Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

stickguy · September 2021

RDX turns 18 months tomorrow and finally broke 10,000 miles today on the way home from a weekend in the finger lakes. I checked the MMI this morning and was still sitting at 40%. First change was last January at someone in the 3,500-4,000 mile range. Might just use my coupon later this month since it should get the tires rotated by now (did not bother to do it the first time at such low miles). Might have dropped to 30% left by now, but at this pace (and we have no more trips planned until year end) could be a while before it hits 15% and the wrench symbol turns on.

poor thing is filthy. Muddy wheel wheels and all. Actually did some "off roading" (driving across grass and down some rutted gravel paths to a trailhead). Not exactly the rubicon but it went a few places I would not have taken some of my other cars (even if just because of skinny tires and low ground clearance).

Sandman6472 · September 2021

The Corolla Cross is just over 175" long which could be an issue to be honest. I brought the Jetta home first in 2014 and it just fit on my side of the garage, so I took it out of contention. I'll just have to drive the C C home when they become available and do the garage test. I'll know right away if it'll fit or not and then a decision will be made. Guessing if not, the smaller CH-R will have to do but hopefully, it'll get a mild refresh before that time comes. The rear blind spot with the black interior is a real issue for me to be honest and something I'll really have to think about.
I know the Hyundai Kona will fit just fine so will just have to see what happens when that time comes. Worst case scenario, the Golf just stays indefinitely!

benjaminh · September 2021

A 2014 Jetta is 182.2 inches long, and so maybe the Corolla Cross at 175.6 will fit ok?

But keeping the VW would probably be the economical choice. A Golf should be more fun to drive, since it almost certainly has better handling and faster acceleration. Since you drive so few miles in a year, getting a new car might not be necessary?

kyfdx · September 2021

qbrozen said:

@ronsteve said:

Define "high-strung?"

Well, if I have to put a number on it, I guess I’d say, conservatively, breaking the 125hp/L mark is when you get into what I would consider more extreme stresses on engine components.

There are a whole bunch of turbo engines that beat that. Even the pedestrian X3 2.0 litre is 124 hp/L

roadburner · September 2021

I stopped by my dealer today to look around. There was a beautiful Mediterranean Blue 540i xDrive M Sport with most every option. It was very attractive and with a CarBahn Stage 1 tune it would be pushing close to 390 hp and 360 lb-ft of torque. Still, I don’t want AWD and the car still has too much of an Old Man Vibe to suit me. Maybe in 16 years when I hit 80.
In other news, my friend who sold my son his F30 ran off a copy of the dealer ordering information for the G42. No surprises, but it looks like it will take some arm-twisting to delete the sunroof on a M240i- even though deletion is offered on the 230i. No information on SOP for the RWD M240i; best guess is early 2022.

qbrozen · September 2021

kyfdx said:

There are a whole bunch of turbo engines that beat that. Even the pedestrian X3 2.0 litre is 124 hp/L

I know. That's why I picked that number and why I said "conservatively." Plus, it runs 12-13 psi to do it. Beyond 12, you are impacting long-term reliability, IMHO.

Sandman6472 · September 2021

Absolutely right, a new vehicle is not needed to be honest and totally illogical at this point. But, just want something newer, that's all. Silly really, and doubt I'll pull the trigger to be honest.The Jetta I tried was the new 2015 model but it was just not a comfortable fit. The salesguy said I should try the Golf and the rest, as they say, is history!

mjfloyd1 · September 2021

@Sandman6472 - did you notice any improvement after the spark plug change on the Golf?

sda · September 2021

AWD is NOT needed in the Charlotte area. Effective marketing has convinced the public it is. Walking the BMW CPO lot located next to the Honda lot this morning, a large percentage of BMWs were X-drive and new CR-Vs ,Pilots, Passports, HR-Vs were AWD.

corvette · September 2021

Some inspiration for our recent Jeep owners - spotted at Cataract Falls in Indiana.

mjfloyd1 · September 2021

JKs are so passé

qbrozen · September 2021

@corvette said:
Some inspiration for our recent Jeep owners - spotted at Cataract Falls in Indiana.

I have the Punisher star sitting on my workbench. Chose not to use it when we went the GI JOE route instead.

corvette · September 2021

@dad23 - This one seems more reasonably priced.

dad23 · September 2021

Yes @corvette, that one's way more reasonable. I like that color better too! I wish we were closer, better not show this one to the kid

Michaell · September 2021

dad23 said:
Yes @corvette, that one's way more reasonable. I like that color better too! I wish we were closer, better not show this one to the kid

Jeebus, my nephew bought his late 90's 4Runner with 160K on it for only $6K a year ago.

Also that green color. I had a ride in it last month, as he took me to the airport in San Diego.

Only 2WD, however, so not appropriate for CO.

cdnpinhead · September 2021

There's one born every minute, and most of them grow up.

Sandman6472 · September 2021

No new spark plugs as of yet. I canceled the appointment as something came up and I really wasn't feeling well that day. Plan to have them done when I have him check out the brakes...they seem a bit low, the pedal that is & still on all the original equipment since new. Had the brake fluid changed at the 30K service so am overdue for it to be changed out again. Just have to call & make the appointment and then drop it off. Need to coordinate that with my wife's new Turbo Tax schedule as she starts an hour early on those days now which makes the mornings a bit tricky! Will probably just use Lyft to get it done to make things less rushed. My mechanic is in a heavily traveled area and depending on when we go, traffic can be a nightmare. Would rather not rush and deal with that stress so using a ride service one or both ways can alleviate any of that unnecessary stress and the price for that is well worth the cost.
But at this point, since I'm keeping the Golf probably another year or two, maintenance needs to be done sooner than later.

benjaminh · September 2021

What color is your 2015 Golf?

C & D gave a close to rave review for the 2015 Golf that they had in their long-term fleet back then.

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a15101551/2015-volkswagen-golf-18t-tsi-automatic-long-term-test-wrap-up-review/

"WHAT WE LIKE: The Golf’s blend of fuel economy (we’re getting 29 mpg), maneuverability, highway stability and comfort, and voluminous cargo hold continue to garner universal praise. Were the world to fall into a dystopian hellscape in which every human being was required to choose only one new car that could never be replaced, the Golf would easily make our short list (as long as that dystopia had VW mechanics). Whether it’s threading itself into a Chicago street parking spot, quietly loping down the freeway, cupping our staffers with its comfortable seats, swallowing purchases from IKEA, or punching above its pay grade with its Audi-like interior quality, the Golf is among the best all-around vehicles available. We continue to be delighted by its attention to detail, including the rear wiper that automatically activates when reverse is selected if the windshield wipers are on, as well as the backup camera that hides behind the VW badge on the tailgate until needed (the badge tilts on cue to keep the lens clean!)."

benjaminh · September 2021

https://www.motor1.com/news/532591/mercedes-bmw-keep-prices-high/

"Mercedes And BMW To Keep Car Prices High Even After Chip Shortage Ends
The semiconductor shortage seems to be a blessing in disguise for luxury automakers.
Sep 13, 2021 at 2:43am ET
By: Adrian Padeanu

....In an interview with Financial Times, Harald Wilhelm, Chief Financial Officer at Mercedes' parent company Daimler, admitted that "we will consciously undersupply demand level[s], and at the same time, we [will] shift gears towards the higher, the luxury end."

His sentiments were echoed by Nicolas Peter who has the same job at BMW. The Bavarian marque has "seen a significant improvement in pricing power in the last 24 months" and the plan is "clearly to maintain… the way we manage supply to maintain our pricing power on today's level."

....Those hoping to get a good deal on a new Mercedes once the microchip shortage will end are in for a disappointment: "One day or another, the semis issue will be gone and we will carry on with the price, and the margin, and the mix focus," according to Harald Wilhelm. It's the same story if you're planning to buy a BMW at a good price: "Customers are ready to wait three to four months, and this is helping our pricing power."

Sandman6472 · September 2021

It's a blue over ivory SE unit. In hindsight, should've gone wit the SEL as I miss not having push button start but maybe it's o k as it cold be another thing to fail. The seats in the SEL are a bit nicer and really didn't think these two things would matter in the long run, but that was a mistake on my thinking at the time. I miss both of those options now. Also have upgraded alloys, 17" alloys taken from a Jetta SEL unit, the 15 spoke wheels. Like them well enough but have found a set of 17" rims from a 2019 Jetta that I might swap out with if things work out. Or, I'll just leave well enough alone and enjoy what I've got.
I was thinking that going the EV route could be a possibility going forward. Will need to talk to Breld once he owns his for awhile and get the low down on EV ownership. And maybe, just maybe, if they decide to unload it for some reason down the line, just see if I could buy it from them. I know another poster in here has bought a unit from them and all worked out great. But, we'll just have to wait & see.

benjaminh · September 2021

Blue with ivory sounds like a good color combo. If you feel like posting some pix someday it would be nice to see. I think your model of Golf, with the 1.8T, is better than the last few years when it was reduced to a 1.4T.

28firefighter · September 2021

IMO modifying production to limit inventory is going to be another nail for dealers on the sales side.

benjaminh · September 2021

If BMW and MB limit production to raise prices even after the chip shortage ends, I wonder if Lexus might then decide to become more of a volume luxury brand and reclaim the #1 spot in luxury sales in the US?

tjc78 · September 2021

Hey Q, if you are ever bored with the Charger I have a project for you.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMR9je9od/

28firefighter · September 2021

It’s a way to move dealers towards a more manufacturer to consumer experience. You’ll also see less spread between MSRP and invoice.

tjc78 · September 2021

For those who can’t see video.

sda · September 2021

Those buyers who seek immediate gratification may not have the patience to wait and will buy something else.

Michaell · September 2021

28firefighter said:
It’s a way to move dealers towards a more manufacturer to consumer experience. You’ll also see less spread between MSRP and invoice.

I'm trying to wrap my head around this.

Does this mean:

1) we'll stop seeing the lower line models from MB/BMW? (goodbye, A/C/2/3)
or
2) we will only see highly optioned vehicles from those models?

qbrozen · September 2021

@tjc78 said:
Hey Q, if you are ever bored with the Charger I have a project for you.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMR9je9od/

I came upon that this morn, too. Kind of neat. The minivan taillights wouldn’t be my first choice.

stickguy · September 2021

Oh man I love that. Dodge should factory make one. El Camino reincarnated.

I would buy that.

28firefighter · September 2021

I think you’ll still see all the models, but like Tesla, they’ll prioritize building the more optioned models and lead time will be longer for cheaper models.

IMO this was the perfect catalyst to start squeezing dealers out of the mix on sales and shift to a more manufacturer to direct sales model. The dealer lobby will start screaming soon, I anticipate, particularly as profit margins slim.

tjc78 · September 2021

@qbrozen said:

@tjc78 said:
Hey Q, if you are ever bored with the Charger I have a project for you.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMR9je9od/

I came upon that this morn, too. Kind of neat. The minivan taillights wouldn’t be my first choice.

Yeah that isn’t perfect but otherwise it’s a nice kit. That car sounded great too.

corvette · September 2021

28firefighter said:
The dealer lobby will start screaming soon, I anticipate, particularly as profit margins slim.

I think that may happen after supplies improve. The Toyota broker I used up in the Northeast indicated that they would start adding market adjustments of $250 to $1,500 depending on model this month, and from what I've seen, he has among the cheapest Toyota deals in the country.

28firefighter · September 2021

My hypothesis is that supplies will never improve the way they were before. I expect brands to keep supplies tight and limit inventory build up.

Then, over time, they’ll start moving the invoice price of a car to be basically MSRP. See e.g. Maverick pricing. That’s when the dealer lobby will scream.

explorerx4 · September 2021

What works for BMW and Mercedes may not work for other manufacturers.
Someone is going to just want to move as much metal as possible.

mjfloyd1 · September 2021

@stickguy said:
Oh man I love that. Dodge should factory make one. El Camino reincarnated.

I would buy that.

Since it’s a super bee, it could be an El Cabeeno

benjaminh · September 2021

explorerx4 said:
What works for BMW and Mercedes may not work for other manufacturers.
Someone is going to just want to move as much metal as possible.

Yeah, someone might see it as an opportunity to gain market share, even if it's at the expense of short term profits.

But in the meantime the chip shortage is going from bad to worse....

"According to a new estimate by Auto Forecast Solutions, which has been tracking the supply chain crisis all year, automakers have now eliminated a total of 8.2 million cars and trucks from their factory schedules because of microchip scarcity — an increase of approximately 888,000 vehicles from AFS’ estimate just one week earlier. AFS now forecasts that the industry ultimately stands to lose 9.4 million vehicles world wide because of the chip shortage. That worst-case scenario is up by nearly 55 percent from AFS’ estimate two months ago. At the core of the shortage is a growing competition for available manufacturing capacity due to increased demand for chips from makers of consumer electronics, cellphones and computers. But in recent weeks, the supply strain has been exacerbated by work force issues due to the resurgence of COVID-19. Chip production lines in Asia — particularly in Malaysia — have been forced to shut down in response to rising coronavirus infections there."

explorerx4 · September 2021

Edmunds is calling some of you.

Have you recently purchased, leased or rented a car lately? A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience, and the types of steps you've taken to save money in the process. Please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 9/13 for more details.

roadburner · September 2021

My dealer also had a Focus RS on the lot- with some Mountune equipment. I always thought that they were interesting. Considering that my local Ford dealers have hopeless service departments(ask @corvette) I'm not about to go down that road...

oldfarmer50 · September 2021

28firefighter said:
My hypothesis is that supplies will never improve the way they were before. I expect brands to keep supplies tight and limit inventory build up.

Then, over time, they’ll start moving the invoice price of a car to be basically MSRP. See e.g. Maverick pricing. That’s when the dealer lobby will scream.

You have to remember that union contracts may drive production as much as market demand. For years manufacturers have overproduced rather than pay their workers to do nothing.

corvette · September 2021

@roadburner - I've had good luck at Byerly's Ford and Nissan branches, including the Ford parts department going above and beyond to get me some touch up paint while I was waiting to have the oil changed in my Mustang. The Ford dealer in Frankfort (where I purchased the G37) also performed the three free oil changes they gave me without issue.

jmonroe1 · September 2021

explorerx4 said:
Edmunds is calling some of you.

Have you recently purchased, leased or rented a car lately? A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience, and the types of steps you've taken to save money in the process. Please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 9/13 for more details.

It’s true, there’s an echo in here.

jmonroe

explorerx4 · September 2021

@oldfarmer50,
The old 'Big 3' are paying a ton of money for pensions.
I've read 4 retirees per worker.

stickguy · September 2021

oldfarmer50 said:

28firefighter said:
My hypothesis is that supplies will never improve the way they were before. I expect brands to keep supplies tight and limit inventory build up.

Then, over time, they’ll start moving the invoice price of a car to be basically MSRP. See e.g. Maverick pricing. That’s when the dealer lobby will scream.

You have to remember that union contracts may drive production as much as market demand. For years manufacturers have overproduced rather than pay their workers to do nothing.

well, for the Domestics. Not sure that BMW or MB has that same issue.

explorerx4 · September 2021

@stickguy,
That's why I think 2 those brands can try following a different strategy.
They have invested a lot of capital in vehicle production here, so they can't easily shrink their production either.

Michaell · September 2021

stickguy said:

oldfarmer50 said:

28firefighter said:
My hypothesis is that supplies will never improve the way they were before. I expect brands to keep supplies tight and limit inventory build up.

Then, over time, they’ll start moving the invoice price of a car to be basically MSRP. See e.g. Maverick pricing. That’s when the dealer lobby will scream.

You have to remember that union contracts may drive production as much as market demand. For years manufacturers have overproduced rather than pay their workers to do nothing.
well, for the Domestics. Not sure that BMW or MB has that same issue.

One of the big differences with US v. German manufacturers, is that the German labor unions have a seat on the management council, and are involved in the strategic decision-making for the company.

explorerx4 · September 2021

Germany has a hugely bloated union workforce. I doubt if they think globally.

roadburner · September 2021

corvette said:
@roadburner - I've had good luck at Byerly's Ford and Nissan branches, including the Ford parts department going above and beyond to get me some touch up paint while I was waiting to have the oil changed in my Mustang. The Ford dealer in Frankfort (where I purchased the G37) also performed the three free oil changes they gave me without issue.

If I decide on a 400Z it will be bought from Byerly. My wife was interested in a 370Z 50th Anniversary car at one point, and the salesman I talked to couldn't have been more helpful. Kings Ford in Cincy is first rate, but BTDT with Kings Mazda and my MS3.

oldfarmer50 · September 2021

Michaell said:

stickguy said:

oldfarmer50 said:

28firefighter said:
My hypothesis is that supplies will never improve the way they were before. I expect brands to keep supplies tight and limit inventory build up.

Then, over time, they’ll start moving the invoice price of a car to be basically MSRP. See e.g. Maverick pricing. That’s when the dealer lobby will scream.

You have to remember that union contracts may drive production as much as market demand. For years manufacturers have overproduced rather than pay their workers to do nothing.
well, for the Domestics. Not sure that BMW or MB has that same issue.
One of the big differences with US v. German manufacturers, is that the German labor unions have a seat on the management council, and are involved in the strategic decision-making for the company.

Chrysler tried that. Make your own judgement on the result.

Michaell · September 2021

oldfarmer50 said:

Michaell said:

stickguy said:

oldfarmer50 said:

28firefighter said:
My hypothesis is that supplies will never improve the way they were before. I expect brands to keep supplies tight and limit inventory build up.

Then, over time, they’ll start moving the invoice price of a car to be basically MSRP. See e.g. Maverick pricing. That’s when the dealer lobby will scream.

You have to remember that union contracts may drive production as much as market demand. For years manufacturers have overproduced rather than pay their workers to do nothing.
well, for the Domestics. Not sure that BMW or MB has that same issue.
One of the big differences with US v. German manufacturers, is that the German labor unions have a seat on the management council, and are involved in the strategic decision-making for the company.
Chrysler tried that. Make your own judgement on the result.

Chrysler didn't have a choice, as they were acquired by Daimler Benz.

The book "Taken for a Ride" does a great job of examining the merger of the two companies.

Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

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