Car Chat

[Laconian]

[CaminoRacer]

Would leasing a sports car for 3 years make sense, given that I'm young and a DINK and can have a 2 door daily driver for a few years before I'll eventually probably need to get another 4 door? Seems like it's the perfect situation for a lease

[Eye of the Tiger]

Would leasing a sports car for 3 years make sense, given that I'm young and a DINK and can have a 2 door daily driver for a few years before I'll eventually probably need to get another 4 door? Seems like it's the perfect situation for a lease

Why do you need a car?

[Rich]

Would leasing a sports car for 3 years make sense, given that I'm young and a DINK and can have a 2 door daily driver for a few years before I'll eventually probably need to get another 4 door? Seems like it's the perfect situation for a lease

Leasing is never the answer

However, getting a car that will appreciate in value is.

What's your budget?  less than 10k, Miata, less than 20k, S2000, less than 40, Aston Martin? etc...

[veeman]

https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/best-sports-car-deals

You can lease a BMW Z4 for $500/month with $4000 due or a Mazda MX5 for $300/month with $2500 due. 

I'd just finance a certified one and own it after 4 to 5 years. No mileage limits or wear and tear fees.  Then sell it if you need to.

[Morris Minor]

Went out to do some errands in the old Infiniti - did a bit of bombing along at unwise margins of illegality vis-a-vis speed limits. There's just a tiny bit of steering waywardness at straight-ahead - I notice it on longitudinal ridges - a tiny wobble. I had the suspension/alignment checked out recently; it's okay. But, looking at my maintenance history, I think one of the tires is at 33,000 miles... 16k more than the other three. Hmm naughty me. I had it replaced after its predecessor got damaged. Then later on had the other three replaced when they wore out. Naughty me. Shoulda eaten it & done all four.

[cawimmer430]

Yesterday's R129 SL Club Munich meet. Attended with my dad. In two weeks there's a day trip to a nice location and we'll probably attend.

[SJ_GTI]

That's pretty cool that you got to meet David Hasselhof. Does he go to a lot of these meetups?



Car looks great, very timeless style.

[cawimmer430]

That's pretty cool that you got to meet David Hasselhof. Does he go to a lot of these meetups?



Car looks great, very timeless style.

He's a national treasure here.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZxdnVioC3s

[AutobahnSHO]

Would leasing a sports car for 3 years make sense, given that I'm young and a DINK and can have a 2 door daily driver for a few years before I'll eventually probably need to get another 4 door? Seems like it's the perfect situation for a lease

Can't drive it a lot- those lease mileage limits come up quick.

[MX793]

https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/best-sports-car-deals

You can lease a BMW Z4 for $500/month with $4000 due or a Mazda MX5 for $300/month with $2500 due. 

I'd just finance a certified one and own it after 4 to 5 years. No mileage limits or wear and tear fees.  Then sell it if you need to.

If you can find a clean NB, I don't think they depreciate much anymore.  Cheap to buy, cheap to run.

[cawimmer430]

Shot my lovely neighbor and Priscilla. She's making her driver's license so I am giving her theoretical lessons and also allowed her to drive my car on a large, empty parking lot. Had to extensively edit the boring location to make it pop! 

[Laconian]

Very seamless!!

[FoMoJo]

Shot my lovely neighbor and Priscilla. She's making her driver's license so I am giving her theoretical lessons and also allowed her to drive my car on a large, empty parking lot. Had to extensively edit the boring location to make it pop! 

You could've given her bigger boobs.

[cawimmer430]

Very seamless!!

Photoshop is your friend!

You could've given her bigger boobs.

Nah, she's fine the way she is. She's a professional ballerina and dances for the Munich Staatsballett. Zero body fat - so athletic.

[FoMoJo]

Et tu Mercedes...Daimler AG to pay $1.5B to settle emissions cheating probes

Automaker Daimler AG and subsidiary Mercedes-Benz USA have agreed to pay $1.5 billion to the U.S. government and California state regulators to resolve emissions cheating allegations, officials said Monday.

[AutobahnSHO]

      

I know this guy!

https://ksltv.com/445145/driver-gored-by-antler-after-hitting-elk-on-i-80/

[veeman]

     

I know this guy!

https://ksltv.com/445145/driver-gored-by-antler-after-hitting-elk-on-i-80/

Very lucky it didn't turn out worse

[AutobahnSHO]

Very lucky it didn't turn out worse

Totally! I don't know how a van that tall didn't tip or flip on a sudden stop from 80MPH........ 

[FoMoJo]

If not the best, the most entertaining...This Is Why Colin McRae Was the Best Rally Driver

This moment was a perfect embodiment of McRae's most famous saying, "when in doubt, flat out." He attacked everything with unrivaled commitment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHDBGftPwO0

[AutobahnSHO]

If not the best, the most entertaining...This Is Why Colin McRae Was the Best Rally Driver

This moment was a perfect embodiment of McRae's most famous saying, "when in doubt, flat out." He attacked everything with unrivaled commitment.

That's still what I want to do when I grow up!

[FoMoJo]

Was at my local service centre this morning for scheduled service.  Overheard a conversation that a tech was having with a customer who had left his, presumably, older Toyota hybrid (I think it was a hybrid as opposed to an EV) for a repair estimate.  Seems something was wrong with the batteries.  I only heard the tech side of the conversation, but apparently the problem was that battery pack was inundated with water/moisture and it was ruined.  The replacement cost of the batteries was $5,000 plus the cost of relays as well as determining and fixing the water problem which was, at that point, a mystery.  Cost of parts and labour were more than the car was worth apparently.

Don't know the resale/depreciation value of EVs/hybrids, but the morale of the story seems, don't keep them too long.  It'll cost you.  Might be just Toyotas.

[MX793]

Was at my local service centre this morning for scheduled service.  Overheard a conversation that a tech was having with a customer who had left his, presumably, older Toyota hybrid (I think it was a hybrid as opposed to an EV) for a repair estimate.  Seems something was wrong with the batteries.  I only heard the tech side of the conversation, but apparently the problem was that battery pack was inundated with water/moisture and it was ruined.  The replacement cost of the batteries was $5,000 plus the cost of relays as well as determining and fixing the water problem which was, at that point, a mystery.  Cost of parts and labour were more than the car was worth apparently.

Don't know the resale/depreciation value of EVs/hybrids, but the morale of the story seems, don't keep them too long.  It'll cost you.  Might be just Toyotas.

EVs and Hybrids in the US are required to carry a 100,000 mile, 10 year transferable warranty on battery packs.  Not sure if water damage like that would be covered.  The car may have also aged/mileaged out of the warranty coverage.

[FoMoJo]

EVs and Hybrids in the US are required to carry a 100,000 mile, 10 year transferable warranty on battery packs.  Not sure if water damage like that would be covered.  The car may have also aged/mileaged out of the warranty coverage.

Don't know exactly what Toyota model or age it was but, judging by the conversation, warrantee no longer applied.  Got the impression that it was an early model year Camry. 

[AutobahnSHO]

Was at my local service centre this morning for scheduled service.  Overheard a conversation that a tech was having with a customer who had left his, presumably, older Toyota hybrid (I think it was a hybrid as opposed to an EV) for a repair estimate.  Seems something was wrong with the batteries.  I only heard the tech side of the conversation, but apparently the problem was that battery pack was inundated with water/moisture and it was ruined.  The replacement cost of the batteries was $5,000 plus the cost of relays as well as determining and fixing the water problem which was, at that point, a mystery.  Cost of parts and labour were more than the car was worth apparently.

Don't know the resale/depreciation value of EVs/hybrids, but the morale of the story seems, don't keep them too long.  It'll cost you.  Might be just Toyotas.

Motor replacement at a dealership is $8k+

[CaminoRacer]

Motor replacement at a dealership is $8k+

Yeah, it's not that much different from an old car getting a new engine.

Full EVs have little to no maintenance, so a $5k battery replacement after 10 years could still be less money spent over the life of the vehicle.

[FoMoJo]

Motor replacement at a dealership is $8k+

Yeah, it's not that much different from an old car getting a new engine.

Full EVs have little to no maintenance, so a $5k battery replacement after 10 years could still be less money spent over the life of the vehicle.

It seemed that the cost of the battery was only a factor.  It was the source of the moisture/wetness that was a concern.

[AutobahnSHO]

It seemed that the cost of the battery was only a factor.  It was the source of the moisture/wetness that was a concern.

Totally- and if it was that bad, probably time to replace the car.

[cawimmer430]

Giving my baby a bath. 

[cawimmer430]

Came across this Daimler media photo showing a US-spec 1968 Mercedes-Benz 220D. Yeah, a 220D. People whined about the slow 240D, but this is a 220D. 60-horsepower, baby. Had no idea that these were sold in the US at the time. I always thought the 240D was the starting model for the /8 range in North America.