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kmcormick9 posted:Is it possible to get a non us option by doing one of those programs? I doubt it, even factory direct ordering outside of normal customer channels (in my experience) still limits you based on location. Even state to state what is standard, option, or even available options can vary. However, I have never done an order through BMW so I could be wrong, but the regions are very well defined from that perspective.
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Jan 19, 2014 19:18
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kmcormick9 posted:Is it possible to get a non us option by doing one of those programs? No, you still have to buy a USDM-spec car if its final destination is the USA.
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Jan 19, 2014 19:29
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kmcormick9 posted:Is it possible to get a non us option by doing one of those programs? Generally no. But if you want something that doesn't require regulatory approval (for example different paint or cloth seats) BMW individual and Audi and Mercedes equivalents may be happy to do it if you shower them with enough money. You won't even have to go to europe. You won't get an rs6 avant though.
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Jan 19, 2014 19:36
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This is anecdotal, but: when I bought my base model Golf in July 2005, they didn't have the combination of interior and exterior color with the options that I wanted on the lot. They were happy to find one somewhere in the system for me and have it shipped for free. I got the price I wanted anyway. The only drawback was having to wait a couple of weeks for it to show up. They had no problem doing it and it wasn't a big deal. For some cars there are tons and tons of options (like MINI) where it's almost expected that if there's a particular combination you want, you'll be ordering it. It's really only a problem if the car isn't being made any more (like, final year of manufacture and they've finished making the ones they'll be selling). You don't have to fly to another country or something to get exactly the option/color combo you want.
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Jan 19, 2014 20:30
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That's all well and good for premium brands like Benz and Audi but how does that work for low-end brands like Ford? Say the market for a Fusion is full of gray automatics with a black interior, but I want one in dark blue with a tan leather interior and a manual, would I be stuck paying MSRP for that or how likely would it be that I've got some room to negotiate a lower price?
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Jan 20, 2014 04:19
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Some dealer is going to have the car and they can trade. Especially for a Ford, you can still get a deal well under MSRP.
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Jan 20, 2014 05:50
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Ford is pretty terrible about loading up their cars with features and packages commonly wanted. It makes for good inventory, but if you don't want something you are probably going to have to order it. You shouldn't have to pay MSRP for a Ford from the factory, you can negotiate the usual invoice +500 and take advantage of any private cash or customer rebates. Should take 8 to 12 weeks to come in. For example, we just leased a Ford Explorer Sport, but I really didn't want the dual panel moon roof. 1600 dollar option that we will never ever ever use. Couldn't find one in Texas without it. They 'start' at 39K but I couldn't find one for less than 47K in the entire state. If you want a base Sport, you'll probably have to order it.
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Jan 20, 2014 06:06
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Bovril Delight posted:Some dealer is going to have the car and they can trade. Especially for a Ford, you can still get a deal well under MSRP.
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Jan 20, 2014 09:23
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Friar Zucchini posted:...Even if in the entire country there is one single vehicle with the particular color and options I want? Seems like something a dealer would make a lot of money from. Scarcity doesn't automatically equal demand, and since Ford makes a quarter million Fusions a year, you definitely do not have 'there's only one in the whole country' save for the dealer being a disingenuous piece of poo poo. Never, ever accept the dealer's word on the scarcity of a commodity car. KYOON GRIFFEY JR fucked around with this message at 12:57 on Jan 20, 2014 |
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Jan 20, 2014 12:55
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Oh I see. Is the Audi RS6 only a European car? I was just wondering because on a top gear re-run I saw they preferred it over the BMW M3. It sounded like a fantastic car.
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Jan 20, 2014 17:35
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Friar Zucchini posted:...Even if in the entire country there is one single vehicle with the particular color and options I want? Seems like something a dealer would make a lot of money from. Almost everyone has the option of multiple dealers to buy a car from. You can pick one and tell them what you want, and if they won't give you a good deal (even on a car that has to be shipped from another dealership), you can always go somewhere else. Because of this factor, they can't really get away with gouging you on it. The shipping cost is surprisingly low, too, because dealerships and the factory are constantly moving cars around so they just have to get your car onto a car carrier along with the other batch that is going out that day from that location. You may have to wait multiple weeks to get your car, but it'll show up eventually and the dealership will be happy to make their ordinary profit on it without having to devote any of their lot space to storing a car to sell to you.
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Jan 20, 2014 18:48
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Blind Rasputin posted:Oh I see. Is the Audi RS6 only a European car? I was just wondering because on a top gear re-run I saw they preferred it over the BMW M3. It sounded like a fantastic car. Never let anything said on Top Gear influence a purchasing decision or even a personal opinion.
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Jan 20, 2014 19:07
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What? Tell me about Top Gear. I watch the UK one and love it.
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Jan 20, 2014 19:55
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Top Gear is entertainment, not auto journalism. It's a great show, but everything said on it is to be taken with a huge grain of salt.
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Jan 20, 2014 20:07
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Blind Rasputin posted:What? Tell me about Top Gear. I watch the UK one and love it. Top Gear is entertainment, not Consumer Reports.
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Jan 20, 2014 20:18
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Blind Rasputin posted:What? Tell me about Top Gear. I watch the UK one and love it. *Your epiglottis may or may not actually be full of bees every time you drive an Ariel Atom *A Tesla Roadster won't run out of battery before it does more than a lap of the test track *Three blokes who manage to continually set themselves on fire / run into each other cannot build a hovervan So on and so forth. It's brilliant entertainment, but it's not reporting. I'd say it's worth considering in a very general way (do they like or dislike a given car), but they hold no pretenses of any lack of bias or hyperbole, and their opinions should hardly be the only ones you consider.
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Jan 20, 2014 20:39
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IOwnCalculus posted:*Your epiglottis may or may not actually be full of bees every time you drive an Ariel Atom Counterpoint: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e7R3y-qwZ0
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Jan 20, 2014 20:44
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"The Corvette is a primitive piece of crap" *screams in childish delight during hot laps* "yep, total crap"
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Jan 20, 2014 20:56
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Rhyno posted:Counterpoint: I fully admit this is a large part of why the Fiesta ST is on my list (and also part of why I test drove a Mazda2 when they first showed up here).
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Jan 20, 2014 21:12
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Rhyno posted:Counterpoint: I have never seen that. Did they just assault a beach with a ford fiesta? I'm surprised it could take that much water. Well, consumer reports has nothing on that. It's funny to me, my neighbor is this 19 year old college girl who traded her VW bug in for a fiesta that's that exact shade of green. All she does is complain about how much she hates it and wishes she had her VW back. she must be driving in the mall wrong. Blind Rasputin fucked around with this message at 21:37 on Jan 20, 2014 |
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Jan 20, 2014 21:35
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Cross posting from the AI dumb question thread: I'm going to CT later this week to look at a car and hopefully buy it to bring back to NY with me. How do I legally get it back to NY? Will simply having a bill of sale get me off the hook if I get pulled over for not having plates? I found THIS on the CT DMV site so if I'm understanding this correctly, even if I'm unable to get the title from the bank I'll be able to get the transit reg based on a bill of sale? Also, we moved so my license doesn't display my current address but I have a sticker on the back that I got from the NY DMV with my current address. Will that be sufficient? Should I bring a utility bill as well? I know these are specific to CT but the DMV is closed today and maybe someone here has gone through this!
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Jan 20, 2014 21:39
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I will be test driving a Mazda 3 4door tomorrow afternoon. 2007, 53k miles, stick with the original clutch, 2.3 engine, purple  . I know to look for rust in the wheel wells, but is there anything else that I should look for or ask about? Also, how is the cost of ownership for a Mazda 3? I am no longer looking at Mini because it requires run-flat tires and high octane fuel, which brings up cost of ownership. How does Mazda compare for typical parts costs, etc?
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Jan 21, 2014 12:44
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CaseFace McGee posted:I will be test driving a Mazda 3 4door tomorrow afternoon. 2007, 53k miles, stick with the original clutch, 2.3 engine, purple Mazdas are generally quite reliable and cheap to maintain, but they are giant rust buckets. If you have seasons where you live that will be your biggest concern looking at a used one. Edit: I somehow completely missed you mention rust in your post. Whoops!
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Jan 21, 2014 16:54
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CaseFace McGee posted:I will be test driving a Mazda 3 4door tomorrow afternoon. 2007, 53k miles, stick with the original clutch, 2.3 engine, purple Mazdas tend to be reliable and as inexpensive to own as a Honda or Toyota. There's not a lot to worry about except rust and the usual things you'd look for on any car that age.
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Jan 21, 2014 17:55
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CaseFace McGee posted:Also, how is the cost of ownership for a Mazda 3? I am no longer looking at Mini because it requires run-flat tires and high octane fuel, which brings up cost of ownership. How does Mazda compare for typical parts costs, etc? I've had a 2009 for a year and aside from gas I've spent like $250?, which includes whatever scheduled maintenance crap the mechanic said I needed to do after it passed 60k. I'm awful at remembering to get the oil done so I put it on synthetic, which was more expensive but lets me be a total idiot about getting it changed. In other words, pretty cheap. Also no rust to speak of, and we do get winter here.
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Jan 22, 2014 00:41
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I have an opportunity to buy an '06 Honda Civic Sedan hybrid with 70kish miles on it for around 7500-8000. Seems like a great deal to me, what should I look out for? Are there any awful hidden maintenance things that go along with getting a hybrid or anything else I should know?
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Jan 23, 2014 02:10
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CaseFace McGee posted:I will be test driving a Mazda 3 4door tomorrow afternoon. 2007, 53k miles, stick with the original clutch, 2.3 engine, purple It won't get "fantastic" MPG, but it'll be close enough. If you do two autocrosses you can get access to Mazdaspeed and buy OEM parts at cost + shipping + tax (i.e. - buying clutch kits for $90).
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Jan 23, 2014 02:14
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an skeleton posted:I have an opportunity to buy an '06 Honda Civic Sedan hybrid with 70kish miles on it for around 7500-8000. Seems like a great deal to me, what should I look out for? Are there any awful hidden maintenance things that go along with getting a hybrid or anything else I should know? I know the Civic Hybrids of that era had a lot of stories on the battery crapping out. Is it on the original battery pack? Pretty sure there was a class action lawsuit.
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Jan 23, 2014 02:44
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Phone posted:It won't get "fantastic" MPG, but it'll be close enough. If you do two autocrosses you can get access to Mazdaspeed and buy OEM parts at cost + shipping + tax (i.e. - buying clutch kits for $90). poo poo, didn't know that, thanks for the info! Thanks car thread, I brought the car home with me tonight.
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Jan 23, 2014 04:02
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Bovril Delight posted:I know the Civic Hybrids of that era had a lot of stories on the battery crapping out. Is it on the original battery pack? Pretty sure there was a class action lawsuit. Part of the problem with hybrids is the battery as it ages. I wouldn't buy one used aside from the Prius though, but I wouldn't buy one of those either unless you're unrealistically dedicated to the environment (and replacing the battery is stupid bad for the environment anyway). I would also be very wary of a Honda 06 for that price that wasn't a hybrid unless it had a lot of miles on it, and 70k isn't a lot.
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Jan 23, 2014 05:15
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I'm starting to consider ownership within the next few months, and need some imput as to what I'd like to start looking into. My budget is in the $2000 to $12k range presently (Steady Job, Student) and I'm looking to anything in a Sedan Category. I know my options are limited to used. My needs are basically 1-3 Occupants, Little to moderate cargo (Maybe something with a hatchback on the far end of those requirements. Winters get interesting here. I'm also confidently competent with doing and performing basic preventative maintenance and repairs. I'm not asking for you to find me a car, I'm merely asking to see what brands and categories that I should be looking into. Edit:VV My apologies, Proposed Budget: 10K (Co-signed finance),6K cash New or Used: Used Body Style: 4Door Midsize to Fullsize. Hatchback formfactor preferred. Will consider small size SUV How will you be using the car?: 10-15 Mile nominal commute, driving occasional out to client locations for job. Short haul recreational road trips. Utilitarian or low maintenance interior appreciated. What aspects are most important to you? Reliability (Priority 1), Gas sipping, cost of ownership. Must have room to trunk a full size roadbike (Wheels dismounted) or mount appropriate racks. AWD preferrable over mileage if it will not impact reliability of vehicle. Located and looking in the NE United States. Namely Northern NJ. Icing is a problem here [/modedit] QuiteEasilyDone fucked around with this message at 06:24 on Jan 23, 2014 |
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Jan 23, 2014 05:36
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Go read the OP and use that format because you just did the equivalent of "what cars have 4 wheels and a steering wheel?".
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Jan 23, 2014 05:50
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OK, so I'm kind of in a spot. I have a job that gives me a car for my commute, but I'm also looking for a new job, which may involve a significant commute. I could use some help deciding if I should get the cheapo car for the job I have or the daily commuter for the job I want. For the job I have Proposed Budget CHEAP New or Used: CHEAP Body Style: Midsized or bigger. I'm fairly tall. 2 humans and 2 large dogs. Extra space/hauling is useful. Prefer not a minivan. How will you be using the car?: 140 miles/week max. City/highway about equal. Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos?) No What aspects are most important to you? It has to get where I'm going. 4WD/AWD, cheap to maintain. It's going to be sitting in my driveway a lot. I do not care if it's dorky or ugly. OR For the job I want Proposed Budget ~$15000 (but less is better) New or Used: Used Body Style: Midsized or bigger. I'm fairly tall. 2 humans and 2 large dogs. Prefer not a minivan. How will you be using the car?: +/-70 miles a day. Some weekend driving Do you prefer a luxury vehicle with all the gizmos?) No What aspects are most important to you? 4WD/AWD, good gas mileage, inexpensive over lifetime of ownership. Unattractive to thieves and cargo space is a plus.
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Jan 24, 2014 00:52
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BrainParasite posted:OK, so I'm kind of in a spot. I have a job that gives me a car for my commute, but I'm also looking for a new job, which may involve a significant commute. I could use some help deciding if I should get the cheapo car for the job I have or the daily commuter for the job I want.
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Jan 24, 2014 02:49
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kmcormick9 posted:V70. There are not a lot of these on sale, and most are high mileage (100k+) or out of my price range. I'll keep looking, but in the mean time, do you have any other suggestions?
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Jan 24, 2014 18:32
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BrainParasite posted:There are not a lot of these on sale, and most are high mileage (100k+) or out of my price range. I'll keep looking, but in the mean time, do you have any other suggestions? Outback.
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Jan 24, 2014 19:02
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A few choices there. 350/370Z, G37 coupe, Honda S2000, BMW 1 series or a 335i coupe. Maybe one of the new Scion/Subaru coupes? Any of those tickle your fancy? Personally in your situation I'd be all over a 335i coupe. I think they look great, easy to tune, but I can't speak to the handling.
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Jan 24, 2014 22:19
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This was me when I bought a car ~3 years ago. At the time I bought a 2004 BMW 330ci. It's been a fantastic car, totally reliable, and maintenance has been quite reasonable. Previous to that I had a 1995 Mazda Miata for 4 years that was also awesome. If I were going to buy a 'new' car right now, your criteria are basically exactly the criteria I would have also. Personally I would be looking at used BMW 1 and 3 series, Subaru BRZ/Scion FRS, Honda S2000, or waiting for the new ND Miata. Some other contenders that don't do much for my personal tastes but are also competitors in the segment are the G37, 370z, Mini Cooper S, current Mustang, wait for the new Mustang, Genesis Coupe, NC Miata, and you might be able to get a Boxster for under 25k these days but it'd be quite a bit older than the other stuff you could pick up for 25k. Probably can't get an A5 for under 25k yet. You're in a great segment and price range for a lot of really fun cars, you should go test drive several of them to get a feel for what you like.
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Jan 24, 2014 22:29
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I would love to pick up a Cayman S for my next car, but I would want to get a 2009 or later for the greatly reduced problems with the IMS failures, as well as the other little facelifted niceties, and that just isn't realistic yet for under 25k. Just prepare for maintenance to carry a premium even moreso than something like a BMW, but it sounds like you're okay with that!
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Jan 24, 2014 23:09
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Just a heads up with buying a Cayman or Boxster S: they may be $25k cars now, but they still have the maintenance costs of a $70k car.
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Jan 25, 2014 03:52
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