AI meets BFC: Car Buying Thread: No Rentals and No Salvage Titles

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > AI meets BFC: Car Buying Thread: No Rentals and No Salvage Titles

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

skipdogg posted:

The large manufacturers have no interest in selling direct to consumers. It's not part of their business model.

Before some says "but Tesla" the large manufacturers each sell more cars in the US in 2 months than Tesla has ever. Ford sold appx 390,000 vehicles in July and Aug of 2018. Tesla in 15 years hasn't sold 390,000 cars. They might be getting close though.

I heard buying from the manufacturer being a thing in Europe. I mean dealerships are kind of entrenched here manufacturers probably just aren't interested in fighting them.

My car buying experience has been less then the most enjoyable but hey emails don't cost me much of anything to do and someone actually managed to find the car I wanted (well close enough it has $100 double floor) while everyone else didn't seem to bother or gave up after searching the region. I do kind of feel dickish though if I don't go with the place I test drove a car at.

Duck and Cover fucked around with this message at 22:17 on Sep 7, 2018

# ¿ Sep 7, 2018 21:22

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# ¿ Apr 25, 2024 09:05

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

Sacred Cow posted:

Don�t. I just bought a car two days ago. I would have done it a week earlier but the first dealer that did all the selling work ended up sucking when we got to price. They didn�t disclose at any point in the process that they put all their bullshit add-ons as standard on all their cars that added an extra $1500 to the OTD price. They refused to move a penny on it and once they realized they had to put effort into my sale they more or less told me they didn�t want my business anyways.

I gave the second dealership the easiest sale of their life.

Dealers are not your friends. If you don�t feel good about the car or the price, just walk away.

If he does that I'll go elsewhere. There's a reason I got trade in value at carmax and another dealer. It's more that I feel the place that I test drove at gets preference, if they are going to charge me more I'll just go elsewhere. Turns out they were willing to do roughly 1,500 more on my trade in (maybe the check engine light didn't turn on for them? Although I don't think it did for Carmax and Carmax had an offer similar to the other dealership) and were cheapest. I think I'm just going to accept the deal, maybe ask for a few hundred off. It's really kind of amazing at how many variables in cost there are. Oh MSRP? That one's MSRP is totally higher for what appears to be the same car. Doc fees? Variable but always there. Vin etching? I saw it but it wasn't on every offer. Trade in? Variable. What a garbage business model.

Well we'll give that guy a low x which will fool him and he won't realize we have a large y and we also added a z.

# ¿ Sep 9, 2018 17:58

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

Oh you can't get that car cause the other dealership isn't responding? Wonderful, absolutely wonderful. AAAaaaahhhh. No I don't really want to wait a month and a half. I mean I could, but I don't want to.

# ¿ Sep 11, 2018 22:14

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

I do like how buying a car is so often a matter of settling for something you don't want, or not getting what you want. I'm sure I would have been offered a sunroof by now if that was an option on the car I want. Also I totally thought I was clear by my desire to get it in Shock, like how could I live with myself if I didn't?

Look at it! It's glorious.

Duck and Cover fucked around with this message at 19:08 on Sep 12, 2018

# ¿ Sep 12, 2018 19:05

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

SciFiDownBeat posted:

You might want to clean the vomit off of—oh that's the color, nvm

I'd be concerned if vomit was that color.

# ¿ Sep 12, 2018 19:18

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

That's the premier I'm probably getting the LT which has slightly different wheels and no roof rails. (unless they'll take like 2300 to upgrade me to premier but as it's normally like 4k more so I doubt it)

# ¿ Sep 12, 2018 19:43

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

For fucks sake. Oh you want driver confidence II on the premier? Sure we can do that but first we'd like you to buy this infotainment garbage you understand right? gently caress.

Duck and Cover fucked around with this message at 21:18 on Sep 12, 2018

# ¿ Sep 12, 2018 21:15

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

sorry that manufacturing simplicity is important

Sure I get that but that doesn't stop it from being annoying to deal with.

# ¿ Sep 12, 2018 23:09

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

The flakiest customer. I want LT... wait maybe the false floor too, maybe dumb expensive emblems no no wait I want premier. I'm terrible. Of course maybe they view higher trims as more profit so maybe it's not a complete loss. Okay I bet I'm far from the worse customer but still. I want that nifty 360 aerial view thingy.

Duck and Cover fucked around with this message at 18:58 on Sep 13, 2018

# ¿ Sep 13, 2018 18:49

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

I have a habit of comparing apples to apples that don't have tax/dealership fees tacked on. This isn't fair of me, but I'll probably continue doing it and giving insulting low offers in the process.

# ¿ Sep 13, 2018 22:33

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

I'll just add the 3670(+whatever taxes) more premier msrp would cost me to your offer... what's that you say that won't work? Of course not why would that work stupid me.

# ¿ Sep 14, 2018 16:46

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

Duck and Cover posted:

I'll just add the 3670(+whatever taxes) more premier msrp would cost me to your offer... what's that you say that won't work? Of course not why would that work stupid me.

I'm sure it'll be less right? Right? I mean that's what he's telling me my offer was just too high! I mean there's going to be markup in going up to a higher trim and he just wants to pass that on to me. Ahahahahahhaha.

# ¿ Sep 14, 2018 19:22

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

$215 on the configurator
$115 from their website (although this is 2017 my bet is it'd fit fine) https://accessories.chevrolet.com/product/2017/Chevrolet/Bolt%20EV/front-and-rear-bowtie-emblems-in-black-42475530
$86.25 from random internet site https://www.shopchevyparts.com/exterior/2017-bolt-bowtie-emblem-black/42475530-p-92292647.html

For fucks sake.

# ¿ Sep 15, 2018 16:39

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

Oh if anyone is curious my Shock Bolt Premier w/ Dark Galvanized and sky cool gray, Driver Conf II, Infotainment pkg, DC Fast Charge Provisions. Black emblems.

29563.82 out the door (taxes /state rebat/10,500 trade in included) oh I think I may have paid too much like an idiot. Although my trade in was 1,500 more then the other places offered. Now for some all weather Nokians, and maybe; tinting, ceramic coating.

Duck and Cover fucked around with this message at 03:06 on Sep 17, 2018

# ¿ Sep 17, 2018 02:52

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

nm posted:

Does the Mini come with runflats? If so, issue spotted.

It did in 2013.

# ¿ Sep 19, 2018 06:41

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

All done. Vehicle, Dazzle or something else for the vanity plate?

# ¿ Sep 21, 2018 23:00

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

I prefer a horse and carriage myself; cars just don't have the same kind of smell.

# ¿ Sep 25, 2018 05:09

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

panther coils are evidently very susceptible to damp

Duh, cats don't like water.

# ¿ Sep 27, 2018 17:37

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

My Bolt has a backup camera (and 360 view) it feels as though they used like a step up from the cheapest camera that would still be usable. Still I suppose it gets the job done, just makes the experience cheaper feeling.

# ¿ Oct 3, 2018 03:05

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

OldSenileGuy posted:

Thanks so much for all this. It was very helpful as I went to test drive some cars this weekend. Unfortunately for me, the car I had done the most research on and decided I was 90% sure the one I wanted, the Honda Fit, did not fit me. I'm about 6'3 or 6'4, and I was scrunched into that driver's seat. In my current car, an '02 Accord, I'm used to being able to have my left leg almost totally extended while in the driver's seat and with the seat all the way back. In the Fit, I couldn't even get close to fully extended.

So, with that being said, I've been looking at a lot of other models, including from manufacturers other than Honda, and since I know nothing about cars I thought I'd get the goon hive mind opinion on my options.

Proposed Budget: Originally when I was looking for a Fit, I was trying to stay under $20,000. Now that that's out, I'd be willing to go up to $25,000, with the ability to go a little over that for a car I really love.
New or Used: New. I have no interest in dealing with previous owners and maintenance histories.
Body Style: The smaller the better (more on that below). I'm mostly looking at compact sedans or hatchbacks and crossovers.
How will you be using the car?: I live in the city so I don't have a daily commute. This car will mostly be used on the weekends to drive a couple hours outside of the city. I'm also keen on taking some road trips in this car in the future.
What aspects are most important to you?: I'm interested in reliability, good mileage, the ability for me to comfortably fit in the driver's seat. As far as amenities go, the only things I'm considering "must-haves" are Apple CarPlay and Traffic Aware Cruise Control. I'm also interested in cars with as many lane-assist type tech things as possible, but it's not a dealbreaker. Most of the time all those things come with the Traffic Aware Cruise Control anyway.

When I first started my search, I was looking for cars with good mileage but not a hybrid because 1) I had an (incorrect?) assumption that hybrids were more expensive to maintain and had a higher chance of something going wrong with them and 2) I drove a Prius as a rental about 10 years ago and hated it. But since I think I was wrong about that, I am including Hybrids in my search.

Additionally, I have a unique situation. I rent a garage, and the driveway to the garage is an alley that's 80 inches wide. My current car is 70.3 inches wide, and it already feels like a super tight fit. So I was hoping that the new car I got would not be wider than my current car. Some of the cars I'm looking at ARE an inch or two wider, which makes me nervous. I tried driving down the driveway in my current car with the mirrors extended to simulate what it will be like driving down in a wider car, and it fits but it's nerve-wracking.

So, here's the cars I'm looking at SIX HOURS LATER EDIT: My wife has chimed in and said she's firmly on they hybrid train. So I'm moving the Corolla Hatchback to the "not considering" category and pulling the Hyundai Ioniq back into the "considering" category.

2019 Honda Insight - I got to test drive this car and liked it a lot. It's not as small as I would have liked, as it's 71.6 inches wide vs. the 70.3 I'm used to, but I think I can spare roughly a half inch on each side. The price is right and includes all the amenities I want. This is probably the current front-runner.

2019 Kia Niro Hybrid - I like compact SUV's, and I looked at the Honda HR-V but it had the same tight fit as the Fit so I didn't consider it. But the Niro looks to have a more spacious driver's seat (based on a YouTube video I watched), and also has the advantage of being a hybrid so it will get great mileage. I have no idea of the reliability of Kias, and getting all the amenities I want will push the car up north of $26,000 which is more than I'd like to spend, but this is probably second on the list behind the Insight. I plan on taking this for a test drive this weekend.

2019 Hyundai Ioniq - Also suffers from "boring car syndrome" like the Corolla, but it does get the best mileage of any car on my list. Worried about being too tall for the inside, and price is up around $26,000 for the trim with the tech package I want.

Those are the three main models I'm considering. The rest are other models I considered but have mostly taken out of consideration for one reason or another, mostly price. However, if I test drive the above models and don't like them, I'll bring some of the below models back into consideration.

2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback - I'm not a guy that puts a ton of importance on having a "cool" car, but the Corolla sedan puts me to sleep just looking at it. The Corolla hatchback, however, looks fun to drive, and has a similar small and nimble footprint to the Fit, which I liked. The Corolla HB is not a hybrid, but with 32City/42Highway, it's pretty fuel efficient. And at $22,000 for the SE trim level that has all the amenities I want, it's the cheapest one on my current list. I'm worried about having the same problem with me being too tall for it though.

2018 or 2019 Subaru Impreza or Crosstrek - I liked the look of these cars when looking at them online, and having AWD is a welcome addition but not something I place a ton of importance on. But when I was spec'ing them out online, the Subaru EyeSight package which has the cruise control I want is a very expensive addition, or only standard on the highest trim model, which brings the cars up close to $27,000 or $28,000. Not sure if I'll bother to test drive these, since that's getting to be a bit more expensive than I'd like. Although, the 2018 Impreza models have 0% financing for 60 months if I buy by Oct 31, which is nice.

2019 Volkswagen Jetta - I've always liked the clean look of Volkswagens, but I've never had one. Mileage is pretty decent at 30City/40HWY, but price for the SEL trim level that has all the bells and whistles I want is about $25,000, which is towards my upper limit. Also the whole emissions scandal kind of makes me not want to buy a VW for a while.

2018 Toyota Prius - Looked at it, doesn't have Apple Car Play, not considering.

Whew, that was a long post, so thank you if you read the whole thing. If anyone has any opinions on the cars I'm considering, or wants to suggest something else I should look at, please do. I had a Ford for about 5 years and had tons of problems with it, and then a Honda for about 10 years and very few problems with it. I have no idea how reliable any of these other brands are, so I'm particularly interested in hearing about that. Thanks!

You could try a Mini Cooper.

# ¿ Oct 9, 2018 04:22

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

DNK posted:

Why compare the 4Runner to an Explorer, though? Try a Highlander.

I'd imagine that'd be expensive as their can only be one.

# ¿ Oct 19, 2018 02:25

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

shovelbum posted:

I think an old classmate of mine is buying a hellcat lol

Sounds like someone is jealous of his sick ride.

# ¿ Nov 6, 2018 05:39

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

zapplez posted:

Its actually pretty amazing how many "car people" have no idea the benefits of AWD (or lack thereof) and believe in the mythos of the snow subaru. If you actually have taken a driver safety course its remarkably simple to prevent yourself from ending up in a ditch. I commute 40,000 km a year , a ton of that in snowy conditions and have never got a car or truck stuck once, or had a MVC in the winter over the past 10 years of driving. From a small car like a Corolla to large cars like Impalas and Allures, to RAM 1500s and Equinoxs and Rogues etc etc.

First rule of snow is traction. Buy winter tires. You cant get around this. Just do it.
Second rule is understand traction. When you are in a bend in the road, you don't want to do anything to reduce your grip. In a turn, you should not be braking and not be accelerating to give you the best chance of maintaining your grip. Brake before the turn if you have any doubt you are travelling unsafe for the conditions.
Follow weather reports, do your best to avoid driving in freezing rain.
Anticipate the most likely times other cars will cause a crash. If you are on the highway and a car is driving aggressively, changing multiple lanes and speeding in snow conditions, stay well,well back of them.
Approaching a red light or stop sign intersection, proceed slowly enough to compensate if a vehicle from the opposite way cant stop and will blow through it.

And if possible, practice emergency braking and learn how fast you car REALLY stops at 40km/h, 80km/h, etc. Go to a parking lot or whatever and find out (holy poo poo, I need 250 feet of room between me and the next car to follow safely!)

The only real benefit of having AWD / 4WD is if you need to get started from a stop on unplowed/offroads. And towing.

Take a course? Practice? Anticipate? Hahahahaha. Yeah good luck with getting people to do that. I however do think people will use AWD if they have it. Now excuse me as I don't get my snows for my non AWD car because I'm lazy.

# ¿ Dec 28, 2018 23:30

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

You too can enjoy lifting wheels.

# ¿ Dec 30, 2018 20:44

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

Guinness posted:

Yeah those 6 inches from the ground to the wheel hub of the jacked up corner sure is a feat of Herculean strength.

Otherwise they roll pretty nicely, considering they are wheels after all.

Hey hey we store our tires in the basement so shush it. I probably should buy wheels though.

# ¿ Dec 30, 2018 22:14

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

Chevy Bolt, or it's "better" version (does not come in Shock) Hyundai Kona. May not qualify as a hot hatch I don't really know the rules.

# ¿ Apr 2, 2019 00:17

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

redgubbinz posted:

The Fiesta ST is better in every metric, except for "number of scorpion badges"

The Fiesta ST is longer.

# ¿ May 6, 2019 21:24

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

I have a lovely Chubb... policy. My mom had her parked vehicle crashed into and her experienced seemed good. Of course given what you pay for Chubb it should be.

# ¿ May 25, 2019 00:12

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

theHUNGERian posted:

How "bad with money" would it be to replace a perfectly functional 2012 Subaru Outback with a Kona EV or Bolt EV? The car is being used as a daily driver ~15 miles a day with 4-8 300-mi trips per year.

It's only a smart move if you get the Bolt in Shock. (My understanding is the Kona is just better, but it doesn't come in Shock so...)

# ¿ Jun 30, 2019 02:07

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

theHUNGERian posted:

And a Tesla and Jaguar I-Pace would only be worse with money, right?

Well the Tesla comes in dull colors. Photon red I-Pace might be alright. But come on

# ¿ Jun 30, 2019 05:36

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

quote:

Time for an oil change

If you have purchased a new vehicle already I sincerely hope that you have been enjoying it. I like to make sure all owners remember that standard maintenance for your vehicle is recommended every 90 days and we'd love to have you see how great our service is.

Please give our Service Department a call at to schedule your first oil change appointment.

I got this like 3 months after I bought my car. Seemed a bit soon for anything to be needed especially an oil change on my electric vehicle. Nailed it.

# ¿ Jul 2, 2019 04:56

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# ¿ Apr 25, 2024 09:05

Duck and Cover: Apr 6, 2007

FilthyImp posted:

You're a dick and could have just said "I want AWD for [reasons]"

Buy an H2 hummer with a Hemi and marvel at how much drive you have on all your wheels!

Because the people here generally know that AWD is an edge-case luxury that ends up costing you in maintenance, and that you're far better off getting a good set of seasonal Winter Tires instead of relying on the false confidence most drivers get when they have AWD.

If that's your preference, fine. But the folks here just want to save you money. It's like blundering into the thread about computer building and saying "I occasionally use photoshop. I'm dropping $8500 on a top of the line graphics card, watercooler, and CPU that will calculate pi to infinity. Please advise"

If someone comes it saying "hi I want a yellow car" you shouldn't rush out to tell them "NO YOU DON'T WANT YELLOW THAT'S A TERRIBLE COLOR". I mean you could but you shoudn't be surprised when someone isn't super polite in their repsonse. AWD helps with winter driving, but you should still get winter tires as well. AWD adds both to the initial cost and maintenance. See? Easy that's an easy thing to say. What happens is people want to say that but first want to go through the theater of having someone justify their desires.

Duck and Cover fucked around with this message at 01:24 on Jul 7, 2019

# ¿ Jul 7, 2019 00:59

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > AI meets BFC: Car Buying Thread: No Rentals and No Salvage Titles