Traded her in

[Smee]

Om Monday I traded my '07 midnight SL AWD Mo in for a 2010 Dodge Challenger. She only had 14,139 miles on her, but as a single guy the Mo was just not doing it for me. It was a great vehicle and I had no problems with it, but I bought because the '07 Mustang wasn't quite up to snuff and the Mo was my second choice.

The Challenger is wider and longer than the Mo and it is taking so getting used to the long front end.

[njjoe]

Nice choice for a replacement!

What's under the hood?

-njjoe

[Smee]

5.7 Hemi V8

[njjoe]

Originally Posted by Smee

5.7 Hemi V8

HEMI... I love that word.

I did not have my license in the 60s, but I was old enough to remember the excitement the HEMIs generated. Chrysler scored a marketing coup by highlighting that name - HEMI. To this day it is associated with horsepower, speed, testosterone, tire burning smoke,... You just got to love it. Hell, I think if Briggs & Stratton offered a single-cylinder HEMI-engined lawn mower and plastered H E M I across the deck every guy in the neighborhood would have one in their garage, and it would have a quart of Mobil1 in the crankcase and an aftermarket muffler.

Enjoy your new ride!

-njjoe

[Warhammer]

Interesting choice in a trade. Have fun!

[bob1]

I may join you soon. I have had the Mo since Dec 29, 2003. I can still get a decent buck for her at this stage before I reach 100K miles. I think the value will go down substantially after the 100K marker just due to the CVT warranty expiring. I mentioned this to NJ-Joe in another thread. I'm at 86K now. If I can still get 12K for my Mo after owning it for 6 years, I did OK. That will make a nice down payment on another car. I don't like driving cars till all the value is gone. It just makes it that much harder to get a new car when you start from zero. It's still a tough decision, the Mo has been a good car for 6 years. It's not an easy call, I am emotionally attached to the car. Stay tuned.

Bob1

[mgthe3]

My lease ends in 3 months.

I haven't decided what to get next. Sometimes it is a 4 door truck, sometimes it is a pathy.

[bob1]

The only problem is that I feel guilty, like cheating on a girlfriend when I think about it.

I have already made up my mind as to what will come next, whenever that may be. I want to go for warranty as this seems to be the scare factor with everyone here. I test drove the Mitsubishi Outlander V6. It was sweet! It had plenty of power, no CVT to give me worry. It had heated leather seats, sunroof, Fuse hands free cell voice connect on the steering wheel, all kinds of nifty goodies. The only thing it did not have and it disappointed was no Homelink. WTF?? What grabs my attention is the bumper to bumper 5year-60K warranty and the drive-train was 10 year 120K. Right now it does not seem to be happening. Thought I had an interested party in the Mo but it fell apart tonight so it was just day dreaming. For now I stay with the Mo and that's not a bad thing, it has been a really good car and she still looks showroom condition.

Bob1

[nafddur]

Originally Posted by bob1

For now I stay with the Mo and that's not a bad thing, it has been a really good car and she still looks showroom condition.

Why switch then? Nissans will last hundreds of thousands of miles if you take care of them.

[bob1]

Originally Posted by nafddur

Why switch then? Nissans will last hundreds of thousands of miles if you take care of them.

Simple math for me. If I had a buyer now, my KBB value is about 12,600. I would take 12K in negotiating with a private buyer. I can hit my savings for the balance for a new car. On the other hand if I take the Mo to the limit and drive it till she is ready to be put to pasture, I have to dig real deep. I am at the point in my life that I no longer finance. I pay hard cash. I can deal with a nice 12K in seed money and add the rest. Not so easy if I have to pay all cash from a savings account in one giant payment if I start from scratch.

I guess the other reason may be human nature wanting a bit of a change. I mentioned that I bought the car on Dec 29, 2003. I guess I could drive the Mo another 6-7 years but I rarely drive one car 12-13 years. Face it, we are all car guys on this forum.

For now I keep the Mo but if an opportunity came my way, I would let her go for 12K.

Bob1

[nafddur]

Originally Posted by bob1

Simple math for me.

I guess we all use different math. I too pay cash - $25K for my Max back in 94 and $35K for my Mo (approx) back in 04. But I shop carefully, buy the cars I REALLY want, and am happy to drive them for many years, not worrying one bit about trade in values.

The way I see it, the $12K difference you are considering now (assuming your current Mo value drops all the way to zero in a few more years, which it won't) is peanuts compared to what you will have in future savings and growth of savings/investments by then. Let's face it, a mere $100/week saved would more than make up that difference in only 2 years.

I've been shopping for a replacement for my Maxima for about 4 years, and I hope to continue shopping for a few more years (though rust is starting to play a part now). My Mo is only 6 years old, so that should have many more years left. Meanwhile my savings and investments continue to grow (thanks to zero car payments and, of course, minimal maintenance expenses thanks to owning Nissans). So buying my next car, whenever that occurs and even if I decide to continue buying new, will be no problem.

[Pilgrim]

I'd keep driving it. You have at least another 50K miles with no car payments.

Put a couple hundred bux in the bank every month, sell for $3 to $5K when you hit 150K miles, walk away laughing at getting the value out of the Murano...and you'll have plenty of cash for a down payment on a slightly used (not new - bad value) car.

[Smee]

Originally Posted by Warhammer

Interesting choice in a trade. Have fun!

I originally ordered a 2011 Mustang GT, California special, HID, Auto, Comfort pkg. and Shaker 1000 stereo in Grabber Blue. The order was placed on April 8 and the car came off the line on May 23 with an ETA of June 2. I canceled the order on July 8 (Dealer said car was in PA and being put on truck), the car finally made it to the dealer on July 24 (16 days from Twin Oaks, PA to NYC?). Ford customer service even called me to tell me my car Would Be At The Dealer on July 12! The final straw for me was when I found out that people who ORDERED after my car was built were driving theirs by late June. Dealer was useless, only time I communicated with them is when I called and Ford had nothing to say about the delay. I will never consider a Ford as a vehicle purchase again

[Pilgrim]

HAving sold cars for two years, I don't see the problem. Cars get built and delivered when they do - not when you want them. I agree this went on too long, but none of this was under the dealer's control - and not that much under Ford's control with what the auto industry is going through.

IMO this is not a reason to avoid Ford at all...just buy from stock or do a dealer trade in the future. If you want to custom order, chill and be patient. No matter how much you hop up and down, the car won't get there any faster.

[nitely]

Originally Posted by Smee

I originally ordered a 2011 Mustang GT, California special, HID, Auto, Comfort pkg. and Shaker 1000 stereo in Grabber Blue. The order was placed on April 8 and the car came off the line on May 23 with an ETA of June 2. I canceled the order on July 8 (Dealer said car was in PA and being put on truck), the car finally made it to the dealer on July 24 (16 days from Twin Oaks, PA to NYC?). Ford customer service even called me to tell me my car Would Be At The Dealer on July 12! The final straw for me was when I found out that people who ORDERED after my car was built were driving theirs by late June. Dealer was useless, only time I communicated with them is when I called and Ford had nothing to say about the delay. I will never consider a Ford as a vehicle purchase again

I read a review between the new "wimpy muscle cars mustang and camaro" and it seems that the camaro edge out the mustang.

Ordering a new car with your options should be a fun, exciting but relax exercise. Why are you rushing it if you are ordering it? When I ordered my MO I gave them all the time in the world. Got it in < 6 months.