CubanLynx84

iTrader: (2)

Scratches and dings are gonna come about whether the car is new or used. you should base your thought on whether you wanna keep fixing a used car or just buy new and not worry as much. I bought mine new cause I didn't want to deal with another used car and put money into fixing it as opposed to paying for a new car that will run, provided with proper maintenance, for years. My next car however will be used as I'm looking to get into a house. I'll still have the "S" but I'll probable geet a pick-up truck once I get a house cause then it'll be house modding time instead. Also I bought the car for another reason as well which is banks wanna see a long-term loan under your name when you go for bigger ones like buying a house this works in your favor most of the time. The people who buy a car outright are not helping their own credit either. Sorry to go off topic a bit.

SharksBreath

iTrader: (33)

bought my TL used, got my first dent the day i bought it.

came back from the dealer, and parked at work (i always park in the same spot everyday, the safest spot available...and i hug the opposite line so that if someone does park next to me, they have to try real hard to hit my car), some asshole in a pickup truck decided to reverse into the spot next to me (there were tons of other spots around) after he gets into the spot, his passenger opens their door and lets it gracefully hit my drivers side door.

i watched the whole thing happen from inside my job, but was dealing with a customer at the time and couldn't go outside right away. needless to say, 5 mins later the truck was gone and i was left with a 3 inch dent on my door. PDR is in my future.

it's a car, shit will happen to it. but you can take steps to increase your chances of survival out there. you've also got to weigh your priorities like others have said. my car is very important to me so i safeguard it whenever possible. i don't have a lot of nice things, so i hold my car high on the list. i'm saving for a house right now as well, so the modding fever will dwindle down a bit. i still have a lot i want to do with the car, it will just take me a little longer...which probably isn't a bad thing, always have something to look forward to.

mn2trance

If you are the type of person who takes personal care and pride in whatever possession you own, you'll treat it very well whether it's new or used. Like others on here have stated about not wanting to go used again, I had bought my '05 brand new partly because I had never owned a new car before and partly because I'll know the history from the get-go. Depreciation never crossed my mind since I plan to keep this car for a very long time.

Since this is my DD, I have numerous scratches, rock chips, and small dings on it. With some touch up paint and keeping the paint looking nice and fresh with a good detailing job, the car still looks new from afar. Although it's almost 6 years old, it still hurts, but not as much, whenever another imperfection gets added by me or someone else.

As for your decision to get a 2.5G RL, I thought you could get that for bottom basement price due to it not being a very popular car.

denny crane

For the most part I agree with everyone who says if you have something take care of it. I too park out in the farthest reaches of the parking lot to prevent scratches and dings (though not driving on certain roads is kind of obsessive). It the people who drop thousands of dollars on the car after wards that i don't get. Placing computers in the car, filling the trunk with speakers and replacing the interior with calfskin is a bit much. I don't have an issue with customizing a car but some folks over do it.

nj2pa2nc

Make that 2-I am a female that takes very excellent care of my cars. I drive from NC to NJ and back every few weeks. Traveling on 95 with the truck traffic my poor car has quite a few rock chips. Otherwise it still looks excellent. I do not allow smoking in my car.

P1zzaman

iTrader: (1)

Bought mine new in feb 07. I got a few dents and scratches. I look at it once in a while, but i figure as lonv as i keep my car clean and maintained , no one will notice

Mug

I feel you! My story (that I've told here before) isn't as bad, but still drives me nuts.

I was in a drive through (which I rarely do but I was running late and the drive through is always twice as fast as inside). My car only had 400 miles on it and an employee of the restaurant was on his way back from the dumpster with a dolly. He was pushing it and running. Yup, he lost control and slammed into the side right behind the rear wheel. Nice gouge. I tore him a new one, he probably went home and cried.

Rocks up here are bad. I have so many dings. In fact, I have one under my bra! At night, I can see rocks flying toward the front of my car. It doesn't snow much here, but they are always plowing asphalt (yes, sparks) and throwing gravel on the asphalt. I guess they need to spend our money since they taxed us.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

its always nice to know there are a few of us on here. and we drive 6MT!! like i said RARE. anytime i see an exotic driving around here...can't help but admire the absolute beauty in it.

nj2pa2nc

Luckily both my husband prefer driving manual transmission. We did have a car with those so-called paddle shifters-Definately not the same.

jhumbo

iTrader: (1)

This is my philosophy although I go 2 years out because there's quite a bit of depreciation in that 2nd year as well. I have purchased our last 3 cars 2 years old and have been very pleased.

SouthernBoy

I refer to that as pretend-a-shift. I made the mistake once in my life of buying an automatic transmission for my personal driving machine because I was planning to tow a boat with it. Never happened (used the wife's car) so I learned my lesson. I don't fault other folks who prefer an automatic, they have their reasons, but it's just not for me.

Legend2TL

+1

I bought two used cars before and both times something was hidden that the owners lied about (accident and odometer was rolled back). I thought I did a decent job inspecting them but not good enough so I've become very weary of used cars. My brother on the other hand has bought all used (BMW and Porsche) with the exception of one lease.

We keep our cars for a long time (~15+ years) so getting them new and not having the potential hassle of dealing with a previous owner who hid some sort of problem is well worth it.

Legend2TL

SB, well written as usual.

I bought my 05 6MT new six years ago, it has only a few very small minor scratches and fortunately no dings or dents anywhere. parking in far far away land (Shrek reference from my daughters pays off). Besides the exercise is good.

SouthernBoy

Thank you Legend.

There is a certain mentality that says, "it's only a car" and thinks of those who, like us, place a much higher significance on our property as being somehow, odd with our priorities misplaced. Some people like this are so adamant in their stance, and with this remark, that they believe it is common knowledge and cast in stone and to think different marks us as having questionable character - we don't care about people because we're preoccupied with property.

I used to work with a lady like this in my last job. You know the type. When in a discussion of differing opinions, these are the ones who are fond of starting a sentence at some point with, "I don't care what you say....". They are dismissive and certainly not of a mind to see another angle to something with which they oppose or disagree. She also chimed into a conversation (read that as butting in) I was having with a couple of co-workers and made the classic, "It's just a car, get over it" statement. Her car is a washing machine. A disposable mechanism for transporting her from A to B without joy or enthusiasm. So naturally, if we feel differently, we're odd.

When all of this is said and done, you have to admit it's very hard to imagine how someone could think like this when viewed in the light of having spent maybe $40,000 for something. But then again, we're not them.... at least some of us aren't.

TL Tech 18

I am one f those who has always taken pride in my vehicle. Must be a genetic thing ....
I am the guy that doesn't park by any other cars, if at all avoidable, and don't mind walking a little further.
I recently turned in my 2008 TSX, which was a lease. During that time, even though it was a lease, I took prefect care of the car. I turned it in with 40,000 miles on it, with no door dings or dents. Had only a minor stone chip on the hood, and thankfully the car was Emerald green, so you barely noticed it. I do 80% highway driving, in which I try to keep my distance from the car ahed of me. So, after three years, my TSX could have passed as a new car ...
Last month I purchased a 2010 TL Tech package with 18" wheels. This car is beautiful, and has more intelligence that most humans ...
So .... I dont' want to jinx myself ..... but hopefully, my TL will stay as nice looking as my TSX did after three years .....
Yes, I am one who worries about his car .... but who would'nt when it has a $40,000 sticker....
Your car is probably your 2nd biggest investment after a home (or children).

SouthernBoy

It's called pride of ownership. It requires no excuses or apologies or lame reasons searched to satisfy the point A to point B crowd.

I say good for you!

nj2pa2nc

good to hear that you take care of the cars you own or lease. I have seen owners of more expensive cars that do not give a damn. Even when I owned a hyundai I took excellent care of it. I do mostly highway driving and try to keep my distance from the vehicle ahead of me. I do not know how you keep that up-most of the time another driver pulls in front of me. After 4+years and 120,000+miles I get lots of compliments on how nice my tsx looks. They can not believe how many miles it has.

wall e

OK...so i must know....do u guys wash your cars, too? Or is it a sin to take it to the car wash at the gas station? Or for those who bough their TL brand NEW, do u use the perk of free car washes from the Acura Dealership u purchased it from???

IMO, i cant do scratches or dings, but I am ok with "swirls" on the car.

Slinks

I think it depends on your usage of the car.
My car has 95k miles. I bought it for 30k new. I could probably sell it for 10k quickly if I needed to -- and maybe 11 or 12k.
So lets say I expect this car to last till 150k miles. I've gotten the best 2/3 of the car's life for 2/3 of the price -- thats a good deal in my opinion. It might last for more than 150k, but I'd rather have the first 100k miles for 20k than the remaining miles for 10k.

Cars depreciate moreso with age then miles. So if I were driving much less then I'd go for a used car. Or if I found a good deal on a low milage used car, I'd consider it as well.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

yes, hand wash myself, hand detail myself. don't even get me started on the car wash at gas stations OR the dealer. its not that much of a perk from the dealer. have you seen the chamois' they use and the water that gets rung out of those things??? YUCK. i insist like 6 times over when i go to the dealer, "PLEASE DO NOT WASH MY CAR." i take my car into them clean and i expect it to come back to me in the same condition, unscathed and clean. last time the car was there overnight. got it back with a ding in the trunk deck. of course they fixed it-no charge. swirls on a light colored car you could get away with. it looks bad on darker paint in the correct angle of the sun hitting the car.

Legend2TL

Oh so true, and to me it doesn't even matter what kind of car it is.

I respect anyone who takes great care of their vehicles. There's a older guy at work who has a 9/10 condition 1G Chrysler mini-van, easily over 2 decades old yet the interior is immaculate and the paint only slightly faded. He parks it in the god parking spots nearby a co-wroker who has a 10/10 2004 S2000.

A old friend from growing up is a pilot for Delta and fly's 767's on Asian routes. He's pretty anal about cleaning up the after they arrive, he makes sure all four pilots cleanup the cockpit and crew bunk area's after they arrive. It annoys him when he gets into a jet that another crew just flew in and left crumbled up napkins, cups, sugar packets, or paper in the cockpit. What's amusing is he has a friend who flys for JAL and it's a demerit on your record if the flight crew leave a cockpit with any sort of trash in it.

nj2pa2nc

I also try to hand wash my tsx but with the driving I do it is not possible at times. I do let the dealer handwash my car-They do an excellent job. I have become friends with the person that does it. He takes alot of pride in the work he does. He is a college student and he is working there to pay for it. I am also friends with many other employees, incl. the sales manager, service manager and the techs.

mn2trance

I wash my own car when my complex doesn't shut down the car wash bay. When that happens, I take it to the touchless car wash place as I have gotten burned by other hand washed places in the past.

SouthernBoy

Unfortunately, my knees preclude me from doing a serious car wash myself. So I take it to one of the touchless drive through washes, which I carefully observe first, in my area.

As for the "perk" of a free car wash at an Acura dealer, I don't take my car to any dealer and the one time I did with my '04, I made it clear to them NOT to wash my car.

TRIUMPHT

iTrader: (1)

word of advise stick with your first thought. i felt i should buy new because by the time the numbers added up it was literally a couple thousand less so i just spent the little extra to go new and already have had the car hit/windshield replaced/ and dented the corner of my lexani's..haven't even had the car for more than 2 months ..i personally wish i would've just gotten a used car ...

big_mac65

I'd buy it!!!

Eventhough, I've read half of it already, through here.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

its always nice to have a good relationship with a dealer...in return they treat you well. and yes i know well enough the price they charge you for services. in the end you do pay for what you get. but if you make nice nice...they'll cut you some slack in your wallet. i've been to mine so many times, they all know me and my car now when i pull up. its the oh great its the crazy anal girl with the rims and rack....lol.

big_mac65

I bought my TL new, but like everyone has said before scratches are inevitable. I had mine two weeks when some idiot in a Focus dented one of my doors real bad, scratches are still there! I suppose if you think about it, the upside to new is that for a bit, you get to see your car in mint condition. The downside is that you'd probably obsess way to much to try to keep it in that mint condition. When the inevitable happens, you worry too much about it and you like your car less, because all you see is what's wrong with it, much as I do still to this day! IF you buy used, you may worry less about the scratches.

The best you can do is to try and not get anymore. Drive and park smart.

SharksBreath

iTrader: (33)

yeah the sun is so unforgiving, especially on black paint. everytime i think my car looks decent, a few mins later the sun pops up and immediatley changes my mind.

i am really looking forward to doing a full correction once the weather gets nicer. i actually enjoy cleaning/detailing my car...it's very therapeutic and relaxing. the girlfriend hates this bc whenever i tell her i'm going to wash my car, she knows she won't see me for at least 6 hours

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

i totally get that. a clean car is a happy me! there is nothing better than getting the satisifaction of standing back and admiring the hours you put into detailing your car, then say "damn that look freakin' sexy!". when the car is dirty it bugs me...when the car is clean...one less thing on my brain to annoy me.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

^

big_mac65

I believe there is a stalker among us... Are you still thinking about her calves?

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

LOL!! you guys are funny! heh heh.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

:

05 NHB

It's a matter of: 1. finances and 2. personal preference. If you can afford to buy a new car and have never experienced it, go for it, new cars smell so good. If finances are tight, definitely buy used but get a certified one with a good warranty, that way you shield yourself from any possible substantial future repair costs. Good luck and keep us posted.

1995hoo

To me it's a question of what's realistic. I'd like to be able to wash my car myself every time, but especially during the winter that's impractical—I'm not going to go outside to wash the car when it's 20°F and the wind is blowing. Yet it's also important to get the salt and other road-treatment crap off the car (including the undercarriage) in a timely fashion, so I'll use a touch-free car wash of the type where you drive in and stop and the machine moves around the car. The one I use has a countdown timer at the exit telling you how much drying time you have left. I make a point of using the full amount of time. It annoys some of the people waiting on line behind me, but that's not my problem—I paid for that full amount of time and I intend to use it.

I normally ask the dealer not to wash the car unless it's particularly filthy. The car is coming up on seven years old and it has some swirl marks; it's simply almost impossible to avoid some of those on a black car unless you have a lot more time for detailing than I do. So once in a while a dealer wash doesn't get me too bent out of shape. But come springtime, say early April, I'll be outside very early one morning to do a full wash, liquid clay treatment, and paint sealer wax.

As far as little marks and chips and such on the car, it's hard to avoid some of that. It's life. I try to be vigilant in fixing such things, but I recognize that it's simply the way life is that a car that's seven years old isn't going to look quite as sharp as a new car rolling off the lot for the first time, especially if that car is NBP like mine. (Ms1995hoo has a 2003 RSX Type-S and it's RRP. It takes a lot less effort to keep that car looking good than my NBP TL does. I originally wanted RRP for the TL, but my previous car had been totalled in a crash, no RRP 6MTs with Navi were available, and they got an NBP in stock, so I went with that.)

I love the text in boldface. Look at mn2trance's avatar to see why.