Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

pensfan83 · June 2019

28firefighter · June 2019

pensfan83 said:

Looks great @28firefighter

Can you make out the second picture in? My favorite city.

mb_enthusiast · June 2019

I went to check out a 2016 Cayenne GTS, 2019 Cayenne S, and 2019 Macan S. I hated the 2016 Cayenne GTS. I felt that the 2019 Cayenne S was a ripoff and didn't handle much better than my Q8 or really much of anything else on that platform, but definitely better than the 2016 Cayenne. I really liked the Macan S. Are Porsches worth it?

mb_enthusiast · June 2019

28firefighter said:

pensfan83 said:

Looks great @28firefighter

Can you make out the second picture in? My favorite city.

Looks like Pittsburgh to me.

28firefighter · June 2019

mb_enthusiast said:

pensfan83 said:

Looks great @28firefighter

Can you make out the second picture in? My favorite city.
Looks like Pittsburgh to me.

Nailed it.

pensfan83 · June 2019

Nice!

Three Rivers Arts Fest is going on now, tomorrow I'm planning to take an actual lunch and wander over to the point.

stickguy · June 2019

nice looking doors. We have a similar set up (standard center hall colonial) where the "formal" LR is to the right as you come in the door, behind the stairs, with the opening, well, open. Useless room. We have a desk (and desktop PC) that we never use, and a couch that gets sat on at Thanksgiving maybe. Would be much better set-up like yours, with doors to create an office space. Even though it is probably 2x as big as it needs to be. If I was able to redesign it, I would make it a more compact office in the front, and add the rest to the family room that is behind it.

easier to just move of course and get what I want!

nyccarguy · June 2019

Since we are on a Pittsburgh Lovefest, my 10 year old son’s Flag Football Team won the league championship on Sunday! His team? Obligatory trophy pic:

corvette · June 2019

kyfdx said:
Especially since it's almost impossible to itemize, any more.

Same, even though I file single--that's going to be a common refrain for a lot of the middle class. Really reduces the potential value of the mortgage interest deduction for a lot of people. On the other hand, my fixed interest rate on my primary residence is something like 3.75%, so not awful even if it's not deductible.

A lot of the state-specific deductions in our fair state's income tax got eliminated in 2018, too.

Looking at the last few years of my late, widowed, great-aunt's tax returns, she paid around $6-7,000 in federal taxes and close to zero state with an AGI of about $55,000 consisting of mostly taxable SS benefits, interest income, a pension, and some state tax-exempt bonds. My goal is zero fed and state tax by the time I stop working and draw SS... fortunately, I have quite a long time to plan that!

stickguy · June 2019

my goal is to have so much money flowing in when I retire I need 2 accountants to keep track of it all. Sadly, I don't think that is likely to happen.

corvette · June 2019

stickguy said:
my goal is to have so much money flowing in when I retire I need 2 accountants to keep track of it all. Sadly, I don't think that is likely to happen.

LOL, yes, obviously I want that with the zero taxes!

28firefighter · June 2019

Now now, @nyccarguy, I never said I was a Pittsburgh sports fan. I still bleed green.

au1994 · June 2019

Our X6 went into 'reduced power' mode once. It was still fine and safe to drive, IE would do 60 just labored to do it. Pulled off and turned it off and on and it was fine.

My 335 convertible had a water pump issue and went into that mode and I pulled over and left it. It wouldn't do 30. Not that I would have wanted to run it with a bum water pump anyway. 30 would get you flattened around here.

kyfdx · June 2019

@28firefighter Nice doors!
@nyccarguy Cute kid!

@corvette Zero taxes? Hilarious. The KY state changes have definitely not helped seniors. My 91 yr old uncle owed state income taxes for the first time in years. Also, once RMDs hit when you are 70? If you've been a big saver and user of 401K and traditional IRAs, you are going to get a huge tax bill, each year. I'm starting to see why so many people move to FL, where there is no state income tax. Still trying to figure that out (but, nine years left until RMDs)

Sandman6472 · June 2019

Nice doors...and stairs. Gave up stairs over 30 years ago when we sold the townhouse. Now, so glad we have a one story home.
RMD's I think have to start once one is 70 and 1/2 but would have to ask my CPA wife to find out for sure. I just hope I make it to that age so I can start pulling out some funds. Looking to start putting more into muni bonds so if I do pass earlier than I'd like, the kids will have something. Not really necessary to leave them anything, but since my grandma and dad did for me, feel I should do the same for my 3 no matter how large or small. Since I'll be turning 65 later this year, have a lot to think about such as Medicare and deciding how long I stay at Hertz. Thinking that mid 2020 might just be the right time to make a quiet exit.
And hoping to move by the end of 2020 or early 2021 up to central or southwest Florida. Getting way to crowded down here...been here almost 50 years!

marcogallo1986 · June 2019

QV hang. In there! We are all hear for you!

marcogallo1986 · June 2019

Welcome to the group NB enthusiast you’re not far off from my age awesome there’s a few others in here to awesome we all anymore it’s all in one way or another

corvette · June 2019

@kyfdx I’ve been doing Roth conversions for a while. Didn’t do any last year because my income was abnormally high, but every little bit helps. They are talking about raising the RMD age to 72.

kyfdx · June 2019

corvette said:
@kyfdx I’ve been doing Roth conversions for a while. Didn’t do any last year because my income was abnormally high, but every little bit helps. They are talking about raising the RMD age to 72.

We've been doing some Roth conversions. Unfortunately, KY dropped the exemption for retirement income from $41K to $31K. I can still fit some conversion in that window, without triggering state income taxes, but my wife's pension puts her over the limit. That reduces some of the incentive for doing that.

Federal income taxes are very low, in general. But, if you get a big investment return in one year, it just kills you.

ab348 · June 2019

Saab enthusiasts take note!

YOU can own the very last Trollhatten-built Saab 9-3!!!

Of course you might never be able to drive it and have to keep it in climate-controlled storage for 40 years to get your investment back, but still...

https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2019/06/11/the-final-saab-story-nevs-to-auction-the-last-trollhattan-built-9-3

Sandman6472 · June 2019

Need to start doing the Roth conversions but figure I'll wait till I retire again and then start since our income will be lower.
The Medicare issue is complex as my government health insurance is a secondary insurance, not a supplemental kind. My wife is under my insurance and always has been, and always will. Have been told that since I've started taking my s s benefits, I'd be automatically enrolled in Medicare. But thinking I'd like to put it off a year until she she turns 65, and then both of us use Medicare. Since my current health insurance is a secondary one, kind of muddies up the waters so just not sure what to do at this juncture? Guess being a retired federal employee under civil service complicates things. All I know is that once I pass, she'll get my pension though at a reduced percentage, probably half, as I recall. Filled out so much paperwork back then that it's hard to remember it all.

carnaught · June 2019

Consider yourself lucky you don’t/didn’t have to deal with the high deductible, high premium debacle of health insurance the rest of us had to.

kyfdx · June 2019

carnaught said:
Consider yourself lucky you don’t/didn’t have to deal with the high deductible, high premium debacle of health insurance the rest of us had to.

So, I should be complaining about my $2200 monthly healthcare premium?

carnaught · June 2019

kyfdx said:

carnaught said:
Consider yourself lucky you don’t/didn’t have to deal with the high deductible, high premium debacle of health insurance the rest of us had to.
So, I should be complaining about my $2200 monthly healthcare premium?

I think our wonderful legislators should have to deal with health insurance that we peons have had to.

rayainsw · June 2019

" Your first RMD must be taken by April 1 of the year after you turn 70½."
- Ray
Turning 70 and a half next year . . .

kyfdx · June 2019

rayainsw said:
" Your first RMD must be taken by April 1 of the year after you turn 70½."
- Ray
Turning 70 and a half next year . . .

Don't wait until the next year.... you'll have two RMDs that year. No grace period on the 2nd year.

rayainsw · June 2019

Agree - from a tax perspective...
- Ray
Plan to take my 1st RMD next year.

stickguy · June 2019

lots of people screw up that first one. you can take it before 1/1 to spread them out into 2 different tax years. But once you wait until 4/1 you have to get the second one too by 12/31.

mjfloyd1 · June 2019

Is RMD a required minimum distribution?

stickguy · June 2019

yes.

corvette · June 2019

As opposed to RWD.

corvette · June 2019

We’re at 3100 pages of CCBA discussion. My first car had a GM 3100 V6. That engine didn’t have the following that the 3800 did, but you could hear the pushrods thrashing around just as well.

ab348 · June 2019

corvette said:
We’re at 3100 pages of CCBA discussion. My first car had a GM 3100 V6. That engine didn’t have the following that the 3800 did, but you could hear the pushrods thrashing around just as well.

I never liked the 2800/3100/3400 series of engines. They all had a clattering sound like a sewing machine.

fintail · June 2019

2800 and 3100 especially had what I call the "popcorn popper" exhaust note, too.

nyccarguy · June 2019

At the end of March 2017, I purchased my 2015 Infiniti Q40 AWD as a CPO car. The person who leased it originally drove only 7,468 miles in 2 1/2 years. I have put significantly more miles on it since then.

qbrozen · June 2019

nyccarguy said:

At the end of March 2017, I purchased my 2015 Infiniti Q40 AWD as a CPO car. The person who leased it originally drove only 7,468 miles in 2 1/2 years. I have put significantly more miles on it since then.

Is that the only car you drive?

miles like that is why I have my wife in more than one vehicle.

au1994 · June 2019

I've driven quite a few of the 3.8 GM engines and while it may be loud and a little rough, it makes good power. My mom had a Cutlass Ciera with it and that would move nicely when driven by a 17 year old.

tjc78 · June 2019

I just looked at the miles on the Enclave (it's usually hidden, by miles to empty) and we just crossed 20. Sept is 2 years so pretty much on point with the 12K /yr lease.

The Elantra still hasn't crossed 17K and goes back in November.... guess we should drive that one more.

Wife has been using that for her 10 mile round trip commute to the train. She likes how easy it is to park. So, I have been mostly driving the Enclave. As nice and comfortable as that thing is I just prefer a car.

ab348 · June 2019

au1994 said:
I've driven quite a few of the 3.8 GM engines and while it may be loud and a little rough, it makes good power. My mom had a Cutlass Ciera with it and that would move nicely when driven by a 17 year old.

My only experience with the 3800 was in my first-gen Lacrosse and it disappointed me. But I concluded that was due to a faulty transmission they never did get fixed properly and which led me to unload the thing. I based that on the performance of a loaner Lacrosse with the same engine I got one time the dealer was tearing my transmission apart again. The loaner was much more zippy than my car.

stickguy · June 2019

my TLX turns 6 months old (time flies!) next week. Should be sitting right about 4,000 miles by then. The Sonata went back at the end of the 3 year lease with 20.500 on it. The RDX turns 7 in September, and that is still just under 54,000.

we need to get out more!

nyccarguy · June 2019

@qbrozen

Pretty much. Since I had the clutch replaced last year for a tidy sum (It is almost time for the 2nd timing belt replacement and my tires are shot), I've pretty much kept my Prelude parked. Also I have to park on the street here at work and I know one day it is going to get hit (It is inevitable, like Thanos). I could take my wife's Pilot a few days per week. Besides the miles, the Q40 sucks down 93 at a rate of less than 20 mpg. Gas is expensive in CT and I'm filling up to the tune of about $57 - $60 once a week (ish).

Ideally I'd be looking to get into a 2 year lease of something where they don't kill you if you go over the miles or let you buy the miles in advance at a significant discount. I've toyed in my head to see if it would be financially advantageous to lease 2 cars with 10K per year, but that's way more expensive than leasing a car and paying for the extra miles up front. I'm open to suggestions as always!

Part of the reason I was looking at the Tacoma is due to the fact that I could take out a 12K per year lease in order to take advantage of the high residual value, put down the MSD (which lowers the monthly payment by about $50/month), and then use the MSD to pay for the extra 16,000 miles (plus the disposition fee) I'd drive during the 2 year lease (TFS only charges $.15 per mile if you go over) when I turn it in at the end of the lease.

If I were to take a 15,000 mile per year lease on a car that charges $.25 per mile over, then I would go over my miles (and likely be out of warranty at some point during the lease). It would cost me an extra $3,750 over 3 years (plus tax) or $104.17 per month. On a 2 year/15,000 mile per year lease, I'd only go over my miles by 10,000 which would cost me the same $104.17 per month, but $2,500 total.

marcogallo1986 · June 2019

Send man well this government stuff is crazy what they make everyone do.

marcogallo1986 · June 2019

Do you GC not bad because back in November awesome.

suydam · June 2019

But the Tacoma would not help with your gas consumption problem.

Michaell · June 2019

I'm about ready to cross the 16,000 mile threshold in the Jetta. Only two payments left.

Outback has 31,xxx and the MINI 38,xxx

28firefighter · June 2019

@nyccarguy From my perspective, the miles you put on is one small piece of the puzzle. The other piece of this is that you basically live in whatever you drive for hours each day. For better or worse, you need to put a high priority on the things that make a car livable for you for that period of time - performance, comfort, reliability, etc. While it certainly has it's faults, the Q40 seems to check a lot of the right boxes.

tjc78 · June 2019

I wouldn't mind a Q sedan at all. I know people knock the technology but it's not that bad and certainly can't be worse than my Enclave.

sda · June 2019

I think your Intrigue with the 3.5 Shortstar spoiled you. It may not have had the torque down low, but it was smooth, quick and had a nice sound when spurred.

stickguy · June 2019

Bradd, the Honcker deal earlier this year was perfect for you. Fusion hybrid (Titanium or limited, not sure, but all loaded up with goodies). Fantastic mileage, and plenty comfy for commuting.

I forget if it was 24 or 36 months, but I know that for 18,000 miles/year, with basically 1st payment DAS, it came out to be $225ish a month. Heck, the gas savings alone would half pay for it. I would have snapped it up if I hadn't just gotten the TLX, and could have let the princess burn 10K a year on her long commute to keep miles off her car.

that was a deal i have not really seen repeated.

nyccarguy · June 2019

28firefighter said:
@nyccarguy From my perspective, the miles you put on is one small piece of the puzzle. The other piece of this is that you basically live in whatever you drive for hours each day. For better or worse, you need to put a high priority on the things that make a car livable for you for that period of time - performance, comfort, reliability, etc. While it certainly has it's faults, the Q40 seems to check a lot of the right boxes.

I could not agree more!

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