Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

breld · September 2020

Yeah, I always check craigslist first. I’ll give bestusedtires a shot too. Thanks for the suggestion.

I’ve become quite accustomed to selling lightly used winter tires on craigslist. Kind of a pain.

roadburner · September 2020

Ditching a Volvo for a Porsche is a World Class Punch!

qbrozen · September 2020

breld said:
Quick tire/rim question...

I will put snow tires on the Cayenne, which has a staggered setup.

9 x 20 wheels in front, 275/45/20 tires.
10.5 x 20 wheel in rear, 305/40/20 tires.

There are at least a few options to get the same staggered set of winter tires, but what I’d like to do is to go square all around (for cost and winter performance) and put the 275/45/20 front size on all four.

Can I put that narrower tire on the 10.5” wide rear wheel?

No. 275 is more than an inch narrower than 305. Even if you managed getting them on, they’d be stretched terribly. If you want square, you gotta get the same size wheel front and back. If you think about it, stretching a tire could also screw with the AWD system since it would result in a lower profile.

stickguy · September 2020

I would want winter wheels anyway instead of swapping tires on and off the good wheels. But if the tirerack packages aren't more expensive to do staggered, what difference does it make?

and dumb question, but does it have summer or all season tires on it now? And if all season, do you really need winter tires now with working from home, etc.?

breld · September 2020

Thanks Q - I was planning on confirming with Discount Tire either way, but that insight is helpful.

Not all that much more costly to just get the wider rear tires. I read somewhere that the staggered setup was not ideal for winter tires, but I’m assuming it’s negligible.

Ideally, most owners would get a separate winter set of wheels/tires, and I used to do that more often. That’s good for the long run over several seasons of changing them out, but you know, I’m me.

breld · September 2020

On a separate note, if anyone is ever in the market for all weather mats, I love the 3D Maxpider Kagu mats. I’ve had them on several vehicles - they fit well, have great coverage, are easy to clean, and have a nice look and feel. I much prefer them to the traditional OEM all weather mats.

As luck would have it, someone on eBay was selling a set of them for the Cayenne (after only keeping the car for a few months - can you imagine?) for a great price. I also found a local seller on eBay for the retractable cargo cover that mine didn’t have.

corvette · September 2020

Good choice. Those look a lot like the Weathertech FloorLiners I got for the Tahoe.

breld · September 2020

stickguy said:
I would want winter wheels anyway instead of swapping tires on and off the good wheels. But if the tirerack packages aren't more expensive to do staggered, what difference does it make?

and dumb question, but does it have summer or all season tires on it now? And if all season, do you really need winter tires now with working from home, etc.?

Yeah, hardly any difference, so easier to just get the staggered set.

I believe it has all seasons on it now, which yes, would probably be just fine. We’ve become accustomed to the additional confidence of winter tires.

Michaell · September 2020

breld said:

stickguy said:
I would want winter wheels anyway instead of swapping tires on and off the good wheels. But if the tirerack packages aren't more expensive to do staggered, what difference does it make?

and dumb question, but does it have summer or all season tires on it now? And if all season, do you really need winter tires now with working from home, etc.?
Yeah, hardly any difference, so easier to just get the staggered set.

I believe it has all seasons on it now, which yes, would probably be just fine. We’ve become accustomed to the additional confidence of winter tires.

And I've lived in Colorado for over 25 years, and never bought a set of winter tires.

carnaught · September 2020

graphicguy said:

Michaell said:
Hey folks. I know we talked about this several months ago, but the wife and I are in the market for a new mattress. She thinks she wants to get a Tempur-pedic, but I can't remember what the feedback was from the Peanut gallery here.
Purple....swear by it. Had both Temperpedic and Sleep Number. Purple...hands down. 5 years old an no sag, and feels like the day I bought it.

Posted before, but I also really like my Purple 2 - it is a mid firmness model, hybrid. The Purple is the softest and the Purple 3 the firmest.

qbrozen · September 2020

Unless you plan on driving in snow in the next few weeks, I think you should save the money. The next buyer won’t give extra for 2 sets of tires. ;b

tifighter · September 2020

breld said:
Quick tire/rim question...

I will put snow tires on the Cayenne, which has a staggered setup.

9 x 20 wheels in front, 275/45/20 tires.
10.5 x 20 wheel in rear, 305/40/20 tires.

There are at least a few options to get the same staggered set of winter tires, but what I’d like to do is to go square all around (for cost and winter performance) and put the 275/45/20 front size on all four.

Can I put that narrower tire on the 10.5” wide rear wheel?

Nice punch; I like the blues, as you all know.
These tires are the same size as on my X. Tire size.com calculator site says, FWIW-

dad23 · September 2020

Congrats @breld, looks like another fine addition and I have to agree with the others, the color is gorgeous!

qbrozen · September 2020

tifighter said:

breld said:
Quick tire/rim question...

I will put snow tires on the Cayenne, which has a staggered setup.

9 x 20 wheels in front, 275/45/20 tires.
10.5 x 20 wheel in rear, 305/40/20 tires.

There are at least a few options to get the same staggered set of winter tires, but what I’d like to do is to go square all around (for cost and winter performance) and put the 275/45/20 front size on all four.

Can I put that narrower tire on the 10.5” wide rear wheel?
Nice punch; I like the blues, as you all know.
These tires are the same size as on my X. Tire size.com calculator site says, FWIW-

That’s kind of interesting. It would seem you could get away with 275 all around. Still not terribly sure how or if the resulting height difference would affect the AWD. I have seen, however, different makes/models of tires have different wheel size suggestions, so might want to double check with the manufacturer’s specs on a particular tire you are considering.

mjfloyd1 · September 2020

@breld. Those Pirelli Verde all season are rated 7.5/10 for snow traction. I’d give them a shot. You probably won’t keep it more than 1 snow season. Just sayin’

kyfdx · September 2020

@breld The wife says you are safe. She wants a Macan.

stickguy · September 2020

There’s a black over black one near me. I don’t have the faintest idea how realistic the price is, but miles are low!

https://www.royaleasing.com/details-2018-porsche-macan-used-wp1aa2a56jlb10282.html

dad23 · September 2020

11,977 CERTIFIRD MILES, does that mean it was driven differently?

corvette · September 2020

dad23 said:
11,977 CERTIFIRD MILES, does that mean it was driven differently?

Maybe it means they didn't roll the odometer back on that one?

graphicguy · September 2020

@breld.....yum...I like it. Way to go. You always have the coolest cars in your garage.

kyfdx · September 2020

stickguy said:
There’s a black over black one near me. I don’t have the faintest idea how realistic the price is, but miles are low!

https://www.royaleasing.com/details-2018-porsche-macan-used-wp1aa2a56jlb10282.html

Pretty. Macans aren't hard to find. Caymans on the other hand....

breld · September 2020

kyfdx said:

stickguy said:
There’s a black over black one near me. I don’t have the faintest idea how realistic the price is, but miles are low!

https://www.royaleasing.com/details-2018-porsche-macan-used-wp1aa2a56jlb10282.html
Pretty. Macans aren't hard to find. Caymans on the other hand....

Well if you find one you like out here let me know. I can buy it, enjoy it for a few months and then you can have another nice trip out to Denver. 😀

kyfdx · September 2020

breld said:

kyfdx said:

stickguy said:
There’s a black over black one near me. I don’t have the faintest idea how realistic the price is, but miles are low!

https://www.royaleasing.com/details-2018-porsche-macan-used-wp1aa2a56jlb10282.html
Pretty. Macans aren't hard to find. Caymans on the other hand....
Well if you find one you like out here let me know. I can buy it, enjoy it for a few months and then you can have another nice trip out to Denver. 😀

stickguy · September 2020

Instead of a cayman, why not a nice, gently used Supra?

kyfdx · September 2020

stickguy said:
Instead of a cayman, why not a nice, gently used Supra?

Go for it!

breld · September 2020

Anyone have experience with Vredestein tires? Tire Rack has some winter tires for the Cayenne from that brand that seem very affordable.

mjfloyd1 · September 2020

They are very good winter tires

breld · September 2020

mjfloyd1 said:
They are very good winter tires

Thanks - that's all I needed. Just ordered them.

stickguy · September 2020

I was looking at their all seasons for when my daughters Jetta finally needs new ones

stickguy · September 2020

So, I went through with downsizing. The TLX loaded up onto the Carvana truck and took off. Weird feeling. Going to take a while to get used to it. I think my wife misses her already (her name was Ruby). Just not once a month when the payment came out!

Probably a Mistake, but my car history was littered with those. Just need to see how long I can hold out now. Shooting for Presidents’ Day unless the right used car drops into my lap.

Speaking of which, anyone have opinions on a 2013 golf GTI Mk6 autobahn? 6 speed, 61,000 miles.

coldinohio · September 2020

the space saver spare in my Macan is Vredestein.. so OEM...

breld said:
Anyone have experience with Vredestein tires? Tire Rack has some winter tires for the Cayenne from that brand that seem very affordable.

breld · September 2020

A mistake to get rid of it? Nah. TLX is easy to replace, even if you simply wanted another one.

I agree with the experience being a bit weird. When they dropped off my (now @kyfdx's) GTI and loaded up my Miata RF, I was pretty sad to see that go. Cool car it was. But like I said above about your TLX, a Miata is pretty easy to replace too.

Either way - congrats on downsizing! President's Day? I give it 'til New Years. I'm usually on the other end of these bets, so I'm happy to throw out a prediction for someone else.

breld · September 2020

MK6 GTI is nice, though getting a bit outdated with an MK8 coming out soon. But the Autobahn trim is great - any pictures to share?

I guess it all depends on the pricing and condition.

Michaell · September 2020

@stickguy - welcome to the world of car sharing. It's nice here - you'll like it. I get the itch to either 1) add something for myself, or 2) swap the Outback for something nicer.

I was looking at used A4 allroads over the weekend. Audi has a color called Gotland Green that is very appealing. Found one in Santa Barbara that was reasonably priced.

stickguy · September 2020

If the daughter hadn’t moved out back in May it would have been easier. She at least is excited to have a garage beau now for her frequent visits home.

If I really felt like it, I could take half what they just paid me, and put I’d down on a new lease and pocket the rest. So I really am not worried about being car less forever.

Will probably go drive a GTI at some point, just to see how it is. The 2013 just popped up at my local Subaru dealer. But no pictures or price yet.

From some quick googling, sounds like best to stick with either a 2013 or 2014 Mk6, or a 2018+ mk7. Maybe a 2017. But avoid 2012 and prior, and the early 7s.

stickguy · September 2020

breld said:
MK6 GTI is nice, though getting a bit outdated with an MK8 coming out soon. But the Autobahn trim is great - any pictures to share?

I guess it all depends on the pricing and condition.

Always does! Outdated does not bother me too much, as long as it has Bluetooth, or can easily have a head unit added with Bluetooth and CarPlay.

qbrozen · September 2020

This is ridiculously cool!
https://www.japaneseclassics.com/vehicle/1993-mitsubishi-pajero-turbo-diesel/

stickguy · September 2020

It is, but I don’t think I could deal with RHD over here. It was fine in Ireland!

ab348 · September 2020

When I was out cruising in the Olds yesterday I stopped in at the VW dealer just for fun and they had 4 or 5 new GTIs on the lot. None of them were in the trim/color I would prefer. The one that looked best to me was a red one in Autobahn trim, but it was a stick which given my knee situation is ruled out. Plus being an Autobahn it had black leather inside which I would not want. The did have a base trim with DSG but it had 2 strikes against it. It was in an unattractive dark grey paint (later on I learned the website calls it Dark Iron Blue which strikes me as odd since I didn't see even a hint of blue to it), and the base 17" wheels are not attractive at all, being just painted silver, while the upgrade 18" wheels are polished with black accents and are the way to go. The base wheels look like just another 5-spoke wheel you would find on any VW. They also had one trimmed the same with the plaid cloth and DSG but it was black and I wouldn't want that color either.

The other thing that gave me pause was looking at them on the dealer website when I got home. The base cars are $35K sticker, the Autobahn models $40K. No idea what discounts might be available. That strikes me as a bit pricey.

Thanks to Sarah-n-Tuned's Youtube page I discovered her review of the Camry TRD. That was something I didn't even know existed but she really liked it and aside from the wing and the matte black wheels it seems like a fun car and it is cheaper than any new GTI. Interesting out-of-left-field option.

stickguy · September 2020

Oh, forgot to add, the Carvana sale was exceptionally efficient. He was early, a couple minutes for a basic look over, sign a few papers and get the check. Probably 10 minutes end to end, a few of which were me taking off the plates since I hadn’t gotten around to it!

Nice guy. Really liked the car. But he probably tells everyone that.

ab348 · September 2020

Stick, you may need to change your handle on here to "NJ Breld" or similar.

stickguy · September 2020

ab348 said:
Stick, you may need to change your handle on here to "NJ Breld" or similar.

I’ll never be in that category! I don’t have the nerves for it.

qbrozen · September 2020

We could combine all of our NJ crew in force and still not achieve breld status.

breld · September 2020

It's nothing to be proud of Rusty...

stickguy · September 2020

just selling this one stressed me out. But that was probably more due to not having a replacement already!

I am actually executing our original plan, just out of order and a bit disjointedly. The plan all along was to get the wife something fancy and nice (probably deserves it for putting up with me this long) when my lease was up, and I would just get something cheap (lease, used buy) as a spare car. Either a beater, a toy, or just cheap basic wheels. I was never planning on keeping the old RDX after we got a new one.

so I basically just took advantage of a couple of good Carvana offers and a good deal from Acura to execute the plan now, instead of the end of 2021. We are already 1/2 way to that goal, 15 months early! Only thing missing is the 2nd car, which will happen when the time is right.

stickguy · September 2020

today is also our 35th anniversary. So I gave her the present of watching my car get hauled away on a flatbed. And a text with some cute emojis. I am a true romantic. And yes, must be getting old.

stickguy · September 2020

funny coincidence. Just got an Email from a dealer I have dealt with before (where I bought my Elantra).
//////////////////////

COVID has completely disrupted the used car market auctions and has created a scarcity in pre-owned inventory throughout the country.

My name is and I have been Internet Sales Director for Hyundai for 4 years and have never seen anything like this.

We literally "bought" a lease from a South Philly customer that had 3 months left and wrote her a check for $1,900 to get out early so we could put her CX-5 in our pre-owned lot...kinda absurd.

If you have thought of getting out of your vehicle (lease/finance/own outright), please email me

mjfloyd1 · September 2020

@breld, please tell me that these cars are registered to your accounting firm and you can write off some of the (repeated) losses...

breld · September 2020

If only I was that forward thinking.

mjfloyd1 · September 2020

Awkward

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