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Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)
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We've had ours for 2 years, this is the 3rd camping season with it. The only reason for moving up to a different floor plan is room, ours is small and no slide. If it had just a bit more room and a slide no way we'd get rid of it, we love our TT.
Good points; I'm still thinking over the Dakar II M3. My local dealer has a drop-dead gorgeous CPO 2004 E46 M3 in the showroom, Silver Gray with Imola Red leather. It would have been in my garage yesterday except for the fact that the moron who ordered it failed to spec Xenon lights :mad:
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
That's a tough one--finding the "almost perfect" CPO bmw. I once turned down a mint 2001 525iT, 5sp, SPP, PP, Xenons, in this gorgeous blue color, because it had a black interior. Which I later regretted; it was beautiful.
Are you posting about your quest for the perfect M3 on any M3 specific boards (edmonds or elsewhere, like roadfly)? And I assume you've researched the engine problems on E46 M3's?
You can retrofit Xenons but I don't know much about it.....
Not yet; I'm still kind of in casual search mode.
And I assume you've researched the engine problems on E46 M3's?
Yes, as I understand it the problem was limited to pre-2003 cars and most all of those affected have been retrofitted with the improved parts.
You can retrofit Xenons but I don't know much about it...
It can be done, but apparently it's a real bear if you want a real OEM fitment(bi-xenons and self levelling).
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
We had the same issue with the back bumper on the Civic, it all but fell off before I started replacing the clips that held it on. In our case, before we got it the car had been rear ended a few times in Chicago traffic and repaired poorly, so it had a few issues like that.
The bumper was on. The problem was the rust. It was just behind the LR wheel (common on these cars from what I see), where the fender met the bumper. That side was loose, because the clip was in the rust. So, the problem was where the clip plugged in, not the ckip itself.
Not sure if this qualifies as ignore it until it falls off, or a DIY patch job (you know, twist ties and duct tape!)
I think it also was leaking into the trunk at that area. It was dry, buy tucked under the side trim was a roll of TP, which was soaking wet. No sign of rust or water in there though, so it was odd.
Nothing a bit of body putty (or a new weatherstrip) probably wouldn't cure.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
He doesn't really care, as long as it runs, and has a stick. And it won't cost him too much (he has to pay for it)!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Chatted with the 'sales consultant' for a bit to get a sense of our needs and wants, then he showed us the XC70. He focused quite a bit on the safety aspects of the car.
Wife was very impressed; she said she liked it both as a driver and as a passenger. I thought it was pretty nice too, certainly an upgrade from the L300. Wife was surprised that I liked the wagon style; she was certain that I'd gravitate towards another sedan.
I'm having the sales guy do some preliminary numbers for me - we'll see what he comes up with before going further.
Found that the Volvo is actually 4" shorter than the Saturn, so it'll fit in the garage nicely. And, the insurance on it would only be $16 more per month than what I'm paying on the Saturn.
Nice-looking wagon too.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
And yeah, on a Volvo esp., gotta have the wagon version.
One other nice feature are the memory seats .. the wife is 5' 2" and I'm 5' 11", so when we switch cars it's a bit of a pain. The memory seats deals with that issue quite nicely.
So, now it's a matter of seeing what kind of numbers the dealer comes up with, and whether or not to pull the trigger.
Would be nice to come home with a brand new car and a $5K check in my pocket!
My ex is a Volvo addict, on her 3rd Volvo, now a V50 T5 AWD.
Have not heard anything from the salesman yet on rates or residuals yet.
The dealer also had a V50 T5 AWD on the lot as well, which I also like and could be a bit more affordable, if the XC70 numbers are not to my liking.
I also took a quick look at the Saab 9-3 SportCombi on-line yesterday .. also seems like a nice car.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Before I bought my E39 wagon in 2001, I test drove lots of wagons: Audi A4 & A6, Volvo V70 variations, bmw 3 & 5 series, & finally a saab 9-5. The 9-5 was the only one that I found totally boring; not even in the same class as a Volvo.
When I looked into V50's last Fall, they had a $3500 rebate, & people were saying they were selling poorly--(I don't know why), so there were great deals to be had.....
If they offer the convertible 9-3 with XWD I will look at it for my wife.
Thank you for the time we spent together Wednesday. I spoke with xxx (sales manager) about the lease programs and he came up with over a dozen options. depending on the lender residual vary by 12% and the money factors by a couple of points. xxx will make the programs work for what you want. He would love to see your Saturn trade to finalize the options. Again thank you, I hope to see you soon.
I also stopped in at the Acura dealer over lunch. I test drove a TSX, which didn't impress me at all, but took a very quick look at the RDX and it seems intriguing. 240HP, AWD, lots of goodies inside. Salesman totally turned me off, however ... maybe I'm just getting old, but working with younger salesman just bugs me.
woody, I'd be interested in your take on the wagons you drove ... what you liked, what you didn't like, why you went with the E39.
And, based on the feedback I've gotten, I should avoid the 9-3. Check.
Translation: Come on in.
Yeah, tell me about it. I was hoping to avoid another trip to the dealer and get some ballpark numbers before I made a decision.
I've told them that I owe about $2700 on the Saturn and that it's worth much, much more than that in trade. How much? I understand that they would have to evaluate it before they bought it.
Perhaps I should ask them to give me some rough numbers based on $0 drive off, $1K, $2K, etc. I'd also like to see some residual values and money factors as well.
All of which, I feel, can be done electronically. I have no desire to go down there and negotiate for hours on end.
One of the things the salesman told us when we were there was that since we were working with a high line brand, we'd be treated with respect, etc.
I, however, am still shopping and not ready to commit to anything just yet. Heck, I may still keep the Saturn.
I'm guessing--when the salesman starts talking about "over a dozen lease options", you're talking about 3rd party leases, which can be a nightmare to figure out.
I wouldn't rule out an Acura just because the salesman is a jerk, even tho I've done that myself--I like the RDX idea.....
I owe about $2700 on the Saturn and that it's worth much, much more than that in trade. How much?
The pros here could tell you what it's worth, private party, or trade in.....
I E-mailed a question to a dealer last month about an 01 Miata he had. Just got a form E-mail back and a please call and come in after I 1. Said I preferred E-mail as method of contact for answering questions; and 2. Made clear that I was over 100 miles away so would only be coming in if I had enough correct answers by E-mail. The odds were if I came in I was buying.
I got an E-mail back asking to call to help identify the Miata I was interested in. It was the only one in his inventory and I had given them the VIN and inventory number.
They called a couple of weeks ago to ask if I was still interested in buying a car. Swell. No, thanks. As I made clear (so I thought) I was only interested in the Miata. They blew an easy sale....
I haven't specifically looked at the Edmunds' pages, but I have been paying attention to some of the advertising. Problem is, many of these leases need lots of $$$ down and have low mileage restrictions -- if I did a lease, I'd like to do it for the minimum amount to start and would need 15K a year, based on the amount of driving I do.
Having said that, I have given some thought to an Accord or Civic lease if I wanted to get into something new. But, really, trading in a sedan that is almost paid for, for a new sedan doesn't seem to make a whole lotta sense -- yet.
The Volvo's have some amazing trunk money available for 3rd party leases -- many thousands of dollars if I'm not mistaken.
I'm thinking I'll email the Volvo salesman with a simple request - give me some ballpark numbers with $0 to start, $1K or $2K. I'd be looking at 36 months and 15K per year and see what he comes back with. My trade doesn't really mean anything to them ... they'd simply write me a check for the difference.
The good news is that this dealer group also sells VW, Audi, Hyundai and Mazda, so I don't believe they'd turn their noses up at having my Saturn on their used car lot.
However, I'm not sure that gas mileage will be all that great with all the hills we have around here. The Durango can average between 16-18 mpg, it struggles in the hills, lots of hunting in the transmission. Seems very underpowered for a V8, maybe its the gearing.
Overall I was pretty impressed with the CR-V, I think Honda did a good job. They could have deadened up the road noise a bit more, but turning up the stereo fixes that. I love all the safety features it has and it seems like a solid car.
4 more days and the Durango gets fixed, will finally be able to use cruise control again without the engine surging......yeah!
I have no doubt the gas mileage on the Honda would be excellent. I get 19-21 in stop and go city traffic with the air on... and as much as 31 on the hwy (flat, no wind). The EPA sticker says 22/28.
I had a '99 Jeep Grand Cherokee Ltd 4x4 with the 4.7 V-8... so I don't think you are getting 16-18 out of the Durango in any hilly driving situation.... more like 12-13 mpg's at best (from my experience).
It's amazing how much I enjoy driving the Honda. It's efficient, looks nice, great air conditioning and comfortable seats. Also, I like the calculator feature offered with the nav screen.
Hurry and buy a new TT for this summer!! I'm getting ready to take off in the motorhome driving through TN, MO, KS, CO,UT, NV and CA (in about two weeks).
Mark156
FWIW, I was looking at the reliability charts in CR of the V70/XC. Looks pretty good for a European make, & a lot better than the V50.
P.S. What is "trunk money"? Sounds like something out of the Sopranos, or Goodfellas.....
Michael, the Volvo is a good car to lease right now it seems. To me, if I am getting a "practical" car (like my Accord) I am just going to buy it. If I decide to lease, I want to splurge on something nicer than I would normally buy (like the Volvo), because I can!
For a lease, I end up comparing payments (adjusting for inception cash), and sometimes the difference between a basic car and something nice isn't really that much.
The Volvo does has the best seast around, all the bells and whistles, lots of room, and every safety feature I can think of. Great deals too.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
It's amazing how much I enjoy driving the Honda. It's efficient, looks nice, great air conditioning and comfortable seats. Also, I like the calculator feature offered with the nav screen.
Hurry and buy a new TT for this summer!! I'm getting ready to take off in the motorhome driving through TN, MO, KS, CO,UT, NV and CA (in about two weeks).
The Durango does manage 16 to 18 mpg in the hills, I hand calculate the mileage each tank. The overhead trip computer is usually only off about 1/2 mpg. I wish it did better, hubby's truck gets 20-21 mpg empty through the same hills........14 mpg towing the TT.
As for a new TT, I dunno, ours is so good and the more I look at new ones the less I want one. Mathias is right we don't use it enough to justify a new one for another couple years me thinks. Good thing I'm not into impulse buys or I would have a new one!
Exactly. ;->
I've got 4th of July.
-Mathias
Is that for the TT or the CR-V? *snicker*
I think he meant both.
When ever you say how much you love something, it seems it's time is up.
LOL, I've always loved the TT, its been great, very little issues with it. Just wish it was bigger, but we don't use it much so its no real big deal I guess.
The Durango is well, its here, runs good, still can't find a justifiable reason to dump it,lol.
Just returned for a 7 hour trail ride with a friend of mine, I had NO idea that my pony was such a trail savvy guy. He crossed creeks, rocks, hills, jumped downed trees, nothing bothered him.
One thing I don't really care for is the rear camera. To me, bumper sensors work so much better like I have on my Land Rover. When using the sensors, you don't need to pay precise attention to the rear as the sensors will let you know when something is getting close.
A person can stare at the camera screen and not decipher exactly what the are looking at and bump it (especially at night).
Mark156
Thank you, thank you.
People rely way too much on the back up cameras. I don't like them either and I think in general they are placed much too low on the car. They distort whatever it is you are looking at because they are down by the bumper or number plate.
One thing I don't really care for is the rear camera. To me, bumper sensors work so much better like I have on my Land Rover. When using the sensors, you don't need to pay precise attention to the rear as the sensors will let you know when something is getting close.
A person can stare at the camera screen and not decipher exactly what the are looking at and bump it (especially at night).
Maybe its just my bad left knee (3 surgeries and mild arthritis) that causes me to be sensitive to it. Its ok, but I was concerned that on long trips I would have a problem because I can't stretch that leg out all the way. The only vehicle I've ever owned that had the perfect dead pedal was the Titan, that was the most comfortable truck for me to drive. I still miss it terribly. The Durango really doesn't have one and the CR-V seemed a little short. *sigh* If only the Titans got better gas mileage.......
I have a hard time driving hubby's Ram, its a 6-spd manual and I have to sit very far forward to be able to convince my left knee that it can handle the pressure of the clutch. My right knee rests on the brake controller. After a day of driving it I'm hurting bad. Been hauling horses all week so have been spending all my time in the Ram........just wish it was an automatic.
As for the back up sensors, cameras, and all that, never owned a vehicle with them. I've only backed into one thing and that was a log that was laying down, didn't see it and misjudged the length of the first Titan I had. Truck was 5 days old, mangled the trailer wiring but otherwise didn't hurt it.
*now that I brag about it I'm sure I'll back hubby's Ram and horse trailer into something today*
Hope you don't injure your knee further driving the Ram--I know how poor car seats & driving position & stick shifts can aggravate joint or back problems.....
Hope you don't injure your knee further driving the Ram--I know how poor car seats & driving position & stick shifts can aggravate joint or back problems.....
Since I keep having to snag the truck away from hubby (he's stuck with the 97 Ford) I told him maybe I should look for a used dually and buy that. He laughed and said go for it. Now when I talked about buying another SUV he grumbled......lol. Might be something I'll think about, but wouldn't for another year or so. If I'm going down that road I'm paying off the Durango first and keeping it so I have something else to drive.
Sad thing is all this would have been prevented if I had just bought the megacab dually that I originally wanted, but dang those things are expensive!!!
I'm leaving in a bit to head in with the ponies for riding lessons.......which of course means shifting the truck again. I can already feel my knee protesting.
I think I realize now I will probably never buy anything else since I can't make up my darn mind! :sick:
British Rover... I read in the London Sunday Times... front page article... (in brief)..
"Ford Hires KPMG for Jaguar exit." "Ford had recruited the accountancy group KPMG to examine the books at Jaguar and Land Rover, two of Britains best-known car companies, ahead of an expected 1 billion (pound sterling) sale later this year."
"Despite mounting speculation in recent weeks, Ford has declined to confirm it will sell the famous marques. But the appointment of KPMG, which has been given a mandate to revamp the companies' accounts so that they are in a proper form to be examined by would-be buyers, appears to make a sale inevitable.
The story goes on to say that.. "Last year The Sunday Times revealed that Ford planned to sell the two firms as a single unit. The sale was shelved while Aston Martin, another British marque, was auctioned."
In a nut shell, everything is speculation. :confuse:
So, for you folks going to the UK.... take your money as it takes $2 to buy 1 pound. Which makes everything double! Fuel appeared to sell for $8 a gallon.
Mark156
I hope Ford makes it, I have always liked their trucks and SUVs. If they have done one thing well over the past 20 years it's their big vehicles.
They need to bring some of their european mainstream cars over here like GM is doing with Saturn. Maybe give Mercury that job.
With that exchange rate we should be seeing alot of British coming over here for vacations.
as we've discussed on the boards around here, that's very unlikely. Volvo and Land Rover are the only brands under the Ford umbrella that are in the black. The only reason Land Rover is even being sold is because nobody wants Jaguar by itself. So LR is being sacrificed. Unless they decide to unload Lincoln or Mercury and package volvo with it as the incentive, I doubt they are going anywhere.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
You would probably have to pay someone to take jag off your hands or at least that is the common perception in the press. They have strong brand equity and some great manufacturing facilities in the UK but their lineup is in pretty dismal shape currently. They probably have slight positive value but not much.
Ford can't afford to pay anyone to take Jag of their hands like Daimler did with Chrysler so they have to bundle another brand with it.
Land Rover and Jag are the same company under the skin now. They share engines, factories, transmissions, electronics, marketing and design facilities. A lot of the people that I work with at Land Rover have dual roles with Jag as well.
Ford seems to be doing everything it can to save its core North American operations. In the case of Land Rover they are almost cutting off their nose to spite their face. If Ford was a private company with more cash reserves I can see them trying to consolidate their North American operations into the profitable units and spinning off all of Mercury and most of Lincoln. They don't have the time or resources to do that.
I now think Ford will most likely sell Jag and LR but they would be stupid to not retain 20-30 percent interest in both companies.
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Seriously, I hope they have not abandoned the forums. They are the only married couple I have ever seen where they both post in a forum. Kinda cool to see 2 people so into cars.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I got it back this evening after sitting there for 8 hours today, it seemed fine, the alignment was fixed, the heated seat switch was fixed, and it wasn't squeaking in the front end. So, I figured it was ok. Went to the store, turned to pull into a parking space and sure enough its still creaking and popping. Thought ok, I can live with that, no big deal. Headed home through the hills and all seemed fine until I got down on the flat, had the cruise control set and sure enough the engine started surging again. It surges 300-500 rpms, sometimes worse.
I can deal with a lot of things, but an incompetent service department wasting my time is NOT on that list. :mad: Never again will I own a Chrysler product. This is by far the worst I've ever dealt with, even the Titan was easier than this. :sick: