Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

qbrozen · June 2021

Michaell said:
@oldfarmer50 - I'll bet for a lot less than $30K you can add the aftermarket bits that will narrow the handling gap between your GT and the Mach 1.

I mean, I get the allure of a new car, but that seems like a lot of money for not a huge upgrade.

Exactly what I was going to say.
Hell, you can even throw on a supercharger and still be under that $30k gap. I'm all for cashing in on your good fortune, but not to throw an extra $30k away on a slightly upgraded version of what you have.

explorerx4 · June 2021

The Mach 1 has a lot of features that would be upgrades.
10 speed auto
3.55 locking diff
Rear diff cooler
Active exhaust
Magneride suspension
Heated steering wheel
Heated/cooled seats
Navigation
B & O sound system
LED exterior lighting
Push button start
12 inch instrument display
Cold air intake
Selectable drive modes
Staggered size summer tires
I left out the Mach 1 specific trim and appearance items
Playing devil's advocate

explorerx4 · June 2021

I just checked the dealer where I bought my Explorer.
10k markup on a Mach 1
20k markup on a GT500

roadburner · June 2021

The 10 speed automatic is optional(thankfully). You have to step up to the Mach 1 Premium to get heated seats/wheel, decent upholstery, and (possibly) navigation. The B&O sound system is part of the $1295 Mach 1 Elite Package.
The base Mach 1 is an excellent track rat, but I can’t abide the interior and audio system.
At my advanced age I want a track toy that can double as a true GT that I can DD or take on long trips.

nyccarguy · June 2021

@roadburner said:
The 10 speed automatic is optional(thankfully). You have to step up to the Mach 1 Premium to get heated seats/wheel, decent upholstery, and (possibly) navigation. The B&O sound system is part of the $1295 Mach 1 Elite Package.
The base Mach 1 is an excellent track rat, but I can’t abide the interior and audio system.
At my advanced age I want a track toy that can double as a true GT that I can DD or take on long trips.

I think you need a 911 GT3. I saw 2 of them yesterday. 1st one was a Guards Red/Black 2016 with PDK. The guy was filling up at the gas station at the bottom of the Merrit Parkway right before you cross into the NY border. I told him I loved his car. He thanked me and said it’s his favorite Porsche ever. He then said he’s sorry he can’t stay and chat, but he’s got a race to go to. He came to a full stop at the end of the short entrance ramp. Put his left blinker on and punched it to merge into traffic.

The second one I saw was a silver/black GT3 that looked to be about the same year as the red one I had seen earlier. He turned as I was waiting at a stop sign. “Awesome car” I said. He said “Thanks, I really love it!”

oldfarmer50 · June 2021

roadburner said:

oldfarmer50 said:

stickguy said:
The Acura dealer did on my RDX deal. He was not all that happy to do it, but hey, they were the ones that put a big "we match Carmax!" sign out front! Probably because the Acura dealer is right across the street from the Carmax location.

Go test drive the Mach 1. See if you even notice that much of a difference after you tuned and put an exhaust on yours.
Yeah that’s the thing, as it stands my car has 460hp vs 480 for the Mach 1. So not much difference there. What intrigues me is how much better it handles. They say they’ve put a lot of suspension bits from the GT350 on it so I assume it will corner on rails. Also, it comes with a 3:55 rear end which should be good off the line where I need the torque.

I’m not looking for screaming acceleration or I’d get a GT500. Funny, there’s only about a half dozen Mach 1s within 100 miles of me but there must be 20 GT500s. Maybe it’s the near $100k price tag that keeps them in the dealerships.
I suspect that the most noticeable handling upgrade is a result of ordering the $3500 handling package- which gets you the Sport Cup tires...

I just bought a set of Michelin A/S 4s which made a noticeable difference so you could be right.

oldfarmer50 · June 2021

Michaell said:
@oldfarmer50 - I'll bet for a lot less than $30K you can add the aftermarket bits that will narrow the handling gap between your GT and the Mach 1.

I mean, I get the allure of a new car, but that seems like a lot of money for not a huge upgrade.

I was thinking the same thing. On a whim I took a drive to the nearest store that had a Mach 1 in inventory only to have the lot guy tell me that the manager drives it. No telling how many miles or what beatings this “new” car has now.

On the plus side I got to look around a bunch of Mach Es.

oldfarmer50 · June 2021

explorerx4 said:
I just checked the dealer where I bought my Explorer.
10k markup on a Mach 1
20k markup on a GT500

No Sale just on general principle.

Out of curiosity which dealer was that? I found 3 in CT within a hundred miles of me and none of the listings mentioned an ADM.

andres3 · June 2021

xwesx said:

henryn said:

xwesx said:
I think I'm done with Carvana. Their lack of competence and zero customer service combine to really piss me off. I told my mother to just take the car in to the local Carmax and be done with it. Hopefully, she'll do so at some point this week.

I think I would post the car on Craigslist and deal with tire kickers before I thought about Carvana again.
If I'm remembering correctly, you had trouble because it was an estate sale or something of that nature? Not a straight forward "here's the clear title with my name on it".

I sold my Town and Country to Carvana, and it was completely painless. They even offered to let me bring it to them same day instead of waiting for their car hauler to pick it up in a "few days". And when I dropped it off, it took about 10 minutes for them to check it out, have me sign the papers, and then call for an uber. Waiting for the uber was the longest part of the operation.

Of course, I did have a clear in-state title with my name on it.
No, it really isn't that. It's the absolute lack of customer service:

1. They never contacted me about needing the additional information. It took me contacting them via phone, after HOURS, to finally find out that they thought they contacted me, but they didn't, and was able to resend the request to me.
2. After uploading that document, they come back with a request for me to upload another odometer photo.
3. Simple enough... once I got ahold of that photo, that is. Same numbers as the first photo, but, I get it... it's over two weeks after the initial interaction. So, I upload it. Days go by.... nothing.
4. I go onto their website again today to check the documents just to make sure that it all went as I thought it should have. Well, there's no odometer photo. Instead, there are two copies of the trust documents. I upload it again. Now there's three copies of the trust documents. I try again. Now there are FOUR copies of the trust documents. Basically, their upload documents section is broken and there's no way for me to upload anything because it all links back to the trust documents (that is not what I was uploading).
5. Did I mention that there's no way to contact them?

Well, it doesn't matter now, because I'm so done with them that I'm not sure I would spare spit for their eyes if I ever had that opportunity.

I had a similar experience with VROOM except I didn't get as upset as you have. These companies are new and short on human power/employees. They have the computer and software power, but when something doesn't go perfectly "by the book" such as a software upload error, all hell breaks loose and it is hard to get a hold of someone that knows what they are doing and/or has the ability and authority to "fix it!"

andres3 · June 2021

henryn said:
My son bought a Camaro shortly after he graduated college, a 95 or 96 as I recall. It was the hottest model they were selling then, which was no slouch but really wasn't what I would call a hot rod. And it had the T-Top, which is the important point here. When it was less than 6 months old, someone ran into the A-pillar on the passenger side. It was a low speed collision, no one hurt, no air bags deployed, but it bent over the A-pillar which had no real support thanks to the T-Top. The Chevrolet dealership worked on it, gave it back to him 3 times supposedly fixed. Everytime, the passenger door would sag, badly, within a week.

Eventually, the insurance company totaled the car. By then my son had been in rental cars for better than 3 months, and he was not a happy camper.

Reminds me of that scene in FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH
"My brothers got an ultimate set of tools, I can fix it!"
You'd think Insurance companies would be smarter than a guy playing a pothead.

andres3 · June 2021

corvette said:

qbrozen said:
Unfortunately, the Q7 is such a high-dollar vehicle, it would take A LOT to total it.
Yup. Hope it's leased. I've dealt with trying to unload two different "almost-new, low mileage, nice" vehicles after major body work and it was a nightmare both times, to the point that I very strongly prefer leasing anything $30k or above.

Insurance could take that nightmare away by making people whole and insuring diminished value, but instead they've chosen to use arguments that hold about as much water as the Titanic would in its current state of disrepair and degeneration. I don't find any of the arguments credible. If you don't like paying DV, then don't insure negligent drivers causing DV.

andres3 · June 2021

dad23 said:

mjfloyd1 said:
The police didn’t give us the actual report - just exchange of information.

It’s pretty clear from the destroyed front end of the bus who was at fault.

I could be wrong, my fellow Coloradoans can correct me if so, but I believe in Colorado, anytime you're rear-ended, the rear-ender is almost always at fault without question.

It's one of those insurance rules, like left turns and backing up.
1. Don't rear end anyone.
2. Don't cause a crash making a stupidly dangerous left turn.
3. Don't get hit while backing up, or hit anyone while backing up (though some try to argue this one).

I think the left turn rule makes the most sense. Dash cams are changing the rear-end paradigm, but the vast majority are still the rear-enders fault.

andres3 · June 2021

henryn said:

roadburner said:
One of my friends is retired Navy; daughters car was stolen amnd later recovered- with the engine now making ominous noises. USAA is dragging their feet and refusing a loaner until they can inspect the car.
I would want to know a little more before I passed judgement on this. People often misrepresent the facts (you of all people should know this). If indeed USAA is not being cooperative, and if you're fairly sure there is a problem, leave your car at the mechanics shop or dealership service department, rent a car (keeping records), and ask the insurance company to send someone to the shop to check out the car. I have found that when I used the dealership, USAA never actually went to see the car, they just talked to the dealership over the phone. This probably wouldn't be the case if you were using Joes Fly-By-Night Auto Repair.

I've only dealt with USAA once when I was hit by one of their insured in a parking lot.
In my view the facts and evidence supported 100% blame to them and they should have covered everything 100% right off the bat.
1. They offered only 70% which was absurd "lowball" "bad faith" offer in my opinion.
2. Progressive looked at the evidence and facts and quickly found them 100% liable (at least someone has some sense in the Insurance industry!).
3. I complained to the State Dept. of Insurance not only for USAA's ridiculous offer, but for their delays and "non responsive" responses to correspondence.
4. This caused USAA to reassess their position and offer 90%.
5. I was so upset about the inital 70% offer that 90% also seemed like an insult, but personally, I'm thinking I would have "taken it."
6. Progressive stood fast, and wanted to hold out for 100% with an inter-insurance company arbiter (for selfish reasons as USAA was apparently also arguing about the body shops repair bills with them, but this wasn't disclosed to me until much later after the fact).
7. The crazy arbiter who probably finds shared blame in 100% of all cases assigned only 80% blame to USAA.
8. I was bound by this charade by Progressive as a "final" decision of arbitration and screwed out of not only getting 90%, but also being able to sue for 100%.

Conclusion: In a sample of 1 USAA gets a 1 out of 10, and Progressive a 2 out of 10. A score of 2 out of 10 means I wouldn't use them unless they were at least 25% less than another low quote.

andres3 · June 2021

dad23 said:
Growing up, our insurance agent lived across the street from us. His advice regarding talking to adjusters was have them send you any questions in writing, especially when they want to record the conversation!

Seems excessive for a "fender bender." Might be advisable if people have been injured or killed.

henryn · June 2021

andres3 said:

henryn said:

roadburner said:
One of my friends is retired Navy; daughters car was stolen amnd later recovered- with the engine now making ominous noises. USAA is dragging their feet and refusing a loaner until they can inspect the car.
I would want to know a little more before I passed judgement on this. People often misrepresent the facts (you of all people should know this). If indeed USAA is not being cooperative, and if you're fairly sure there is a problem, leave your car at the mechanics shop or dealership service department, rent a car (keeping records), and ask the insurance company to send someone to the shop to check out the car. I have found that when I used the dealership, USAA never actually went to see the car, they just talked to the dealership over the phone. This probably wouldn't be the case if you were using Joes Fly-By-Night Auto Repair.
I've only dealt with USAA once when I was hit by one of their insured in a parking lot.
In my view the facts and evidence supported 100% blame to them and they should have covered everything 100% right off the bat.
1. They offered only 70% which was absurd "lowball" "bad faith" offer in my opinion.
2. Progressive looked at the evidence and facts and quickly found them 100% liable (at least someone has some sense in the Insurance industry!).
3. I complained to the State Dept. of Insurance not only for USAA's ridiculous offer, but for their delays and "non responsive" responses to correspondence.
4. This caused USAA to reassess their position and offer 90%.
5. I was so upset about the inital 70% offer that 90% also seemed like an insult, but personally, I'm thinking I would have "taken it."
6. Progressive stood fast, and wanted to hold out for 100% with an inter-insurance company arbiter (for selfish reasons as USAA was apparently also arguing about the body shops repair bills with them, but this wasn't disclosed to me until much later after the fact).
7. The crazy arbiter who probably finds shared blame in 100% of all cases assigned only 80% blame to USAA.
8. I was bound by this charade by Progressive as a "final" decision of arbitration and screwed out of not only getting 90%, but also being able to sue for 100%.

Conclusion: In a sample of 1 USAA gets a 1 out of 10, and Progressive a 2 out of 10. A score of 2 out of 10 means I wouldn't use them unless they were at least 25% less than another low quote.

I have heard (no personal experience, but I have heard) that USAA can be a real harda__ when it comes to paying out to non-members with a claim against a member. Which doesn't bother me, as I'm a member.

Sorry to hear about your bad experience though.

fintail · June 2021

It was his (Spicoli's) old man, the television repairman, who had the ultimate set of tools

I suspect insurance companies find dashcams to be a mixed blessing, as they can nail down fault without a doubt - no more 50/50 BS that really exists just to pad profits.

andres3 said:

henryn said:
My son bought a Camaro shortly after he graduated college, a 95 or 96 as I recall. It was the hottest model they were selling then, which was no slouch but really wasn't what I would call a hot rod. And it had the T-Top, which is the important point here. When it was less than 6 months old, someone ran into the A-pillar on the passenger side. It was a low speed collision, no one hurt, no air bags deployed, but it bent over the A-pillar which had no real support thanks to the T-Top. The Chevrolet dealership worked on it, gave it back to him 3 times supposedly fixed. Everytime, the passenger door would sag, badly, within a week.

Eventually, the insurance company totaled the car. By then my son had been in rental cars for better than 3 months, and he was not a happy camper.
Reminds me of that scene in FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH
"My brothers got an ultimate set of tools, I can fix it!"
You'd think Insurance companies would be smarter than a guy playing a pothead.

andres3 · June 2021

henryn said:

andres3 said:

henryn said:

roadburner said:
One of my friends is retired Navy; daughters car was stolen amnd later recovered- with the engine now making ominous noises. USAA is dragging their feet and refusing a loaner until they can inspect the car.
I would want to know a little more before I passed judgement on this. People often misrepresent the facts (you of all people should know this). If indeed USAA is not being cooperative, and if you're fairly sure there is a problem, leave your car at the mechanics shop or dealership service department, rent a car (keeping records), and ask the insurance company to send someone to the shop to check out the car. I have found that when I used the dealership, USAA never actually went to see the car, they just talked to the dealership over the phone. This probably wouldn't be the case if you were using Joes Fly-By-Night Auto Repair.
I've only dealt with USAA once when I was hit by one of their insured in a parking lot.
In my view the facts and evidence supported 100% blame to them and they should have covered everything 100% right off the bat.
1. They offered only 70% which was absurd "lowball" "bad faith" offer in my opinion.
2. Progressive looked at the evidence and facts and quickly found them 100% liable (at least someone has some sense in the Insurance industry!).
3. I complained to the State Dept. of Insurance not only for USAA's ridiculous offer, but for their delays and "non responsive" responses to correspondence.
4. This caused USAA to reassess their position and offer 90%.
5. I was so upset about the initial 70% offer that 90% also seemed like an insult, but personally, I'm thinking I would have "taken it."
6. Progressive stood fast, and wanted to hold out for 100% with an inter-insurance company arbiter (for selfish reasons as USAA was apparently also arguing about the body shops repair bills with them, but this wasn't disclosed to me until much later after the fact).
7. The crazy arbiter who probably finds shared blame in 100% of all cases assigned only 80% blame to USAA.
8. I was bound by this charade by Progressive as a "final" decision of arbitration and screwed out of not only getting 90%, but also being able to sue for 100%.

Conclusion: In a sample of 1 USAA gets a 1 out of 10, and Progressive a 2 out of 10. A score of 2 out of 10 means I wouldn't use them unless they were at least 25% less than another low quote.
I have heard (no personal experience, but I have heard) that USAA can be a real harda__ when it comes to paying out to non-members with a claim against a member. Which doesn't bother me, as I'm a member.

Sorry to hear about your bad experience though.

You know, that's a fair viewpoint. As a member, USAA might still be a 10. I felt like Geico was worthless, useless, and most definitely spineless when it came to defending me on a somewhat similar claim when the shoe was slightly on the other foot. At least I know USAA doesn't fork over money so easily. It seems Farmers forked over money too easily when I was in college too.

A bit different than when Mercury forced me to sue the insured in small claims so I could get some reasonable Diminished Value. I'm not sure that "member" of Mercury appreciated being dragged into Court to testify because his insurance company didn't want to pay a fair and reasonable claim amount for something their insured was completely liable for.

oldfarmer50 · June 2021

I forgot, as I was talking with the lot boy at the dealer, this rolled by:

Shelby Super Snake 845hp. $113,000.

stickguy · June 2021

Farmer, one thing that worries me about dumping money into your current car. You will never see a return on that since it will still just be a 2015 GT. A few grand in tweaks, sure, but I doubt you could put $20K into it and come close to selling it for $50.

explorerx4 · June 2021

@stickguy,
Oldfarmer50 never bought his car to make money or sell it at a high price.
Some people have a car because they enjoy it.
You really need something to drive.

oldfarmer50 · June 2021

stickguy said:
Farmer, one thing that worries me about dumping money into your current car. You will never see a return on that since it will still just be a 2015 GT. A few grand in tweaks, sure, but I doubt you could put $20K into it and come close to selling it for $50.

Most cars I buy are run so far into the ground that I’m happy to get any money for them at all. Having a couple of cars bought new is unusual for me so I still don’t think in terms of making a profit. Any money I spend beyond repairs is for my sake, not for value enhancement. I assume you meant selling for $50k as I have sold cars that were only worth $50.

Michaell · June 2021

Member needs an opinion, and I know we are full of them here…

https://forums.edmunds.com/discussion/66471/toyota/x/corolla-vs-camry-please-help-me-pick#latest

explorerx4 · June 2021

Drove by the nearby Toyota dealer today. Only 3 new Tacoma's and 2 Highlanders.

mlevine · June 2021

Know someone high up with toyota. Most dealers have about a a week of inventory. Most vehicles coming in already accounted for either purchase or lease.

stickguy · June 2021

my wife was reading something about the car shortage, and predicting prices might go up even more. And said that maybe we should buy a car now just in case. I think she just wants another car for some reason. Problem is if what I want isn't available (or out yet) what's the point?

most likely if I was shopping now, would be getting another sedan since those seem to be nominally available! Just have to pick something that nobody actually wants.

henryn · June 2021

I was down south of Houston yesterday, about 20 miles down there is a new Toyota dealer, wasn't there a few months ago. I just now looked them up, they have 14 Camrys and 1 Corolla (according to their website). Let's see, 7 Tacomas, 17 Highlanders, and 3 Highlander Hybrid. And they don't seem to be marking them up, at least not that I could tell from the website. Paying MSRP with no dealer addons probably constitutes a good deal right now. Maybe even a great deal, who knows.

au1994 · June 2021

High prices or not, stuff is selling. Those 2 Gladiators I looked at on Tuesday are gone.

stickguy · June 2021

I watched a video a few days ago from some guys that talk about the industry (auto advocates? Old guy used to be a dealer) and they were discussing how May was a phenomenal month for salespeople (which be extension, means dealers). Sales way up, and so were prices. More sales, not skinnies, big commissions!

but everyone realized that June was going to come crashing down since they were so cleaned out of inventory, not much left to sell. Even if they could bump the price still not enough sales to go around.

stickguy · June 2021

good thing I am in no hurry, since still not really wanting to deal with the whole visit the dealership process anyway. Because there does not seem to be anything left to see. I don't even have a ~~long~~ ~~medium~~ short list yet! Just some things I am interested in seeing that aren't out yet.

stickguy · June 2021

I wonder what my list would be? Projecting out to year end, and hoping that supplies stabilize, I guess it would include: Maverick, Santa Cruz, 2022 Civic, 2022 GTI, some Hyundai hybrid, a Kona ultimate (1.6t), new TLX (maybe), some random Volvos, new frontier, 3 series BMW, Taos, or a crosstrek.

I guess that is a start!

corvette · June 2021

I have 8 months until the Tundra lease ends (14 months if I opt for the 6-month extension US Bank is said to offer). "Lease another Tundra" is at the top of my list, but if used car prices have gone back to normal, I might be interested in a used Jeep Cherokee with the 2.0 turbo, or possibly an older 4Runner as a daily driver.

sb55 · June 2021

We put a deposit (refundable) on a Venza 3 weeks ago. Our stipulation was no black interior. That severely limits any availability. With any luck, it may be in stock in late July.

xwesx · June 2021

au1994 said:
High prices or not, stuff is selling. Those 2 Gladiators I looked at on Tuesday are gone.

I have a friend, elderly woman (IIRC, she's 80 now), who just traded in her 2014 Subaru Legacy on a new 2021 Legacy XT. I asked her what she paid for it, and she said, "I think it was $38,000. A lot. But, they gave me a ridiculously high price on my trade, so I figure it works out about the same as it ever did."

She said the XT was "more car than I'll ever use," but it was also the only sedan on their lot, so she wasn't going to argue about it. It's a beautiful car though. Red with a dark grey leather interior. Tech-wise, it seems like a quantum leap from the 2014; it's hard to believe they were less than a decade apart in age.

xwesx · June 2021

stickguy said:
I wonder what my list would be? Projecting out to year end, and hoping that supplies stabilize, I guess it would include: Maverick, Santa Cruz, 2022 Civic, 2022 GTI, some Hyundai hybrid, a Kona ultimate (1.6t), new TLX (maybe), some random Volvos, new frontier, 3 series BMW, Taos, or a crosstrek.

I guess that is a start!

Ah, an early @stickguy list.
It's good to know that some things are still right in this world.

xwesx · June 2021

corvette said:
I have 8 months until the Tundra lease ends (14 months if I opt for the 6-month extension US Bank is said to offer). "Lease another Tundra" is at the top of my list, but if used car prices have gone back to normal, I might be interested in a used Jeep Cherokee with the 2.0 turbo, or possibly an older 4Runner as a daily driver.

At this point, you should probably plan on the extension! If you do, and you go with another Tundra, you might even be able to get your hands on a newly refreshed version.

stickguy · June 2021

the Sube lady makes a good point. It is like me looking at houses now. I know the prices are up on anything I might buy, but that is offset by my house going up. and as a wise man once said, "the only difference, is the difference!"

the people getting hosed are the ones that are starting from scratch with no prior house/car to help fund the new one! But even if you are just moving up, that might negate the financial hit, but does nothing about the serious shortage of inventory. Having money doesn't do much if you can't find what you want to spend it on!

Michaell · June 2021

Just got back from walking a few lots with @breld. Good exercise in 90+ degree weather!

BMW lot was fairly empty.
MB had a decent selection of used cars, but prices were pretty crazy ($115K for a 2021 Corvette 2LT with 2100 miles on it, as an example)
Hyundai lot was decently represented.
Spent about 30 seconds at Jeep (looking for a Grand Cherokee L, none to be seen)
Volvo lot had quite a bit of inventory available.

The Genesis GV80 is quite stunning, when you see it up close. Very classic design style. Roughly $60K for either a pretty well loaded 2.5T or base 3.5T, which represents a whole lotta value when you compare it to a 2018 X5, or a new XC90.

Dealers are closed here in Colorado on Sundays, so we only got to see the exteriors.

stickguy · June 2021

Hyundai must have access in their conglomerate to chips and other materials. It does seem they have better inventory. Will be good for their sales when the competition all runs out of cars to sell!

henryn · June 2021

Michaell said:
Just got back from walking a few lots with @breld. Good exercise in 90+ degree weather!

BMW lot was fairly empty.
MB had a decent selection of used cars, but prices were pretty crazy ($115K for a 2021 Corvette 2LT with 2100 miles on it, as an example)
Hyundai lot was decently represented.
Spent about 30 seconds at Jeep (looking for a Grand Cherokee L, none to be seen)
Volvo lot had quite a bit of inventory available.

The Genesis GV80 is quite stunning, when you see it up close. Very classic design style. Roughly $60K for either a pretty well loaded 2.5T or base 3.5T, which represents a whole lotta value when you compare it to a 2018 X5, or a new XC90.

Dealers are closed here in Colorado on Sundays, so we only got to see the exteriors.

So you have the same blue laws in Colorado as we do here in Texas. They claim that is just so the workers will get a day off, but I seriously doubt that.

ab348 · June 2021

xwesx said:

stickguy said:
I wonder what my list would be? Projecting out to year end, and hoping that supplies stabilize, I guess it would include: Maverick, Santa Cruz, 2022 Civic, 2022 GTI, some Hyundai hybrid, a Kona ultimate (1.6t), new TLX (maybe), some random Volvos, new frontier, 3 series BMW, Taos, or a crosstrek.

I guess that is a start!
Ah, an early @stickguy list.
It's good to know that some things are still right in this world.

Those 13 or so are his short list as of now, pending any "ones I really like" that come along between now and then (I'm actually surprised the Venza isn't on that list). We could have entertainment here for months!

Michaell · June 2021

henryn said:

Michaell said:
Just got back from walking a few lots with @breld. Good exercise in 90+ degree weather!

BMW lot was fairly empty.
MB had a decent selection of used cars, but prices were pretty crazy ($115K for a 2021 Corvette 2LT with 2100 miles on it, as an example)
Hyundai lot was decently represented.
Spent about 30 seconds at Jeep (looking for a Grand Cherokee L, none to be seen)
Volvo lot had quite a bit of inventory available.

The Genesis GV80 is quite stunning, when you see it up close. Very classic design style. Roughly $60K for either a pretty well loaded 2.5T or base 3.5T, which represents a whole lotta value when you compare it to a 2018 X5, or a new XC90.

Dealers are closed here in Colorado on Sundays, so we only got to see the exteriors.
So you have the same blue laws in Colorado as we do here in Texas. They claim that is just so the workers will get a day off, but I seriously doubt that.

Just for car dealers. Used to be for liquor stores as well, but that ended a few years back.

I'm ok with them being closed; gives us a chance to walk the lots uninterrupted.

My son in CA, however, bought his last car on the Sunday before Memorial Day.

ab348 · June 2021

I just checked my local Toyota dealer (2 locations, same ownership). They have 73 new vehicles in stock. No Tundras though (they really don't sell well here) and only a couple of Tacomas. Lots of Corollas, RAVs, Highlanders.

henryn · June 2021

Michaell said:

henryn said:

Michaell said:
Just got back from walking a few lots with @breld. Good exercise in 90+ degree weather!

BMW lot was fairly empty.
MB had a decent selection of used cars, but prices were pretty crazy ($115K for a 2021 Corvette 2LT with 2100 miles on it, as an example)
Hyundai lot was decently represented.
Spent about 30 seconds at Jeep (looking for a Grand Cherokee L, none to be seen)
Volvo lot had quite a bit of inventory available.

The Genesis GV80 is quite stunning, when you see it up close. Very classic design style. Roughly $60K for either a pretty well loaded 2.5T or base 3.5T, which represents a whole lotta value when you compare it to a 2018 X5, or a new XC90.

Dealers are closed here in Colorado on Sundays, so we only got to see the exteriors.
So you have the same blue laws in Colorado as we do here in Texas. They claim that is just so the workers will get a day off, but I seriously doubt that.
Just for car dealers. Used to be for liquor stores as well, but that ended a few years back.

I'm ok with them being closed; gives us a chance to walk the lots uninterrupted.

My son in CA, however, bought his last car on the Sunday before Memorial Day.

The liquor stores here are also closed on Sundays. The car dealers worked out a compromise legislation a few years back. They now have to be closed one day a week, but they can choose which day. So there are a few dealers that close on Saturdays and stay open on Sundays. Which ticked off the religious leaders to no end, as you might well imagine.

ab348 · June 2021

henryn said:

Michaell said:

henryn said:

Michaell said:
Just got back from walking a few lots with @breld. Good exercise in 90+ degree weather!

BMW lot was fairly empty.
MB had a decent selection of used cars, but prices were pretty crazy ($115K for a 2021 Corvette 2LT with 2100 miles on it, as an example)
Hyundai lot was decently represented.
Spent about 30 seconds at Jeep (looking for a Grand Cherokee L, none to be seen)
Volvo lot had quite a bit of inventory available.

The Genesis GV80 is quite stunning, when you see it up close. Very classic design style. Roughly $60K for either a pretty well loaded 2.5T or base 3.5T, which represents a whole lotta value when you compare it to a 2018 X5, or a new XC90.

Dealers are closed here in Colorado on Sundays, so we only got to see the exteriors.
So you have the same blue laws in Colorado as we do here in Texas. They claim that is just so the workers will get a day off, but I seriously doubt that.
Just for car dealers. Used to be for liquor stores as well, but that ended a few years back.

I'm ok with them being closed; gives us a chance to walk the lots uninterrupted.

My son in CA, however, bought his last car on the Sunday before Memorial Day.
The liquor stores here are also closed on Sundays. The car dealers worked out a compromise legislation a few years back. They now have to be closed one day a week, but they can choose which day. So there are a few dealers that close on Saturdays and stay open on Sundays. Which ticked off the religious leaders to no end, as you might well imagine.

Huh. Here, the liquor stores are open, but the car dealers are closed. I can live with that.

henryn · June 2021

And speaking of heat -- it is 96 degrees here this afternoon, and I have been working on wiring up the backup camera in my new (used) truck. The last piece I have to do on the head unit upgrade. The SiriusXM antenna is installed and working fine, the bluetooth microphone is wired up and working, just need that backup camera. I put that off for a little while and took care of some routine maintenance.

Transmission pan dropped, filter replaced, new fluid. Messiest job in the world, for god's sake why did manufacturer's stop putting a drain plug on the transmission? And in this model Ford, there is no transmission dipstick running up to the top of the engine. Instead you have a 3 inch dipstick directly on top of the transmission, right next to the catalytic convertor. And Ford wants you to check the fluid level with the engine running and the transmission at full operating temperature. Which means the catalytic convertor is going to be at about 2,000 degrees Farenheit!

I carefully measured how much fluid drained out, and put back that exact amount. The h___ with that 2000 degree catalytic converter!

Next, service the rear differential. A walk in the park compared to the transmission. And new spark plugs while I'm at it. All fairly straightforward. And I also flushed the cooling system. Needless to say, I have been watching underneath for leaks, and dang if I didn't find one. But not due to my work. There is an o-ring where the top radiator hose connects to the "T-Connector", and it is apparently famous for leaking. As indeed mine is. Some of the online discussions say all you need to do is replace the o-ring, but others say the problem will reoccur if you don't replace the T-Connector. Being the cautious type, I have ordered the T-Connector and the upper radiator hose, and a new adapter for the connection to the degas (overflow) container. That piece is also sealed with an o-ring, and is also famous for leaking. Mine doesn't appear to be leaking but it is seriously loose, so get it done while I'm at it.

Oh, well, cooling off break done, going back outside.

explorerx4 · June 2021

Pretty ambitious henryn.
Ford Boss Me on YT has a video about changing the trans fluid. It didn't seem like it was refilled at operating temp.
He has a lot of good video's.

corvette · June 2021

xwesx said:

corvette said:
I have 8 months until the Tundra lease ends (14 months if I opt for the 6-month extension US Bank is said to offer). "Lease another Tundra" is at the top of my list, but if used car prices have gone back to normal, I might be interested in a used Jeep Cherokee with the 2.0 turbo, or possibly an older 4Runner as a daily driver.
At this point, you should probably plan on the extension! If you do, and you go with another Tundra, you might even be able to get your hands on a newly refreshed version.

Yeah, that's the plan, but still have 14 months to make a course correction if need be.

corvette · June 2021

Michaell said:
Just for car dealers. Used to be for liquor stores as well, but that ended a few years back.

I can't keep track, anymore... I've tried to buy beer at Aldi or Kroger on early Sunday mornings and gotten it confiscated by the cashier more times than I can count. I think our state says no package sales before noon on Sundays, but the city says 1:00 PM, however, if you go across the river to IN, you can buy package liquor at noon? I just try to go on a different day.

If you ever travel to Utah, it's a whole different ballgame. Most bars have electronic measuring devices on the liquor bottles to ensure compliance with the state laws against "strong drinks" and free drinks. I was at the hotel bar and ordered a beer flight. One of the kegs tapped out and the bartender had to stop tending the bar and complete a staggering amount of paperwork!

henryn · June 2021

explorerx4 said:
Pretty ambitious henryn.
Ford Boss Me on YT has a video about changing the trans fluid. It didn't seem like it was refilled at operating temp.
He has a lot of good video's.

The owner's manual does not talk about how to check transmission fluid. With the dip stick located where it is, I can see why they wouldn't want the average end user trying to do that. The Ford Service Manual states to check the transmission fluid level with the engine running and the transmission at "normal operating temperature". Some of the videos on Youtube say to cold fill the transmission to the bottom of the hash marks on the dip stick, then when it's warm it will be up to the top of the hash marks.

But that doesn't work. I measured the transmission fluid that came out (almost exactly 6 quarts captured, approximately another half quart spilled). Pumping in the new fluid, the fill hole (which is also where the little 3 inch dip stick fits) started to overflow at about 4.5 quarts. So I started the truck, ran it back and forth to drive and reverse, and shut down the truck. The catalytic converter was warm, but not hot. And I was able to put in another 2 quarts without overflowing. At that point, the dip stick measured in the middle of the hash marks, so I called it a success.

Back inside on another cool down break. I have the backup camera mounted, I have tapped into the backup light wiring at the left rear tail light assembly, and I am now trying to run the RCA cable for the video to the front of the truck. I made it about 1/3 of the way up the truck (from back to front) and encountered the gas tank. This is going to be fun.

Michaell · June 2021

corvette said:

Michaell said:
Just for car dealers. Used to be for liquor stores as well, but that ended a few years back.
I can't keep track, anymore... I've tried to buy beer at Aldi or Kroger on early Sunday mornings and gotten it confiscated by the cashier more times than I can count. I think our state says no package sales before noon on Sundays, but the city says 1:00 PM, however, if you go across the river to IN, you can buy package liquor at noon? I just try to go on a different day.

If you ever travel to Utah, it's a whole different ballgame. Most bars have electronic measuring devices on the liquor bottles to ensure compliance with the state laws against "strong drinks" and free drinks. I was at the hotel bar and ordered a beer flight. One of the kegs tapped out and the bartender had to stop tending the bar and complete a staggering amount of paperwork!

Yeah, I remember when you had to join a "club" in order to drink at a restaurant in Utah. I think the rules are a bit more relaxed, now.

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