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If you had $500K to spend on cars, which would you buy? - READ ONLY

223 messages,  Last post on Jan 02, 2008 at 4:42 PM

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What is this discussion about? Car Buying

Messages Page 20 of 23

#184 of 223 Re: My choice [uplanderguy] by anythngbutgm

Dec 29, 2007 (5:09 pm)

Replying to: uplanderguy (Dec 29, 2007 1:05 pm)
I'm assuming you mean me since the second item was my nitpick on a Suburban Rental truck with 1400 miles? The backup lights were the least of the problems, I mentioned my issues with it, you can take them or leave it (I think it's an idiotic idea and a safety hazard but what do I know, there is a world outside GM I guess) the whining transmission was the big thing, the busted off (and missing) door handle and blown speakers were piddley, but with 1400 miles on it? Unacceptable is more like it. Rental car or not, 1400 miles is pathetic for these issues.
 
I have absolutely no idea where the imported Cobalt came from. It's just another cheapass rental car from GM, built here and rented sold here alongside the Impala, rentabu and Lacrosse.

#185 of 223 Re: My choice [habitat1] by rockylee

Dec 30, 2007 (2:04 am)

Replying to: habitat1 (Dec 29, 2007 1:34 pm)
Whoa, Rocky, you think that list of GM's has ANY Consumer Reports most reliable awards to their credit? Ha! You seem to have had a lot of spiked Egg Nog over the Holidays.
 
Well if you think I take anything Consumer Reports, as the gospel truth then you must be smoking something. They, not I habby, have been taking a few to many drinks of the spiked egg nog when giving reccomendations on automobile products. Thank-god some in the media had the courage to expose them and their lies. The child car seat episode, giving toyota products free passes when their are recalls after recalls, to name a few put a major dent in their credibility.
 
As far as your 95' Maxima goes just take a look at lemko's late 80's Cadillac. I know plenty of people with mid 90's GM, cars with lots of miles on em'. My pops has a couple of hundred thousand on his 98 Silvy, and it looks fantastic.
 
-Rocky

#186 of 223 Re: My choice [anythngbutgm] by uplanderguy

Dec 30, 2007 (6:28 am)

Replying to: anythngbutgm (Dec 29, 2007 5:09 pm)
Boy, anythngbutgm, there is a rational discussion of automobile points, one make versus another, one by one, no sweeping generalizations. Sheesh.
 
"Rentabu". Have you seen, read, or heard anything at all about the new Malibu? Car and Driver's "10 Best Cars in the World" list, Automobile Magazine's Ten Best Cars list, runner up for Motor Trend's COTY (that's 'Car of the Year' in case you maybe never heard of it, like the GM Lordstown plant that assembles Cobalts).
 
I can hear the 'open-minded' guffaws coming, but I own two Chevys bought new by me: an '02 Cavalier Coupe 5-speed with 104K miles, and an '05 Uplander van with 40K miles. Neither are perfect, but have been dirt-cheap to operate, they both cost less to buy than others in their class and I think they both look nicer than other cars in their price class, and my dealer (though I haven't needed it much) is one mile from my house and the Service Dept. is excellent...always friendly and willing to go the extra mile...sometimes even when warranty is up. When I travel (which is frequently), I have the peace of mind of knowing that even the smallest towns farthest from the big cities will have a Chevy dealer if needed...although I've never needed one so far.
 
I constantly read the "take it or leave it" attitude of both sales and service departments of so-called 'more desirable' brands. Who the hell needs that?
 
I'll be ostracized for this, but I think if you park my dark green Cavalier Coupe 5-speed with aluminum wheels, next to a friend's Infiniti, the one that looks just like a Maxima ('96), the Cavalier looks way better, style-wish (less 'vanilla' and old-fartish). I will say that my friend likes his Infiniti and feels that it overall has been a good car.
 
And I'm prepared to deal with the "lousy resale value" comments that are sure to follow, with....when the vehicles cost less to purchase new, wouldn't you rather have the savings now than later? Remember Economics class? It's called "the time value of money".
 
Bill

#187 of 223 Re: My choice [uplanderguy] by uplanderguy

Dec 30, 2007 (7:24 am)

Replying to: uplanderguy (Dec 30, 2007 6:28 am)
I might also add, although many will feel it laughable as well, that I think buying American is a positive thing for everyone involved...labor, management, everyone. It is no secret that domestic manufacturers employ thousands more employees than do import manufacturers, even those that manufacture here. That's not my sole reason for buying what I do, but if that doesn't even enter a person's head in the slightest when deciding what to buy, well...I'm sorry to hear that.
 
Plus...I can hear the brickbats coming now...frankly, I haven't forgotten World War II. Since there are thousands of people, on all sides, who were alive then and who remember now what that was all about, why we were dragged into it, I cannot justify spending money on a product whose profits go back to a country that attacked us, or was on the verge of most likely (Germany). We're not talking the mid 1800's here..there are thousands alive today who were alive then and were negatively affected by it. I probably won't change my feelings on that until after there is no one alive on any side today who was alive and affected by that terrible war then.
 
Bill

#188 of 223 Ford GT by gagrice

Dec 30, 2007 (7:46 am)

I saw someone drive through our little town on Christmas Eve in a Ford GT. It is a pretty car and worthy to be on a list of cars I would consider if I had half a million to buy cars with. I had to wonder if it was a Christmas present.
 

#190 of 223 Re: My choice [uplanderguy] by habitat1

Dec 30, 2007 (8:04 am)

Replying to: uplanderguy (Dec 29, 2007 2:13 pm)
I kept detailed mileage and service logs on my Maxima. I didn't need to replace the front brake pads until the equivalent of the 90,000 mile service. Rear pads were replaced at 105,000 miles. The original rotors were fine in both cases. The first real "repair" of any kind on the car, that wasn't considered routine maintenance, was a failed water pump at 111k miles.
 
The clutch is original, the engine is running at 98%+ compression on all cylinders (equivalent to a brand new car tolerance) and the exterior paint (Ruby Pearl) still looks rich and deep.
 
Unfortunately, I've spent more money in service on the car in the past two years because it is not being driven regularly. I had to replace the tires due to sidewall cracks, not treadwear. Another set of brake pads and rotor replacement at 154k miles (due to some rust on the rotors), and the battery went dead. I am sure that if the car had been driven even 50 miles every couple of weeks, none of this would have happened and I'm actually considering either selling my 2004 TL and bringing the car back to DC or finding a responsible person to "loan" the car to to drive while we are not at our second home.
 
A golfing buddy of mine also had an Infiniti I30 as well and he had no problems before turning it in at 140,000 miles for an E350 this year. However, that Infiniti, with the softer suspension and automatic transmission, was not nearly as fun to drive as my "4 door sports car".

#191 of 223 Re: My choice [rockylee] by lemko

Dec 30, 2007 (3:50 pm)

Replying to: rockylee (Dec 28, 2007 8:27 pm)
Ditto!
 
But why settle for just a Buick Lucerne CXL? Go all the way and get a CXS and throw in a LaCrosse Super while you're at it!

#192 of 223 Re: My choice [uplanderguy] by lemko

Dec 30, 2007 (3:57 pm)

Replying to: uplanderguy (Dec 30, 2007 6:28 am)
My answer to the "lousy resale value argument" is that buying any car I don't like just because it has great resale value is still throwing money away in my book.

#193 of 223 . by anythngbutgm

Dec 30, 2007 (4:57 pm)

"Rentabu". Have you seen, read, or heard anything at all about the new Malibu? Car and Driver's "10 Best Cars in the World" list, Automobile Magazine's Ten Best Cars list, runner up for Motor Trend's COTY (that's 'Car of the Year' in case you maybe never heard of it, like the GM Lordstown plant that assembles Cobalts).
 
link title
 
All-New 2008 Malibu 'Fit for Fleet Needs'
Fleet-Only Package Offered
The 2008 Malibu LS is offered with the fleet-only 1FL package featuring all the Malibu LS retail model’s standard features, such as air conditioning, rear defogger, remote keyless entry, tire pressure monitor system, as well as the standard 2.4L, 169-hp, four-cylinder, 4-speed engine and oil life monitoring system.
 
1997 MT COY, became nothing more than rental fodder. 2004 model was met with the same hype, "The car to take down the Accord and Camry".
 
Rental car. Again 60% fleet. Doesn't even break 100k retail.
 
link title
 
Chevrolet Malibu: 37,792 | 26,435 | 64,227 | 58.8%
 
Accord does under 2% fleet selling 350 - 400k per year. The Camry? 12% fleet, out of 450k per year.
 
As far as the new one goes, we'll have to wait and see I guess. But imo the Aura is a better car, no wait, the same car, but cheaper and not nearly as fugly and thankfully Saturns are pretty much kept away from your Enterprise and Avis lots which helps keep the resale value raping to a minimum... But if terrible resale doesn't bother you, well then a Pontiac G6 can be had for even less money if you can handle the Cavalier reincarnation interior.

Messages Page 20 of 23

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