Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

tjc78 · May 2022

@stickguy said:
Also I already hate snow and snow shovels. I might be spending a lot of time inside. My office will be in a nice side space in finished basement. Which also has a full bath, big screen TV and I plan to add a little bar. I could stay down there for months if my wife will deliver food!

Sounds like my setup. I keep wanting to get a fridge down here and I’ll come up like once a day for dinner lol

tjc78 · May 2022

@stickguy said:
Off road rigs should have smaller wheels and bigger sidewalls.

Agreed, but a 40th anniversary 4 Runner has less chance of going off road than a RAV4

jmonroe1 · May 2022

stickguy said:
Also I already hate snow and snow shovels. I might be spending a lot of time inside. My office will be in a nice side space in finished basement. Which also has a full bath, big screen TV and I plan to add a little bar. I could stay down there for months if my wife will deliver food!

———————————————

Good luck with that. You’ll be better off using a restaurant delivery service. Tipping is nothing compared to what you’ll be hearing from Mrs. @stickguy after a few deliveries from her.

jmonroe

au1994 · May 2022

tjc78 said:

Well, I don’t hate the retro stripe package or the wheels…

sda · May 2022

jmonroe1 said:
@au1994, good to hear your MIL is OK. As expensive and inconvenient as a car accident is, walking away unharmed is more important.

We know you’ll help your MIL find a suitable replacement car but don’t think for a minute you’re going to get credit for that punch.

jmonroe

Ditto, hope the MIL is ok. Ahh, be a sport, if @au1994 helps his MIL with the finding her next ride he gets a family credit punch.

sda · May 2022

Tire sensor replaced, tires rotated, $75. That is half of what the Honda dealer quoted, $140 plus tax. Todays glamor picture, it still drives great.

nyccarguy · May 2022

au1994 said:

tjc78 said:

Well, I don’t hate the retro stripe package or the wheels…

And have you seen what 80th Anniversary Land Cruisers go for? This very well might be the last of the V6 4 Runners.

au1994 · May 2022

nyccarguy said:

au1994 said:

tjc78 said:

Well, I don’t hate the retro stripe package or the wheels…
And have you seen what 80th Anniversary Land Cruisers go for? This very well might be the last of the V6 4 Runners.

Yes I have! And that was basically just wheels a badge and I think a roof rack. I hope they don’t soften up the 4Runner too much, a la the Pathfinder.

But the market wants what the market wants and this generation is badly in need of an update.

explorerx4 · May 2022

Realtor brought photographer to take house pics today.
We have very low inventory around here.
She told us about a house the was listed for 599 and sold for 759 in 3 days.
Since we couldn't be there while the photo guy was taking pics, I went for a walk down by the river.

nyccarguy · May 2022

au1994 said:

nyccarguy said:

au1994 said:

tjc78 said:

Well, I don’t hate the retro stripe package or the wheels…
And have you seen what 80th Anniversary Land Cruisers go for? This very well might be the last of the V6 4 Runners.
Yes I have! And that was basically just wheels a badge and I think a roof rack. I hope they don’t soften up the 4Runner too much, a la the Pathfinder.

But the market wants what the market wants and this generation is badly in need of an update.

What kills me about those 80th LCs is that I saw the same 3 or 4 sitting on my local dealer's lot for MONTHS when I got my Tacoma serviced.

nyccarguy · May 2022

@explorerx4 - beautiful! How far is that from your property?

au1994 · May 2022

Land Cruisers are a niche. I loved mine but you can still tell they are engineered for 3rd world countries first and citified for the RoW second.

Asking people to pay 90k+ for the Anniversary editions was a big ask. Now, of course, they are still going for 90k+.

stickguy · May 2022

we are supposed to have pictures taken next Thursday. This is going to be a long, tiring "holiday" weekend of cleaning, packing, and working on the long punch list of minor projects to take care of.

sda · May 2022

Though we aren’t moving (yet) I spent 4 hours touching up, repainting the wood trim, baseboards, quarter trim, door jamb,etc. last Monday. Hauled an old fire pit and broken weed eater to recycling. Cleaned out my dresser and closet of clothes and items which I took to Good Will. Tightened up the garage. Worked on the TL and took it in for tire service. And more..I am on vacation this week but hardly one of relaxation. Still great not to be doing office work.

explorerx4 · May 2022

@nyccarguy,
It's about 4 miles from where I live. The river follows Route 4.
AOF is crudely circled at the top, I live where the little red dot is at the bottom and I started my walk just to the left of the red pin where the river and Route 4 cross.

au1994 · May 2022

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1997-bmw-540i-51/

If someone wants to do some early Christmas shopping…

It might eventually bleed you dry but what a way to go…

oldfarmer50 · May 2022

ab348 said:

explorerx4 said:
@stickguy,
Just go to the carwash once a month in the winter. You should be fine.
Automatic car washes use recycled water for at least part of the wash cycle, which in the winter is full of dissolved salt. I would advise caution on that strategy.

As a kid I worked in a car wash and what you say is true. Each spring they would close down for a day while all the employees shoveled the sand and salt and dead worms out of the drainage pit underneath. Car washes (brushless) are better than nothing but if you can afford it an annual application of fluid film or wool wax would be better.

I have two vehicles that I drive in winter. One is so rusted and old I don’t care. The newer one I have sprayed WD-40 and Fluid film into the doors and rockers to give some protection. I also hand wash the wheel wells out with a sprayer hose as often as I can.

I also find that buying a lot of Florida cars helps too.

explorerx4 · May 2022

The stuff they use in CT rots out rubber type materials.
After having to replace several seals(axle, etc) on my old Explorer, I started going to the car wash and never had another issue. Never any rust issues either.
My kids took over my wife's 04 Escape around 09. Never never washed it in the winter, rust issues by 2013.
One of the kids took over my wife's 2013 Escape in 2016 but keeps it clean in the winter and lives in Wisconsin. No rust issues.

oldfarmer50 · May 2022

Just filled the Mustang with 93 octane at a Gulf station. Cheapest in the area. $5.25/gal. $59 for 3/4 of a tank.

Michaell · May 2022

I've gotta get the Outback filled up again. Not looking forward to the trip.

explorerx4 · May 2022

I've been thinking about going back to a pickup truck.
The dealer I bought my Explorer at has 5 very similar low mileage loaded XLT super crews.
I looked at cargurus and they are all 4k+ high priced and they have had them for over 200 days.
Here is an example.
https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inventorylisting/viewDetailsFilterViewInventoryListing.action?entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity=d337&distance=25&zip=06032&sourceContext=RecentSearches_false_0&isRecentSearchView=true?io=true&format=jpg&auto=webp#listing=314474388/NONE

Michaell · May 2022

explorerx4 said:
I've been thinking about going back to a pickup truck.
The dealer I bought my Explorer at has 5 very similar low mileage loaded XLT super crews.
I looked at cargurus and they are all 4k+ high priced and they have had them for over 200 days.
Here is an example.
https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inventorylisting/viewDetailsFilterViewInventoryListing.action?entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity=d337&distance=25&zip=06032&sourceContext=RecentSearches_false_0&isRecentSearchView=true?io=true&format=jpg&auto=webp#listing=314474388/NONE

Just because a website algorithm thinks it's overpriced doesn't mean you can negotiate $4K off the ask.

But, let us know how it works out if you decide to pursue this.

explorerx4 · May 2022

There are several red ones. This is the one I would be most interested in.
I doubt they would bend very much although I do have a great trade.
https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/inventorylisting/viewDetailsFilterViewInventoryListing.action?entitySelectingHelper.selectedEntity=d337&distance=25&zip=06032&sourceContext=RecentSearches_false_0&isRecentSearchView=true?io=true&format=jpg&auto=webp#listing=315331765/NONE

stickguy · May 2022

wouldn't it make sense to wait until you got moved to do anything?

corvette · May 2022

@au1994 not sure how it has an M sport suspension but not sport seats, unless they did the suspension work later. Maybe it was available that way on the earlier E39s?

explorerx4 · May 2022

@stickguy,
We are planning on renting a trailer again to bring some more stuff to our storage unit.
Also, I have to get the Mustang out there. Trying to maintain by CCBA card too.

What I really want is this:
https://www.lombardford.com/used-Barkhamsted-2020-Ford-Mustang-GT+Premium-1FA6P8CF9L5142123

oldfarmer50 · May 2022

explorerx4 said:
@stickguy,
We are planning on renting a trailer again to bring some more stuff to our storage unit.
Also, I have to get the Mustang out there. Trying to maintain by CCBA card too.
What I really want is this:
https://www.lombardford.com/used-Barkhamsted-2020-Ford-Mustang-GT+Premium-1FA6P8CF9L5142123

Wow! $49k for a used Mustang? I have to run mine through Carvana again. BTW, you might want to get a CarFax on those trucks. My company used to sell our pickups with low mileage like that. See who that one owner was.

jmonroe1 · May 2022

oldfarmer50 said:

explorerx4 said:
@stickguy,
We are planning on renting a trailer again to bring some more stuff to our storage unit.
Also, I have to get the Mustang out there. Trying to maintain by CCBA card too.
What I really want is this:
https://www.lombardford.com/used-Barkhamsted-2020-Ford-Mustang-GT+Premium-1FA6P8CF9L5142123
Wow! $49k for a used Mustang? I have to run mine through Carvana again. BTW, you might want to get a CarFax on those trucks. My company used to sell our pickups with low mileage like that. See who that one owner was.

The write up says it IS NOT a rental. The write up also says it was a company car. I’m not sure what that really is. But, whatever it means they want top dollar and then some for that distinction and low mileage.

jmonroe

au1994 · May 2022

corvette said:
@au1994 not sure how it has an M sport suspension but not sport seats, unless they did the suspension work later. Maybe it was available that way on the earlier E39s?

Thats what I was thinking, suspension was done later. They have done some other nice, tasteful modifications so it wouldn’t be a surprise. I’m not sure if sport seats were ever a stand alone option.

Great color on what many say is the last drivers version of the 5 series.

kyfdx · May 2022

corvette said:
@au1994 not sure how it has an M sport suspension but not sport seats, unless they did the suspension work later. Maybe it was available that way on the earlier E39s?

The sport package "rules" weren't codified on the '90s models of E39 and E46. You saw a mish-mash of options from that package (especially on E39). The package contents that you could rely on from 2001-on just weren't the same on the early ones.

oldfarmer50 · May 2022

jmonroe1 said:

oldfarmer50 said:

explorerx4 said:
@stickguy,
We are planning on renting a trailer again to bring some more stuff to our storage unit.
Also, I have to get the Mustang out there. Trying to maintain by CCBA card too.
What I really want is this:
https://www.lombardford.com/used-Barkhamsted-2020-Ford-Mustang-GT+Premium-1FA6P8CF9L5142123
Wow! $49k for a used Mustang? I have to run mine through Carvana again. BTW, you might want to get a CarFax on those trucks. My company used to sell our pickups with low mileage like that. See who that one owner was.

oldfarmer50 said:

explorerx4 said:
@stickguy,
We are planning on renting a trailer again to bring some more stuff to our storage unit.
Also, I have to get the Mustang out there. Trying to maintain by CCBA card too.
What I really want is this:
https://www.lombardford.com/used-Barkhamsted-2020-Ford-Mustang-GT+Premium-1FA6P8CF9L5142123
Wow! $49k for a used Mustang? I have to run mine through Carvana again. BTW, you might want to get a CarFax on those trucks. My company used to sell our pickups with low mileage like that. See who that one owner was.
The write up says it IS NOT a rental. The write up also says it was a company car. I’m not sure what that really is. But, whatever it means they want top dollar and then some for that distinction and low mileage.

jmonroe

Yeah, the Mustang listing says that but I was talking about the trucks he listed. I don’t see a ‘Not a Rental’ disclaimer for those. Before the pandemic we would deliver tons of Ford pickups to dealers with under 20k miles.

On the other hand, our trucks were usually rented by soccer moms who reserved a big SUV and got a pickup by default so they weren’t beaten too hard.

au1994 · May 2022

I knew somebody smarter than I would weigh in!

qbrozen · May 2022

Dangit. This Mitsu I think may make more sense than a Pajero. Just as an example, a '96 with 100k miles sold at auction last night for 500k yen. With shipping and fees, I'd wind up into it for about $7k before any unforeseen reconditioning and repairs. Granted, that would be a diesel. But also RHD.

That seller has another with lower miles and larger engine. I'd really prefer to avoid leather. And, honestly, I don't know much about either engine, but seems to me the 3.0 was fairly reliable. I didn't even know a 3.5 existed.

oldfarmer50 · May 2022

qbrozen said:
Dangit. This Mitsu I think may make more sense than a Pajero. Just as an example, a '96 with 100k miles sold at auction last night for 500k yen. With shipping and fees, I'd wind up into it for about $7k before any unforeseen reconditioning and repairs. Granted, that would be a diesel. But also RHD.

That seller has another with lower miles and larger engine. I'd really prefer to avoid leather. And, honestly, I don't know much about either engine, but seems to me the 3.0 was fairly reliable. I didn't even know a 3.5 existed.

Those are all variants of the 6G7 Cyclone engine. The 3.0 is the 6G72 and the 3.5 is the 6G74. I had the 6G75 3.8 version in my Eclipse. Very torquey motors especially with VVT. Butterly smooth

The biggest problem I heard about them is valve seals that leaked.

corvette · May 2022

@qbrozen - I can't remember, what are the criteria for this acquisition? He's got a 2008 Grand Viagra Sport with a V6 and a 2006 XL-7.

Something like this would make an ideal dog hauler while I await the Maverick. I'm not clear on when (if ever) the common issues with the early Pentastar engines were fixed, though.

qbrozen · May 2022

corvette said:
@qbrozen - I can't remember, what are the criteria for this acquisition? He's got a 2008 Grand Viagra Sport with a V6 and a 2006 XL-7.

Something like this would make an ideal dog hauler while I await the Maverick. I'm not clear on when (if ever) the common issues with the early Pentastar engines were fixed, though.

criteria? I dunno. Large'ish 4x4.

Not really into Suzukis, to be honest.

carnaught · May 2022

@qbrozen: “2008 Grand Viagra Sport…” You get a rise out of driving it.

Good ole spell check 😀.

qbrozen · May 2022

carnaught said:
@qbrozen: “2008 Grand Viagra Sport…” You get a rise out of driving it.

Good ole spell check 😀.

I thought he was being intentionally naughty. haha. For example, I always refer to it as the Lincoln Masturbator.

roadburner · May 2022

@oldfarmer50 said:
Wow! $49k for a used Mustang? I have to run mine through Carvana again. BTW, you might want to get a CarFax on those trucks. My company used to sell our pickups with low mileage like that. See who that one owner was.

And it doesn’t have the Performance Package.

roadburner · May 2022

@au1994 said:
I knew somebody smarter than I would weigh in!

For me the E39 sweet spots are a 530i Sport with three pedals and the M5.

tifighter · May 2022

qbrozen said:
Dangit. This Mitsu I think may make more sense than a Pajero. Just as an example, a '96 with 100k miles sold at auction last night for 500k yen. With shipping and fees, I'd wind up into it for about $7k before any unforeseen reconditioning and repairs. Granted, that would be a diesel. But also RHD.

That seller has another with lower miles and larger engine. I'd really prefer to avoid leather. And, honestly, I don't know much about either engine, but seems to me the 3.0 was fairly reliable. I didn't even know a 3.5 existed.

The 3.5 was the standard engine on the 3rd Gen Montero in 2001-02. From 2003+, it moved to the 3.8.

graphicguy · May 2022

sda said:
Tire sensor replaced, tires rotated, $75. That is half of what the Honda dealer quoted, $140 plus tax. Todays glamor picture, it still drives great.

Boy....I have a bunch of DVD-Audio Disks that sound glorious in that version of the TL. Don't know if they're collectors items or coasters at this point.

graphicguy · May 2022

oldfarmer50 said:

graphicguy said:

kyfdx said:
Car shopping story:

Someone hit my wife's friend's car, while parked. Totaled it.
2010 RAV4 with 80K miles
Insurance paid her $14,600.

Now shopping for another used crossover. $25K-$27K range, OTD, including taxes.

Shewww.... maybe the worst time in history to shop for a car. So far, the best candidate is FWD 2017 Nissan Rogue with 23K miles. About $27K.
Might want to look at one of those Mitsubishi Outlander Sports. Have never driven one, but an acquaintance just bought one. His ‘97 Lincoln dropped a transmission. It needed numerous and sundry other things, too. One of the few times where it wasn’t worth repairing in today’s crazy market.

He kicked tires on a bunch of used vehicles. As noted, their prices are more outrageous than new vehicles.

The Mitsubishi came in at $26K, all in. Not my cup ‘o tea, but it seemed to be well equipped. Plus, from what I understand, they come with a generous new car warranty.

Might be worth a look-see!
Mitsu has been using the same CVT transmissions as Nissan. Might want to research reliability before buying especially if his last car died from tranny failure.

The Outlanders I’ve driven have nice interiors and lots of electronic features. The only negative is a tendency to wander in lane on the highway. The Outlander Sport is a smaller cheaper verson and not as nice.

I think you're dead on in your assessment. Only rode in my acquaintances briefly. Drivetrain could use some NVH refinement, but not bad considering what he paid.

He's on a fixed income. Mitsu gave him credit when some of the other brands, and some of the used car lending institutions would not (aside from the BHPH lots).

He mainly wanted something he wouldn't have to worry about with the 5 year B2B and 10 year drivetrain warranty.

He actually got his for less than MSRP (according to him). Not sure the details, though.

henryn · May 2022

DVD-Audio was considered extinct by 2007 (according to Wikipedia). A quick search on Ebay and Amazon shows that some are still available, but they are not priced like collector's items, more like coasters.

graphicguy said:

sda said:
Tire sensor replaced, tires rotated, $75. That is half of what the Honda dealer quoted, $140 plus tax. Todays glamor picture, it still drives great.

Boy....I have a bunch of DVD-Audio Disks that sound glorious in that version of the TL. Don't know if they're collectors items or coasters at this point.

oldfarmer50 · May 2022

corvette said:
@qbrozen - I can't remember, what are the criteria for this acquisition? He's got a 2008 Grand Viagra Sport with a V6 and a 2006 XL-7.

Something like this would make an ideal dog hauler while I await the Maverick. I'm not clear on when (if ever) the common issues with the early Pentastar engines were fixed, though.

We loved those Grand Caravans at work. Just check out the transmissions at that mileage.

jmonroe1 · May 2022

oldfarmer50 said:

qbrozen said:
Dangit. This Mitsu I think may make more sense than a Pajero. Just as an example, a '96 with 100k miles sold at auction last night for 500k yen. With shipping and fees, I'd wind up into it for about $7k before any unforeseen reconditioning and repairs. Granted, that would be a diesel. But also RHD.

That seller has another with lower miles and larger engine. I'd really prefer to avoid leather. And, honestly, I don't know much about either engine, but seems to me the 3.0 was fairly reliable. I didn't even know a 3.5 existed.
Those are all variants of the 6G7 Cyclone engine. The 3.0 is the 6G72 and the 3.5 is the 6G74. I had the 6G75 3.8 version in my Eclipse. Very torquey motors especially with VVT. Butterly smooth

The biggest problem I heard about them is valve seals that leaked.

————————————————

You’re not being totally honest when you said, “The biggest problem I heard about them (Mitsubishi engines) is valve seals that leaked”. Then again at your age maybe you have forgotten about my ‘05 Hyundai XG350 that blew an engine in 2012 with just under 43K miles. That car had the Mitsubishi V6 3.5 6G74 engine.

Until the engine blew up it was a good engine with no hint whatsoever of ANY problems. Nice power, smooth, silent, not an oil burner, no oil leaks. Pretty much everything you’d want in an engine for a family sedan. Very surprising how it happened too. Mrs. j was decelerating coming to a light from a speed of 35 MPH when BAM a loud noise. However, the engine kept running allowing her to pull into a gas station right at that light.

Yes, this is the engine that Hyundai bounced the warranty claim on because the dealer said there was a discrepancy with my oil change log. They stood fast about not honoring the 100K mile engine warranty even when I pointed out how they incorrectly showed the wrong mileage on a work order when they did a warranty claim, for a seat belt light that stayed on, about 3K miles before they did the last oil change on it within a month of the engine blowing.

I’ll bet you remember that now.

jmonroe

ab348 · May 2022

Sounds like a similar problem to what this fellow also running a Mitsubishi engine encountered.

qbrozen · May 2022

tifighter said:

The 3.5 was the standard engine on the 3rd Gen Montero in 2001-02. From 2003+, it moved to the 3.8.

hmmm... standard? So why would that other '02 have a 3.0?

tifighter · May 2022

I'm talking Monteros, not the Sport. 3rd gen Monteros.

ronsteve · May 2022

qbrozen said:

carnaught said:
@qbrozen: “2008 Grand Viagra Sport…” You get a rise out of driving it.

Good ole spell check 😀.
I thought he was being intentionally naughty. haha. For example, I always refer to it as the Lincoln Masturbator.

Is that their version of the Ford Exhibitionist?

Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

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