Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

roadburner · April 2013

I can think of at least one person I knew awhile ago who would be alive today if the parents had taken the car for not holding up his end of the bargain. Instead he ended up wrapping it around a tree.

Knock on wood, my son has been very responsible. I've told my friends on the local police that they are to cut him no slack, but they all say he always is driving at a calm-if not exactly slow-pace. Some of you may remember that he decided to drive the X3 2.5 rather than find a 330i ZHP or E36 M3 because in his words, "If I get something fast I'll probably get into trouble with it."

nyccarguy · April 2013

I was extremely fortunate to get a brand new car (1992 Chevrolet Beretta GT) about 2 weeks after I got my license. I was super responsible with it (yes, I fractured the speed limit on occasionan). In college I was the DD everywhere. People would ask to borrow my car. "Nope." People would want me to drink with them at bars. "Nope, I drove here."

steine13 · April 2013

>> I swear I read "Volvo drifting!"

yeah.
you would.

I wish parents would stop obsessing about their kids' safety and first think about the other pedestrians/cyclists/drivers that these kids are being let loose on.

And I speak as the parent of a nearly 14-year-old... one year 'til driving school. Oh dear.

There is no reason to have accidents.
Use that brain. Or don't drive.

Cheers -Mathias

stickguy · April 2013

well, knock on wood, but the oldest is going on 6 years driving without an accident so we must either be doing something right. Or just getting lucky!

akangl · April 2013

I was thinking that I didn't remember hearing about the Yaris leaving. I remember it arriving.

those kids. I learned too late that I should have gotten a puppy instead of a daughter.

I didn't post anything about the Yaris leaving. As for puppies and daughters, i have one of each......can't say which is the lesser of the 2 evils. :sick:

akangl · April 2013

Thanks for the recap and update! I trust your schooling is going well in addition to keeping you so busy?!

Pretty incredible about the Yaris; all I can do is echo what AJ said.

And, seriously.... "old girl?" It's a 2007 for cryin' out loud!

To be fair, I actually bought the Yaris used in September. Dealer was asking $14,999, NADA retail was $14,850, low book was $12k. I paid $600 over dealer cost on the car, they were in it $11,600, so $12,200. Same dealer I bought Chippy from, I know the GSM and he's always been good to me.

Chippy is the old girl, she has been the oldest here for a while and well the title fits.

School is keeping me stupid busy. I had surgery on my hand this morning, so typing by the hunt and peck method (how do guys do that??). My professors basically told me to stay home tomorrow, considering how bad it hurts.....yeah, I'm not moving off the couch!

Sandman6472 · April 2013

Dog tired...long day. Repeat for tomorrow. Did I bite off more than I can chew?

The Tired Sandman :sick: :shades:

au1994 · April 2013

The lease on my 328i coupe was maturing in 3 months and as a result I was eligible for a pull ahead from BMW. So...after driving a 328i and 335i Sport Line, an A4 Premium Plus and an ATS 2.0 Turbo, I settled on a 335i Sedan. Details are below:

* Alpine White w/Coral Red and Black Highlight interior
* Premium package
* 19in Dual spoke alloys
* Anthracite wood trim
*Tech package

Awesome ride. It was very close between a 328 and 335 but the dealer really stepped up on the 335 so the price was negligible for what I was getting in the 335 over the 328.

The other competitors were just "meh" compared to the BMW, I would say the Audi was pretty close. Caddy styling just didn't do it for me.

rayainsw · April 2013

Sounds very nice, indeed.
Enjoy!
[ Pictures? ]
- Ray
335 driver .....

graphicguy · April 2013

au1994...echoing Ray's sentiments, that sounds very nice. And, I also agree, we'd love pics. I love BMW's with white and red int. I also like that mineral grey with red int. OK....I like black with red interior, too. :shades:

Regarding kids and cars, I think any parents biggest fear is to get a phone call about one of their children being in and accident. My own son went through a period of wrecks and tickets.

The causes were more focused on his inattentiveness than wreckless driving, speeding, or (my biggest fear) ingesting substances and driving.

I remember at one point having him on my family insurance, my agent said the company was going to cancel us because of my son's record. I even grounded my son, lifting his license for a year because he couldn't seem to pay attention to driving, and what those around him were doing. He thought he was the only person on the road.

My insurance company didn't care that I had lifted his license. They said he was on my policy and still could drive one of my cars. Result? $6K insurance bill/year.

He's in his 20s now. You couldn't find a better, more careful driver if you tried. Lessons learned (and several additional grey hairs on his Father's head).

michaellno · April 2013

Let me know if I've missed anything.

2013 Punch List (total 11):
01/08/13 breld 2011 BMW 335xi 27K
01/11/13 steine13 2013 Chevrolet Cruze LT (lease)
01/15/13 breld 2010 BMW 328xi wagon 21K
01/18/13 qbrozen 2013 Nissan Leaf (lease)
01/19/13 anon 2013 Toyota Sienna (lease)
02/13/13 corvette 2013 VW Jetta GLI
02/16/13 fezo 2004 Mazda6 wagon 77k
02/17/13 fintail 2013 Mercedes E350 Bluetec (lease)
03/22/13 js06gv 2013 Ford F150 King Ranch 2WD
04/04/13 kyfdx 2011 BMW X3
04/09/13 au1994 2013 BMW 335i (lease)

Punch guesses for 2013:
Michaell 15-17
Xwesx 22
Stickguy 25
Qbrozen 28
Au1994 30
Anon 31
Tifighter 34
Jpp5862 35
Steve 36
Roadburner 37
Nyccarguy 38
Rayainsw 39
Ateixeira 40
Kyfdx 45

corvette · April 2013

Very nice, congratulations!

rayainsw · April 2013

Interesting - 4 of the 11 [ so far ]
are BMWs...
- Ray
Unlikely to do the same thing again this time

ateixeira · April 2013

I wish parents would stop obsessing about their kids' safety and first think about the other pedestrians/cyclists/drivers that these kids are being let loose on.

So true....think about how many teens are being handed keys to large SUVs or sports cars they're not really equipped to handle.

ateixeira · April 2013

9 in Q1 so my forecast is more or less on track.

We went quiet for a while now. Thanks to au1994 for waking us up!

stever · April 2013

Four times nine is 36.

I'm liking my odds so far. :shades:

au1994 · April 2013

anytime I can help just let me know.

ateixeira · April 2013

Yeah but we got a nice jump in early April, LOL.

au1994 · April 2013

How do we post pics now?

jayrider · April 2013

BMW's are popular in this forum. In 4 years, I may have to seriously check them out.

crkyolfrt · April 2013

I enjoyed this update post..I hadn't checked this forum for quite awhile and had lost touch. Always wondered what the Civic would eventually get replaced with. Always sounded like he didn't want to part with it, cuz it was just too good to swap out too early. Hope the Focus will leave him as satisfied.

You used to have a new Pilot right?(after the other big GM Denali or Yukon? forget..) that got crunched early on

I felt bad for you...so soon after the recent high of buying. Anyway...interesting that after all the quite new and brand new vehicles that you end up back in an older pick up truck, haha. Of course the Sierra is bound to get way better mileage than your old F250...which I assume is finally history now..The 1/2 ton must ride a lot better too..

The last I had read couple years ago was a bit after you got that great deal on the Escort. Did it end up being a good car for your son? How many miles did he end up putting on it?

tjc78 · April 2013

BMW's are popular in this forum

They certainly are! Personally, not for me but I can see why many people love them. From what I read, it appears they may be loosing their edge as a pure driver's car. Car manufacturers have to do what will sell the most cars and like it or not many Americans like larger floaty cars.

crkyolfrt · April 2013

They should lose the run-flats. I don't know of a single owner who likes them.

stever · April 2013

Yeah but we got a nice jump in early April, LOL

True and tax refunds are still in the mail. :shades:

Au1994, you need a place to host the pics somewhere (like tinyurl.com or flikr.com). Then you can post the link or use the IMG buttons to paste it into a post.

rayainsw · April 2013

If mine was not a lease, I would
likely not currently have run-flats.
I am also not a fan of staggered
tire & wheel sizes, different F&R.
And a list of other things I do not
like.
But the list of things it does that
I do like is rather long.
Including acceleration, [ the sound of that lovely
straight 6], steering, handling, the DCT, etc.
- Ray
Wanted an I6 BMW without electric steering.
[ Check ]

nyccarguy · April 2013

Nice Ride! Congrats on the new 335i! I love the color combination!

nyccarguy · April 2013

Run Flats are here to stay, on BMWs at least. The tire manufacturers are constantly updating the technology and materials to make run flats drive drive closer to their "get flat" counterparts.

Would I rather have a spare tire and get flat tires on my 2011 328xi than the run flats? Yes.

After close to 22,000 miles in a little over a year, am I happy with the way the Continental run flats on my BMW ride, handle, & provide steering feedback? Absolutely.

My parents had an '08 328xi with run flat tires that made the car ride harsh.

au1994 · April 2013

Thanks. I really liked it when I saw it in person.

RE: run flats...I guess I am used to them. Had them on the 328 and the ride was a little harsh over uneven pavement but I got used to it. My bigger fear was being off in the boonies and popping a tire. I was afraid if there wasn't a decent sized city around I might be sitting waiting on a tire.

RE: electric pwr steering. It is different. The F30's come with a ride control that you set to comfort, sport or eco. To my measurement device, which I am also sitting on right now, comfort mode is ok for running around town and the longer wheel base and comfort mode cancel out the harshness of RFTs. Bump it up to sport mode and everything tightens up noticeably. Steering may not be quite as tight as before but this is still the BMW in uber sport sedan mode, I.E. find me the twisties and point and shoot. Haven't had it in eco mode as the salesman said throttle response etc is so severely dialed back, you don't want to try it in this traffic (Atlanta suburbs). Might be good cruising on the interstate.

rayainsw · April 2013

' My bigger fear was being off in the boonies and popping a tire. I was afraid if there wasn't a decent sized city around I might be sitting waiting on a tire. '
That is a concern that I share.
Even with a puncture in the middle of the tread,
my experience has been that [ VERY ] few tire places are willing
to fix it.
And the tire sizes on this BMW are not commonly stocked.
[ Low profile Michelin Pilot Sports. ]
- Ray
Everything in life is a compromise .....

xwesx · April 2013

Yeah, guys.... SLOW DOWN!!!!!! :sick:

au1994 · April 2013

Heard the same thing, actually that no shop would fix a RFT.

I had Costco tell me one time that they wouldn't replace a 1 front tire on a Volvo w/o replacing the other. The tires had probably 5k on them as the car was new but the ex hit a curb and blew it out. Needless to say I didn't take them up on that offer.

nyccarguy · April 2013

I must have driven over a nail on my way to the dealer for my cars 1st service at about 13K miles. Got a call from my service advisor.

"Bradd, you know you have a nail in your tire?"
"Nope"
"Did you get the tire insurance?"
"Nope"
"OK, I'll plug it up for you."
"Cool, thanks."

qbrozen · April 2013

From what I read, it appears they may be loosing their edge as a pure driver's car.

That may change if what I recently read is true. One of the mags is reporting that the next M3/M4 will be under 3300 lbs. That would be a large leap in the right direction!

michaellno · April 2013

Took the ION in for a brake service ... after 86,800 miles, they were finally starting to make some noise.

The verdict .. front outside pads were 75% worn. Front inside pads were 98% worn. Rear shoes were only 50% worn.

So ... replaced the front pads all the way around. OEM were ceramic, so I replaced them with ceramic. Brake fluid flush. Rear shoes were adjusted.

$175 out the door.

Wonder if I'll get another 85K out of this set?

Next door was the auto parts store I've been using. New battery for the wife's CX-7 will run $123 plus tax. No install fee. 3 year warranty, 5 year pro-rated warranty. I'll do that soon.

crkyolfrt · April 2013

Wanted an I6 BMW without electric steering.
[ Check ]

This would suggest proof-positive that you can't duplicate the same level of feel and feedback as hydraulic assist rack steering, using electric..cuz if they could, I'm quite sure BMW would use it to up their mileage ratings and lower weight. I suspect an electric assist costs less too. I commend BMW for sticking to their guns (in that respect..I still spit upon their notion of not giving a guy an oil dipstick..and the run-flats of course) in putting the emphasis on the car's handling and feel.. without compromise to their loyal customers, most of whom are loyal because of the car's handling and feel. Good them, and good on you for having it on your appreciation list.

crkyolfrt · April 2013

Good to know that if they must use run-flats, that they have massaged the harshness out of the equation. It indicates that they are not willing to settle.

I still suspect that those who see not having to change a flat at the most inopportune time (or female safety concerns) are an absolute miniscule percentage of owners compared to the male counterparts who would instead welcome the world of non run-flat rubber being optional to how they tread their car. Sure, they can accomplish that with exten$ive aftermkt dollar$, but it gets complicated because BMW also designs the suspension to do what it does using run-flats, so it gets REALLY complicated and expen$ive to replace them with conventional puncture-prone tires...the way God intended a tubeless tire to be..haha. But hey...I see a use for them on a forklift in a glass recycling plant..lol

ateixeira · April 2013

Sounds reasonable, was that dealer service or an Indy mechanic?

Edit: iPad spell check puts the caps on Indy, that's funny so I'll leave it.

michaellno · April 2013

Neither - it's a chain of stores that focus on brakes. Never tried them before, but thought it was good value too.

No more noise.

nyccarguy · April 2013

Good to hear you dig the electric power steering. While I haven't driven an F30, I have driven an F10 535 & 550 that I thought were too soft & isolated. I also had a chance to sample BMW's new N20 Turbo 4 cyl in an X1 (with hydraulic power steering). Despite the fact that it isn't that smooth, I LOVED the power. I've driven an E90 335xi & E60 535xi, so I'm sure the F30 335i is seriously quick, especially coupled with the 8 speed auto.

nyccarguy · April 2013

Lifeless electric power steering is one of the reasons I ditched my perfectly good 2010 Acura TSX.

Sandman6472 · April 2013

Drove one of these puppy's yesterday for Enterprise and what a sweet vehicle it is! Had just over 30k on the clock and was super comfortable with a flawless interior...a lot of car for the money though a bit thirsty. Bet it has a 6 under the hood and takes high test but was a blast to drive. Nice blue over stone, the perfect combo for this rig. Compared to the c Class I drove last year, this seems to be a sportier vehicle actually and not as buttoned down as the MB. I do understand now why Infiniti does so well in South Florida as I see them every where just like BMW's and MB's...every where. Folks sure love their vehicles down here just like California. To be sure, I'd love to have that G37 parked in my garage anytime!

The Smitten Sandman :sick: :shades:

nyccarguy · April 2013

The G37 is powered by a 3.7 L 326 hp V6. The car is a serious road rocket. I'm surprised you of all people like the sporty nature of the Infiniti's ride.

corvette · April 2013

"Nice blue over stone..."

YES! Dark blue with an ivory interior is my favorite color combination. Oddly, I've only had one car with that combo--the 2007 Audi A4. (All Jetta GLIs come with a black interior and the exterior colors on that trim level are very limited--black, silver, white, bright red, and charcoal.)

Sandman6472 · April 2013

It was a lot of fun to drive actually but hey, when I'm not paying for the gas or tolls, any car is fun to drive! Figured there was a 6 under there as the power was so instantanious it wasn't even funny! A nice driver to be sure!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

ateixeira · April 2013

How do you pay tolls? Do they give you a toll reader you install temporarily?

Or do you pay and get reimbursed later?

I'd think the former would save a lot of time, given the amount of driving.

G37 is popular up here in the DC area, too. They're all over the place. Q50 is coming soon to replace it, so maybe folks here will pick up some clearance priced leases soon? :shades:

fintail · April 2013

The G seems to have been in clearance leases around here for eons. No doubt a bargain, if not a bit old these days.

I think for FL rental cars, the tolls are based on the plate, and the rental car company deals with them.

roadburner · April 2013

The other competitors were just "meh" compared to the BMW, I would say the Audi was pretty close. Caddy styling just didn't do it for me.

Congratulations- I love the Alpinweiss/Koralrot color combo. And ditto on the Cadillac styling- I call it "Origami Snowplow."

tjc78 · April 2013

I think for FL rental cars, the tolls are based on the plate, and the rental car company deals with them

Not when I was there last.

The G has always been a pretty good lease, especially since I believe Infiniti still lets you "buy down" the MF.

fintail · April 2013

When I rented in FL last year, I added the toll pass (expensive at like $5.50/day, but I figured the bother would be more). No sticker or transponder on my car, agency said it simply used the registration.

One should be able to lease a nice late run G37 for around $300-350 very easily.

nyccarguy · April 2013

They've had crazy, clearance, fire sale leases on the G37s for a little over a year now. Trunk money, 18 month, & 24 month leases. They know the product is long over due for a remodel & are keeping current customers in Infiniti driver seats with lower payments than their current or expiring 36 - 39 month leases. In the next year + or so, there will be A TON of these G37s on the market with low miles because Infiniti will most likely have generous pull ahead programs.

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