Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

28firefighter

@kyfdx said:
Buying a 20 yr old Porsche seems like a perfectly reasonable plan. 🤷‍♂️

steine13

>> Buying a 20 yr old Porsche seems like a perfectly reasonable plan. 🤷‍♂️

Well I learned from shifty of blessed memory that a Porsche will run for a long time and a lot of miles, unlike a Ferrari, for instance.

He did not say it would be inexpensive...

But if you're going to daily a car like that, I'll take the Porsche.

breld

@mjfloyd1 - I love the heritage blue. May as well go for one of those since you want the limited anyways.

breld

@28firefighter - congrats!

suydam

28firefighter said:

This just keeps getting better. Damage estimate is now up to $13k, needs a new rear quarter panel welded in. But…wait for it…there are no rear quarter panels available because the car is so new as is this particular body style.

“Could be 6 weeks to 6 months…we just don’t know.”

May be time to cut your losses and get a new one. That’s so sad. It probably still had that new car smell.

stickguy

the Porsche will probably be happier getting used every day, instead of once a month

suydam

Just saw my first Ariya at a charging station. Nice looking vehicle! But I think you mentioned it has pretty limited range?

tifighter

Blue JDM manual chapter of CCBA in the PNW? When is the first meetup???
——————————————

I wrote the post above in October 2024 on the old CCBA thread. Now I have some guys coming by to take that sign down and put up the new “Silver Porsche manual chapter of CCBA in the PNW” sign. And I’m keeping them on retainer for next year.

mjfloyd1

@breld said:
@mjfloyd1 - I love the heritage blue. May as well go for one of those since you want the limited anyways.

I’ve always liked white
Limited needs a “shadowline” package

explorerx4

I had just watched this review(1st half of the video) about the 4Runner.
The reviewer was not happy. Save at least 12K and just get a Highlander instead.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLEByi_SBzk&t=899s

mjfloyd1

@explorerx4 said:
I had just watched this review(1st half of the video) about the 4Runner.
The reviewer was not happy. Save at least 12K and just get a Highlander instead.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLEByi_SBzk&t=899s

Hmm I’m looking for a mall crawler. The front piece is for fuel economy but I think it will clear a parking block😂. If I wanted to offroad, I would not be looking at a Limited trim with a much nicer leather interior but I agree that the black softex interior is meh. I’m also 6’1” and have no issues seeing over the hood. I don’t care about cameras for going over rocks. My only off-roading is if I back into the yard to get mulch out of the back of the vehicle or if I accidentally drop a wheel off the pavement.

Highlander will be redesigned for 2026 and I hate having the last year of a model.

Hopefully this picture is wrong - that grille

breld

With all the talk of 911s, I visited one of my local dealerships to try out a newer version. They had a CPO 2022 Carrera, PDK.

As expected, it had an increased level of refinement over rougher roads, which I appreciated, although I can see how some enthusiasts prefer the more connected feeling of older models.

The interior is nicely updated as you’d expect with an update from 2020 - larger screen, digital gauges, etc. I thought I’d be more taken with it, but once I was driving, there was no advantage over my 2017.

For me, the “base” Carrera would be just fine with its 379 hp. All in all, there was nothing compelling enough to make any switch and pay the premium at this point…I was more than happy to step back into my 2017. But if one with a manual turns up that will be a different story.

breld

That dealership did have a 2022 Boxster GTS, much like the one @tifighter recently acquired. It was in Aventurine Green and was striking.

And another local dealership does indeed have a newer 911 with a manual. It’s pricey but would be tempting if not for the color….

28firefighter

Someone had to have special ordered that and then backed out. Yikes.

mjfloyd1

That reminds me of the M3 giveaway from the BMWCCA - Ruby Star Neo

tifighter

While I wasn’t enamored with the 25 Carrera I drove, I did drive one that I did like. It was a 19 base car with the 7 speed manual. The only thing that kept me out of it was the insane price the local dealer wanted; even after 3 months on the lot, they would not negotiate. It did move eventually, and I’ll never know what it ended up going for…

mjfloyd1

@28firefighter said:

@kyfdx said:
Buying a 20 yr old Porsche seems like a perfectly reasonable plan. 🤷‍♂️

It is a perfectly acceptable plan with a $0 deductible bumper to bumper extended warranty accepted by your local Porsche dealership service department.

tifighter

@28firefighter said:
Someone had to have special ordered that and then backed out. Yikes.

That’s Ruby Red Neo, and it was on the normal palette for a couple years/not special order.

kyfdx

I wasn't trying to be facetious. I think that was a totally normal reaction by @28firefighter.

jmonroe1

breld said:

That dealership did have a 2022 Boxster GTS, much like the one @tifighter recently acquired. It was in Aventurine Green and was striking.

And another local dealership does indeed have a newer 911 with a manual. It’s pricey but would be tempting if not for the color….

————————————————
Yikes, that thing looks like it fell off the tree before it was fully ripe.

jmonroe

qbrozen

Dang, @28firefighter , that's quite a switch. Well, OK, both are German. Did the service records include an IMS refit?

qbrozen

I'm not sure I previously mentioned, but the Opel has been having brake problems for quite a while. My son has been driving the Fiat for a few weeks. At first, I wasn't happy with the rear wheel cylinders. Ordered, waited, replaced. No change. Something was weird with the rear brake balancer. Tried bypassing that but no change. Eventually decided it MUST be the booster. Ordered, waited, replaced. Nope. Master cylinder ordered, waited, replaced. Nope. Tried bypassing the ABS pump and got some pedal feel at least, so I searched for and dug up a used ABS pump. Swapped that, tried replacing some fittings but the old brakes lines just wouldn't flare properly (too brittle). Got most to work but had to order (and wait) for new brake line to craft a replacement. Also replaced 3 of 4 rubber lines (3 of 4 for a Saab 93 worked). So basically a whole new brake system. Only thing remaining is front calipers, which we'll replace. Anyway, finally today it seems we have brakes back. At first he was saying no, but then I got in the driver's seat and was able to fully engage and get the ABS to engage. I will say, I really like pushing that car hard. I'm so impressed with how neutral it handles at the limit. I think it may handle better than my Alfa.

Oh, on the Maser ... I'm thoroughly confused about something. I ordered replacement coils. They are generic, but they are the right shape, size, and connectors. Car was running like a beast when I test drove it. Very happy with it. Got in later and started it up and the CEL is on. UGGGHHHH. Thought it would be the evap still, but hooked up the scanner and it is saying misfire on all 8 cylinders. WTH? It runs fine! Cleared the codes and drove around again. No problems. We were going to breakfast this morn, started her up, and the light is back on. I've searched the interwebs and have yet to find any reports of this behavior or the need to marry coils to the ECU. Do I really need OEM? Because those are EXPENSIVE.

stickguy

It’s a Maserati. Just ignore the light.

au1994

BAE is such a real thing. Passed one this morning w/a missing hubcap and both bumpers flapping in the breeze.

It was already mid 80’s and his windows were down so better than average chance, the AC was out too.

roadburner

mjfloyd1 said:

That reminds me of the M3 giveaway from the BMWCCA - Ruby Star Neo

The exterior I could live with; it's the white leather and the cheap looking digital dash that turnme off. I still buy 4-5 tickets every year- I'd just sell it if I won.

mjfloyd1

I believe that you can take cash in lieu of the car

nyccarguy

@28firefighter said:
I bought a 2004 Porsche 996 Carrera 4S Cabrio with 30k miles on it. Stack of service records ($25k in last 2 years including IMS/RMS), front end PPF, etc. Picked it up under MMR with a 5 year 60k bumper to bumper warranty through their Porsche store for comically cheap.

Picking it up when we get back from Walla Walla while they deal with a couple we owe items.

Wow! Big congrats! Mazel-Tov! Now you and @tifighter can split a membership to the secret CCBA Porsche owners membership group! I can’t wait to see photos and hear some more details! An ‘04 with only 30K miles and $25K worth of receipts in the last 2 years? To quote the great Phil Rizzuto, “Holy cow!” Did I miss the color combo?

I guess the ultra low miles make it the perfect candidate for the IMS failure or replacement?

corvette

suydam said:

Just saw my first Ariya at a charging station. Nice looking vehicle! But I think you mentioned it has pretty limited range?

The official range varies between 205 and 304 miles, depending on trim level and FWD vs. AWD. Mine is the 205 mile model and that equates to about 150 miles of cruising at 80 MPH before you get into "need to find a charger right now" territory. I've day tripped it a few times and I think I'd be really annoyed taking an EV on a road trip, even one with a longer range, because it can be difficult to find an unoccupied charger where you need one, plus if you have to make multiple charging stops, it really adds to the time you spend on the road. It works fine for me as a second car, though.

ETA: They dropped the base trim level sometime after 2023, so the longest range model is now the Evolve+ FWD at 289 miles.

nyccarguy

@breld - so it’s just a matter of finding the perfect reasonably priced 911 with a manual so you can swap out?

@mjfloyd1 - besides the fact that I am the Toyota spokesperson around here, I really dig how they redesigned the 6th generation 4Runner. The Limiteds are definitely a step up and look great. I’ll have to go over the list you posted again. To me the value of Toyotas lies in their volume models. In the case of the 4Runner, the SR5. The Limited (depending on sticker) might be well worth it over a comparable OFF ROAD or SPORT. Even if the Hybrid doesn’t get that much better fuel economy, it will do well when you go to resell it and the brakes basically last forever. Have you checked out the Lexus GX 550? They’ve grown on me. I know it’s a step up in price, but you get a very slick Twin Turbo V6 that’s supposedly buttery smooth compared to the 4 Runner’s Turbo 4. You get an extra 1 year/14K miles of bumper to bumper warranty coverage. Lexus resale is astonishing as well.

28firefighter

@qbrozen said:
Dang, @28firefighter , that's quite a switch. Well, OK, both are German. Did the service records include an IMS refit?

Yea. 2 years and 5k miles ago. Clutch, RMS, IMS, AOS, Water pump, alternator, battery, brakes, tires, fluids, plugs, coils etc. Plus front end PPF.

roadburner

mjfloyd1 said:

I believe that you can take cash in lieu of the car

I know that used to be the case, but I haven't checked recently.

corvette

@28firefighter - sounds like you lucked out. I feel like I’m usually the one taking care of the deferred maintenance for the next owner.

mjfloyd1

@nyccarguy said:
@breld - so it’s just a matter of finding the perfect reasonably priced 911 with a manual so you can swap out?

@mjfloyd1 - besides the fact that I am the Toyota spokesperson around here, I really dig how they redesigned the 6th generation 4Runner. The Limiteds are definitely a step up and look great. I’ll have to go over the list you posted again. To me the value of Toyotas lies in their volume models. In the case of the 4Runner, the SR5. The Limited (depending on sticker) might be well worth it over a comparable OFF ROAD or SPORT. Even if the Hybrid doesn’t get that much better fuel economy, it will do well when you go to resell it and the brakes basically last forever. Have you checked out the Lexus GX 550? They’ve grown on me. I know it’s a step up in price, but you get a very slick Twin Turbo V6 that’s supposedly buttery smooth compared to the 4 Runner’s Turbo 4. You get an extra 1 year/14K miles of bumper to bumper warranty coverage. Lexus resale is astonishing as well.

The Lexi are almost impossible to source and no discounts that I’ve seen. Lexus dealer is 1 hour north too.

Value is TRD sport premium but they come with the black softex and I prefer a light interior. Could do that and put Katzkins tan leather in but that is $1895 plus tax so might as well get the Limited and get the adaptive suspension and leather and probably a few other things that I’m not aware of. 4Runners that I’ve seen or called about are 2-4k discount but higher discount seems to be in Nampa ID so shipping is steep to Midwest. I can drive to TN for the one with $2k discount. Just waiting on trade amount for Jeep.

Carvana has been going up with their offer now $29400 but I have $44k in it and have had it over 4 yrs so I’m ok with that. Toyota dealer said that the carvana offer was high so we will see.

I was shocked at how smooth and torquey the iForce Max hybrid was in the Taco sport premium that I drove yesterday. I have not driven a non hybrid but reviews were positive with motormouth saying they would not spend the extra $3k for the hybrid. Besides cost, the downside to hybrid was worse highway mpg maybe due to 375 pounds weight, higher rear cargo area due to battery which makes for an uneven cargo floor with the rear seats folded.

nyccarguy

@mjfloyd1 said:

@nyccarguy said:
@breld - so it’s just a matter of finding the perfect reasonably priced 911 with a manual so you can swap out?

@mjfloyd1 - besides the fact that I am the Toyota spokesperson around here, I really dig how they redesigned the 6th generation 4Runner. The Limiteds are definitely a step up and look great. I’ll have to go over the list you posted again. To me the value of Toyotas lies in their volume models. In the case of the 4Runner, the SR5. The Limited (depending on sticker) might be well worth it over a comparable OFF ROAD or SPORT. Even if the Hybrid doesn’t get that much better fuel economy, it will do well when you go to resell it and the brakes basically last forever. Have you checked out the Lexus GX 550? They’ve grown on me. I know it’s a step up in price, but you get a very slick Twin Turbo V6 that’s supposedly buttery smooth compared to the 4 Runner’s Turbo 4. You get an extra 1 year/14K miles of bumper to bumper warranty coverage. Lexus resale is astonishing as well.

The Lexi are almost impossible to source and no discounts that I’ve seen. Lexus dealer is 1 hour north too.

Value is TRD sport premium but they come with the black softex and I prefer a light interior. Could do that and put Katzkins tan leather in but that is $1895 plus tax so might as well get the Limited and get the adaptive suspension and leather and probably a few other things that I’m not aware of. 4Runners that I’ve seen or called about are 2-4k discount but higher discount seems to be in Nampa ID so shipping is steep to Midwest. I can drive to TN for the one with $2k discount. Just waiting on trade amount for Jeep.

Carvana has been going up with their offer now $29400 but I have $44k in it and have had it over 4 yrs so I’m ok with that. Toyota dealer said that the carvana offer was high so we will see.

I was shocked at how smooth and torquey the iForce Max hybrid was in the Taco sport premium that I drove yesterday. I have not driven a non hybrid but reviews were positive with motormouth saying they would not spend the extra $3k for the hybrid. Besides cost, the downside to hybrid was worse highway mpg maybe due to 375 pounds weight, higher rear cargo area due to battery which makes for an uneven cargo floor with the rear seats folded.

I just looked at the Toyota website real quick. I didn’t realize, that a few trims come in regular or hybrid. The Hybrid is like a $5K option. The limited is super nice. Adaptive suspension supposedly makes it ride like a Lexus. Heritage blue looks great on the configurator. The Portabello interior will look great with it. My 4xe was Hydro Blue over Saddle interior. I liked it a lot!

suydam

corvette said:

suydam said:

Just saw my first Ariya at a charging station. Nice looking vehicle! But I think you mentioned it has pretty limited range?

The official range varies between 205 and 304 miles, depending on trim level and FWD vs. AWD. Mine is the 205 mile model and that equates to about 150 miles of cruising at 80 MPH before you get into "need to find a charger right now" territory. I've day tripped it a few times and I think I'd be really annoyed taking an EV on a road trip, even one with a longer range, because it can be difficult to find an unoccupied charger where you need one, plus if you have to make multiple charging stops, it really adds to the time you spend on the road. It works fine for me as a second car, though.

ETA: They dropped the base trim level sometime after 2023, so the longest range model is now the Evolve+ FWD at 289 miles.

We just took a 200+ mile road trip down near Legoland in the Blazer EV. We’ve done this a couple of times now so it’s pretty easy. Although we had enough charge to make it to the hotel with room to spare, we stop at a shopping plaza about 30 miles from our destination. EV Go is now automatically paired with GM vehicles once you register, so it’s just plug in and charge that’s where I saw the Ariya). We got lunch and took the dog around for a little walk. We then had plenty for all the weekend activities — doing anything in SoCal involves at least 20 minutes of driving — and plenty to make it most of the way back home. Again stopped at a shopping plaza, plugged in and headed to the Starbucks for a little lunch and AC — it was nearly 100 degrees in Agoura! — and headed back home. Plenty of charge left for a couple of weeks here. Nice little trip!

xwesx

Watch out, @breld! @28firefighter is going to challenge you for the title this year!

In other news, my wife has 100,134 miles on her Crosstrek as of today. I was a little sad that I missed the 100K mark. I celebrated by installing new spark plugs and ignition coils in it... what a PITA that job is! Still, I think I had it wrapped up in about 2.5 hours.

Sandman6472

Will hit 80K tomorrow on the Golf. Local dealer has a Moonstone Gray SE in stock with a $38,703 price on it after a $1400 dealer discount. There's also a $1500 Loyalty Offer on certain models and not sure if I could get that. Have done some online quotes and the range is between $6K to $7K for my car. Was thinking that maybe I could get it for $31K plus my car but that could be a bit low. We kept passing it at work yesterday and felt that it was calling to me! I kind of want it now as I do like that color but, don't really need it. Current vehicle is driving very nicely!

qbrozen

xwesx said:

Watch out, @breld! @28firefighter is going to challenge you for the title this year!

In other news, my wife has 100,134 miles on her Crosstrek as of today. I was a little sad that I missed the 100K mark. I celebrated by installing new spark plugs and ignition coils in it... what a PITA that job is! Still, I think I had it wrapped up in about 2.5 hours.

Meanwhile, I'll likely do nothing this year. Unless someone takes me up on my standing $99/mo and $99 DAS on a compact EV SUV. lol.

qbrozen

stickguy said:

It’s a Maserati. Just ignore the light.

If only the MVC would have a "just put a sticker on a Maserati anyway" policy.

stickguy

You can still go to a shop in Jersey instead of a center right? Just going to cost more!

Might have to bite the bullet on real deal coils

qbrozen

@stickguy said:
You can still go to a shop in Jersey instead of a center right? Just going to cost more!

Might have to bite the bullet on real deal coils

Not that I know of. And, when they did such things, they would insist on fixing the car. I tried once a very long time ago. Could never find anyone willing to basically sell a sticker. Not worth the risk to them.

laurasdada

breld said:

Catching up on posts…

@sb55 - congrats on the Crown Signia!

@28firefighter - ugh! That’s all…just…UGH!

@nyccarguy - congrats on the Tacoma trade…well done!

Back to the 911 talk…I’m very curious to test out a current version 911 to see how it feels compared to my 2017. The fact the current one has become so refined is probably a good thing when it comes to resale on mine. I will say my 2017 is harsher over bumps than I would have expected, much of which is likely due to the 20” wheel setup. I also have a squeak somewhere that could be the suspension, which I’ll have checked out next time it’s in the shop. Having said all that, I love the drive and overall experience of the car.

The BRZ has been wonderful. The shifter feels great, flooring it without getting to illegal speeds too quickly is fun, and the suspension is shockingly compliant.

On the EV front, my latest obsession is the Lucid Air. Lease deals are pretty attractive, in that I could get into one for the same or less than the outgoing Audi. I’m also interested in the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq9. And then there’s the lightly used CPO BMW i5 M60 that has been sitting for over a month with commensurate price reductions.

I, too, have kinda been obsessed with the Lucid Air for quite some time. I still have nine 0% payments on the A7 left and of course have been thinking about its replacement. Leasing an Air Touring, buying an E Class or an S3/4, I'm bouncing just a bit...

It does break my heart for one of my kids to live outside (currently the A7 90% of the time) so I'm also considering consolidating into one jack of all trades car... but what??? CLE convertible? Big sunroofed Panamera or Macan? Flying Spur?

laurasdada

And now, coming out of left field, @28firefighter! In his "new" Porsche 911!
Wow, congrats on the surprise of the year!

stickguy

Not sure if it was NY or NJ but one had a rule that if you tried to fix it (spent $x or something) and it didn’t do it they gave you the sticker anyway. But I’m fuzzy on the details!

Michaell

Wonderful Monday morning here in CO - get a phone call that the daughter's Sportage has a flat. As the fleet manager, it's my responsibility to attend to it. Drive to where they are parked, swap cars with them, call AAA.

AAA puts the donut on and I drive to Discount. They're backed up 90 minutes, and a cursory look shows the hole but they'll need to look harder to see if it can be replaced. Will replace it with an OEM tire ($185 per) if not fixable. Daughter inquires about run flats. Yes, Pirelli makes a run flat in her size, at $287 per. That's a future decision.

Sportage has all of 4600 miles on it, so I don't have to worry about replacing 2 or 4 tires to keep the AWD systems happy.

So, I get to use Lyft today to get to/from work. Sigh - I've done it before.

(and, before any - or all - of you wise acres suggest a 3rd car, just know that the costs of it would far outweigh a new tire and a few Lyft rides)

mjfloyd1

@Michaell - ugh

Have them measure tread depth on all your tires. I doubt that you would need more than 1 tire at that mileage unless tires are worn more than I expect

tjc78

Michaell said:

(and, before any - or all - of you wise acres suggest a 3rd car, just know that the costs of it would far outweigh a new tire and a few Lyft rides)

Do not bring facts and figures to this discussion please. No need for the truth here.

Michaell

mjfloyd1 said:

@Michaell - ugh

Have them measure tread depth on all your tires. I doubt that you would need more than 1 tire at that mileage unless tires are worn more than I expect

They did that while I was there. Only 1 tire needed.

Michaell

tjc78 said:

Michaell said:

(and, before any - or all - of you wise acres suggest a 3rd car, just know that the costs of it would far outweigh a new tire and a few Lyft rides)

Do not bring facts and figures to this discussion please. No need for the truth here.

Yeah, but I know how you guys think...

(trust me, I had the same thoughts myself, but I'm sure the wife would say what I posted earlier)

28firefighter

No one makes impulsive decisions like that here. 👀