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Buying American Cars What Does It Mean?

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Comments

  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,054
    Thank you for correcting me. I was not aware of VW's powertrain warranty being that good. I hope you get good service out of your VW; by what I've heard they do no better in CR (for those who follow that closely) than GM's.
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    The 10 yr/100K powertrain warranty is only on the Toureg. All others are 5 yr/60K mile.

    Also it looks like for 2014, VW is dropping the 2 yr included service and 2 yr warranty for a 3 yr/36K warranty.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Not sure CR is any more reliable than they were in the 1960s & 70s so not on my list of sources.

    Bottom line is I don't trust the reliability of any brand after warranty including Lexus. I get a sense that the Touareg is kind of a halo vehicle for VW. So they take extra steps to insure customer satisfaction. This is my first new vehicle to have an automatic 20 day complete inspection. With a loaner of my choice to wander around in while they inspected and detailed my vehicle. The loaner was a Beetle TDI that would be high on my list of runabouts if we really needed one. What a fun car to drive and 50 MPG indicated when we got back to the dealership. The only additional warranty that I purchased was 4 year 48k mile B-B with all service and a complete front and rear brake job. Another poster said that was well worth $975.
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,312
    They tow it to the nearest dealer and on Friday I get a call around lunchtime asking if it was my Acadia sitting on their lot. So much for Roadside assist passing on the details.

    Here's how my dealer handled a similar issue- Several months ago I was on my way back from an assignment in Northern Ky when my son called and said the low coolant light came on in his X3 and that a couple of minutes later the temp gauge went into the red zone. I have threatened him with a slow and painful death if he drives one of my BMWs any distance with the temperature gauge pegged, so he pulled off as soon as it was safe to do so. I told him to wait until it cooled down and then drive it home(he was @1 mile away). When I got home a quick inspection revealed that the coolant expansion tank had cracked(after "only" 9 years and 148k miles). I really didn't have the time to perform the R&R myself so I used my insurance breakdown coverage and had it towed to my dealer. I called the dealer at 7:30 the following day(Friday) but their phone system was down. However, an advisor soon called me on his own cell phone to find out why the truck was there. About one hour later my regular advisor followed up and confirmed my diagnosis. While I had it there I authorized replacement of the seeping valve cover gasket(another job I had been planning to do). At 12:45 they called and said the car was ready to go- and it was washed and vacuumed when I picked it up. This is why my wife is extremely hesitant to stray from the Munich fold(and this dealer)- and I can't say I blame her. I didn't expect it to be finished before the following Monday; never mind in less than 6 hours. I know of more than a few dealer service departments where the staff would have simply sat on their hands until the phone system was repaired.
    Two BIG thumbs-up to Swope BMW in Louisville, KY!

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Is a very lengthy and grandiose warranty really enough to motivate you, as a buyer, to turn a blind eye to the bad reputation of the product?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited August 2013
    Back in '88 we really wanted one of those new-fangled minivans. At the time, Chrysler offered a special 7/70 drivetrain warranty. That helped a lot with the decision to get into the '89 Voyager, since the transmissions were iffy.

    Turned out I used it three times - but on the head gaskets.

    Another Toyota would have run better most likely, but man, I loved that body style.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,652
    Did Toyota even have anything comparable to Chrysler's minivans in 1988? I thought they were still peddling those dangerous little cabover things by that time. Although, they did bring out the Previa for 1990, I think.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited August 2013
    The Previa would have been great but we couldn't afford one when they did come out. Other than SAD shaft failures, they ran good. I'd probably still be driving it if we had gotten one.

    The other options were those small commercial looking vans around. Or a VW, and their vans were lousy runners.
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    Back when I lived at home, our neighbors bought a Previa after having to many issues with their previous two Caravans. While it was goofy looking, it lasted them trouble free for a long time.

    I think the Chrysler minivans have sold well despite some of the problems they've had simply due to being one of the better designed vans (not necessarily with the mechanicals), they looked better than most inside and out and the few times I've driven them, I think they drove nice too.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    In 1988, they were still importing the cabover van. The Previa was introduced in 1990 and stuck around until 1997.
  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,312
    Is a very lengthy and grandiose warranty really enough to motivate you, as a buyer, to turn a blind eye to the bad reputation of the product?

    No.
    Period.

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    edited August 2013
    I had a 2000 Silverado which had service records folder over two inches thick. This is minor compared to that. The dealer also failed to state that the water pump was under recall. Which I never got a notice for. Imagine that.

    The size of the Acadia is the only thing i like about it. To get this capacity I would have to buy a BOF full sized SUV and it's 12 mpg which I'm not particularly fond of. Guess we'll have to sell one of the dogs with the Acadia.

    True that the water pump would be covered under either the recall or the powertrain but what is more expensive would be replacing the rack and the alignment that you have to do after installing it.

    What's interesting is that the dealer put me in a Mazda 3 which I absolutely cannot stand like the ford Focus I had the other week. Noisy clunky cheap. That's all I can say.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    edited August 2013
    Are you getting anywhere close to the 19 MPG combined EPA rating for the Acadia?

    I looked at them when I started thinking about getting rid of the Sequoia. I talked to an owner that loved his except he could never get over 16 MPG. Which was as bad as what I was driving.
  • tlongtlong Member Posts: 5,194
    I agree with you the Acadia is a nice looking whatever it is. It also has lots of room. Worst part is they are GAS HOGS to the max.

    Typically minivans like Odyssey and Sienna ride better, get better mileage, AND have more room than the the bigger SUVs. Somehow some people think having sliding doors makes them less "manly". I'm not one of them -- I'm all for practicality.

    The only real reason I can see for the large SUVs is either needing off road capability (and how many really do that?) or significant towing.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    I noticed shifting from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd under normal acceleration engine revs to 3K. A 3.6L V6 pulling 4700 pounds with a SUV's wind resistance needs higher revs than a V8 would resulting in the less than favorable mileage that's advertised by GM. I would rate it more like 14 city and 17 hwy and that's without a load.

    You could get 16 mpg out of that Sequoia with the 4.7?
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    ...with a minivan was the green Ford Aerostar van my Dad bought, ironically, after all us kids were already out of the house. It was more like a scaled-down Econoline than what most people think of as a minivan. I rememeber the long skinny shifter that went almost down to the floor. It had a 3.0 V-6, was RWD and I believe was biult on the Ford Ranger truck platform. It was a real bear to remove the rear seat for more cargo room and took two people as it was quite heavy.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    You could get 16 mpg out of that Sequoia with the 4.7?

    Only on highway trips using NON CA gas. Never got over 15 MPG using CA gas. Last trip to Indiana I averaged 17.04 MPG driving 5473 miles. Best tank was 19.81 MPG using Alamagordo, NM gas. Worst was 14.71 MPG on the first leg of the trip using CA gas. Hope to get 30+ on my trip this fall to Indiana. I don't think CA has screwed up the diesel like they have the gas. I will know after this trip.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Minivans could use about two more inches of ground clearance and they'd be about perfect.
  • xrunner2xrunner2 Member Posts: 3,062
    If you don't need to tow or have very heavy loads, the minivans from Honda, Chrysler and Toyota win hands down in people and hauling capacity.

    Had a Chevy Suburban for 14 years, have a Honda Odyssey for 13 years now. Had them side-by-side for over 3 years and the Honda was superior to the Suburban in hauling capacity, handling, comfort and gas mileage.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I would sure give a mini van a go if they built one with a diesel engine. I have sworn off gas rigs FOREVER.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    I don't think CA has screwed up the diesel like they have the gas.

    How much is diesel going for in CA? Last time I rented a diesel F250 it was about $5.15 almost a buck more than regular. I was shocked cause that F250 with 4000 miles gave me 9 mpg with no load and 6-7 mpg with a load.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    At 12:45 they called and said the car was ready to go- and it was washed and vacuumed when I picked it up.

    Wash and vacuumed? I was just glad to get it back in one piece and working. Dealer is located in a dusty area near the airport so I ended up washing it. That's ok with me as long as the water pump didn't leak.

    Second dealer had the Acadia for two whole days to R/R the rack. Service advisor called yesterday at 6 pm stating that the rack was installed and all they had left was the alignment so the vehicle should be ready for pickup between 1:30 and 2 pm. If they opened at 7am that sure makes for a long alignment job to finish at 1:30.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Diesel in CA stays consistently around $4 over the last year. Over the same time period I paid at Costco from $3.45 to $4.49 per gallon for gas. It peaked October 2012 and bottomed January 2013. Currently RUG is $3.65 at Costco and our local Chevron is $4.01 for diesel.

    An F250 diesel that only gets 9 MPG is in bad condition. They should get 18-20 MPG with no load and 12 MPG pulling a 12,000 lb load. That from a friend that hauls cross country with his fifth wheel horse hauler.
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729
    Just get an All Road and call it a day. Good ground clearance and still fun to drive.
    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729
    edited August 2013
    How come when I was looking at Cadillac recently I saw power train warranties much less than the 5 year 100K mile version of what must be only in the past?

    Must of got too expensive to cover!
    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729
    Buying American cars what does it mean? Don't keep it past 3 years.

    I can't agree more with that statement, but frankly, you have to be a sucker to even buy one in the first place. All the writing has been on the walls for years and years now.
    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Fun to drive until the repair bills come in you mean.
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,652
    Buying American cars what does it mean? Don't keep it past 3 years

    I'm thinking about trading my 2012 Ram just before it hits the 5 year mark, which is when the powertrain warranty expires. Bumper-to-bumper is 3/36.

    However, it's getting driven so little, that I doubt it'll even have 30,000 miles on it at the 5 year mark. It'll be one year on September 23, and I think it only has about 4400 miles on it. So unless I start driving more, it may only have 25,000 on it after 5 years.

    My rationale though, is that in theory it should need nothing, other than oil and air filter changes, up to the 5 year mark (unless it proves to be a turd). The tires will still probably even be good. But, at that point it might start needing some maintenance stuff. For instance, even though it would be low mileage, after 5 years I'd think it would need a transmission flush, coolant flush, maybe new belts and hoses. And even though spark plugs last a long time nowadays, when you don't drive much they might still get fouled up.

    So I figure I'll bail on it before it needs any maintenance, and get into something new. Plus, life goes by fast enough, and I'm starting to get the feeling that I don't want to keep driving the same thing forever. I had my old Intrepid for 10 years, from the age of 29 to 39. Bought the Ram at 42, and I'll be 47 at its 5 year mark. I'd imagine that by the time I turn 90 I'll probably have to give up driving. So, if I was to keep cars 10 years like I did that Intrepid, that would mean there are only four new vehicles in my future, after the Ram (assumes trading at age 52, 62, 72, and 82). That's kind of a scary though!

    Although I'd still end up with more vehicles than that, since I'm going to have to replace my 2000 Park Ave, eventually.

    But, I'll see how things are when that Ram hits the 5 year mark. If the economy goes to hell and my finances are shot, I'd hang onto it. And if it ends up proving troublesome early on, it'll be gone long before the 5 year mark!

    I can't agree more with that statement, but frankly, you have to be a sucker to even buy one in the first place. All the writing has been on the walls for years and years now.

    According to Consumer Reports, the Ram has an average reliability rating, I think. So, that's not too bad. I think the GM trucks and F-150 are about the same (although GM just redesigned for 2014 and it's too early to tell with them). The Nissan Titan, I think, was actually rated Much worse than Average! But the Toyota Tundra was either Better, or Much Better than Average.

    I've heard people complain about the styling of the Tundra, but personally, I don't mind it. However, I'm sure a Tundra would have cost a lot more than my Ram did. And while it might do better at resale time, pickups in general do tend to hold their value anyway, so I don't think I'd take too much of a bath, trading in the Ram.
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,054
    Do you have a link, andres3? I find it very hard to believe that a Sonic has a longer powertrain warranty than a Cadillac.

    Not that there's ever been anything completely false, factually, posted about GM here before. ;)
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • greg128greg128 Member Posts: 526
    "pickups in general do tend to hold their value anyway"

    Yes they do. I paid $14 after rebates for the least expensive full size truck in 2006 - a 4.3L manual trans Silverado 2wd work truck. AC & CD were standard and it actually had a couple of options: rear window, heavy duty suspension and tinted glass. I think it would sell for at least $9K today which after 7 years would only average out to about $700 per year in deprciation. Of course loaded up trucks lose alot more.\

    It has been a good truck.Very reliable and actually gets a lot better mileage than some older 6 cyl F-150's we have had. The truck has the coldest AC I have ever experienced in a vehicle (probably due to the lack of back seat)
    But the manual trans is the low point. Very balky. The old 4.3 V-6 is a solid engine. We had an Astro that went 320K.
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    edited August 2013
    According to the Cadillac website, the power train warranty on new models is now 70K miles, dropping from the previous 100K miles...

    "Cadillac 4-year/50,000-mile1 Bumper-to-Bumper Limited Warranty with no deductible
    Cadillac 6-year/70,000-mile1 Transferable Powertrain Limited Warranty with no deductible for 2013 models (5-years/100,000-miles1 for 2012 and older models).
    Cadillac 6-year/70,000-mile1 Roadside Assistance for 2013 models (5-years/100,000-miles1 for 2012 and older models).
    Cadillac 6-year/70,000-mile1 Courtesy Transportation for 2013 models (5-years/100,00-miles1 for 2012 and older models)"
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    "Is a very lengthy and grandiose warranty really enough to motivate you, as a buyer, to turn a blind eye to the bad reputation of the product? "

    After my "experience" in the mid 1980's with my new Chevy S10 Blazer, I wouldn't have touched another Chevrolet product for years, even if the warranty covered 100% of every item's cost, and lasted the rest of my lifetime.

    It took me 16 years to muster the courage to try another GM product after that fiasco...
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    An F250 diesel that only gets 9 MPG is in bad condition.

    After reading about them I thought the same way until I had the chance to rent two others with the same result. With diesel at $5 and mileage so bad can't figure buying a Ford diesel anytime soon. Course I usually drive half tons anyway.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    I can't agree more with that statement, but frankly, you have to be a sucker to even buy one in the first place. All the writing has been on the walls for years and years now.

    I'm picking up the vehicle today. Whether I make it home or trade on the way home we shall see. What's unfortunate is that there's nothing offered by the foreign makes in this size. I don't want to end up with an Armada or Sequoia.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    >Not that there's ever been anything completely false, factually, posted about GM here before.

    Rofl

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Looking at Fuelly.com there are 406 owners of Ford F250 Super Duty diesels. Average for the lot 1997 to 2013 is 15 MPG. Only two out of the 406 averaged 9 MPG. 5 averaged 21 MPG. scanning through I see one of the 9 MPG is actually a gasser pulling a 9800lb trailer. The year I had a Diesel Sprinter RV I never got under 20.26 MPG. According to a note in the spreadsheet that was crossing TX on Interstate 10 with heavy headwinds.

    http://www.fuelly.com/car/ford/f-250%20super%20duty/diesel%20v8

    It is obvious you don't like diesels and that is fine. You can always come to San Diego CA and pay $4.89 a gallon for RUG. And $5.09 for Premium.
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    But, at that point it might start needing some maintenance stuff. For instance, even though it would be low mileage, after 5 years I'd think it would need a transmission flush, coolant flush, maybe new belts and hoses. And even though spark plugs last a long time nowadays, when you don't drive much they might still get fouled up.

    Unless your miles are mostly under 10 - 15 minutes one way, I don't think it will need any of those items. Plugs will be barely used. A tranny flush? No way..in fact better to stay away from tran flushing. I hear all the time that it causes more issues than it saves. It is a revenue generator for the dealership. Belts and hoses? No way, unless you happen to have gotten a bad batch of rubber. A belt maybe, ONLY if it was a faulty one from new AND had a faulty tensioner to boot. Highly unlikely. Coolant might be 10 year coolant. Check your OM. My 05 Honda came with 10 year coolant. If you think a Jiffy Lube might have at one time "topped it up" with regular coolant, then that action alone will degrade the long life coolant to regular life coolant. Put a padlock on anything with a lid if you go to Jiffy Lube type joints..but check things yourself. Pick a none humid day if you ever find you have to remove the brake fluid reservoir cap.

    I'd be more concerned with wiring connection glitches if you think you ended up with a bad truck and the stalling becomes an ongoing challenge to fix. If after 2 attempts at the same dealer without success, definitely source a new head at a different dealer. Could be a software reflash type thing. Or could be a bigger PITA, who knows. 2nd opinions with a fresh head are key to stuff like this if the same guy can't fix it.
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    edited August 2013
    I'm inclined to agree with you, except for two tradeoffs that would be noticeable in all but the most sedate of owners. FE would suffer, and cuz of the situp type seating, it contributes to an already higher than average CoG, so made worse by that extra 2". Even sedate drivers would pay a FE penalty though...just can't get around it.

    A solution would be an AWD model with optional grd clearance spacing, and a turbo diesel. A man can dream..
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I sort of remember being able to comfortably inch under my Voyager to change the oil. I do that in the Quest too, but I'm not able to get very far under there and it's a stretch to reach the plug.

    We did tear off the brake equalizer one trip into the boonies on the Voyager but I still think it had more GC than the Quest.

    The other irritant is the Voyager came with 14 or 15" tires (per TireRack - I don't remember what we had). Yet it still managed to clear most stuff that we drive.
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    When I had my 89 Voyager, I used to just drive it onto 4 short pieces of 2x6. Made the difference. My CRV is the MOST annoying vehicle I have ever had to change the oil on. Its grd clearance isn't much better than the minivans, and worse, the oil filter is in never never land at the back of the engine right near where the exhaust manifold is. The oil filter was great to access on the 3.0 Mitsubishi on the 89.
  • uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,054
    edited August 2013
    What the original poster failed to note was that the length of the powertrain warranty has increased one year:

    "How come when I was looking at Cadillac recently I saw power train warranties much less than the 5 year 100K mile version of what must be only in the past?"

    Six years is "much less" than five years? ;)

    On our 2011 Malibu, we've put about 15K annually.

    So at the end of five years, we'd still be covered. With the new warranty, we'd be covered less than five.

    I don't know what the average mileage is these days, but I suspect we're above average in mileage.

    Here's what Caddy's website says about the change:

    "Cadillac-specific data shows that the majority of Cadillac owners will reach the 5-year warranty expiration faster than the 100,000-mile threshold. By changing the term to 6-year/70,000-mile1, Cadillac is committed in providing you with an additional 12 months of coverage."

    It seems like they'd cover powertrain for 72K miles in six years.

    What are BMW's, Acura's, Infiniti's, Benz's powertrain warranties?
    2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    edited August 2013
    What are BMW's, Acura's, Infiniti's, Benz's powertrain warranties?

    Don't know about the Japanese. The MB, BMW, AUDI diesel SUVs I looked at were all 4 year 50k miles bumper to bumper. No separate powertrain warranty. The VW Touareg TDI Lux is the only vehicle in the class with 10 years 100k mile power train warranty. I think they keep the years short to cover their leases and offer high priced additional warranties to those that might keep the vehicles longer. I bought the 7 yr 70k mile extended warranty on both my Sequoia and Nissan PU truck. So the granddaughter that bought our Sequoia has a year of platinum Toyota warranty and 34k miles.

    I must add I am not thrilled with the Nissan extended warranty. They did not cover the windshield washer tank when it sprang a leak. $258 to replace. I like the truck ok, I don't think I would buy another. Probably just keep this one till the wheels fall off. I am hoping Ford brings their world class Ranger diesel to the US market.
  • busirisbusiris Member Posts: 3,490
    Especially in the LUX brands, warranties can be a significant part of the sales equation. As you noted, brands like BMW carry 4-year, 50K mile warranties.... Which supports the way so many BMW's are marketed. 3 year leases are big, and a remaining year of warranty for the secondary buyer to feel comfortable purchasing the used car.

    Make the warranty too short, and buyers shy away from technically advanced autos, both in primary sales and secondary sales, for obvious reasons.

    OTOH, make them too long, and the manufacturer discourages "trading up" to a newer model every 3 years or so, and it also has a tendency to "spike up" resale values, cutting out a segment of potential buyers in the secondary market.

    Of course, a manufacturer can offer extended warranties on new cars (longer than their competitors) as a sales "enhancement" for a while, which is what I'm guessing Cadillac has done. Caddie is now simply bringing them more in line (slowly) with its perceived competition.

    Personally, as a younger man, I would have preferred higher mileage warranties over longer period ones, because with young children, I really put the miles on a car. Now that the kids are gone, so has most of my mileage, and accordingly a longer period warranty has more appeal to me today.

    So, is changing a 5-year, 100K mile warranty to a 6-year, 70K warranty a cut or an enhancement?

    It all depends on how many miles one drives a year.
  • scwmcanscwmcan Member Posts: 399
    What no diesel Colorado for you? It is supposed to be here in 2015, I know it is GM but it is what you have been asking for.
  • marsha7marsha7 Member Posts: 3,703
    "I wonder if more people these days are having to get their parents or other relatives to co-sign for their loans these days?"

    Not if they listen to old Bob the lawyer (that's me)...a good number of my Chapter 7s are folks who WERE the co-signers for their brother/son/daughter/cousin/best friend, and then that person failed to make the FIRST payment, suddenly my client is stuck with a repo with a deficiency balance of somewhere between $7-20K...I have all of those clients do this:

    'Raise your right hand and repeat after me, three time...I will NEVER co-sign for another person for the next $500 years...I will NEVER co-sign for another person for the next $500 years...I will NEVER co-sign for another person for the next $500 years..."

    And, they usually start smiling, realizing that they really do have the power to say "no" to whoever the close friend or close relative may be...

    What a sense of freedom...it is a rewarding part of what I do...free folks from what they thought was their "obligation" to do...
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I would rather loan someone the money as to co-sign for them. It is the dumbest thing to do. That is right up there with putting your home up as collateral for a family member to get a business loan. I don't know anyone that has made out putting up money for a family member to start a business. Don't lend to family and friends anymore than you can afford to lose.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    What no diesel Colorado for you? It is supposed to be here in 2015, I know it is GM but it is what you have been asking for.

    I read about them coming to America. And for a minute I thought maybe. Then I remember the lousy 2005 GMC Sierra Hybrid and canceled the thought from my mind. The Canyon/Colorado were such junky trucks in their gas versions. I don't imagine they will get any better. They have been out of production for how long and there are still new ones on dealers lots. I would rather see the T6 Ranger diesels here. Only midsized truck that competes on the World market with the HiLux diesels. In fairness to GM, the Ford Ranger built and sold here the last few years was junk as well. I had one and hated it. No way in a league with the Nissan Frontier I have now. Which to me is superior to the Tacoma.
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    I simply can't imagine sticking a family member, friend, or even a stranger for a debt I incurred, with their generosity.. and trust in me no less! The thought of defaulting on them is abhorrent me.

    One time many years ago I was down in the city and came across a purchase potential of an 89 Toyota Cressida. My intent was to buy it and turn it over for a profit. I was staying at my best friend's place and asked him if he could loan me $6600.00 which I would repay as soon as I got home about 3 days later and could do some banking. He didn't blink an eye. Cuz he knew I was good for it. Trust and friendship like that, a price can't be put on. It is a shame so many of your customers will never know that quality of life. Losers every single one.. pffftttt
    I just can't relate..even though I am not so naive that abuse like that exists.

    Freedom? Freedom is knowing a friend has my back, just as they know I would have theirs.
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    I used to have an 86 Nissan 2WD p/u I bought from a friend of mine. He was going to trade it on an 87 Pathfinder, which coincidently I also ended up owning many years later. One of my fav old trucks that I have spoken fondly of here more than once in the past.

    In 86, they weren't calling the p/u a Frontier yet.

    I'm quite interested to learn some of the details of your experiences and why you prefer the Frontier you have now over any Tacoma. My bros has had a new Tacoma every few years for the last decade, and I have borrowed it on occasion. It had its strengths, but overall I know I would never buy one because it had the same type of chassis shudder over bumps that a new 2011 CRV had when I demo'd it. Imagine every little bump having 2 or 3 extra concussion bumbs after. That was my biggest beef with it. My 86 though exhibited no such traits.

    I did like the 2.7 inline 4 and 4 sp auto though. Toyota had it dialed for the best compromise of shift down when needed, but FE being its primary goal.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I have loaned money and borrowed money as you mentioned. That is not the same as co-signing on a loan and finding out 6 months after the fact it is in arrears and your credit is shot to hell. Not sure how it works in Canada. I made the mistake of giving a lady friend a CC to take her children on a little vacation. $7500 in 27 days and AMEX at the time was pay up when the bill comes. I did not have that kind of money. I quickly canceled the card and she ran up another $5000 before they got around to cancelling. Needless to say it put a hit on my pristine credit that took years to get back where it was before that. Live and learn. I can tell you story after story of guys in the Oilfields that loaned money to people to get businesses started and lost it all. People that make good money are targets for family members to hit on. Not everyone feels obligated to repay loans they take out. Look at the millions of foreclosures in the USA today.
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