Car Shopping: Anything Good?

That looks dope.

It is. My friend just got a Telluride and it is awesome. My wife got a Soul recently and we really love it. The Kia stuff just keeps getting better. I may even look at one of their sedans next time around (if the still make any) - the K900 is a sweet ride. Not quite ready to give up the guaranteed Cadillac comfort, but the new sedans looks ugly....
 
My 2007 Camry had over 100K in October 2017...found this new 2018 at the dealership...the color is 'Galactic Aqua Mica'(looks Black at night...)...It's been nearly two years now and it only has 8700 miles, gets 26mpg around town and paid off. The ultimate retiree ride...

F2lUVa8.jpg
 
I had two Alfas, both were reliable daily drivers that even got me through Michigan winters with no problems.

The first was a metallic blue1976 Alfetta GT with a tan interior - a very pretty car that handled extremely well due to the engine being in front and the transmission in the rear, so the weight distribution was about 50/50 - that got traded in on a silver1978 Spyder with a maroon interior, because for some reason I decided I needed a convertible.

I’d had some previous familiarity with Alfas; one of my college roommates at Michigan was a Vietnam vet who’d bought an Alfa Spyder when he got discharged and went back to school, and it ran great. His was cream with a maroon interior. Gorgeous car.

Later, my brother had a ‘60s boat tail Spyder that he’d bought used in the early ‘70s, and he restored it to new condition with only paint, a set of Bilsteins, and new Pirellis. It was a great car that ran reliably. I was truly impressed with how well it was made. The engine was all aluminum with four sodium-cooled valves per cylinder, a feature of Alfas at the time, but they didn’t stint on body or trim materials.

More surprising, his car had lived in Michigan for years, and at that time most cars got clapped out with rust from road salt after only a few seasons. Not the Alfas that I knew.

I figured if his older one ran well and looked good, and my old roommate Bill’s did the same, I’d be OK. And I was. The GT was a very advanced car for its day, probably more advanced than the Spyder, which was an older design. But both were pretty cool and I was a confirmed Alfisti.

Those four were the only Alfas I had any experience with, but they were all 100% reliable.

My Alfas also were responsible for meeting and hanging out a little with J. Geils, an Italian car enthusiast who participated in a car show I got involved with. Though at that time, his weapon of choice was a 408 Ferrari, something I couldn’t even dream of owning. Still. I was stoked; a day with an actual rock star!

I like the current Giulias but I wonder how long Alfa Romeo will stay in the US.

But hey, Sergio needs a new battlewagon.
Out of curiosity I was checking out the Buick. Only one here in town, a 2018. Found several in Phoenix, all 2019, with big discounts. Doesn't show up as a 2020 model at the moment.
 
But hey, Sergio needs a new battlewagon.
Out of curiosity I was checking out the Buick. Only one here in town, a 2018. Found several in Phoenix, all 2019, with big discounts. Doesn't show up as a 2020 model at the moment.

I thought I heard that GM sold Opel, the company that made the Buick. Maybe that model is done?
 
That Buick looks like a good fit for you.

I like my VW GTI, but I wouldn’t want to have to use a car seat in it.

+1 on the GTI. I've been eying the Alltrack which has unfortunately been discontinued. Same platform as the GTI and the extra cost savings can be used to buy a bigger turbo and accompanying tune to make it faster than a GTI with all that space.

Those Buicks looks great for a wagon though.
 
My 2007 Camry had over 100K in October 2017...found this new 2018 at the dealership...the color is 'Galactic Aqua Mica'(looks Black at night...)...It's been nearly two years now and it only has 8700 miles, gets 26mpg around town and paid off. The ultimate retiree ride...

F2lUVa8.jpg
We’re about to trade a 2007 Camry Hybrid with something over 370k on it.
 

It sounds like we will.

I'm with Shawn. I think you'll like it.

I can’t argue with that. CRV seems like a good fit.
I have a 1999 and 2002 Hondas that have never let me down.

It just seems like the safest bet. Aside from a few issues there isn’t much chatter about it being a clunker, and there’s millions of ‘em on the road.

The second step up from base (I believe it’s called the LX?) seems to have a pile of safety features and enough amenities. I think it may even have heated seats so I can wonder if I accidentally messed my pants when my butt gets hot. No leather seats at that price point though, and while I don’t like them anyway, I should probably look at something dark to hide the inevitable stains.



What do y’all think about extended warranties? Are they worth it? Do you think that’s “smart money” to spend?
 
What do y’all think about extended warranties? Are they worth it? Do you think that’s “smart money” to spend?

If you're buying new, I wouldn't think so. Although, that depends on how long you're planning on keeping it. If it's gonna be 7+ years, then I'd at least check out the cost. Also, you can always add that after the fact.

If you're buying used, I would definitely check them out.
 
We keep cars for about 10 years. I’ve never had one where the extended warranty would have paid for itself. Just do the regular maintenance and modern cars last fine.

My mother in law got the extended warranty on her last car (the 2004 Buick we now have) and never used it. She basically just gave the dealer a ton of extra profit when she bought the car.
 
It sounds like we will.





It just seems like the safest bet. Aside from a few issues there isn’t much chatter about it being a clunker, and there’s millions of ‘em on the road.

The second step up from base (I believe it’s called the LX?) seems to have a pile of safety features and enough amenities. I think it may even have heated seats so I can wonder if I accidentally messed my pants when my butt gets hot. No leather seats at that price point though, and while I don’t like them anyway, I should probably look at something dark to hide the inevitable stains.



What do y’all think about extended warranties? Are they worth it? Do you think that’s “smart money” to spend?

Go a step up from the base model. You'll get better mileage, a better transmission and tons of safety features that aren't available on the base model.
 
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