A new (lightly used) car for my wife

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440Magnum

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We pulled the trigger today.

Test drove:

Cad SRX
Subaru Forester
Subaru Tribeca
Grand Cherokeee Laredo
Porsche Cayman (V6)

She picked the Grand Cherokee, and we came home with one from Carmax- 2011 Laredo 4x2, Pentastar, NAG-1 automatic, black leather interior, Silver exterior, aluminum 18" wheels, backup aid, heated seats... pretty much everything but Nav. 25k miles. But that may not be the end of story- Carmax offered to go ahead and transfer an almost identical 2013 (same colors, all same options PLUS nav and a couple of others, 17k miles. If we prefer it, we pay the price difference ($6k, about 1$ per mile difference plus 2 years newer). Unless it has some glaring issue, I think we'll do that deal when it gets here- its only coming down the road from Dallas. It'll be another round of signing paperwork, but hey. 2 model years newer, not that big a price difference... and most importantly its got the Pentastar with the revised cylinder heads. Taking the '11 home just made sure it wouldn't sell out from under us in the mean time. After buying my Challenger there last year and now this experience, I'm really sold on the Carmax business model.

She's a happy camper, I'm OK (would have preferred 4x4, but there were some gotchas for her on all the 4x4s). And even if we keep the Pentastar with the older head design, we got enough warranty to make it good.

And as some of y'all predicted on my thread asking about the SRX a week or so ago, it was the biggest disappointment of the lot. After Cadillac has come so far, putting the Cadillac badge on that platform is just criminal.
frown.gif


Best surprise of all was the Tribeca. I could easily see myself in one of those, but she didn't like the available color combinations, or the fact that it had a 3rd row instead of a full-size spare in the well.
 
$6k for two years? How much total and how much "discount" vs buying new?

Interesting reviews of the different cars, thanks for sharing!
 
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Needless to say, Cayman is an H6; perhaps you mean cayenne?


Duh, you're right of course Since we're shopping SUV/CUVs. A co-worker has a V8 Cayenne- very impressive machine. And I had NO idea that it had become Porsche's best-selling vehicle.

And to answer specifics on the relative prices of the two JGC's: The '11 was about $26k with 25k miles, the 13 (same warranty, etc.) will total out to about $32k, it has 19k miles and a few more options.
 
What did you not like about the Cadillac?

The Jeep will be nice and you really don't need the 4x4 in Texas.

When you say Penstar you are talking 3.6?
 
CarMax opened a dealership here a couple years ago. I drove through the lot when we were looking for a different vehicle about a year and a half ago. Insanely overpriced. They may have great service but you pay for it. I would keep the '11. $6k is a big premium for two years and 6k miles.
 
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
What did you not like about the Cadillac?



Rearward visibility, visibility FROM the rear seats, rear seats that aren't as contoured and comfortable as the JGC or Cayenne. There's something visually awkward about the stance, too. Sorta perched high in the tail end. And viewed from the rear you can see way too much muffler and lower control arm. I really liked the previous-generation SRX and hand't realized just how different this one was. It drove OK, but had a somewhat dead/sluggish steering feel, with some torque steer. All in all it felt like a really nice upscale Chevrolet but for a premium price, which is something Cadillac has gotten away from apart from the Escalade. Its no Cimarron, but its the same mistake. Cadillacs succeed when they DON'T feel like dolled up downscale GM products.

Overall, the Tribeca felt the most light and nimble. The Cayenne was impressive of course, but I felt it was too much money, even for the six cylinder version. And the six is a little sluggish If I wanted an SUV for myself, I'd be back sniffing around the v8 version though. :)

Oh, and we did a walk-around/sit in with a BMW X5, and my wife rejected it for the control layout and price relative to the JGC.
 
Originally Posted By: wallyuwl
CarMax opened a dealership here a couple years ago. I drove through the lot when we were looking for a different vehicle about a year and a half ago. Insanely overpriced. They may have great service but you pay for it. I would keep the '11. $6k is a big premium for two years and 6k miles.


Disagree on the "insanely overpriced." But then I LOATHE the whole haggle-with-the-sleazy-salesman schtick. Some people like it and think they can beat the system (which can happen, if you are looking at a car that nobody else wants and its been burning their inventory sheet for months), but I'll take a very slightly higher out the door price to avoid spending a whole day (or multiple visits) demeaning myself getting to a few percent lower price.

As far as the 11 vs 13, your point is good except that the $6k also buys you the revised cylinder heads and 2 more years refinement, and about $1k just in added options. The 11 JGC was the first year for both that engine and the WK2 chassis. Both have turned out very good, but there were some teething issues with the Pentastar engine. Most of the problems have popped up in the Wrangler, for whatever reason, and not other applications. But it hasn't been zero in the WK2 either. Gonna think on it for a couple of days... which was another point for Carmax.
 
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Needless to say, Cayman is an H6; perhaps you mean cayenne?


Duh, you're right of course Since we're shopping SUV/CUVs. A co-worker has a V8 Cayenne- very impressive machine. And I had NO idea that it had become Porsche's best-selling vehicle.

And to answer specifics on the relative prices of the two JGC's: The '11 was about $26k with 25k miles, the 13 (same warranty, etc.) will total out to about $32k, it has 19k miles and a few more options.



You can buy a new limited JGC for around $37k MSRP. Invoice is likely a thousand or two lower.

So a new car for $35 vs a used car with 19k for $32? Of course a new JGC can be had cheaper (or more expensive), as I picked the middle variant.

A new one is a no brainer for me at those prices. Where is the half of the value lost when it drives off the lot bit showing up? At least a third, I'd hope. Doesn't strike me as a solid deal. Why not to buy new for those prices?
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Needless to say, Cayman is an H6; perhaps you mean cayenne?


Duh, you're right of course Since we're shopping SUV/CUVs. A co-worker has a V8 Cayenne- very impressive machine. And I had NO idea that it had become Porsche's best-selling vehicle.

And to answer specifics on the relative prices of the two JGC's: The '11 was about $26k with 25k miles, the 13 (same warranty, etc.) will total out to about $32k, it has 19k miles and a few more options.



You can buy a new limited JGC for around $37k MSRP. Invoice is likely a thousand or two lower.

So a new car for $35 vs a used car with 19k for $32? Of course a new JGC can be had cheaper (or more expensive), as I picked the middle variant.

A new one is a no brainer for me at those prices. Where is the half of the value lost when it drives off the lot bit showing up? At least a third, I'd hope. Doesn't strike me as a solid deal. Why not to buy new for those prices?


You have to compare option lists. To get what either of these has brand new, you top $40k, which is out of budget.
 
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: wallyuwl
CarMax opened a dealership here a couple years ago. I drove through the lot when we were looking for a different vehicle about a year and a half ago. Insanely overpriced. They may have great service but you pay for it. I would keep the '11. $6k is a big premium for two years and 6k miles.


Disagree on the "insanely overpriced." But then I LOATHE the whole haggle-with-the-sleazy-salesman schtick. Some people like it and think they can beat the system (which can happen, if you are looking at a car that nobody else wants and its been burning their inventory sheet for months), but I'll take a very slightly higher out the door price to avoid spending a whole day (or multiple visits) demeaning myself getting to a few percent lower price.

As far as the 11 vs 13, your point is good except that the $6k also buys you the revised cylinder heads and 2 more years refinement, and about $1k just in added options. The 11 JGC was the first year for both that engine and the WK2 chassis. Both have turned out very good, but there were some teething issues with the Pentastar engine. Most of the problems have popped up in the Wrangler, for whatever reason, and not other applications. But it hasn't been zero in the WK2 either. Gonna think on it for a couple of days... which was another point for Carmax.


Maybe your CarMax pricing is different, the one here has a 10-15% premium over other dealers (some of which also have no-haggle pricing). On a $20k car that is $2-3k. To me that is a lot of money. At least that is how it was when we were looking.

It sounds like you've made up your mind to get the '13. So why did you get the '11 and not just wait until they got the '13 in? Rhetorical question.
 
You'll love the Grand Cherokee.
thumbsup2.gif
Personally, I'd pick the 2013 with the revised cylinder heads if you can swing it, just for the assurance. My dad is approaching 25k miles on his 2013 with zero issues.
 
Originally Posted By: wallyuwl

It sounds like you've made up your mind to get the '13. So why did you get the '11 and not just wait until they got the '13 in? Rhetorical question.


I won't go home with any car without touching/driving/crawling all over it. I'd done that with the '11 and its plenty good... but they made the offer to Xfer the 13 and let me look at it too and swap if I wanted. Would you say no to that? :)

At any rate, it may not measure up as worth the price difference, in which case we'll stick with the '11. But the extra options PLUS knowing it has the beefed up cylinder heads really does lean me that way- unless it has some flaws in person that I don't want to tolerate.

There are only a couple of other true "no haggle" dealers around here. We bought the PT from one of them back in 07, and they were great. But they just didn't have the inventory this time around.
frown.gif
 
Max $2k to upgrade to the newer unit. Probably a rental vehicle from Enterprise Holdings which includes National, Alamo and of course Enterprise. CM gave a $2500 discount to a friend after some negotiating on a $13k price point. I like CM but don't take their first offer. Everything is negotiable on used cars. Esp, the longer they've had them. If you're in the freebie window I'd want at least a $3k discount. Tell them you want to return it and start the convo like that. I estimate them making at least a $7k profit on the current unit the way it stands which is way too much imo.
 
Smart BITOGers never tell the price of the car they are purchasing unless they get a real steal. There are always killjoys in the audience who are very eager to make you feel stupid for paying the price. If somebody request the price you paid, send him PM.

Even though I might in theory agree with J's point, I would *never* bring it out when somebody else has already made a purchase. What is the point????
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Vikas
Smart BITOGers never tell the price of the car they are purchasing unless they get a real steal. There are always killjoys in the audience who are very eager to make you feel stupid for paying the price. If somebody request the price you paid, send him PM.

Even though I might in theory agree with J's point, I would *never* bring it out when somebody else has already made a purchase. What is the point????


None of that bothers me, and they make good points for other buyers to consider (which is why I gave real numbers- data for others). I have my set of preferences and tolerances, others are different. That's all good for the next guy to know.
 
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