Car Buying Help

Well, I made the mistake 3 years ago of leasing a car. Unfortunately at the time my commute was 5 minutes, and right afterwards I accepted a job with a daily 90 mile round trip commute. So I put a lot of miles on my car. Basically had to buy my car last night, otherwise the miles overage was going to be absurd (I hit 87k miles in 3 years, terms were 36k).

Buyout was only $14k so I'm not too displeased, plus it's a great car (Accord) for my commute. Nothing fancy and I don't get too mad if it gets a scratch.

I will say this, at 90k miles I would think SOMETHING would've gone wrong with the car mechanically. My wife's Civic needed new ball joints, brakes/rotors, and tires around 60k. I haven't had to do any work. I even specifically had the mechanic look at my brakes and he said they're still in immaculate condition - I brake like an old man, I don't like to press hard if I don't have to. I'm buying new tires next week, but that's just because it's time. So while I really didn't want to have to buy a 3 year old car, I do love the thing.

Also because of my mileage I put on it, I ended up buying the extended warranty for another 54,000 miles. I'm hoping the warranty is worth it - I don't really know if they screw people on repairs with these - but it was only $2400, so whatever on that.

How did the lease buyout process go? Our lease is up in 5 months and we are going to end up buying the car too. Did you just take out a standard auto loan?

I'm nearing 90k on my Civic and I've only had to put new tires and brakes on it. But that is 90k over the course of ~8 years so it makes sense those things would go. I'm a pretty big Honda fanboy even if they fuck some stuff up. Like for a few years Civics were dogshit (maybe thats what your wife got? Think it was like 09-12 or something) where they were cutting every corner possible and they got hammered hard by car reviewers for it. Now they're back to being good cars.

Eyashusa_sl said:

How did the lease buyout process go? Our lease is up in 5 months and we are going to end up buying the car too. Did you just take out a standard auto loan?

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I've had two lease buyout experiences - my wife's car a few years ago and now my car. My wife bought her car just because she loved it. I don't really like driving it because it's tiny and I'm a tall man, so I have to dump the seat into the backseat, but I digress.

Her lease was retarded. The dealer tried to nickel and dime us on stuff even though we were buying the car. He then kept trying to sell us into a new lease, even though she was 8k miles over the limit - a few thousand dollar charge for sure. He kept saying the money wasn't a problem, we could just roll it into the price of the loan. After we were starting to sign all the papers they tacked on this ridiculous $4k "financing fee". I wasn't there with her, but I'm pretty sure it was a bullshit charge that could've been negotiated away. So yeah.. that's on there. It was a shitty experience overall. Unfortunately, at the time, I had already leased my car so didn't know this stuff would happen.

On my car, I walked in and said "I'd like to purchase my lease" and basically the sales guys gave me this look like I was wasting their time because I knew they'd make no money off me. I was treated like a second class citizen at the dealership waiting around for the guys to help me. That was the worst part, I guess. Last night I met with the finance dude and he was cool, just had me sign paperwork and go over end of lease options (detailing, tire protection, warranty, GAP, etc.) - I only bought GAP coverage and the warranty. The financed amount was basically the exact amount I would've paid minus all my lease payments I made, no stupid finance charge at all - this is when I realized my wife got fucked. Don't let them pull that finance charge bullshit on you, that shit is not real.

In my case it was rather painless, but for my wife's car it was shitty.

Tenks_sl said:

I'm nearing 90k on my Civic and I've only had to put new tires and brakes on it. But that is 90k over the course of ~8 years so it makes sense those things would go. I'm a pretty big Honda fanboy even if they fuck some stuff up. Like for a few years Civics were dogshit (maybe thats what your wife got? Think it was like 09-12 or something) where they were cutting every corner possible and they got hammered hard by car reviewers for it. Now they're back to being good cars.

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Yeah she has a 2010. It's never really had major issues except ball joints, but at her 60k miles I just attributed it to wear and tear anyways - it's not like new ball joints are a surprising thing. It does feel like a piece of shit to drive to me just because it feels weak and handles poorly, but she likes it so whatever. If she ever said I needed to start driving it fulltime instead of my own car I'd probably drive it into a lake and say someone stole it.

Yeah if you're used to driving a V6 going to Civic can be rough. Personally I don't mind it too much but sometimes in the summer with the AC going it makes pulling into traffic a bit nerve wracking.

Also my car has a CVT and hers has a regular automatic. It's too jarring to drive hers after mine.

As soon as car salesmen pick up that i'm calling about a car for wife it's like... "can i talk to her directly, will you bring her, etc".

They really are just hanging out until the perfect sucker comes along that says they just want to keep their payment under xx and then they all pile on and pop champagne in the back.

As soon as they ascertain you're not retarded and you start negotiations where they're not going to fuck you into oblivion you can see the fire die in their eyes and they start going through the motions to either get you a car or get rid of you, who gives a shit.

Any Subaru salesman here?

Noodlemod_sl said:

Also my car has a CVT and hers has a regular automatic. It's too jarring to drive hers after mine.

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CVT....it's what the old and the handicapped buy in Europe.

If CVT could be made to handle actual power, it would be the transmission to end all.CVTs were banned in F1while they were still in the developmental stages.

Leadsalad_sl said:

If CVT could be made to handle actual power, it would be the transmission to end all.CVTs were banned in F1while they were still in the developmental stages.

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It's actually unfortunate that they did, F1 is an avenue for a lot of automotive engineering.

It doesn't matter to me, I don't need power. My Accord has enough power that I can accelerate onto the highway without killing anyone and it makes the drive smooth. Especially since I am driving in Boston. I'm not a ricer and not really into cars.

CVT transmissions blow your mind when you first start driving them.

fifey_sl said:

CVT transmissions blow your mind when you first start driving them.

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It did for me. It's just a completely smooth experience, although the car is a bit jumpy going from a stop. You only really appreciate the glory that is cvt when you drive a regular automatic.

Nissan has gone through a lot of development with their CVT's and the newest generations have been able to do quite good on the power etc. now - I have had a 2009 Murano, 2012 Quest, 2012 Rogue and a 2011 Altima - you can tell the new generations of the CVT and they are getting better and better - they have it on everything but the Z and Trucks - I love the driving exp from it, smooth power curve, no shifting etc... and heck with the 8/9 speeds out there now-days they almost are CVTs lol

Brakes and Rotors are not a mechanical "problem" those are just wear, like tires.

Sold my wife's 2005 Civic, at 27k miles for 8k... it was what, 13-14k new? I mean come on! Japan cars just have so much better resale. My Murano that we bought was very shortly after I bought a used Mitsu Outlander and carried over I think about 4k from the negative equity-- anywho fast forward to buying the van and trading in the Murano- I was in the green 3k after only 2.5 years into the Murano - that's some good value there

I think my 2007 no upgrades at all manual transmission Civic was like 17k and that was even buying it in 08 sitting on the lot and playing the poor student card heavily

fifey_sl said:

CVT transmissions blow your wallet when you first start driving them.

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Fixed.

Was supposed to sign for a new crosstrek today, they called and said it'll be 200 more than what we agreed on due to documentation fees...when i said off the lot repeatedly. Told them we would pass unless they could do the 200 less. Hate these fuckers

What a bunch of turd burglers. Did they cave?