Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

jmonroe1 · January 2022

stickguy said:
On the mini, I think they at least designed the front clip to come off easily. They call it service position or mode, something like that. Even if you don't pull the engine, taking the front end off makes it much easier to get to stuff.

That reminds me of when I bought my first car with AC and had to change the plugs. I bought a used ‘75 Grand Prix with the 400 cubic inch V8 engine in ‘77. Getting to the #2 and #4 plugs (the first two plugs on the passenger side) was a real trick because they were under the AC compressor and barely visible until you found out how to do it.

After dropping the ratchet wrench with extension , plug socket tool and swivel adapter a few times while trying to get at them by leaning over the passenger side fender, I stopped to ponder how to go about doing the job. One thing I knew for sure, I wasn’t going to take it to a shop to be done. I kept saying to myself, “there has to be a way, there has to be away”. Finally, it hit me, jack up the car and remove the right front tire and see if that helps. WALA, after pushing away the rubber splash flap that was attached to top of the inner fender, both plugs were now staring me right in the face. They turned out to be the easiest plugs to get to than any of the other plugs even #1 on the drivers side. It was so easy I even did the #6 plug too while I was there too but my arms weren’t long enough to get at #8 so I did that one the conventional way by leaning over the fender.

When I got to work on Monday I was telling a few of the guys what I had to do. Most were GM owners who also worked on their cars. They all looked at me like I was kidding. One guy went so far as to say, “it’s almost not worth buying a car with AC if you have to go through all of that”! No, he was not the brightest bulb in the chandelier.

Fast forward to the early 80’s when all of those guys now had cars with AC and changed their plugs the @jmonroe way. Even the low wattage bulb guy.

jmonroe

jmonroe1 · January 2022

mjfloyd1 said:
May be similar in NA because of chip shortage and chips may be sitting on ships at NA ports.

When I drive by factories in IN and KY, I see lots of vehicles sitting outside and am told they are complete except for the parts needing chips- I assume ECU and TCU.

If chips are available I can’t believe they aren’t flying them in. A gazzilion of them could be shipped by plane in no time. After all, chips are so small they are being injected into patients getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

jmonroe

jmonroe1 · January 2022

mjfloyd1 said:
I’ve found the inspiration (well, half the inspiration) for the M3 and M4 grilles - Edsel

I did. Today someone would have paid dearly for that.

jmonroe

cdnpinhead · January 2022

ab348 said:
. . . by the state govt in California enacting some sort of draconian environmental law or regulation. . .

Go figure.

oldfarmer50 · January 2022

mjfloyd1 said:
I’ve found the inspiration (well, half the inspiration) for the M3 and M4 grilles - Edsel

Wow, that’s the last thing I think of when looking at that grill.

breld · January 2022

After a week of slushy mess around here, I took the XC90 and M340i to the car wash to get cleaned up. There was a nice pre-facelift Genesis G70 there that caught my eye. I really like the redesign for 2022 with the updated design language, but the original styling is still really sharp.

Which got me thinking more about the availability of a manual in the 4 cylinder. Could be a nice option for a more premium sporty car…

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/2ec802da-c83c-4626-a1f9-927aaa9e917f/

qbrozen · January 2022

You made me look at their website to see what new cost is/was. Why the heck is there a $2600 UPcharge for a manual vs auto??

An AWD auto is cheaper than a RWD 6-speed. That's just dumb.

Michaell · January 2022

breld said:
After a week of slushy mess around here, I took the XC90 and M340i to the car wash to get cleaned up. There was a nice pre-facelift Genesis G70 there that caught my eye. I really like the redesign for 2022 with the updated design language, but the original styling is still really sharp.

Which got me thinking more about the availability of a manual in the 4 cylinder. Could be a nice option for a more premium sporty car…

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/2ec802da-c83c-4626-a1f9-927aaa9e917f/

That would be a nice alternative to an Si, GTI, N.

jmonroe1 · January 2022

qbrozen said:
You made me look at their website to see what new cost is/was. Why the heck is there a $2600 UPcharge for a manual vs auto??

An AWD auto is cheaper than a RWD 6-speed. That's just dumb.

Look who’s building them.

jmonroe

stickguy · January 2022

entirely possible that the manual has more standard equipment. That has all the sport package goodies, which IIRC is an options package on the AWD or AT cars.

pretty well equipped. Just missing a moonroof. and at least it is $4k below original MSRP.

can see why it is for sale. I noticed on the carfax that the last owner was in Minnesota, but it can with summer performance tires, and the original selling dealer was in Miami. So either a snowbird, or somebody who moved and figured out it wasn't going to work in the arctic.

qbrozen · January 2022

For some reason, dealer with the $7500 Mini just write back on a Sunday night. Said it was sold just before closing on Sat. I quickly thought about writing back to point out I first reached out like 6 hrs before closing but no point, obviously. Maybe I’ll consider that JCW. Not sure how comfy I am at 77k miles though.

stickguy · January 2022

well, dealers are always taking care of the guy on the lot 1st, and Emails only get looked at when they have nothing else to do.

qbrozen · January 2022

Huh. I forgot about the C30. That could be an option. Maybe not quite as fun as a Mini, but a mild tune gives it in excess of 250hp. And it is an engine I’m pretty familiar with.

28firefighter · January 2022

Am I the only one who has noticed that we all tend to eventually gravitate to the same cars over time?

breld · January 2022

qbrozen said:
You made me look at their website to see what new cost is/was. Why the heck is there a $2600 UPcharge for a manual vs auto??

An AWD auto is cheaper than a RWD 6-speed. That's just dumb.

Were you able to look at the previous years’ models? ‘Cause I don’t think you can get the manual anymore starting for 2022.

In any case, if/when the used market settles, I gotta think these G70s with the manual will take a big hit. As it stands, the examples I’m seeing are all in the mid to high $30k’s, which is only a few thousand off original sticker.

EDIT: Nevermind - I see where you can select the 2021 G70 to build. I think @stickguy is right, in that the manual version comes with a sport package standard, hence the higher starting cost.

breld · January 2022

One of my local Genesis dealers has a new 2022 G70 2.0T Sport Prestige. Since a Genesis sedan apparently isn’t at the top of most people’s lists, even in this crazy market, they were offering it at a roughly $2k discount, making it around $43k. It’d be a nice car at that price. But no manual option.

stickguy · January 2022

28firefighter said:
Am I the only one who has noticed that we all tend to eventually gravitate to the same cars over time?

I think that is because some of them have run out of new options to try, and have to circle back to previous flames.

Michaell · January 2022

No manual for the G70 starting in 2022

corvette · January 2022

28firefighter said:
Am I the only one who has noticed that we all tend to eventually gravitate to the same cars over time?

@breld's series of GTIs and 3- and 4-series BMWs clued me in to that, as well.

Michaell · January 2022

corvette said:

28firefighter said:
Am I the only one who has noticed that we all tend to eventually gravitate to the same cars over time?

@breld's series of GTIs and 3- and 4-series BMWs clued me in to that, as well.

A5 (x2), S4, S3 ...

Question for this group ... will any of the manufacturers have enough courage to bring an EV version of the GTI/WRX to market?

stickguy · January 2022

eventually. and they will probably sell a bunch, if they can figure out the range issue. since small cars tend to equal smaller batteries, and we all know what that means.

Really need the next breakthrough in battery technology to get them smaller, cheaper, with better range and charge speed.

ab348 · January 2022

28firefighter said:
Am I the only one who has noticed that we all tend to eventually gravitate to the same cars over time?

Of course. That’s why the unofficial name of this forum is “Every BMW for sale in the USA”.

qbrozen · January 2022

@28firefighter said:
Am I the only one who has noticed that we all tend to eventually gravitate to the same cars over time?

Well, haven’t we had like ALL the cars between us? Doesn’t leave much room for originality.

qbrozen · January 2022

@Michaell said:
A5 (x2), S4, S3 ...

Question for this group ... will any of the manufacturers have enough courage to bring an EV version of the GTI/WRX to market?

So like a NISMO Leaf? Hahaha

Michaell · January 2022

qbrozen said:

@Michaell said:

A5 (x2), S4, S3 ...

Question for this group ... will any of the manufacturers have enough courage to bring an EV version of the GTI/WRX to market?

So like a NISMO Leaf? Hahaha

Well, sure. Low CG, sticky tires, good suspension. I think the fanbois would be ok trading some range for fun-to-drive.

stickguy · January 2022

How did the mini EV do? That was a whole lot of range.

Sandman6472 · January 2022

We had a '75 Grand Prix, black over red interior with a 1/2 white vinyl roof and a red pin stripe. Very easy to find in a parking lot. First vehicle that wasn't a Cadillac or Lincoln that the folks bought as they were down to one vehicle and a golf cart, having moved to their country club once my twin & I graduated high school. It was a demo or a salesman's vehicle so it had low mileage when they picked it up. Fun vehicle to drive except for back seat passengers as getting in was tough.
Do remember when my grandma, dad's mother, read him the riot act one day after picking he up for dinner. She was angry about those heavy front doors & had a hard time closing them. First time I ever saw her generally pissed off & felt bad for my poor dad. All I remember is that within a week, it was gone and replaced with a red over red 1977 Bonneville Brougham 4-door sedan. They got a deal as it was the owners wife's vehicle & she wanted something else. Nice enough vehicle and their last 2-door vehicle ever!
That was replaced by a Pontiac Parisienne Brougham 4-door diesel with an Oldsmobile engine. And that's another whole story!

Michaell · January 2022

stickguy said:
How did the mini EV do? That was a whole lot of range.

No, it isn’t.

Around 100 miles of range. Maybe double that would work.

oldfarmer50 · January 2022

stickguy said:
eventually. and they will probably sell a bunch, if they can figure out the range issue. since small cars tend to equal smaller batteries, and we all know what that means.

Really need the next breakthrough in battery technology to get them smaller, cheaper, with better range and charge speed.

Hyundai Kona EV has a 260 mile range and that’s a pretty small car.

qbrozen · January 2022

oldfarmer50 said:

Hyundai Kona EV has a 260 mile range and that’s a pretty small car.

But they had to give it the performance of a Versa to do it.

qbrozen · January 2022

I hadn't been keeping up on the '22 Civic Si info. Occurred to me last night to see how that stacks up to the sporty compacts I'm looking at. Dealer close to me even has my preferred color in stock (orange). $28k seems not too bad these days. But then I read up on it. Very disappointed to find out they have stepped backwards in a big way performance-wise. Scratch that off the list.

tjc78 · January 2022

Q have you had a GTI?

I know everyone else here has, but couldn’t remember.

coldinohio · January 2022

breld said:
One of my local Genesis dealers has a new 2022 G70 2.0T Sport Prestige. Since a Genesis sedan apparently isn’t at the top of most people’s lists, even in this crazy market, they were offering it at a roughly $2k discount, making it around $43k. It’d be a nice car at that price. But no manual option.

local genesis at hyundai dealer has both '21 and '22 models-- all with $4000 market adjustment.....

graphicguy · January 2022

kyfdx said:
From what I've read:
2-3 years minimum and multiple billions of dollars to set up a chip fab factory. By the time you get it built, the overseas sources have caught up, and you have a money-loser, that can't compete on price.

If chips could be manufactured in a "normal" factory, they would already have it up and running, like they did with the ventilator shortage.

Correct. They need “clean” rooms to make them. Plus, the raw materials used for manufacturing are difficult to control and/or dispose of.

The manufacturing capacity is there. The back log from COVID shutdowns and current demand have combined to make supply = demand something that’s going to take a while.

And, as you say, building a new plant capable of stringent production takes years…not weeks, or months.

My old company has a chip plant in mothballs in CA. They can crank it up relatively quickly. But, no one wants to pay for what a chip would cost coming out of the U.S., who has a higher labor rate.

graphicguy · January 2022

Michaell said:

corvette said:

28firefighter said:
Am I the only one who has noticed that we all tend to eventually gravitate to the same cars over time?

@breld's series of GTIs and 3- and 4-series BMWs clued me in to that, as well.
A5 (x2), S4, S3 ...

Question for this group ... will any of the manufacturers have enough courage to bring an EV version of the GTI/WRX to market?

Probably much easier to do than development for ICE versions. I think it’s just a matter of time.

qbrozen · January 2022

@tjc78 said:
Q have you had a GTI?

I know everyone else here has, but couldn’t remember.

Yup. And would not mind another at all.

qbrozen · January 2022

Maybe I should get a Maverick. Lol.
0-60 in 5.9? Respectable. I really would like a stick, though.

stickguy · January 2022

The stick part really limits your options. This I am painfully aware of.

qbrozen · January 2022

just a fun exercise, I built out the Mav I would order, if I were to order. Orange (of course) XLT AWD with Lux and Tow packs. $31.5k MSRP and, I guesstimate, about $2k off that through Chapman.
But, of course, it doesn't offer me anything drastically different from the 4xe. Should be more nimble, but that's about it. 4xe is a few ticks quicker, and they are likely very similar in terms of passenger space.

au1994 · January 2022

28firefighter said:
Am I the only one who has noticed that we all tend to eventually gravitate to the same cars over time?

Oh yeah…the GTI, 4xe and TLX have all been favorites at one point in time and of course all things BMW.

stickguy · January 2022

Maverick will be much more comfortable though.

kyfdx · January 2022

stickguy said:
Maverick will be much more comfortable though.

Agreed. Other than both being 4-door vehicles, nothing alike.

jmonroe1 · January 2022

qbrozen said:
Maybe I should get a Maverick. Lol.

0-60 in 5.9? Respectable. I really would like a stick, though.

If you get a Maverick, stick will not come with it.

jmonroe

jmonroe1 · January 2022

stickguy said:
Maverick will be much more comfortable though.

Oh yeah, that’s right…seats, seats, seats.

jmonroe

Sandman6472 · January 2022

Not sure I'm going to consider a GTI when I do get something new. Just not sure I'm willing to go through the extra issues with a German vehicle, want "cheap to keep" with few issues going forward...think we both do. At work yesterday, drove the smallish Toyota CH-R and the size was pretty decent for a small vehicle. It had a black interior so that back door handle had a huge blind spot which I found annoying after a few minutes. Thinking a lighter interior could mitigate this issue for me. They have a pearlized white exterior color which I'd probably go for as it is stunning in sunlight. Did look at the mpg's and for some reason, gets worse mileage than the Corolla or even the Corolla Cross which I'm also interested in. Since I don't drive much now, not a real issue but still, something to think about. Not crazy about the alloys on the top model, too much black, so would probably get aftermarket rims if I got the base model. Have looked and not many in stock within the 50 mile area and no way in h-ll am I going to pay any ADM fees for such a pedestrian vehicle.
Have driven a few Kona's at work and they don't do anything for me. Not even that much of a lift up from a regular vehicle. My local dealer has a few but again, the prices are a bit ridiculous to pay for again, something that's not special at all. Did see a new Civic yesterday and it sure is nice, makes the Corolla look so outdated, but the size is going to be an issue. And if I'm going to get a new vehicle that won't fit on my side of the garage, a lot more for me to look at. But honestly, that's not something I want to do if possible.

28firefighter · January 2022

Ah - I haven't had a TLX yet - seems like I need to work that into my rotation at some point.

tjc78 · January 2022

@28firefighter said:
Ah - I haven't had a TLX yet - seems like I need to work that into my rotation at some point.

Still on my list for a replacement for the S60.

stickguy · January 2022

Get a Maverick. Would be perfect for shore duty! All the Sandy stuff, into the bed.

tjc78 · January 2022

The thought has crossed my mind!

breld · January 2022

I feel like it will take some time for EVs to proliferate the sporty/sports car market. Seems to me there will be an eventual shift of what people expect out of cars...a shift of what is "sporty."

My Polestar and previous Model Y are extremely quick and even handle pretty well with the low center of gravity, but it's a far cry from the visceral feel of something like an M2, or my Civic Type R. From the growl of the engine, to the feeling of shifting of gears (whether manual or a good auto), the EVs I've owned are an entirely different experience. It's a satisfying one for sure, but not necessarily a replacement for what we all desire out of a sports car.

Basically, I think it will be a generational shift...younger enthusiasts will have grown up with the electrified feel of vehicles.

Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

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