Automobile Buyers Guide

[ndv]

So, I wanted to show my effort in not reproducing a topic that may already be here and decided to conduct a search for automobile/*cars *(the ones you drive, not the ones for paint) out of forum courtesy to the oonzers, moderators, owner(s) of 12oz and the serves themselves.

I didn't find a topic relating to an Automobile Buyers Guide, so I decided to create one for those who are serious and have questions or need feedback from project car, general DIY Maint. ,  ownership cost, and any other pros and cons of vehicles you owned or are currently driving.  

This maybe a lame topic to some, and yes, I could have taken it fb or some other stupid social platform where everyone has a voice and and tells me I should buy 'XYZ' because that is what they picture themselves in.

But I didn't want to do that.  I am looking for diverse suggestions and discussion.   So if anyone of you would like to share your experiences behind the wheel of your favorite get-away vehicle you are more than welcome to start here.

Anyhow, so here is my dilemma,  I am getting ready to get back into this dating game and the '93 240 isn't gonna cut it.  NO DICE!!!  Pretty much Snakes Eyes every time.   Right now I am looking for something nice but used.  Right now I do not want to buy new just, yet.  I have my Heart set on a 2019/2020 RLX Hybrid and if all things go well this year, I already have the hook up for the RLX.

My budget is 5k for now and that is kinda low, and I am sure I could get a 3 or 5 series in good condition for less than 5k but I am not really keen on a beemer.   I am looking for something to just drive as a secondary vehicle and date night, I will still use my 240 as my main squeeze I am just stuck and that's why I wanted to ask.

I was just using the BMW as a reference but not apposed,  I have driven 3, 5, X5 and 7s.  Fun cars to drive!! but problematic.  7s are awesome though!  

Anyhow, any suggestions, on what I should get in that price range?   Ladies if you have any suggestions let us know we always would like to hear from you.



 

[ndv]

Oh!  and if you know anyone who didn't treat a car like crap and would like sale let me know?

[delv]

Not entirely sure what your aim of this thread is, but I might be in a similar boat aka. My sis-in-law has roughly $5k for a used car, though not for going on dates (well maybe, sometimes). Details are: single mum, low income needs automatic safe and reliable wheels for general driving and maybe the odd road trip. Car doesn't need to look cool or go fast, just needs to mostly not cost an arm and a leg when shit goes wrong. Ie. What's a smart car choice for someone with little money or mechanical knowledge?

 

I've been looking at Toyota Corollas and Camry's as well as Honda Civics. 

 

Aussie based, so more like $4k USD price range. 

 

As for your ride, if not a late 90s bimmer, I'd source a VW Golf GTI... I've got a 2006 TDI that is good for the fam, but boring af motor wise, but roomy and comfy af. Would take a GTI in a minute over it tho.

[ndv]

@delv

 

I hear you on the VW.  My sis has a Touareg, she loves it.   Says its strong getting around Denver. 

 

As for your sister, I had a '97 Camry - it was a good car but it seemed like after 160k + miles, didnt have the responsiveness in torque and power.   When I think back on it - seemed like Camry wear and tear more rapid than the Accord.

 

I would suggest a Civic or Accord over Camry because of my past experiences with both brands. 

 

Just keep in mind as I noticed you said Aussie so i am taking it your sis lives in Australia?  

 

 I take it you guys have hot summers and pretty warm weather throughout the year?

 

So A/C is used constantly.  Honda  A/C blower motors like to go out prematurely. Cheap and easy to replace but that's one of the things I never been happy with honda. 

 

As long as the previous owner has at least taken care of the maint for the major intervals 60k 100k 130k timing belt/spark plugs ect...  She should be good. 

 

Just change oil every 3k and the airintake filter at least once a year and the honda will run strong.   As for motor oil,  Mobile 1 is the best  for a honda engine.  Dont know why, but it is. So if you have Mobile 1 in Australia use it.  

 

Really as for maint on hondas, pretty much the major replacement parts you will be replacing if she sees herself driving it to 260k - 300k + miles are: 

 

1. Starter (shouldn't really go out , but can prematurely in humid climates opposed to dry climates)  

 

2. Alternator.  Not sure if honda uses a domestic supplier, manufactured in-house?  Really never played attention, thought they were Bosch.  But for some reason Honda/Acura alternators seem to always go out around 63k - 66k miles. But once you replace it with after market - shouldn't have to replace it again. 

 

3.  Shocks.  All four. Around 265k miles.  And possibly some ball joints. 

 

4.  Wheel bearings.  If you curb check to often or really hard.  Replace once you hear thumb, thumb, thumb while driving. 

 

I guess one could say I called out more cons on the honda but Toyota is pretty much identical.  Had to do all the above repairs with my camry at earlier and shorter intervals. But again, once replaced aftermarket didnt have to replace again.  Camry caught fire though.  Not sure why, I think it was just a freak accident / bad luck?

Lost a sweet Alpine head unit.

 

So it's really a matter preference.

 

I just happen to lean toward honda more because I have driven civics, accords, crv, prelude, and Odessy and have a good understanding with how the engines operate as well as working on them.  

 

Bonus tip:  hondas engines run best on Exxon mobile, Chevron, and Texaco.   

 

Double bonus:  1/8th tank of gas builds up fuel fume (compression) in the tank, hit the gas, do not let the RPM gauge drop below 4000 during gear shifts and it'll go.  Not like a ferrari but you'll notice the performance.   Honda is an endurance engine. 

 

Oh!  And sedan civic dont go with the coupe.  She'll like the extra space. 

 

I have been looking at BMW. I just want a weekend car.  Was about to pull the trigger on a 2008 750, but the guy wants too much.

 

7s drive like dream but problematic.  It's tough...  

 

Edited January 31, 2020 by ndv

[mn1_fuckos]

Before yall buy any car look up what the cost of general maintenance is on that car. some cars are worse than others. Ask yourself can you afford it?

 

Find out what the cost of insurance is in your area once you find a car you like. If you are going to finance your car you will most likely need full coverage insurance.

 

Are you looking to finance it's probably best that you dont do it through the dealer. If you have a credit union you're able to work with they might give you a better rate then the dealership finance department sometimes they also have a better warranty as well

 

dont know shit about cars? well take someone with you that does 

 

does the dealer have a car on that lot thats $7000 ask what the possibility of buying the car outright for the $5000 cash including fees and taxes.

 

Dont be afraid to buy used and always get a carfax doesnt it always guarantee your car isnt a turd no but its a decent start. I bought my car with 76,000 miles and the aside from random bullshit happening its been a great car for me.

 

Dont be afraid to walk away even if you want the car find something similar in price at another dealer and let know theyre willing to work with you a bit more on price.

 

your negotiation skills suck? well take someone who's negotiation skills are way better then yours

 

 

@Dirty_habiTcare to chime in?

 

[Kults]

My advice is dont buy a luxury car with high mileage if your budget is 5k. The maintenance will bury you.

[Dirty_habiT]

I agree with everything @mn1_fuckossaid.  We just bought another Lexus IS300 last week for $1000 less than the asking price.  Here's how we did that:

 

* We had cash in hand.  This cash came from a bank loan that my gf got out to buy the car.

* We were patient and knew exactly what kind of car we wanted to buy vs. going up to a dealer with a pocket full of money asking them to sell us a car.

* We looked at many different cars, probably 6 in total before settling on the one we did.  We even drove from Austin, TX to Eunice, LA to look at one 2 weekends ago.

* The "right" car for us had an interior that wasn't messed with, the carfax was a single owner car, from the south (not a rust belt car from up north), and had no accidents reported.

* Mechanical issues were ok as long as they weren't anything crazy from severe neglect.  On this one we are replacing the rear main, front main, cam seals, vc gasket, and VVTI gear.

* We put the car on  a lift prior to buying it.  If the seller doesn't want to let you do this tell them to go fuck themselves and walk away without hesitation.

* After identifying some decent oil leaks on the car while it was on the lift, this gave us leverage to offer less than the asking price.

* I didn't have to research because I know what kind of work/cost is involved in doing a rear main seal.  This immediately made the car worth at the very least $1000 less than asking price.

* I told the guy we had cash, which we did, and we were interested in buying.  This is where I made it easy on him to decide which deal he wanted to give us.  I gave him options.

* The options were: $4700 for TT&L and you fix the rear seal, cam seal, vc gasket.  $3500 cash as is, or $3600 as-is and you do the TT&L.  He said $3700 as-is with TT&L and we didn't even flinch.  We made the deal for the car that day.

* Do not buy a used car and immediately sell your working car that you have.  You cannot trust a "new" car to do everything you want.  You need to make sure that all of the maintenance items are taken care of... yes, even the difficult/expensive ones.  This is EXACTLY why you can find German cars for $5k that aren't that old.  They have massive maintenance repair bills that the previous owner didn't want to pay for..... and will be passed on to you as the customer.

 

Inspecting a used car prior to buying:

* Open the oil fill cap and look at the color of the metal inside the cylinder head.  If it's dark brown/yellow/light brown.... this is a sign of not changing the oil on the proper interval, so it has cooked dirty oil into the metal of the cylinder head.  This is an indication that the car was treated how the previous owner treats their underwear.

* ON A LIFT -> check the car for wet spots, dirty spots, oil leaks, etc.  If it looks like it's been douched off really well, that is usually a clear indication you're buying a very expensive exotic vehicle or the seller is trying to hide the fact that there are crazy ass oil leaks all over the place.

* Run the car to operating temperature and let it idle there for 15 minutes at least.  Make sure that the fans are coming on at idle and turning off after the car cools itself using the radiator fans.  When the car cools and the radiator pipe is not pressurized, open the coolant fill cap and make sure the coolant is both full and clean looking.

* Remove the coolant fill cap, start the car, and watch the coolant.  It should not have any bubbles coming out of the coolant fill area.  If it does this is a sign of a headgasket leak.  This will be an expensive repair involving a new head, machining the old head, or replacing the entire engine depending on how bad the problem is.

* Pull the oil dip stick and look at the oil after the motor has been running.  It should be clean and free of any glittery looking particles.  Glittery particles that can be seen in the sun light are a sign of a motor that is in the process of shitting itself.

* Check the tires for good tread and for matching tire sizes/types.  They should all look the same if the car was well maintained.  If they're mix matched and bald then the owner treated it like they treat their dental hygiene.

* If you care about it, pull the ash tray and the cigarette lighter.  You will immediately know if a smoker owned the car.  Smokers tend to give less fucks about having nice things in my experience when it comes to cars.

* Check all the electronics and accessories in the car.

* Check the expiration date on the batteries.

 

That should be a good enough list for now, I just made it from the top of my head.  I wouldn't expect someone to remember all of these things and I am not claiming this is the end all be all complete list of shit you should know..... but it's a damned good start.  Print it out if you need to take it with you. 

 

Know what you're buying, find a car you like, research it, and then go look at them and buy one.  Do NOT be hesitant to immediately walk away if ANYTHING about the car is not right.  Don't compromise with your ride like you do with your one night stands at the bar while you're drunk on Friday night.  You WILL regret it if you do.  We drove all the way to Eunice, LA.... looked at the car for not even 45 seconds and told the woman that worked at the dealer it wasn't the one for us and that we were going to keep looking.  We drove 5 hours to say nope and turn away.  I warned my girlfriend before we got there that if it's the wrong one that we cannot hesitate to walk away because we don't want some basket case bullshit car.

[ndv]

@Dirty_habiT

As I was creating this topic and typing up my convo start up, I kinda hesitated about posting it because I felt like it was kinda douche-y ?  

But while I was reading your input, I was like, "Damn, I am glad I actually went thru with this.  

Very well said.    Thanks Man! 

[ndv]

9 hours ago, Kults said:

My advice is dont buy a luxury car with high mileage if your budget is 5k. The maintenance will bury you.

@Kults@Dirty_habiT @mn1_fuckos  

 

This is true.  And this is were I have a really tough time even considering a luxury vehicle.  

Over the weekend I was speaking to a Buddy of mine about luxury cars, and He was telling me, He spoke with a lot of mechanics to get info about the Panamera, and from what he was told, the Panamera is the most reliable luxury car on the market right now.   I kinda find that hard to believe, but my Buddy is straight and doesn't BS.  But however, the mechanics can...  Although, I should include the mechanics he talked to all said the Panamera will last as long as the owner takes to a mechanic that knows how to work on the car.  

Really not keen on the Panamera because exactly what you all have said about the maint cost.   I personally do not want to be throwing money away on a car when I can use it for business growth (capital), regardless.  

Thanks Gentlemen,  all advise helps.  Looks like I am gravitating back to the RLX Hybrid.  

Damn Luxury...   Didn't Kidult say, 'Luxury is Your Misery.'

Edited February 5, 2020 by ndv

[Dirty_habiT]

Another few things I didn't mention.  Don't treat a carfax report as gospel.  The reason being is that this is only going to show accidents and repairs done by shops that report to carfax and insurance companies.  If any repairs were made by the owner or by small shops then this will not show on carfax.  This CAN INCLUDE COLLISIONS.

 

Do not buy vehicles with salvage titles unless you know exactly what that means and don't care that it's a salvage title.  Salvage title can happen for many reasons.  These include, flood damage (this means the wiring harness is full of water and WILL CORRODE in time if it's not already), frame damage that prevents the car from being aligned properly, and a car that has been totaled by insurance because the cost of repair exceeds to value of the vehicle.

 

Do not buy vehicles that have been modified in any way, unless you know exactly what you're doing and how to inspect vehicles very well.  There are a LOT of people that will work on their own cars the "wrong way".  They use the wrong tools, techniques, and parts.  If you see signs that a car has been worked on or modified, there is a VERY HIGH chance that there will be maintenance issues with the car and certain things neglected.  A perfect example is the guy that wants to fill his trunk up with subs, he usually doesn't care that his ball joints are trash and his shocks are blown.  He also likely is not an expert in wiring, and neither is his friend that knows how to install car stereos.  This means the wiring is going to be janky, unreliable, and potentially a fire hazard.

 

Do buy vehicles that looks like they were well taken care of.  I prefer to buy vehicles from private sellers rather than car dealers.  The reason is the car dealer is in the business of putting lipstick on a pig, polishing a turd, etc.  A very common thing you'll see at used car dealers is an incredibly clean engine bay that looks wet.  This is because they've used an armor all type product to clean everything under the hood.  While this makes for a clean looking engine, the real story is, as mentioned above, underneath the car and underneath the oil cap.  If you purchase a car because it smells good on the interior and the engine bay "looks clean" then you may be in for a sad time.

 

One more thing.... MAKE SURE that you connect a code reader to the car.  The dealer should be more than happy to do this for you and they should have this tool handy.  You need to make sure that there are no check engine codes and no pending codes.  The pending codes is very important.  Even if the check engine light is not on, a pending code on the code reader means that the check engine light will soon be on.  Another good thing to look for is "readiness checks".  This means that the codes have not been reset on the car and the car, if it passes all readiness checks on the code reader, is ready to pass inspection.

[Dirty_habiT]

Luxury vehicles are nice but most people that are driving them and making payments on them can't actually afford them..... that's why they're financed and/or leased.  If they could afford to own the car it'd be paid for and when the warranty ran out they would continue to be able to pay to keep it in tip top condition.  Most people cannot do this, even people driving base model 3 series BMW's..... can't afford to fix the car when it's not in warranty anymore.  And, if you think that the the manufacturers don't have engineers  that know just about exactly when parts start to fail you're sorely mistaken.  The warranty length of time is chosen on purpose..... the part where the car starts breaking left and right after warranty is out is not a myth.

[Kults]

17 minutes ago, Dirty_habiT said:

Luxury vehicles are nice but most people that are driving them and making payments on them can't actually afford them..... that's why they're financed and/or leased.  If they could afford to own the car it'd be paid for and when the warranty ran out they would continue to be able to pay to keep it in tip top condition.  Most people cannot do this, even people driving base model 3 series BMW's..... can't afford to fix the car when it's not in warranty anymore.  And, if you think that the the manufacturers don't have engineers  that know just about exactly when parts start to fail you're sorely mistaken.  The warranty length of time is chosen on purpose..... the part where the car starts breaking left and right after warranty is out is not a myth.

This. @Dirty_habiTis right. Worked in a few car dealerships and this is exactly how its done. The cars aren't meant to last forever, many things will fail or wear down suspiciously soon out of warranty, it's by design. That being said, modern cars 2010+ are incredibly reliable. Barring electrical issues the mechanical components are more durable than they've ever been. Still, things break.

 

2 hours ago, ndv said:

Really not keen on the Panamera because exactly what you all have said about the maint cost.   I personally do not want to be throwing money away on a car when I can use it for business growth (capital), regardless.  

You will be if you buy a luxury car. No way around it. Even if absolutely nothing outright breaks (it will) but even if it doesn't, just a brake job on a Panamera will cost you a rack or two if not more. Maintenance alone not even including insurance will destroy your wallet and you'll likely end up hating the car and having a hard time getting rid of it. No market for used luxury cars. Most people that can afford them buy them outright like dirty was saying or they lease/buy on installments. If you got lots of money you want the latest toys, not a used one from X seasons ago. I say stay away unless you're an enthusiast and are willing to sink a lots of money in.

[ndv]

Thanks for the reassured advice.  I agree with you@Kults on @Dirty_habiTcomment in regards to "most people driving luxury cars they truly can't afford."  That's one of my issues in question buying used.

 

  I guess I am winning with money in the bank and filling up a beat up '93 240 tank.  I guess I am right by thinking it would just be better to dump money in fixing up the 240.  Those volvos last s long time so might as well. 

 

Thanks guys.   Appreciate all of the advice, perspectives and opinions. 

 

 

[Fist 666]

Props to @Dirty_habiTon that breakdown.

 

Only thing I'd add is if your budget is that try looking for cars with timing chains instead of belts. One less bill or future bill to deal with. 

 

I would encourage you to look at lexus is250s. It covers the luxury piece, has Toyota reliability, and IF it has been taken care of you'll get years more use out of it. You should be able to get close to your 5k mark depending on where you live.

[Kults]

6 hours ago, ndv said:

Thanks for the reassured advice.  I agree with you@Kults on @Dirty_habiTcomment in regards to "most people driving luxury cars they truly can't afford."  That's one of my issues in question buying used.

 

  I guess I am winning with money in the bank and filling up a beat up '93 240 tank.  I guess I am right by thinking it would just be better to dump money in fixing up the 240.  Those volvos last s long time so might as well. 

 

Thanks guys.   Appreciate all of the advice, perspectives and opinions. 

 

 

Volvo was one of the dealers I worked at. Did few years there. They are absolutely reliable cars. Tanks too. Once rear ended a guy in mine, his bumper was obliterated and mine barely had a scratch.

 

They can be a bit pricey being imports and all but I like them. Great in tough winter conditions as well. 240s have a cachet to them, they're so ugly they're kinda cool. Check out the movie SPUN the main chr drives one and goes on many drug induced adventures in it.

[Dirty_habiT]

Absolutely spend some money to fix your 240 @ndv.  I'll be really impressed if you say you have a coupe.  If you do, keep it forever because as soon as you sell it someone fan boi is going to turn it into a drift missile and destroy it.  It really wouldn't matter if it were a coupe or a hatch, but they're DEFINITELY after the coupes.

 

I keep thinking of things to add.  If you do decide to buy a car that has damage reported on carfax (and even if it has no damage reported), look at the body lines.  It's kinda uncommon that a vehicle can survive for 20 years+ without ever having been dinged or in a collision.  It's not impossible, it's just not super common.  Nice old vehicles are hard to find in a lot of instances.  Anyway, that brings me to the point of look at the the body lines.  Stand next to the car and look down the side of it, does everything line up well?  Are the divides between the different body panels parallel the entire way?  The manufacturer makes the body lines perfect and parallel.  If they are not, this means the body shop fixed a collision and didn't do a PERFECT job.  It's not easy to make a wrecked car perfect again but if you're interested in what's involved check out "vehcor" on youtube.  That dude does some insane shit and it will really make you question whether or not you should be buying a car that has damage reported.

 

Places to check:

* The hood - does the hood have even spacing between itself and the front fenders on both sides?

* The front fenders - do the front fenders have even spacing on both sides between themselves and the front of the front doors on the car?  Do they line up to the front bumper properly?

* The front bumper - does the front bumper line up evenly to the hood when looking directly downward on it from above the front of the hood?  Are the lines perfect between it and the front fenders?  Is the bottom of the front bumper scraped to hell from morons putting it over parking blocks?  Are all the fasteners that hold it on in tact and factory?  I've seen people use wood screws from home depot to put their bumpers in place after ripping the tabs that hold them onto factory fasteners, you need to check for this ghetto shit.

* The front doors - do they open and close easily with little effort to get into/out of the latches that hold them shut?  Is the line between them and the rear doors/b-pillar exactly perfect?

* The rear doors - do they line up to the rear quarter panels perfectly, do they open and shut easily, are they flush with the car when looking down the side of the car longways?

* The rear quarter panels - I'd say if you care about your car looking perfect and there is any damage/dings here then skip this car.  The reason being is that rear quarter panels are usually "part of the unibody" of the car.  This means they do not unbolt and cannot easily be replaced.  Damage to rear quarter panels in any capacity can EASILY cause an insurance company to call the car totaled because of the massive amount of work involved in making it right once damage has occurred there.  Same deal though, make sure it lines up w/ the trunk and the rear doors and the rear bumper.

* Trunk - does it open and shut easily, does it line up perfectly on both sides with the rear quarter panels?  Does it line up perfectly with the rear bumper?

* Rear bumper - does it line up with the trunk and rear quarter panels properly?

* Exhaust tips - do they sit in the recess of the rear bumper evenly and without touching anything plastic?  Does the exhaust tip look like it's been scraped or mishaped from being dragged on steep inclines or put over parking blocks?

 

Paint:

You guys probably mostly paint or have an eye for color.  Some colors on body repairs on cars are notoriously difficult to color match.  The process works like this typically..... if the damage is on a bumper, they will replace the bumper with a new one that they have painted to match the factory color of the car.  They will then blend this color into the other panels closest to it to make it "match" the rest of the car.  This means that you cannot simply put a bumper on that is the factory color and expect that it will just look right on the car.  New paint vs. weathered paint is a big difference.... so the two colors must be blended and then a new coat of clear must be applied.

 

Some body shops are going to be very lazy or depending on the budget they will just do whatever the owner can afford or the insurance covers.  There are probably more but the colors I know for a fact are difficult to color match are blacks, reds, silvers, and golds/bronzes.  If you look at the car from different angles and one panel looks like a slightly different color, and it can be VERY subtle, then this means that panel was repaired/replaced.  This is REALLY bad if the carfax says no damage has occurred to the vehicle.  This is a clear sign of dishonesty.

 

In any case, look at body lines and paint when buying a car.  Some scrapes in the paint are not that big of a deal because a body shop can usually fix those pretty easily and make it look new again.  Damage to paint that is not easy to fix includes missing clear coat and the paint color underneath being heavily weathered.  Oh yeah, and rust.  That may require another post and I'm done typing about this subject for now.

[Dirty_habiT]

Also @Fist 666- I'm fine w/ timing belts.  They usually last 80k miles and are not unreliable.  Chains stretch/wear/break as well.... they may last a little longer but I wouldn't be afraid of a car just because it has a timing belt.  Also, the cars I've worked on with timing belts are easier to mess with than cars with timing chains.  The timing chain is typically behind a metal cover  that is gasketed to the engine.... meaning that a significant amount of stuff has to be messed with to change the chain.  It's not really much more than doing a belt, but timing belts are typically pretty easy to change in comparison (in my experience).  I can have the belt on my 91 Eagle Talon changed in ~20 minutes or so and that includes changing the idler/tensioner pulley and the tensioner as well.  That time does not include doing the water pump, that's a little bit more of a bitch.

 

Which reminds me....

 

WATER PUMPS BOMBAS DE AGUA - they have a "weep hole" on them.  If this has stains or looks like it's leaking anything that has discolored it from the rest of the metal the pump is made of, this means the water pump is done.  This means it's time to replace it because it's internal seal is worn out and it WILL LEAK WATER.... and HAS been leaking water.  This is an engine overheat waiting to happen at the worst time when you're not paying attention.  If your vehicle overheats and you don't immediately notice the temp going warm and stop driving it, you are going to blow the head gasket and very likely warp the cylinder head.  This kind of engine damage will typically cause someone to sell their car for pennies on the dollar because it requires replacing the engine or knowing enough to be able to have your cylinder head taken off, machined flat again, and then reinstalled with a new head gasket.  This can mix the water and the oil.  If you see oil that looks like a milk chocolate/creamy color / consistency then that is an indication of water being whipped into the oil.... this means the headgasket is leaking or the water cooled oil cooler is broken (not a common issue).  Very likely the head gasket is toast, and this doesn't mean the car won't start and run, it just means that it will start and run, and consume oil and coolant.... likely smoke out of the exhaust.... and it's a ticking time bomb before it fucks up completely and leaves you stranded.

 

Avoid a car like this unless you know what you're getting into and you are going to either fix it yourself or pay to have someone fix it immediately.  This is also evidence that can be used to low ball the shit out of the asking price because of the thousands of dollars of labor/parts involved in resolving the issue.

[Dirty_habiT]

Now if only people were this thorough about what they put their dick inside of.... we'd probably not really have a problem with any STD's.

[ndv]

11 minutes ago, Dirty_habiT said:

Now if only people were this thorough about what they put their dick inside of.... we'd probably not really have a problem with any STD's.

 

 

[Dirty_habiT]

RLX Hybrid, btw nice angle @ndv.... trying to feed the vegan ladies of the world some meat.  I see you fam.  That's a pretty solid flex for real.

[Dirty_habiT]

On 1/30/2020 at 8:48 PM, delv said:

I've been looking at Toyota Corollas and Camry's as well as Honda Civics.

Any of those cars will be solid cars but you must shop them hard.  The reason for this is because being that they're "good cars" at a low price point, this means they're affordable to the pleebs of the world that will do horrible shit to their vehicles.... like run them like they run their underwear.  Camry's are fantastic cars for someone that doesn't care about anything more than reliably getting from point a to point b..... as long as they're well maintained.

 

Honda's are good but they attract the cheapo fan bois that do stupid shit to them like lower them, under glow kits, aftermarket bumpers/side skirts, and drill the trunk to add spoilers onto front wheel drive cars.  (don't tell them they should be putting the spoilers on the hood or we'll start seeing hondas being sold on the market with holes drilled in the hoods.)

 

[ndv]

@Dirty_habiT @Kults

I love my Volvo the thing is a tank, but the guy who I bought it from neglected the maintenance from minor to major.  So I have been slowly replacing parts and will continue to do so until I have it restored to a showroom condition.  

No, it's not the coupe - sedan.  My next major job is the shock & struts and steering components.  Once I do that, I will get the car aligned then put wheels and tires on it.   Then get back under the hood and start replacing all sorts of things (not that they need it now) because the car is at it's 26 year mark and things just need to be replaced.  

[Kults]

1 minute ago, ndv said:

@Dirty_habiT @Kults

I love my Volvo the thing is a tank, but the guy who I bought it from neglected the maintenance from minor to major.  So I have been slowly replacing parts and will continue to do so until I have it restored to a showroom condition.  

No, it's not the coupe - sedan.  My next major job is the shock & struts and steering components.  Once I do that, I will get the car aligned then put wheels and tires on it.   Then get back under the hood and start replacing all sorts of things (not that they need it now) because the car is at it's 26 year mark and things just need to be replaced.  

Hmm in that case why not cut your losses and get one in good shape rather than pissing money away trying to restore this one? They're dirt cheap and if you join a couple Volvo groups you might get lucky and find one that's been well maintained. An 850 would be cool too

[ndv]

12 minutes ago, Dirty_habiT said:

RLX Hybrid, btw nice angle @ndv.... trying to feed the vegan ladies of the world some meat.  I see you fam.  That's a pretty solid flex for real.

Yeah, that's the car I have my heart set on.  I had a '03 TLS and loved it other than the flawed trans.   The car had some pull considering 230 torque over 260 hp.  I was really impressed with the stock performance.   Although, the only minor upgrade  I did was put the widest tires as possible and that increased the cornering.   

[ndv]

1 minute ago, Kults said:

Hmm in that case why not cut your losses and get one in good shape rather than pissing money away trying to restore this one? They're dirt cheap and if you join a couple Volvo groups you might get lucky and find one that's been well maintained. An 850 would be cool too

I was just speaking to a Buddy and he mentioned the 850 is the best car Volvo put out.  

[Kults]

2 minutes ago, ndv said:

I was just speaking to a Buddy and he mentioned the 850 is the best car Volvo put out.  

Your buddy is right.  Thats their workhorse. Turned into the S60 during the reVOLVOlution phase in the early aughts. The inline 5 cyl T5 engine is a beast.

 

If you can find a coveted 850 R that hasnt been beaten to the death by previous owners jump on it.

[ndv]

@Dirty_habiT    The only money issue with the Hybrid is the battery replacement  being 4k to replace,  I just need to talk to my contact and find out when those batteries need to be replaced.  That's basically a Honda transmission replacement per Dealer cost.  Kinda steep but I am sure the RLX is worth it.  

[ndv]

1 hour ago, Dirty_habiT said:

Any of those cars will be solid cars but you must shop them hard.  The reason for this is because being that they're "good cars" at a low price point, this means they're affordable to the pleebs of the world that will do horrible shit to their vehicles.... like run them like they run their underwear.  Camry's are fantastic cars for someone that doesn't care about anything more than reliably getting from point a to point b..... as long as they're well maintained.

 

Honda's are good but they attract the cheapo fan bois that do stupid shit to them like lower them, under glow kits, aftermarket bumpers/side skirts, and drill the trunk to add spoilers onto front wheel drive cars.  (don't tell them they should be putting the spoilers on the hood or we'll start seeing hondas being sold on the market with holes drilled in the hoods.)

 

I'll contest to that...  A Valve cover I lased for a Corvette.

Edited February 5, 2020 by ndv

[Dirty_habiT]

Man make me a custom valve cover. @ndv

[ndv]

@Dirty_habit  What do you want?  Just pm'd you.