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I would assume they just screw you on the sale price of the new vehicle, the same way a dealership offering you a regular "too good to be true" trade-in value does.
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Oct 4, 2012 21:37
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PaulAllen posted:Anyone have any word on dealerships that offer $3,000 for clunkers "no questions asked?" This seems like a deal that is too good to be true. There's lots of ways to massage the numbers in an auto transaction. A dealer can give you 3K on almost any trade if they're charging you MSRP + fees on the car. When buying a car you need to look at each step of the transaction. Trade In, Purchase Price, dealer fees, finance dept.
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Oct 4, 2012 21:38
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I'm gonna jump back a bit to the CTS-V discussion from before. I know it tends to eat rear diffs and tires, and the interior is a bit poo poo, but beyond that is there really anything that would make it an awful DD? It's a bit bigger than what I wanted but goddamn I love that car. edit: I have to buy a car within the next week and there's G35s available 24/7, so I'm still sort of looking at the more fun cars while I still have time. CmdrSmirnoff fucked around with this message at 13:34 on Oct 5, 2012 |
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Oct 5, 2012 11:32
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In general, how much more will a G35 cost me for parts & maintenance compared to, say, a Mazda 3?
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Oct 5, 2012 13:00
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I'll be moving back to the US next summer (after a few years overseas), and it's starting to hit me that I need to start doing some prep work. And I know jack all about cars. Proposed Budget: $15k-$20k. Cash. I'm not looking to owe money on this thing. New or Used: Used, but if I could get something decent enough new for that amount, I'd be willing to look into it. Body Style: 4 door, Compact. How will you be using the car?: Mostly to run short errands around the neighbourhood, grocery shopping and doctors appointments and such. Maybe 10-12 longer drives (200-300 miles round trip) per year. But mostly city driving. What aspects are most important to you? Reliability, cost of maintenance, MPG. Probably in that order, but they're all pretty important to me. On a more shallow note, I would like one with an auxiliary dock so I can plug in my iPod. Thanks for any advice!
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Oct 5, 2012 14:51
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pamchenko posted:I'll be moving back to the US next summer (after a few years overseas), and it's starting to hit me that I need to start doing some prep work. And I know jack all about cars. If you want a new car and can plunk down $17 or $18k cash out the door, you've got plenty of options. Look at the Kia Soul, Ford Focus, Mazda 3 to start. I think that the Kia Soul is one of the best pure utility value cars that there has ever been, my parents recently got one with an auto for $17k out the door, and the thing can actually hold 4 adults, has the 10 year warranty, and does bluetooth hands free calling through the speakers on top of robust audio in connections.
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Oct 5, 2012 15:48
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Forbidden Kiss posted:In general, how much more will a G35 cost me for parts & maintenance compared to, say, a Mazda 3? More.
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Oct 5, 2012 19:41
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Forbidden Kiss posted:In general, how much more will a G35 cost me for parts & maintenance compared to, say, a Mazda 3? If you are comparing a G35 has the same purchase price as the Mazda 3 you are looking at, drastically more. If you are comparing a G35 in the same age and condition as the Mazda 3 you are looking at, moderately more.
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Oct 5, 2012 19:51
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I'm probably looking at getting a new car in January, and I've started to do my research now, but there're just so many options out there that I thought I'd get a few suggestions for things to look into further. Proposed Budget: $30k New or Used: New Body Style: 4 door sedan primarily, though I wouldn't necessarily be opposed to a hatchback or a crossover. How will you be using the car?: Primary use will be city driving; I have a relatively short daily commute on city streets, as well as things like grocery runs, etc. More rarely will be longer highway driving to visit my parents (~1000 mi round-trip), head up to Chicago (~250 mi round-trip), etc. What aspects are most important to you?: My wife has imposed one restriction on the purchase of this car: it must get comparable or better gas mileage to her car, which means a minimum of 28c/34h. I'd like something that rides comfortably, and looks/drives decent. Lower road noise is good. I do like gadgets, so fancy tech is a plus. So far the front-runner in this exercise has been the 2013 Fusion Hybrid. It satisfies the MPG requirements, it looks fantastic (I really hate the looks of most hybrids, the Prius especially), and while I haven't had a chance to test-drive it yet, the few reviews I've found have given it passable ratings. What else should I be looking at?
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Oct 5, 2012 23:49
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I find the Sonata Hybrid to be a very attractive vehicle. The Fusion probably has the edge in the tech department with it's My Ford Touch/Sync system but I can't speak to the system in the Hyundai. Those are probably the 2 vehicles that most closely match your requirements unless you give up a little MPG. You could look at VW TDI models as well. Not my cup of tea but you might like them.
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Oct 6, 2012 04:34
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Kakesu posted:I'm probably looking at getting a new car in January, and I've started to do my research now, but there're just so many options out there that I thought I'd get a few suggestions for things to look into further. Unless you need to get all of that $30k out of your pocket, a Chevy Cruze, especially the manual, will achieve all of your goals for about $20k. What does the Fusion Hybrid do better? It will take you a while to recoup the price difference through fuel savings.
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Oct 6, 2012 05:29
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Very True. I didn't recommend any compact cars since it seems like he was interested in midsized sedans. The Cruze is a very nice car, as is the current Ford Focus. I sat in a Focus Titanium hatch at the dealer and was surprised at how nice it was inside. I think MSRP on it was something ridiculous like 28K, but it was a little less ridiculous after sitting inside of it. I've seen lots of Cruze's on the road, and in LT or LTZ trim they're pretty well appointed for a compact sedan.
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Oct 6, 2012 05:49
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Fatal posted:Yeah, my argument is then it's pretty much the same price and why not go with Audi then? Carefree maint on the VW and not on the Audi. Same features are 32,7 with the Audi and 30,6 for the autobahn.
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Oct 6, 2012 17:01
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Kakesu posted:I'm probably looking at getting a new car in January, and I've started to do my research now, but there're just so many options out there that I thought I'd get a few suggestions for things to look into further. VW Passat TDI would be a decent choice if you want a large car. Most midsize sedans are going to be quite close to those criteria at this point. For instance, the new Accord is going to get 27/36 with the CVT.
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Oct 6, 2012 17:33
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:Carefree maint on the VW and not on the Audi. Same features are 32,7 with the Audi and 30,6 for the autobahn. What about stepping back a few years to a 2010 or 11 A3? Seems like you can get those for between $21-25k which I'm a little more interested in than brand new for $30+. Basically I'm wondering if there's any glaring reason to not pick an A3 over a GTI if I'm willing to pay the premium for the Audi styling?
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Oct 6, 2012 22:27
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Kakesu posted:I'm probably looking at getting a new car in January, and I've started to do my research now, but there're just so many options out there that I thought I'd get a few suggestions for things to look into further. You definitely should checkout the Hyundai Sonata. I was looking for something with criteria very similar to yours and it was the clear choice for me.
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Oct 7, 2012 06:46
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Fatal posted:What about stepping back a few years to a 2010 or 11 A3? Seems like you can get those for between $21-25k which I'm a little more interested in than brand new for $30+. Basically I'm wondering if there's any glaring reason to not pick an A3 over a GTI if I'm willing to pay the premium for the Audi styling? Not really. Are you looking Quattro or FWD? Be aware that the labeled-as-quattro AWD on the car is actually a Haldex system and kind of sucks.
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Oct 7, 2012 14:38
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Possibly retarded question from a car newbie that made a mistake the first time she bought a car: It's very possible that I'll be moving crosscountry (CA -> VA) for a job within the next month and while I'd be eligible for relocation assistance, I really don't feel it'd be a good use of money to spend $1500 shipping it there. The car is a 2001 Mazda 626 and with *some* sort of engine problem (more on that later) that I still owe $1200 on. I bought it a little over 2 years ago because I was a poor student and needed a car. It was a very stupid and mockable impulse buy that I should've thought about more, but it was in the ballpark of I wanted to and spend it's fortunate I didn't screw myself too badly. It had 100k miles on it, and I put 1.5k down and financed 4k @ 5%. About 2 months after I bought it it suddenly began to have a problem with sluggish acceleration and rough idling. Once I'm at speed it doesn't have trouble staying there but getting there is really slow. It sucks to drive but it does force me to not drive like a speed demon.  Never bothered to take it to the shop because I was concerned about dropping a bunch of cash on an old car that I never planned to stick with. Beyond the acceleration problem it's in decent shape, and I figure that it it wasn't going to keep running it would have died during my 40mi commute through the mountains.I'd really like to get a car in the Mazda3 range once I start this job but I don't know what to do with my current car. It'll be paid off within 6 months, so the options I'm considering are shipping it there and using it until I'm ready to buy a new car, leaving it here for my family's use and going carless in VA for a while (which is possible but not ideal), or using it as a trade in and buying a new car before I go and shipping that. Are any of these good options? This may be an obvious, retarded question and I'm sorry for all the words, but I make sure that I make a smarter decision than when I first bought the thing. Hellacopter fucked around with this message at 23:41 on Oct 7, 2012 |
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Oct 7, 2012 23:38
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:Not really. Are you looking Quattro or FWD? Be aware that the labeled-as-quattro AWD on the car is actually a Haldex system and kind of sucks. From what I can find the Quattros draw quite a price premium where I live (cars.com search has one available within a 500 mile radius of Seattle) and is on the edge of my budget anyways. Reading up on the Haldex system kinda stunts my interest in Quattro entirely, seems like it only really applies AWD in bad conditions (rare, I live in the land of rain and sometimes slush). While I currently have an A4 B5 Avant Quattro I'm finding it kinda funny that the A3 is pretty much the younger brother of my car, size wise at least. A4 are so much bigger now it seems.
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Oct 7, 2012 23:50
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Moving my line of inquiry here from the Stupid Questions thread but, warning, maybe no less stupid. I'm in Indiana an hour from Ft. Wayne and need an in-town commuter car, and Craigslist is a dry lakebed in this area without me having the time to drive an hour away to see every potential buy. Proposed Budget: $5k-$6k cash. New or Used: used, natch. Body Style: Not picky so long as it's smaller than truck/SUV size. Hoping for something 6-8 years younger than what it's replacing. How will you be using the car?: Primarily my 15-minute drive downtown for work everyday, and 3-4 times a week I have a meeting or assignment to get to that's a half hour away. It would be a spare car for us; she needs the newer, nicer one for her own job. e: What aspects are most important to you? Reliability. The Saturn's lasted about 10 years (8 before starting to poo poo itself) so I'm hoping for at least that. Also winter's coming up and it can be a real bitch here, so that's a consideration. It would be a replacement for a '98 Saturn with 130k miles that has a dozen tiny things wrong with it, from wiring to engine to a rear door that won't latch. I'd guess at least $1-2k of work to get it to where I'd be comfortable keeping it, and I think I'd rather put the money toward a newer car. Saint Sputnik fucked around with this message at 01:22 on Oct 8, 2012 |
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Oct 8, 2012 01:20
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Hellacopter posted:Possibly retarded question from a car newbie that made a mistake the first time she bought a car: Just to be clear: your current car, which you still owe money on, has "something wrong", but you have no idea whether it's a $10 fix or a $2000 fix. There's no way, with that factor, for anyone to advise you as to whether the car is worth shipping or not. I think you should definitely not use it as a trade-in regardless. If you decide to sell it, sell it, pay off the note, and buy a car at your destination. That way you don't pay to ship a car! Also, you avoid paying California sales tax and registration costs for a car you will then have to register again in Virginia. I think you could probably ship the car for less than $1500. I've heard of cars getting shipped across country for as little as $500, but assuming you avoid a fly-by-night company you could still probably manage it for $1000. So your first order of business is to find out what's wrong with your car (which you should have done ages ago, because it's entirely possible you had a tiny problem which would have been cheap to fix, but has now compounded into an expensive problem). Sluggish acceleration and rough idle could be anything from a partially-blocked fuel filter, to a vacuum leak, to needing new spark plugs, to a bad oxygen sensor... but a mechanic can plug in to your car's computer and narrow down things pretty quickly. At least have it diagnosed and get an estimate, so you know where you stand.
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Oct 8, 2012 01:51
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Leperflesh posted:Just to be clear: your current car, which you still owe money on, has "something wrong", but you have no idea whether it's a $10 fix or a $2000 fix. It's never thrown any codes so even though the shop has tried to read the computer nothing shows.  I know it's not plugs/wires because I replaced them, but yeah it could be a really simple fix. I've just been worried that it'll cost hundred of dollars just to diagnose the thing because of having to maybe tear it apart apart (I don't know why, the mechanic my family uses is very nice and honest) and then I'd be on the hook just to have it put back together. But you're right, it's better that I know what's going on before making grand plans for the future. I think I'll take it in this week. Thanks. 
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Oct 8, 2012 02:51
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Fatal posted:From what I can find the Quattros draw quite a price premium where I live (cars.com search has one available within a 500 mile radius of Seattle) and is on the edge of my budget anyways. Reading up on the Haldex system kinda stunts my interest in Quattro entirely, seems like it only really applies AWD in bad conditions (rare, I live in the land of rain and sometimes slush). While I currently have an A4 B5 Avant Quattro I'm finding it kinda funny that the A3 is pretty much the younger brother of my car, size wise at least. A4 are so much bigger now it seems. The thing that sucks about the Haldex system is that it is normally FWD and adapts to 4wd as required. The best design, especially for a performance oriented car is RWD which adapts to AWD as required (launch, conditions, etc).
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Oct 8, 2012 13:15
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Saltin posted:The thing that sucks about the Haldex system is that it is normally FWD and adapts to 4wd as required. The best design, especially for a performance oriented car is RWD which adapts to AWD as required (launch, conditions, etc). That's pretty much what I gathered, still somewhat interested though. Any opinions on shipping cars cross country? Seems like PA for whatever reason has a plethora of 2009 A3 Quattros at 21-23k, seems like it would be about a grand to ship back to the NW but I'm kinda hesitant to buy a car sight unseen.
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Oct 8, 2012 21:02
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Thanks for everybody who replied, I'm adding all of your suggestions to the list of "cars to look at". I do like the idea of a little bit bigger sedan, so the Passat and Sonata both sound like solid options, though I'll also take a look at the Cruze...$10k may very well be worth more than a little more space.
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Oct 8, 2012 21:28
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Fatal posted:That's pretty much what I gathered, still somewhat interested though. Just a heads-up, PA is salt country.
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Oct 9, 2012 13:08
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Splizwarf posted:Just a heads-up, PA is salt country. No, PA uses ash. When I lived in NY everyone would buy their cars in PA because of it.
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Oct 9, 2012 17:15
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In PA they use salt with a side of sand. One of my close friends subcontracts with PennDOT to spread it most years (and I get to hear about it), and in addition to having lived there half my life, I go back for holidays regularly. It's definitely translucent rock salt. But don't just take my word for it, let's ask PennDOT: quote:Interstates and Expressways Well, what's in this "anti-skid", maybe that's ash? quote:Anti-skid - Crushed limestone or sand is used as an Oh. Well, maybe that's what you were thinking of, though; do they use a lot of it compared to salt? quote:644,400 – Average tons of anti-skid material used v  vquote:Salt - Salt remains the department’s primary weapon I can see why people in NY would think PA salt wasn't as bad, though. 
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Oct 9, 2012 17:44
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Hey guys. I'm looking to get my first car by the end of the year. Any advice would be appreciated! Proposed Budget: $10k New or Used: For that price, probably used. Body Style: Sedan (or hatchback). I want a car that's small enough to be easy to maneuver and fun to drive, but practical enough to be able to throw music/construction gear in the trunk/back seat and not worry about damaging the leather or whatever. How will you be using the car?: Mostly commuting to work, but I want to have fun driving it recreationally as well. Doesn't necessarily need to be track-ready, but I want to learn to REALLY drive (I mean, I'm licensed, but I want to challenge myself and increase my skills). What aspects are most important to you? Reliability, practicality, fun experience. Basically what I'm looking for is a car that: -Will be reliable. I'm not in a position to sink a ton of money into a car right now. -Will be fun and engaging to drive. I don't need anything like a muscle car or a WRX STi... just something that will hug corners nicely, accelerate decently, and give me an overall 'sporty' feel. Not something that's going to dominate on a track, but something that I can feel reaosnably consident driving, and that will challenge by driving skills if I decide to push it to its liimts. -Will have sufficient practicality. I play music and do yard work / get furniture every so often... I want to be able to throw my tools/gear in the back and have enough room for everything to fit comfortably, without worrying about the interior. -Will take a beating and survive the Boston winter. So, something a bit more fun than a civic, but more practical than an FR-S; Something approximating the fun of a Golf GTi, but approaching practicality of a Rav4 or Subaru Wagon. Thanks in advance!
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Oct 9, 2012 18:08
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Fatal posted:That's pretty much what I gathered, still somewhat interested though. Get a PPI at a dealer or a well respected indie. When I bought my subaru, the subaru dealer was more than happy to drive the car a reasonable distance once I put down a small deposit (refundable upon finding of defect). As for rust, the good news is that VWs (you're buying a golf), have pretty good rust protection, probably the best in the industry short of AL cars. I wouldn't worry much about a 3 year old VW, though a good ppi should check that out. I would much rather fly out and do the final purchase than ship though. That way you can be absolutely sure. Also, don't buy a A3.
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Oct 9, 2012 19:01
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Splizwarf posted:In PA they use salt with a side of sand. One of my close friends subcontracts with PennDOT to spread it most years (and I get to hear about it), and in addition to having lived there half my life, I go back for holidays regularly. It's definitely translucent rock salt. Well maybe they use salt in different parts of the state, because the parts I drove through used ash which was grey in color and made everything filthy. Or maybe they switched since I was there which was around '08. What I do know is lots of people went to PA to buy cars because they weren't rusted nearly as bad as the NY cars.
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Oct 9, 2012 21:02
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The grey is what salt crust looks like mixed with oil and exhaust. Been that way since at least the '80s.
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Oct 9, 2012 21:07
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trachypithecus posted:Hey guys. I'm looking to get my first car by the end of the year. Any advice would be appreciated! Yeah, for that price you're not going to find anything new. Up until your hauling requirements, you had quite a few possibilities. But it's going to be tough to find something that feels sporty and also holds a couch or lawnmower. I'd say your top pick would probably be a 2001-2004 Subaru Forester xti. It will have the most usable storage space in the rear area without getting a van or pickup, while being a very sporty drive too. A regular Forester from that generation might work for you too -- the handling is apparently still quite responsive, it just won't be as quick. They're not very easy to find though. I was heavily considering selling my Mazda RX-8 and getting a Forester xti a few months ago, but eventually decided just to wait a while and reevaluate next year.
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Oct 9, 2012 23:55
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Endor posted:Yeah, for that price you're not going to find anything new.
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Oct 10, 2012 00:43
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Endor posted:Yeah, for that price you're not going to find anything new. Cool, thanks very much for the info! If I were to be less strict about my hauling requirements, what were the other options you were considering?
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Oct 10, 2012 02:43
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DukAmok posted:Proposed Budget: <$30K Update on this: got a new FR-S. Looked around for used BRZs, couldn't find any that weren't marked up way above new sticker price, so went to a dealership. Scion's no haggle actually wasn't so bad.
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Oct 10, 2012 04:34
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Splizwarf posted:The grey is what salt crust looks like mixed with oil and exhaust. Been that way since at least the '80s. I'm well aware of that, I said I have lived in western NY and I grew up in WI so I know what salt does. I'm talking about coal ash strewn across the road right after it snows. I've seen trucks using ash and salt and there is a big difference. Google PA coal ash, it is a thing, although it seems to be an environmental issue now and it looks like they could be phasing it out.
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Oct 10, 2012 04:55
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DukAmok posted:Update on this: got a new FR-S. Looked around for used BRZs, couldn't find any that weren't marked up way above new sticker price, so went to a dealership. Scion's no haggle actually wasn't so bad. Good stuff. If you're haven't already, come by AI.
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Oct 10, 2012 05:17
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trachypithecus posted:Cool, thanks very much for the info! If I were to be less strict about my hauling requirements, what were the other options you were considering? Mazda 3 hatchback would be top of my list, followed by Golf GTI, Subaru Impreza, and Ford Focus hatch. Whatever year happens to fall within your price range. As "nm" said, a non-turbo version of a car is going to give you a lot more reliability, but it won't be as fast as the turbo version. At this point in your life, I'd say you probably want to choose reliability over excessive speed. Oh, and to be realistic, not very many vehicles will comfortably hold a lawnmower or couch that aren't vans or pickups. Sure, you might be able to fit a couple speakers or weed wackers in the back of a hatchback from time to time, or even a Subaru wagon, but it's no substitute for a good wide-open van space. Endor fucked around with this message at 06:45 on Oct 10, 2012 |
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Oct 10, 2012 06:42
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CmdrSmirnoff posted:I'm gonna jump back a bit to the CTS-V discussion from before. I know it tends to eat rear diffs and tires, and the interior is a bit poo poo, but beyond that is there really anything that would make it an awful DD? I had a first gen CTS-V that I drove for long trips (~5 hours). Its fine, put that big engine into the super tall 6th gear, turn up the stereo and its very relaxed. The suspension was firm but not punishing, I really liked the car my only issues where: 1) POS rear end. I didn't have mine long enough to fail but it made noises when I traded it in and would hop so hard sometimes it felt like the axle would just fly off. They did sell kits that claimed to help that, so maybe look into it. Or just never drive it like you stole it (its hard to resist) 2)The stick feels very mushy and non-sporty. I read that if you change out the rubber bushings it feels much better, with a short throw mod removing that problem completely. The best part though is the loving brakes. I had a hard stop once with a motorcycle in front of me and I think if I had been driving any other car short of true sports car I would have taken out the guy's back wheel. Made me feel very safe to have that stopping power on the highway.
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Oct 10, 2012 21:04
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