My car buying research and experience took me on a completely unexpected journey

When we last left off I was deciding between a new 2019 Honda Civic EX or a 2018 Mazda3 Touring model.

I got neither. Yes, all the research pointed to the Civic. Sometimes though, research can take you only so far before material changes take place.

My neighbor pulled up yesterday in his brand new Chevy Cruze. It looked really nice. Far more updated than I’d have thought of a Cruze. I’d done my research on it of course and it fit nicely behind Civic, Corolla, Elantra and honestly, fairly well tied with the Impreza. It’s not the top car in the segment. Top third of a crowded field perhaps.

Then I wondered what my neighbor might have plunked down knowing the Lordstown OH plant where the Cruze is made recently announced it was closing. So, I started checking prices.

Holy Fuck! It’s like once they announced the plant closure all the Cruze models got cooties. There are brand new models, that listed for $21-22K before the closure listing for $14,172 at a dealership in MI. They have a lot of these they are practically giving away. Fully warrantied, dealerships abounding for service. I’m looking at Cruze hatch LT model that would list for 25K for $17,500. WTF? My sister I know could use a new car and I outright offered to buy her one of those 14K hatchbacks out of my retirement munny.

I bought my Pontiac Vibe in 2008, it’s a 2009 model The next year Pontiac was gone but GM did a great job servicing my car. The Cruze is also the only compact with Apple Carplay and Android Car standard. GM has been beating people into the dust on electronics forever tho. The LT model also comes with a turbo.

Here’s the money question; Will I spend in repairs the roughly 7K I’d save on the price of the Honda in 15 years.

Chevette – Yep
Cobalt – You better believe it
Cadavalier – Big time
Cruze – No, these are well made cars, they rate a 4.4 of 5 on Kelley Blue Book, the car Bible. I worked with GM Comm when the Cruze was announced and then rolled out, they WARNED the union in Lordstown these cars better fucking rock or it’s your ass and we mean it. They delivered.

So, Ima save some munny on a well well equipped Cruze hatch
https://2019chevroletjn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/2019-Chevy-Cruze-Hatchback.jpg

3 Likes

When I started in the Car Business was right about the time that Audi had it’s “Killer Car” era, one of the first “unintended acceleration” scares, the Audi, became sale proof overnight, I knew a bunch of car guys driving around in the Audi 4 and 5000 thousand models in those days, for relative pennies on the dollar.

OK, I’m checking inventory and best prices (Detroit area) and who might have the lowest prices on a color I want in an LT hatchback. Then I came across this…“Color”

It’s time to play, What the Fuck Is the Name of That Color. That’s right contestants, GM is truly pushing the boundaries of colors you can actually describe in any good way here. Did someone pee in a batch of the Mary Kay Cadillac paint? Do your best, see if you can guess what GM calls THIS color:

Answer later

Also my new outrage is every dealership has built in a way to make you NOT want to pay cash. They offer a $750 discount if you finance, $750 extra you’ll pay for not playing the game. Cash buyers just don’t get this incentive.

1 Like

I financed and got the discount, and paid it all off when I got the book of payment tickets. No penalty.

2 Likes

Just got my girlfriend a 2009 Honda Fit Sport. Good little commuter car, doesn’t even have 60k miles yet.

2 Likes

“Infected Crimson Tide”

What did i win?

2 Likes

taupe?

Pig shit in turpentine

Muckleshit Tan

My dog says it’s red

Our correct winning entry on the color name is…nobody. It’s somehow called “Oakwood Metallic”

1 Like

It’s like an omen.

1 Like

Car and Driver Rates the Cruz as not the worst sub compact in the market place.

But it’s named after a serial killer!

1 Like

An update on the Fit, Honda of Seattle botched the paperwork and now we have the car but no loan and out a down payment. No idea what’s gonna happen going forward.

What now? So let me guess, your girl bought the car on a loan originated at the dealership, and now they are telling you that you can’t get the loan approved as written? (this happens sometimes) Do they have any kind of a loan approved for her? And think very very carefully before you co-sign for her, If there is no doubt in your mind whatsoever that she is “The One” then co-sign, short of that do not do it. But in the mean time, may be she should see about getting a loan on her own, and I would assume the dealer must be trying to do the same. Maybe at your credit union. Not sure about Washington, if at the end of the day the fit goes back to the store, I do not believe that can keep your down.

The loan was her co-signing for me technically, due to me having higher credit. The loan was thrown away due to clerical errors on HoS’s side.

I don’t know what that means “clerical errors”, a typo or something should not void conditions of the sale or contract. Sounds like salesman bs, to cover for the fact they made a boo boo on guessing what terms they could get for you, Terms = The Loan Value ie blue book value of car related to loan value, simply put the more cash you put down the less risk to the lender, Rate is a factor, if they wrote the loan to you at say 10% for example but their approval is for 12% then they don’t want to “enforce” the contract, since they would be losing 2 points of rate. and length of loan, ie 48 months or 60 months etc, so to summarize the key areas of the loan customer credit worthiness, the cars value in relation to loan requested, and the loan terms, Interest Rate, Number of Months

PS, the “Co-signer” is the person with the stronger credit. and they call it co sign because both signers are equally responsible for the loan.

This is what was sent to the girlfriend

Idk the process and don’t care, I just want the damn thing to be over with.