The New Car Fanatic Thread

[noharleyyet 2,863]

22 minutes ago, Goofyboy said:

Is it as fun as it looks??

Yes sir, it really is. 

[Party_Taco 3,886]

Some fun ones from the LA Auto Show today…

[Bert Orange 1,168]

Finally got the car I’ve always wanted and never had the balls to buy. Shouldn’t have waited this long. Life is too short and the smiles too wide. 

[Goofyboy 3,428]

What year?

[Bert Orange 1,168]

3 hours ago, Goofyboy said:

What year?

2023. Last of its kind

[CHIEF 5,208]

Well Mrs. CHIEF's GS-F went out of warranty, and its possible the transmission cooler had antifreeze leaking into the transmission, so things were about to get really expensive. I once thought Lexus parts and labor would be cheaper than European cars, but no. Not really. Got almost $35k for it after driving it for five years and almost 70k miles, it is a nine year old car. It was in decent shape, but the carbon fiber accents were delaminating and cracking, it had a few dings. I'll take $14k depreciation over five years and those miles.

We basically bought the same car, but a bit of a smaller package. IS 500, it is one of 53 ever built with the Incognito exterior and red leather gut interior. It is dated, but nothing I love better than a sport sedan with a naturally aspirated V8. There are only 150 IDS 500s exported to the US each year. It is about the last of it's kind. So Mrs. CHIEF had her "December to Remember." We both absolutely hate those commercials. 

CHIEF

[EastHorn 287]

On 12/11/2024 at 1:03 PM, Bert Orange said:

Finally got the car I’ve always wanted and never had the balls to buy. Shouldn’t have waited this long. Life is too short and the smiles too wide. 

Such a great design. The new one will grow on me but this was great. 

[royiv 9,718]

2 hours ago, CHIEF said:

Well Mrs. CHIEF's GS-F went out of warranty, and its possible the transmission cooler had antifreeze leaking into the transmission, so things were about to get really expensive. I once thought Lexus parts and labor would be cheaper than European cars, but no. Not really. Got almost $35k for it after driving it for five years and almost 70k miles, it is a nine year old car. It was in decent shape, but the carbon fiber accents were delaminating and cracking, it had a few dings. I'll take $14k depreciation over five years and those miles.

We basically bought the same car, but a bit of a smaller package. IS 500, it is one of 53 ever built with the Incognito exterior and red leather gut interior. It is dated, but nothing I love better than a sport sedan with a naturally aspirated V8. There are only 150 IDS 500s exported to the US each year. It is about the last of it's kind. So Mrs. CHIEF had her "December to Remember." We both absolutely hate those commercials. 

CHIEF

What aper did you get?

 

[CHIEF 5,208]

8 hours ago, royiv said:

What aper did you get?

 

That was the joke on the way there. Might get the Lexus Land Cruiser as a bonus. Still laughing about it this morning. 
 

CHIEF

Edited Friday at 02:31 PM by CHIEF

[drewlaws 130]

Get On The Track, getonthetrack.com
Not affiliated but a very longtime friend. He'll get you out on Harris Hill, Cota, or dirt and gravel rally depending what you want to do. Lots of instruction experience in all sorts of cars.

This was a great recommendation, thank you. I took my car to Harris Hill on Friday and it was a blast. I was nervous about doing this for the first time in the wet but it was even more fun that way. Jon was a great teacher. Very positive and encouraging.

[elfenix 34,669]

How much of a red flag are mismatching tires on a used car? Two up front match, the rear corners have different tires including one generic Chinese tire. I don't think they're on the original wheels either - the car is a black edition but it has regular wheels. Thinking one of the dealers swapped the black wheels off that car onto another.

Edited Sunday at 02:39 PM by elfenix

[Party_Taco 3,886]

How much of a red flag are mismatching tires on a used car? Two up front match, the rear corners have different tires including one generic Chinese tire. I don't think they're on the original wheels either - the car is a black edition but it has regular wheels. Thinking one of the dealers swapped the black wheels off that car onto another.

To me that screams “not enough money to properly maintain” so I would be wary of the things you cannot see.

[Prepuce of Doom 21,263]

8 hours ago, elfenix said:

How much of a red flag are mismatching tires on a used car? Two up front match, the rear corners have different tires including one generic Chinese tire. I don't think they're on the original wheels either - the car is a black edition but it has regular wheels. Thinking one of the dealers swapped the black wheels off that car onto another.

Maybe there's a circumstance that I can't currently envision when I might have to make an exception (maybe if the car cost less than $100, but I don't know why I might ever be shopping in that marketplace...) but I would never buy a car knowing that a previous owner/custodian was a person who thought that "one generic Chinese tire" was ever okay. 

Edited Sunday at 11:21 PM by Prepuce of Doom

[CHIEF 5,208]

And the name of that cheap, generic, Chinese tire? You guessed it, Bang Ding Ow. A wholly owned subsidiary of Sum Ting Wong.

CHIEF

[tbone_ 14,416]

I once bought a used tire from Big G’s used tires in east Austin for a buddies car because I blew out one of his by hitting a curb.

I wonder if that tire was better or worse than the random Chinese tire.

[Vegas64 709]

On 12/11/2024 at 9:23 PM, Bert Orange said:

2023. Last of its kind

Is that a 424? or m4?

[elfenix 34,669]

On 12/15/2024 at 5:45 PM, CHIEF said:

And the name of that cheap, generic, Chinese tire? You guessed it, Bang Ding Ow. A wholly owned subsidiary of Sum Ting Wong.

CHIEF

Maypop brand.

 

Carfax shows dealer maintained and it's only got 20k miles on it. Shows tires replaced only 8k ago so no idea why it's gots Maypops on it.

 

Also, radiator shroud replaced, which is kinda weird.

Edited Tuesday at 10:17 PM by elfenix

[CHIEF 5,208]

7 minutes ago, elfenix said:

Maypop brand.

 

Carfax shows dealer maintained and it's only got 20k miles on it. Shows tires replaced only 8k ago so no idea why it's gots Maypops on it.

 

Also, radiator shroud replaced, which is kinda weird.

Does the car run expensive tires? Maybe he is getting a car with the same tire size, the expensive ones had plenty of meat left, so he removed them and put cheap Chinese tires on it. That cheap bastard.

Looking at only 12k miles on the first set, are they soft compound? I know from experience those fuckers ain't cheap. We usually get 10-12k on my wife's car before having to go pay $1200/set for new ones.

CHIEF

Edited Tuesday at 10:25 PM by CHIEF
Low mileage

[Bert Orange 1,168]

57 minutes ago, Vegas64 said:

Is that a 424? or m4?

M5 comp. But went to hybrid this year so it’s the last of the S63 engine

[Bert Orange 1,168]

I just can’t get used to the new 5 series design. More a concern than the engine. 

[elfenix 34,669]

2 hours ago, CHIEF said:

Does the car run expensive tires? Maybe he is getting a car with the same tire size, the expensive ones had plenty of meat left, so he removed them and put cheap Chinese tires on it. That cheap bastard.

Looking at only 12k miles on the first set, are they soft compound? I know from experience those fuckers ain't cheap. We usually get 10-12k on my wife's car before having to go pay $1200/set for new ones.

CHIEF

Probably came with staggered P-zeros. Will probably put Pilot AS4s on it when it comes time, and might even ditch the stagger because I'm not driving 9/10s and the tires will last much longer being rotated.

 

Apparently curb rash is a problem with the stock wheel/tire combo. Not enough protection from the sidewall.

Edited yesterday at 12:38 AM by elfenix

[Chewbacca 7,827]

1 minute ago, elfenix said:

Probably came with staggered P-zeros. Will probably put Pilot AS4s on it when it comes time, and might even ditch the stagger because I'm not driving 9/10s and the tires will last much longer being rotated.

What car is it?

[elfenix 34,669]

8 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

What car is it?

Giulia Ti Q2. Not even 300 hp so like I said, stagger is probably unnecessary.

Edited yesterday at 12:41 AM by elfenix

[TwiceHorn 32,014]

20 minutes ago, elfenix said:

Giulia Ti Q2. Not even 300 hp so like I said, stagger is probably unnecessary.

Lovely whip.  I hope it is a lot more reliable than the Quadrifoglio.  That is the worst long-term test I have ever seen C/D report and they usually soft-pedal them for prestige marques that they like otherwise.

[CHIEF 5,208]

2 hours ago, elfenix said:

Probably came with staggered P-zeros. Will probably put Pilot AS4s on it when it comes time, and might even ditch the stagger because I'm not driving 9/10s and the tires will last much longer being rotated.

 

Apparently curb rash is a problem with the stock wheel/tire combo. Not enough protection from the sidewall.

I've been guilty of running a harder compound when I want to get more mileage out of a tire. Mrs. CHIEF and I have had soft compound tires on our cars for nearly 30 years. The seller may have thought that you aren't gonna use it in tight corners and don't want you to come back on him as buying tires that wear too fast. This was a common practice in the 80s and 90s in the area where I lived. I remember buying 17" Z-rated tires for $234, a lot of money at the time, and getting 6-8k miles on them, so $2k worth of tires per year, over 25 years ago.

CHIEF

[Sam Lin 3,593]

Not defending it, but I've been one to run mismatched tire a few times. Was on a  road trip, blew one tire, unrepairable, and only tire I could get within 2 days was mismatched brand. Other tires were all really new, so I mounted it to keep the road trip going, and just left it be.

[Da Fino 2,820]

On 12/11/2024 at 2:03 PM, Bert Orange said:

Finally got the car I’ve always wanted and never had the balls to buy. Shouldn’t have waited this long. Life is too short and the smiles too wide. 

That is badass. Congrats on doing it. I think I’ve seen you on the road. 

Edited yesterday at 03:50 AM by Da Fino

[CHIEF 5,208]

2 minutes ago, Sam Lin said:

Not defending it, but I've been one to run mismatched tire a few times. Was on a  road trip, blew one tire, unrepairable, and only tire I could get within 2 days was mismatched brand. Other tires were all really new, so I mounted it to keep the road trip going, and just left it be.

That is kinda the rule in rural America, you take what you can get. My F350 spare is still a Michelin take-off of a ranch truck. It is a highway tire, that was taken off of a 6666 Ranch truck in exchange for mud grips. You have a flat in Guthrie, Texas, and you will take anything.

CHIEF

[elfenix 34,669]

3 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

Lovely whip.  I hope it is a lot more reliable than the Quadrifoglio.  That is the worst long-term test I have ever seen C/D report and they usually soft-pedal them for prestige marques that they like otherwise.

main competition is the genesis G70 and the out of left field option is a mach e

 

[TwiceHorn 32,014]

9 hours ago, elfenix said:

main competition is the genesis G70 and the out of left field option is a mach e

 

Should probably look at a CT4, also.  The base engine is a downgrade from the ATS, but the CT4-V, non-Blackwing, can be found for pretty good prices.

Also, GM seems to be underrating its engines pretty significantly.  I didn't realize this, but it's one of few that actually uses SAE-certified horsepower and torque numbers.  They all use SAE testing methodologies, but GM lets SAE supervise.

I'm not sure I'd worry about one weird tire.  There's lots of reasonable explanations for putting a cheap tire on when you're about to trade a car.

Edited 21 hours ago by TwiceHorn

[Bert Orange 1,168]

10 hours ago, Da Fino said:

That is badass. Congrats on doing it. I think I’ve seen you on the road. 

Then my apologies. It was a dick move. 

[Mittens 8,655]

Speaking of red flags when buying a vehicle - high miles in a short period of time.  I'm buying here in the next week or so, and found a 2022 model that I like for a decent price, but it has 125K on it already.  Toyota, so the miles in and of themselves aren't an issue, but 60K+ per year seems like a lot.  Is that something I should really be wary of?

Note: I've already decided against buying that vehicle, I'm just curious if my thinking is correct on the above. 

[Anton Chigurh 3,334]

Speaking of red flags when buying a vehicle - high miles in a short period of time.  I'm buying here in the next week or so, and found a 2022 model that I like for a decent price, but it has 125K on it already.  Toyota, so the miles in and of themselves aren't an issue, but 60K+ per year seems like a lot.  Is that something I should really be wary of?
Note: I've already decided against buying that vehicle, I'm just curious if my thinking is correct on the above. 

Probably used by a fleet, courier, or maybe a taxi/ride share. Probably not a rental as they usually get rid of them well before that, mileage-wise.

If it was something like a courier that isn’t actually so bad as it’s pretty much highway miles, but the problem is you just don’t know.

[nolongerU2horn 769]

58 minutes ago, Mittens said:

Speaking of red flags when buying a vehicle - high miles in a short period of time.  I'm buying here in the next week or so, and found a 2022 model that I like for a decent price, but it has 125K on it already.  Toyota, so the miles in and of themselves aren't an issue, but 60K+ per year seems like a lot.  Is that something I should really be wary of?

Note: I've already decided against buying that vehicle, I'm just curious if my thinking is correct on the above. 

That is a shitton of miles but a 2022 model is very likely over 3 years old now, so 40K/year

[Mittens 8,655]

18 minutes ago, Anton Chigurh said:

Probably used by a fleet, courier, or maybe a taxi/ride share. 

Doubt this was any of those.  I was a little high on the miles too, but 121K is still a bit high imo.  Regardless, I'm not trekking to Robstown for it.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/b2312fdd-8e7c-44cf-9c63-8a7f8d8506f9/

[nolongerU2horn 769]

4 minutes ago, Mittens said:

Doubt this was any of those.  I was a little high on the miles too, but 121K is still a bit high imo.  Regardless, I'm not trekking to Robstown for it.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/b2312fdd-8e7c-44cf-9c63-8a7f8d8506f9/

yep, built 8/21

[Anton Chigurh 3,334]

Doubt this was any of those.  I was a little high on the miles too, but 121K is still a bit high imo.  Regardless, I'm not trekking to Robstown for it.

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/b2312fdd-8e7c-44cf-9c63-8a7f8d8506f9/

Yeah, that would be a little odd on a 4Runner, but hey you never know.

There was some dude on Reddit that went over 469k on a RAV4 hybrid as a courier before trading it in on a GR Corolla. The Corolla got to about 45k before being totaled after hitting a deer.

The guy now has a Land Cruiser which is an odd choice for a courier, but hey.

Here’s the final post about the RAV4.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Toyota/s/YLPlhcQKiC

[tbone_ 14,416]

I would stay away from 40k year vehicle

[TwiceHorn 32,014]

3 hours ago, tbone_ said:

I would stay away from 40k year vehicle

Maybe not a Toyota, but more because Toyota avoids some of the tech that can make a car unreliable over the long haul, or, possibly more accurately, expensive to maintain to the long haul.  And also makes them pretty damn boring.

To that end, I am more strongly considering a Lexus for my next car than I normally would.  That is, if they still make cars when I get into the market again. 😬

Edited 16 hours ago by TwiceHorn

[Gravy Train 983]

The only new Lexus models that retain their 5-liter, VVTi V8 are the LC500 and IS500.  Everything else is some combination of their 2.4L DI, turbo-4 and hybrid powertrain.  Further, Lexus is endorsing 7,500-10,000 mi oil change intervals (synthetic) on these engines.  I wouldn't feel comfortable about buying any used Lexus unless the owner was a fanatic about the car.
 

[TwiceHorn 32,014]

17 minutes ago, Gravy Train said:

The only new Lexus models that retain their 5-liter, VVTi V8 are the LC500 and IS500.  Everything else is some combination of their 2.4L DI, turbo-4 and hybrid powertrain.  Further, Lexus is endorsing 7,500-10,000 mi oil change intervals (synthetic) on these engines.  I wouldn't feel comfortable about buying any used Lexus unless the owner was a fanatic about the car.
 

I always buy gently used.  But, these things, DI, turbo and I suppose to a lesser extent hybrid, are all things that have been staples of luxury vehicles for nigh on 10 years now and were the things I had in mind when I said may make them expensive to get to the long-haul.  And, given Toyota's reputation of last-adoption pending exhaustive reliability review one might think they are convinced they can build these features for the long haul.

So, I am curious about why you wouldn't feel comfortable about a Lexus, but would about say an Audi?

[TwiceHorn 32,014]

On 12/17/2024 at 4:04 PM, Vegas64 said:

Is that a 424? or m4?

Insulting!  However, given BMW's proliferation of 4-doors, I find it exceedingly difficult to tell them apart if I can't see the badging.  Somehow, despite the 4-series being a two-door 3-series, except the Gran Coupe, it looks substantially larger to me and I easily mistake them for 5s or even 8GCs and vice-versa.  And the M-Sport or whatever package that's cosmetically like an M but lacks all the real goodies usually has me guessing a bit.

[Gravy Train 983]

Well, blacking EVERYTHING out doesn't exactly help to determine WTF model it is (or what the wheels look like) from a distance greater than 10'.  I like some contrasting features of my car.

[Gravy Train 983]

3 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

So, I am curious about why you wouldn't feel comfortable about a Lexus, but would about say an Audi?

It's the stereotype of the typical elder Toyota/Lexus owner, especially if they've owned several generations of those vehicles.  They may follow the manufacturer's recommended maintenance intervals, but stretching a turbo-4 to 10K intervals isn't ideal. 

Only recently has Toyota modernized their powertrains, where most were NA, combination port/DI, and could go the distance on longer oil change intervals. I'm not convinced TM has fully "kaizened" all of these new lines, with the rough start they got on the Tundra/Sequoia/LX600 and Tacoma, for metal shavings discovered in engines to failing transmissions and broken aluminum front diffs.

Lastly, I find Toyota owners are the types who don't actually care about cars.  Searching for the Jay Leno quote on that one.

Edited 10 hours ago by Gravy Train

[TwiceHorn 32,014]

8 minutes ago, Gravy Train said:

It's the stereotype of the typical elder Toyota/Lexus owner, especially if they've owned several generations of those vehicles.  They may follow the manufacturer's recommended maintenance intervals, but stretching a turbo-4 to 10K intervals isn't ideal. 

Only recently has Toyota modernized their powertrains, where most were NA, combination port/DI, and could go the distance on longer oil change intervals. I'm not convinced TM has fully "kaizened" all of these new lines, with the rough start they got on the Tundra/Sequoia/LX600 and Tacoma, for metal shavings discovered in engines to failing transmissions and broken aluminum front diffs.

Lastly, I find Toyota owners are the types who don't actually care about cars.  Searching for the Jay Leno quote on that one.

All valid points.  Although, I think my turbo four has a 10k oil change interval, I just follow the oil change indicator and do it at 20% remaining as a nod to LSPI, etc.  I haven't correlated that to mileage, though.

[Sam Lin 3,593]

I'd trust a Toyota that followed mfg recommended maintenance infinitely more than I trust an Audi that followed mfg recommended maintenance.