Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

suydam · December 2016

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Mr_Shiftright said:
I've heard the driving dynamics are not bad at all.

This the first green car I've been in that didn't feel like a punishment. Haven't driven the new midsize hybrids, though.

stever · December 2016

My first green car was a punishing ride. 1974 Jeep CJ-5. But I was young and didn't mind the noise and bouncing, and the green color was perfect for a Jeep. Just had to avoid parking it in the kudzu.

corvette · December 2016

28firefighter said:
I've put 500 on the TDI in 3 months....barely a tank and a quarter of fuel.

About the same here. It had 1/32 tank of diesel left when I parked it. I will probably put a couple of bucks of diesel in it before driving the 10 miles or so in stop and go traffic to turn it in at the VW dealer.

tjc78 · December 2016

@stickguy I'm still stunned that Liberty was $1000 less a year than Geico. What I like about Liberty is they are one year policy so only one chance a year to hike your rates. Geico was six months.

imidazol97 · December 2016

ab348 said:

cdnpinhead said:
Indiana used to make lots and lots of car stuff. I've stayed in Anderson for several days at a time on dozens of occasions, and the locals have pointed out various empty fields around town and told me which GM or other prime that used to have a plant there. I'm guessing the same is true all over the state.
I believe AC-Delco used to be in Anderson, IN.

I was in the Guide plant in Anderson one time. There were other plants nearby. AC Delco had a battery plant in Muncie IIRC.

There were so many plants for auto workers in the Anderson area that when Indiana gave incentives to Honda to put a plant SE of Indianapolis (Greensburg) they excluded the area around Anderson and Muncie from the counties which got special attention for employing folks from those counties. That was their way of discriminating against the auto workers who used to have jobs in the industry.
http://www.chronicle-tribune.com/archives/wabashplaindealer/lawmakers-complain-about-honda-s-hiring-restrictions/article_be260745-458c-5782-8352-35fdf43af75b.html

imidazol97 · December 2016

suydam said:
So here's the story on the Volt.
.

Beautiful interior. I like those that aren't black like so many cars these days. I hope you enjoy it during the lease.

said:
2017 Chevy Volt Premier with all the goodies. .

I'm surprised the Premier doesn't have the sunroof being mandatory.

graphicguy · December 2016

suydam...pretty car. I like it.

sda · December 2016

Congrats @suydam and @qbrozen! Both really nice cars, enjoy!

corvette · December 2016

imidazol97 said:

So here's the story on the Volt. .
Beautiful interior. I like those that aren't black like so many cars these days. I hope you enjoy it during the lease.
2017 Chevy Volt Premier with all the goodies. .
I'm surprised the Premier doesn't have the sunroof being mandatory.

GM is weird about making sunroofs standard equipment. It was part of an option package (with nav) on my 2008 Denali.

rayainsw · December 2016

AFAIK the current gen. Volt is not available
with a sunroof. Not listed on GM's 2017 Build & Price page.
It has the 'reverse mohawk' roof configuration -
that would require a different roof stamping
for a sunroof hole...
- Ray
One reason the Volt is not on my short list...

stickguy · December 2016

tjc78 said:
@stickguy I'm still stunned that Liberty was $1000 less a year than Geico. What I like about Liberty is they are one year policy so only one chance a year to hike your rates. Geico was six months.

liberty was actually more (not a surprise to me) than progressive by $100/month.

suydam · December 2016

I would have liked a sunroof, but it's not as important since our move. I mainly wanted it for a little extra light on those long grey midwestern winter days. I'm not as light deprived out here.

kyfdx · December 2016

BMW is in the shop.... had it scheduled for something else, then the battery was dead on Friday. AAA jumped me yesterday morning. (35 minute response time!). @xwesx might have been on to something. On the drive to the mechanic, realized that the car only had 220 miles in the last five weeks. Dead battery probably was due to multiple short trips. But, battery is four years old, so it doesn't mean I don't need a new one.

It will be driven more, soon. The TDI goes back in three weeks.

stever · December 2016

I switched carriers in October (just a month before getting hit). The company offered six months or a year premium. I went with six just in case I didn't like them (I had this company back in the 90s and cancelled them).

Up in the UP, I paid the local company by the year, but they offered monthly and quarterly and six month payment options.

breld · December 2016

Speaking of mileage, drove the van today since it has snow tires on it (first real snow here in Denver), and noted that it is just about to 30,000 miles, a couple weeks shy of 2 years old. There's a couple road trips to California in there, but that's still a lot of miles considering the other cars we have available to us. Even with using it less (which we are), doubt we'll limit it to 6,000 miles over the next year, so will likely be looking at some mileage charges. A little unfortunate, 'cause I did consider that when we leased it - I think it would have been $750 more (in lower residual) to go to 45k miles instead of 36k. I suppose if we don't go over 40k miles it's a wash.

I'm more like @qbrozen in my daily mileage - utilizing my nifty trip computer on the new BMW, I saw that last Friday I drove well over 200 miles, and an astonishing 5 hours in the car! That's taking my boys to school, going to work, going to pick up the boys and take them to baseball training, heading up north of the city to pick up my stepson, going back to pick up at baseball, hitting dinner, and then finally getting home. Parents here can relate, I'm sure.

breld · December 2016

On punches, I always guess that the wife and I will be take a step back in the coming year, and still have that prediction. Even so, I'd say 2-3 for me. Something will replace the van when it goes back (that could possibly slip into 2018), and as much as my wife loves her MINI, I think the seed is planted and it will be replaced in 2017.

And then I'm just throwing in another punch 'cause, well, it's me.

Now before anyone chimes in on how there's no way I'll halve my count from this year (you may be right), keep in mind that one punch was for the stepdaughter (leased Jetta that is certainly not being replaced) and another was for the TDI arbitrage. So, take those away and I'm already down to a measly 4 punches.

28firefighter · December 2016

@breld you're my hero.

At one punch, I risk aggravating my wife.

breld · December 2016

On another note, I spent half the day earlier this week driving the wife's MINI around, as I was getting snow tires put on it (with all the large, low-profile tires we're used to, very refreshing to pay $70/tire these days for 175/65/15 non run-flat tires!).

As bad a rap as MINIs seem to get around here, I have to admit, her car is pretty darn fun to drive! And that's for a base model with, what, a whopping 121 hp! The stickshift definitely contributes to that fun in this model. It's also surprisingly roomy for the driver, and remember, I'm 6' 3". Obviously there's no room remaining for backseat passengers, but still.

Similarly, I had a loaner Countryman S All4 a few months back as a loaner and found that to be very enjoyable as well.

And both those are the previous gen of MINIs - the current ones (including the upcoming Countryman which I'm really liking) seem to have more BMW DNA in them.

stickguy · December 2016

Is the new countryman basically an X1 in stylish duds?

I really like driving the new X1. That would really fit my needs.

Mr_Shiftright · December 2016

One reason I have not sold my MINI is despite numerous tests drives in a wide variety of cars these past few months, I've found little to tempt me out of it. Sure, there were many cars that beat it in comfort acceleration and gadgetry, but for that sheer seat of the pants "fun", Minis are hard to beat.

Cars I've test driven: ($20K maximum budget)

Porsche Boxster S -- too cramped
Porsche 996 Carrera -- tempting, but under $20K, they all seem to have needs or are miled up.
Mini Clubman S turbo --- tempting but very similar to what I have.
Audi S4 -- way too risky
Audi TT-- see above
Mazda RX-8--very tempting but not so pretty to look at. Also risky.
Toyota MR Spyder -- too cramped. Fun little car though.
Miata -- See above.

Yet to Drive Extensively or At All:

Porsche Cayman -- pretty, more leg room than the Boxster for some reason. Do-able under $20K
BMW M3 E46 -- one never knows, do one?
Honda S2000 -- good luck finding one that isn't all junked up.
Chrysler Crossfire -- probably not but I've never driven one. An SRT might be interesting, but very rare.
Mustang GT-- probably not but what the hell.

I think the Triumph motorcycle will satisfy my limited desire for "open air" driving.

stickguy · December 2016

Maybe I'll look at countrymen. Have to see what the new one prices out to. I built a current model, adding everything I vaguely wanted, and still did not break 29k.

Michaell · December 2016

stickguy said:
Is the new countryman basically an X1 in stylish duds?

I really like driving the new X1. That would really fit my needs.

Yes, that is correct.

stickguy said:
Maybe I'll look at countrymen. Have to see what the new one prices out to. I built a current model, adding everything I vaguely wanted, and still did not break 29k.

How did you configure it? S? ALL4? What options? Keeping the price under $30K is quite the feat.

stickguy · December 2016

Cooper (base? The 121 HP. Motor I guess and a stick). Don't think it had AWD.

Michaell · December 2016

stickguy said:
Cooper (base? The 121 HP. Motor I guess and a stick). Don't think it had AWD.

OK, that makes sense. Though that's a lot of car for the HP .. might be a bit doggy.

The new Countryman will have the 1.5T as the base motor - and, there will be a plug-in hybrid version as well.

stickguy · December 2016

The build was just curiosity. I saw that the new one will be about $4k more to start, but adds a lot of standard equipment. And the turbo.

Actually, could be perfect for me. The teaser lease deals will likely be for a FWD stick model. Perfect for me!

Damn. I really am the dog in Up! Squirrel, squirrel.

breld · December 2016

miniusa.com/content/miniusa/en/model/2017-countryman.html

Like Michael pointed out, that new base motor will be much better than the old base motor. When the new hardtops came out, we drove the base and S model back to back and found the base to be very adequate. Countryman will obviously be heavier, but I imagine it will still scoot pretty well. Get into the All4 and I imagine the upgraded engine will be much more of a benefit.

Having been a driver and passenger in a few test drives of the new Clubman, there's definitely a nice improvement in the overall refinement and feel of the ride and definitely the interior in these new MINIs.

stickguy · December 2016

Hopefully the countryman will be at, and unlocked, at the car show end of January in philly.

qbrozen · December 2016

Holy hell this looks good:
http://jalopnik.com/holy-crap-the-next-buick-regal-wagon-looks-gorgeous-1789685651

breld · December 2016

Saw a link for that on C&D but didn't click through. Bring it on Buick!

breld · December 2016

stickguy said:

Damn. I really am the dog in Up! Squirrel, squirrel.

I'm never like that.

breld · December 2016

stickguy said:
The build was just curiosity. I saw that the new one will be about $4k more to start, but adds a lot of standard equipment. And the turbo.

Actually, could be perfect for me. The teaser lease deals will likely be for a FWD stick model. Perfect for me!

Just looking at the MINI website again, you're right on that standard equipment. Says starting price of $26,600, but includes as standard, Panoramic Sunroof, comfort access, and backup camera and park distance control. Since we've been shopping MINI recently, it's interesting that none of those are standard on the Clubman.

stickguy · December 2016

I watched the launch video. I definitely am not the target demographic!

graphicguy · December 2016

Mr_Shiftright said:
One reason I have not sold my MINI is despite numerous tests drives in a wide variety of cars these past few months, I've found little to tempt me out of it. Sure, there were many cars that beat it in comfort acceleration and gadgetry, but for that sheer seat of the pants "fun", Minis are hard to beat.

Cars I've test driven: ($20K maximum budget)

Porsche Boxster S -- too cramped
Porsche 996 Carrera -- tempting, but under $20K, they all seem to have needs or are miled up.
Mini Clubman S turbo --- tempting but very similar to what I have.
Audi S4 -- way too risky
Audi TT-- see above
Mazda RX-8--very tempting but not so pretty to look at. Also risky.
Toyota MR Spyder -- too cramped. Fun little car though.
Miata -- See above.

Yet to Drive Extensively or At All:

Porsche Cayman -- pretty, more leg room than the Boxster for some reason. Do-able under $20K
BMW M3 E46 -- one never knows, do one?
Honda S2000 -- good luck finding one that isn't all junked up.
Chrysler Crossfire -- probably not but I've never driven one. An SRT might be interesting, but very rare.
Mustang GT-- probably not but what the hell.

I think the Triumph motorcycle will satisfy my limited desire for "open air" driving.

Shfity....have you seen these?
http://www.janusmotorcycles.com

stickguy · December 2016

The Buick does look like a V90. I can't believe they actually bring it here though.

ab348 · December 2016

qbrozen said:
Holy hell this looks good:
http://jalopnik.com/holy-crap-the-next-buick-regal-wagon-looks-gorgeous-1789685651

And here is the sedan:

http://jalopnik.com/i-am-decades-from-retirement-yet-suddenly-interested-in-1789761670

I like the wagon version much better. The sedan is built on the same platform as the current Malibu and suffers from the same fastback "I shoulda been a hatch" look. I will wait and see I guess. I find the Malibu too big for my liking and hope this isn't the same size. But I suspect it is.

Mr_Shiftright · December 2016

graphicguy said:

Mr_Shiftright said:
One reason I have not sold my MINI is despite numerous tests drives in a wide variety of cars these past few months, I've found little to tempt me out of it. Sure, there were many cars that beat it in comfort acceleration and gadgetry, but for that sheer seat of the pants "fun", Minis are hard to beat.

Cars I've test driven: ($20K maximum budget)

Porsche Boxster S -- too cramped
Porsche 996 Carrera -- tempting, but under $20K, they all seem to have needs or are miled up.
Mini Clubman S turbo --- tempting but very similar to what I have.
Audi S4 -- way too risky
Audi TT-- see above
Mazda RX-8--very tempting but not so pretty to look at. Also risky.
Toyota MR Spyder -- too cramped. Fun little car though.
Miata -- See above.

Yet to Drive Extensively or At All:

Porsche Cayman -- pretty, more leg room than the Boxster for some reason. Do-able under $20K
BMW M3 E46 -- one never knows, do one?
Honda S2000 -- good luck finding one that isn't all junked up.
Chrysler Crossfire -- probably not but I've never driven one. An SRT might be interesting, but very rare.
Mustang GT-- probably not but what the hell.

I think the Triumph motorcycle will satisfy my limited desire for "open air" driving.

Shfity....have you seen these?
http://www.janusmotorcycles.com

Very interesting GG but for that money I will have restored the 1966 TR6 Trumph Twin that we're building--in fact, we'll come in cheaper than that. I used to have a BSA single-cylinder "thumper" and it's an acquired taste.

roadburner · December 2016

The dealer that sold me my 2er has a gorgeous X1 M Sport in Estoril Blue; if I didn't already have the 2er I'd check with my SM about a dealer trade and get a BMW Center employee lease.

28firefighter · December 2016

roadburner said:
The dealer that sold me my 2er has a gorgeous X1 M Sport in Estoril Blue; if I didn't already have the 2er I'd check with my SM about a dealer trade and get a BMW Center employee lease.

I don't suppose that employee lease would extend to internet friends, would it?

kyfdx · December 2016

28firefighter said:

roadburner said:
The dealer that sold me my 2er has a gorgeous X1 M Sport in Estoril Blue; if I didn't already have the 2er I'd check with my SM about a dealer trade and get a BMW Center employee lease.
I don't suppose that employee lease would extend to internet friends, would it?

Can you transfer that lease to a non-employee? Might be worth an extra $500 to get it, one month later.

28firefighter · December 2016

kyfdx said:

28firefighter said:

roadburner said:
The dealer that sold me my 2er has a gorgeous X1 M Sport in Estoril Blue; if I didn't already have the 2er I'd check with my SM about a dealer trade and get a BMW Center employee lease.
I don't suppose that employee lease would extend to internet friends, would it?
Can you transfer that lease to a non-employee? Might be worth an extra $500 to get it, one month later.

Did not really think about that...that would be awesome. I feel as though BMW would not really allow that if they did not extend it to friends/family initially, but I could be wrong.

roadburner · December 2016

I really don't know what the lease assumption rules are.

xwesx · December 2016

roadburner said:
I really don't know what the lease assumption rules are.

Come on, Genius..... !

graphicguy · December 2016

Mr_Shiftright said:

graphicguy said:

Mr_Shiftright said:
One reason I have not sold my MINI is despite numerous tests drives in a wide variety of cars these past few months, I've found little to tempt me out of it. Sure, there were many cars that beat it in comfort acceleration and gadgetry, but for that sheer seat of the pants "fun", Minis are hard to beat.

Cars I've test driven: ($20K maximum budget)

Porsche Boxster S -- too cramped
Porsche 996 Carrera -- tempting, but under $20K, they all seem to have needs or are miled up.
Mini Clubman S turbo --- tempting but very similar to what I have.
Audi S4 -- way too risky
Audi TT-- see above
Mazda RX-8--very tempting but not so pretty to look at. Also risky.
Toyota MR Spyder -- too cramped. Fun little car though.
Miata -- See above.

Yet to Drive Extensively or At All:

Porsche Cayman -- pretty, more leg room than the Boxster for some reason. Do-able under $20K
BMW M3 E46 -- one never knows, do one?
Honda S2000 -- good luck finding one that isn't all junked up.
Chrysler Crossfire -- probably not but I've never driven one. An SRT might be interesting, but very rare.
Mustang GT-- probably not but what the hell.

I think the Triumph motorcycle will satisfy my limited desire for "open air" driving.

Shfity....have you seen these?
http://www.janusmotorcycles.com
Very interesting GG but for that money I will have restored the 1966 TR6 Trumph Twin that we're building--in fact, we'll come in cheaper than that. I used to have a BSA single-cylinder "thumper" and it's an acquired taste.

Only reason I brought those bikes up was I got to ride one last Fall. Pretty good little motorcycles, expecially if you're only looking to use them around town. Not cheap, but very well put together and a lot of fun to ride.

Mr_Shiftright · December 2016

They are very nice, very unusual. The price isn't really that bad for that level of quality. Hard to say how reliable they might be though--hand-built machines done in small quantities do tend to be buggy.

Michaell · December 2016

New or used? A little advice, please:

http://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/43841/mazda/x/buying-a-new-or-certified-pre-owned-car-this-month-need-a-little-direction#latest

corvette · December 2016

I'm on a decluttering jag lately--getting rid of the JSW will help a lot! Once it's gone, it will be easier for me to organize my garage.

Also, I've been scanning most of the documents I have in my file cabinet into the computer and tossing or shredding the originals.

And trying to downsize my computer situation. I have a 2011 iMac that, sadly, I hardly use anymore, other than for photo/document storage. I bought a cheap Windows laptop to replace it and should come out ahead after selling it, plus, I can finally replace my worn-out computer desk with something better. The new laptop could (in theory) also replace the MacBook Air I use most of the time, but it's not nearly as small and light. I think I will hold off on getting rid of the Air (it's also a 2011 model but isn't worth nearly as much as the iMac).

stever · December 2016

I scanned the last of my photo albums in Michigan. My scanner was my point and shoot camera. Plenty good enough since no one is interested in inheriting our stuff.

Took the loaner '13 Cruze to El Paso with our Michigan friends today. Great ride. For two, the women who got stuck in back didn't complain though. Much.

Just a bit tight back there. Sure looks good on the inside, detailed it thoroughly and the cloth seats cleaned up nicely with a damp sponge. The owner will be pleased, especially if I get around to washing the outside of it. Updated her Garmin too.

qbrozen · December 2016

Congtats to Chevy for scoring MT car of the year with the Bolt. Incredibly glowing review. They are adamant that it stands up to and conquers the compact hatch class even if it weren't an EV.

corvette · December 2016

qbrozen said:

Congtats to Chevy for scoring MT car of the year with the Bolt. Incredibly glowing review. They are adamant that it stands up to and conquers the compact hatch class even if it weren't an EV.

That's interesting. It's not a good road trip car due to the lack of quick-charging infrastructure. GM's refusal to invest in the in any infrastructure doesn't give me the warm fuzzies.

kyfdx · December 2016

The Bolt was also on C&D's Ten Best list.

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