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OT: Cars

my summer toy car
IMG_20120406_113928.jpg
 
voyager said:
Post photos cork

I was just lost out on a 2010 335 x drive coupe with the M package. I hesitated a bit on pulling the trigger. When I called last night to seal the deal I was a few hours too late.

Won't hesitate next time.
Click to expand...
That's a stupid car.

And stupid as in good.
 
protip: the wheel locks always break on newer bmw's. If yours has them, have them replaced with normal wheel bolts. When they break, best case scenario is $12 (plus getting it to wherever you are) wheel lock key. Worst case scenario is one of the locking bolts breaks/strips, and fixing that starts at $100 a hole. And takes specialist tools to do. And can still fubar the hub (or rotor depending on model). Not the sort of thing to have happen on the side of the road in bum****sville.


edit: while I'm on the topic,
Wheel locks in general are far, far more likely to make your tire change/rotation a lengthy and expensive ordeal than they are to prevent someone taking your wheels, unless you're rolling on 24's and streetparking in detroit.
 
Every time I think about getting a new car, I just think, why? My car, which I've had for over 7 years, still runs as well as when I got it. It's quite remarkable actually. Not a spot of rust or anything and I'm not one to polish my car. I might wash it 3 or 4 times a year. It came with a 12 year rust warranty.
 
I went through those feelings as well BeLeafer...

I did my taxes last weekend - on top of my $500 a month payment, I also incurred $1500 worth of maintenance costs and misc costs. Add it all together and I was was spending $625.00 a month for a 4 year old Subaru impreza that has 80km on it.

Glad I made the change. No worries about things going wrong, maxed out KMs (24k per year), much nicer, much faster, and all for $650 a month.
 
If you can do it, get your employer to give you an auto allowance. It doesn't have to be much but will allow you to claim a lot of auto expenses. My Audi probably costs less than a Kia, as I had this with my former employer.
 
I'm self employed so I get to write off mileage associated with work - which is normally about 40%.

That brings my monthly cost way down.
 
Just on that note about getting a new car ... the one thing that makes me want to do it is that my dealership has a package where they come and pick up the car for its servicing and leave me a loaner until they return it. It means I never go near the dealership after purchase ... which is great because it's in Etobicoke. Worked like a charm for 6 years.

The biggest impediment I have though is that the new A4s are bigger than mine and I really don't want a bigger car or an A3. I think I'm going to wait until they introduce the new models in 2015, as they may have some nice smaller models. Audi really needs to do something on the smaller end of their product line. They have a 3 door in Europe but they don't bring it over here.
 
All euro car makers are cutting back on the offerings in North America. Too much wasted inventory.

I didn't think the new A4 was much bigger. It's been a real adjustment for me going to a small hatchback to a mid-sized suv.
 
It's a somewhat longer wheelbase which reduces the turn radius (which is very useful in downtown TO) and a bit wider. I was originally interested in the A4 way back because it was a nifty little sedan but mine is more of a midsized car. Part of the issue there is that my driveway is off an alleyway in my backyard and my gate is fairly tight and would need to rebuild it for a larger car.
 
The only thing in the pipeline that's smaller than an A4 aside from the A3 is the A1, which is very tiny. think Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta, etc. They sell it in Europe. Maybe an allright car, but generally luxury company super-compacts aren't the most reliable in the world.
 
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