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Looked at a lot of midsize cars in the $17K range for the last month, ended up extremely happy with my base model Ford Fiesta 5-speed sedan. Felt 95% as good as any of those, perfectly roomy for 2 people and this had everything I need in a little car to thrash for work for $6k or so less than the popular midsize models like Focuses and Corollas. If anyone is having sticker shock over pulling the trigger on a larger car, I'd suggest trying one out.
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Oct 24, 2013 19:27
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I went and test drove the Optima I was talking about earlier. Mostly seems ok, there were a couple things I noticed though. Where the right front panel and the front bumper meet, it seemed like the colors weren't exactly the same. Its right front headlight was out. I got its carfax and it spent it's previous life as a rental in Missouri, and was let go from their fleet with only 3500 miles on it. Besides that it seemed to drive really well with a very slight pull to the right at 30mph+ The engine seemed loud, but regular. I wasn't sure if it was a normal sound or not so I got some audio of it. http://youtu.be/AZKQ4uZLogs I'm going to get a pre purchase inspection and depending on how that comes back ill pick up the car.
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Oct 25, 2013 03:02
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Do y'all think This 2009 RX-8's been in a front-end accident? Red flags are a larger-than-normal and crooked gap between the front of the hood and bumper, a near identical (color, year, mileage) one being listed by the same dealer for 1000GBP more (Way overpriced), and the dealer being coy over the phone and not calling me back with answers to my questions.
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Oct 25, 2013 12:06
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Dominoes posted:Do y'all think This 2009 RX-8's been in a front-end accident? Red flags are a larger-than-normal and crooked gap between the front of the hood and bumper, a near identical (color, year, mileage) one being listed by the same dealer for 1000GBP more (Way overpriced), and the dealer being coy over the phone and not calling me back with answers to my questions. If it is a dealer, you shouldn't have to earn their business, they should be trying to earn your business. Do some Internet searching and find out who the general manager is and try to call that person directly at the dealer. They will be quite surprised to find their sales staff is not following up leads. And you will be more likely to get quick good help after that (usually GM's will hand upset customers to their top salespeople, in my experience, the person who sells the most is the least shark like, they take their job seriously and are top because they earn return business and referral business, things that would not happen if they were the shady type)
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Oct 25, 2013 15:22
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I want a used car and I'm considering a used 2008 BMW 3 series sport wagon, would 100,000 miles be too many? I figure I'll keep it a few (5) years at least and I'll add about 20k miles per year, and dump it before 200k. Currently driving a 1998 Saturn at 160k miles, but I've only been commuting in it for the last 5 years, when I've added 15k miles per year, for what it's worth. I've got some skills and would be inclined to do most repairs and maintenance myself. I am inclined to think that the 3 series would be reliable enough that I wouldn't be stressed out driving it to 200k, but I've only really owned one car my whole life.
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Oct 25, 2013 17:28
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Dominoes posted:Do y'all think This 2009 RX-8's been in a front-end accident? Red flags are a larger-than-normal and crooked gap between the front of the hood and bumper, a near identical (color, year, mileage) one being listed by the same dealer for 1000GBP more (Way overpriced), and the dealer being coy over the phone and not calling me back with answers to my questions. Yeah, something is up with that car.
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Oct 26, 2013 04:26
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It's time to get a new car for the wife. So I'm seeking some recommendations before we start looking around and doing test drives. Proposed Budget: Under $60k New Body Style: Crossover/Mini-SUV (Forde Edge, BMW X3 or X5, etc) How will you be using the car?: Some light towing (Less than 3,000lbs), commuting to work, general use, generally 1-2 passengers but we are trying to have kids or may have someone ride with us (seating comfortable for 4) Car Requirements: Leather, GPS, Rearview Camera, 4 wheel or all wheel drive, remote start, tow hitch, Bluetooth Preferred: Memory settings for driver's seat, power liftgate What aspects are most important to you? 20+mpg (can be diesel), serviceability, size(nothing too large, smaller than a Ford Explorer) The deciding factor is I need to be able to drive it comfortably and have someone sit behind me. I'm 6'5" and this is usually pretty hard to find in small/medium sized vehicles.
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Oct 26, 2013 07:54
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ShadowStalker posted:It's time to get a new car for the wife. So I'm seeking some recommendations before we start looking around and doing test drives. If you are looking at X5, you should take a look at a 2014 Acura MDX tech with SHAWD. 20 city and 27/28 highway (depending on source) towing capacity of 3500. A little less horsepower, but is lighter as well, so it works out to more horsepower per pound (roughly 15 pounds for every horsepower on the BMW compared to about 14 pounds on the Mdx) longer drivetrain warranty on the MDX as well (4 year 50,000 mile on drivetrain, vs 6 year, 70,000 on the MDX) Navigation with full voice control over all climate control (even the heated seats) audio, navigation and phone. Blind spot sensors. 100% LED for all headlights, not just daytime lamps. SHAWD dynamically transfers torque to individual wheels and they have their IDS suspension that can stiffen and soften according to road conditions or maneuvers, and can be selected for comfort, normal or sport driving (I will go more in depth on that system if requested). Right now, if I had the money, that is THE car I would own for under $60,000.
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Oct 26, 2013 16:27
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How's the lease rates and residuals on the MDX right now? We're almost pulling the trigger on explorer sport but for that kind of payment we could probably have an MDX.
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Oct 26, 2013 19:21
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Seconding an MDX. I'd also take a look at an Infiniti FX37 and the Volkswagen Toureg.
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Oct 26, 2013 20:47
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You should note that 2014 is a generation change for the X5 and you should be able to get a 2013 for a substantial discount. That being said X5s are expensive as hell to begin with (what are they, $55k MSRP just for the base with vinyl seats and hand crank windows?). If you are shopping MDX you should also look at the GMC Acadia Denali or the Buick Enclave. Both of those have roomier interiors than the Acura and top out at quite a bit less, and you know GM dealers always be dealin'. The Enclave has a nicer interior and longer warranty, while the GMC has a higher towing capacity for some reason even though it's exactly the same car (tires probably?).
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Oct 27, 2013 00:50
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Can somebody give me a good reason for my fiancee NOT to get a Prius c for a commuter hatchback? Priorities are total cost of ownership, able to handle 6 foot people in the backseat, and room to handle potentially two cat carriers in the back with the seats folded flat. We cross shopped it with the Focus and the Chevy Sonic, and the Sonic LT hatchback with the automatic is going for under $15k, putting it about $5k under the Prius c. The Focus is somewhere in the middle at around $16.5 for a Focus Hatch, and its fuel economy is pretty dang good and it's obviously way more powerful than the Prius. However, my fiancee would be the primary driver on this car and she's fine with the 80-something horsepower the Prius c offers. Is there anything wrong with it? It pains me some to consider a car on the Yaris platform, but it looks like a perfectly reasonable commuter.
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Oct 27, 2013 03:32
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Weinertron posted:Can somebody give me a good reason for my fiancee NOT to get a Prius c for a commuter hatchback? Priorities are total cost of ownership, able to handle 6 foot people in the backseat, and room to handle potentially two cat carriers in the back with the seats folded flat. It is a good commuter, it is a little lacking in space with the seats folded down due to the battery system, if you don't get an upper tech package, good luck with the Bluetooth and stereo straight out of 2004. Acceleration is horrid, but if you are not going out on the freeways or a lot of hills, it should work out. On the MDX talk, I am less familiar with it, and I don't know it's pricing, but usually a cross shopped vehicle with the X5 and the MDX is the Audi Q7. Might look into that. In terms of residuals on an MDX on lease, I am sorry to say that I don't have that information on hand. I am off today and tomorrow and won't be in to the dealer until Monday. I can find out though if you don't plan on making any purchases this weekend, and see if there are any additional incentives going on right now that can work in your favor.
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Oct 27, 2013 05:55
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Cornflake posted:I was looking to buy a new-used Dodge Challenger RT. I saw this thread and figured I could run my thought process by you guys and see what you think or if you had any suggestions. BMW 335d!
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Oct 27, 2013 23:12
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Juando290 posted:It is a good commuter, it is a little lacking in space with the seats folded down due to the battery system, if you don't get an upper tech package, good luck with the Bluetooth and stereo straight out of 2004. Acceleration is horrid, but if you are not going out on the freeways or a lot of hills, it should work out. One last dumb question: is it conceivable that the total cost of ownership could be lower on a Volt than a Prius c? I'm seeing 2013 Volts around me under $33k, which means that after the $7500 tax credit they're in the ballpark of $25,000. I think that the best I'd get a Prius c 2 for is $20,000, and the Volt is certainly a nicer bigger car.
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Oct 28, 2013 15:44
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Weinertron posted:One last dumb question: is it conceivable that the total cost of ownership could be lower on a Volt than a Prius c? I'm seeing 2013 Volts around me under $33k, which means that after the $7500 tax credit they're in the ballpark of $25,000. I think that the best I'd get a Prius c 2 for is $20,000, and the Volt is certainly a nicer bigger car. Are you sure the 33k doesn't include the tax break?
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Oct 28, 2013 16:06
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KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:Are you sure the 33k doesn't include the tax break? There's $6k of incentive from Chevy on 2013 Volts right now, and $7500 extra refund from Uncle Sam. $33k before the tax break for sure on the non-premium Volts.
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Oct 28, 2013 16:35
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KoRMaK posted:I went and test drove the Optima I was talking about earlier. Mostly seems ok, there were a couple things I noticed though. Where the right front panel and the front bumper meet, it seemed like the colors weren't exactly the same. Its right front headlight was out. I got its carfax and it spent it's previous life as a rental in Missouri, and was let go from their fleet with only 3500 miles on it. Besides that it seemed to drive really well with a very slight pull to the right at 30mph+ You should run away screaming from that car. 3500 miles, rental history, and it already pulls when going down the road? No way.
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Oct 28, 2013 16:59
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IOwnCalculus posted:You should run away screaming from that car. 3500 miles, rental history, and it already pulls when going down the road? No way. But that said, and after reviewing the "no rentals" a couple pages back It's setting in that I may have to keep looking. You also missed my mention of a headlight being out. So is it not worth getting a pre-purchase inspection on? KoRMaK fucked around with this message at 18:09 on Oct 28, 2013 |
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Oct 28, 2013 17:12
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KoRMaK posted:Really really slightly pulls. I could barely notice. Assuming it wasn't just a defective bulb to begin with, how would you even go about blowing a bulb in only 3,500 miles? You'd either have to overdrive it voltage-wise, or have something else very sinister happen to it I think.
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Oct 28, 2013 17:20
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IOwnCalculus posted:You should run away screaming from that car. 3500 miles, rental history, and it already pulls when going down the road? No way. Aren't most roads banked slightly to prevent flooding- could the car 'pulling' just be a result of that?
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Oct 28, 2013 20:20
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Augmented Dickey posted:Aren't most roads banked slightly to prevent flooding- could the car 'pulling' just be a result of that?
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Oct 29, 2013 00:33
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I just bought or rather put a deposit on a new 2014 Mazda3 S Grand Touring. They only had the red models in that trim in stock and I wasn't that into the red so they're getting a black on black on shipped over from a dealer in another city. Took some haggling to get them to where I wanted to be with trade, OTD price and financing, especially because they had the whole anti-theft part ID nonsense in there, but they waved it. Still didn't pay much less than MSRP overall, but they had a few other dealer options that I got included for free and dealers pretty much aren't making deals on these yet, so I'm satisfied. I pick it up on Thursday. The heads up display is definitely going to take some getting used to.
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Oct 29, 2013 01:29
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KoRMaK posted:That was my first thought. From the 20 minutes I spent driving it, it seemed fine. I got it on the freeway and the pulling was really really light (so light I couldn't tell if it was just gravity and the sloped edges of the road pulling it or bad alignment). I was planning on getting a pre-purchase inspection to make sure there wasn't anything I missed and getting it done at a KIA dealer since they would know best about a 2013. So really my question now is should I spend the $125 on the PPI, or nix it just based on the head lamp and almost negligible pulling? It probably had an accident and they sold it from the rental fleet. Pass.
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Oct 29, 2013 03:18
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Bovril Delight posted:It probably had an accident and they sold it from the rental fleet. Pass.
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Oct 29, 2013 03:54
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Lot of accidents don't show up on carfax. You already mentioned the area where the paint doesn't match and with the bulb out it would suggest something happened. With a prior rental history I wouldn't buy it period. There are many cleaner examples and you get what you pay for.
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Oct 29, 2013 03:58
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Bovril Delight posted:There are many cleaner examples and you get what you pay for.
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Oct 29, 2013 04:13
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KoRMaK posted:By "cleaner example" do you mean like those cars in the "terrible car stuff" thread where everything was demolished and the frame bent but the shop puts it back together really well except for if it gets into an accident and then so long to your safe crumple zones. What? I mean cars that haven't been rentals, or in non-disclosed accidents.
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Oct 29, 2013 04:21
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KoRMaK posted:The carfax came back clean. With that said, is it likely that the carfax is inaccurate and in the future should I put little trust in those reports? If the car was in a previous accident, is there any price that would make it worth purchasing? It lists at ~$17k now. Look, it's a Kia Optima, it's not some rare find. Let this one go and look for a cleaner example that has no rental history and no red flags. Also, take into account that the rental history will likely impact your resale value-wise when you sell it, as well. There are tons of cars to chose from, so there is no reason to buy this particular one. I've driven several rebuilt cars (and just to confirm, YES it is very possible for a vehicle to have been in an accident that doesnt show up on a check) and owned a prior rental, but these were all <$4k vehicles. The thought of paying $17k for a newer Kia with rental history plus a probable accident just doesn't make any sense.
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Oct 29, 2013 04:39
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In going to pull the trigger on a car today. Anything I should keep in mind? Should I get floor mats from the dealer? There's no limit on Doc fees in Indiana  . I just don't want to get f'd.
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Oct 29, 2013 17:27
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crimedog posted:In going to pull the trigger on a car today. Anything I should keep in mind? Should I get floor mats from the dealer? Why haven't you asked about doc fees? When you're cross shopping dealer quotes you might as well focus on drive-out numbers including all doc and prep fees.
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Oct 29, 2013 17:30
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I never pay doc fees. The BS that the dealer needs to pay their admins etc. is just that, BS. That being said, when I bought my FR-S, a key reason was that Scion was willing to deal and get rid of the fee and additional crap while Subaru wouldn't budge on $1k in doc fees and globali fees since they had a waiting list on the car anyways. Unless you're buying a highly sought after unique sold-out model, negotiate a solid price out the door without tacked on fees.
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Oct 29, 2013 18:02
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crimedog posted:In going to pull the trigger on a car today. Anything I should keep in mind? Should I get floor mats from the dealer? Have you looked at the Truecar quotes in your area? When I was looking for my Accord a couple weeks ago it was really helpful in finding a price that I wanted to start at. I ended up getting it for less than the lowest Truecar invoice even but it was helpful in starting the process. Actually the way it worked for me is I went to a Honda dealership near my parents place and once the dude realized we were looking for 13's and had a Truecar price from a dealer 50 miles away that was way lower than what he wanted to deal with he brought in his "closer" to show us how their dealers only had like 8 2013 Accords across the country and not the one I wanted and blah blah blah. Basically the guy didn't want to deal with us but he did manage to show us some kind of screen showing all the local dealers with 2013 Accords. While he was dicking around back in his loving glass situation room I took a picture of his screen dealer search and thats how I ended up finding my particular car. It was at a dealer 90 miles away in really lovely area but I got a pretty insane price. Dude on the Accord forums was saying he payed $800 less than my EX-L but with the 4 cylinder instead of the V6 I got. Anmyhow sorry this was probably rambling but try Truecar.
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Oct 29, 2013 18:27
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visuvius posted:Anmyhow sorry this was probably rambling but try Truecar. Truecar and spy cameras, apparently. Hey car salesman in this thread, are any of you allowed to share your super secret computer systems with us (or at least look poo poo up for us, assuming we're nowhere near you and don't represent a threat to your business)? Because that would be fantastic.
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Oct 29, 2013 18:30
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Juando290 posted:On the MDX talk, I am less familiar with it, and I don't know it's pricing, but usually a cross shopped vehicle with the X5 and the MDX is the Audi Q7. Might look into that. In terms of residuals on an MDX on lease, I am sorry to say that I don't have that information on hand. I am off today and tomorrow and won't be in to the dealer until Monday. I can find out though if you don't plan on making any purchases this weekend, and see if there are any additional incentives going on right now that can work in your favor. Don't worry about this, we ended up leasing the 2014 Explorer Sport. Good residual plus 2K in cash, plus invoice sales price makes for an attractive lease payment.
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Oct 29, 2013 19:11
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Parallel Paraplegic posted:Truecar and spy cameras, apparently. Hey car salesman in this thread, are any of you allowed to share your super secret computer systems with us (or at least look poo poo up for us, assuming we're nowhere near you and don't represent a threat to your business)? Because that would be fantastic. Here is the funny thing. Most dealerships don't let us salespeople have access to locating a car at another dealer for trade. It benefits the dealer to keep us as in the dark as the customer because they want us to sell what we have, not anther car they have to get. The most frustrating thing is to have a customer who will only take a certain color, going to the desk and having the manager say "what about this color...it is like the one they want". No mr manager, urban titanium is not the same as polished metal metallic unless you are colorblind. If that's what they want, get it. Granted, people change their mind sometimes. Then, if I am adamant, they give me no timeline. They just say "tell the customer we will take a deposit and get on it" I ask "how many are available?" and the manager says "don't worry about that, just get the deposit". Then I tell the customer "so, it looks like we will be able to get it for you". Customer asks "how long?" and my only response can be "anywhere from tomorrow to several weeks". I love my job, but I also hate it. A side note. If you find a dealer that you like, and you have a deposit with them on a vehicle, even if you think you are being helpful, do not call other out of town dealers to see if they have the car that your dealership is trying to get for you. Your dealer has access to a huge network and they know exactly where every car is located in a 400 mile radius. What happens is when you call tha other dealer, if they are the one that your dealer is trying to trade with, they will be a lot more unwilling to trade, because they "got a call on it" and would rather sell it themselves if they think someone is interested. Even if you tell the other dealer that you are just trying to find one for your dealer to trade for...if it truly is one of the last ones currently on the ground in the area, they will not give it up because they know they can make the dealer look bad that you are dealing with, and you will eventually come to them. skipdogg posted:Don't worry about this, we ended up leasing the 2014 Explorer Sport. Good residual plus 2K in cash, plus invoice sales price makes for an attractive lease payment. Congrats. Man...all this car talk is making me want a new car. Too bad I can't afford one. Irony. I sell them but I can't buy them.
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Oct 30, 2013 00:23
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Proposed Budget: 25k ceiling. New or Used: New Body Style: 4 door midsize sedan but I'm starting to be enticed by coupes. How will you be using the car?: It would generally be a daily driver but I occasionally drive my team and I to lunch off site, which means 4 passengers. What aspects are most important to you? For some reason manual transmission is very appealing to me. I've been learning on a 97 4-Runner and I can launch it most of the time. Still poo poo at it though. I'd also like a good music interface since I'm tired of burning and managing CDs. I'd also like good mpg since I'm also tired of filling my Taurus up and barely getting 200 miles out of a full tank anymore. I'm 6'4'' so nothing too small. So far I feel my best bet is the Accord Sport. Is there any other car I should set my sights on? Anything I should know about these cars? I hear the Accord have a rep for weak brake rotors.
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Oct 30, 2013 01:21
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rockcity posted:I just bought or rather put a deposit on a new 2014 Mazda3 S Grand Touring. They only had the red models in that trim in stock and I wasn't that into the red so they're getting a black on black on shipped over from a dealer in another city. Took some haggling to get them to where I wanted to be with trade, OTD price and financing, especially because they had the whole anti-theft part ID nonsense in there, but they waved it. Still didn't pay much less than MSRP overall, but they had a few other dealer options that I got included for free and dealers pretty much aren't making deals on these yet, so I'm satisfied. I pick it up on Thursday. I've had my eye on these for a while, 90% sure it will be my next car. Did you but any chance test drive any of the 2.0 models? I keep going back and forth about whether the extra2 or 3 grand is worth it for the more power and more tech stuff, plus the fact that the 2.5 doesn't come with a manual yet. I guess I'd just like any of your thoughts on the car in general, if that's cool.
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Oct 30, 2013 01:33
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I think the Accord is the right fit for you. You could also try out the Mazda6.
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Oct 30, 2013 02:05
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skooma512 posted:
That was earlier in the last generation. You kinda gave me flashbacks. Have not heard anything bad bout the current generations brakes.
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Oct 30, 2013 02:32
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