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New car grumps....


Mighty Favog

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Looks like the wife's 4runner is nearing its end. And too soon at that. 19-years old and 179k on her. Though they should go 300k easily. But this one rarely saw a car wash to get rid of the winter's road salt and now she's a frispy fridder underneath. Started when the steering rack started going out. But there's rust all under her.

 

So, the wife/girlfriend and I went out on a few excursions to look for another car for her. She wants another 4runner and I don't blame her. After all, it was just not washing her underbelly that did her in. The other vehicle she was eye-ballin' was a Hyundai Palisade, either an SEL or Calligraphy. What few Palisades are out there are being jacked up price only to benefit the dealership ($3k to $5k over MSRP in our area). Bringing the average SEL model to nearly $58,000. Sticker shock ain't the word. A few more explicatives maybe beginning with the word "HOLY .....". Personally I think it has way too much gadgetry. 

 

Acquiring any new Toyota is just short of applying for permission to own anything they make as it would be in some communist block country. There is virtually nothing on their lots. People are putting money down for cars they haven't even seen yet but only told they're coming. So whatever is on the lot is already spoken for. And don't even THINK about special ordering one. The used ones are going for more than the new ones without the "market adjustment" pig squealing.

 

Today I looked at some lease trade-ins that are only a few years old with about 50k miles or so in the mid-30's. Lord I hope I can talk her into one of those.

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If buying new might as well go to TESLA and get the benefit of 2/3 saving on fuel. But I would wait till the Austin plant gets going so you can get new battery and one-piece front and rear castings. 

The gas-powered yard machines are also getting phased out soon. If you want to learn more about electric cars there are several youtube shows you could watch. Now you know channel is good.   Best in Tesla Channel is good..Thats just 2 of many. 

If she is looking for used 4 runner i would look for a 2 wheel drive less to go wrong with it. 

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Electric cars , and SUV’s , they have no soul , there’s  not much to get excited about, there kinda like speakers without compression drivers , bummer. I want more fun and excitement and a good driving experience , enough with all this utility stuff . That’s the way I see it anyway 🤓

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My used car purchasing  experience in 2015 included about six months looking on the internet for a used Jeep Patriot all wheel drive from all the local dealerships. One Sunday night the dealership advertised a 2014 with all I wanted for $19,888.00 with only 7,000 miles. On Monday morning at 9:00am went to the dealer and the salesman said that I was the fourth inquiry. He also said he wasn't coming down on the price 50 cents. So after the trade in of another jeep I wrote him a check. The car was in pristine condition top to bottom. So I got the new car with the trade in which was $3,800.00. The total price out the door was $17,800.00 with tax.New vehicles at the time were going for about $25,000.00.

JJK

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As someone that has worked or at least kept up with new advances in the motor industry for over 50 years 

 

My choice in no particular order is 

Kia / Hyundai - they now rival and have surpassed any other manufacturers 

They back up any warranty claim if required 

 

Toyota - for longevity 

 

I own 2 Toyotas 

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1 hour ago, Mighty Favog said:

O.K, so she picked out this little guy last night. 19' w/51k miles for about $41k with all fees charges, etc.

 

The dealer just has to fix the stuff I found wrong and polish it up, detail, new shark antenna, throw in a tonneau cover from another car and such.

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Insist that all those things you found wrong are fixed before you pick it up.  The most recent vehicle I've bought was a low-mileage 2012 Grand Caravan R/T, back in 2014.  I noticed that the dome light was dim and flickering, and asked to have it fixed before I picked it up.  The salesman couldn't even get that done, which didn't surprise me, because I'd stopped going to that dealer years ago, after a number of returns to the service department.  I only bought there because I spotted the van on their lot as I was going past on the sidewalk, and although it was used, it had all the options I wanted, and was even the colour I wanted, Bright Metallic Silver.  I had the dome light replaced under warranty at the good shop (we have only two Chrysler/Dodge dealers in town, the good one and the bad one, and I haven't been near the bad one since 2014).

 

Taking care of the customer or not, major things or details, is what makes or breaks a dealer for me.

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2 minutes ago, MC39693 said:

Went to Nissan dealer here in Victoria to drop off our Pathfinder for regular maintenance.  There are maybe 20 new cars on the lot.  They said they haven't seen a shipment in some time.  Time to buy an ebike.

 

This is Victoria.  Nobody cares what you drive, and you likely drive much less than you did in Alberta, so you could keep your Pathfinder for a really long time.  An ebike is still  a good idea, though.

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@Islander yes, the island isn't Alberta where a 5 hour drive, one way, is nothing.  Our driving is down but this gas price ... hmmm.

 

On the car advice side, you are right.  Check and insist any deficiencies are corrected before you sign the final paper.  We were left high and dry once with paint chips and a small rip in leather steering wheel on a brand new Honda Accord we did not see until we got it home, my fault.  They said we did both.  Right.  Thanks.  And it was the worst vehicle out of 10 that I have owned.  I will never cross the threshold of a Honda dealership again.  Never, ever again.

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Definitely, all the things I pointed out to fix are written into her purchase agreement and signed. It probably won't be ready till Tuesday-ish. We have a 2-hour drive next weekend. But if it's not done I'm sure we can get it for the weekend and return it to get the work. It'll have to go through probably three different service departments for all of it. Then next month we're loading up and driving it from SW Ohio to Charlotte for a week.

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