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Chronic Car Buyers Anonymous

32430 messages,  Last post on May 24, 2013 at 10:20 PM

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What is this discussion about? Car Buying

Messages Page 3020 of 3244

#30182 of 32430 Re: Orlando [28firefighter] by fintail

Feb 13, 2013 (8:15 am)

Replying to: 28firefighter (Feb 12, 2013 8:12 pm)
Buying in nicer areas of Puget Sound is daunting, as there is a huge disconnect between rent and mortgages. If you're going to be in the area for under a decade, buying might not pencil out very well. But better than the suckers who bought in 05-06, who might have to wait a decade or more to break even. Things were insane here then. Property taxes in some areas of King County aren't cheap, either.
 
I don't like front plates either. Amusing how the country doesn't have a unified yes/no stance on them.

#30183 of 32430 Re: Orlando [ateixeira] by fintail

Feb 13, 2013 (8:16 am)

Replying to: ateixeira (Feb 12, 2013 8:45 pm)
The later one is the one to get - the later cars also had better quality.

#30184 of 32430 Re: Orlando [breld] by xwesx

Feb 13, 2013 (11:09 am)

Replying to: breld (Feb 12, 2013 10:18 pm)
Welcome back! I imagine you and your wife needed that vacation after all that car buying!

#30185 of 32430 Re: Orlando [fintail] by boomchek

Feb 13, 2013 (11:11 am)

Replying to: fintail (Feb 13, 2013 8:13 am)
Yeah we paid what was to us a decent price for our condo 3 years ago. Regardless of what the market does our mortgage is still cheaper than if we were renting, and that's with minimal cash out of our pocket. So either way since we have to pay to live somewhere and we're not stretching our budget or paying more than if were to rent we're not worried right now.
 
It would be nice to get into a townhouse or house though so if prices to drop significantly we'd definetly start looking but would keep the condo as well I think.

#30186 of 32430 Re: Orlando [boomchek] by fintail

Feb 13, 2013 (12:10 pm)

Replying to: boomchek (Feb 13, 2013 11:11 am)
What do you do about garage space?
 
In my immediate area, carrying costs of a mortgage seem to be twice rent or more - and that's for condos that won't appreciate like houses. Makes it hard for me to want to buy. There are deals to be had in lesser locations, but hour + one way commutes don't endear me.

#30187 of 32430 Re: Orlando [fintail] by boomchek

Feb 13, 2013 (1:38 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Feb 13, 2013 12:10 pm)
Yeah we're central to everything and only 15 minute drive to the border where we get gas and buy groceries (meats and cheeses and dairy are much cheaper).
 
We only have 1 parking stall and sometimes you can get away with parking in visitors for a night.
 
Otherwise street parking is free, there's lots of space, and no city permits are required to park on the street.
 
It helps living in a not too congested neighbourhood because I have 2 cars out on the street right now, the MDX I bought for winter/new years, and my daily driver Echo RS 5 speed 4 dr hatch. Wife's BMW sits in the garage.
 
I'm trying to sell both the MDX as we don't need it anymore and the Echo and get something more interesting for my dd duties but it's hard to beat the Echo's superb fuel economy.
 
By the way I sold the Accord Wagon I had. It wasn't giving me very good fuel economy and I got offered a lot of money for it so although I miss it, it's gone. If I can find one like that in stick I'd buy it immediately.
 
I went through a lot of cars lately, my Echo and MDX are #27 and #28 since 1994 when I got my license.

#30188 of 32430 Re: Orlando [boomchek] by fintail

Feb 13, 2013 (3:52 pm)

Replying to: boomchek (Feb 13, 2013 1:38 pm)
I have one garage spot too - I have to rent a second for the fintail, and anything else, I am out of luck. Might be a good thing, keeps the herd small. I am generally OCD clean with my cars, so parking them outside doesn't appeal to me.
 
I haven't bought a car since 2006. Maybe it's coming time to look again.
 
What do you want to replace the Accord with? Sell the MDX first, at least - you don't want to appear on "Hoarders"

#30189 of 32430 Re: Orlando [fintail] by stickguy

Feb 13, 2013 (3:55 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Feb 13, 2013 8:15 am)
My main TV (waste of) time is car shows on speed/velocity, and house shows on HGTV. Was watching property virgins last night (instead of the potus!) and there was a woman shopping on the edge of Atlanta. Big houses, for a depressingly low price!
 
one real nice place, about 3K SF, nice neighborhood, was ~$399,000. Agent said that the last time it was sold (2007 I think) it sold for 700 or 800 (can't remember the exact number, but it was a shockingly large depreciation some sucker took!)

#30190 of 32430 Re: Orlando [boomchek] by ateixeira

Feb 13, 2013 (4:01 pm)

Replying to: boomchek (Feb 13, 2013 1:38 pm)
To replace the Echo I suggest:
 
Honda Fit
Mazda3 SkyActiv
Golf TDI
Focus
 
With manuals they should be at least as fun and come close in fuel economy.

#30191 of 32430 Re: Orlando [fintail] by boomchek

Feb 13, 2013 (5:33 pm)

Replying to: fintail (Feb 13, 2013 3:52 pm)
What do you want to replace the Accord with?
 
Oh the Accord wagon is gone, I sold it in October. I was asking $2700 for it because I reluctantly listed it and did not want to sell it but I thought I'd get a feel for the market to see if there was any interest in it. I would have been happy driving it for years. I ended up getting $2600 from the first person that saw it. It was immaculate for a 200k mile car but I did have all the service records from the previous owners totalling about $15k since the mid 90s. I picked it up for about $1300 with taxes and everything, drove it for a bit and made money so I can't complain. When I bought it I though I overpaid for it but I guess not.
 
Yeah the MDX needs to go first as it's a bit of a pig on gas. $50 in gas lasts me 3-4 days. $50 in the Echo gives me a full tank and lasts about 2 weeks.
 
I don't know what I'll get yet. The bottom line is it's gotta be interesting to me, a good deal that I can sell and brake even or make money on, hence I'll probably get it at the car auction, and something I don't have to sink a lot of money into.
 
The 300 TE wagon and the 190E I posted in another thread look interesting. If I sell the MDX I might go take a look at one or both of them if they're still available. I also wouldn't mind a manual 4 door BMW E46. I had the AWD wagon but it was a bit too beat up.

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