Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

explorerx4 · May 22

Higher end Ram's have really nice interiors.

tjc78 · May 22

@stickguy said:
Nice deal. The payments eaten, dispo fee waived and extra $5/month is probably effectively another $50 off so really paying about $640/month!

Other then a 9” longer bed and notable differences between the old and new ones?

They are vastly different builds. The 22 was 3” lifted with more rugged tires and was a Hemi. Fairly lower on the option load. Smaller screen and no nannies

This one is standard height (I really don’t even need the running boards) and has the new Hurricane engine. It also has street tires. The ride is fantastic. The 22 rode nice but this is even cushier. The interior and tech is on a whole other level. Much more lux and the technology and sound system are impressive.

@explorerx4
Yes, they do. To think there are still two more levels (Limited and Tungsten) from this one.

I sent a picture to my cousin who is a big truck guy and he said I bought the Lincoln Town Car of trucks

imidazol97 · May 22

Nice. Interior is great!

Michaell · May 22

@tjc78 - congrats! Nice truck.

And a great payment.

breld · May 22

@tjc78 - congrats! That is some true American luxury!

breld · May 22

Was thinking about the discussion over the GTI pricing...I don't disagree that a $40k MSRP is surprising at first blush, but I feel like when you consider the average car price is well into the $40k's these days, the GTI offers a lot for a "below average" cost vehicle.

As it always has been, the combination of fun factor and overall usability is pretty incredible.

nyccarguy · May 22

Nice truck Tom!

Sandman6472 said:
A white 2025 GTI showed up at the dealer on the other side of town showed up today when I searched for local 2025 GTI's in the local area. Has a gray & black two tone interior which looks nice. Might go see it on Wednesday just to see. Has the Harmon Kardon 9 speaker system which I really want for $39.5. Not the best price but built in 3/25 so before the tariff nonsense. Might go give it a test drive on my n/s day this week. Though not really ready to buy quite yet, might just go do a look see.

While not as exciting as a GTI, I made an appointment to test drive a Camry & a Prius at my local Toyota Dealer later this afternoon/early evening.

corvette · May 22

Nice looking Ram! Congrats on the punch.

28firefighter · May 22

Congrats @tjc78 !

tjc78 · May 22

Thanks Everyone!

stickguy · May 22

I should stop at the Toyota dealer tomorrow after one of my dump runs (it’s right around the corner) and check them out. And see if they have a GR86 to test!

Porsche dealer is right across the street but that might not be a good idea.

ab348 · May 22

breld said:
Was thinking about the discussion over the GTI pricing...I don't disagree that a $40k MSRP is surprising at first blush, but I feel like when you consider the average car price is well into the $40k's these days, the GTI offers a lot for a "below average" cost vehicle.

As it always has been, the combination of fun factor and overall usability is pretty incredible.

Totally agree. I think people tend to look down at it because it’s a 4-door hatch.

ab348 · May 22

tjc78 said:

It’s nice that it’s not painted black as about 80% of Rams seem to be, and especially nice that it has a light-color interior!

pensfan83 · May 22

Great looking truck and deal. The interior is probably my favorite of any full size.

xwesx · May 22

Ooooh, nice interior on that one, @tjc78 ! At least you're covered for another three (+) years. Gives you plenty of time to look for that next Panther....

tjc78 · May 22

@ab348 said:
It’s nice that it’s not painted black as about 80% of Rams seem to be, and especially nice that it has a light-color interior!

It was not easy to find this combo. The spread on black interior to the “sea salt” is about 10-1

tjc78 · May 22

@xwesx said:
Ooooh, nice interior on that one, @tjc78 ! At least you're covered for another three (+) years. Gives you plenty of time to look for that next Panther....

I want a classic one so bad …

stickguy · May 22

Take the dam to Florida for a vacation. Find one there and rent a trailer then tow it home.

tjc78 · May 22

No shortage of them down there!

I drove the last Ram to Florida with the family.

While it wasn’t bad by any means … the wife has said “never again”

That’s why we are leaving on our next cruise out of Bayonne, NJ

kyfdx · May 22

tjc78 said:
No shortage of them down there!

I drove the last Ram to Florida with the family.

While it wasn’t bad by any means … the wife has said “never again”

That’s why we are leaving on our next cruise out of Bayonne, NJ

Reminds me of the old SNL commercial spoof for the Navy:

Port of Call: Bayonne, NJ!!

jmonroe1 · May 22

stickguy said:
I should stop at the Toyota dealer tomorrow after one of my dump runs (it’s right around the corner) and check them out. And see if they have a GR86 to test!

Porsche dealer is right across the street but that might not be a good idea.

————————————————
Take @kyfdx with you and he’ll show you how to do it.

jmonroe

jmonroe1 · May 22

tjc78 said:
No shortage of them down there!

I drove the last Ram to Florida with the family.

While it wasn’t bad by any means … the wife has said “never again”

That’s why we are leaving on our next cruise out of Bayonne, NJ

————————————————
Nice truck. I keep hearing RAM interiors are the nicest of all the pickups and are also the best for comfort too.

Good luck with it but you gotta give it more of a shakedown cruise than a ride to Bayonne…that’s cheating.

jmonroe

tjc78 · May 22

@jmonroe1 said:
————————————————
Nice truck. I keep hearing RAM interiors are the nicest of all the pickups and are also the best for comfort too.

Good luck with it but you gotta give it more of a shakedown cruise than a ride to Bayonne…that’s cheating.

jmonroe

I’ve been in them all and driven everything except the Tundra and it’s by far my favorite. Extremely roomy and comfortable

Hey its first drive was over 100 miles through construction laden I95 in the pouring rain.

That should count for something

pensfan83 · May 22

I miss having a truck. No regrets over the purchase of the Passport but I would say by the fall I'll be in the market. A Ram will be high on the list, even if it comes with the risk of never being driven by the wife.

xwesx · May 22

pensfan83 said:
I miss having a truck. No regrets over the purchase of the Passport but I would say by the fall I'll be in the market. A Ram will be high on the list, even if it comes with the risk of never being driven by the wife.

Well, depending on what you get, you might both be pleasantly surprised. My wife swore she wouldn't drive the rental Ram we had, but then she commented, even if briefly, that she wanted to give it a try. I immediately pulled over and hopped out... she hesitated for a minute, but I told her I was calling her bluff, so she couldn't back out... and then she jumped in, drove it for a few minutes, and afterward had nothing but good things to say about how easy it was to drive and maneuver.

Ours was the stumpy four-door with a short bed. So, overall, it was basically the smallest full-size you can get these days.

xwesx · May 22

I was looking at an '07 Ram with a manual transmission for sale down in Anchorage. I really want it, but my wife poo-pooed the whole thing with some nonsense about "financial responsibility" and all that. I finally decided to cut my losses, but I secretly sneak a peek at the ad every day to see if it is still available.... (don't tell her!).

stickguy · May 22

My wife is intimidated by the Maverick. I would say zero chance she would ever be willing to drive a full size PU. Might be able to pull off a ridgeline.

I’m hooked on having a truck now too. Doesn’t have to be fancy though. But if I had to an SUV that could pull a utility trailer (and of course getting a trailer) would be an acceptable substitute.

Tomorrow’s chore is making a couple of runs to the transfer station. One for the scrap then another for a bunch more yard waste that I collected. Pretty sure I will die before I finish that clean up. Possibly from doing it.

kyfdx · May 22

My friend sold his pickup, last year, when his wife got a new car. I've been trying to talk him into getting another one.. (so, I can borrow it)

stickguy · May 22

My nephew (a doctor in New Hampshire) has a pretty big yard and has wanted a truck for a long time. After 3 kids he finally got permission (I think as a reward for kid 3) and in January got a new Tundra. He seems to love it. And posts pictures of it working. No qualms about piling up brush in the back or hauling mulch home.

greg1288 · May 22

tjc78 said:

Very handsome truck and not gimmicky like others and a beautiful interior. I assume it is the turbo straight 6. How is the power train?

suydam · May 22

@tjc78 , congrats on the truck! Love the interior.
Fun fact today — I was charging at the public chargers near me, and every car lined up was a Chevy. A Bolt, 2:Equinoxes and my Blazer. And of course always the row of Teslas behind us. Chevy is really getting into the EV game.

jmonroe1 · May 22

tjc78 said:

@jmonroe1 said:

————————————————

Nice truck. I keep hearing RAM interiors are the nicest of all the pickups and are also the best for comfort too.

Good luck with it but you gotta give it more of a shakedown cruise than a ride to Bayonne…that’s cheating.

jmonroe

I’ve been in them all and driven everything except the Tundra and it’s by far my favorite. Extremely roomy and comfortable

Hey its first drive was over 100 miles through construction laden I95 in the pouring rain.

That should count for something

————————————————
Well, you didn’t tell us that. Now all you’ve got to do is wash it and give it a good wax job.

Come to think of it, I believe you told us you got it from an out of town dealer, but you still gotta wash it and wax it.

jmonroe

explorerx4 · May 22

One of my kids has already borrowed the truck twice because the stuff they bought wouldn't fit into their 'big' SUV(Explorer), never mind the smaller one.

corvette · May 22

When I had the Tundra, I went to the garden center and got a scoop (or maybe two, can’t remember) of mulch, and later got a scoop of fill dirt. I took the back roads home with that, because the rear end was hanging down really far and I wasn’t sure how it would handle the interstate.

corvette · May 22

If I replace the Ariya at the end of its lease, I think I’d like something that’s a real color (red, blue, green, etc.). And probably something more “special” than a Nissan, unless there are no decent deals to be had.

explorerx4 · May 22

You need to check the payload rating. Many 1/2 ton trucks are shockingly low.
If you go over, technically you are illegal.

corvette · May 22

Not that I condone it, but I’ve heard of zero people who have been cited for exceeding payload or towing ratings on a passenger vehicle.

xwesx · May 22

corvette said:
Not that I condone it, but I’ve heard of zero people who have been cited for exceeding payload or towing ratings on a passenger vehicle.

No, and it is a non-issue other than the fact that if you are exceeding ratings, break something, and/or end up causing a crash, it could increase your liability even if you might otherwise not be liable. Similar to if you are driving at night without proper illumination.

Or, perhaps a more related example that is fairly commonplace: Just because you have a powerful truck that can pull a heavy trailer at 100 mph indefinitely, if you are zooming down the freeway at high speed and your trailer tire, which typically has a speed rating of 75 mph, blows out causing a loss of control to yours or another's vehicle, that could be bad news for you even though a similar failure under rated conditions would likely be a different animal.

explorerx4 · May 22

@corvette,
Just wait until you get caught by your insurance company.
It's your choice to ignore good advice.

suydam · May 22

corvette said:
If I replace the Ariya at the end of its lease, I think I’d like something that’s a real color (red, blue, green, etc.). And probably something more “special” than a Nissan, unless there are no decent deals to be had.

One of my neighbors has a Mitsubishi Outlander that is a gorgeous red. It catches my eye every time I walk by. I didn’t even know Mitsu still sold vehicles in the USA.

Michaell · May 22

suydam said:

corvette said:
If I replace the Ariya at the end of its lease, I think I’d like something that’s a real color (red, blue, green, etc.). And probably something more “special” than a Nissan, unless there are no decent deals to be had.

One of my neighbors has a Mitsubishi Outlander that is a gorgeous red. It catches my eye every time I walk by. I didn’t even know Mitsu still sold vehicles in the USA.

And it's available as a PHEV.

ab348 · May 22

stickguy said:

Tomorrow’s chore is making a couple of runs to the transfer station. One for the scrap then another for a bunch more yard waste that I collected. Pretty sure I will die before I finish that clean up. Possibly from doing it.

Just another day of living in the bucolic community of Wrecking Yard Hills.

qbrozen · May 22

While I understand the specifics surrounding the GTI, I think I would definitely have a hard time justifying those specifics costing me more. For example, a CX 30 turbo lacks the manual transmission, but adds all wheel drive for several thousand dollars less. It is a tick slower but I’d imagine unnoticeable in daily driving. For quite a bit less, I’d at least check out a Maverick. Again, AWD, far more utility, and just as quick in a straight line. I would have to believe the GTI handles A LOT better, but we’re taking about a FWD hatch, not a sportscar, so handling isn’t exactly a top priority in this purchase. For $10k less? Yeah, I’m OK with that handling tradeoff. Just a thought, that’s all.

explorerx4 · May 22

The GTI has 50 more horsepower and 85 more Ft/Lbs of torque.
Probably not noticeable.

jmonroe1 · May 22

xwesx said:
I was looking at an '07 Ram with a manual transmission for sale down in Anchorage. I really want it, but my wife poo-pooed the whole thing with some nonsense about "financial responsibility" and all that. I finally decided to cut my losses, but I secretly sneak a peek at the ad every day to see if it is still available.... (don't tell her!).

————————————————
So what you’re saying is you’re waiting for someone else to snatch it. Then you’ll come in here crying, “I was really going to pull the trigger next week, honest”.

Save your tears we’re tired of hearing about flakes like you in here.

jmonroe

jmonroe1 · May 22

kyfdx said:
My friend sold his pickup, last year, when his wife got a new car. I've been trying to talk him into getting another one.. (so, I can borrow it)

————————————————
I worked with a guy years ago who said, “if you’re tired of hearing your phone ring…sell your pickup”. He wasn’t necessarily talking to me but I got his point.

jmonroe

jmonroe1 · May 22

suydam said:
@tjc78 , congrats on the truck! Love the interior.
Fun fact today — I was charging at the public chargers near me, and every car lined up was a Chevy. A Bolt, 2:Equinoxes and my Blazer. And of course always the row of Teslas behind us. Chevy is really getting into the EV game.

————————————————
With that being said, would it be safe to say that EV Chevy’s are “battery hogs”? New term being thrown out there.

jmonroe

corvette · May 22

explorerx4 said:
@corvette,
Just wait until you get caught by your insurance company.
It's your choice to ignore good advice.

I have no idea what the payload of those loads were and I've never knowingly driven an overloaded vehicle. I deal with insurance coverage issues as part of my job. In my experience, negligently exceeding a payload capacity isn't treated differently by insurance than any other negligent act (exceeding the speed limit, backing into a parked car, etc.).

nyccarguy · May 22

As you all know, I’m on pickup #2 and absolutely love it! It’s got to go for various reasons, but I am going to miss it.

Back to the search for pickup #2s replacement, I made it to the Toyota dealer a few minutes early for my 6:00 PM appointment. I was greeted by the salesman (who has been at the dealership for 37 years) and he said he’s going to grab a set of keys to a Prius and a Camry for us to drive.

1st up was the Prius which I had really high hopes for. Rearward visibility was terrible. I actually drove it half way around the block and said no thank-you.

Then we hopped into a Camry XLE in the new Ocean Mist Metallic which is striking and looks great with the Black Wheels (that I know many of you detest). This thing had Heads Up Display, Leather, and a Pano Roof. The Camry drove as expected. Quiet and comfortable. It was pouring rain so I kept things PG. Took it 1 exit on the highway and it had enough power to merge. Brakes felt strong and easy to modulate.

I liked it enough to go back inside and look at prices and inventory. He asks what I’m looking for. I tell him ideally I’d want an LE AWD (because I like the smaller wheels with bigger sidewalls) with a Black Interior and NOT a black exterior. He shows me his inventory, what’s coming in, and what’s being built. He’s got a few LE AWDs coming in, but not until late June/early July. I told him I’m looking do something sooner, by the end of this month. He shows me a Zero Option SE AWD with a $33K sticker. It’s Black/Black with Black Wheels. I told him I’ll take a look and let him know tomorrow what my other 1/2 thinks. I’m going to check out some other dealers’ inventory and start to send emails/make phone calls.

corvette · May 22

@nyccarguy - that's super disappointing about the Prius, my Gen2 had outstanding visibility, but was extremely slow compared to the current model. I'd definitely look around to find something other than a black on black Camry.

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