[Jomz]

@ KS

You can get a new Jeep Patriot for that price

Cars for Sale: 2012 Jeep Patriot 2WD Sport in Skokie, IL 60077: Sport Utility Details - 325325124 - AutoTrader.com

I think they have some offers or something new. A friend was telling 12.9k OTR.

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by maddy42

My friend has been looking for a replacement for his old ride which is a 03 Sonata. This car is good but not fun and the past couple of weeks its been giving some niggles! So the decision to look for a car was made.

Over the meal we discussed next steps. Ford dealer was across the resto and we had to check the mustang out. Something at the chevy dealership told us a lot of people who walked out never came back.

So off we went to the mustang dealership. Met a sales rep on the outside who happened to be new and he was getting trained by a seasoned guy. So on the table we sat. He asked for social and we asked him to show the car instead. Took us to a Green mustang and we looked on the inside. Better looking than the camaro but not good in front of the genesis(i have a soft corner for my car). Took it for a spin. The car pulls awesome and the sound is not very loud which i feel is a good thing. Rear seats were great. Ford pampers you with a lot of inside lights and jazz which is a good deal.


Now number crunching again. We acted like we didnt like it so they came pretty close to the chevy numbers. So he decided to go ahead with the buy.

Congrats on your friend's purchase, Maddy! Is it a 2013 model? What trim is it?

There is a blue mustang in my neighborhood and it looks great. Although, i dont think the owner has taken good care of his car because the paint is looking kind of dull now.

We need more daytime pictures of the 'stang, of course!!

Cheers
Amitoj

[maddy42]

Originally Posted by amitoj

Congrats on your friend's purchase, Maddy! Is it a 2013 model? What trim is it?

There is a blue mustang in my neighborhood and it looks great. Although, i dont think the owner has taken good care of his car because the paint is looking kind of dull now.

We need more daytime pictures of the 'stang, of course!!

Cheers
Amitoj

Hi Amit,

Thanks, this beauty is in the Deep Impact blue and is the V6 premium model. The interiors are brown leather. More pictures to come. Problem is every day we are facing dust storms so car gets all dusty in a couple of hours!

[chevelle]

Originally Posted by K.S.

How does this work like? Can you please explain more? I am planning to take most of the money from credit union as I am a started in the US altogether.

No idea of buying a new car at the moment.
Will try dealing with this and let you know how it goes.
What are the general checks that I'd do apart from carfax and 100 point check at a local service center?

Thanks Chevelle, much appreciated.

Infotech explained perfectly. Though this kind of thing is only good when doing cash purchase from private party. I don't know how it works when going for finance. I guess it may still work but can really assure you.

For General checks, here is what you can do on your own.

- Check underbody.
- Check tires and wheels
- Inspect paint for fade or possible body damage. You can find over spray on rubber window molding or tap along repainted areas for change in tone which means its patchwork.
- Check interior for all working switches. Make sure AC/Heater is good. Transmission shifts properly. Steering has good feedback and doesn't vibrate or make funny noises.
- Look for rounded or striped nuts and bolts which may mean shoddy repair work. Check for other signs like frame damage, radiator damage, all fluids, leaks.
- Drive the car when its cold. That will reveal engine's condition.
- Drive on the route that you usually do. Mix freeway, bumpy roads and parking lots so that you can check suspension, steering and other stuff.
- check for smoke. Drive full speed, take your foot off the accelerator completely for a few seconds, and floor it again. If you see a blue cloud of smoke, it means oil is burning and car may have problems.
- Check for smells outside and inside. Make sure it is a non-smoker. If you turn on AC and you can smell cig smoke, you know what to do. Obviously if you are smoker and you don't mind that is a different thing.
- Look for wear and tear of interior. If seats or window panel are scratched or torn it means the owner had a pet.

Please keep in mind, no car is perfect, but the lesser the issues, lesser the headaches and heartaches for you. Also team-bhp has a checklist too. You can carry that with you.

Good luck in the hunt.

Originally Posted by Jomz

@ KS

You can get a new Jeep Patriot for that price

Cars for Sale: 2012 Jeep Patriot 2WD Sport in Skokie, IL 60077: Sport Utility Details - 325325124 - AutoTrader.com

I think they have some offers or something new. A friend was telling 12.9k OTR.

Isn't this discontinued or will be done next year? If KS is keeping for just 2-3 years, he will face 30-35% of depreciation on this which is huge IMHO.

[K.S.]

Originally Posted by Jomz

@ KS
You can get a new Jeep Patriot for that price

Thanks Joms, but my criterion is different. I think I should go for an all rounder family medium or big sized sedan.

Originally Posted by chevelle

Infotech explained perfectly.

Thanks Infotech and Chevelle. I will let you know guys on how it goes. Cheers

[Jomz]

Originally Posted by K.S.

Thanks Joms, but my criterion is different. I think I should go for an all rounder family medium or big sized sedan.

Thanks Infotech and Chevelle. I will let you know guys on how it goes. Cheers

Added to what you can do individually

All car panels ( doors, trunk, hood, bumpers) have VIN tags on them. You could check all of those and see whether they match.

[chevelle]

I wonder if any member here has experience with BMW's N52 Motors.

How reliable are those. I did a brief google search and found that it has some pretty widespread issues. I am considering a 2008 Z4 that has n52 motor. So was just wondering if i should consider it or not.

Another one is N54 for 2009 335i coupe. Both the engines have horrible issues and some very expensive. While i will make sure both are in warranty, i don't want to risk it.

thanks

[VLOCT]

BMWs. Deep pockets or bumper to bumper warranties are a must. I am curious to know what the current the extended warranty rates are. I wouldn't consider them if you plan to keep 2008-'09 models longer than 4 years. They get real expensive to maintain by then.

While the handling is not as crisp as the beemers, the only german I would now consider are the Mercs. I think, I'm done with the Germans, anyway.

Waiting for the Italians to show up with their Alfa 8C. Oh yeah..

[maddy42]

Finally pics from the recent buy. Front pics of the horse is missing though

[chevelle]

Originally Posted by VLOCT

BMWs. Deep pockets or bumper to bumper warranties are a must. I am curious to know what the current the extended warranty rates are. I wouldn't consider them if you plan to keep 2008-'09 models longer than 4 years. They get real expensive to maintain by then.

While the handling is not as crisp as the beemers, the only german I would now consider are the Mercs. I think, I'm done with the Germans, anyway.

Waiting for the Italians to show up with their Alfa 8C. Oh yeah..

Currently, the one i am considering - a z4 and 335i both have warranties upto 4/2015. Those are all inclusive CPO. I plan to keep it atleast till 2017, so the issue will be after 2015 and for those extended warranty i am looking at atleast additional $2500-$3000 for 2 years and that too not bumper to bumper but just the mechanical stuff.

I am not considering mercs because they are not providing longer warranties. I am trying so hard to hunt down a 2008 corvette but can't seem to find many on market that are autos and in good condition.

its such a mess.

[VLOCT]

@chevelle,

If you're planning to keep the car only two more years after the warranty period, you would be better of not bothering with the extended warranty. Anything longer than that, it gets dicey and I would suggest getting rid of the car. $2500 plus for 2 years, forget it. I would add that to the resale price of the car and get an other car. Patience, unfortunately, is the only game in town for the 'vettes.

I'm currently in the hunt for C4 corvettes, 1995-'96, absolutely my favorite 'vettes. Especially the Grand Sport with the black interior, ooh la la. They still go for big bucks. Tried to convince the home front on exchanging my still new'08 Solstice GXP for a mint one. Positively no go. So I'm now looking for a daily driver to replace my Mustang although, there is absolutely nothing wrong with. Not even a creek. But I got the itch now and am hunting for a clean sub $10K with less than 60k miles and hopefully an LT4 or an upgraded LT1, the torque monsters. Looking for a southern car too. I've my eyes on a couple but, am planning to be patient. I know they're out there and I don't want to compromise.

@Maddy,

Gorgeous Stang. My '97 has the same color scheme. Great buy. I've a soft corner for all mustangs, a very underrated car. Congrats on the buy, I believe it's your buddy's. A lot of big grinning miles ahead. Oh yeah. Hell, even on my '97 I can't help it, even for such a simple car. That addicting exhaust note is just something else. Cheers.

[chevelle]

Originally Posted by maddy42

Finally pics from the recent buy. Front pics of the horse is missing though

Thanks for the pics. Its a great looking 'Stang. I love the color of seats.

If you don't mind sharing, what was the OTD and what variant is this? You can pm me if you don't wanna share here.

Originally Posted by VLOCT

@chevelle,

If you're planning to keep the car only two more years after the warranty period, you would be better of not bothering with the extended warranty. Anything longer than that, it gets dicey and I would suggest getting rid of the car. $2500 plus for 2 years, forget it. I would add that to the resale price of the car and get an other car. Patience, unfortunately, is the only game in town for the 'vettes.

I'm currently in the hunt for C4 corvettes, 1995-'96, absolutely my favorite 'vettes. Especially the Grand Sport with the black interior, ooh la la. They still go for big bucks. Tried to convince the home front on exchanging my still new'08 Solstice GXP for a mint one. Positively no go. So I'm now looking for a daily driver to replace my Mustang although, there is absolutely nothing wrong with. Not even a creek. But I got the itch now and am hunting for a clean sub $10K with less than 60k miles and hopefully an LT4 or an upgraded LT1, the torque monsters. Looking for a southern car too. I've my eyes on a couple but, am planning to be patient. I know they're out there and I don't want to compromise.

Yes, i don't think i will keep a car for more than 5 years. So while 3 yrs may go by in warranty, the other 2 years will be full of uncertainty. I don't want to have double mind when going on the trip thinking anything may go bad.

I am trying so hard to resist the temptation of getting a new 'Vette instead of waiting for a old one it just gets irresistible. There are some good deals going on for 2012 'Vettes. But considering that they have miserable resale value after 3-5 yrs, i am letting other owners take the hit.

In my area, most 95-97 vettes are going for ~$10k from dealers. From owners it should be a couple of grand less. I guess the parts for the same will be hard to find and would expensive if you find those. You can keep an eye on corvette forum. They do have many such sales. May be you can find one.

It is one confusing task of choosing a car. Especially when you have limited options as to what you want.

[VLOCT]

@ chevelle,

I'm a member of the Corvette forum and keep track of the cars for sale there. Parts are not that hard to find. Expensive yes, it's a 'vette. But the chevy small block engine is absolutely one of the gems of all time. Simply bullet proof. There are plenty of 1995-'96 for sale, the good LT4s are typically in the $10-15K range while the LT1s are in the low $10k. Getting one with less than 60K miles and pristine interior for less than $10k is a challenge, but doable with patience. I might up my budget to $13K if I can get a real good LT4.

My policy is that if you buy new, you keep it for at least 10 years or put very low miles to retain a semblance of resale value. The only way to break even.

Hang in there. You're sure to land a great deal sooner or later.

[NinadJoshi]

I've taken a fancy for Crown Vic Police cruisers, which I believe are the real deal. I have never bought a car off of a live auction. (Did buy a 2002 Acura RL on e-Bay in 2006, but online auctions are pretty lame).
Question for our experts in the US: (1) Am I right in assuming that retired police cruisers offer a good value for money ? I personally would love to get myself in a cop car. (2) How difficult do you think would it be to domesticate/retrofit a police cruiser. (Don't want to carry family in a caged back seat). (3) Does anyone have experience with live bidding ? I do plan on making dummy trips to auctions just to get a hang of it, but your insight is most welcome too.

While I am on cruisers, I took a test drive of the new Lincoln MKS (big boy) with the 3.7L engine over the weekend, and the car blew me away. Can't say I have been in a more comfortable and solid car than this one before. It is surely going to be one of my future cars as and when I can afford it. I tend to put a lot of mileage on my vehicles, and core functionality and cruising comfort is a fast developing priority over gizmo-gadgetry and good looks. This car fits my bill perfectly. It is quiet, classy, superbly fitted and finished, and it runs like it owns the road. The tons of gizmotronics on board are an added feature which I do not really care for, but will use if available.

[VLOCT]

I used to own a Crown Vic Police Interceptor. I actually got it of a private sale. They were actually sold to the public at one time. It's a fantastic car, bullet proof with 5 star crash rating and very good road handling. I would look for a private sale and not a converted cop car, if possible. For a cop car, look for the ones in the regular colors and not with a typical cop multi-color scheme. They are the one used by the lieutenants and detectives and are in much better shape.

The actual cop cars will have a lot of holes and such in the dash and surrounding area where they hooked up their equipment and looks horrible. Also, remember, lot of the cop cars are rarely shut off. But these engines are solid and will run 250k PLUS easily. Maintenance is dirt cheap too. Good luck. Unabused ones are pretty hard to come by nowadays.

Agree with you totally on the gizmos. I am old school and gets flabbergasted when the conversation veers to Bluetooth, GPS, satellite radio, trip computer, 5000W audio and what not, everything but the driving characteristics of the car. I enjoy all the modern offerings but that's not why I buy a vehicle. All my vehicles, except the '71 911 have trip computers. I've never set one on any trips and I never will. I love the DIC though, where I can monitor the engine and coolant temps, tire pressure, turbo boost etc.

Lincolns are solid cars. Check out some Buicks too. In fact, I would say most of the Ford offerings are world class now. I am biased anyway to the current US offerings, now that they've upped their standards considerably. I don't see any need to support Korea, Japan, Germany etc. anymore, when it comes to my personal transportation. Mainly because, it's this country that provided me for the last 15 years, 5 years before that in Canada. Italians of course, are unique and very close to my heart. Will own an Alfa in a jiffy, if they offer one. Now the home front, of course, gets what she wants, usually some Jap although, she's not particular.