What would you say is the typical age group that buys a Civic Si?
At 51, I think I think that I must be @25 years older than the average Mazdaspeed3 owner. In fact, when I was toy shopping last year, the only cars I considered that were close to my age demographic were the Charger SRT8, the E46 M3, and the S4 Avant. Everything else(Evo IX, GTI, GTO, Si, STi) were aimed at younger drivers. Which reminds me; today I received yet another letter from AARP begging me to join. As an incentive they are now giving away a Park Avenue fitted with a left turn signal that is permanently activated whenever the motor is running and a speed limiter that keeps the car 20 mph below posted highway limits and only allows you to take curves at 1/2 of the posted advisory speed.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
If you like the car & there's nothing new on the market that rings your chimes, you should consider keeping it. Apart from automatic transmission problems with some early (1999 & 2000) 323i's, the E46 has been a remarkably trouble-free car. My 330i, purchased new in June of 2001, has been out of warranty for 3 years. During that time, I've had to spend a total of $1200 - about $33 per month - on unexpected repairs. That's not much more than my Japanese cars have cost me at this stage of their lives.
I might replace my car late next year. Then again, if it's still running as well as it does today, I might shoot for 10 years.
I'd be reluctant to hang onto a 7-series much beyond the end of the factory warranty, but the 3 is another animal altogether.
My 330i, purchased new in June of 2001, has been out of warranty for 3 years. During that time, I've had to spend a total of $1200 - about $33 per month - on unexpected repairs. That's not much more than my Japanese cars have cost me at this stage of their lives.
My 113K 318ti Club Sport has cost me @$45 per month for maintenance and repairs since I took delivery in October 1995, and that number includes 3 sets of Z rated 225/50-16 summer tires. My 20K 2007 Mazdaspeed3 has cost $43 per month over the past year. I really, REALLY wish I'd gone ahead and bought the E46 M3 I was considering. That's what I get for making the "practical" choice... :sick:
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Generally, I'm just looking for some honest input from salespeople about the general state of car sales affairs.
If you want to score a killer deal right now, it would be on anything that's not moving, ie gas guzzlers, SUVs or trucks that are not practical (5 seaters). I can't speak for the luxury brands, cause I don't know.
I don't think you'll get any killer deals on cars like the Accords, Civics, Toyotas, etc..
I'd try a Hyundai Genesis, if the deal is good and if it's priced right.
Being a former CPO Manager for a BMW dealership, I would tend to put a little more in a car that had warranty remaining because I knew I could enroll it in the CPO program. As long as it had less than 60K miles (I know the original warranty is 50K) and been in service less than 5 years, I could do that. What year is your 330i? Is it still under it's maintenance warranty? The reason I ask is because if it still has it's maintenance warranty, it would be eligible to upgrade to 100K miles for the next owner. That's another plus...
Nick, can you please answer another related question for me? This is a similar question, except asking what dealers think of transferable extended warranties. In this case, the BMW CPO warranty.
We have a 2004 BMW (X3 3.0i) which is 4.5 years old and has about 50K miles. Is there much of a difference in trade-in value if we trade it in a few months prior to the CPO (extended) warranty expiration instead of waiting until after the CPO warranty expires?
I was thinking the answer was "yes", we would be wise to trade it in while it still had some CPO warranty remaining. However, the reasons you provided in your previous response to graphicguy don't seem to fit my example. For instance, there would be no additional warranty or maintenance program to add to our vehicle. And when this car approaches six years in age, how much of a real difference in value will I likely see?
If there isn't much of a difference in my case, then we might wish to keep our X3 for several months after that warranty expires. I don't want to be stuck with costly repairs -- and with a first-year X3, the reliability data isn't very promising -- but this car has been pretty good to us, and it has everything we want.
I don't want to be stuck with costly repairs -- and with a first-year X3, the reliability data isn't very promising -- but this car has been pretty good to us, and it has everything we want.
My wife's 2004 X3 has over 60K on the clock and the only warranty repair has been a passenger seat SRS sensor. It needed pads/rotors on all four corners at 60K and I changed the ATF and TC oil at 50K but aside from that-and changing the oil myself at 7.5K intervals-I've just followed the maintenance schedule. My son will probably take it to college in 2012.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Well, it wasn't sold to her, it was sold to us (parents).
I honestly don't remember too much about the transaction (even though it was only 2 years ago!).
We traded in an '03 Focus and bought the '06 ION because it had a better rebate than the '07's and because it came with window tinting that we weren't charged for.
We recently had the moonroof cassette replaced on our X3. The pulleys were starting to make some loud noises when opening or closing the moonroof, and the shop manager said this was an indication the unit needed to be replaced soon. Although CPO warranty covers replacement cost of the motor (which was not the problem), it does not cover this repair. My dealer was great -- covering the cost as a "good will' gesture because it occurred shortly after my full bumper warranty expired. My service advisor indicated this repair would have run me over $1000 (mostly due to labor), if I had paid it myself.
About that same time, we had an intermittant amber "Check Engine" light issue, which was resolved with new firmware programming -- also a good will gesture from our dealer.
I really like this car, but I don't yet have confidence it will be as reliable as the 3-series.
Lunch time. Start the car. Needles go haywire. go back and forth. Shudder and shake as if they were choking their own chicken. Car does not start. Call 1-800-Roadside-assistance. Arrives in 20 minutes. Jump starts the car. Take it to Autozone. Plump girl in 20s checks the battery. Declares it dead. Ask for new one. Will cost $82.99 + tax. No discount? Plump says "putting it in for no extra charge" how is that for a discount!! I smile and let her do her job.
Anyway, My car got a new battery exactly this day (week) 5 years ago when it was rolled of the lot. Not bad. OEM battery for 5 years. I guess the car wanted a Birthday gift
I only can speak from my standpoint, so here it goes: When I would trade for a vehicle that I would certify, it would cost me anywhere from $1195-$1595 as an enrollment fee, depending on which series it was. However, when I would trade for one that was already certified, I wouldn't have to worry about paying that enrollment fee. Thus if I had to, I would put more money in the vehicle knowing I wouldn't be spending near as much in the shop to make it lot ready. Plus, it looks much better to a prospective owner of the X3 if they know there is still warranty remaining. How much are you going to lose by waiting until the warranty period ends? No way to tell really. I imagine if it's still in nice shape it's going to bring good money, but my opinion is you will get a better trade value by trading while it's still under its CPO warranty.
"I'd try a Hyundai Genesis, if the deal is good and if it's priced right. "
I thought I might contribute my own $.02 worth and suggest against the Genesis right now. I have learned from experience to avoid a vehicle purchase in its first model year, even if it is a Lexus or Toyota (or Acura or Audi...)
Also, from a pure financial viewoint, you will likely pay a higher relative price if you purchase it this year, versus waiting until next year or later. As an example, look at the Veracruz. When it first arrived early last year, it was highly reviewed and regarded as a fantastic value. It even beat out the Lexus RX in a Motor Trend review. We looked at a Veracruz in Sept 2007, prior to purchasing our used X3. At that time, Hyundai did not offer any Veracruz incentives in our state. Now, 10 months later, Hyundai is offering a $1500 incentive on new Veracruz models. Currently, Hyundai is not offering any real incentive on the Genesis here. I'm guessing they will offer incentives next year!
I really like this car, but I don't yet have confidence it will be as reliable as the 3-series.
In my case I own the X3 free and clear-and we almost never use the sunroof-so I think I'll be OK for at least 5-6 more years. Even if I have to eat a major repair or two it will still be less expensive than buying another new or CPO car.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Excellent point! I'm used to owning newer cars. But if we continued to own an older car, and its free and clear, then we might decide some repairs aren't really necessary -- limiting ourselves to only the truly necessary repairs.
On the other hand, the added intrinsic value provided via the CPO warranty to a future customer, as mentioned by Nick, will cause me to consider shopping it next year. I may decide to hold onto it, but not until I at least perform some research.
"...got a new battery exactly this day (week) 5 years ago..."
The battery in my Chrysler is the same that was in it when I bought it used in November 2002. Knowing how little re conditioning the dealer did to it before I bought it, it very well might be the original battery from 1997.
I'm glad it has lasted so long as it is located up in the fender where it is hard to get to.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I don't know if this is common news, yet, but I saw some interesting news today regarding "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition".
Apparently, back around 2005, a family south of Atlanta was given a new 5500 sq ft home with incredibly deluxe appointments -- free and clear, with no mortgage payments! They were also provided with an additional $250,000 cash to cover long-term taxes and college tuition for their 3 kids. A year or so later, they took out a $450,000 equity loan against their beautiful new home. It appears they wanted to start a new construction business on their own, even though they didn't have much prior experience with it. Now, that home has been repossessed.
This is a bit off-topic, but I think it echoes some of the strange things you guys see in the car business these days. If you get a chance, you might want to read more about it. I'm not sympathetic to the previous homeowners, but it sure seems like our society/media helps play a hand in such a financial disaster -- especially for those who lack discipline and guidance.
On the other hand, the added intrinsic value provided via the CPO warranty to a future customer, as mentioned by Nick, will cause me to consider shopping it next year. I may decide to hold onto it, but not until I at least perform some research.
Everyone's situation is different; I've owned a few older BMWs so I know what to expect. I just wish I hadn't bought that blasted Mazdaspeed- especially now that my local BMW dealer has a CPO M3 optioned almost exactly the way I want it- 19" wheels, Xenons, and NO Premium Package- which means it doesn't have the added weight of power seats and a sunroof...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
My '05 325Ci coupe also doesn't have the Premium Package! For this model, this configuration provides manual seats. However, it does contain the Sport Package and leather seats. It was just what I wanted!
If that M3 is configured exactly the way you want, and it appears to be a good value as far as CPO M3's go, why not jump on it, anyway? I don't have any facts to back this up, but I would guess the MazdaSpeed 3 is a low volume car with above average demand. Seems like you should be able to sell it without losing your shirt, correct? Or does the MS3 suffer resale woes similar to several of the other Mazda models?
There's a local dealer who is taking the bull by the horns. Seems a lot of people are riding the bus and this has caused a drop in auto sales. So this dealer is doing all he can to convince people that having their own car is superior to riding the bus.
Among the reasons he gives for not riding the bus are:
--Having babies cry and puke on you. --Being sneezed on by disease- ridden riders. --Getting groped by "the creepy guy".
You have to give this dealer an A for effort. Any of the dealers here tried this?
P.S. If you live in my area you might also include: "Getting stabbed by the local gang-banger" in your list of why you shouldn't ride the bus.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Couple of things to keep in mind if you decide to trade... If you didn't opt to extend the maintenance warranty when you purchased, and you're going to hang onto it, you should consider it. Make sure you do so before it hits 50K miles, though. Once it rolls over 50K, you can't do it. I loved trading for this type of car because we would certify it, and 9 times out of 10 the next owner would opt to extend the maintenance warranty. (It's not a BS warranty like a lot of others are... Plus, when you couple it with the CPO warranty you have a lot of coverage.) Also, if something is said to you during trade negotiations that they will have to put BMW approved tires on it, they are not blowing smoke. BMW is pretty strict on what cars they can certify, and it is a requirement to have RFT's on the vehicle. That may be something they use to justify a little lower trade value, no matter if the tires have 30K miles of tread remaining. Either way, you have a beautiful car. Love that color interior, but only with the black exterior.
GG: I don't think you mentioned this, but I'm guessing your car is a 2006 model, correct? So, if it wasn't for the mileage, it would have well over a full year of warranty remaining?
You are driving with non-runflats -- Do you have a spare wheel/tire in your trunk? Or do you take your chances without any spare? Just curious... I'm one of the many people who wish BMW didn't go RFTs with the new 3 series.
Besided all the options you mentioned, you could also consider something like a 2006 e46 CPO 330Ci coupe or convertible. The CPO warranty goes up to 100K miles, and covers your major components until 2012. I might be biased, but I've had a couple different 3-series loaners in the past 2 years, including a 2007 328i sedan, but I still prefer the added sportiness and road feel of my older e46 coupe. And the e46 series was very dependable during its final years of production.
Chevy ran an ad few years ago of similiar nature, which offended many bus riders and bus drivers.
It was advertised in Vancouver, and the pictured bus, is also a Vancouver transit bus, with photoshopped "creeps and weirdos" in it so that's why folks got offended.
Batteries - you have hit on a character flaw of mine. I find it next to impossible to admit that a battery has had it. I mean it would be logical as isell point s out to declare one dead at 5 years or even, if you want to be extreme, the firs time it dies on you after that time frame. Not me. I'll complain that someone left a light on and come up with six reasons that tech battery is still good. I blame this on my 80 Accord that got 120K out of the original battery.
I tend to keep one of those jumper boxes in the car but I think I'm starting to get to the point where I can admit that I have to replace the battery sooner.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
Nope no new trend, Just that with two high mileage cars we decided to swap out one before both get real old and we have two cars payments. With a little luck I will have a very short term note on this new car and it will be paid off when the wifes car needs replacement.
So resale value is not a big concern for me as I expect this car to be mine for at least ten years and over 200K miles.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Nick...thanks. Interesting note about the tires. Never thought about non runflats vs runflats regarding CPO. Still, the replacement tires are very nice Pirelli P-Zeros.
Have no idea what I might do. But, if I'm going to get rid of the 3, it will be very soon based on the 50K mile warranty limit. I'll start shopping it around this weekend to see what it might be worth. If I do decide to keep it, I will indeed get the warranty extended.
Appreciate your help.
cotmc...it is an '06. For awhile, I was driving back and forth from SW OH to Chicago fairly regularly for work. Thus, it's a bit of high mileage. So, I'll hit the mileage limit well before the time limit on the warranty.
No spare included. That's the entire reason for putting runflats on it, no spare required. My understanding, runflats can't be fixed (sidewalls too thick). If you get a puncture, you run the tires until you can get to a dealer or tire retailer and replace the tire. I'm sure there were a lot of tests by BMW before choosing runflats (IIRC, they were Bridgestones, but don't hold me to that). That said, the P-Zeros handle as well, but offer better ride characteristics over the runflats (plus, they're much better for winter driving). Can't even remember the last time I had a flat tire. Of course, as soon as I say that, I'll probably get one tomorrow. That would mean a tow as I still don't have a spare.
Talking to a lot of other BMW owners, the other tires BMW uses are Continentals, which are supposed to be superior to the Bridgestones.
At the time I purchased, there was a lot of discussion about BMW's use of runflats. BMW states that they were chosen based on their performance characteristics. Probably could have squeezed another 8K miles out of the runflats. But, being on the road so much, I didn't want to risk it. Replaced them a little prematurely.
Personal opinion? There was some BMW accountant that figured it was cheaper to put runflats on their cars, than it would be to put a "doughnut" spare in the trunk with non-runflats. Like you, I don't like runflats, for many different reasons.
Isell, any idea when we might get this in the US. I'd dump my thought of the VW TDI in second if this was on the lot. "
The British sense of humor is unequalled.Thanks J.I'd like to see these in the states as well rather than the trendy but impractical fuel cell, Perhaps a little under $46,000 though. Ok , quite abit under. The dollar exchange rate is killing us, probably why they stuck to Europe.
I like the way that sounds. Like a flat tire when you're rolling down the road. "
Can't disagree, it is a nice word. But in my mind it would go more like: plump fatty fatty fatty fatty plump plump plump. Good mental image though. Nice post chikoo.
So I put in an ad in my local community paper advertising myself.
It's a Polish freebie paper, and i hope to get some decent leads from my countrymen. So I get a call from a guy who wants a Jeep Patriot. He asks a bunch of stuff, and I give him all the answers. I ask him to come in and see me. He says he's just looking around for now, but will call me back.
He does call me back about 2-3 weeks later, and says he wants to tell me he bought a Patriot from another dealer and make a complaint with me.
Ok, hmm, I ask him what the problem is.
He says he is on the way to dealer "B" to pick up his Patriot. But he was dissatisfied when he was at dealer "A" about the service he got there. I thought he was in my dealership and got bad service, but he wasn't and he wants me to take notes on dealer A that treated him poorly.
Now, myself, nor my dealership I work at now has anything to do with dealer "A" that he wants to complain about, or dealer B for that matter. He hasn't even bought anything from me and now he wants me to complain for him :confuse:
He starts going off how the serivce he got there was unbelivable, how the saleperson didn't know anything, and how it was terrible, and unbelievable. I tell him again, I have nothing to do with that dealer, and he should take the complaint up to their management, not me.
Once again, he doesn't get it, and starts complaining to me about the other dealership.
I get frustrated because it's a busy Saturday, he hasn't bought a car from me, and now I gotta listen to his crap about some dealer in the middle of somewhere that didn't give him what he wants. :mad:
I told him that he should have bought a car from me so he wouldn't have to go through all that, and that he should have complained to the manager there.
He goes on how the second dealer he visited and bought from was super good, and the difference was night and day and so on and so on.
And he still keeps going on about the first dealer how bad it was blah blah blah.
I finally interrupt him because his rant was going on for 5 minutes. I said:
"Look, I don't really care if the other dealer was bad to you, and that they didn't know their products. I don't work there, and I don't care. It's unfortunate, but I can't do anything about it, It has nothing to do with me. In fact it's good for me that they don't treat their customers right. In fact the more unprofessional they are, the more business I get, cause you're not the first one to complain about them. So I get more business from their unsatisfied customers who won't go there anymore. In your case you complain to me, and I can't do anything about it.
If you found a good deal, then enjoy your car. But I'm not going to spend my time making complaint about my competitor. Enjoy your car and have a nice day. :mad:
Like me complaining to Ford that GM sold me a lemon. Some people make me wonder.
boomchek wrote " " So I put in an ad in my local community paper advertising myself.
It's a Polish freebie paper, and i hope to get some decent leads from my countrymen. So I get a call from a guy who wants a Jeep Patriot. He asks a bunch of stuff, and I give him all the answers. I ask him to come in and see me. He says he's just looking around for now, but will call me back. "
What a weasel ! No disrespect meant to snakeweasel whom I admire. But country affinity aside, you answer this guy's initial questions. Does he follow up by at least going to you or putting you in competition ? Then he has the chutzpah to ask your help and guidance in making a complaint against dealer " A" . What's Polish for ***hole ?
"My understanding, runflats can't be fixed (sidewalls too thick). "
Goodyear runflats on Corvette - a lot of people on vette forum have had Goodyear fix a flat if it is just a nail type puncture in the tread area. (No tire can be fixed with puncture in sidewall area.) Goodyear also has a road hazard warranty for the first year, or maybe a tread wear measurement, total replacement no charge.
Corvette runflats come from the tranny being moved to the rear. To get adequate fuel storage and inside storage (which on the coupe is great), they had to drop the spare.
When my runflats are gone, I do not yet know what I will do. People move to non-runflats and buy a small compressor and puncture repair kit. Using pressurized can of fix-a-flat will destory the tire pressure sensor. I personally don't think I would have a chance in the world of repairing a tire on the road. Only someone with significant arm strength would be able to ream the hole out and push in a repair strip.
Lots of vette owners buy these things. I asked on the forum if anyone has successfully repaired a flat on the road and did not receive a single response to the question.
"...and i hope to get some decent leads from my countrymen..."
He probably figured that a fellow polski would do him a favor. You should have told him that after 5 minutes of telling you his troubles, that there would be a "counseling" fee of $100. I'm sure he would have wrapped it up real quick.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
The guy probably thought your ad was social in nature, not business. Instead of "I sell cars" he probably read "Look, I'm Polish, you're Polish, so lets get together, be friends and I tell you to go to my competitor and buy a car and if you don't like it you can always cry on my shoulder" :sick:
Some of my (our) compatriots can really justify the case for those infamous Polish jokes.
bolivar....I'm sure your Corvette tires are even more expensive than the ones on my 3.
I can see the logic behind using runflats on the 'vette. As you state, there were packaging reasons.
The days of yanking out a jack and spare seem to be long gone. How many people would know what to do anyway?
It's probably been 20 years since I've had to do that, myself. Of course, it was in the dead of winter, with winter sludge all over the road. It ruined the suit I was wearing, and wasn't very pleasant....between frozen hands, and busted knuckles, covered with winter roadside "goop" By the time I had changed the tire, went home and changed clothes, I'd already wasted half a day dealing with it.
Maybe, the roadside assistance coverage and/or AAA memberships have made the need for a jack and spare obsolete.
Hi Rick....just looking for a little more info....
I'm thinking the '06 330i, 46K odo, black ext, chocolate leather int, navi/i-drive, comfort access, auto, relatively new P-Zero shoes, is worth $25K trade, $28K sale on my own.
Just heard on TV that GM is ending leases in Canada (can US be far behind?) and that a lot of big banks are getting out as well. I'm sure Ford is thinking about it too. They must be taking a bath on the values of their cars upon return
How will this effect all you sales folks? I imagine that a lot of people with shaky credit won't be able to get financing for a purchase.
Will you be sending them to the used car department or brooming them out?
In my area several new car dealers have three levels of product: New cars, high-quality used cars on the same lot and less desirable high-milage vehicles on a separate lot next door. The separate lot usually has a different name like "Big Al's Car Bargain Basement"
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
The guy probably thought your ad was social in nature, not business.
Most of the calls I recieved were of that nature. People asking me lease type questions about their current leases, others wanting to chat about diesels etc....
I don't think I'll be renweing it anymore, but I sorta did it to get my name out there. I am using a bunch of different marketing strategies to have my name seen everywhere. The way I look at it in advertising, is if someone sees your ad once, the cahnces are slim to none they'll remember you. But if they see your ad and name multiple times, they're more likely to remember it and call you.
And most of my advertising has been very low budget or free, but gave me excellent results. The story I sahred was a one off, that's why I shared it.
I looked at the Manheim Auction report on what 3-series are going through for. Nationwide, the average has been about $23,700 with 35,700 miles on trade. But keep in mind, there are no adds on the computer for equipment. Average Black Book is $23,900, clean is $25,150. So, you may be shooting a bit high, at least on the trade-in side. Doesn't hurt to put a for sale sign in it at $27,900. Just thinking from a BMW dealer standpoint, taking into account the cost to certify the vehicle, I would be in the $24K neighborhood max if it's a clean car.
I'm seeing more and more car sales people using youtube as an advertising vehicle. Kind of a shot gun approach...and not really regional.
Just a thought, why don't you set up your own personal WEB site and have a forum section that you can post, answer questions, etc? Not very expensive (particularly if you've got a MAC and use their iWeb program).
While not in car sales, and not really focused on the retail market, I beling to a couple of ethnic and social groups in my community. Plenty of car (and real estate) folks who belong and cull business that way, too.
People move to non-runflats and buy a small compressor and puncture repair kit.......Lots of vette owners buy these things. I asked on the forum if anyone has successfully repaired a flat on the road and did not receive a single response to the question.
Might be better if you signed up for roadside assistance for $1.50 with the cellphone company.....surely you can afford that if you can afford vette, how can u not afford AAA?
Comments
At 51, I think I think that I must be @25 years older than the average Mazdaspeed3 owner. In fact, when I was toy shopping last year, the only cars I considered that were close to my age demographic were the Charger SRT8, the E46 M3, and the S4 Avant. Everything else(Evo IX, GTI, GTO, Si, STi) were aimed at younger drivers. Which reminds me; today I received yet another letter from AARP begging me to join. As an incentive they are now giving away a Park Avenue fitted with a left turn signal that is permanently activated whenever the motor is running and a speed limiter that keeps the car 20 mph below posted highway limits and only allows you to take curves at 1/2 of the posted advisory speed.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I might replace my car late next year. Then again, if it's still running as well as it does today, I might shoot for 10 years.
I'd be reluctant to hang onto a 7-series much beyond the end of the factory warranty, but the 3 is another animal altogether.
My 113K 318ti Club Sport has cost me @$45 per month for maintenance and repairs since I took delivery in October 1995, and that number includes 3 sets of Z rated 225/50-16 summer tires. My 20K 2007 Mazdaspeed3 has cost $43 per month over the past year.
I really, REALLY wish I'd gone ahead and bought the E46 M3 I was considering. That's what I get for making the "practical" choice... :sick:
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Isell, any idea when we might get this in the US. I'd dump my thought of the VW TDI in second if this was on the lot.
If you want to score a killer deal right now, it would be on anything that's not moving, ie gas guzzlers, SUVs or trucks that are not practical (5 seaters). I can't speak for the luxury brands, cause I don't know.
I don't think you'll get any killer deals on cars like the Accords, Civics, Toyotas, etc..
I'd try a Hyundai Genesis, if the deal is good and if it's priced right.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
What year is your 330i? Is it still under it's maintenance warranty? The reason I ask is because if it still has it's maintenance warranty, it would be eligible to upgrade to 100K miles for the next owner. That's another plus...
We have a 2004 BMW (X3 3.0i) which is 4.5 years old and has about 50K miles. Is there much of a difference in trade-in value if we trade it in a few months prior to the CPO (extended) warranty expiration instead of waiting until after the CPO warranty expires?
I was thinking the answer was "yes", we would be wise to trade it in while it still had some CPO warranty remaining. However, the reasons you provided in your previous response to graphicguy don't seem to fit my example. For instance, there would be no additional warranty or maintenance program to add to our vehicle. And when this car approaches six years in age, how much of a real difference in value will I likely see?
If there isn't much of a difference in my case, then we might wish to keep our X3 for several months after that warranty expires. I don't want to be stuck with costly repairs -- and with a first-year X3, the reliability data isn't very promising -- but this car has been pretty good to us, and it has everything we want.
My wife's 2004 X3 has over 60K on the clock and the only warranty repair has been a passenger seat SRS sensor. It needed pads/rotors on all four corners at 60K and I changed the ATF and TC oil at 50K but aside from that-and changing the oil myself at 7.5K intervals-I've just followed the maintenance schedule. My son will probably take it to college in 2012.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I honestly don't remember too much about the transaction (even though it was only 2 years ago!).
We traded in an '03 Focus and bought the '06 ION because it had a better rebate than the '07's and because it came with window tinting that we weren't charged for.
About that same time, we had an intermittant amber "Check Engine" light issue, which was resolved with new firmware programming -- also a good will gesture from our dealer.
I really like this car, but I don't yet have confidence it will be as reliable as the 3-series.
Start the car.
Needles go haywire. go back and forth. Shudder and shake as if they were choking their own chicken.
Car does not start.
Call 1-800-Roadside-assistance.
Arrives in 20 minutes.
Jump starts the car.
Take it to Autozone.
Plump girl in 20s checks the battery.
Declares it dead.
Ask for new one.
Will cost $82.99 + tax.
No discount?
Plump says "putting it in for no extra charge" how is that for a discount!!
I smile and let her do her job.
Anyway, My car got a new battery exactly this day (week) 5 years ago when it was rolled of the lot. Not bad. OEM battery for 5 years. I guess the car wanted a Birthday gift
When I would trade for a vehicle that I would certify, it would cost me anywhere from $1195-$1595 as an enrollment fee, depending on which series it was. However, when I would trade for one that was already certified, I wouldn't have to worry about paying that enrollment fee. Thus if I had to, I would put more money in the vehicle knowing I wouldn't be spending near as much in the shop to make it lot ready.
Plus, it looks much better to a prospective owner of the X3 if they know there is still warranty remaining.
How much are you going to lose by waiting until the warranty period ends? No way to tell really. I imagine if it's still in nice shape it's going to bring good money, but my opinion is you will get a better trade value by trading while it's still under its CPO warranty.
Plump.
I like the way that sounds. Like a flat tire when you're rolling down the road.
I thought I might contribute my own $.02 worth and suggest against the Genesis right now. I have learned from experience to avoid a vehicle purchase in its first model year, even if it is a Lexus or Toyota (or Acura or Audi...)
Also, from a pure financial viewoint, you will likely pay a higher relative price if you purchase it this year, versus waiting until next year or later. As an example, look at the Veracruz. When it first arrived early last year, it was highly reviewed and regarded as a fantastic value. It even beat out the Lexus RX in a Motor Trend review. We looked at a Veracruz in Sept 2007, prior to purchasing our used X3. At that time, Hyundai did not offer any Veracruz incentives in our state. Now, 10 months later, Hyundai is offering a $1500 incentive on new Veracruz models. Currently, Hyundai is not offering any real incentive on the Genesis here. I'm guessing they will offer incentives next year!
In my case I own the X3 free and clear-and we almost never use the sunroof-so I think I'll be OK for at least 5-6 more years. Even if I have to eat a major repair or two it will still be less expensive than buying another new or CPO car.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
On the other hand, the added intrinsic value provided via the CPO warranty to a future customer, as mentioned by Nick, will cause me to consider shopping it next year. I may decide to hold onto it, but not until I at least perform some research.
The battery in my Chrysler is the same that was in it when I bought it used in November 2002. Knowing how little re conditioning the dealer did to it before I bought it, it very well might be the original battery from 1997.
I'm glad it has lasted so long as it is located up in the fender where it is hard to get to.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
-46,000 on the odo
-no wrecks, nor paint (other than factory paint)
-black, chocolate interior
-garage kept
The only thing different than new is I put new tires (non-runflats) on it about a year ago.
Just a really nice 3 series that's been taken care of, to the letter of the owners manual, by the selling dealer.
Apparently, back around 2005, a family south of Atlanta was given a new 5500 sq ft home with incredibly deluxe appointments -- free and clear, with no mortgage payments! They were also provided with an additional $250,000 cash to cover long-term taxes and college tuition for their 3 kids. A year or so later, they took out a $450,000 equity loan against their beautiful new home. It appears they wanted to start a new construction business on their own, even though they didn't have much prior experience with it. Now, that home has been repossessed.
This is a bit off-topic, but I think it echoes some of the strange things you guys see in the car business these days. If you get a chance, you might want to read more about it. I'm not sympathetic to the previous homeowners, but it sure seems like our society/media helps play a hand in such a financial disaster -- especially for those who lack discipline and guidance.
Everyone's situation is different; I've owned a few older BMWs so I know what to expect. I just wish I hadn't bought that blasted Mazdaspeed- especially now that my local BMW dealer has a CPO M3 optioned almost exactly the way I want it- 19" wheels, Xenons, and NO Premium Package- which means it doesn't have the added weight of power seats and a sunroof...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
If that M3 is configured exactly the way you want, and it appears to be a good value as far as CPO M3's go, why not jump on it, anyway? I don't have any facts to back this up, but I would guess the MazdaSpeed 3 is a low volume car with above average demand. Seems like you should be able to sell it without losing your shirt, correct? Or does the MS3 suffer resale woes similar to several of the other Mazda models?
Among the reasons he gives for not riding the bus are:
--Having babies cry and puke on you.
--Being sneezed on by disease- ridden riders.
--Getting groped by "the creepy guy".
You have to give this dealer an A for effort. Any of the dealers here tried this?
P.S. If you live in my area you might also include: "Getting stabbed by the local gang-banger" in your list of why you shouldn't ride the bus.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
You have two choices.
You can replace it under YOUR terms or you can simply wait until it fails on it's own and maybe strands you at the worst possible time or place.
It's possible it has a few months of life left, maybe even a year.
Wanna chance it?
If you didn't opt to extend the maintenance warranty when you purchased, and you're going to hang onto it, you should consider it. Make sure you do so before it hits 50K miles, though. Once it rolls over 50K, you can't do it. I loved trading for this type of car because we would certify it, and 9 times out of 10 the next owner would opt to extend the maintenance warranty. (It's not a BS warranty like a lot of others are... Plus, when you couple it with the CPO warranty you have a lot of coverage.)
Also, if something is said to you during trade negotiations that they will have to put BMW approved tires on it, they are not blowing smoke. BMW is pretty strict on what cars they can certify, and it is a requirement to have RFT's on the vehicle. That may be something they use to justify a little lower trade value, no matter if the tires have 30K miles of tread remaining.
Either way, you have a beautiful car. Love that color interior, but only with the black exterior.
You are driving with non-runflats -- Do you have a spare wheel/tire in your trunk? Or do you take your chances without any spare? Just curious... I'm one of the many people who wish BMW didn't go RFTs with the new 3 series.
Besided all the options you mentioned, you could also consider something like a 2006 e46 CPO 330Ci coupe or convertible. The CPO warranty goes up to 100K miles, and covers your major components until 2012. I might be biased, but I've had a couple different 3-series loaners in the past 2 years, including a 2007 328i sedan, but I still prefer the added sportiness and road feel of my older e46 coupe. And the e46 series was very dependable during its final years of production.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
It was advertised in Vancouver, and the pictured bus, is also a Vancouver transit bus, with photoshopped "creeps and weirdos" in it so that's why folks got offended.
I thought it was funny.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Don't tempt me...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I tend to keep one of those jumper boxes in the car but I think I'm starting to get to the point where I can admit that I have to replace the battery sooner.
So resale value is not a big concern for me as I expect this car to be mine for at least ten years and over 200K miles.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Have no idea what I might do. But, if I'm going to get rid of the 3, it will be very soon based on the 50K mile warranty limit. I'll start shopping it around this weekend to see what it might be worth. If I do decide to keep it, I will indeed get the warranty extended.
Appreciate your help.
cotmc...it is an '06. For awhile, I was driving back and forth from SW OH to Chicago fairly regularly for work. Thus, it's a bit of high mileage. So, I'll hit the mileage limit well before the time limit on the warranty.
No spare included. That's the entire reason for putting runflats on it, no spare required. My understanding, runflats can't be fixed (sidewalls too thick). If you get a puncture, you run the tires until you can get to a dealer or tire retailer and replace the tire. I'm sure there were a lot of tests by BMW before choosing runflats (IIRC, they were Bridgestones, but don't hold me to that). That said, the P-Zeros handle as well, but offer better ride characteristics over the runflats (plus, they're much better for winter driving). Can't even remember the last time I had a flat tire. Of course, as soon as I say that, I'll probably get one tomorrow. That would mean a tow as I still don't have a spare.
Talking to a lot of other BMW owners, the other tires BMW uses are Continentals, which are supposed to be superior to the Bridgestones.
At the time I purchased, there was a lot of discussion about BMW's use of runflats. BMW states that they were chosen based on their performance characteristics. Probably could have squeezed another 8K miles out of the runflats. But, being on the road so much, I didn't want to risk it. Replaced them a little prematurely.
Personal opinion? There was some BMW accountant that figured it was cheaper to put runflats on their cars, than it would be to put a "doughnut" spare in the trunk with non-runflats. Like you, I don't like runflats, for many different reasons.
" http://www.mirror.co.uk/advice/motoring/hammond/2008/07/18/honda-accord-controll- - - ing-a-jumbo-jet-would-be-easier-89520-20652973/
Isell, any idea when we might get this in the US. I'd dump my thought of the VW TDI in second if this was on the lot. "
The British sense of humor is unequalled.Thanks J.I'd like to see these in the states as well rather than the trendy but impractical fuel cell, Perhaps a little under $46,000 though. Ok , quite abit under. The dollar exchange rate is killing us, probably why they stuck to Europe.
"Plump.
Plump.
I like the way that sounds. Like a flat tire when you're rolling down the road. "
Can't disagree, it is a nice word. But in my mind it would go more like: plump fatty fatty fatty fatty plump plump plump. Good mental image though. Nice post chikoo.
It's a Polish freebie paper, and i hope to get some decent leads from my countrymen. So I get a call from a guy who wants a Jeep Patriot. He asks a bunch of stuff, and I give him all the answers. I ask him to come in and see me. He says he's just looking around for now, but will call me back.
He does call me back about 2-3 weeks later, and says he wants to tell me he bought a Patriot from another dealer and make a complaint with me.
Ok, hmm, I ask him what the problem is.
He says he is on the way to dealer "B" to pick up his Patriot. But he was dissatisfied when he was at dealer "A" about the service he got there. I thought he was in my dealership and got bad service, but he wasn't and he wants me to take notes on dealer A that treated him poorly.
Now, myself, nor my dealership I work at now has anything to do with dealer "A" that he wants to complain about, or dealer B for that matter. He hasn't even bought anything from me and now he wants me to complain for him :confuse:
He starts going off how the serivce he got there was unbelivable, how the saleperson didn't know anything, and how it was terrible, and unbelievable. I tell him again, I have nothing to do with that dealer, and he should take the complaint up to their management, not me.
Once again, he doesn't get it, and starts complaining to me about the other dealership.
I get frustrated because it's a busy Saturday, he hasn't bought a car from me, and now I gotta listen to his crap about some dealer in the middle of somewhere that didn't give him what he wants. :mad:
I told him that he should have bought a car from me so he wouldn't have to go through all that, and that he should have complained to the manager there.
He goes on how the second dealer he visited and bought from was super good, and the difference was night and day and so on and so on.
And he still keeps going on about the first dealer how bad it was blah blah blah.
I finally interrupt him because his rant was going on for 5 minutes. I said:
"Look, I don't really care if the other dealer was bad to you, and that they didn't know their products. I don't work there, and I don't care. It's unfortunate, but I can't do anything about it, It has nothing to do with me. In fact it's good for me that they don't treat their customers right. In fact the more unprofessional they are, the more business I get, cause you're not the first one to complain about them. So I get more business from their unsatisfied customers who won't go there anymore. In your case you complain to me, and I can't do anything about it.
If you found a good deal, then enjoy your car. But I'm not going to spend my time making complaint about my competitor. Enjoy your car and have a nice day. :mad:
Like me complaining to Ford that GM sold me a lemon. Some people make me wonder.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
" So I put in an ad in my local community paper advertising myself.
It's a Polish freebie paper, and i hope to get some decent leads from my countrymen. So I get a call from a guy who wants a Jeep Patriot. He asks a bunch of stuff, and I give him all the answers. I ask him to come in and see me. He says he's just looking around for now, but will call me back. "
What a weasel ! No disrespect meant to snakeweasel whom I admire. But country affinity aside, you answer this guy's initial questions. Does he follow up by at least going to you or putting you in competition ? Then he has the chutzpah to ask your help and guidance in making a complaint against dealer " A" . What's Polish for ***hole ?
Goodyear runflats on Corvette - a lot of people on vette forum have had Goodyear fix a flat if it is just a nail type puncture in the tread area. (No tire can be fixed with puncture in sidewall area.)
Goodyear also has a road hazard warranty for the first year, or maybe a tread wear measurement, total replacement no charge.
Corvette runflats come from the tranny being moved to the rear. To get adequate fuel storage and inside storage (which on the coupe is great), they had to drop the spare.
When my runflats are gone, I do not yet know what I will do. People move to non-runflats and buy a small compressor and puncture repair kit. Using pressurized can of fix-a-flat will destory the tire pressure sensor. I personally don't think I would have a chance in the world of repairing a tire on the road. Only someone with significant arm strength would be able to ream the hole out and push in a repair strip.
Lots of vette owners buy these things. I asked on the forum if anyone has successfully repaired a flat on the road and did not receive a single response to the question.
Thank you lord, I'm not the only one that can see this. :surprise:
He probably figured that a fellow polski would do him a favor. You should have told him that after 5 minutes of telling you his troubles, that there would be a "counseling" fee of $100. I'm sure he would have wrapped it up real quick.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Some of my (our) compatriots can really justify the case for those infamous Polish jokes.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
I can see the logic behind using runflats on the 'vette. As you state, there were packaging reasons.
The days of yanking out a jack and spare seem to be long gone. How many people would know what to do anyway?
It's probably been 20 years since I've had to do that, myself. Of course, it was in the dead of winter, with winter sludge all over the road. It ruined the suit I was wearing, and wasn't very pleasant....between frozen hands, and busted knuckles, covered with winter roadside "goop" By the time I had changed the tire, went home and changed clothes, I'd already wasted half a day dealing with it.
Maybe, the roadside assistance coverage and/or AAA memberships have made the need for a jack and spare obsolete.
I'm thinking the '06 330i, 46K odo, black ext, chocolate leather int, navi/i-drive, comfort access, auto, relatively new P-Zero shoes, is worth $25K trade, $28K sale on my own.
All dealer service records included.
Am I high? Low? Out of my mind?
Tanks!
How will this effect all you sales folks? I imagine that a lot of people with shaky credit won't be able to get financing for a purchase.
Will you be sending them to the used car department or brooming them out?
In my area several new car dealers have three levels of product: New cars, high-quality used cars on the same lot and less desirable high-milage vehicles on a separate lot next door. The separate lot usually has a different name like "Big Al's Car Bargain Basement"
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Most of the calls I recieved were of that nature. People asking me lease type questions about their current leases, others wanting to chat about diesels etc....
I don't think I'll be renweing it anymore, but I sorta did it to get my name out there. I am using a bunch of different marketing strategies to have my name seen everywhere. The way I look at it in advertising, is if someone sees your ad once, the cahnces are slim to none they'll remember you. But if they see your ad and name multiple times, they're more likely to remember it and call you.
And most of my advertising has been very low budget or free, but gave me excellent results. The story I sahred was a one off, that's why I shared it.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Average Black Book is $23,900, clean is $25,150.
So, you may be shooting a bit high, at least on the trade-in side. Doesn't hurt to put a for sale sign in it at $27,900. Just thinking from a BMW dealer standpoint, taking into account the cost to certify the vehicle, I would be in the $24K neighborhood max if it's a clean car.
p.s. The name is Nick. Thanks!
Just a thought, why don't you set up your own personal WEB site and have a forum section that you can post, answer questions, etc? Not very expensive (particularly if you've got a MAC and use their iWeb program).
While not in car sales, and not really focused on the retail market, I beling to a couple of ethnic and social groups in my community. Plenty of car (and real estate) folks who belong and cull business that way, too.
And, thanks for the info. I've got a baseline I can now work with. Your help is greatly appreciated.
Might be better if you signed up for roadside assistance for $1.50 with the cellphone company.....surely you can afford that if you can afford vette, how can u not afford AAA?