Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

28firefighter

The long and short of it is that the STI exhaust was causing marital strife. And the juice was no longer worth the squeeze. I could have swapped to the stock WRX exhaust but would’ve had $$ now and then at lease end.

Local VW dealer made me a super strong trade offer and invoice less incentives, dealer traded for me, and I took it.

nyccarguy

@28firefighter said:
The long and short of it is that the STI exhaust was causing marital strife. And the juice was no longer worth the squeeze. I could have swapped to the stock WRX exhaust but would’ve had $$ now and then at lease end.

Local VW dealer made me a super strong trade offer and invoice less incentives, dealer traded for me, and I took it.

Stick?

breld

@28firefighter - congrats! We’ll all be anxious to hear your reviews.

Lots of fun, affordable cars out there…nothing wrong with making your way through all of them!

28firefighter

@nyccarguy said:

@28firefighter said:
The long and short of it is that the STI exhaust was causing marital strife. And the juice was no longer worth the squeeze. I could have swapped to the stock WRX exhaust but would’ve had $$ now and then at lease end.

Local VW dealer made me a super strong trade offer and invoice less incentives, dealer traded for me, and I took it.

Stick?

Yep. Was a nonstarter to go auto right now. If I was, I’d just have gotten a cheap EV lease.

corvette

@28firefighter - congrats on the punch! You could always trade her JGC for an Ioniq 5N and crank the volume up on the N Active Sound. I wonder whether you can set a password to prevent someone from overriding it?

breld

On the EV front, I finally made an appointment to test drive a Polestar 3 on Saturday. I had placed an order for one 2-3 years ago anticipating it as a replacement for my Polestar 2. But then I decided I didn’t necessarily want to be the first on the block for a Polestar model again, and ended up getting a more tried and true Audi Q8 E-tron.

It’s an intriguing option. Obviously there are a lot of updates from the Polestar 2 to the 3, but everything felt pretty familiar, and it just has a cool Volvo vibe to it (for obvious reasons).

They’re clearly having issues selling them though, being a little late to the game in offering a luxury EV. A lot has changed in that environment since they first announced it. They are offering a $15,000 credit off the bat, another $5,000 for current EV owners (this was restricted to Tesla owners, but they recently opened it up), and then if you’re selective on the option list, there’s another $4,100 available as a state credit.

So, a $24,100 discount turns an expensive EV into a pretty great lease deal.

For now, it’s between that and a Tesla Model 3. Not exactly direct competitors.

nyccarguy

Congrats on the punch! I’m looking forward to hearing how it stacks up against the WRX.

corvette

breld said:

...another $5,000 for current EV owners (this was restricted to Tesla owners, but they recently opened it up)...

Me: *looks at Ariya in driveway*

suydam

Sounds like a deal you can’t pass up! Can’t wait to see the pics.

tifighter

@breld I’ve only sat in the Polestar 3 but really liked what I saw. And I keep hearing that the new 3/Y is a big improvement over the first gen. Seems like a solid group of finalists.

stickguy

I like that GLI. Might be easier to sell my wife on that instead of a GTI. But if it doesn't have the stick, will I kick myself over it?

Michaell

stickguy said:

I like that GLI. Might be easier to sell my wife on that instead of a GTI. But if it doesn't have the stick, will I kick myself over it?

Probably.

stickguy

you people are animals. And last night, I was all proud of myself for finally taking the plunge and committing to a new pair of hiking boots. Hey, those babies cost $55, that was a big move! Which took me a lot longer to make than you people this weekend (though I am more decisive still than Bradd and Sandy!)

I need to figure out the right levers to pull to get the wife thinking it is her idea to upgrade (regrade? Retrograde?) her car. That is still the cleanest way, instead of making 3 moves and replacing 2 cars!!

actually a wrinkle that could work one way. Her plan starting in September is to do one day a week babysitting (at the kids house). So her driving time could ramp up (that makes me nervous, since it means hitting the nasty highway buy us at commuter time, and she gets lost). So keeping what she is used to might make sense (though after 5+ years, she still can't remember how to answer a phone call, forget about making one).

so anything we do needs to end up with a car she is comfortable with and capable of driving in combat situations. I new compact CUV that I could explain to her could work fine (ADX, Mecan, X1) but other than the Porsche (maybe not even that) does it really add a "sports" car to the fleet?

stickguy

Michaell said:

stickguy said:

I like that GLI. Might be easier to sell my wife on that instead of a GTI. But if it doesn't have the stick, will I kick myself over it?

Probably.

I know. Per my last diatribe, situational needs changing will make driving a stick or my truck very rarely and not very far is not going to work out.

I really should go back to our earlier days, where she had the "nice"/family car, and I had a rotating fleet of old, new, and weird cars, almost always with a stick. If she could keep hers or get something like it but nicer that we would use for our regular driving and travel, she would not care in the least what I did with my side of the garage and the extra parking spots outside.

Can't wait to see her face the day I show up with a short cab 1995 F250, towing a clapped out Miata!

corvette

@stickguy - I need to know where I can find hiking boots for only $55.

ab348

Oh dear, we are witnessing the birth of yet another @stickguy scheme. This would make a decent concept for a TV sitcom.

kyfdx

He already told us. Columbia outlet!

stickguy

my favorite store. we were a lot closer to one when we lived in NJ. Used to go all the time. This one is about 45 minutes away, so we combined the trip with a stop at a farm distillery that we like.

the clearance wall is a great value. I just got lucky that they had what I wanted in my size this time!

mjfloyd1

@28firefighter said:
Oops.

I saw the red on the front and thought it was another Kia N line.

That’s one way to get out of fixing those curbed wheels!

nyccarguy

To all you guys who served, have or had families who served or are currently serving, or know someone who has made the ultimate sacrifice for our great country, THANK-YOU!

stickguy

new X3 is pretty fancy. Makes the Acura look like a dinosaur. And it will tow 4,000#s! Everybody should be towing around a utility trailer with their $60k BMW.

wonder how that compares to a Mecan? Probably a bit cheaper and a lot roomier.

breld

My wife has suggested we take a short road trip to look at the leftover GTIs (it’s a mere 45 minute drive north of us).

EDIT: Just looked at the dealer’s website, and the 2 SE models are gone. They have one Autobahn manual remaining which is like $3k more. Main issue is I like the plaid seats.

There was a time when this would inevitably result in a punch, but I doubt it will. I realized the problem is I have no trade bait. The Porsches are certainly not up for negotiation, the A6 wagon is our people hauler, and our EVs are on lease, which mean there is no getting out of them early.

So it would be a net add to the garage, and that may happen at some point, but it makes me more reluctant.

breld

tifighter said:

@breld I’ve only sat in the Polestar 3 but really liked what I saw. And I keep hearing that the new 3/Y is a big improvement over the first gen. Seems like a solid group of finalists.

I went down the rabbit hole of Polestar 3 forums last night, and glitches with its electrical/infotainment system seem very consistent, ranging from inconsistencies in Apple CarPlay working, to the screen going blank, to the vehicle not charging on a home charger. So I have to give thought to 1) are the glitches more isolated than it seems and 2) if they do occur, could I live with it.

My Polestar 2 had glitches too, but most of it surrounded the app not working well, so I simply resorted to using the key instead of the app to lock/unlock the car. Not a big deal.

Tesla’s tech is definitely more evolved. Problem used to be the build quality and quality of the ride, but that is largely sorted out with these newest models. And can’t ignore that they are very affordable. Main issue for me is whether or not I get comfortable being associated with the brand. My wife is set on a Model Y for her next EV, but that is at least a year away. I do kinda like having matching brands in the garage, where it’s easy to switch from vehicle to vehicle.

breld

stickguy said:

new X3 is pretty fancy. Makes the Acura look like a dinosaur. And it will tow 4,000#s! Everybody should be towing around a utility trailer with their $60k BMW.

wonder how that compares to a Mecan? Probably a bit cheaper and a lot roomier.

CPO Macans seem to be a pretty good deal, as long as you’re good with the 4 cylinder (which I know you are).

New X3 was pretty polarizing when it first came out, to my eye, but it’s grown on me. And Audi finally released the new Q5.

mjfloyd1

New X3 also odd in that the panoramic moonroof does not open or vent. Kinda weird.

oldfarmer50

kyfdx said:

He already told us. Columbia outlet!

I hope he stopped at Martha’s ice cream while he was up there. It’s rated #1 on the Enterprise driver’s restaurant guide. Biggest “small” soft ice cream cone on the planet.

jmonroe1

stickguy said:

Michaell said:

stickguy said:

I like that GLI. Might be easier to sell my wife on that instead of a GTI. But if it doesn't have the stick, will I kick myself over it?

Probably.

I know. Per my last diatribe, situational needs changing will make driving a stick or my truck very rarely and not very far is not going to work out.

I really should go back to our earlier days, where she had the "nice"/family car, and I had a rotating fleet of old, new, and weird cars, almost always with a stick. If she could keep hers or get something like it but nicer that we would use for our regular driving and travel, she would not care in the least what I did with my side of the garage and the extra parking spots outside.

Can't wait to see her face the day I show up with a short cab 1995 F250, towing a clapped out Miata!

————————————————
We can’t wait to see your face if you did something like that.

jmonroe

tjc78

@28firefighter
Love the GLI! Congrats

@nyccarguy
Great year of the Town Car... but the whitewalls kill it. That year if equipped with a vinyl or cloth top needs the Michelin pinstripe whitewalls.

tjc78

jmonroe1

stickguy said:

my favorite store. we were a lot closer to one when we lived in NJ. Used to go all the time. This one is about 45 minutes away, so we combined the trip with a stop at a farm distillery that we like.

the clearance wall is a great value. I just got lucky that they had what I wanted in my size this time!

————————————————
I’ve heard newspaper is a good filler for oversized boots.

jmonroe

28firefighter

Quick interior picture.

stickguy

@mjfloyd1 said:
New X3 also odd in that the panoramic moonroof does not open or vent. Kinda weird.

Really? That is a deal breaker for me

stickguy

We have heard of Martha’s but not sure I’ve ever seen it. Next time for sure.

ab348

stickguy said:

@mjfloyd1 said:

New X3 also odd in that the panoramic moonroof does not open or vent. Kinda weird.

Really? That is a deal breaker for me

Lots of cars seem to be doing that now. I guess they give you a shade for it at least. Must be a lot cheaper than an operable moonroof.

greg1288

nyccarguy said:

To all you guys who served, have or had families who served or are currently serving, or know someone who has made the ultimate sacrifice for our great country, THANK-YOU!

That was a B-29 bomber like the ones used in the Pacific and used to drop the atomic bombs on Japan. I watched it and the Thunderbirds take off from Republic airport which is close to me. I did not try to get to Jones Beach as traffic is nuts and you must go very early.

@28firefighter very sharp GLI. I had a few VWs years ago and loved the way they drove.

kyfdx

ab348 said:

stickguy said:

@mjfloyd1 said:

New X3 also odd in that the panoramic moonroof does not open or vent. Kinda weird.

Really? That is a deal breaker for me

Lots of cars seem to be doing that now. I guess they give you a shade for it at least. Must be a lot cheaper than an operable moonroof.

Lighter weight probably, too.

My wife's Macan has an operable panoramic roof.

Not a fan of the new X3 look, and neither was my wife.

stickguy

I don't do spelling.

also not sure if I have seen a current design X3 in person. probably out driving but did not register on me. I know I have never been in one. Will need to stop at the BMW and Porsche dealers (the Porsche dealer is actually the closest dealership to me now, right across from the Toyota place).

nyccarguy

@breld

“Main issue for me is whether or not I get comfortable being associated with the brand”

Thank-you for saying this. It means a lot.

nyccarguy

@greg1288

You are correct. Only 1 of 2 left in the entire world that is still capable of flying.

We go every year. Traffic this year wasn’t as bad as normal. We left later than we wanted to. With 2 teenagers, usually one doesn’t want to get out of bed. Nevertheless the air show never disappoints. The older planes are some of my favorites. Amazing how quiet they are when just cruising.

nyccarguy

@oldfarmer50 said:
I hope he stopped at Martha’s ice cream while he was up there. It’s rated #1 on the Enterprise driver’s restaurant guide. Biggest “small” soft ice cream cone on the planet.

That’s the place in Lake George, correct?

stickguy

Queensbury. Just south of Lake George.

nyccarguy

@stickguy said:
Queensbury. Just south of Lake George.

We were there - the small is massive! My son who usually inhales a medium or large at DQ couldn’t even finish it.

breld

I was close to making a punch today, but decided to think about it…

qbrozen

A friend came over yesterday driving a new Land Cruiser. The inside reminds me a lot of the Wrangler 4xe. $72k sticker, though. That’s brutal.

28firefighter

Initial impressions on the GLI. I ended up putting about 100 miles on it running errands today, some play dates, and a kid baseball game. Not exactly how I intended to spend my memorial day, but alas.

Exterior: I really like the look of the car - the color combo is unique and I love the black roof/mirror caps and wheels. I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I like the backend especially. It just looks more upscale. Weirdly, I don't love the GLI fender badges and wish they would have put the legacy type on - I might order those anyway. Of course it "needz tintz" - lots of visibility also means its like driving in a fishbowl.

Interior: I remember when the GLI first came out, it was panned for how much plastic it had. I feel like they've done a nice job sprucing it up. Everything feels soft where I can reach, its bolted tight - no rattles at all. Seats are super comfortable and very adjustable and I like the gray/black two-tone interior. They're also heated and cooled as is the steering wheel. The Beats Audio is whatever - could take it or leave it. My biggest gripe here is the infotainment. It is excellent in terms of brightness, resolution, responsiveness, etc. but it is absolutely too small relative to its competitors. Then, to make it fit a bigger space, they just put it in a huge black bezel, when they could have easily filled it out more. The fact it works so well is the saving grace.

Performance: Let's start off with the obvious. It is much MUCH quieter than the WRX - even quieter than a stock WRX. It still has some rumble to it and especially when get on the throttle, it certainly sounds alive and aggressive. I'd like a bit more to it, but I think anything more would've maintained the marital strife that got us here in the first place. The engine and transmission are phenomenal - gearbox is like butter, clutch is light and easy to figure out, and the engine has gobs of power. It never seems to run out of power. It feels much faster than the numbers let on. I also love the Dynamic Dampers - very nice feature to have.

I am going to miss the WRX - a lot more raw. But in the scheme of things, this worked out great. I'm very happy.

tjc78

@28firefighter
Sounds like it was a great compromise. It’s definitely a great looking car.

My neighbor at the shore with the Ram Bighorn Night Edition is all over my truck. He said he is stealing it! Lol

nyccarguy

@28firefighter - it’s definitely more grown up than the WRX. It still has the trademark German thud when you close the doors. The performance is there, just much more sublime.

oldfarmer50

nyccarguy said:

@oldfarmer50 said:

I hope he stopped at Martha’s ice cream while he was up there. It’s rated #1 on the Enterprise driver’s restaurant guide. Biggest “small” soft ice cream cone on the planet.

That’s the place in Lake George, correct?

A few miles south of the village across from the amusement park.

stickguy

Breld, that is one of my dream sports cars if I can get a dedicated toy. Love that color too.

xwesx

ab348 said:

Lots of cars seem to be doing that now. I guess they give you a shade for it at least. Must be a lot cheaper than an operable moonroof.

And likely far less problematic as it ages. I used to like the large roof glass, but now I would take fixed or none over any sort or opening roof just to avoid the headache.