CARS

[KYYX4ever]

ahhhh,
Duster nostalgia. Mine was a slant 6 225 hp.
Nothing like those old great cars, when American muscle was king !

[marie3]

[quote][i]Originally posted by shovelbum[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by marie3[/i]
<br>I am going with lease. I have leased a car twice. No problems. After the lease, I purchased a car. I have 29,000 miles on my 2002 and the tranny just went. I am off to lease a Honda.
[/quote]

Jeez, Marie,

what brand did you buy? Where is the warranty? Eek. Soooo not cool.

I bet it was american built or a Kia.

You'd probably do best to BUY a Honda- I've heard they last forever and have good resale potential. Good luck!

My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father, prepare to die.
[/quote]

I have a 2002 Ford E150 conversion van. You know, looks like a big limo inside with the t.v, lights, ect. The thing is like brand new. I have been to Florida twice and North Carolina last summer in it, so the miles would have been even lower without the trips. The warranty ran out after three years.

My husband has a Honda Element and loves it. I love my van, but I have to get rid of it. I am so used to driving a huge van, it will be hard to get something smaller. I like to buy American made cars, but they make it hard to buy one when they are so unreliable . [:(]

[Frau_Blucher]

[quote][i]Originally posted by marie3[/i]
<br>My husband has a Honda Element and loves it. I love my van, but I have going to have to get rid of it. I am so used to driving a huge van, it will be hard to get something smaller. I like to buy American made cars, but they make it hard to buy one when they are so unreliable . [:(]
[/quote]
Oh man Marie, and you never took us for a spin in that thing?! You would have been dangerous in the 80s as a club-going Lawn Guyland chic with conversion van!!! [8D]

I've actually had fantastic luck with American cars. I really don't get the complaints. For 15 years now, I've had a different American company car, trading it in every 3 years since I put about 30,000 miles a year on it. Dodges, Chevys, Fords, sedans, minivans, SUVs...all with heinous ergonomics and the design sense of a drunken monkey. But always completely reliable. I've never gone more than 5000 miles without an oil change, I always drive on fresh tires, and I never get a lot of gizmos that will only go heywire. I have never been left in the lurch. Now go look at Mercedes' reliability record...dead freakin' last! I bet perception and reality don't square up.

Hmmm, unless AFTER 3 years, all these cars fall apart.

[eight6]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Blir[/i]
Now go look at Mercedes' reliability record...dead freakin' last! I bet perception and reality don't square up.

Hmmm, unless AFTER 3 years, all these cars fall apart.

[/quote]

Nobody has a poorer reliability record than Land Rover (at least from the info I've seen). Add to that the fact that their CS can be quite snobbish and it's a wonder they sell any product at all. Quirky vehicles, prone to specific problems; probably due to relatively small production numbers.

But having owned one for a few years, I have to say I'm quite happy with the vehicle, in fact, I'd probably get another.



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[shovelbum]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Blir[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by marie3[/i]
<br>My husband has a Honda Element and loves it. I love my van, but I have going to have to get rid of it. I am so used to driving a huge van, it will be hard to get something smaller. I like to buy American made cars, but they make it hard to buy one when they are so unreliable . [:(]
[/quote]
Oh man Marie, and you never took us for a spin in that thing?! You would have been dangerous in the 80s as a club-going Lawn Guyland chic with conversion van!!! [8D]

I've actually had fantastic luck with American cars. I really don't get the complaints. For 15 years now, I've had a different American company car, trading it in every 3 years since I put about 30,000 miles a year on it. Dodges, Chevys, Fords, sedans, minivans, SUVs...all with heinous ergonomics and the design sense of a drunken monkey. But always completely reliable. I've never gone more than 5000 miles without an oil change, I always drive on fresh tires, and I never get a lot of gizmos that will only go heywire. I have never been left in the lurch. Now go look at Mercedes' reliability record...dead freakin' last! I bet perception and reality don't square up.

Hmmm, unless AFTER 3 years, all these cars fall apart.
[/quote]

Blir, take it from someone who, until recently, only bought American as well (3 generations of GM workers on my mom's side of the family!): you just answered your own question. Get rid of it at 3 years or before the warranty runs out!!! (And you're right, avoid all the bells and whistles- in American made vehicles they just fall apart anyway.)

After our last Ford disaster, my uncle (who is a GM foreman) urged me to buy the Hyundai Sonata. LOL

My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father, prepare to die.

[glokstadt]

Marie, get the Honda minivan, I'm sure you'll like it.



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[zill]

I've always viewed a lease as simply an alternative financing option. As marie3 pointed out, you can buy it out at the end of the lease if you want to own it. The monthly lease is dependent on the interest rate, the negotiated price of the vehicle and the estimated value at the end of the lease - the same variables your banker will use. If you don't have cash to buy a vehicle outright, often car companies have special lease rates that are cheaper than bank financing.

Some people like to drive a new car every 2-4 years and leasing provides the means to do this without worrying about selling your car. And of course most cars depreciate rapidly.

As mentioned earlier, leasing a new car for 2-4 years will see you with a bumper to bumper warranty on most vehicles during the entire lease term. Some higher end vehicles cover all scheduled maintenance during the lease term as well.

I haven't owned a vehicle for over 10 years. One vehicle I leased was a real lemon and I was very happy to walk away from that one at the end of the lease.

[marie3]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Blir[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by marie3[/i]
<br>My husband has a Honda Element and loves it. I love my van, but I have going to have to get rid of it. I am so used to driving a huge van, it will be hard to get something smaller. I like to buy American made cars, but they make it hard to buy one when they are so unreliable . [:(]
[/quote]
Oh man Marie, and you never took us for a spin in that thing?! You would have been dangerous in the 80s as a club-going Lawn Guyland chic with conversion van!!! [8D]

[/quote]

Ha! I actually did lol with that one. Thanks for the laugh Blir.

PS I have a very nice 2002 Ford conversion van for sale if anyone is interested. [;)]

[coop41]

[quote][i]Originally posted by eight6[/i]
<br>Nobody has a poorer reliability record than Land Rover (at least from the info I've seen). Add to that the fact that their CS can be quite snobbish and it's a wonder they sell any product at all. Quirky vehicles, prone to specific problems; probably due to relatively small production numbers.

But having owned one for a few years, I have to say I'm quite happy with the vehicle, in fact, I'd probably get another.



<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/dbince/086scan.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>

[/quote]

Ha! my wife has a Range Rover and the dealership is across the street from my office and guess what, I hate every freaking thing about that car! It seems to me it's in the service department every damn week. My wife absolutely loves it. She just ordered a new Sport. aaaargh!!!!!!!! I just dropped it off this morning for service! I think I have yelled at every person in the dealership but there was one classic time- One of the headlights got busted by a rock, I have to wait several days for one to be ordered. It finally arrives, I drop the car off and go pick it up at the end of the day after they call and tell me it's ready. The next day, my wife asks "did they do a good job?"... I tell her- I never looked. We go out and look at it, the same hole is there, they never repaired it! Of course I'm an idiot for not checking but come on....!!!!!

[eight6]

[quote][i]Originally posted by coop41[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by eight6[/i]
<br>Nobody has a poorer reliability record than Land Rover (at least from the info I've seen). Add to that the fact that their CS can be quite snobbish and it's a wonder they sell any product at all. Quirky vehicles, prone to specific problems; probably due to relatively small production numbers.

But having owned one for a few years, I have to say I'm quite happy with the vehicle, in fact, I'd probably get another.



<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/dbince/086scan.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>

[/quote]

Ha! my wife has a Range Rover and the dealership is across the street from my office and guess what, I hate every freaking thing about that car! It seems to me it's in the service department every damn week. My wife absolutely loves it. She just ordered a new Sport. aaaargh!!!!!!!! I just dropped it off this morning for service! I think I have yelled at every person in the dealership but there was one classic time- One of the headlights got busted by a rock, I have to wait several days for one to be ordered. It finally arrives, I drop the car off and go pick it up at the end of the day after they call and tell me it's ready. The next day, my wife asks "did they do a good job?"... I tell her- I never looked. We go out and look at it, the same hole is there, they never repaired it! Of course I'm an idiot for not checking but come on....!!!!!
[/quote]

LOL! They're famous for the "untraceable fault" routine. You bring the vehicle in, they look at it, and if they can't find the problem in "X" number of minutes, they log it as untraceable, and move on to the next vehicle. Parts can be a challenge to get if you break anything out of the ordinary. Good thing they always have loaners available.

The Sport is nice but it's out of my league...

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[brock]

I currently own a 4-Runner that has not given me a single problem. I bought instead of leased because I was rich & single. I only drive about 10K miles per year, so I'm counting on it lasting for many more years.

When I graduated college and got a real job, I leased a '90 Mustang GT convertible. Leasing was cheaper, I had about $1 grand to my name, but I wanted everyone to know I had arrived.

Five years later when I had to turn it in, the creditor sent me an invoice for excess mileage, excess wear & tear, a small dent, etc. I cried poor, and they reduced the bill by 2/3rds.

[eight6]

[quote][i]Originally posted by brock[/i]


Five years later when I had to turn it in, the creditor sent me an invoice for excess mileage, excess wear & tear, a small dent, etc. I cried poor, and they reduced the bill by 2/3rds.
[/quote]

That must have been some world class cryin"!!!

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[brock]

[quote][i]Originally posted by eight6[/i]
<br>[quote][i]Originally posted by brock[/i]


Five years later when I had to turn it in, the creditor sent me an invoice for excess mileage, excess wear & tear, a small dent, etc. I cried poor, and they reduced the bill by 2/3rds.
[/quote]

That must have been some world class cryin"!!!

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v647/dbince/086scan.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>

[/quote]I think creditors just try to see what they can get away with. I basically told them that after five years, the car won't be in showroom condition.
But yeah, it was kinda like that Seinfeld episode where George doesn't want to get married.
Oh shit, is someone gonna post an episode recap now?

[Quite Life]

Own an 04 Nissan Frontier Desert Runner

[MARV]

I own both my cars, outright. Leasing seems to appeal to some people's sense of vanity, this need to be in a "new car" every couple of years. Or some say you'll always have a car payment so you might as well lease. Baloney. I prefer to own my vehicle, know I can do what I want with it and know that it's mine. When I finish paying for it, I don't have to return it to anyone and I'm completely payment free - what a great thing! I can put my hard earned cash towards other things like my house, vacations, kids' tuition, etc. I take great care of my cars. As a result I have had a minumum of repair issues and have always gotten fair value when I sold them. Leasing just doesn't serve my economic interests.

That said, it's worth noting that buying brand new doesn't make a whole heck of alot of sense either. The moment you drive a new vehicle off the lot it depreciates twenty percent. If you can pick up a vehicle a year or two off a lease, you're good. Always make sure it's been through the manufacturer's certified inspection process. I bought my Toyota Sequoia "used" and have the same exact warranty coveage as a new vehicle. The owner of the dealership put on a couple hundred miles himself and that knocked the sticker price down ten grand. I traded in my Suzuki Grand Vitara - another highly reliable and best in class vehicle - for a four grand credit. Plus I put a good chunk of change down. With my credit, I was able to get a 5% finance deal. After a year, I put the balance on a 1.99% fixed rate credit card. Make as much extra principal payments as you can and ultimately, you'll be ahead of the game.

I also drive a '94 Beamer 540i. I bought it outright from a friend who I knew took super good care of it. Around the 107,000 mile mark, I put in a rebuilt tranny. I also put in a whole new a/c system last year. But I don't mind because I got a great deal on it and it'll go at least another 100,000 miles. It rides like a dream and sips gas through one of those cocktail straws on the highway which is impressive, considering it's an eight cylinder. These German cars perform best on the autobahn...I mean highway. And the Bose system KICKS [8D]

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