At this point, I almost made up my point that I'll be turning in my leased VW Jetta when the lease runs out, so I'm starting to scope out alternatives. By the far the most important factor for me is how fun it is to drive, since I don't need a car to commute to work each day. That pretty much leaves me with German cars.
Today I test drove a BMW 328xi. My worry was that I would fall in love with the car, and that my Jetta would no longer measure up while I ponder the wisdom of spending 3 series money on a new car. That's .... not what happened at all. I actually found the ultimate driving machine to be highly disappointing. It felt dead compared to my Jetta.
Now I'm seriously contemplating keeping my plucky turbo Jetta. It occurred to me that maybe I have a very good thing going with my current car. With the small turbo engine, you feel a kick in the back regardless how slow or fast you go. I always assumed that BMW would be more fun than a Jetta, given the marketing hype, but it utterly failed to measure up.
Consumer Reports recently put out their annual car issue, which I have thanks to my subscription.
According to them, the "Most Fun" category includes: VW GTI, Mazda3, Ford Mustang GT, and in the Sports Coupe category, which appears to be what you want, the BMW 135i.
Hmm, GTI has the same engine as my car, although GTI's brakes and suspension are sportier. It's possible that I got spoiled with my current car.
I would've also tried a Mustang, but I'm afraid that this car is just begging for a speeding ticket. My Jetta looks a lot more boring from the outside than it actually is.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogcdn.com%2Fwww.autoblog.com%2Fmedia%2F2007%2F08%2Fcaymanspde1_hi006450.jpg&hash=a7d2f721420163b0652670deb99a2a511aca6b24)
Do ittttttttt
Subaru?
I made the mistake of parking my ass in this, and now at least I know what I'm getting next time I switch.
The down side is of course the tag. Sticker price for the hottest model available in Norway is somewhere north of $600k BEFORE you start talking extra packages. But then you also get 600+HP. :hmm:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ft3.gstatic.com%2Fimages%3Fq%3Dtbn%3AANd9GcR-FKoj1At-H9je6zRdB33vLJbbtqcXS68SXgCyRU6ndqr6jSR9VA%26amp%3Bt%3D1&hash=9292ccaa7f586b8888717e8b665c165205ebabea)
Quote from: Alcibiades on March 09, 2011, 05:02:49 PM
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogcdn.com%2Fwww.autoblog.com%2Fmedia%2F2007%2F08%2Fcaymanspde1_hi006450.jpg&hash=a7d2f721420163b0652670deb99a2a511aca6b24)
Do ittttttttt
Even the crappiest Porsche is entirely out of my budget. I looked. :(
Quote from: Slargos on March 09, 2011, 05:04:28 PM
I made the mistake of parking my ass in this, and now at least I know what I'm getting next time I switch.
The down side is of course the tag. Sticker price for the hottest model available in Norway is somewhere north of $600k BEFORE you start talking extra packages. But then you also get 600+HP. :hmm:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ft3.gstatic.com%2Fimages%3Fq%3Dtbn%3AANd9GcR-FKoj1At-H9je6zRdB33vLJbbtqcXS68SXgCyRU6ndqr6jSR9VA%26amp%3Bt%3D1&hash=9292ccaa7f586b8888717e8b665c165205ebabea)
:yucky: SUV? No, thanks.
Quote from: DGuller on March 09, 2011, 05:13:28 PM
Quote from: Alcibiades on March 09, 2011, 05:02:49 PM
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogcdn.com%2Fwww.autoblog.com%2Fmedia%2F2007%2F08%2Fcaymanspde1_hi006450.jpg&hash=a7d2f721420163b0652670deb99a2a511aca6b24)
Do ittttttttt
Even the crappiest Porsche is entirely out of my budget. I looked. :(
Only douchebags drive porsches anyway.
If you're Hank Moody and yours is a beat up wreck you can pull it off. But otherwise? Come on.
Only thing worse than driving a porsche is driving a 4-door porsche.
Quote from: DGuller on March 09, 2011, 05:14:38 PM
Quote from: Slargos on March 09, 2011, 05:04:28 PM
I made the mistake of parking my ass in this, and now at least I know what I'm getting next time I switch.
The down side is of course the tag. Sticker price for the hottest model available in Norway is somewhere north of $600k BEFORE you start talking extra packages. But then you also get 600+HP. :hmm:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ft3.gstatic.com%2Fimages%3Fq%3Dtbn%3AANd9GcR-FKoj1At-H9je6zRdB33vLJbbtqcXS68SXgCyRU6ndqr6jSR9VA%26amp%3Bt%3D1&hash=9292ccaa7f586b8888717e8b665c165205ebabea)
:yucky: SUV? No, thanks.
I felt like sitting in a warm and cozy womb. I can still hear it beckoning. :blush:
Getting into that seat was far, far easier than getting out. Almost like it was molded to fit me. Wonderful car.
And you STILL can't go much faster than 70 kph most roads in Norway due to traffic and serpentine curves...
German car? Ewww.
Quote from: Neil on March 09, 2011, 05:52:08 PM
German car? Ewww.
To some people, a car is not just an appliance.
Yeah, Neil. Some people prefer unreliable junkers made by Turks in Bavaria.
Quote from: JonasSalk on March 09, 2011, 06:10:32 PM
Yeah, Neil. Some people prefer unreliable junkers made by Turks in Bavaria.
Reliability is not the beginning and the end of cars. For those who don't rely on the car every day, the relatively worse reliability is negotiable.
Quote from: DGuller on March 09, 2011, 05:55:19 PM
Quote from: Neil on March 09, 2011, 05:52:08 PM
German car? Ewww.
To some people, a car is not just an appliance.
Those people are imbeciles.
If you are having fun just driving your car around, then you are doing it wrong.
Quote from: DGuller on March 09, 2011, 05:13:28 PM
Even the crappiest Porsche is entirely out of my budget. I looked. :(
Used Geo Metro, then.
Seriously, though, if you're looking for affordable fun, it's hard to beat a Mustang. Unless you go Cobra, they're not particularly expensive.
Quote from: Neil on March 09, 2011, 08:20:38 PM
Quote from: DGuller on March 09, 2011, 05:55:19 PM
Quote from: Neil on March 09, 2011, 05:52:08 PM
German car? Ewww.
To some people, a car is not just an appliance.
Those people are imbeciles.
If you are having fun just driving your car around, then you are doing it wrong.
You continue to demonstrate your foreignness more and more as time goes on.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on March 09, 2011, 09:28:32 PM
You continue to demonstrate your foreignness more and more as time goes on.
I simply prefer to be driven. There's nothing odd about that.
I am seriously considering a 2011 Subaru WRX STI myself, high fun factor.
Small turbo in an old Jetta? A 1.8T? If so, maybe see if you like the A3 with the 2.0T engine (or an S3 for maximum entertainment with a matching pricetag). It's a hatchback though, so if you don't like that, eh...there's always the A4, but it's bigger and heavier than your Jetta. Don't know how the A3's are to drive. Never tried one out. Quattro makes for some good times too, at least in an A4, if it's an option for those.
Quote from: JonasSalk on March 09, 2011, 06:10:32 PM
Yeah, Neil. Some people prefer unreliable junkers made by Turks in Bavaria.
:huh:
New report out this month names Porsches as the most reliable cars. :hmm:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/18/most-reliable-cars-2010-t_n_504221.html#s74578&title=1__Porsche
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/new-cars/cr-recommended/best-worst-in-car-reliability/reliability-findings/reliability-findings.htm
Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on March 09, 2011, 11:17:42 PM
Small turbo in an old Jetta? A 1.8T? If so, maybe see if you like the A3 with the 2.0T engine (or an S3 for maximum entertainment with a matching pricetag). It's a hatchback though, so if you don't like that, eh...there's always the A4, but it's bigger and heavier than your Jetta. Don't know how the A3's are to drive. Never tried one out. Quattro makes for some good times too, at least in an A4, if it's an option for those.
Not that old, it's a 2008 Jetta. The engine is 2.0T, it makes 200 HP, and has an amazing low end power. I was also lucky enough to get an upgraded 2.0T which came out in the middle of the 2008 model year, as it has drastically fewer mechanical issues compared to the previous 2.0T.
Yeah, I should probably take a look at Audis. If I like how a VW feels, I should probably like how an Audi feels.
Quote from: DGuller on March 10, 2011, 12:25:28 AM
Not that old, it's a 2008 Jetta. The engine is 2.0T, it makes 200 HP, and has an amazing low end power. I was also lucky enough to get an upgraded 2.0T which came out in the middle of the 2008 model year, as it has drastically fewer mechanical issues compared to the previous 2.0T.
Yeah, I should probably take a look at Audis. If I like how a VW feels, I should probably like how an Audi feels.
Can't hurt to test drive them. The A4 is probably going to feel similar to the 3 series. They're about the same size and weight and all that, engine options are probably pretty similar as well.
Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on March 10, 2011, 04:17:36 PM
Can't hurt to test drive them. The A4 is probably going to feel similar to the 3 series. They're about the same size and weight and all that, engine options are probably pretty similar as well.
I think one of my problems with the 3 series was that the 328 has a naturally aspirated engine. I'm used to the awesome low end grunt that my turbo Jetta gives me. Audi A4 has pretty much the same turbo engine as my Jetta, so it's possible it would be more up my alley.
Quote from: DGuller on March 10, 2011, 04:24:54 PM
I think one of my problems with the 3 series was that the 328 has a naturally aspirated engine. I'm used to the awesome low end grunt that my turbo Jetta gives me. Audi A4 has pretty much the same turbo engine as my Jetta, so it's possible it would be more up my alley.
Yeah, that 2.0T really does supply the low end juice. I didn't know until just now that the new A4's only had that one engine as an option. Interesting. I do know that Audi's version is somewhat more powerful than Volkswagen's, or at least the VW version I'm familiar with (my mom just got a 2010 Passat with a 2.0T in there). Something like 10 more HP and 40 or 50 lbft more torque. You'll probably like it.
They've all got a lot more everything than my 1.8T, but I still dig it. ^_^
Test drove Audi A4 today. That's a nice car. The salesman was very good too, although for some reason near the end of the test drive he mentioned that he had children, and he wanted to see them tonight. :huh:
Yeah wtf. Don't buy a breeder car.
Quote from: DGuller on March 23, 2011, 03:53:50 PM
Test drove Audi A4 today. That's a nice car. The salesman was very good too, although for some reason near the end of the test drive he mentioned that he had children, and he wanted to see them tonight. :huh:
Getting inappropriately personal is a tried and true method that works almost all of the time. :hmm:
Quote from: The Brain on March 23, 2011, 03:58:18 PM
Yeah wtf. Don't buy a breeder car.
A4 is a breeder car? :huh:
Quote from: DGuller on March 23, 2011, 03:53:50 PM
although for some reason near the end of the test drive he mentioned that he had children, and he wanted to see them tonight. :huh:
:lol:
Quote from: The Brain on March 23, 2011, 04:17:00 PM
Quote from: DGuller on March 23, 2011, 04:04:08 PM
Quote from: The Brain on March 23, 2011, 03:58:18 PM
Yeah wtf. Don't buy a breeder car.
A4 is a breeder car? :huh:
You heard me.
Is that the "chick car" nonsense, or is there some other stigma attached? :unsure:
Quote from: DGuller on March 23, 2011, 04:20:47 PM
Quote from: The Brain on March 23, 2011, 04:17:00 PM
Quote from: DGuller on March 23, 2011, 04:04:08 PM
Quote from: The Brain on March 23, 2011, 03:58:18 PM
Yeah wtf. Don't buy a breeder car.
A4 is a breeder car? :huh:
You heard me.
Is that the "chick car" nonsense, or is there some other stigma attached? :unsure:
Audi's do have the chick car stigma. Chick power executive stigma.
Dude, I drive a Jetta.
Never mind then. :)
I really did love that Audi. I felt at home the moment I sat down, probably because I'm used to the VW/Audi design. If I am going to get a new car, it's probably going to be an Audi of some sort. Maybe I should try A5, I don't really need 4 doors 99% of the time I'm driving.
Quote from: DGuller on March 23, 2011, 04:33:25 PM
I really did love that Audi. I felt at home the moment I sat down, probably because I'm used to the VW/Audi design. If I am going to get a new car, it's probably going to be an Audi of some sort. Maybe I should try A5, I don't really need 4 doors 99% of the time I'm driving.
It's interesting, I had the exact same feeling last time I parked my ass in an Audi. They're doing
something right, that's for sure. :hmm:
Quote from: DGuller on March 23, 2011, 04:33:25 PM
I really did love that Audi. I felt at home the moment I sat down, probably because I'm used to the VW/Audi design. If I am going to get a new car, it's probably going to be an Audi of some sort. Maybe I should try A5, I don't really need 4 doors 99% of the time I'm driving.
If fun is high on your list of priorities, you should at least look at the TT. Personally I don't care for the styling at all, but people I've talked to who've driven them claim a high fun factor, and if you can afford an A5, you should be able to afford a TT.
Had my old car inspected today for abnormal wear and tear. Thankfully, the inspector didn't ding me for the somewhat sizable scratch I put on my left rear quarter panel. In fact, I didn't get dinged at all. If I want to turn in my car, the coast is clear.
That got me thinking, though. :hmm: I looked at the certified prices on my 2008 Jetta Wolfsburg in my VW dealership, and they were all $17k+, and had way more miles. My buyout price is $14k, and apart from the one scratch, my car is in excellent condition with only 16,000 miles. I'm pretty sure that was a major factor responsible for my inspector's leniency.
Would it make sense to buy out the car and trade it in for a new one? I guess I can always take my car to the new dealership, and see if they offer to trade it in for more than $14k, before making my decision. Is there anything wrong with that plan?
Quote from: DGuller on May 10, 2011, 01:09:27 PM
Would it make sense to buy out the car and trade it in for a new one? I guess I can always take my car to the new dealership, and see if they offer to trade it in for more than $14k, before making my decision. Is there anything wrong with that plan?
Nothing wrong with your plan, but I'll ebt you the trade-in value is going to be under $14k.
The good thing about that plan seems to be that they know I have an offer on hand. So, if they really think the car is worth more than $14k and they really want it, they'll have no choice but to give at least a fair offer.
Quote from: DGuller on May 10, 2011, 01:33:29 PM
The good thing about that plan seems to be that they know I have an offer on hand. So, if they really think the car is worth more than $14k and they really want it, they'll have no choice but to give at least a fair offer.
If they really want it, they'll just buy it wholesale from the other dealership.
The only way I can see that plan working is if you buy it out, then figure you can sell the car yourself, privately. But car dealerships will always lowball you on a trade-in, because they have to make a profit on the used cars they sell.
Quote from: Barrister on May 10, 2011, 01:35:42 PM
If they really want it, they'll just buy it wholesale from the other dealership.
I don't see why. If I turn in my car, the dealership that takes it gets a windfall (due to low mileage and general apparent desirability). It's like they wrote me a call option, it was in the money, but I didn't excercise it. I don't see why the first dealership would just part with that windfall and hand it to the second dealership. What I'm hoping for is that my car is a desirable commodity, and that dealerships want to be the first ones to get it.
Anyway, we'll see, I guess I got nothing to lose. I kinda have to bring my car in anyway, to haul my ass to the dealership. Maybe I'll even get my ass there today.
You should be able to get them to give you a trade in price before you do anything.
Sounds like the trade-in question is pretty simple after all. Get them to give me a trade-in quote before I do anything with the lease, and then compare. Double taxation shouldn't be an issue, since the trade-in is subtracted from the new car price.
I have another question. I've looked behind the couch cushions, went through my pockets, counted my penny jar, and it turns out that I have enough in my bank accounts to pay for the car in full. :ph34r:
How much leverage, if any, does that give me in the new car price negotiations, if I can just offer to write a check and be done with it? I don't see any financing deals at the moment, so my guess is not much, since I'm not going to be saving them any financial subsidies, but I hope I'm wrong.
Quote from: DGuller on May 10, 2011, 02:55:53 PM
Sounds like the trade-in question is pretty simple after all. Get them to give me a trade-in quote before I do anything with the lease, and then compare. Double taxation shouldn't be an issue, since the trade-in is subtracted from the new car price.
I have another question. I've looked behind the couch cushions, went through my pockets, counted my penny jar, and it turns out that I have enough in my bank accounts to pay for the car in full. :ph34r:
How much leverage, if any, does that give me in the new car price negotiations, if I can just offer to write a check and be done with it? I don't see any financing deals at the moment, so my guess is not much, since I'm not going to be saving them any financial subsidies, but I hope I'm wrong.
It depends. Supposedly at one point car companies made money on financing, so they'd give you a better price on the car expecting to make it up in interest. On the other hand some companies use "0% interest" as a sales point, but you know that is being made up in the cost of the vehicle.
Go in and tell them you
mght be able to pay in full, but are uncomfortable tying all of your money up so are looking at financing, and see what they can do for you either way.
Good idea.
You should obviously get a Mercedes, not some stupid BMW, Audi or VW. :P
Have a look at the Mercedes C63 AMG. That's a fun car to drive. I could only drive it for half an hour, but it is really insanely good.
I've got an Mercedes S500 with a fuel card for the next weekend. Will be fun on the autobahn. :yeah:
Quote from: Barrister on May 10, 2011, 03:01:52 PM
It depends. Supposedly at one point car companies made money on financing, so they'd give you a better price on the car expecting to make it up in interest. On the other hand some companies use "0% interest" as a sales point, but you know that is being made up in the cost of the vehicle.
Go in and tell them you mght be able to pay in full, but are uncomfortable tying all of your money up so are looking at financing, and see what they can do for you either way.
I've been told (not sure how true this is) that it is best to negotiate the price of the car without brining in the payment terms, and then once you have a deal negotiating the payment terms. For example, if you are going to pay lump sum, they may be more inclined to push for a higher price because they know they won't make anything in interest.
My advice: 1) negotiate the price without discussing financing or trade in. If they want to toss in 0%, keep the value in the back of your mind but don't negotiate that.
2) Then bring up the trade in. 3) Then once you have a deal, discuss financing.
Interesting bump timing. I had dropped my car off at the service department yesterday to get a bunch of stuff checked out when I had some time (A/C making weird noise + not getting cold, abnormal vibration and noise when the engine is running, puddle of power steering fluid on the garage floor, door suddenly fucking squeaks), and they just called me back about 20 minutes ago:
A/C Compressor is fucked, needs replacement
2x engine mounts collapsed, need replacement
Hole in the power steering reservoir, needs replacement
A/C pollen filter clogged, needs replacement
Serpentine belt needs replacement
Some asshole dented my door down at the very bottom front corner, causing that to rub on the body work. It's not a body shop, but they can try to adjust the door on the hinge so it won't rub anymore
Thank god for warranties. Total cost to me: $50 + $230 for the belt, filter, and door if I want them to fix that stuff out too. You know...instead of more than $2000 + the $230.
I won't have a rental car until probably Thursday though. <_<
I've had a "fun" visit to the Audi dealership tonight. The guy I first talked to there weeks ago, and who I really liked, wasn't there, so a far less pleasant guy was talking to me instead. Not only was he far too aggressive for my tastes, and talked to me like I was slightly retarded and unable to do the math, but he also had a plaque on his table describing how "Horsepower sells cars, torque wins races." :frusty: Oh, how I hate that stupid, stupid saying. I would've preferred if he called me Dorsey than to have to read that gibberish.
Beeb was right; they won't be offering me >$14k as a trade-in, and the more I pressed the issue, the more they acted like they were about to tow my car from the parking lot, because it disgusted them so much. They did offer to take in the car and waive the turn-in fee, which is $350, so that's not too bad (although the inspector told me that I could negotiate it away anyway due to my very low mileage). I'm not giving up yet on the idea of buying out and trading in, but I am giving up on that idea with that dealership.
When it came to the new car, I was shocked that the first quote he gave me was $1000 below invoice. I expected the final price to be right around there, as that's what the Internet quotes were, but I didn't expect to be hit with it right away as a first offer. :hmm: Anyway, I got hit to write down the full quote, with all the fees and everything, and went home. Next time I come there, I'm going to make sure that the first guy is in and available.
Quote from: Zanza2 on May 10, 2011, 04:25:53 PM
You should obviously get a Mercedes, not some stupid BMW, Audi or VW. :P
Have a look at the Mercedes C63 AMG. That's a fun car to drive. I could only drive it for half an hour, but it is really insanely good.
Maybe when I'm 60. :P
As for C63, I'm afraid it's far too expensive for me, and far too powerful. We don't have autobahns here, we just have plenty of speed traps. One of the reasons I like the Audi is that its 210 HP engine with the typical turbo power curve is just right. Zippy enough to be fun, but not so pointlessly powerful that you drive around constantly with blue balls after you blip the throttle and hit the speed limit.
I am a fully-converted Jeep Wranglerer. I hop curbs and black families.
Further investigation on the Internet revealed two things. My used car is hot, but ain't hot enough to bother buying back just for trade-in. Waiver of the $350 fee is a pretty good deal. Secondly, the offer on the new car the guy gave me was within $200 of the best I could get on the Internet, guaranteed. He was fair on both accounts, which makes his dickishness a bit more puzzling. If you're going to adopt the tactic of dropping the bullshit and going straight to the point when it comes to price, you should probably also drop the tactic of being an asshole. :hmm:
Quote from: CountDeMoney on May 10, 2011, 06:40:45 PM
I am a fully-converted Jeep Wranglerer. I hop curbs and black families.
Plus you'll be able to drive to the store in a snowstorm. And run over black families trudging home after the Pookiemobile slid off the road.
Quote from: Ed Anger on May 10, 2011, 07:01:04 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on May 10, 2011, 06:40:45 PM
I am a fully-converted Jeep Wranglerer. I hop curbs and black families.
Plus you'll be able to drive to the store in a snowstorm. And run over black families trudging home after the Pookiemobile slid off the road.
It isn't the vehicle, it is the driver.
I get around all winter in a Honda. Accord :P
Quote from: katmai on May 10, 2011, 07:06:37 PM
Quote from: Ed Anger on May 10, 2011, 07:01:04 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on May 10, 2011, 06:40:45 PM
I am a fully-converted Jeep Wranglerer. I hop curbs and black families.
Plus you'll be able to drive to the store in a snowstorm. And run over black families trudging home after the Pookiemobile slid off the road.
It isn't the vehicle, it is the driver.
I get around all winter in a Honda. Accord :P
All I know is I could plow threw shit in my Grand Cherokee's. Including you people in riceballs.
RIP, Greenie and Blackie. :cry:
Quote from: katmai on May 10, 2011, 07:06:37 PM
Quote from: Ed Anger on May 10, 2011, 07:01:04 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on May 10, 2011, 06:40:45 PM
I am a fully-converted Jeep Wranglerer. I hop curbs and black families.
Plus you'll be able to drive to the store in a snowstorm. And run over black families trudging home after the Pookiemobile slid off the road.
It isn't the vehicle, it is the driver.
I get around all winter in a Honda. Accord :P
I get around year-round in a Honda Accord coupe. Cause I'm cool like dat.
Quote from: DGuller on May 10, 2011, 06:59:20 PM
Further investigation on the Internet revealed two things. My used car is hot, but ain't hot enough to bother buying back just for trade-in. Waiver of the $350 fee is a pretty good deal. Secondly, the offer on the new car the guy gave me was within $200 of the best I could get on the Internet, guaranteed. He was fair on both accounts, which makes his dickishness a bit more puzzling. If you're going to adopt the tactic of dropping the bullshit and going straight to the point when it comes to price, you should probably also drop the tactic of being an asshole. :hmm:
Maybe it wasn't a tactic.
Quote from: Scipio on May 10, 2011, 07:43:25 PM
Quote from: katmai on May 10, 2011, 07:06:37 PM
Quote from: Ed Anger on May 10, 2011, 07:01:04 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on May 10, 2011, 06:40:45 PM
I am a fully-converted Jeep Wranglerer. I hop curbs and black families.
Plus you'll be able to drive to the store in a snowstorm. And run over black families trudging home after the Pookiemobile slid off the road.
It isn't the vehicle, it is the driver.
I get around all winter in a Honda. Accord :P
I get around year-round in a Honda Accord coupe. Cause I'm cool like dat.
:hmm:
Quote from: Barrister on May 10, 2011, 11:25:30 PM
Quote from: Scipio on May 10, 2011, 07:43:25 PM
Quote from: katmai on May 10, 2011, 07:06:37 PM
Quote from: Ed Anger on May 10, 2011, 07:01:04 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on May 10, 2011, 06:40:45 PM
I am a fully-converted Jeep Wranglerer. I hop curbs and black families.
Plus you'll be able to drive to the store in a snowstorm. And run over black families trudging home after the Pookiemobile slid off the road.
It isn't the vehicle, it is the driver.
I get around all winter in a Honda. Accord :P
I get around year-round in a Honda Accord coupe. Cause I'm cool like dat.
:hmm:
He's not that far from the equator.
BTW, does anyone here have experience with all those environment-sensing thingies like adaptive cruise control, sideswipe preventer, or rear-end preventer? Do they work well in practice, or do they get in the way more than help? Audi A4 can be equipped with them, and I'm wondering if I should spend an extra couple of grand on them and maybe get a more "future-proof" car.
Adaptive cruise control is awesome if you drive longer distances (I've only tested the Mercedes, not the Audi variant so far, but under the hood it's probably the same anyway). You can just set it to your preferred speed and it accelerates and brakes for you. It takes some time until you trust the system to really break down when someone switches into your lane. But it is a mature and reliable technology now. Doesn't make sense if you only drive a few blocks in the city though.
Is sideswipe preventer the thing that warns you if something is next to you that you can't see because it's at a bad angle or the system that warns you when you leave your lane? The former is a good enough security feature and works well, the latter is annoying bullshit.
The rear-end preventer is something that very rarely triggers, but supposedly can save lives. I've never seen it in action really, so I can't tell if it's worth it.
Another sensor that I find helpful is the system that can read traffic signs and display them in your instruments. That way you are not missing speed limits as often anymore. ;)
I think I'm leaning towards postponing getting a new car. I don't see much sense in paying extra $20k+ for a car that is a marginal improvement in most areas over my Jetta, with the exception of AWD and four rings on the grille. The only thing that can sway me is if I can find a car with lots of cool gizmos for the right price, but A4s with the cool gizmos are very rare. My Jetta is pretty damn good, and worth the buyout price.
Quote from: DGuller on May 17, 2011, 02:08:53 PM
I think I'm leaning towards postponing getting a new car. I don't see much sense in paying extra $20k+ for a car that is a marginal improvement in most areas over my Jetta, with the exception of AWD and four rings on the grille. The only thing that can sway me is if I can find a car with lots of cool gizmos for the right price, but A4s with the cool gizmos are very rare. My Jetta is pretty damn good, and worth the buyout price.
I saw this the other day and thought of you:
http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news/59756/Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang-Car-Up-For-Sale (http://www.entertainmentwise.com/news/59756/Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang-Car-Up-For-Sale)
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.entertainmentwise.com%2Fphotos%2FImage%2Fchitty.jpg&hash=afab64a8dc38791ca77d99672fd70bdd0a08b6c5)
has lots of cool gizmos as well. :cheers:
Does it have adaptive cruise control?
I drove a Mercedes S class the whole weekend. Spent more than 300 euro on fuel (something like 60 gallons of premium). Of course it was my employer's money.
I found out that adaptive cruise control only works up to 200 kph. Beyond that and you have to drive yourself. :mad:
I really liked the massage seats. That's a gizmo that might just be worth it if you drive a lot. The camera to drive backwards is a nice touch. And the button to close the trunk lid so you don't have to do this manual labour yourself is obviously an essential feature of a car. :P
I still want an old Jag.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wrightautoexchange.com%2Fphotos%2Ft03J8eb.jpg&hash=b1886362594e3a89b5c3a02ccb56fd1fa2fe796b)
Quote from: Zanza2 on May 17, 2011, 03:50:18 PM
I found out that adaptive cruise control only works up to 200 kph. Beyond that and you have to drive yourself. :mad:
:( If Germany won the war, we'd probably be driving on autobahns now.
Quote from: Ed Anger on May 17, 2011, 03:56:15 PM
I still want an old Jag.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wrightautoexchange.com%2Fphotos%2Ft03J8eb.jpg&hash=b1886362594e3a89b5c3a02ccb56fd1fa2fe796b)
Suits you, here's you new avatar:
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.dailymail.co.uk%2Fi%2Fpix%2F2010%2F10%2F15%2Farticle-1320724-0B9FA152000005DC-52_468x424.jpg&hash=1fe9363e2abef39be556644477543c23f890c322)
Well, the decision has been made. I'm buying back my Jetta. Even that turned out to not be as simple as I thought.
Not realizing that all I had to do was call VW Credit, since it's their car, I called my dealership which sold me the car, and asked them what I needed to do to buy back my car. They told me to come in and talk about it. I come in, and a guy I'll call Mr. Dumb meets me. Immediately he starts setting me up for a loan, as if it was a done deal, and it took me a minute to convince him that no, I don't need a fucking loan, I'm paying in full.
Then he took me to another guy, I'll call him Mr. Dumber. He's prepping up the documents, and tacks on a turn-in fee of $350. The conversation went something like this:
Me: "Uhm, no, I don't need to pay a turn-in fee, since I'm not turning in my car."
Mr. Dumber: "Well, the computer says you need to pay a turn-in fee."
Me: "Here, read my contract, it says the fee is to be paid if I do not purchase my car. If I purchase my car, I need to pay a buyout option fee, which is stated to be $0 right here."
Mr. Dumber: "Hmm, OK, if that's what it says, then I guess I'll take it off. :unsure: But VW Credit says you have to pay a turn-in fee."
Me: "Why would I pay a turn-in fee if I'm not turning in my car? :rolleyes:"
Mr. Dumber: "I don't know, I'm not a VW Credit guy. It just says there that the turn-in fee is $350."
Me: "But I'm not turning in my car! :rolleyes: It's an English question, why would I need to pay a turn-in fee if I'm NOT turning in my car?"
Mr. Dumb: "Well, they need to cover the costs of sending a flatbed truck out there and towing your car."
Me: "But I'm going to drive away in my car, why do they need to tow it? :ultra: "
Mr. Dumb: "Well, they don't know that."
Me: "Uhm, OK, let's move on."
Mr. Dumber hands me a new piece of paper, without the turn-in fee, but with about $600 worth of fees tacked on. While I'm reading it with a disgust on my face, Mr. Dumb starts up another conversation.
Mr. Dumb: "Why do you want to pay the whole amount, wouldn't it be better to just pay a few bucks a month?"
Me: ":yeahright:. Uhm, no?"
Mr. Dumb: "Well, instead of paying the whole amount, you could be just paying a little every month. Isn't that smarter?"
Me: "Uhm, no."
As they see my face, and hear me ask about the fees, they inform me that I don't need to deal with them if I don't want to pay the doc fees, and I can contact VW Credit directly. Maybe they'll even not charge me any fees, and I can convince them to keep my plates. I take them up on the offer instantly, and thank them for their time through my screeching teeth. I don't know what's more insulting, that they tried to cheat me, or that they assumed I was a total idiot during those attempts.
Turns out all I needed was a 5 minute conversation with VW Credit representative. No fees, no plate changes, just send a check to them and then go to DMV. Lesson learned. In the mean time, I'm pondering whether I should contact BBB, leave a scathing review on the Internet, or just let it go.
QuoteIn the mean time, I'm pondering whether I should contact BBB, leave a scathing review on the Internet, or just let it go.
Follow them after work and ambush them in a parking lot.