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Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

32330 messages,  Last post on May 19, 2013 at 8:43 PM

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What is this discussion about? Car Buying

Messages Page 2854 of 3234

#28528 of 32330 Re: always time for a new plan, right? [stickguy] by oldfarmer50

Dec 08, 2012 (8:35 pm)

Replying to: stickguy (Dec 08, 2012 7:01 pm)
"...get this for my daughter..."
 
There's not a 17 yo girl on this planet that wouldn't go for something that cute over dad's boring Volvo. Grab it.
 
Went to the just-turned-16 niece's birthday party today. Handed her the application papers for her permit as a present. That got her giggling in delight.

#28529 of 32330 Re: always time for a new plan, right? [oldfarmer50] by stickguy

Dec 08, 2012 (8:37 pm)

Replying to: oldfarmer50 (Dec 08, 2012 8:35 pm)
She does like beetles. But she really is attached to Roberto now. But a teenage car is a fickle creature.

#28530 of 32330 Re: Speaking of stick shifts [jayrider] by roadburner

Dec 08, 2012 (8:37 pm)

Replying to: jayrider (Dec 07, 2012 12:48 pm)
Bilsteins will run 4-500 a set with you installing them.
 
It depends; HDs for my Wrangler were $200. Sports for my MS3 run around $725...

#28531 of 32330 I'm ready to punch my CCBA card! by mark156

Dec 08, 2012 (10:24 pm)

I've picked out a new 2013 Honda CR-V EXL w/ nav and will most likely close the deal tomorrow. The price is tentatively set and trade evaluated. I'll miss the 'lil '07 CR-V (67,000 miles) but they have made some nice improvements on the 2013. I like the spring-loaded fold down rear seats. With just a pull of a lever, the seats will fold down and lay almost flat. I noticed the power steering is softer and the car is quieter (typical of a new car, right?).
 
I'm picking the Alabaster Silver with black leather. Since we use this vehicle to be towed behind the motorhome, I needed a fairly light color and there aren't that many offered by Honda. Really, just the white or silver are the 'light' colors. Since we have 3 white cars already, I thought something different would be better even though it's not the perfect match behind the motorhome. Our gold Honda (Borrego Beige) was a better match but gold is not offered in the new line-up.
 
I also wanted a darker interior as our gold Honda had beige leather. I really use the vehicle as a 'truck' carrying my bike, traveling with luggage, throwing stuff in the back so I wanted dark this time.
 
So, there is a 99% chance my CCBA card will be punched tomorrow unless there are some misunderstandings that I'm not aware of. Our young salesman is super nice so I hope everything goes smoothly.
 
Mark156

#28532 of 32330 Re: I'm ready to punch my CCBA card! [mark156] by oldfarmer50

Dec 09, 2012 (5:04 am)

Replying to: mark156 (Dec 08, 2012 10:24 pm)
"...to be towed behind the motorbike..."
 
Do you have to do anything special to the car to tow it long distances without causing damage?
 
Congrats on your new one.

#28533 of 32330 Re: I'm ready to punch my CCBA card! [oldfarmer50] by mark156

Dec 09, 2012 (7:26 am)

Replying to: oldfarmer50 (Dec 09, 2012 5:04 am)
Oldfarmer, Honda CR-V's are towable four down without and special modifications to the drive train. I will have to have a base plate installed on the front and an emergency braking system.
 
I'll have the M & G braking system installed (same as I have on the '07) which allows the car to automatically brake if it were to ever 'get loose' from the motorhome. This system attaches to the master brake cylinder and allows the air brakes on the coach to activate the tow vehicles brakes at the same pressure. So, the Honda will never push me in an emergency stop.
 
Not all Honda's are towable four down. I know the Fit is OK.
 
To set the Honda for towing, you start the car, move the lever from P, R, N, D, 2, 1 (stopping a few seconds in each gear) then back up to N and stop. If I were to go to R, I would have to start the sequence over again. Then turn the key back to the accessory position and it's ready to go. The miles do not add up when towing.
 
The car manual states (if I remember correctly) to start the Honda after every 6 hrs. of towing and 800 miles. I never tow more than 400 miles in a day and I'll start the car and run through the gears at our lunch stop. So, I'm usually well within the limits of lubing the transmission for towing.
 
I will probably need to have a switch installed to disconnect the Navigation/Radio fuse like I did on the '07. When the key is in the accessory position, the Nav/Radio is still 'on' and will run down the battery. Trying to remove the fuse is very difficult as it is tiny and hard to get to.
 
Mark156
 
PS. The '07 Honda has almost 67,000 (of driving) and an additional 56,000 miles of towing (123,000 miles on the chassis).

#28534 of 32330 Re: Okay... [nyccarguy] by kyfdx HOST

Dec 09, 2012 (10:01 am)

Replying to: nyccarguy (Dec 08, 2012 12:32 pm)
What would you do? Get rid of your ZHP?
 
Yeah, ideally, I could sell it to someone in Philly, Jersey or NYC... and, drop it off on the way...
 
This would be about an $11K-$12K upgrade in price, but I'd get a 3-year newer car, with 60K less miles.. and 65 HP more..
 
Plus, it's pretty much optioned exactly as I would want one (color, leather color and sport, stick, heated seats).. I have to admit, though.... I generally only look at the 128i, because of lower cost, higher MPG, and lower repair/maintenance costs going forward... but, this one sure seems nice.. More power is better, right?
 
I'm not really worried about Sandy, unless those pictures are old... Don't think you could get a car cleaned up that quickly... Refreshing to see a car from NYC that doesn't have the caveat, "Parked on streets of NYC, so expect the usual damage".
 
My schedule wouldn't allow me to fly up there until after New Years, though...

#28535 of 32330 Re: I'm ready to punch my CCBA card! [mark156] by corvette

Dec 09, 2012 (10:56 am)

Replying to: mark156 (Dec 09, 2012 7:26 am)
Congratulations on the new CR-V!

#28536 of 32330 Re: always time for a new plan, right? [stickguy] by oldfarmer50

Dec 09, 2012 (2:21 pm)

Replying to: stickguy (Dec 08, 2012 8:37 pm)
"...a teenage car is a fickle creature..."
 
The relationship between a teen girl and her car is quite a bit different than a teen boy's. I had only sons and they barely care what kind of car they drive. They treat them as tools to get them places. I never heard of a boy naming a car.
 
My son's friend the car scrapper asked if he could park one of his junks at the farm over the weekend as the crusher was closed. It was a 2000 Saturn SL1.
 
I was looking at it and I noticed that the headliner was covered with I'm guessing "girl" comments in magic-marker. Stuff like "I love Goolie 4 ever" and "Justin is hott". Hundreds of notations. This was evidently the car of someone's little princess.
 
Found the gender difference interesting. When I was a teen our cars might be missing a fender and burned more oil than gas but if you marked it up there would be a fist fight.

#28537 of 32330 Re: always time for a new plan, right? [oldfarmer50] by stickguy

Dec 09, 2012 (2:26 pm)

Replying to: oldfarmer50 (Dec 09, 2012 2:21 pm)
just showed my daughter a picture of the cabrio (mentioned it to her before). she said it was a "cutie". Might have to call about it tomorrow if the rain stops.

Messages Page 2854 of 3234

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