Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

xwesx

Pretty fancy! Congrats.

explorerx4

She had mentioned the rear view camera had started acting up but was ok most of the time.
Of course, when the appraiser took it out for a spin, the image displayed upside down.
The OEM list for the camera is over $500 and the cheapest I found one for was $360.
Aftermarket you can get them for $50 to $60.
She was not interested in doing expensive services like the coolant change.
There is also the potential PTU issue, a non serviceable component.
When you live 500 miles away, you don't want to have to deal with "My car broke, what do I do?"
I was pretty embarrassed that she didn't even clean it at all but at least she was willing to go look at something new, so we felt like we had to strike while the iron was hot.
Here's what the old Escape looked like after she let me have it for a couple of days last Thanksgiving.

stickguy

I guess she likes black compact CUVs!

corvette

Update on my dad's Ranger, which did not really act up when I was driving it (I only experienced it holding too high of a gear and slight lugging, like many modern cars). He's still having issues and had another service appointment, but this time the tech confirmed transmission issues. They are replacing the valve body, but if that doesn't work, they will replace the whole transmission. I reminded him about the availability of the Granger extended warranty at a fair price, although I'm not sure he's eligible at the current mileage.

explorerx4

@corvette,
Sending info to my kid for Granger and Lombard for their newly acquired Bronco Sport.
Lombard requires an inspection at your cost under some circumstances.

explorerx4

You probably don't want to sel your Ford here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC_iDmEfWA4

oldfarmer50

explorerx4 said:

You probably don't want to sel your Ford here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC_iDmEfWA4

The CDJR dealer we delivered car to on Monday said they were buying 44 from us just this week. Seems the auctions are either overpriced or junk. I guess the way people abuse their own cars these days makes ex rentals seem superior.

nyccarguy

@explorerx4 - I really like your daughter's new Bronco Sport. Best of luck to her with it!

graphicguy

explorerx4 said:

My daughter did end up trading in her 2013 Escape and getting a 2024 Bronco Sport.
It's an Outer Banks trim which has the nicest interior and it has a couple of option packages.
Options are tech pkg(B&O sound, wireless charging, Sat radio) and CoPilot 360+(adaptive cruise with stop and go, speed limit sign display, evasive steering).

'Grats to your daughter. A friend of mine just bought a Bronco Sport. I like them.

Funny, a year ago I was trying to buy a Bronco. The dealerships acted like they were made of platinum. I walked. Now, I'm in their database, and they all want me to come back in to buy one with "employee pricing". One sales person called me on the phone when employee pricing was announced.

Not his fault, but told him you guys only wanted my business if I was paying way over MSRP. Now, they want me to come in for $1,000s under under MSRP. Not interested anymore and instructed him to take me off their contact list. I'm sure he was a newbie and didn't deserve my ire. But, maybe in his next sales meeting he'll relay my message.

explorerx4

@graphicguy,
Thanks on behalf of my daughter.
Even with employee pricing, I think Bronco's are still overpriced.
Most are still over 50K.

nyccarguy

explorerx4 said:

@graphicguy,
Thanks on behalf of my daughter.
Even with employee pricing, I think Bronco's are still overpriced.
Most are still over 50K.

Was she able to do better than employee pricing on her Bronco Sport because it was a 2024?

explorerx4

@nyccarguy,
She bought a service loaner. It has about 4500 miles on it. Interior is immaculate. Hood needs a ding removed and a little touchup. Looks like someone got it with an ice scraper on the lip by the windshield.
They are supposed to fix that.
MSRP was 37,700 and she got it for 33K. Employee pricing discount was 1800/1900 off.
Dealer originally offered 4500 trade in but I told her to get numbers from Carvana and Carmax.
Carvana came in at 5200, so dealer up their offer to 5K. With the sales tax credit, it was about even.
She took a 60 month loan. Dealer offered 6.13% but she got preapproved by BOA for 5.39% while
we were still sitting in the salesperson's office, so she went with that.
We tried to let her lead as much as possible because I or we may not be there when she buys the next one, but I did stick my nose in there a couple of times.

Michaell

explorerx4 said:

@nyccarguy,
She bought a service loaner. It has about 4500 miles on it. Interior is immaculate. Hood needs a ding removed and a little touchup. Looks like someone got it with an ice scraper on the lip by the windshield.
They are supposed to fix that.
MSRP was 37,700 and she got it for 33K. Employee pricing discount was 1800/1900 off.
Dealer originally offered 4500 trade in but I told her to get numbers from Carvana and Carmax.
Carvana came in at 5200, so dealer up their offer to 5K. With the sales tax credit, it was about even.
She took a 60 month loan. Dealer offered 6.13% but she got preapproved by BOA for 5.39% while
we were still sitting in the salesperson's office, so she went with that.
We tried to let her lead as much as possible because I or we may not be there when she buys the next one, but I did stick my nose in there a couple of times.

Seems like a pretty good deal, all around.

explorerx4

@Michaell,
Probably could have done a bit better with some more time to do research on the trade in side, but we weren't even sure if she would go look at anything while we were out there for the weekend.
She bought at a 'large' dealership in her area which is about 1/2 the size of where I have bought my last couple of vehicles.

graphicguy

explorerx4 said:

You probably don't want to sel your Ford here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC_iDmEfWA4

J&S Autohaus is pimping the same line in their YT vids recently. WE WANT TO BUY YOUR CAR. WE'LL EVEN PICK IT UP!

I think the anticipated rise of new car prices because of this tariff BS has all these dealerships moving to used to keep their stores in the revenue churn.

graphicguy

oldfarmer50 said:

explorerx4 said:

You probably don't want to sel your Ford here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC_iDmEfWA4

The CDJR dealer we delivered car to on Monday said they were buying 44 from us just this week. Seems the auctions are either overpriced or junk. I guess the way people abuse their own cars these days makes ex rentals seem superior.

I have yet to hear if Stellantis has a plan to move their overpriced inventory. It sounds like even "employee pricing" isn't working for them, either.

corvette

5.39% financing is really good, anymore.

roadburner

graphicguy said:

explorerx4 said:

My daughter did end up trading in her 2013 Escape and getting a 2024 Bronco Sport.
It's an Outer Banks trim which has the nicest interior and it has a couple of option packages.
Options are tech pkg(B&O sound, wireless charging, Sat radio) and CoPilot 360+(adaptive cruise with stop and go, speed limit sign display, evasive steering).

'Grats to your daughter. A friend of mine just bought a Bronco Sport. I like them.

Funny, a year ago I was trying to buy a Bronco. The dealerships acted like they were made of platinum. I walked. Now, I'm in their database, and they all want me to come back in to buy one with "employee pricing". One sales person called me on the phone when employee pricing was announced.

Not his fault, but told him you guys only wanted my business if I was paying way over MSRP. Now, they want me to come in for $1,000s under under MSRP. Not interested anymore and instructed him to take me off their contact list. I'm sure he was a newbie and didn't deserve my ire. But, maybe in his next sales meeting he'll relay my message.

Yep; like I mentioned before, my nearest Ford dealership played the same game with me when I was interested in a 2008 Bullitt. And their parts and service departments are equally sketchy, so there's little chance that there is a Ford in my future.

au1994

Congrats on the Bronco Sport. One of the nicer looking cute-utes!

oldfarmer50

corvette said:

5.39% financing is really good, anymore.

I cried when I had to pay 1.89% 10 years ago.

stickguy

I feel bad for my kids that needed to get a car and mostly trying to buy a house now with those rates. But mean nothing to me since I am done (hopefully forever) paying interest!

jmonroe1

oldfarmer50 said:

corvette said:

5.39% financing is really good, anymore.

I cried when I had to pay 1.89% 10 years ago.

————————————————
When I got my ‘15 Genny I planed to pay cash until they told me I could get 0.9% for 5 years. Until then I never financed a car for more than 3 years. I had to do some real splainin since Mrs. j doesn’t like getting monthly reminders but I finally showed her the light. Glad Son #1 came along or I might not have been able to get away with that high financing decision. She trusted him more than me since his undergraduate is in accounting.

jmonroe

explorerx4

Here's what the Bronco Sport's interior looks like.

stickguy

nice looking. similar to my Maverick.

explorerx4

@stickguy,
No bad, way better than all black.

oldfarmer50

explorerx4 said:

Here's what the Bronco Sport's interior looks like.

That’s really nice.

ab348

explorerx4 said:

@stickguy,
No bad, way better than all black.

You got that right. When I become king I shall decree no more black interiors!

jmonroe1

ab348 said:

explorerx4 said:

@stickguy,
No bad, way better than all black.

You got that right. When I become king I shall decree no more black interiors!

————————————————-
Exactly what have you been snacking on in your new kitchen?

jmonroe

kyfdx

oldfarmer50 said:

corvette said:

5.39% financing is really good, anymore.

I cried when I had to pay 1.89% 10 years ago.

In 2018, I was earning 0.50% on cash, and now I'm earning 4.50%, so it works both ways

nyccarguy

We reached a couple of MiLEstones this past week. 70K for the Highlander. 165K for the Prelude. I’ve put over 1,100 miles on the Prelude since I picked it up on 4/9.

nyccarguy

explorerx4 said:

@nyccarguy,
She bought a service loaner. It has about 4500 miles on it. Interior is immaculate. Hood needs a ding removed and a little touchup. Looks like someone got it with an ice scraper on the lip by the windshield.
They are supposed to fix that.
MSRP was 37,700 and she got it for 33K. Employee pricing discount was 1800/1900 off.
Dealer originally offered 4500 trade in but I told her to get numbers from Carvana and Carmax.
Carvana came in at 5200, so dealer up their offer to 5K. With the sales tax credit, it was about even.
She took a 60 month loan. Dealer offered 6.13% but she got preapproved by BOA for 5.39% while
we were still sitting in the salesperson's office, so she went with that.
We tried to let her lead as much as possible because I or we may not be there when she buys the next one, but I did stick my nose in there a couple of times.

Nice car for $33K. Good job getting them to come up on the trade and her getting the cheaper financing. More money in her pocket or going toward the principal every month!

qbrozen

@nyccarguy said:
We reached a couple of MiLEstones this past week. 70K for the Highlander. 165K for the Prelude. I’ve put over 1,100 miles on the Prelude since I picked it up on 4/9.

Oh that reminds me: hit 130k on the Sierra and 80k on the QP last week.

tjc78

I heard @fintail is buying this.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1Dzvy1psH2/?mibextid=wwXIfr

ab348

With that huge price drop, how can he resist?

fintail

tjc78 said:

I heard @fintail is buying this.

Ha, I saw that in a car group not long ago. To be fair, it looks quite well done, apparently using the rear windshield and side quarter window from the original car. The shape gives me a flower car vibe, but I would still call it a Benzamino.

jmonroe1

tjc78 said:

I heard @fintail is buying this.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1Dzvy1psH2/?mibextid=wwXIfr

————————————————
Hey lookie, I have a piece of junk but I still want a ransom for it. I hope know how to wrench and have a lota tools.

jmonroe

Sandman6472

Renting a small CUV for 5-days next week. Should work out just fine. Keep the miles off my Golf plus the love bugs in that part of Florida in May & August.

stickguy

poor Golf never gets any exercise. Cars need to a good highway run every so often to burn out the crud. At least pick a nice day and just drive for an hour and turn around and come back! Maybe go someplace you have been wanting to visit (even a store).

tjc78

Give the Golf to me for an hour. It will have the cleanest valves in Florida

tjc78

Ugh - so the Ram with only two payments left on the lease needs an oil change and I keep smelling coolant (although the level isn’t dropping and it is not leaking)

I really don’t feel like bringing it in but feel like an [non-permissible content removed] not getting it fixed and doing the last service.

xwesx

I would do the oil change but not bother with the coolant smell unless it is causing a problem. If the guys at the dealership cannot sort out a coolant smell before reselling it, then they deserve whatever trouble that's going to cause them from a lease return.

kyfdx

We drove my wife's new car to Atlanta and back, this week. About 900 miles R/T, with another 50-60 miles of sightseeing. It's a champ! Great road car. Super comfortable seats. Averaged about 26-27 mpg on 93 octane.

oldfarmer50

qbrozen said:

@nyccarguy said:

We reached a couple of MiLEstones this past week. 70K for the Highlander. 165K for the Prelude. I’ve put over 1,100 miles on the Prelude since I picked it up on 4/9.

Oh that reminds me: hit 130k on the Sierra and 80k on the QP last week.

Now that your wife relented, will you be keeping the Sierra?

stickguy

watched a Sarahntuned review video on the GR Corolla today. Made me want one. I should stop over at the nearby dealer who shows one in stock on the website. right across from the transfer station I have to go to anyway!

qbrozen

@oldfarmer50 said:
Now that your wife relented, will you be keeping the Sierra?

Yup. Already messed with the rear suspension again. I wasn’t happy with 2 things: location of where the shock mount wound up [long story but I had to turn the new cross brace in a funky way to get it to fit and that put the mount out of alignment] and the feel of the Detroit Axle shocks. So I cut off the mount and rewelded it higher and bought a different set of shocks that forum folks said rode softer than stock. It did improve the ride in the rear considerably. Of course, now the worn front is accentuated.

stickguy

old cars are like old houses. once you redo one part, it snowballs until you did the whole thing.

corvette

stickguy said:

I should stop over at the nearby dealer who shows one in stock on the website. right across from the transfer station I have to go to anyway!

"I'm just going to look!" - everyone who has ever visited an animal shelter or car dealer

au1994

corvette said:

stickguy said:

I should stop over at the nearby dealer who shows one in stock on the website. right across from the transfer station I have to go to anyway!

"I'm just going to look!" - everyone who has ever visited an animal shelter or car dealer

One of my dads favorite sayings!

graphicguy

explorerx4 said:

@stickguy,
No bad, way better than all black.

Is that Sport the 3 cyl version? How does it perform?

ab348

I saw a review of the Bronco Sport 3-cyl earlier this week. The guy said it was a bit raucous and growly but delivered the power well and was fun to drive. So I guess it would be a try before you buy situation.

The review mentioned that it is the same engine that Ford used in their now discontinued small cars. In those they had a problem with bad water pumps apparently.