
*The steering feels a little firm, almost like it isn't power steering after driving some rental cars. But, once you get used to it you understand why they didn't make the steering wheel spin around easily.
*There should be a good program coming up about how BMW develops their cars. I believe it is next Tues or Wed at 9 pm on MSNBC.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
When did they start washing cars?
LOL...there's that wonderful sense of humor (as we say in Canada - humour) coming through.
You got the right times for the BMW show....I have to see that one, maybe they will talk about "the feel of the road".
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
He must have found someone because he is currently healthy and even bought a VW.
I guess he figured buying a VW was a small risk compared to his health issues.
Wow. Maybe I could get into a TDI Golf yet.....
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I'm sure you will. If it dries out later today, I'll be pounding some pavement with it. Did you find a nice BMW "beater" yet?
We really should plan a meet with you, imid, roadburner, and me sometime.
Went to Lexington to check one out, last Saturday... no budging on the price... so, left it... After a 90 minute drive home, the guy calls me, offering to come down $300.. Ummm... nope.
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I'm still wading through posts after being gone for the 4th but I echo the Cog Railway recommendation (sit on the left going up). I think Richard said he was going to be there today (Friday) so I'm probably too late.
He'd love the Miramont Castle in Manitou Springs too.
We were in Colorado Springs last summer. Great place and so much to do and see.
Congrats on the new ride, GG! While I hate to see you leave the Honda/Acura fold, I'm sure it is nice to be back in a BMW again. Sounds like a great deal.
Fezo-- I'm always amazed at how you've dealt with your health issues. My minor annoyances pale by comparison. Good luck! (Besides, us Steves have to stick together.)
Seven Falls? Cave of the Winds? Garden of the Gods?
A train that departed in the afternoon after we went got stuck going up. Really glad it wasn't me!
I have a question about the road up Pike's Peak. It was paved at the top. I always thought that race was a rally type on dirt and gravel. Anyone know when it was paved... or if it is paved all the way? The cars at the top looked pretty clean to me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc5ucDzFPAk&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
And a map:
http://www.usacracing.com/ppihc/about/overview
I drove it some years back, and the upper half wasn't paved. There used to be a checkpoint half way down to make sure your brakes weren't overheated, and make you wait if they were.
Man, the back of my right hip is killing me. That's where they took the bone marrow Tuesday. I think that was a resident doing that...
Yeah, I couldn't imagine it would be paved all the way. There were lots of cars up there though. It was $40 for a carload of up to 5 people.
The Cog Railway was a great way to get to the top. Fantastic views.
Apparently they told him that they are not checking the brakes for heat in terms of warping, but are concerned because of the altitude about the brake fluid. At the elevation of Pike's Peak, the boiling point of the brake fluid is different, and tends to heat up much faster with less use. Most people end up stopping because even with normal driving, the temperature rises quickly.
Sounded a little funky to me, frankly, but I don't really know any better to challenge it.
I can't understand why it wouldn't be paved all the way up?
And $40 bucks a car seems steep, It was only $10 to go up Mt. Evans.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
It's correct, just basic physics. The situation isn't helped by the fact that people rarely change their brake fluid when they should (or at all).
DOT 5, the most common spec brake fluid is hygroscopic (it absorbs water) which has a couple of downsides in a hydraulic braking system.
First, it can cause components to rust. Second, when it gets hot it boils and becomes steam. Unlike brake fluid, steam can be compressed, so instead of moving the brake fluid to operate the brakes, the brake pedal just compresses the steam and sinks to the floor.
I am redoing my kitchen (well, I am writing the checks to the people that are doing the work...) and needing the master bath done too, asked the contractor to quote on that at the same time, figuring I would minimize the disruption time if they doubled up on the jobs (and I should save money from the efficiencies of filling in his down time).
but, the quote came in higher than I expected, so I decided to not kill myself trying to get ready for both jobs. so I said it was more than I had left in the budget.
well, just like with a dealer that really wants to move a car to a reluctant buyer, he decided to negotiate against himself. Went back and squeezed his subs, cut his profit, and knocked a bit over 2K off the combined job. For some reason, he really really did not want to lose doing that part of the job too.
so looking at what the original kitchen only price was, the incremental price for doing the bathroom (a full gut, new tub, bigger custom shower) is actually a lot less than I was planning to pay.
so, just like changing the water pump when you are doing the T belt anyway (hey, a car reference!), might be too good a deal to pass up, since I would be doing it pretty soon anyway!
now I just have to go pick out all the stuff on short notice. shower hardware should be pretty easy, and we already picked out vanity, top and tub. Just hope we can find a tile design we like in time!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Then the annual Hill Climb wouldn't be as fun.
And $40 bucks a car seems steep
"Steep"... I get it.
It may be because the Federal Government takes care of Mt. Evans and the City of Colorado Springs is in charge of the Pikes Peak road. It will only cost you $12 if you drive it alone.
Pikes Peak Info
So what you're saying is if I see a car for sale with a bumper sticker that says "This Car Climbed Pike's Peak" I should expect to replace the brakes? :lemon:
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I'm sure nyc has more insight to what's happening.
Still, $2K is $2K.
On the one side, there are the thousands of success stories out there:
I have a customer who bought a 1 yr old 2005 Porsche Cayenne in 2006 with 9400 miles as a CPO car. He currently has close to 130,000 miles and with regular maintenance has only had 2 big issues - bad ignition coils (they fail on every single VW VR6 motor) & the driveshaft had to be replaced at 98,000 (under the CPO warranty). It has been a fantastic vehicle for him & it you saw it, you would never believe the mileage. He can afford a new Cayenne if he wants, but sees no good reason to get rid of his. He's currently looking on lease trader for a Boxster S (PDK) or an M3 Convertible (DCT).
There's also richard's story. He had a HORRIBLE (to say the least) experience with a Cadillac
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
She was steadfast in that way of thinking. She never bought anything 2nd hand. I remember my Dad getting a killer deal on one of those color TV, cabinets, stereo all-in-one behemoths. It was the TV store's owner who had it in him home for a month or so. My Mother wanted a new one fresh out of the box, instead. Well, my Father, feeling rejected, took it back for a refund and didn't buy anything to replace it.
We were stuck with a B&W small screen TV long after every relative, neighbor, etc had upgraded to the latest & greatest because of the stubbornness of both my parents. :sick:
I could see myself buying a CPO of something like a 7 series, maybe a Jag. I just haven't run across anything that motivated me enough to pull the trigger on, though.
BTW....where's jmonroe been? I'm getting ready to put the first coat of wax on the 3 today.
Picked up Mom yesterday. Met my sister at 'Wegmans' in Wilkes-Barrie.
If you live in the CT/NYC area, it's very similar to 'Stu Leonards'.
It was hot, several construction slowdowns, plus it rained at least the last 100 miles, not to mention adding in the Friday afternoon traffic on the return trip.
Sat radio was great. Called my sister a couple of times to compare progess, but I kept delaying until after the 'next song' was done.
Final tally 410 miles round trip, 16.7 gallons of fuel = 24.6 mpg!
Roadburner's X3. How much did you save buying it vs. new? And you've had basically zero problems with it.
Then there is poor bill's Lexus story.
I LOVE BMWs. The fact that BMW pays for scheduled maintenance and My family has experience with BMWs makes them an intriguing CPO or even used buy.
Some of the CPO asking prices are downright scary - for a '10 or even an '11 with low miles. Maybe I'll wait a year or 2 and see if I can pickup an '11 335i w/ x Drive, Auto, & NAV.
But then the question is, am I off my rocker for getting rid of a perfectly good (in 2 years) that's almost paid off?
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
In my case, if I see a new car with a price of $XXXXX dollars I immediately start to think of what I could get used for the same money. The only reason I've bought new(three times in the past 28 years) is because the car was a limited production model that I wanted in a specific color and with a specific option list(Club Sport, MS3) or there was a substantial discount off MSRP(1998 318ti Active).
As for our used cars, no complaints. A couple of examples:
1988 M6- It listed for $58,000 new; I bought it in 1992 with 36k on the clock for $24,000. Drove it until March 1995 and sold it for $23,500.
2004 X3- Bought as a CPO in December 2005 with 16,000 miles on it, I only paid $29,600. It now has 118k on it. All it's needed has been one set of brakes, two sets of tires, and scheduled maintenance. Oh yeah, the battery died Tuesday night, but I cant complain too much as it lasted seven years and four months.
My mom was the big "buy new" advocate in our family, but I finally convinced my dad to look at late model used cars. In fact, his last car was a used 1986 Lincoln Mark VII LSC, which I helped him pick out. It was a fabulous machine; one of the few American cars I'd actually consider owning...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Daily driver, with no special or limited "specialty" attached to it? Probably stick with new.
Funny....I was actually looking at CPO Porsches. I know their new commercials tout them as capable of grocery getting, trips to Lowes, etc. I still don't buy that, though.
I can't bring myself to buy a Porsche SUV, either. Somehow or another, that just seems wrong.
I need a convertible! I suspect it's waiting for next year, though. If the van even had a sunroof...
I still can't ever fathom buying a new car, it's such a waste of money IMO. Granted right now the market is silly nutso, but still...
I paid $21,750 for my XJ8, 3 years old with 45k.
I paid $25,500 or so for my GS350 AWD, 3 years old with 37k
New? Coulda got a new GS350 for $46,500 and coulda bought a new 09 XJ8 for about $64k.
Spend $110,000 or spend $48,250?
Hmmm....... lemme think that one over....
Put a set of VF-XF Barber Half dollars together, spent $12k on that. Sold em 5 weeks ago for $23k.
Bought another 356A for $30k. Now it's worth $55k.
Savings turned into a profit of $36,000.
XJ8 is now worth $15-16k, 2 years and 34k miles later.....
So, had I bought an 09 XJ8 new for $64k, I could have turned $64k into $30k today.
Instead I spent the same $64k and turned it into, say, $93,000.
Buying a new car is flat-out idiotic. In my case the difference is SIXTY THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS!