AI meets BFC: Car Buying Thread: No Rentals and No Salvage Titles

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > AI meets BFC: Car Buying Thread: No Rentals and No Salvage Titles

black.lion: Apr 1, 2004; For if he like a madman lived,
At least he like a wise one died.

This may be very much the wrong thread for this, so sorry if so, but I'm looking for goon help on how to buy a car - I know exactly what we want (trim options package colors everything) on our two options (Telluride or Sorento) and we're okay waiting like 6+ months to get the exact car we want, but I straight up don't know how to go about it. In a perfect world I'd just order what we want from the internet and avoid any human interaction, but ah well...

I've been to a Kia dealership to test drive and talk abt the thing; Tellurides are hard af to find rn (I'm sure this is known to most here), Sorentos less so but still difficult; this dealer and another I called have said that Tellurides have a 10k-15k markup new, but I have a feeling they're just trying to get me to compromise on options etc so they can sell me their stock as I've heard of folks buying a telluride in the area with a 2k-5k markup which honestly I'd prob be okay with (prefer not much more but idk what the standard is). Anyway I'd love to avoid dealing with salespeople and their sales graft as much as possible, I tried AAAs car buying service except I've waited on hold for over an hour multiple times and no one picks up, so meh. Looking at Consumer Reports car search/buying service but I can't tell wtf is an actual utility/tool to buy a loving car, and what is a hidden ad to farm my email address so dealers can email me listings of used cars I don't want.

I just want to order the car I want, pay MSRP + something reasonable bc I understand capitalism exists, and receive it hopefully before next summer. Do I just start calling dealers, telling them exactly what I want, asking if they'll order it from Kia for me and also put the total price in writing? Or do I fly to Korea and buy the car from the factory and drive it back across the floor of the ocean? Goons what is the path of least resistance/annoyance here?

# ¿ Aug 20, 2022 12:45

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# ¿ Jun 1, 2024 00:21

black.lion: Apr 1, 2004; For if he like a madman lived,
At least he like a wise one died.

All awesome feedback thanks y'all - as someone who has never done carbuying on their own, how difficult is it for a dealer to order the car we ask for if we're willing to wait, vs. having to compromise for the closest we can find that a dealer already has in inventory?

I'm definitely a goony goon but with enough mental preparation and support from family/friends I can make phone calls, so totally cool calling a dozen dealers and saying "i want this for this price [being MSRP +5k idk]" and seeing what we get; I just have no personal gauge of what is reasonable to ask/expect of a dealer

Those links are super nice for looking for dealers that don't have crazy markups; I looked on that forum and don't see a broker in my area (NC), but generally i'd be totally willing to pay a reasonable fee for someone to deal with this ish - but I'm also willing to do it myself, so long as I can figure it out.

Yeah I'm willing to drive out of state if it's the right car, plan to drive this thing for a decade+ so a lil road trip is fine.

# ¿ Aug 21, 2022 14:20

black.lion: Apr 1, 2004; For if he like a madman lived,
At least he like a wise one died.

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

Start off asking for MSRP + destination, taxes, fees, etc, say you are in no particular hurry, and ask what the lead time will be and what the cost will be. Make sure you get an itemized cost breakdown in writing (email is fine). Be prepared to pay a deposit to secure the car; this deposit should be fully refundable.

If a car is inventory it will probably have an ADM, and since you are willing to wait you should do that to get the best price on what you actually want. North Carolina is a big state with plenty of dealers. It can be somewhat more helpful to buy a car in state; often the dealer will then handle registration and paperwork (in exchange for money of course) and they are less likely to gently caress up the taxes.

Awesome, going to run with this (in true goon fashion I'm going to make an email template and email to a ton of dealerships before i start calling muahahaha) - also really good call re: buying in state bc of registration and tags, we do have a ton of dealerships in NC so I'll try to exhaust those before I move elsewhere.

Thanks so much everyone!

# ¿ Aug 22, 2022 16:43

black.lion: Apr 1, 2004; For if he like a madman lived,
At least he like a wise one died.

I was gonna do email just bc, after (stupidly) putting my email address into the Consumer Reports car buying thingie, I'm now getting emails from a few dealers asking if I'm looking for a new car. Will prob fire off a few emails expecting no reply before I start calling.

# ¿ Aug 22, 2022 18:44

black.lion: Apr 1, 2004; For if he like a madman lived,
At least he like a wise one died.

hey y'all, my manual GTI that i love dearly and have been driving for 12 years is not long for this world, my needs have changed, my budget has changed... i need a new car and i know nothing about choosing a car. please help.

Proposed Budget: $55,000 ideally but I could stretch to $70,000
New or Used: NEW!
Body Style: Station Wagon (lmao more on this below)
How will you be using the car?: Mostly as a daily commuter (30 mi round trip), but needs to be able to function as a backup family car in terms of seats/cargo capacity and needs AWD (there will be occasions where this car is going down sketchy dirt roads to trailheads, and/or driving through blizzardy weather in the North)
What aspects are most important to you? Has at least some horsepower/is sorta fun to drive, AWD, has a nice-ish interior, has ventilated front seats, touch screen, android car play, sun/moonroof, doesn't look completely rear end from the outside, reliable would be great

I'm in the US

I'm of the type that will buy a car brand new and drive it for a decade or more, I don't want to spend time trading cars in or looking at used etc. I want to buy a car new and not have to think about it for 10ish years (other than maintenance which I do keep up with). I don't know if this matters in terms of overall cost, but I would be hoping to buy this car outright without financing (someone told me that with luxury brands e.g. Audi, buying outright sometimes can help you get a break on the overall cost - no idea if that's true or not but why I mention it)

My wife drives a Kia Sorento (AWD etc) that is our main family car; I don't want another SUV, but I also don't want to get a tiny hatchback that our family could never fit into when the Sorento is getting maintenance or whatever - my ideal car (in my uninformed imagination) is an A6 Allroad, as it has the right mix of "sexy" and "rugged" and "could fit a cello in the back" - but if I were going for an A6 I'd likely want the top trim level, and I think that's pushing a bit outside my budget (I could maybe move a small mountain to make it happen but wouldn't be comfortable); so I'm considering attempting that, or just going for the A4 Allroad at top trim level (cost would be much more comfortable)

People keep suggesting Subaru, but they're just ugly af inside and out - I tried building a few out and could maybe deal with one if I get it totally blacked out or something, but nothing Subaru has rn really gets me excited - is there like a Subaru version of the R6 Avant that I can get blacked out? Hesitant to sign up for driving a car through most of my 40s that I don't like...

I considered Volvo also but cost seems prohibitive.

I know station wagons are a pretty small pool to be drawing from, I'm not completely against a larger hatchback (4 door) but just haven't found one that interests me.

I really really want ventilated front seats, where I live it gets hot/humid af in the summer and having those is amazing. Also want modern tech (again will be driving this car for awhile so don't want to start with outdated tech) and a sunroof/moonroof (bonus points if panoramic)

So my initial questions: Are Audis even vaguely reliable? Is there any compelling reason to get, or NOT to get, either the A6 Allroad or A4 Allroad? Is maintenance on an Audi ridiculously expensive? If I go to an Audi dealership with a PDF printout of what I want them to order for me, should I expect to pay a premium over MSRP shown from audi.com?

...should I just stfu and get a Subaru? Are there any Subarus that come to mind that I should look at specifically, that can be blacked out and aren't ugly af?

But my main question:

What options am I not thinking of that I should consider?

black.lion fucked around with this message at 15:22 on Feb 11, 2024

# ¿ Feb 11, 2024 15:07

black.lion: Apr 1, 2004; For if he like a madman lived,
At least he like a wise one died.

knox_harrington posted:

Used Panamera Sport Turismo

that first word sorta kills it for me but otherwise I like where your head is at

# ¿ Feb 11, 2024 15:15

black.lion: Apr 1, 2004; For if he like a madman lived,
At least he like a wise one died.

As far a I can tell, none anymore, random article Google fed me says the last BMW station wagon sold in the US was an F31 but looking at the US BMW website I see no touring options

https://www.bmwusa.com/build-your-own.html#/series

...unless I'm not looking in the right place

# ¿ Feb 11, 2024 15:20

black.lion: Apr 1, 2004; For if he like a madman lived,
At least he like a wise one died.

Roseo posted:

Is there even really a functional difference between what's called a station wagon in the US nowadays and the compact/subcompact cuv vehicles? Aside from like 3-6 inches of roof height maybe, they're all about the same dimensions. If you're looking at the outback you may as well start cross shopping cuvs as there's going to be a ton more variety.

I'm not against this, anything in the CUV space that jumps out as worth considering given the above pricepoint/wants?

I'd briefly considered Mazdas (CX-50 a decent option?) but learned that their screens aren't touch screen which bothered me given my 2012 GTI has a touchscreen (or, mb now they are, only if you are using Android Car Play... maybe functionally that makes them touch whenever you'd used them anyway?). Just spec'd a CX-50 Turbo Prem Plus (2024) and with all the options I want, MSRP is ~$47k so in my price range for sure. But I the whole "not having a touchscreen" thing still bothers me if that's true (the Mazda site doesn't say the display is touch...)

e: okay I googled it and looks like the screen is touch... so now the CX-50 seems like a compelling option, appears to have good reviews?

Zorak of Michigan posted:

I'm on my second Audi

Thanks for this, makes me feel a bit better considering the Audi Allroad options - I'm fine with maintenance being a bit expensive (and time consuming lol) if it's just the scheduled stuff, I just don't want a car that is in and out of the shop for dumb poo poo all the time.

Any thoughts on what I really lose going to the A4 Allroad instead of the A6 Allroad? Assume top trim levels for either (think I have to go top trim level to get ventilated seats in either anyway)

black.lion fucked around with this message at 17:12 on Feb 11, 2024

# ¿ Feb 11, 2024 17:08

black.lion: Apr 1, 2004; For if he like a madman lived,
At least he like a wise one died.

zedprime posted:

Not having a touch screen is the correct UIX but you're going to have your own personal taste. No contest, you can't use a touchscreen without putting yourself in danger while a knob and hard buttons are usable with your eyes on the road to do routine UI stuff.

I've been in a few different rentals since infotainment screens became standard and Mazda's is my favorite because of the no-touchscreen and the relative size of screen to dash and physical controls.

They've added capacitive touch back in to some of the later Mazda models but it behooves you to use the dial and buttons which were forged in the UIX fires of not having a touchscreen fallback and work well.

I like the idea of using the dial most of the time, just not all of the time (like I'd pretty much only use dial/steering wheel buttons when driving solo, but with wife in shotgun and her trying to get the right Moana song to play on a roadtrip, I'd like her to be able to touch the screen instead of have to mess with a dial near where my hand rests)

Anyway it looks like the 2024 CX-50 has both which is lovely, and I agree with you re: safety ofc

I also love how small their screen is compared to rest of the dash components, and am really glad that there are real buttons for most functions (do not like how the Sorento controls almost everything via screen)

# ¿ Feb 11, 2024 17:27

black.lion: Apr 1, 2004; For if he like a madman lived,
At least he like a wise one died.

Zorak of Michigan posted:

Both mine have been S4s, so I can't speak from authority about the *6-series. My experience has been that I can carry 4 adults in comfort but adding a fifth is uncomfortable. If you need Sorrento-size room for your family, I think you might get pushed to the A6. I've always wished I could get the night vision thing the A6 has, but I also suspect that if I had it, I might think it was an annoying gimmick. That is the only feature I've ever wanted but not had.

Awesome thanks, rn our family is 2x adults, a 2yo, and two small dogs... another kid is prob in the cards in the lifetime of this car, but we will be max'd at 4 humans 2 dogs, so I think space-wise this will work (esp with a Thule thingie on top for luggage, dogs can go in the rear area in the Allroad)

The night vision on A6 doesn't excite me but I do sort of want the HUD feature (projection on the windshield) - have some memory that isn't on the A4 even at top trim level, but otherwise aside from size I don't really see a need for the A6 (my dad keeps telling me A6 only option bc better engine lol)

# ¿ Feb 11, 2024 17:29

black.lion: Apr 1, 2004; For if he like a madman lived,
At least he like a wise one died.

Guinness posted:

Mazda�s lack of touchscreen is an intentional design choice and IMO a very good one. Much easier to use while driving and doesn�t get fingerprints all over the screen. I have a CX-5 and like it very much but it�s smaller inside than something like an A6 wagon.

When I bought it I wanted to buy a wagon but there are just no practical options in the USA anymore. The handful of wagons we get are all expensive euro luxury imports, and even those can be thin on the ground when actually looking for one. And also I feel you on Subarus, they�re ugly and bland and quirky but not in an interesting way, and not as cheap to run as their image would suggest.

Did you look at a CX-50 when choosing the CX-5?

# ¿ Feb 11, 2024 17:32

black.lion: Apr 1, 2004; For if he like a madman lived,
At least he like a wise one died.

Zorak of Michigan posted:

A4 Allroad Prestige gets the HUD, at least here in the US. On my 2019, if you are using your phone for navigation, the navigation cues do not show up on the HUD. Only the onboard nav works with it. That was a disappointment for me. It might be something they've improved now, so I urge you to check if it matters to you.

Ah nice that's good info on both points, ty

Guinness posted:

I bought my CX-5 in 2021 before the CX-50 existed. I went with the loaded Signature turbo model because I was cross shopping against entry level lux stuff like the A4 allroad, X3, Q5, etc. It�s maybe not as premium as those but it�s quite nice and cost $35k instead of $55k and will be cheaper in the long run to maintain too. I own a BMW as well so I know the good and bad of that class of car and decided against it for the family hauler.

I like some things about the 50, like being a bit lower and longer is more wagon like. But it�s also wider (bad for cities and my garage/parking) and on a less premium platform with cheaper suspension design. And has a few small aesthetic design details I think are silly. So trade offs I guess.

Rgr - didn't know abt the less premium platform (what does that mean? I am not a car-knower which by now is obvious) - what are the aesthetic details you dislike on the CX-50?

Thankfully I have room where I live for the extra width/length

Mustache Ride posted:

I know you said no to the Volvo, but I�d consider the V60 recharge as an alternative to the A6 Allroad. At least try it if you can find one to test drive. The savings from the phev would put it above the Audi imo.

So this car is sexy af and checks all my boxes I think, the reason I nix'd Volvo in my head is I was told maintenance was expensive, sometimes frequent, and hard to find someone to work on them not at the dealer - maybe the cost of maintenance/reliability are not that bad? Or mb not so bad for the Polestar? But then like, the cost of getting a charger installed at home is a thing at that point, correct?

e: Wait no ventilated front seats!!! Sweden is not at my latitude lol

kefkafloyd posted:

The CX-50 allows for the use of touch in Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but it�s disabled by default.

This is also true of the CX-90/70. I believe they added it to the 2024 3 and CX-30 as well if you get a trim with the bigger infotainment screen. Turn it on and touch away.

The rotary knob works fine, you get used to it very quickly, and I don�t miss a touch screen at all. The only place where it really falls down is entering text, but then again touching a keyboard while driving is also super risky.

It�s not just purely a rotary knob either, it has cardinal directions which help along with shortcut keys (back button, favorites, home button).

Yeah I'm fully on-board with knob for my solo use, but again would really like my wife to be able to plug her phone in from shotgun and control things without having to fox with the knob

# ¿ Feb 11, 2024 17:56

black.lion: Apr 1, 2004; For if he like a madman lived,
At least he like a wise one died.

Awesome thanks on both points, will def test drive both when I get to that point - I agree the fake vents are dumb af but they don't bother me much in the overall scheme, same with the extra black plastic trim or whatever (and I'd be getting black paint so would be less noticeable)

# ¿ Feb 11, 2024 19:03

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# ¿ Jun 1, 2024 00:21

black.lion: Apr 1, 2004; For if he like a madman lived,
At least he like a wise one died.

TheWevel posted:

Have you looked at volvos? Seems like it's probably the most comparable to Audi.

They are but more $ for fewer [ventilated seats] so not really sold on the Volvo option yet

# ¿ Feb 19, 2024 13:00

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