Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous (Archived)

nyccarguy · September 2023

Thank-you everybody for offering your kindest and most sincere words of support. Over the last few years, my wife has endured a tremendous amount of mental anguish including, but not limited to getting unjustly fired from a job because of someone else's mistake, getting infected with Covid 19 because she thought she had no other choice but to see Covid infected patients, my son's school refusal, dealing with my daughter's anxiety & depression, and getting investigated by DCF. She was seeing a therapist for a while and then when our medical coverage lapsed last year, she stopped and had our primary care doctor manage her medication. She was being treated for anxiety and depression. The meds weren't working. She was literally feeling empty. Over the last few months, her anxiety became almost crippling. She constantly worried about everything.

A little over 2 months ago, a mass was found on her when she had a mammogram done. Now it turned out to be nothing, but there was a lot of time waiting to get results, waiting for the appointment for the next test, waiting to get those results, then scheduling a biopsy, waiting for those results, then scheduling a consultation with a breast surgeon who said that even if my wife was her sister, closest aunt, or best friend she would tell her the same thing. You don't need surgery. During this time she suffered from insomnia. Sleeping anywhere from 1 1/2 to 3 hours a night. She'd get up at 1, 2, or 3 AM and just start cleaning and organizing different rooms in the house.

The lack of sleep caused her to not function properly and really took a toll on her. She was mentally and physically exhausted. She recognized she had a problem and needed help. She started seeing a therapist and made an appointment to start seeing an APRN to manage her medication. However, the appointments were scheduled weeks out and the IOP program she wanted to get into didn't start for another month. She needed treatment. We checked her into the Behavioral Services Unit at the local hospital. The doctors who treated her were great, but it was a truly horrific place. After a few days of being heavily medicated, they put her on Lithium to stabilize her mood. She has been diagnosed with BiPolar disorder.

She came home for a week and still wasn't sleeping. She was still anxious. She needed more help. So she found a rehabilitation hospital with an open bed that would take her. She was there for a week.

She's home now and better than she was before she was hospitalized a month ago. She has a long road ahead of her. There is no cure for BiPolar Disorder. She's going to have to be on medication for the rest of her life. It is so much to process and cope with on a daily basis.

roadburner · September 2023

nyccarguy said:

@roadburner said:

That's really low-hanging fruit...

What’s he driving these days? Does he still have the C-Class without the backup camera in FL & the E Class in Canada?

Yes, and he continues to take pride in the fact that he needs to hire someone to do all but the most rudimentary tasks concerning his house or cars.

roadburner · September 2023

While checking out Wranglers yesterday (at the dealer where I bought the TJ in 2022) we saw a 2021 GC Trailhawk. Low miles and really attractive. No options other than paint- and the Pentastar V6 instead of the Hemi. I still like the 4xe, but the $7k price difference is the sticking point.

pensfan83 · September 2023

@nyccarguy said:
Thank-you everybody for offering your kindest and most sincere words of support. Over the last few years, my wife has endured a tremendous amount of mental anguish including, but not limited to getting unjustly fired from a job because of someone else's mistake, getting infected with Covid 19 because she thought she had no other choice but to see Covid infected patients, my son's school refusal, dealing with my daughter's anxiety & depression, and getting investigated by DCF. She was seeing a therapist for a while and then when our medical coverage lapsed last year, she stopped and had our primary care doctor manage her medication. She was being treated for anxiety and depression. The meds weren't working. She was literally feeling empty. Over the last few months, her anxiety became almost crippling. She constantly worried about everything.

A little over 2 months ago, a mass was found on her when she had a mammogram done. Now it turned out to be nothing, but there was a lot of time waiting to get results, waiting for the appointment for the next test, waiting to get those results, then scheduling a biopsy, waiting for those results, then scheduling a consultation with a breast surgeon who said that even if my wife was her sister, closest aunt, or best friend she would tell her the same thing. You don't need surgery. During this time she suffered from insomnia. Sleeping anywhere from 1 1/2 to 3 hours a night. She'd get up at 1, 2, or 3 AM and just start cleaning and organizing different rooms in the house.

The lack of sleep caused her to not function properly and really took a toll on her. She was mentally and physically exhausted. She recognized she had a problem and needed help. She started seeing a therapist and made an appointment to start seeing an APRN to manage her medication. However, the appointments were scheduled weeks out and the IOP program she wanted to get into didn't start for another month. She needed treatment. We checked her into the Behavioral Services Unit at the local hospital. The doctors who treated her were great, but it was a truly horrific place. After a few days of being heavily medicated, they put her on Lithium to stabilize her mood. She has been diagnosed with BiPolar disorder.

She came home for a week and still wasn't sleeping. She was still anxious. She needed more help. So she found a rehabilitation hospital with an open bed that would take her. She was there for a week.

She's home now and better than she was before she was hospitalized a month ago. She has a long road ahead of her. There is no cure for BiPolar Disorder. She's going to have to be on medication for the rest of her life. It is so much to process and cope with on a daily basis.

I admire the way you are handling all of what's being thrown at you, especially when some of the people on the other side of the desk are making things unnecessarily difficult. As others have said, your children will forever appreciate you and your wife advocating for them. I wish your wife a healthy and safe recovery too.

Make sure you take of yourself as well

oldfarmer50 · September 2023

nyccarguy said:
Thank-you everybody for offering your kindest and most sincere words of support. Over the last few years, my wife has endured a tremendous amount of mental anguish including, but not limited to getting unjustly fired from a job because of someone else's mistake, getting infected with Covid 19 because she thought she had no other choice but to see Covid infected patients, my son's school refusal, dealing with my daughter's anxiety & depression, and getting investigated by DCF. She was seeing a therapist for a while and then when our medical coverage lapsed last year, she stopped and had our primary care doctor manage her medication. She was being treated for anxiety and depression. The meds weren't working. She was literally feeling empty. Over the last few months, her anxiety became almost crippling. She constantly worried about everything.

A little over 2 months ago, a mass was found on her when she had a mammogram done. Now it turned out to be nothing, but there was a lot of time waiting to get results, waiting for the appointment for the next test, waiting to get those results, then scheduling a biopsy, waiting for those results, then scheduling a consultation with a breast surgeon who said that even if my wife was her sister, closest aunt, or best friend she would tell her the same thing. You don't need surgery. During this time she suffered from insomnia. Sleeping anywhere from 1 1/2 to 3 hours a night. She'd get up at 1, 2, or 3 AM and just start cleaning and organizing different rooms in the house.

The lack of sleep caused her to not function properly and really took a toll on her. She was mentally and physically exhausted. She recognized she had a problem and needed help. She started seeing a therapist and made an appointment to start seeing an APRN to manage her medication. However, the appointments were scheduled weeks out and the IOP program she wanted to get into didn't start for another month. She needed treatment. We checked her into the Behavioral Services Unit at the local hospital. The doctors who treated her were great, but it was a truly horrific place. After a few days of being heavily medicated, they put her on Lithium to stabilize her mood. She has been diagnosed with BiPolar disorder.

She came home for a week and still wasn't sleeping. She was still anxious. She needed more help. So she found a rehabilitation hospital with an open bed that would take her. She was there for a week.

She's home now and better than she was before she was hospitalized a month ago. She has a long road ahead of her. There is no cure for BiPolar Disorder. She's going to have to be on medication for the rest of her life. It is so much to process and cope with on a daily basis.

I had no idea of the burden you’ve been carrying. Believe me, I know on a personal level how hard it can be to struggle through a loved one’s mental and physical challenges.

oldfarmer50 · September 2023

roadburner said:
While checking out Wranglers yesterday (at the dealer where I bought the TJ in 2022) we saw a 2021 GC Trailhawk. Low miles and really attractive. No options other than paint- and the Pentastar V6 instead of the Hemi. I still like the 4xe, but the $7k price difference is the sticking point.

Maybe it’s my innate technophobia but if I had a choice between a 99’ Wrangler and a new one I might be tempted to take the old one. I’ve been reading more and more about problems with the Pentastar. Strangely, even though I drive that engine all the time and the performance is excellent, I wouldn’t trust its long term reliability.

breld · September 2023

@nyccarguy - thank you for sharing all you’re going through. Hopefully being able to unload and put it into words helps even just a tiny bit.

I think you know folks here genuinely care for you.

venture · September 2023

I was thinking about how people are drawn to a certain brand of car. Some people will like a brand while others would never even consider looking at it.

You can think of ab348 with his Cadillacs, explorer4 with Ford, roadburner with (generally) BMW’s, driver100 with Tesla, I mean MB 😊, and so on.

Occasionally we will wander outside with the wolves, but usually come back.

I guess that’s what has drawn us to Subaru over the years. We got comfortable with them. They have done what we asked of them. You must know their limits.

Michaell · September 2023

venture said:
I was thinking about how people are drawn to a certain brand of car. Some people will like a brand while others would never even consider looking at it.

You can think of ab348 with his Cadillacs, explorer4 with Ford, roadburner with (generally) BMW’s, driver100 with Tesla, I mean MB 😊, and so on.

Occasionally we will wander outside with the wolves, but usually come back.

I guess that’s what has drawn us to Subaru over the years. We got comfortable with them. They have done what we asked of them. You must know their limits.

That's probably true for a lot of people.

When I met my wife, she was a Ford gal. She drove a 10 year old Tempo when we met, which was replaced with an Escort, Expedition, Explorer and Focus over the years.

Then, we got into Saturn (wife loved the buying experience) - an L300 for me, then two successive VUEs for her, plus an ION for her daughter to take to college.

After that, we've been pretty agnostic. I leased a Hyundai and a VW, and the wife drove a Mazda CX-7 and the current Outback. The stepdaughter has had two MINIs in a row.

tjc78 · September 2023

I started off as a Ford guy, but when I look back I’ve owned the same amount of GM’s (5) and then a little bit of everything since.

corvette · September 2023

I've had four GM products, four VW/Audi products, and four Nissan/Infiniti products.

au1994 · September 2023

Man…I had to think about this one:

BMW - 7
CDJ - 4
Toyota - 3
Honda - 3
Ford - 2
GM - 2
Subaru - 1
MB - 1
Volvo - 1
VW - 1

ab348 · September 2023

Volvo - 1
Ford - 1
GM - 10
Toyota - 1
VW - 1

Don't know what I might get next, though I doubt it will be any time soon. There really isn't anything out there that's calling to me right now.

stickguy · September 2023

Unless you have owned at least 2 AMC products you haven’t really lived. And an opel.

qbrozen · September 2023

@stickguy said:
Unless you have owned at least 2 AMC products you haven’t really lived. And an opel.

Pretty tough to qualify for that, I’d think. I’ve done it, though. My list of manufacturers beyond that is quite extensive

roadburner · September 2023

My list:
1974 Monte Carlo Landau
1969 Datsun SPL311
1979 Arrow GT 2.6
1973 Bavaria
1987 535is
1988 M6
1973 Bronco
1984 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
1995 318ti Club Sport
1999 Wrangler Sahara
2007 Mazdaspeed 3 GT
1975 2002
2014 M235i
2009 Cooper Clubman
2020 C43 Sedan

Wife:
1984 Skylark T Type
1987 Scorpio
1991 Volvo 740 Turbo
1993 Pathfinder SE
1998 318ti
1997 528i
2004 X3 2.5i
2009 328i
2015 X1 xDrive28i M Sport
13 German 5 American 4 Japanese 1 Swedish 1 British

venture · September 2023

ab348 said:
Volvo - 1
Ford - 1
GM - 10
Toyota - 1
VW - 1

Don't know what I might get next, though I doubt it will be any time soon. There really isn't anything out there that's calling to me right now.

I feel your pain. I'm going to get something, but nothing rings my bell.

stickguy · September 2023

I did a full list at one point but not sure where it is at this point.

plenty of duplicates. AMC, Nissan, Honda, Acura, Mazda, Ford, Toyota, Chevy, Plymouth, Hyundai, and Subaru. I think the rest of the brands are singles. Opel, Volvo, Mercury, Scion, VW

most of a brand are probably Acura (4x), Honda (3x), Ford (3x) and Mazda (3x)

Probably missed some since I am doing this out of my rapidly fogging memory! And I have definitely played the field over the years, though the last 5 have been Acura or Ford.

Still somehow missed BMW which surprises me. And probably the ship sailed on the Porsche dream.

oldfarmer50 · September 2023

tjc78 said:
I started off as a Ford guy, but when I look back I’ve owned the same amount of GM’s (5) and then a little bit of everything since.

My family has 2 Fords and one each of Chevy, Chrysler and Kia.

qbrozen · September 2023

Shockingly [to me] I think MB may be my highest. We had two 190s, a 300, an ML, and now the sprinter.

qbrozen · September 2023

Ok, now I'm at my desk... I was wrong about MB. I've apparently had 6 Fords. And, depending on how you look at it, MB is either tied with BMW or, if you include the sedan I imported for resale, BMW ties Ford with 6. This list includes those for resale that were in my name. I have excluded the Mini, Maserati, and Daihatsu that were purchased in my business name.

2 Alfa
3 AMC
6 BMW
1 Caddy
2 Chevy
3 Chrysler
3 Dodge
1 Fiat
6 Ford
3 Honda
1 Hyundai
2 Infiniti
3 Jeep
2 Land Rover
1 Lincoln
3 Mazda
5 Mercedes
1 Mercury
3 Mitsubishi
4 Nissan
1 Opel
1 Ram
2 Subaru
2 Suzuki
2 Toyota
5 Volvo
2 VW

kyfdx · September 2023

Me: (in order)
Ford Galaxie
Ford Mustang Cobra II
Jeep CJ-5
Honda Accord
BMW 2000CS
Porsche 911
Mazda 323 GTX
Nissan Pathfinder
Honda CR-V
Honda CR-V
Subaru Impreza
BMW 330Ci ZHP
Audi A3 TDI
Honda Fit
VW GTI
Porsche Cayman

Cars bought for son:
Acura Legend
BMW 325iS
BMW M3
Toyota Tacoma

Wife (since we met in 1991)
Nissan 240SX
Acura Vigor
Honda Accord
Honda Accord
Honda Accord
BMW 325i
BMW 330Cic
BMW X3
BMW Z4
Infiniti G37
BMW X3
BMW X3

nyccarguy · September 2023

@stickguy

And ~~probably~~ the ship has sailed on the Porsche dream

Fixed that

nyccarguy · September 2023

1 Chevrolet
1 Ford
1 Saab
3 Hondas
1 Acura
3 BMWs
1 Subaru
1 Infiniti
3 Toyotas
1 Jeep (2 if you count the one that I flipped)

graphicguy · September 2023

I agree. We all like what we like. I’ve stuck my toes in the water with Cadillac, BMW, Audi, Infiniti. I always come back to my tried and true Acuras/Hondas. They’re not great at any one thing, but good in just about all things.

stickguy · September 2023

@graphicguy said:
I agree. We all like what we like. I’ve stuck my toes in the water with Cadillac, BMW, Audi, Infiniti. I always come back to my tried and true Acuras/Hondas. They’re not great at any one thing, but good in just about all things.

My wife is comfortable with them and would likely be happy never having something else. Though she does get impressed by a spiffy BMW or Volvo, that’s before she has to try and figure out how to operate it! Not that she can do much with the RDX really.

stickguy · September 2023

@nyccarguy said:
@stickguy

And probably the ship has sailed on the Porsche dream

Fixed that

I was going to look at a used boxster recently but it sold before I could. Same with a 2020 (or maybe 2019) 230 convertible a local dealer supposedly had but was already sold when I inquired.

stickguy · September 2023

But I think you are right on the Porsche!

tjc78 · September 2023

I’ve never owned a Honda/Acura product which is surprising because I’ve always liked them.

Since we are sharing

Ford/Merc/Lincoln - 5
GM - 5
Hyundai - 3
Toyota - 3
Volvo - 2
Ram - 1

tjc78 · September 2023

Q - what was the Lincoln? An LS?

explorerx4 · September 2023

Some of the vehicles listed below I've had concurrently.
1970 Plymouth Sport Fury
1974 Plymouth Duster
1980 VW Scirocco
1976 Mercury Capri II
1983 Ford TBird Turbo Coupe
1986 Ford Mustang GT
1983 Ford F150 XLT
1988 Ford TBird Sport
1989 Ford Taurus SHO
1991 Ford Mustang GT
1992 Ford Taurus SHO
1994 Ford Explorer XLT
1997 Ford Explorer XLT
2000 Ford Expedition XLT
2002 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer
2004 Ford Focus ZTS
2007 Ford Fusion SEL
2010 Ford Explorer XLT
2013 Ford Fusion Titanium
2013 Ford Escape SEL
2014 Ford F150 FX4
2017 Ford Fusion SE
2017 Ford F150 Limited
2019 Lincoln MKZ Reserve
2020 Ford Explorer XLT

Wife's DD's.
1979 Old Cutlass Supreme
1983 Toyota Celica GT
1987 Ford Bronco II XLT
1991 Ford Explorer XLT
1996 Ford Taurus SHO
2001 Saab 9-5 SE Wagon
2004 Ford Escape Limited
2009 Ford Escape Limited
2013 Ford Escape Titanium
2016 Lincoln MKC Reserve
2022 Lincoln Corsair Reserve

28firefighter · September 2023

We’re starting to march towards fall weather and rain. Had my top up on the BMW the other day after picking up my son. As we were driving he commented “your Hyundai was loud. This car isn’t as loud but it sounds MEAN.”

Hard to argue with him. The B58 has a very nice roar to it when pushed.

tjc78 · September 2023

@explorerx4
Maybe you should try a Ford product sometime. 😎😎

sda · September 2023

@explorerx4 said:
Some of the vehicles listed below I've had concurrently.
1970 Plymouth Sport Fury
1974 Plymouth Duster
1980 VW Scirocco
1976 Mercury Capri II
1983 Ford TBird Turbo Coupe
1986 Ford Mustang GT
1983 Ford F150 XLT
1988 Ford TBird Sport
1989 Ford Taurus SHO
1991 Ford Mustang GT
1992 Ford Taurus SHO
1994 Ford Explorer XLT
1997 Ford Explorer XLT
2000 Ford Expedition XLT
2002 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer
2004 Ford Focus ZTS
2007 Ford Fusion SEL
2010 Ford Explorer XLT
2013 Ford Fusion Titanium
2013 Ford Escape SEL
2014 Ford F150 FX4
2017 Ford Fusion SE
2017 Ford F150 Limited
2019 Lincoln MKZ Reserve
2020 Ford Explorer XLT

Wife's DD's.
1979 Old Cutlass Supreme
1983 Toyota Celica GT
1987 Ford Bronco II XLT
1991 Ford Explorer XLT
1996 Ford Taurus SHO
2001 Saab 9-5 SE Wagon
2004 Ford Escape Limited
2009 Ford Escape Limited
2013 Ford Escape Titanium
2016 Lincoln MKC Reserve
2022 Lincoln Corsair Reserve

Wow! Very loyal to Ford! I looked at a new 89 SHO and tried to deal but my trade wasn't favorable and I didn't want to be totally underwater financially.

explorerx4 · September 2023

Some of those vehicles stayed in the family for a while.
We still have the 1991 Mustang.
The 02 Explorer was mine, then went to the kids 07-09, then back to me until 2015.
04 Escape was my wife's until 09, then went to the older for a few years then to younger one until 2016.
09 Escape went to older daughter until 2016 when she bought a new car.
13 Escape went to younger one in 2016 and she is still driving it.

kyfdx · September 2023

@explorerx4 You were headed the right direction with the Scirocco and the Capri. What happened?

breld · September 2023

28firefighter said:
We’re starting to march towards fall weather and rain. Had my top up on the BMW the other day after picking up my son. As we were driving he commented “your Hyundai was loud. This car isn’t as loud but it sounds MEAN.”

Hard to argue with him. The B58 has a very nice roar to it when pushed.

Agreed. My bottom of the rung 840i has plenty of grunt and growl for me. I know it’s not a fair comparison as to weight, size and overall dynamics, but I find it to be a nice mature successor to my Supra.

qbrozen · September 2023

@tjc78 said:
Q - what was the Lincoln? An LS?

Yep. LSv8. Nice car but mileage was brutal.

Dang, when Jeep flips were mentioned, I realized I never added those. That would put me at 6 Jeeps.

laurasdada · September 2023

78 VW Scirocco
85 Mitsu Mirage Turbo
88 Acura Integra
(Then, nameless faceless company cars, but after downsizing, bought my then-current co car:)
95 Dodge Intrepid
99 Chrysler 300M
05 Acura TL
09 Jaguar XK
13 Jaguar XF
21 Audi A7 PHEV
20 BMW M240 Convertible

Ex wife
92 Nissan Sentra SE-R (taught her how to drive stick)
95 Saab 900s
02 Lexus RX300
11 BMW 535xi

Current unlucky lady
22 BMW X3

So, I'm a bit of a car slut. Randon thoughts: Acuras probably the best screwed together cars in the bunch; Chryslers, worst (but, reliable for me). Audi best interior, Jags most emotional, and the XF probably my fave all-around sedan. XK, V8 lust, not to mention that body!. M240 vert, pure skateboard fun, although for the $, the SE-R was a hoot. Saab, well, I learned to drive in a '71 99 so a soft spot in my heart. Plus, ridiculously practical hatch (and fun to drive in its Saaby way!).
And, surprisingly, BMW wins for most purchases that I've had a financial stake in! I've never leased.

corvette · September 2023

tjc78 said:
@explorerx4

Maybe you should try a Ford product sometime. 😎😎

I'm old enough to remember the ads, but young enough that I was not a car buyer at the time.

jmonroe1 · September 2023

corvette said:

tjc78 said:
@explorerx4

Maybe you should try a Ford product sometime. 😎😎

I'm old enough to remember the ads, but young enough that I was not a car buyer at the time.

————————————————
One thing for sure…that add wasn’t directed at folks like @explorerx4. FWIW, back in those days I was in bed with GM and wouldn’t consider owning anything else.

jmonroe

jmonroe1 · September 2023

It’s been a while since @xwesx was in here. I’m pretty sure the last I heard from him he was about to make his annual trek to Ohio. But that ain’t a good excuse. If he can post from Alaska he should be able to post from just about anywhere.

jmonroe

cdnpinhead · September 2023

Yeah, what's up with him? There are a few kindred spirits on here, to my mind, and he's definitely one.

roadburner · September 2023

cdnpinhead said:
Yeah, what's up with him? There are a few kindred spirits on here, to my mind, and he's definitely one.

Agreed.

Michaell · September 2023

I've texted him; waiting for a response.

Michaell · September 2023

I heard from @xwesx this morning. All is good in the Buckeye State, according to him.

corvette · September 2023

Thanks for reaching out to him. I hadn't really noticed the lack of posts, but I'm glad others did.

jmonroe1 · September 2023

Michaell said:
I heard from @xwesx this morning. All is good in the Buckeye State, according to him.

————————————————
Thanks.

jmonroe

cdnpinhead · September 2023

Michaell said:
I heard from @xwesx this morning. All is good in the Buckeye State, according to him.

Excellent! Thanks.

jmonroe1 · September 2023

corvette said:
Thanks for reaching out to him. I hadn't really noticed the lack of posts, but I'm glad others did.

————————————————
You gotta change your handle to @Mr.Unobservant.

jmonroe

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