Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

kyfdx

carnaught said:

I will stop getting tangentially political if other’s do as well.

Yes, probably a good idea for all of us. Mea Culpa

graphicguy

@pensfan83 said:
The current administration doesn't seem inclined to tax unrealized gains but they certainly seem hellbent on taking money through other means. Anyway...

@kyfdx said:
I'm down 8.1% just this past week.
Down 13.4% from my peak. (December 1st)
Down 10.1% YTD

Not down $100s, nor $1,000s….but am down $10s of thousands! Yeah, I’m p!ssed, to say the least!

qbrozen

I’m still not going to look.

carnaught

graphicguy said:

@pensfan83 said:

The current administration doesn't seem inclined to tax unrealized gains but they certainly seem hellbent on taking money through other means. Anyway...

@kyfdx said:

I'm down 8.1% just this past week.

Down 13.4% from my peak. (December 1st)

Down 10.1% YTD

Not down $100s, nor $1,000s….but am down $10s of thousands! Yeah, I’m p!ssed, to say the least!

Maybe wait till the dust settles.

ab348

carnaught said:

Is it okay that our Canadian friends and the big Asian country has large tariffs on us but we are not entitled to return the favor? Maybe a correction in the stock market from billionaires manipulating it is overdue? I am not claiming that I’m an economist but I will go with Warren Buffet’s over the “View’s” opinion. Just saying…

You know that Canada and the US signed their first free trade agreement back in the Reagan days, right? And then signed subsequent ones that both expanded the scope of it and brought Mexico into the fold? Nobody was complaining about any of that. Please name the “large tariffs” that we supposedly levied in spite of that. If the USA has a trade deficit maybe they should stop sourcing the majority of consumer goods from the Pacific Rim.

The entire thing is sheer lunacy.

carnaught

@ab348, not going there. Thanks for your understanding.

laurasdada

Apologies for the rabbit hole, but brief background: My mother's family (at least some of them) left [non-permissible content removed] Germany in the '30s, so the news/videos of folks being rounded up and deported without due process or transparency I guess triggered me a bit. Especially when those doing the rounding up say because we said so, trust us.
And it's easier to discuss the current financial situation. As I noted earlier, I'm hoping those in power are correct...soon.
Trust them.

breld

I’ve been obsessing for a while now about having a convenient wall mounted car wash solution. Finally pulled the trigger on the equipment needed and completed most of the install today.

Still need to get a shorter water hose to go from the garage spout to the pressure washer, but I did hook everything up with the longer hose and no leaks or anything. And maybe there’s a more elegant solution than the bungee cord to keep the washer stable…it almost rattled off the shelf at my first test. 😀

jmonroe1

breld said:

I’ve been obsessing for a while now about having a convenient wall mounted car wash solution. Finally pulled the trigger on the equipment needed and completed most of the install today.

Still need to get a shorter water hose to go from the garage spout to the pressure washer, but I did hook everything up with the longer hose and no leaks or anything. And maybe there’s a more elegant solution than the bungee cord to keep the washer stable…it almost rattled off the shelf at my first test. 😀

————————————————
I think @Michaell is on his way over right now. He’s a lucky guy to get a free car wash from a poster buddy.

jmonroe

Michaell

jmonroe1 said:

breld said:

I’ve been obsessing for a while now about having a convenient wall mounted car wash solution. Finally pulled the trigger on the equipment needed and completed most of the install today.

Still need to get a shorter water hose to go from the garage spout to the pressure washer, but I did hook everything up with the longer hose and no leaks or anything. And maybe there’s a more elegant solution than the bungee cord to keep the washer stable…it almost rattled off the shelf at my first test. 😀

————————————————
I think @Michaell is on his way over right now. He’s a lucky guy to get a free car wash from a poster buddy.

jmonroe

For the Outback, heck yeah!

I'll have to bring my own car wash liquid if I were to do the Sportage (doggone matte paint makes everything harder)

But, I think I'll wait until the weather warms up, then bring over some food as a bribe.

ab348

The bungee cord is the mark of an elegant installation.

Michaell

Automotive updates in response to the new tariffs:

1. VW to add an “import fee” to their pricing
2. JLR to suspend shipments to the US for April

jmonroe1

Michaell said:

jmonroe1 said:

breld said:

I’ve been obsessing for a while now about having a convenient wall mounted car wash solution. Finally pulled the trigger on the equipment needed and completed most of the install today.

Still need to get a shorter water hose to go from the garage spout to the pressure washer, but I did hook everything up with the longer hose and no leaks or anything. And maybe there’s a more elegant solution than the bungee cord to keep the washer stable…it almost rattled off the shelf at my first test. 😀

————————————————
I think @Michaell is on his way over right now. He’s a lucky guy to get a free car wash from a poster buddy.

jmonroe

For the Outback, heck yeah!

I'll have to bring my own car wash liquid if I were to do the Sportage (doggone matte paint makes everything harder)

But, I think I'll wait until the weather warms up, then bring over some food as a bribe.

————————————————
I had you set up for a freebie, don’t ruin it.

jmonroe

corvette

@breld - perhaps you could build a thick lip around d the edge of the shelf?

roadburner

Michaell said:

Automotive updates in response to the new tariffs:

1. VW to add an “import fee” to their pricing
2. JLR to suspend shipments to the US for April

So Jaguar will lose something like 10 sales?

stickguy

Land Rover must still sell an occasional truck.

jmonroe1

roadburner said:

Michaell said:

Automotive updates in response to the new tariffs:

1. VW to add an “import fee” to their pricing
2. JLR to suspend shipments to the US for April

So Jaguar will lose something like 10 sales?

————————————————
And Rover none.

jmonroe

Michaell

Surprisingly, we get a decent number of lease questions on LR vehicles each month. Can't tell you how many inquiries turn into transactions, but still...

Almost zero for Jaguar, however.

explorerx4

LR moved about 88K units and Jaguar 11K last year.

qbrozen

In other words, JLR has plenty of units already on the ground here to sustain them for quite some time.

Sandman6472

"Import fee" is not something I'm looking to hear right now. I've got the cash basically set aside to purchase but not willing to go over $40K for a GTI SE. Ain't gonna happen that's for sure so doubt the occupants of Sandman's garage will continue as is. But, time will tell. Maybe in 6 months or so, this nonsense will be over with and things will slowly get back to normal!!

graphicguy

carnaught said:

graphicguy said:

@pensfan83 said:

The current administration doesn't seem inclined to tax unrealized gains but they certainly seem hellbent on taking money through other means. Anyway...

@kyfdx said:

I'm down 8.1% just this past week.

Down 13.4% from my peak. (December 1st)

Down 10.1% YTD

Not down $100s, nor $1,000s….but am down $10s of thousands! Yeah, I’m p!ssed, to say the least!

Maybe wait till the dust settles.



When the dust settles it will take a decade to make up what I've lost, if I can ever make up what I've lost. May as well take all that money and set it on fire in my fireplace. Scratch and claw for decades to set myself up for a comfortable retirement and this crap happens.

ab348

graphicguy said:

carnaught said:

graphicguy said:

@pensfan83 said:

The current administration doesn't seem inclined to tax unrealized gains but they certainly seem hellbent on taking money through other means. Anyway...

@kyfdx said:

I'm down 8.1% just this past week.

Down 13.4% from my peak. (December 1st)

Down 10.1% YTD

Not down $100s, nor $1,000s….but am down $10s of thousands! Yeah, I’m p!ssed, to say the least!

Maybe wait till the dust settles.

When the dust settles it will take a decade to make up what I've lost, if I can ever make up what I've lost. May as well take all that money and set it on fire in my fireplace. Scratch and claw for decades to set myself up for a comfortable retirement and this crap happens.

At least it is clear who to blame this time, and not some shadowy figures in Wall St offices as is usually the case.

sda

I see a fair number of newer Land Rovers and G-wagons roaming the Charlotte streets.

tjc78

@sda said:
I see a fair number of newer Land Rovers and G-wagons roaming the Charlotte streets.

My wife’s friend just bought a new Rover a few months back…. She traded in a Tahoe with 100K because she wanted something “more reliable”. I didn’t tell her….

qbrozen

I sense a resurgence of the “Blame Canada” song from South Park coming on.

ANYWAY, I’ve read the 2.0 in the smaller rovers has been pretty good. I have seen a couple of Evoques in my budget.

jmonroe1

tjc78 said:

@sda said:

I see a fair number of newer Land Rovers and G-wagons roaming the Charlotte streets.

My wife’s friend just bought a new Rover a few months back…. She traded in a Tahoe with 100K because she wanted something “more reliable”. I didn’t tell her….

————————————————
Anyone with a brain that only works half the time knows a Tahoe, even with a few problems, is more reliable than a Rover. So, that was her excuse to get a premium vehicle that not everyone can afford.

Other than snob appeal, I have no idea how that brand still exists today.

jmonroe

suydam

I see LRs all the time where we are. But big chunky SUVs are common here. Seeing more and more Rivians too.

oldfarmer50

graphicguy said:

carnaught said:

graphicguy said:

@pensfan83 said:

The current administration doesn't seem inclined to tax unrealized gains but they certainly seem hellbent on taking money through other means. Anyway...

@kyfdx said:

I'm down 8.1% just this past week.

Down 13.4% from my peak. (December 1st)

Down 10.1% YTD

Not down $100s, nor $1,000s….but am down $10s of thousands! Yeah, I’m p!ssed, to say the least!

Maybe wait till the dust settles.

When the dust settles it will take a decade to make up what I've lost, if I can ever make up what I've lost. May as well take all that money and set it on fire in my fireplace. Scratch and claw for decades to set myself up for a comfortable retirement and this crap happens.

I was down over 30% during Covid but I had no choice but to hold tight and it all came back and then some. Fortunately, I didn’t need to dip into investments to cover my current needs. Downturns are always rough if you have to pull your savings to live on.

roadburner

I’d still take a vintage D90, but the only true 4x4 I’d rather have than the Wrangler is a G-Wagen.

explorerx4

Glad I bought my truck when I did. There is only 2 2024 Red STX with a V8 within 300 miles.
The incentives I got, gone for now, were worth $6250.
I won't need to make any RMD withdrawls for another 4 years and I have at least 2 years of those in a cash type account.
If the value doesn't come back up, those 2 years of RMD cash could maybe stretch to 3.

kyfdx

All the talk about employee pricing on Fords, and with the new April programs, they cut incentives and raised finance/lease rates..

Michaell

@kyfdx said:
All the talk about employee pricing on Fords, and with the new April programs, they cut incentives and raised finance/lease rates..

I was thinking the same thing. I don’t think folks shopping Fords will be happy with the trade off.

cdnpinhead

I'm down 3.7% from the new year. I do 110 minus my age in equities with the balance in bonds and money markets. Those of you who are down the toilet apparently have a boatload in equities. If you're young, that's not too big a deal. If you're older, I won't say anything, but good luck.

kyfdx

cdnpinhead said:

I'm down 3.7% from the new year. I do 110 minus my age in equities with the balance in bonds and money markets. Those of you who are down the toilet apparently have a boatload in equities. If you're young, that's not too big a deal. If you're older, I won't say anything, but good luck.

That's a really great plan, especially if you are taking RMDs and/or using those funds for living expenses.

venture

jmonroe1 said:

tjc78 said:

@sda said:

I see a fair number of newer Land Rovers and G-wagons roaming the Charlotte streets.

My wife’s friend just bought a new Rover a few months back…. She traded in a Tahoe with 100K because she wanted something “more reliable”. I didn’t tell her….

————————————————
Anyone with a brain that only works half the time knows a Tahoe, even with a few problems, is more reliable than a Rover. So, that was her excuse to get a premium vehicle that not everyone can afford.

Other than snob appeal, I have no idea how that brand still exists today.

jmonroe

I mentioned before that my son has a LR Discovery. He was way over miles on his lease and either bought it or extended the lease (I don't know what they do).

All he says is, "Never again".

nyccarguy

I’m currently at a plumbing supply conference in Scottsdale, AZ. Good lord, the vehicular eye candy is unreal:

nyccarguy

Last but not least

breld

I spent some time this morning rearranging my garage a bit to consolidate the car care stuff with the location of the pressure washer setup. Very happy with the results.

roadburner

@nyccarguy said:
Last but not least

When I covered the US intro of the E93 3er in Miami BMW NA put us up in a very expensive hotel. I was going to drive a 335i home and when I went to the valet station to pick it up I was feeling pretty good. Unfortunately, while I was waiting an Aston pulled up, followed by a Bentley, a Rolls, a Lambo and a Ferrari. When my car showed up I felt like I was getting a Chevette diesel.

corvette

roadburner said:

When my car showed up I felt like I was getting a Chevette diesel.

AI tells me that some reviewers prefer Vettes to 335is.

oldfarmer50

nyccarguy said:

Last but not least

A lot of money in pipes. lol😇

qbrozen

@nyccarguy said:
I’m currently at a plumbing supply conference in Scottsdale, AZ. Good lord, the vehicular eye candy is unreal:

Remind me to never tip my plumber

jmonroe1

nyccarguy said:

I’m currently at a plumbing supply conference in Scottsdale, AZ. Good lord, the vehicular eye candy is unreal:

————————————————
And no rust. @oldfarmer50 has to be salivating.

BTW, if you have the time get me a 14 inch Ridgid pipe wrench. My old one is almost worn out. Has to be over 60 years old. As good as Ridgid is/used to be they can’t still make them like that.

jmonroe

jmonroe1

roadburner said:

@nyccarguy said:

Last but not least

When I covered the US intro of the E93 3er in Miami BMW NA put us up in a very expensive hotel. I was going to drive a 335i home and when I went to the valet station to pick it up I was feeling pretty good. Unfortunately, while I was waiting an Aston pulled up, followed by a Bentley, a Rolls, a Lambo and a Ferrari. When my car showed up I felt like I was getting a Chevette diesel.

——————————————
Don’t tell us that’s when you felt like disguising yourself as a valet.

jmonroe

imidazol97

I like this one the best. Period correct wheels. I wanted one of those so badly back then.
Thx for posting these.

nyccarguy said:

tjc78

@qbrozen said:

@nyccarguy said:
I’m currently at a plumbing supply conference in Scottsdale, AZ. Good lord, the vehicular eye candy is unreal:

Remind me to never tip my plumber

Some of the most well off people I know are in the trades and construction.

I would recommend any younger person not interested in college to learn a trade. Plumbing, HVAC and electrical is always needed.

qbrozen

tjc78 said:

Some of the most well off people I know are in the trades and construction.

I would recommend any younger person not interested in college to learn a trade. Plumbing, HVAC and electrical is always needed.

I've told my kids that since grade school. But they won't listen. My older one is too lazy to pursue anything worthwhile.

tjc78

@qbrozen said:
I've told my kids that since grade school. But they won't listen. My older one is too lazy to pursue anything worthwhile.

My cousin is a union steamfitter. He is now a foreman, which means very little actual “work”, spends most of his time QC and ordering materials. Drives a brand new company Chevy 2500 decked out with every tool imaginable. Not a bad gig and earns much more than many professionals.

pensfan83

Trades can be hell on your body though. Boilermakers, steamfitters, carpenters, etc. are all candidates for joint replacements early in life, others deal with chronic pain. I suppose if you can advance quickly to a foreman or a union steward it may not be a big deal but if you're a career journeyman there's probably a price to pay for those wages.