Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

imidazol97 · January 2015

ab348 said:
Getting old always sucks....

You have to be tough to take all that comes with getting old.

robr2 · January 2015

driver100 said:

graphicguy said:
Did a little calculation last night with the wife. We figure we'll saive $2,000 between the two of us, just in gasoline purchases this year wehn compared to 2013 and the first 3/4 of 2014.

Now, you want a shot in the arm for the economy? There it is.

That's a substantial wallet booster.
That's great. But wait until the government realizes all the tax revenue they are losing....especially sales tax at the state level. You can pay me now or you can pay me later.

Only 7 states charge a sales tax on gas. All the others charge a per gallon tax.

ab348 · January 2015

robr2 said:

Only 7 states charge a sales tax on gas. All the others charge a per gallon tax.

Up here in Nova Scotia, we get charged both. To add insult to injury, the sales tax is applied after the per liter tax is added, so it is taxing the tax.

explorerx4 · January 2015

My Escape has a display that shows the power going to the wheels. Since all 4 showed power, I'm confident I have an AWD model. It starts out putting power to all 4 wheels, then at some point only to the front.

I know gas prices are low, but I'll save some money no matter what, because my old Explorer got 12-14 mpg in the winter and the Escape is showing around 25 mpg. Not only that, the defroster actually works.

Several weeks ago, I asked for an internet quote from the dealer I bought the CPO Escape on a new vehicle.
Got an email acknowledgement for sending the request, but never heard anything else.

A few days later, I got an email survey including asking if I got a response. I replied that I had not, but the survey asked if I still wanted one and I replied that I did.

Today, I got a call asking if I got a response to my prior requests. I told them no and I didn't need one anymore.
I did tell them I bought something else at that dealership anyway.

venture · January 2015

explorerx4 said:
My Escape has a display that shows the power going to the wheels. Since all 4 showed power, I'm confident I have an AWD model. It starts out putting power to all 4 wheels, then at some point only to the front.

I know gas prices are low, but I'll save some money no matter what, because my old Explorer got 12-14 mpg in the winter and the Escape is showing around 25 mpg. Not only that, the defroster actually works.

Several weeks ago, I asked for an internet quote from the dealer I bought the CPO Escape on a new vehicle.
Got an email acknowledgement for sending the request, but never heard anything else.

A few days later, I got an email survey including asking if I got a response. I replied that I had not, but the survey asked if I still wanted one and I replied that I did.

Today, I got a call asking if I got a response to my prior requests. I told them no and I didn't need one anymore.
I did tell them I bought something else at that dealership anyway.

If you look on the lift gate, on the right side, it should say EcoBoost 4WD.

Sandman6472 · January 2015

It boiled down to a miscommunication really...the tire expert knew upon walking over to my vehicle that they had put on 16" alloys/tires, I always assumed the TDI's all had 17" ones and no one else thought differently. I figured I paid for 17" ones and since the issue is almost gone with them, I told management that's what i wanted in the end. They let me choose between a new Jetta sedan and wagon whichever set I wanted but I had to tell them within 10 minutes because it was already about 5:15 and they closed at 6. So just like my old '06 Civic which had alloys from a '05 Civic SI, my '15 Golf has alloys from a '15 Jetta sedan. Just like anything else, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and I just didn't like the stock alloys but loved the TDI's. If they never had had any issue with the shaking/vibration, I'd never ever know what size alloys they were until I went to purchase new tires and found out...what a surprise that would've been!
All's well that ends well I guess and just hope the dealership doesn't make out too badly here but they have a happy customer and also doubt they'll ever do it again in the future. But if they do, bet they'll make sure the alloys are the same size!
Love my Golf TSI!!!

The Sandman

explorerx4 · January 2015

@venture, HA HA, sometimes you overlook the obvious.

ab348 · January 2015

Sandy, any chance of posting a picture of the Golf with the wheels?

Sandman6472 · January 2015

Once I figure out how to! Have it on my smartphone but being the tech challenged guy that I am, have no clue as how to do it!

The Sandman

imidazol97 · January 2015

sandman_6472 said:
It boiled down to a miscommunication really...the tire expert knew upon walking over to my vehicle that they had put on 16" alloys/tires

Are the computers calibrate for the size wheel and size tire on the wheel for both speedometer accuracy and moreso for pollution control as to how the engine runs? Since your car came with 17's you should be back to correct operation. During the time with 16-inch wheels, you may have been getting erroneous speed and engine control data.

sandman_6472 said:
... since the issue is almost gone with them, I told management that's what i wanted in the end.

That's the one part that bothers me when you say, "Is almost gone." I'd rather hear you say there is no noticeable problem with shake from the wheels.

GM has some wheel uneveness noticeable on the H and C bodies back in the '02 and '03 era. The problem went back to the rubber bushings on the moving parts in the suspension and the weight (mass) of the new, lighter alloy suspension parts being lower. The lower weight was affected more by imbalance of the tires and/or uneveness in the rotation heights of the wheel and tire combinations (out of roundness under load).

One solution was that GM on certain cars would replace the tires with Michelins (mine came with Michelins which why I picked the model and wheel that I did for the 03 leSabre). Another thing they did was to use Road Force balancing by Hunter company balancers which measures the uneveness in the compression of the tire under the weight of the car. GM also changed the rubber parts in certain locations on certain models (Bonneville specifically).

So my suggestion is if there is still some imbalance you perceive, try having the tires balanced or at least checked at a knowledgeable store using the Hunter Road Force balancer, ideally your VW dealer itself. Hunter's website helps you locate stores which have the Road Force balancer by your zipcode.

http://www.hunter.com/balancer/roadforce/videos.cfm
http://www.gsp9700.com/search/findgsp9700.cfm

driver100 · January 2015

fezo said:
"That's great. But wait until the government realizes all the tax revenue they are losing....especially sales tax at the state level. You can pay me now or you can pay me later."

The gas tax is a flat amount; not a percentage. The price won't decrease government revenues; it will increase them as people buy more gas.

I may pop an extra road trip in this year.

I believe state tax is added as a percentage. I think that's the one that is going to get hit.

Too late...I saw your explanation rob...only 7 states charge sales tax. They are missing out on a good thing....for themselves, don't know how they missed that cash cow.

oldfarmer50 · January 2015

venture said:
I'll give you the links so it doesn't scare you all at once.

http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/part_details.asp?PartKeyField=24544

or

http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/part_details.asp?PartKeyField=24547

or

http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/part_details.asp?PartKeyField=24549

Yeah, I looked it up myself and that's some pretty pricey sound. You can get some axel-back mufflers for about half what the Ford borla system goes for.

stickguy · January 2015

the car won't really know the difference between the 16s and 17s IM. VW scaled them so the overall diameter is the same (or as close as you can come). Basically bigger wheel, thinner tire sidewall, and you end up with the same overall D.

imidazol97 · January 2015

.

abacomike · January 2015

stickguy said:

the car won't really know the difference between the 16s and 17s IM. VW scaled them so the overall diameter is the same (or as close as you can come). Basically bigger wheel, thinner tire sidewall, and you end up with the same overall D.

Stick, I believe that you are correct. When I contacted Mercedes about my speedometer settings and odometer settings, they told me the settings are the same for the 19" wheels and tires as they are for the standard 18". It's the "total diameter" of the wheel + the tire that is considered. The 18" wheels take 245/40 and 265/35 tires (front/rear) and the 19" wheels take 245/35 and 275/30 tires (front/rear). The 18" and 19" total diameters are the same - thus speed and mileage settings are the same.

js06gv · January 2015

oldfarmer50 said:

js06gv said:

oldfarmer50 said:

js06gv said:
I had forgotten about Bruce Williams and how much I used to enjoy his show so I googled too. Found he came back on in 2012 and left again in 2013. There are archived podcasts here. Listening to one right now. http://www.brucewilliams.com/about_bruce.html
That picture someone posted doesn't jive with the mental image I had of him. Use to listen to him on the radio during long drives on the job back in the 80s.

Say how are you liking your new Mustang? The one I drove seemed almost too quiet for a GT. I was wondering if I would have to install custom mufflers to get the proper sound.
Love love love the car. And couldn't agree more on the sound, way too quiet and "refined," which is something I wrote about when I test drove my first '15 back in Nov. I shuffled it over to my regular muffler shop by day 4 of ownership, and had the same Borla mufflers installed that I had on my '11. It was the first '15 the shop got in, and the owner said that the exhaust setup had changed from what Mustangs have had for years. I don't remember all the particulars, but I'm pretty sure he said there was an additional resonator that Ford put in there, I'm sure to achieve the quietness that guys like you and I think is TOO quiet. He told me the car would have some more rumble with the Borlas, but it would probably still be a little quieter than the '11 unless I wanted him to also remove the resonator. He suggested I drive it for awhile with just the mufflers changed out to see how I liked it, and he could always do the additional work later if I wanted it. Turns out that the balance of some more sound and highway drivability is perfect, at least to me. He was right about it being quieter than the '11 but I actually like it better and everyone who has been in the car comments about how great it sounds. The best way I can describe this Mustang compared to the previous gen is more "grown up" and my current muffler setup is consistent with that. I may also change the tips out too but haven't decided for sure.
That sounds perfect. For me I'd like to hear a little burble of the v8 without giving up the ability to listens to the radio. That you did it by just changing out the mufflers is encouraging. Was it costly?

If Ford were smart they would offer a muffler option.

Cost me $390 parts and labor.

Sandman6472 · January 2015

They have one at my VW store according to the website. Seems they've already done that with the 16" ones and hopefully they did it, checked, the new wheels/tires before they went on Thursday, think they did it. The other Golf TSI we drove with the same original 17" wheels on it had the slight vibration/shaking when we took it on the same route so it seems normal for this vehicle. Will see what happens when I get some miles on the new wheels/tires since they came off a brand new vehicle with under 10 miles on the clock. Need to see how things feel once they get some additional wear on them. They look almost as nice as the ones from the TDI model and things will be fine now. All I know is that I didn't have to accept alloys I really hated, I didn't have to settle because I would never have bought the vehicle if that were the case.

The Sandman

driver100 · January 2015

stickguy said:
the car won't really know the difference between the 16s and 17s IM. VW scaled them so the overall diameter is the same (or as close as you can come). Basically bigger wheel, thinner tire sidewall, and you end up with the same overall D.

I think this is the way the SE comes standard....I like these (17") wheels....personally,

Then there are these wheels and they look pretty nice:

stickguy · January 2015

I like the top one. Not the bottom one though. I am not a fan of thick spokes like that. And I never cared for the pizza pie plate/phone dial style GTI wheels.

fezo · January 2015

graphicguy said:

fezo said:

ab348 said:
Getting old always sucks....
Nah. Beats the alternative. Had surgery for a trigger thumb yesterday, Hurt like a son of a gun and was worse yesterday late but way better this morning. Heavily bandaged until Wednesday and the just a waterproof band aid over the stitches until February 4. I feel like Kilgore Trout in Breakfast of Champions - "Make me young!"
fezo...I can honestly say that you are back to your old self....which is great to note.

Thanks. Made my day. Well, my evening anyway... At any rate I liked that!

ab348 · January 2015

I think the bottom pic is the current GTI with its new wheel design. I like the upper version as well.

Sandman6472 · January 2015

My new ones have 5 areas of 3 spokes so it looks to have more spokes closer together...they came off a '15 Jetta with the Connectivity Package. The ones from the '15 Jetta Wagon had 5 areas of dual spokes, they were a bit thinner but showed more of the ugly calipers. All about personal preference really and now, mine looks more distinctive and different than any other Golf out there. Looking at the stock wheels that came on my TSI, they aren't that bad looking but they just did not appeal to my sense of style for this vehicle. The more I see mine, the more I am liking them, a good thing! I really am very happy!!!

The Sandman

stickguy · January 2015

the trick to really open wheels is to paint the calipers.

qbrozen · January 2015

Not sure this link will work, but here it is:
http://mapleshadeford.mobi/#Vehicle36233525

So they CPO'd it, slapped on new rubber, and priced it about $4500 over what they gave me. Not bad. Although it is more than I paid for it new.

driver100 · January 2015

qbrozen said:
Not sure this link will work, but here it is:
http://mapleshadeford.mobi/#Vehicle36233525

So they CPO'd it, slapped on new rubber, and priced it about $4500 over what they gave me. Not bad. Although it is more than I paid for it new.

QB, that has to be the worlds worst car dealer site. Try linking it to the exact car. The site lists by models but you have to check each car individually. At least they may make a good profit on that baby.

imidazol97 · January 2015

driver100 said:
Try linking it to the exact car.

Here's the link driver, http://holmanlincolnmapleshade.com/South-Jersey-Philadelphia/For-Sale/Used/Ford/Mustang/2013-GT-Blue-Car/36233525/

qbrozen · January 2015

sorry, i had posted the link from my phone. Thanks, imid.

I actually think the markup is not bad for a buyer considering CPO and new tires. They didn't clean the inside very well before taking the pics. Anyway, with the warranty, they should be in it for $23-23.5k. Hope they aren't banking on the extended warranty I paid for because I'm working on canceling it (not terribly easy with Ford, it turns out).

oldfarmer50 · January 2015

js06gv said:

oldfarmer50 said:

js06gv said:

oldfarmer50 said:

js06gv said:
I had forgotten about Bruce Williams and how much I used to enjoy his show so I googled too. Found he came back on in 2012 and left again in 2013. There are archived podcasts here. Listening to one right now. http://www.brucewilliams.com/about_bruce.html
That picture someone posted doesn't jive with the mental image I had of him. Use to listen to him on the radio during long drives on the job back in the 80s.

Say how are you liking your new Mustang? The one I drove seemed almost too quiet for a GT. I was wondering if I would have to install custom mufflers to get the proper sound.
Love love love the car. And couldn't agree more on the sound, way too quiet and "refined," which is something I wrote about when I test drove my first '15 back in Nov. I shuffled it over to my regular muffler shop by day 4 of ownership, and had the same Borla mufflers installed that I had on my '11. It was the first '15 the shop got in, and the owner said that the exhaust setup had changed from what Mustangs have had for years. I don't remember all the particulars, but I'm pretty sure he said there was an additional resonator that Ford put in there, I'm sure to achieve the quietness that guys like you and I think is TOO quiet. He told me the car would have some more rumble with the Borlas, but it would probably still be a little quieter than the '11 unless I wanted him to also remove the resonator. He suggested I drive it for awhile with just the mufflers changed out to see how I liked it, and he could always do the additional work later if I wanted it. Turns out that the balance of some more sound and highway drivability is perfect, at least to me. He was right about it being quieter than the '11 but I actually like it better and everyone who has been in the car comments about how great it sounds. The best way I can describe this Mustang compared to the previous gen is more "grown up" and my current muffler setup is consistent with that. I may also change the tips out too but haven't decided for sure.
That sounds perfect. For me I'd like to hear a little burble of the v8 without giving up the ability to listens to the radio. That you did it by just changing out the mufflers is encouraging. Was it costly?

If Ford were smart they would offer a muffler option.
Cost me $390 parts and labor.

That's downright cheap. The system in Venture's video listed for over $1300 on the one site I viewed.

Wonder if you could just replace that resonator with a straight pipe. I remember resonators being the size of a coffee can. That one in Venture's video looks the size of a suitcase.

driver100 · January 2015

imidazol97 said:

driver100 said:
Try linking it to the exact car.
Here's the link driver, http://holmanlincolnmapleshade.com/South-Jersey-Philadelphia/For-Sale/Used/Ford/Mustang/2013-GT-Blue-Car/36233525/

Thanks for the link imid. That's a great looking car...I am thinking of putting in an offer. The site looks much better once you get to the actual car. I noticed most of these sites don't show mileage, I guess that is how they get you to reply.

QB, how did you get the car for less than they are selling it for now...refresh my failing memory. I wish I could buy a new car every year and only lose a few $1000 on it!

henryn · January 2015

driver100 said:

imidazol97 said:

driver100 said:
Try linking it to the exact car.
Here's the link driver, http://holmanlincolnmapleshade.com/South-Jersey-Philadelphia/For-Sale/Used/Ford/Mustang/2013-GT-Blue-Car/36233525/

Thanks for the link imid. That's a great looking car...I am thinking of putting in an offer. The site looks much better once you get to the actual car. I noticed most of these sites don't show mileage, I guess that is how they get you to reply.

QB, how did you get the car for less than they are selling it for now...refresh my failing memory. I wish I could buy a new car every year and only lose a few $1000 on it!

It's not that hard. Wait for the end of the model year, and buy a car or truck that has a lot of factory incentives (direct or hidden). Last fall, anyone could buy a 2014 Mustang GT for around $25,600 (less than they're asking for Q's used 2013).

Right now, you can buy a left over 2014 Honda CR-V for $2,000 to $2,500 under invoice. A year from now, the dealers will be selling used 2014's for more than that.

qbrozen · January 2015

truecar. 2014s were on the lot. The usual story. I can't remember the total discount. I think MSRP was $31k'ish? But, anyway, yeah, $25,600.

driver100 · January 2015

qbrozen said:
truecar. 2014s were on the lot. The usual story. I can't remember the total discount. I think MSRP was $31k'ish? But, anyway, yeah, $25,600.

Excellent. Don't forget to change the picture in your info...I'd like to see the V!

driver100 · January 2015

Henryn, That would explain it....thanks. Sounds like a good system if you want a new car every year. Dealers like getting rid of last years models and used cars are in demand...that works!

verdugo · January 2015

driver100 said:
I wish I could buy a new car every year and only lose a few $1000 on it!

Pfft, that's nothing. Mike doesn't lose anything!

verdugo · January 2015

Here's my sales story.

Now that I'm back in town after the holidays I decided to try again to buy a new vehicle.

This is what I was looking for:

- Good vehicle to go drive to the mountains to go skiing -- 4x4, high ground clearance
- Good vehicle to do some easy/medium off road -- 4x4, ground clearance, air suspension a plus
- Very good technology -- I tend to be an early adopter technology wise
- Very good lights -- It gets dark out in the mountains
- Powerful engine. Steep 2 lane roads with very short passing zones mean I need a powerful engine. We drive from 200 ft above see level to 8000 above sea level in less than 100 miles.
- Good daily driver. Reality is that most of the time I'll be driving it in town.

I looked at these SUV's:

- Ford Explorer Sport
- Land Rover LR4 HSE
- Lexus GX 460 Premium
- Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland

Here are my impressions:

Ford Explorer Sport
Only got as far as web research. I discarded it because of almost sedan-like ground clearance. And as far as I could tell, you couldn't get HID lights in the Sport trim, which is the only one trim that has the V6 Ecoboost.

Land Rover LR4 HSE
Very nice, but small dealership. Decorated like a cabin, hunting or ski lodge. Friendly salesperson.
Inventory is extremely limited. They only had a LR4 HSE Luxury which had a price of over $70k!!!
With the Heavy Duty Package ($1350) it had the best off road performance of the group.
Also had some nice features for driving to the mountains (heated windshield, adaptive HID lights.)
It had the 360 view (with multiple cameras, which was pretty cool)
Interior was luxurious.
Ventilated seats would be great in our 100F summers

What I didn't like was:
Tiny screen for the radio/navigation
V6. It's turobocharged and HP and torque numbers were good, but I wish they still offered the V8 they offered a couple of years ago.
No Power liftgage.
Price.

Bottom line: While I really liked it, it was outside of my budget.

Lexus GX 460 Premium
Big dealership in an automall. It was nicely decorated, but it looked 80'ish.
Very friendly, good salesmen.
The GX4560 was redesigned last year I think.
It now has the same Lexus grill as the rest of the lineup. You either like it or hate it. I liked it.
The sides and back still look like they did before.
It's a Lexus so fit and finish were great
Good size screen for the radio/navigation
LED low beam and fog lights
Locking differential.

What I didn't like was:
Halogen high beams. Really Lexus? Obiouvsly not as good as HID or LED, but it also made the car look ugly.
Even thought it was a V8, it had less HP and torque than the LR's V6
While the interior had excellent fit and finish, it looked dated to me
Lexus didn't bring some of the more useufl off roading features into the US. So no terrain management. I don't think an air suspension is available even outside the US.
Side gate rather than a liftgate. It was huge and heavy and obviously not power.
No ventilated seats
This SUV felt like an afterthought for Lexus. The brochure and website were pretty light on details. Like they phoned it it in. It's not a big seller for Lexus, but I expected a bit more.

Bottom line: For the amount of money they wanted (less than the LR4) the value wasn't there. Lackluster V8, aged interior, and not the best features for offroading.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland
I didn't go to a dealership this time around since I'm familiar with it.

US Made. It's no longer an American company, but at least it's still made in the US.
Best from a technology point of view.
Most powerful V8 of all vehicles.
Air suspension and terrain management system
With the addition of the Off Road Package II very good off road creds.
Luxurious interior
Ventilated seats would be great in our 100F summers
Cheaper than the Land Rover and Lexus. There are rebates, and dealers willing to negotiate

What I didn't like:
HID lights are not adaptive (they don't turn with the car) and no headlight washers

Bottom line: For the price, best value for the money. Might not be as luxurious as the LR4 and a little bit less capable than the LR4, but it's $12k cheaper.

Decision made. I'm going with the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

To be Continued

verdugo · January 2015

Once I decided on the Grand Cherokee, it was time to find one.

Apparently the configuration I want is pretty rare (V8, Off Road Package II, and Advanced Technology package.)

I got lucky and there was only one within 200 miles of my house. Luckily it was a dealership 30 miles away.

I fill out a e-price request form and wait. Within a couple of hours I get a call from Jeep concierge checking in to see if the dealership had contacted me. They hadn't.

A few hours later the dealership contacts me and asks me "What were you looking for?" Ugh, I filled out an e-price request form for a specific vehicle and you're asking me this. I talked to the saleswoman. Very nice and helpful. The dealership opened 9 days ago, so I decided to cut them a bit of slack. She told me that they are a no haggle dealership. They are not on commission. Instead they make money based on customer satisfaction. (Good luck with that long term. I really wish them well.)

Turns out the Grand Cherokee I wanted had been dealer traded a couple of days ago, but their website (and jeep.com) hadn't been updated. Sure enough the next day the GC was gone from their website and jeep.com showed it as 'in transit' to another dealer. There was only one that had all the options I wanted down in LA (I'm in Sacramento,) but it had a bunch of extra options. They weren't options I was interested in, so I passed.

While they kept looking, she wanted to talk price. She gave me a price that was ok. Something that bothered me was that she said that the dealership was giving me an extra $500 off. It was a Jeep rebate, not a dealership one. I also qualified for an extra $1000 rebate. With that, they were still $1000 above the price that I could get from trucar.com.

At this point I should also mention that through work I get a car buying service through TruCar.com. The quoted price was the same as from the regular TruCar.com price, but it made me feel that it was a good price (7.37% below MSRP before rebates, 10.17% below MSRP with rebates.)

It became obvious that there was nothing out there that matched what I wanted and they kept suggesting GC's that had extra options or suggesting the one GC that they had in stock that didn't have everything I wanted. That was annoying. How many times do I have to tell them no to the GC they had in stock? It became clear that I would have to do a factory order.

The price they came back with (I broke my 'you only get one shot' rule because they were a new dealership, it was a factory order, and we were talking over email/phone) was $200 above what the TruCar price was. I said ok. Let's work with this dealership. I wanted to support them (family run) and I didn't know if the TruCar price was "real" or where the participating dealerships were. You don't find that out until after you submit your information.

When we finally get around to talking details about the factory order, they gave me wrong information about the rebates. From previous Jeep factory orders, I know that you can pick the better of the rebates from when you order or when you receive the vehicle. This dealership told me that if the GC arrived after the existing rebates expired, that I would lose the rebate. They clearly had no idea what they were talking about. Added to the fact that they weren't quite up to running yet (my saleswoman had to email me from her manager's email account because that was the only computer that had internet access,) just didn't give me a good impression. As much as I wanted to go with them, I decided not to. A few days later I got an email from the general manager of the dealership touching base in case his salespeople hadn't yet had a chance to talk to me, huh? It made me feel better about my decision not to go with them. I hope they get their act together.

I had filled out the TruCar form to confirm that the price was real. And before I knew it, a dealer had contacted me. He was also located 30 miles from my house in the opposite direction. He knew exactly what I wanted. Told me the price would be honored even on a factory ordered (when I got the quote it said "valid on in stock vehicles only.")

This salesperson also answered my questions via his own email account. He had the correct information about the rebates. Furthermore, he knew that the color I wanted was not available until mid February (I had forgotten about that. The plant is making some changes to the paint shop.)

So I placed the order with a color that was not on restriction. He asked for a refundable $1k credit card deposit, which I was ok with. I also told him that I didn't want any dealer decals, VIN etching, or anything like that. He said they don't do dealer decals, but made a note not to add VIN etching. All of this was done in 2 days over email (except giving the Credit Card,) with very little time and effort needed from both of us. That's the way it should be done.

To be continued in 6 to 10 weeks :-)

driver100 · January 2015

verdugo said:

So I placed the order with a color that was not on restriction. He asked for a refundable $1k credit card deposit, which I was ok with. I also told him that I didn't want any dealer decals, VIN etching, or anything like that. He said they don't do dealer decals, but made a note not to add VIN etching. All of this was done in 2 days over email (except giving the Credit Card,) with very little time and effort needed from both of us. That's the way it should be done.

To be continued in 6 to 10 weeks :-)

lol about Mike getting cars for free every few months (as long as he keeps trading down).

Great story and you played it perfectly. I like that you gave the new guys a shot but obviously they didn't know what they were doing and I think you would have been lucky to ever get the car you wanted if you stuck with them.

From your road testing and impressions I would say you chose the right vehicle too. I thought you would end up with the Jeep, it is a terrific value.

Just curious, what is the magic color?

Good luck.....hope the rest goes well.

qbrozen · January 2015

If going GC, I think I'd have to go with a diesel. What would that have added to your price for an otherwise similar vehicle?

qbrozen · January 2015

driver100 said:

Excellent. Don't forget to change the picture in your info...I'd like to see the V!

Ah, thanks for pointing that out. Now to figure it out.

stickguy · January 2015

looks like you figured it out. That is a sharp looking car. if the ones here hold up well, I can put that on my 3 years from now shopping list for a CPO one! though downsizing to an ATS/prior C class size car is likely too.

I saw another recent C class (not the new style) parked recently. I really like the looks of that car. Will be curious to see the new one in a few weeks at the auto show.

abacomike · January 2015

driver100 said:

So I placed the order with a color that was not on restriction. He asked for a refundable $1k credit card deposit, which I was ok with. I also told him that I didn't want any dealer decals, VIN etching, or anything like that. He said they don't do dealer decals, but made a note not to add VIN etching. All of this was done in 2 days over email (except giving the Credit Card,) with very little time and effort needed from both of us. That's the way it should be done. To be continued in 6 to 10 weeks :-)
lol about Mike getting cars for free every few months (as long as he keeps trading down). Great story and you played it perfectly. I like that you gave the new guys a shot but obviously they didn't know what they were doing and I think you would have been lucky to ever get the car you wanted if you stuck with them. From your road testing and impressions I would say you chose the right vehicle too. I thought you would end up with the Jeep, it is a terrific value. Just curious, what is the magic color? Good luck.....hope the rest goes well.

In response to "...Mike trading every few months - trading down...", I had the CLS 550 for 13 months, albeit the longest I've had a car in a while. Remember, I bought the CLS 550 for $70,000 and had an MSRP of $83,000. I traded it 13 months later for $61,500 - not a terrible loss of value considering it was over a year old. The reason I traded even was because I did trade down a bit. The new E400 MSRP'd for $72,000 or about $11,000 less than the CLS 550. The only money I gave them was $1290 for 19" wheels and tires including installation.

As for not losing money as I believe verdugo mentioned, it's impossible to not lose anything when buying a new car every year. I figure it costs me about $6000 +/- a year to trade cars. That's not bad at all.

verdugo · January 2015

driver100 said:
>

lol about Mike getting cars for free every few months (as long as he keeps trading down).

Great story and you played it perfectly. I like that you gave the new guys a shot but obviously they didn't know what they were doing and I think you would have been lucky to ever get the car you wanted if you stuck with them.

From your road testing and impressions I would say you chose the right vehicle too. I thought you would end up with the Jeep, it is a terrific value.

Just curious, what is the magic color?

Good luck.....hope the rest goes well.

Thanks driver. I actually would've loved to get the LR4. If the price difference had been a bit closer, I would've tried to make the numbers work. But the LR4 was almost 30% more than the Jeep. Maybe I should start saving for the next one.

The color that was on restriction was the cashmere pearl coat (light brown.) The one we ended up ordering was the granite crystal metallic (dark grey.)

verdugo · January 2015

qbrozen said:
If going GC, I think I'd have to go with a diesel. What would that have added to your price for an otherwise similar vehicle?

I considered it. It wasn't so much the cost, but the fact that I read the reviews that the Diesel didn't drive as well as the V8 due to the extra weight and the million of posts about the DEF tank not being well protected. People were damaging it even driving over deep snow.

If they fix that vulnerability next time I'm in the market, I will consider it.

explorerx4 · January 2015

@Verdugo,
The Explorer Sport is not an off road vehicle, although it has an excellent terrain management system, probably borrowed from Land Rover. The Explorer 20 inch rim styles are not recommended for off roading.
The thing it has over your other choices is the turbo engine. It will still kick butt at high altitudes.

The diesel Jeep might have been worth a look. Edit I just saw your post regarding the DEF tank.

verdugo · January 2015

explorerx4 said:
@Verdugo,
The Explorer Sport is not an off road vehicle, although it has an excellent terrain management system, probably borrowed from Land Rover. The Explorer 20 inch rim styles are not recommended for off roading.
The thing it has over your other choices is the turbo engine. It will still kick butt at high altitudes.

The diesel Jeep might have been worth a look. Edit I just saw your post regarding the DEF tank.

Hi explorer. One quick look at the Ford's website quickly ruled out the Explorer.

js06gv · January 2015

qbrozen said:
sorry, i had posted the link from my phone. Thanks, imid.

I actually think the markup is not bad for a buyer considering CPO and new tires. They didn't clean the inside very well before taking the pics. Anyway, with the warranty, they should be in it for $23-23.5k. Hope they aren't banking on the extended warranty I paid for because I'm working on canceling it (not terribly easy with Ford, it turns out).

I'm the same way. I kept checking my dealer website and within a week my Mustang was CPO'd and on there for $23,959. I had put tires on about 4K miles before I traded, so other than a quick detail I doubt they had anything else in it. A week later, it was at $22,959 and now it's gone. They gave me $18,800 so it seems their markup was near identical to yours.

js06gv · January 2015

oldfarmer50 said:

js06gv said:

oldfarmer50 said:

js06gv said:

oldfarmer50 said:

js06gv said:
I had forgotten about Bruce Williams and how much I used to enjoy his show so I googled too. Found he came back on in 2012 and left again in 2013. There are archived podcasts here. Listening to one right now. http://www.brucewilliams.com/about_bruce.html
That picture someone posted doesn't jive with the mental image I had of him. Use to listen to him on the radio during long drives on the job back in the 80s.

Say how are you liking your new Mustang? The one I drove seemed almost too quiet for a GT. I was wondering if I would have to install custom mufflers to get the proper sound.
Love love love the car. And couldn't agree more on the sound, way too quiet and "refined," which is something I wrote about when I test drove my first '15 back in Nov. I shuffled it over to my regular muffler shop by day 4 of ownership, and had the same Borla mufflers installed that I had on my '11. It was the first '15 the shop got in, and the owner said that the exhaust setup had changed from what Mustangs have had for years. I don't remember all the particulars, but I'm pretty sure he said there was an additional resonator that Ford put in there, I'm sure to achieve the quietness that guys like you and I think is TOO quiet. He told me the car would have some more rumble with the Borlas, but it would probably still be a little quieter than the '11 unless I wanted him to also remove the resonator. He suggested I drive it for awhile with just the mufflers changed out to see how I liked it, and he could always do the additional work later if I wanted it. Turns out that the balance of some more sound and highway drivability is perfect, at least to me. He was right about it being quieter than the '11 but I actually like it better and everyone who has been in the car comments about how great it sounds. The best way I can describe this Mustang compared to the previous gen is more "grown up" and my current muffler setup is consistent with that. I may also change the tips out too but haven't decided for sure.
That sounds perfect. For me I'd like to hear a little burble of the v8 without giving up the ability to listens to the radio. That you did it by just changing out the mufflers is encouraging. Was it costly?

If Ford were smart they would offer a muffler option.
Cost me $390 parts and labor.
That's downright cheap. The system in Venture's video listed for over $1300 on the one site I viewed.

Wonder if you could just replace that resonator with a straight pipe. I remember resonators being the size of a coffee can. That one in Venture's video looks the size of a suitcase.

Correct, but remember my setup isn't nearly as elaborate as what you saw in that video. I only changed out mufflers, as opposed to the whole system. Good enough for me.

explorerx4 · January 2015

js06gv, Did you get the old mufflers back? They list for over $600 each!

js06gv · January 2015

explorerx4 said:
js06gv, Did you get the old mufflers back? They list for over $600 each!

Thought about it, but then remembered I still have the original set from the first Mustang stored in my attic and what am I going to do with four of them? Hmm, maybe worthy throwing on CL for a few bucks.

driver100 · January 2015

qbrozen said:

driver100 said:

Excellent. Don't forget to change the picture in your info...I'd like to see the V!

Ah, thanks for pointing that out. Now to figure it out.

The red looks great on the V, and on all the new Caddies. They really got that red right....
Nice job on the front lights too.....great looking car.

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