Aman

I think some areas have a charge for causing an accident, even if you're not involved in one. Obviously, it's harder to prove.

Just make sure you use your mirrors to know where traffic is at all times. Saved me a few times.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

I dont know if Im the only one that does this, but I scan all three mirrors every 10 seconds or so. And I never pace someone thats directly next to me or slightly in front of me. When passing larger vehicles, I always make it a point to get through their blind spot as quickly as possible.

srika

yep I do all of that. it's just good to always be aware of your surroundings. also I've been in a situation where I was sitting at a red light in the front of a left turn lane (only car) and looked briefly in rear-view mirror and saw a vehicle heading towards me at maybe 50 mph. It was too fast to do anything on my part, sitting stationary at a red light, and we got smacked right in the rear. But at least I knew it was coming so I could kind of brace myself.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

I try to leave about 10ft between me and the car in front when stopped, that way I can hopefully get out of that situation if someone were about to rear end me.

Rick_TL-S

I got fucked over. They'll sell it for that price, but they won't go above 36 months on financing, so the payments are close to double we originally figured.

Of course, I could always do an "equal" trade on the TL.
At least now I know why everyone who's come to look at it has passed.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

WTF, thats bullshit. You cant finance outside of the dealer and hand them a check?

Rick_TL-S

I probably could. The issue is that they may turn around & not honor the invoice price, esp. now that we just talked about it tonight & concluded that it's out of my original range.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

That sucks.

ttribe

Why does the dealership care about the length of the financing term? Once it's financed and sold the risk passes to the finance company and it's off the dealership's books, right?

speedemon90

Yea i usually keep a good eye on my surroundings and checking mirrors really depends on the conditions of traffic and all. But sometimes, just like when I keep an eye out of cops they do come out of nowhere. It only takes a matter of seconds for someone to switch in a lane next to you at your back corner where you wont see it in your field of you immediately.


My closest call was when I was driving say around 75-80mph, and theres a red miata right next to me on the left. And when I mean left i mean his driver seat lined up right next to my driver seat. And all of a sudden he is inches away from me coming into my lane. I'm like wtf and i guess i knew there wasnt someone right next in my field of view so i swerved over into the next lane rather quickly for that speed, my wheels screeched. But if there was a car near my trunk in that lane i would not have caught it and I would have been fish tailed. Luckily the car in that lane was a couple car lengths back.

Stupid miata moved back into his lane after he was half way into mine and i was already in the other. He had a passenger that pointed out that I was in the lane the driver never noticed himself I mean i know some people dont like checking blind spots but if you even checked the mirror you would see me. He should have been able to see my car out of the corner of his eye looking straight!

Costco

another thing, I signal first to show intent, then always check over the shoulder twice when changing lanes. You never know.... motorcyclist that you barely missed upon first glance, or car in the distance is going much faster than you anticipate, etc.

Rick_TL-S

Good question & I wish I knew. But, as soon as I told them I was shooting for a 48/60 month term, he answered that the dealer won't go beyond 36; no explanation beyond that. It just doesn't make any sense b/c when I spoke to them months ago about the 5.0, I was given quotes for a 60 & 72 month deal, so I know they finance that long. Hell, the new sales even prefers terms that long.

If by some chance the car is still around when the dealer decides to send it to auction, I'll re-offer the deal we originally had. I'm more pissed it took them this long just to let me know the finance department was not going to agree with the salesman.

ttribe

Very strange.

chill_dog

Priced out a Mustang GT last night...$40k . I knew Ford was getting high with their prices, but that's outrageous.

A Challenger was $36k.

A Charger was $32k. More car, more goodies, lowest price. Go figure.

Another thing I loved...a 392 Charger/Challenger gets 14/23 and is hit with the gas guzzler tax. The Durango with the 5.7 gets 14/20 and isn't. Truck exception

Rick_TL-S

A 5.0 GT at $40K has to have practically every option available & that means the Track,Tech, & Reverse packages, plus the louvers & side scoops, along with the Recaros. But, all that & I still only priced it out at $38,000, so you must have the automatic transmission equipped.

That sounds like a much better packaged car imo, than the Charger R/T Plus (I'm assuming) you priced out. The Charger only seems to have 6 options, none of which are anything like a Track Pack.

charliemike

Just think about the relative performance of that car for $40k. A 370Z with the same bits is more expensive. A S5, M3, CTS-V, C63 are all $25k more expensive. I think $40k is not bad for the Mustang. I just wish the interior was better.

Aman

^ That's why I don't really like correlating performance and price of various models. There's so much more that goes into a car (and thus into its price) that it's not really fair to compare just price and performance numbers.



At least, that's the argument I use when people talk crap about my car's engine.

Costco

If only the Charger came in stick.

ultimately no manual, no care.

charliemike

Hey the 2.Slow will run forever

subinf

Pretty much

chill_dog

Just auto, nav, and back up camera. Maybe one or two nickel and dime things, but no louvers, scoops, Recaros, or BS. The nav set up was like $2600

What has no options is a base GT. Get that and there are no options. To get any of the options you'd want to even be available you have to kick in the extra $5k to get the Premium, and then start adding on.

The Challenger was an RT Plus; the Charger was a base. Thankfully Dodge lets you put almost all of the good stuff on a base car. I'd actually be good with building up a Challenger RT; just used the Plus to get the cars similarly equipped. With Ford, I can't get any of the options I want (save auto) on the base Mustang. With Dodge, I can get all but one on the Challeger RT (HIDs) and all on the Charger RT (except a few unnecessary creature comforts).

I really don't like how they tie certain option packages to certain trim levels. I know they all do it. However, you should be able to put what you want in the car. I cringe at the fact that in most instances these days I have to get leather seats to get everything else I want. I'm over leather seats and would like to move on.


Didn't realize the Z was over $40k now. That's insane, too. However, I don't think a Mustang GT is in the same boat as the other cars you listed. That's Shelby territory, and it's comparably priced. I completely agree on the interior...it's rough (but not as rough as the Camaro).

Rick_TL-S

Everything in my last post is available on the base GT.

The only thing a Premium model holds extra over the base is just the Navi/Camera & comfort options. Annoying, but nothing new in the automotive industry.

How on earth did you get a base Charger to $32,000? And what is all this "good stuff"?

From what I'm looking at, a base Charger doesn't have anything that holds a candle to the GT's options.
-UConnect 4.3S
-18 or 20" wheels
-8 Speed Auto
-Engine Block Heater
-Connectivity Group
-Sport Appearance
-Sport 20" wheels

I selected most of this & still only got $28,000. I'm just not seeing what on the base adds up to $32K.

I will agree to that & I do find Ford to be (or used to be) pretty guilty of forcing you to choose what you ultimately wanted.

chill_dog

Sorry, by base I meant RT. I'm not looking at 6's. Charger RT with sunroof, nav, confidence, and Blacktop (to get the 3.06 gears and grille...audio's a bonus) = $32k. Only thing missing is memory seats. It's just over $30k without the Blacktop...can't beat that.

Still, on the base (V8) Charger, there are a lot of options, and good options. I see no options worth getting on the base (V8) Mustang. The track pack, nav, back up camera, etc. isn't there...just louvers, overpriced Brembo's, some ipod crap, and such . IMHO a $30k+ car should have nav, or at least the option to add it. But then again, it's all about the up-sell .

Maybe I should avoid the whole option mess and just get the SRT

srika

yep, I was taught the same thing, signal, then move slowly.. this gives time for anyone in your way to get out of the way, in case you are a bonehead and don't notice something.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

I do that unless Im in rush hour traffic and these assholes won't let you over. I size up the opening and make sure I can safely move over, then turn the blinker on as Im changing lanes.

Numerous times in NY and DC traffic Id have to angle my car in such a way that they have two choices - let me in or hit me. I hate being a douche like that, but its that or sit stopped with your blinker on waiting for someone to let you in.

Aman

^ Sadly, that's the reality in metro areas. Most people just won't let you in if you're patiently sitting in your lane patiently with your blinker flashing.

I find for the most part if you're set on a gap between two cars, the person behind you will let you in if you persist long enough.

It's the same thing if you're cruising in semi-rush hour traffic (15-20mph-ish). It's great if you can just play with the throttle and coast to slow down, but that involves sometimes leaving a gap big enough for a car to easily jump in, and if that happens enough times you end up a fair distance farther than you would be.

Rush hour sucks.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

Thats why I usually go to work around noon and come home around 7

srika

yeah that's a different scenario, sometimes when do you have barge your way in, and honestly at least here in Chicago, it's not frowned upon. when you gotta get over, you gotta get over.

srika

oh for real I stay out of it as much as I can.. hell I don't even like PEOPLE during rush hour... so annoying... which is why I love my 10-7! and I walk to work!

srika

dafuq???

*sometimes when you do have to barge your way in

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

I wish I could walk or bike to work. But I don't have the energy/time to ride 60-100 miles a day

srika

oh oops, I meant 10-6. lol

it's a 6 minute brisk walk one way, I do enjoy that

I usually wake up around 9:45

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

Every time I try to put my body back into a normal routine, I end up having to work overnight for just one night out of the week

I was doing great, getting about 7.5-8 hrs of sleep every night and waking up around 9. I worked overnight last Thursday and this past Tuesday. This week I've been waking up around 1130. I like having those two or three hours before work to just BS around the house.

Aman

Nobody cares about your body clock, we just like your cars









Just kidding.

I miss having a commute. Living within walking distance of school is nice for the wallet, but there's a sense of adventure when work is a half hour drive away, that you don't get walking two blocks.

charliemike

While I hear you, around here a 30 minute commute is 10 miles.

I would trade walking for having to drive everywhere in a heartbeat.

CLtotheTL32

iTrader: (3)

I ride my bike to campus. Drive the car maybe twice a week and when I do, it's 12 miles round trip to work.

savage

Yeah, I saw that when I was considering the M3 and C63. Both have gas guzzler tax, while that soccer mom in a suburban doesn't pay shit.

What also annoys me about that is that it's a double tax. If you notice it gets listed as an option on the car and when you total it all up the final sales tax % is applied to the total including the gas guzzler tax.

charliemike

Agreed, that's BS.

chill_dog

^x2

speedemon90

the 2014 odyssey will have a built in vacuum.

Probably the most useful feature to come to a minivan lately haha