Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

stickguy

The engine replacement was to do with rings on the 2.0 4 banger.

qbrozen

@explorerx4 said:
My next door neighbor in CT has a Volvo S60 that looks like that but I'm not sure what year it is.
He had his engine replaced under factory campaign.
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2023/MC-10231933-9999.pdf

That’s for the 4-cyl. The one in the ad is the 2.5T 5-cyl, which was around for quite some time and very reliable.

Only thing I’d probably prefer is FWD to avoid complications with the Haldex. I don’t know if they solved the leaking output shaft seal by then. I would hope so. Maybe do some research. If it does happen, just need to address it early and it isn’t a big issue. It is when they run low on fluid that an expensive problem can result.

explorerx4

Went to the Motor Vehicle Dept to get my permanent registraion and plate today.
BMV website said 8 minute wait but when I got there, I checked in at the kiosk and immediately got called up to a window.
Was out of there in less than 10 minutes.

xwesx

explorerx4 said:

Went to the Motor Vehicle Dept to get my permanent registraion and plate today.
BMV website said 8 minute wait but when I got there, I checked in at the kiosk and immediately got called up to a window.
Was out of there in less than 10 minutes.

We have a similar system here in Alaska, and I, too, am usually pleasantly surprised at how quickly the visits conclude. Sadly, my last visit was a total poo-show due to the employee being a snide pain the rear. I was very disappointed to have my wife with me, which somewhat contained my responses, because there is nothing I like less than not telling someone exactly what they need to hear.

stickguy

A good way to have your paperwork accidentally get lost.

stickguy

The NY DMV offices can get pretty crowded. Key is to make an online appointment in advance. Just showing up and getting on line can take a really long time since they always prioritize reservations.

explorerx4

I remember when back in CT, waiting for my turn at one of teh DMV offices.
A clerk called #153 which displayed above that window.
She called 153 a few times, then a guy walked up and said I'm 154.
The clerk flipped the number to 154, then closed her station and left the guy standing there.
Right after that, heard the call for 155.

qbrozen

NJ has been GREAT since the appointment system started.

On car shopping: I made 2 offers today. One was a Macan S on eBay. They responded it is sold. Gee, thanks. I suggested they take down the listing.

2nd is an F pace in Illinois on cars.com. It is on their site for $18.8 but then $16.8 on cars.com. I offered $17k OTD. The response was “we need to make money! How did you arrive at that number?”

Ugh. The dreaded question. I already know no deal when that gets asked.

kyfdx

qbrozen said:

NJ has been GREAT since the appointment system started.

On car shopping: I made 2 offers today. One was a Macan S on eBay. They responded it is sold. Gee, thanks. I suggested they take down the listing.

2nd is an F pace in Illinois on cars.com. It is on their site for $18.8 but then $16.8 on cars.com. I offered $17k OTD. The response was “we need to make money! How did you arrive at that number?”

Ugh. The dreaded question. I already know no deal when that gets asked.

"I pulled it out of my ---, just like you did your number"

jmonroe1

xwesx said:

explorerx4 said:

Went to the Motor Vehicle Dept to get my permanent registraion and plate today.
BMV website said 8 minute wait but when I got there, I checked in at the kiosk and immediately got called up to a window.
Was out of there in less than 10 minutes.

We have a similar system here in Alaska, and I, too, am usually pleasantly surprised at how quickly the visits conclude. Sadly, my last visit was a total poo-show due to the employee being a snide pain the rear. I was very disappointed to have my wife with me, which somewhat contained my responses, because there is nothing I like less than not telling someone exactly what they need to hear.

————————————————
There are too many government employees that like to let you know they’re wearing a badge. It’s hard for some of them to believe that they are actually working for the tax paying public.

jmonroe

qbrozen

@kyfdx said:
"I pulled it out of my ---, just like you did your number"

I did say that once. Well, not those words. And he liked the answer. But that was in relation to a lease payment.

To this one, here is what I wrote:

The short answer is: in my research, $15000 is a fair selling price.

It is rare that I get a good response to my long answer to that question, but I’ll give it a shot anyway:
The best one at Manheim sold for $12,600. Similar miles, and I’m hoping yours is in as good condition. I then added $2500 markup, which has been fair in my experience.

$15,100 selling price
$500 dealer doc fee
$1033.50 NJ tax
~$350 title/reg

That comes to just under $17k. I rounded up.

If you can’t do it, I completely understand and won’t be upset. It is just a transaction, so I won’t be offended.
Thank you!

kyfdx

Well, yeah, my response doesn't usually elicit a deal.. just my smug satisfaction.

roadburner

I decided to clean up the C43. I think that it looks pretty good for being five years old.

au1994

I got behind a 718 Cayman GTS in blue today. To quote Grady Wilson “great googly, moogly!”

suydam

Regarding the 7-seat SUV — I see a lot of Mazda and Volvos in the parking lot at my daughter’s daycare.

corvette

Well, I got upgraded to VERY Big Talltima Energy...




I had booked a midsize SUV and was expecting a Rogue. First impressions: The throttle tip-in is a bit abrupt to make it feel faster than it is. I'm surprised they're still using the 3.5 liter VQ in these and not the 3.7. Ride quality is more settled/stable than the Ariya, but there is a lot more road noise. As you'd imagine, they cut a few corners besides the sound deadening to get these priced a decent bit under $40k. It has BLIS but doesn't seem to have lane departure warning or radar cruise. There is only lock/unlock functionality on the front doors and tailgate. I still love the sound of the VQ engine, just wish it were in something more sporty and lighter weight to make it quicker.

roadburner

The Wrangler is now clean and free of salt.

qbrozen

@roadburner said:
I decided to clean up the C43. I think that it looks pretty good for being five years old.

Only 5? It SHOULD look good! That’s brand new in my view!

qbrozen

@corvette said:
Well, I got upgraded to VERY Big Talltima Energy...

I had booked a midsize SUV and was expecting a Rogue. First impressions: The throttle tip-in is a bit abrupt to make it feel faster than it is. I'm surprised they're still using the 3.5 liter VQ in these and not the 3.7. Ride quality is more settled/stable than the Ariya, but there is a lot more road noise. As you'd imagine, they cut a few corners besides the sound deadening to get these priced a decent bit under $40k. It has BLIS but doesn't seem to have lane departure warning or radar cruise. There is only lock/unlock functionality on the front doors and tailgate. I still love the sound of the VQ engine, just wish it were in something more sporty and lighter weight to make it quicker.

You scared the heck out of me when I thought you bought that thing.

roadburner

@corvette said:
Well, I got upgraded to VERY Big Talltima Energy...

I had booked a midsize SUV and was expecting a Rogue. First impressions: The throttle tip-in is a bit abrupt to make it feel faster than it is. I'm surprised they're still using the 3.5 liter VQ in these and not the 3.7. Ride quality is more settled/stable than the Ariya, but there is a lot more road noise. As you'd imagine, they cut a few corners besides the sound deadening to get these priced a decent bit under $40k. It has BLIS but doesn't seem to have lane departure warning or radar cruise. There is only lock/unlock functionality on the front doors and tailgate. I still love the sound of the VQ engine, just wish it were in something more sporty and lighter weight to make it quicker.

If Nissan built an SUV with actual off-road capability along the lines of the original Pathfinder or Xterra we would have possibly picked it over the Wrangler.

xwesx

Gosh. I remember the classic Pathfinders of the late 80s / early 90s. This is definitely not that.

What is with that black mark across the C pillar? Looks awful. Then again, my newest car is a lot closer to ten years old than it is to new, so I'm probably just out of touch with "cars these days."

corvette

xwesx said:

What is with that black mark across the C pillar?

Just a trim piece, I think. It's possible they sectioned the C pillar off of the rest of the body at that point, to make it easier to install/repair/replace the rear quarter panel.

kyfdx

au1994 said:

I got behind a 718 Cayman GTS in blue today. To quote Grady Wilson “great googly, moogly!”

Like this one? This was my parking lot neighbor for the solar eclipse, last April

stickguy

would not be nearly as noticeable on a darker color. Looks bad against the white.

au1994

@kyfdx said:
Like this one? This was my parking lot neighbor for the solar eclipse, last April

That’s it

stickguy

our "fancy" car turns 5 in 2 days. Does not seem like it should be that old. Though we have moved twice since we bought it, so the problem must be in my head. Even my new truck turns 2 in May. I am way out of practice buying.

kyfdx

au1994 said:

@kyfdx said:

Like this one? This was my parking lot neighbor for the solar eclipse, last April

That’s it

The guy was driving it from Wisconsin to VIR to track it. Had all sorts of tools in the frunk. His wife was with him. Says she doesn't normally come along, but wanted to see the eclipse. (in Shelbyville, Indiana)

oldfarmer50

It nice weather brought out a lot of classic cars today. On the way to the bank I passed a late 60’s Dodge Dart and while at the bank drive-thru I was next to a 1982 Chrysler Imperial.

explorerx4

82 Imperial! Was Hoovie driving it?
I know he has one of that vintage although I haven't watched any of the video's.

jmonroe1

roadburner said:

The Wrangler is now clean and free of salt.

————————————————
Looks good but March ain’t over yet. And my experience is that April has some surprises too.

jmonroe

jmonroe1

corvette said:

xwesx said:

What is with that black mark across the C pillar?

Just a trim piece, I think. It's possible they sectioned the C pillar off of the rest of the body at that point, to make it easier to install/repair/replace the rear quarter panel.

————————————————
Sorta like form follows function. So, to have some fun they made it look like a racing stripe.

jmonroe

fintail

xwesx said:

Gosh. I remember the classic Pathfinders of the late 80s / early 90s. This is definitely not that.

What is with that black mark across the C pillar? Looks awful. Then again, my newest car is a lot closer to ten years old than it is to new, so I'm probably just out of touch with "cars these days."

Faux floating C-pillar, a styling cliche of the past several years.

corvette

qbrozen said:

You scared the heck out of me when I thought you bought that thing.

I wouldn't travel to an arid looking climate to drive one home... Photo was taken at the parking area for the Old Idaho Penitentiary Site, which was pretty neat, although I'd place it below Alcatraz and Eastern State Penitentiary in Philly. There was also a hiking trail with some steep elevation changes and (I assume) good views, but I passed on that because it looked like I'd bake in the sun the whole time due to a lack of trees for shade.

nyccarguy

@roadburner - your cars are in exquisite shape. Bravo!

Picked up the Highlander from service with 67,500 on the odometer and dropped off the Tacoma with 29K ish. Someone is coming from the company Jeep used for lease end inspections to work tomorrow. I’ll stop by the car wash in the AM before work.

I got a call from a salesman at my local Jeep dealer asking if he wanted me to go over my lease options. I stopped him after bring it down and turn it in. I told him there is nothing at Jeep that interests me currently. He then said; “well then you can take a look at a Chrysler, Dodge, or Ram.” Thanks but no thanks!

stickguy

if you don't bring it in to a dealer how do you turn it in?

Also, remember to get a receipt for both sets of keys.

oldfarmer50

explorerx4 said:

82 Imperial! Was Hoovie driving it?
I know he has one of that vintage although I haven't watched any of the video's.

Yeah, just like his although the guy driving it didn’t look like Hoovie.

nyccarguy

@stickguy said:
if you don't bring it in to a dealer how do you turn it in?

Also, remember to get a receipt for both sets of keys.

You have to make an appointment to turn in the lease. I’ve read that some dealers won’t take lease returns if you didn’t buy from them because they don’t have room.

No joke I went into my son’s room last night and asked him for his Jeep keys. He asked why and I told him “it’s kind of a long story.”

ab348

explorerx4 said:

82 Imperial! Was Hoovie driving it?
I know he has one of that vintage although I haven't watched any of the video's.

You've discovered the secret to enjoying Hoovie's videos. That is, not to watch any of Hoovie's videos.

28firefighter

His stuff has become largely unwatchable.

tjc78

Haven’t watched him in awhile.

Vice Grip Garage and Legit Street Cars is about it for me these days on YT

TikTok all kinds of stuff comes up but usually don’t follow a lot of it

nyccarguy

Wrangler lease end inspection went well. Tires all passed at 4/32 (FL), 5/32(FR), 7/32(RL), 7/32(RR), & 6/32 (SPARE). Mileage currently sits at 39,233 so I'm over. Just have to schedule a time to drop it off and say farewell!

28firefighter

What was your mileage overage?

nyccarguy

28firefighter said:

What was your mileage overage?

As it stands now, 9,233. Figure another 32 ish miles home, then 8 to the dealership.

Michaell

nyccarguy said:

28firefighter said:

What was your mileage overage?

As it stands now, 9,233. Figure another 32 ish miles home, then 8 to the dealership.

And the penalty is how much per mile?

nyccarguy

Michaell said:

nyccarguy said:

28firefighter said:

What was your mileage overage?

As it stands now, 9,233. Figure another 32 ish miles home, then 8 to the dealership.

And the penalty is how much per mile?

I think it is $0.25 per mile. The guy said it is the 3rd Wrangler he has seen today.

ab348

tjc78 said:

Haven’t watched him in awhile.

Vice Grip Garage and Legit Street Cars is about it for me these days on YT

TikTok all kinds of stuff comes up but usually don’t follow a lot of it

I find most auto-related channels to be pretty poor. Hoovie's schtick wore thin pretty quickly for me - nobody in his position could be that clueless and lose money the way he claims/implies. His lifestyle and personal affairs just become tough to reconcile. I have never looked at Legit, but the Vice Grip Garage guy turned me off with his ridiculous way of talking and cutesy-pie names for things. I actually sort of liked the I Do Cars guy, but the production sometimes can be tiresome to watch.

nyccarguy

I got the Jeep washed this AM in preparation for its lease end inspection. Still a very pretty color.

au1994

It is a great color! A Wrangler can definitely pull it off.

A Grand Cherokee, not so much!

explorerx4

Left front tire looks low?

nyccarguy

@explorerx4 said:
Left front tire looks low?

Nope - it’s good. It’s a shadow that makes it look low-ish.