Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

corvette · November 2019

@qbrozen I admire your work ethic. I would have taken it on a road trip to a place where flooding was anticipated and parked it on a street in a low-lying area a long time ago.

Michaell · November 2019

corvette said:
@qbrozen I admire your work ethic. I would have taken it on a road trip to a place where flooding was anticipated and parked it on a street in a low-lying area a long time ago.

Makes me wonder if there's a wife in the background saying something like "you bought it, now you gotta make it work".

qbrozen · November 2019

Michaell said:

corvette said:
@qbrozen I admire your work ethic. I would have taken it on a road trip to a place where flooding was anticipated and parked it on a street in a low-lying area a long time ago.
Makes me wonder if there's a wife in the background saying something like "you bought it, now you gotta make it work".

That is exactly the situation

qbrozen · November 2019

Oh yeah, I keep forgetting to report that I actually tracked my Charger mileage for one tank. I was pleasantly surprised to have gotten 17mpg. I was expecting 14-15. I do very little highway driving these days.

nyccarguy · November 2019

qbrozen said:
Oh yeah, I keep forgetting to report that I actually tracked my Charger mileage for one tank. I was pleasantly surprised to have gotten 17mpg. I was expecting 14-15. I do very little highway driving these days.

17? What are you taking it easy to break it in?

qbrozen · November 2019

I actually drive it quite hard. Rear tires will probably be toast before the first snow.

nyccarguy · November 2019

Do you add excess mileage fees into the adjusted capitalized cost when calculating a lease?

kyfdx · November 2019

nyccarguy said:
Do you add excess mileage fees into the adjusted capitalized cost when calculating a lease?

Didn't like my other answer, huh?

nyccarguy · November 2019

Sometimes you guys are backed up. I apologize for being impatient.

stickguy · November 2019

Poking around on rodo again. Must be some RDX incentives now. Ran a 12k lease on a SHAWD Tech package ($43.5k sticker) and was $510/mo, only 1st payment due to drive off. Santa Fe limited 2.0t, same terms, $40,500 sticker, was $560! Yeah, not happening.

Get the Acura down to $484/mo and might get one for the wife for Christmas! Depending of course on how bad Carvana still wants our old one.

tjc78 · November 2019

nyccarguy said:
Sometimes you guys are backed up. I apologize for being impatient.

You just had your hand slapped... bad poster

tjc78 · November 2019

stickguy said:
Santa Fe limited 2.0t, same terms, $40,500 sticker, was $560! Yeah, not happening.

That's XC60 money right there or a lightly optioned XC90

stickguy · November 2019

That’s ok. If we get one of the those, would be buying it. Unless they come out with a hugely subverted lease deal.

breld · November 2019

I'm gonna admit it - I like the newly revealed Mustang Mach-E.

I know the potential sacrilege with Ford attaching the Mustang name to the vehicle, but I like the styling cues.

The main thing that gives me pause is the pricing - $60k for a nicely equipped model (before incentives). Personally, I've assumed these new entrants into the EV world from the non-luxury brands would have to undercut Tesla. Not that they're available yet, but a nicely equipped long-range AWD Model Y is $53k.

I'll be curious as to how VW prices its first ID model next year.

ab348 · November 2019

I also think the exterior design of the Mach-E is pretty good. Not a fan of the body-color "grill" on the base model but the other models that have more of a regular grille style look fine. The interior doesn't do much for me because it looks to be a sea of black with lots of plastic but I've only seen a few pics so far.

The pricing leaves something to be desired for sure, especially for a totally new kind of technology from a manufacturer that has a bad record when it comes to introducing new models. I dunno if I would want to be an early adopter of Ford's gen-1 attempts.

laurasdada · November 2019

Connecticut Int'l Auto Show at Mohegan Sun Casino this past weekend. In the shopping mall between the two casino floors, three typical (Connecticut) family type convertible cars on display:
Orange McLaren 720s
White Bentley Continental GT (on black rims, white/black interior)
Black Aston Martin DB11

GF chose the Bentley, said she usually doesn't like white cars, but this one was certainly a looker. So, into the casino I strode with the plan to win ~$300k to buy whatever Lola wants...as I'm sure you can guess, missed it by that much!

dad23 · November 2019

Sorry, still catching up, @stickguy - rodo?

tifighter · November 2019

breld said:
I'm gonna admit it - I like the newly revealed Mustang Mach-E.

I know the potential sacrilege with Ford attaching the Mustang name to the vehicle, but I like the styling cues.

The main thing that gives me pause is the pricing - $60k for a nicely equipped model (before incentives). Personally, I've assumed these new entrants into the EV world from the non-luxury brands would have to undercut Tesla. Not that they're available yet, but a nicely equipped long-range AWD Model Y is $53k.

I'll be curious as to how VW prices its first ID model next year.

I'm glad to see more options hitting the market, and it seems like an honest effort by Ford. As for the pricing, part of their challenge is that they need a 100kWh battery to get the range that Tesla is getting from a 75kWh battery on the Y. With batteries being the most expensive part of the build, the problem here is clear. But I'm sure subsequent generations will improve. I hope they sell well.

28firefighter · November 2019

So, highlights from the Seattle Auto Show...frankly, not much. I spent most of my time chasing Sam around and letting him sit in whatever he wanted. Big surprise, his top choice for car was a bright yellow Jeep Wrangler Willys.

Seattle doesn't get a whole lot (if any) of the concept cars. Puget Sound Energy had an electric car exhibit setup with cars from the major brands - Tesla, Audi eTron, BMW i3 and i8, Nissan Leaf, VW eGolf. Interesting cross-section to see next to each other. Audi and Tesla were really the only ones doing something interesting.

I did get a chance to sit in a few cars myself and what really caught my attention was:
(1) The updated Legacy XT Touring - they REALLY upgraded the interior on this. Really nice interior, feels very upscale relative to where it used to be. Exterior is a bit magoo.

(2) Volvo S60 T6 Inscription - they had a white over brown inscription and it was gorgeous inside and out. Probably the nicest quality interior and seats in the class (IMO).

(3) BMW M340i - Nice to see BMW getting closer to their roots. Really liked this one too. Interior is much improved over the prior generation but still felt a bit unimpressive. That said, the performance alone would probably draw me back in.

(4) Audi eTron - I really liked this, inside and out. Great interior, very functional, and looks good too.

On the negative side, it was abundantly clear that Nissan and Infiniti are struggling. They just have very little compelling to offer and, no offense to those who love them, was a bit like walking through a rental car pickup.

Eager to hit the Philly Auto Show with my Dad in February and hopefully get a bit more seat time.

Normally I leave auto shows feeling "meh" about my own fleet, but I was plenty happy to get back in the i3.

mjfloyd1 · November 2019

Strong work @qbrozen

I hope it is all working well when you get it all buttoned up!

kyfdx · November 2019

Honda Fit repair/maintenance bill came to $614.

Man, spark plugs are expensive! Thank goodness I only needed four of them.

stickguy · November 2019

I recall that the last time I bought them. which was a while back. Might have been the TL.

stickguy · November 2019

I must be stepping up in the world. Got a nice card in the mail from a car manufacturer advertising nice discount on leftover 2019s (7% off MSRP). The odd part? It was from Maserati. Obviously they don't check income first!

Not sure I would have had the gall to go in there if it was a test drive give away. My son probably would though.

28firefighter · November 2019

kyfdx said:
Honda Fit repair/maintenance bill came to $614.

Man, spark plugs are expensive! Thank goodness I only needed four of them.

Yes, but did it the car? Running better now?

xwesx · November 2019

Sandman6472 said:
One was going 19 in a 15 mph school zone

19 in a 15! They should have taken your license right there.

xwesx · November 2019

qbrozen said:
Anyway, it is all bolted in and fluid-filled. I ran out of time yet again thanks to wife's social schedule, but tomorrow will involve just bolting exhaust manifold back in place, bolt trans crossmember back up, and reinstall CV axle and rear driveshaft. Maybe 60-90 minutes of work. Fingers crossed the test drive is quiet.

Slick. I never doubted you would lick this job eventually. So, how did the internals compare to one another? Was there obvious wear/crunching going on in the old unit?

xwesx · November 2019

qbrozen said:
I actually drive it quite hard. Rear tires will probably be toast before the first snow.

Better that than the rest of the car being toast *after* the first snow.....

kyfdx · November 2019

28firefighter said:

kyfdx said:
Honda Fit repair/maintenance bill came to $614.

Man, spark plugs are expensive! Thank goodness I only needed four of them.
Yes, but did it the car? Running better now?

Yes, I put about 40 miles on it, today. Runs great. Might still need tires, though

roadburner · November 2019

I think that calling a crossover EV a "Mustang" is a mistake. Maybe a "Mustang" spun off the Ranger platform is next...

stickguy · November 2019

browsing around, this is the exact Santa Fe we would get if the wife decided to move ahead. This happens to be a slightly used one, but really did not change for 2020, so 7 months won't wipe out all the new car smell!

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/790881595/overview/

Michaell · November 2019

Need help from our Canadian contingent:

https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/59136/general/x/what-is-my-right-the-car-i-bought-fully-paid-cash-got-repossessed#latest

28firefighter · November 2019

stickguy said:
browsing around, this is the exact Santa Fe we would get if the wife decided to move ahead. This happens to be a slightly used one, but really did not change for 2020, so 7 months won't wipe out all the new car smell!

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/790881595/overview/

Pretty color combo. I like it.

Michaell · November 2019

28firefighter said:

stickguy said:
browsing around, this is the exact Santa Fe we would get if the wife decided to move ahead. This happens to be a slightly used one, but really did not change for 2020, so 7 months won't wipe out all the new car smell!

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/790881595/overview/
Pretty color combo. I like it.

Ditto - my stepson and DIL would have liked it, instead of the Tucson they bought.

tjc78 · November 2019

Same colors as our 2015 Enclave. Very sharp.

Picked up Mom’s RAV4 last night. No drama, in at 6:40 out by 8:10. Very nice, large dealership.

They had this in the showroom.

kyfdx · November 2019

@tjc78 I think that is the best angle for that model

tjc78 · November 2019

It's a typical modern Toyota... over-styled.

Guy said their first 15 were pre sold. They got two more and the first sold instantly. This one has been on the lot four days. He said it won't make the weekend.

It was locked and no window sticker.

kyfdx · November 2019

The new Z4 looks a lot better. But, only available in soft-top convertible

tjc78 · November 2019

I also had to laugh last night. We were waiting for the Finance guy to get all the paperwork together and the salesperson asked why we bought the car in PA... I explained the better terms in PA etc etc. He said yeah Toyota you can deal with, not like BMW where you pay their price and that's it.

I didn't say anything, just kinda nodded... I felt like saying go look at the leases on BMWs in the last year on LH.

BTW @kyfdx thank you so much for pointing out that PA had a much lower MF than NJ. That saved over $40/ month.

qbrozen · November 2019

Chevy:
Yes, the bearing on the old rear output shaft was crunchy and loose. No visible damage anywhere else.

I only got to drive it around the block as of yet, but so far she is quiet. Only noise is a slight whir when I brake hard. Not sure what that is about. Maybe it will go away with more driving.

I have a question. I haven’t driven run-of-the-mill low-powered automatics in a long time. How do they typically shift? The Chevy slurs the shifts quite a bit. I could see them programming it to do so for the masses who don’t want to feel anything. Just want to know it is normal and not a sign of more bad things to come.

BTW, I looked up 2010-2012 Equinoxes with under 125k within 100 miles of me, and none with clean titles are under $7k. So I could always list it for $5995. LOL.

tjc78 · November 2019

That's typical shifting behavior. I've driven a few of those Equinox's as rentals and that is what I remember.

stickguy · November 2019

Michaell said:

28firefighter said:

stickguy said:
browsing around, this is the exact Santa Fe we would get if the wife decided to move ahead. This happens to be a slightly used one, but really did not change for 2020, so 7 months won't wipe out all the new car smell!

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/790881595/overview/
Pretty color combo. I like it.
Ditto - my stepson and DIL would have liked it, instead of the Tucson they bought.

If that one was local might be taking the wife in this weekend to check it out, and see if a trade of the RDX for the Santa Fe could be worked out. She might go for it.

28firefighter · November 2019

stickguy said:

Michaell said:

28firefighter said:

stickguy said:
browsing around, this is the exact Santa Fe we would get if the wife decided to move ahead. This happens to be a slightly used one, but really did not change for 2020, so 7 months won't wipe out all the new car smell!

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/790881595/overview/
Pretty color combo. I like it.
Ditto - my stepson and DIL would have liked it, instead of the Tucson they bought.
If that one was local might be taking the wife in this weekend to check it out, and see if a trade of the RDX for the Santa Fe could be worked out. She might go for it.

You have the fever.

stickguy · November 2019

That one is down into the budget range where the monthly nut won’t freak her out. And she does want all the nice goodies. And looks new enough to get her to accept CPO.

stickguy · November 2019

Too bad it didn’t pop up on carvana. That would have been too easy!

nyccarguy · November 2019

Since I've made a couple of payments and put a couple thousand miles on my Tacoma, I've got a little more to say about it.

It is completely different than anything else I've ever owned/leased, but I really LOVE it. It is well screwed together. No squeaks or rattles. The ride is still on the stiff side. I'm used to it though. Maybe the suspension has settled.

It doesn't beg to be driven like the Infiniti. The Toyota V6 is no slouch though. The passing power is there when I need it.

Most days I'm driving around with an empty bed. The few times I've really needed it, it has come in very handy. Parking hasn't been as much of an issue as I thought. MPG has been decent. I'm averaging between 17 & 19 mpg on RUG.

The clock is ticking. Less than 2 years to go

corvette · November 2019

qbrozen said:
BTW, I looked up 2010-2012 Equinoxes with under 125k within 100 miles of me, and none with clean titles are under $7k. So I could always list it for $5995. LOL.

Hahaha... What would your wife say to that?

28firefighter · November 2019

Congrats to your mom, @tjc78! Glad it went well.

How disconnected sales folks are from the rest of the market is actually unbelievable.

stickguy · November 2019

As long as he turns a profit, what’s not to like?

Sandman6472 · November 2019

The cooler temps have finally arrived, was 55 last night and will be again tonight.
My iPhone has been having some issues as of late but went into full exorsist mode yesterday at work. Starting by itself, won't turn on, turning off by itself...just crazy [non-permissible content removed]. And my lead was trying to call me, showed but didn't ring, just weird. Going to the Apple store at 4:30 to see if they can diagnose the issue and if not, get a refurbished unit. Under warranty till 12/2019 so still have time to get it taken care of. Really like the XR and don't want an 11 to be honest. Waiting for the 2020 model as think they'll be major changes like a usb-c cord and 5G ready. Just not ready for a newer iPhone as of yet but will see what they say. Just need a working gps for Hertz. The guy at Enterprise said it wasn't necessary which surprised me.
As for Enterprise, still no word if I'm 100% hired. Paperwork is complete and no drug test needed. Hate this uncertainty but have decided one thing, I really really want to get it and work closer to home. Would make things so much simpler if I could be closer. Hopefully will get word by beginning of next week. Already was given the week of December 23rd off from Hertz so I can go to Orlando. Made Enterprise awre of my plans at the interview so there'd be no issue. He said if I could be back a bit early, the 27th, it would be a whole lot better so if hired, will just come back a day or two early.

tjc78 · November 2019

Waiting for the 2020 model as think they'll be major changes like a usb-c cord and 5G ready.

My wife's 11 PRO Max has both of those.

I think I have to finally retire my 7 Plus. Battery life is getting dismal and the home button is getting flaky. It's been a good run (3 years). It's also slightly bent so it's had a hard life.

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