Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
Interesting story on my 04 Acura TSX 6mt bought new in june '03. 18-19 months ago I've stretched the brakes as far as I can, so settle in for a brake job - rotors are grooved pretty well, so I have to grind off the lip to swing caliper out of the way. I wonder when the last set of pads was so I look in my file and can't find any receipts or shop work. Turns out the original pads had made it 15+ years and 145K! Car also has original clutch; now that my 16 year old, who wasn't born when I bought the car, is driving it, that clutch is likely to going to need replacement sooner vs later.
Pretty good example of Japanese-built low volume quality car...
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
Edmunds Price Checker
Edmunds Lease Calculator
Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!
Edmunds Moderator
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
knock off about $1k for trade-in value.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
My Charger goes out only when I know the road is free of salt.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
The down side, if not done, is that the work is very expensive if not under the class-action warranty (just the parts are a bit scary in price), and, while the car will continue to work if you are willing to watch the dipstick closely, all that oil going out the tailpipe is not going to do your oxygen sensors or catalytic converter any favors in terms of life expectancy.
As far as start-up noise, even after the replacement, it is very noisy upon initial start up, but it settles in to quiet purring within a few seconds. This behavior is distinctly different than the older EJ25 in my experience.
In theory, head gaskets are not an issue on this car, yet the manufacturer still calls for use of the "Subaru Blue" special coolant that comes equipped with StopLeak.
Thanks, @xwesx.
The oil leak has supposedly been repaired and the car is offered for sale here:
https://lansing.craigslist.org/ctd/d/lansing-2012-subaru-forester/7052414015.html
I predict it'll be gone within the week. The ice storm might slow things down a touch.
"Reminder" -- well it'd be a reminder if I'd ever known any of this. Yikes.
Ever notice how new cars are so easy to buy, and used cars require a dissertation?
And yeah "drank oil" -- I mentioned the exhaust pipe had a little greasiness in it.
Best to move on.
cheers -mathias
When I read the part about the greasiness in the tailpipe, I cringed a little; that pipe is likely to have more buildup the closer it is to the engine. That, combined with additional heat, makes for a nice, fatal coating after a time.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
To make it easy, post all the info for the MDX, including location.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
Just got a postdoc into a 2010 Focus SES , 150k, clean but rocker panel rust, 1 owner commuter car, for $1975. Quickest deal ever.
Now we have this, which will take a little more care:
2011 Subaru Impreza hatch automatic 2.5 l engine 120k
in blue.
steel wheels w/ covers, probably the base version.
JF1GH6A63BH808057
Inside not dirty but not revolting; hasn't been cleaned yet.
Drives great, lots of creaky noises from the dash on the right hand side only. Weird.
I'll look again but I see no evidence of body work.
Shlock tires witih a lot of tread, which is good and bad
Doesn't feel loved but seems solid.
thanks in advance -mathias
What is the history on the Subie? When was T-belt done? When were head gaskets last done? This is a vehicle where a good 50% of the value will be based on repair history.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
No price yet, no title yet, I don't think the dealer knows what he'll pay for it.
The oil change sticker is from a Subaru dealership, so here's hoping there's a record. No paperwork with the car. No frame work that I could detect but bolts turned on the quarter panels, so maybe there's a story.
It drives really nice, though, and the 'customer' is interested. I would be, too, if I needed wheels.
As far as the Focus, I couldn't see the rocker panel issue in the dark because my phone crapped out in the cold, so no light. By the time I saw it, I already had the car, so I showed it to the post-Doc, who really liked everything else and took it to his mechanic who pronounced it safe and a good deal and told him to buy it. Which he did. He's got 18 more months then back home to la belle France, so what the heck.
Michiganders have a high tolerance for rust from long habituation.
Heck, I just work here.
Next in the pipeline is an 06 Impreza hatch stick from Rhode Island of all paces, that looks remarkably rust free... but this one's going to be all in the condition, obviously. From the outside, it looked to have a really clean interior, so maybe that'll find a home with the faithful...
thanks for the help & feedback!
-mathias
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
No money motive, if you're wondering.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
these also kinda sound like used Malibu types.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
3,300 miles
Rally Yellow With Black Stripes / Black
6.2L V8 16V MPFI OHV
6-Speed Automatic with TapShift / RWD
One owner, good condition. No hits/runs/errors per Carfax.
Wisconsin
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
Just to illustrate a bit more: Having made the questionable decision to become a physicist in basic research, one finds a job market that isn't all that big in some sense, while in another it's as big as it can get -- truly global. So a doctorate in Europe, followed by a post-doctoral stint in North America, is almost be a rite of passage.
Postdoc pay ain't much. An engineer right out of college will probably do better. Fresh Ph.D.'s are a dime a dozen. It just seems like such a great career choice because the guys giving the talks later in life are the ones who made it, not the adjunct professors at the local college, making $28k a year. But I digress.
Of course, the new person will have zero credit, and the insurance alone for a 10-year-old car is $3,000 per year here in Michigan. Therefore we're looking for hoopties that don't need collision insurance -- this is after I explain 'no-fault' to my incredulous audience -- and often the new person has to work a few months to save up a couple, three grand.
Finding cars is easy, what with Craigslist and Facebook, but with the internet working its magic, every private seller is an expert, full of kbb and carfax goodness, and yet without a clue. I like to tell people i've checked out a thousand cars in the last decade, and all but one were in excellent condition.
That's why I'm happy to have a reasonable dealer to work with, essentially a wholesaler with a retail lot, thus one fewer person to get paid. He's exclusive to the big Subaru/VW/Audi/Hyundai dealer, so that's an interesting mix of incoming cars. About half are rats, but plenty of decent ones in the mix.
Just as an example, right now he has a clean 2012 Avalon, white over blue leather, 120k miles. Only reason it's not at the used side of the mothership is it has fender bender on the carfax, no big thing. $6,900 asking price and this thing looks like new. That may not be a 'cheap' car but that's totally reasonable. I suggested it to my next 'customer' but she won't drive a 'large' car. Oh well.
cheers -mathias
That used to matter, but these days, not so much. Stay diversified.
2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech, 2006 Acura TL w/nav
>> highway robbery
Pure Michigan™
Speaking of which, have I shared this Pure Michigan
moment from last summer? Can't complain, the rivets are still holding the new plate to the old one. Every problem has an engineering solution!
@qbrozen
>> I think I'd likely take a high-mileage G35x over a high-mileage Subaru. Just a thought, if you can find any. Too many big problems with most subarus as they get up there. A G35x is damned near bulletproof in comparison.
It is kind of funny that out of maybe 15 cars, there is indeed a 2005 G35 sitting at Dave's lot. The leather in the driver's seat is a bit ripped, and it wasn't exactly clean when they got it, but he said "it drives really nice." I haven't looked it over, thinking it was too far gone. You're making me reconsider. Nissans of any stripe are basically niche products north of I-80, so I know little about them. Also I'm kind of aiming for a $5k price for a new employee on a permanent position.
If it weren't for the insurance/credit issue, I'd be suggesting a new Corolla hatch. Problem solved for the next 15 years.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
To give an extreme example, my friend and colleague in the next office lives a good two miles off campus, like I do, and he bikes (or walks) every day. His 2004 Subaru Outback, which he bought new, has 28k miles
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
I'm surprised to have everyone speak so highly of the G. A knowledgeable friend of mine was looking at these some years back and got disgusted and discouraged at what he found. Rattletraps, he said, and eventually bought a new Chevy Volt. I should recalibrate and try one out myself. A G35, not a Volt
The 2011 Impreza, meanwhile, is a one-owner car. I'm still leaning that way, if the price isn't exorbitant. You said
>> What is the history on the Subie? When was T-belt done? When were head gaskets last done? This is a vehicle where a good 50% of the value will be based on repair history.
I reckon the carfax will tell that story. I'm thinking this is a car that can be driven a long time, but there will be costs. Knowing the history will help set the price but meanwhile, what do these go for? It's not like the auction result have all that information, either. I'm going to go out on a limb and say low $3s in good condition -- "2011 Subaru Impreza hatch automatic 2.5 120k blue."
If it were me and I needed transportation while I concentrate on a new job, I'd go for the white 2012 Toyota Avalon Limited with 132k for $6,900 and try to get a few hundred dollars off. One owner since it came off lease in 2013. Probably not going to happen.
Thanks again, and I'll post the end of the story, if and when -mathias