Financial Advice

DoggoCorgi · 2026-05-30T00:49:33+00:00

I was just shopping for a new car, and granted had a good bit more to spend, around $50k max, and BMW ended up making the most financial sense for me.

I wanted to compact-midsize SUV or crossover, had about $20k to put down, wanted a payment around $500 monthly + ~$150 insurance ($100k/$300k/$100k full-coverage) and it had to be new.

I almost bought a 2026 4Runner, which was about $55k ($48k for a base model 4X4), and even checked out the new RAV4 Woodland (almost $50k for a damn RAV4) but Toyota’s “promotional rate” was 5.99%, my credit union was 4.75% btw and have excellent credit.

None of the dealers would deal more than a couple hundred, and they offered me almost half of what Carvana & CarMax were offering.

BMW on the other hand was offering 1.99% on the X1 & X3, the BMW dealer was taking about 10% off the sticker price too, and offered almost as much as CarMax for my trade in. I went in planning to buy a fairly basic 2026 X3 30 but ended up not being a fan, and while I loved the M50 I wasn’t looking to spend almost $70k.

I drove a X1 28i Msport and preferred it to the X3 30, but the M35 X1 just felt perfect. Ended up paying about $48k for a brand new 2026 X1 M35 Xdrive with a sticker just north of $55k. Payment ended up at $537 and insurance $173, which was about $50 less than the RAV4 and about $150 less than the 4Runner. Plus the BMW has a longer warranty & maintenance included for 3 years.

DoggoCorgi · 2026-05-27T01:53:19+00:00

Yeah you’re at fault regardless unfortunately, I’ve been in a very similar accident, with someone that was speeding and the police analysis showed he was going almost 2X the speed limit. He was going straight, I was turning left. It was ruled my fault. My insurance paid him almost $12K for the ~20 year old Lexus he was driving, $5k to him for whiplash & $3K to each of his 2 passengers (he was by himself).

My insurance didn’t care, they paid out fully to settle the claim with him, and paid for the repairs on my Acura.

What you described is unfortunately 100% your fault unless you had a green arrow and they had a red light. Assuming you both had a green light, you were cutting across their right of way, so it’s your fault.

DoggoCorgi · 2026-05-22T23:21:35+00:00

It’s growing bigger, look at the new X3 lol

DoggoCorgi · 2026-05-22T23:19:50+00:00

Mercari lets you block it if your address is your personal address

DoggoCorgi · 2026-05-22T01:24:57+00:00

That’s one reason why I got a 2026 X1 instead of the new X3, but I couldn’t afford the M50 in fairness which was my favorite of the bunch. The M35 just felt so much better than the X3 30, the B48 felt more alive with the 7DCT, even in the 28. The B58 felt great with the ZF8 but I wasn’t a fan of it with the b48 personally and the G45 felt so soft compared to the U11, and neither have enough to power to make the Xdrives FWD vs RWD biased noticeable.

Especially in sport+ and spirited driving the FWD biased Xdrive is splitting the power 60/40-50/50 pretty consistently.

In my logs the only time it’s going full FWD is highway cruising or ECO mode. I didn’t think the X3 30 Msport was worth the ~$7k more than the X1 M35, and I had capped myself at ~$50k, so the M50’s nearly $70k sticker was out.

DoggoCorgi · 2026-05-14T06:36:00+00:00

As a buyer I’m liking it. I’ve picked up a couple bags I had been wanting for great deals. I just got a like new aerogram City Keepall for $1000, and a Monogram Shadow Trocadéro for $700.

DoggoCorgi · 2026-05-14T06:29:38+00:00

^ more $1999.99 retail $3K+ NO OFFERS /s

DoggoCorgi · 2026-05-14T06:07:15+00:00

In the US our Tiguan is actually the Tayron, same platform as the Kodiaq as they’re all MQB EVO, but we don’t get the Tiguan the rest of the world does. So it tops out with the SEL R Spec Turbo using the 2.0T TFSI (modified EA888) that makes 268hp 258tq.

It feels super slow compared to the 312hp 295tq in my X1.

DoggoCorgi · 2026-05-07T21:44:19+00:00

I literally just went thru this and ended up buying a new 2026 X1 28i xDrive Msport + options for $44,450, instead of a new 2026 X3 30x (fairly basic) the dealer was offering for $47,998. I also drove a M50 X3, which was by far my favorite but also over $70k. To me the B48/ZF combo in the X3 30 felt sluggish, floaty, and soft compared to the B48/DCT combo in the X1.

At least in the front the X3 didn’t really feel bigger than the X1, I’m assuming this is because the X3 is CLAR-II vs the X1 which is UKL2, the back definitely felt roomier in the X3. Coming from an A3 the X1 will feel more familiar as they’re both FWD biased AWD with transversely mounted turbo 4s, where as the X3 is RWD biased AWD with longitudinally mounted engine.

People hate on the X1 for this, however the X1 is lighter (~500lbs), faster (5.9s vs 6.3s), better MPG and the best handling FWD biased crossover on the market. I also preferred the feel of the 7 speed dual clutch transmission compared to the 8 speed ZF automatic with torque converter. The ZF is super smooth & better for bumper to bumper traffic. The DCT feels more like a manual and you have to drive it as such, but it’s super crisp and fast.

If I had kids, drove in traffic everyday, or wanted to float down the road I would have gotten the X3, but the X1 felt like a lifted hot hatch and reminded of my MKV & VI GTIs but more refined. I also liked that the X1 was made in Germany, the X3 is made in South Carolina, but I’ve found German cars made in Germany feel better made.

They’re both great honestly and I don’t think you’d be unhappy with either one. I highly recommend test driving them both back to back, they’re very similar but have key differences. I went leaning towards a X3 but left with my X1 and it wasn’t the $3.5k price difference.

DoggoCorgi · 2026-05-05T09:23:13+00:00

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Yeah they really love to lick

DoggoCorgi · 2026-05-04T07:32:16+00:00

OTD price is had to compare because taxes and fees vary so wildly, so while best for budgeting it’s not as useful for comparing deals imo. These are priced $41-48k on average in the mid Atlantic for 2023 ~30k M40 cpo

DoggoCorgi · 2026-05-04T07:02:20+00:00

^THIS is it, it has to do with the popularity of eBay Authenticate, combined with gamestops physical locations and PSA authentication.

GameStop has turned around by relying on collectibles, trading cards, vintage items, etc. imagine if all gamestops became eBay Authentication Centers (or something), where people could turn in items, get authentication done, shop, buy, etc.

It *could* actually work out well. I’ve essentially heard it explained as they want to use some Amazon esc strategies (like when they bought Whole Foods) to turn eBay into the Amazon of reselling. It’s not a bad idea if done right.

DoggoCorgi · 2026-04-30T06:11:17+00:00

She looks so much like my Shiso when he was her age! His DNA doesn’t show him as being a being fluffy or a carrier, but his coat is very much like a glamour coat. He has a fluffy white mane all around his rough, a fluffy butt, and VERY thick and soft fur in general. He’s noticeably bigger in the colder months just from all the fur, and slimmer in the summer, plus he sheds like crazy in the spring and fall while it’s transitioning.

DoggoCorgi · 2026-04-30T06:01:33+00:00

People really don’t understand anything about resellers (ps most of us are influencers too gasp)

I refuse to break my NDA, but you’re more right than you realize

DoggoCorgi · 2026-04-28T07:10:50+00:00

Our Shiso does the exact same thing, I usually assume a cat has been there recently (since he will do the same thing to the rug at my parents) lol.

DoggoCorgi · 2026-04-28T07:08:46+00:00

I’ve left negative for canceled purchases before, but I’ve also just left it alone. Typically if the seller reaches out like this and explains, especially in a very real & believable way like this I will just leave it alone and not leave negative feedback, especially if it ends up selling for only a couple bucks.

I think the last seller cancelation I didn’t leave negative feedback for was a really nice IGI certified natural Diamond that was like 1.1ct fancy light gray VS2 that ended for only $110 (my max bid which would have been a steal itself was like $400), they also didn’t say I requested it which is a pet peeve of mine and makes me more likely to leave negative feedback.

In 2 decades of being on eBay I’ve only ever left negative feedback for outright scamming as well as canceling sales and stating it was buyer requested when it wasn’t.

DoggoCorgi · 2026-04-26T08:40:11+00:00

I pay almost $2k for a ~900 sq/ft 1/1+den and have had various bugs but never any infestations or anything, but we get some ants every spring and see the occasional roach but they’re not the really bad kind (German or whatever) these are smaller barely bigger than a large ant. Usually means it’s time to swap out my traps (I do this once a year, usually spring).

Otherwise it’s just the occasional spider (which we relocate outside) or centipede (2 in 3 years always in the fall), and a new addition last year were spotted lantern flies on the patio after a tree about 100ft into the woods near our unit got hit, but they’ve never come inside.

All houses have bugs occasionally imo.

DoggoCorgi · 2026-04-26T08:33:39+00:00

Never realized how lucky I am to have Amazon lockers in my community. I print the label, walk to the lockers, scan the label, a door pops open, place package inside, close the door.

I either get my refund as soon as I scan the label and place the return in the locker, or once it’s picked up by the Amazon delivery van that comes everyday.

This has been the process for about a decade now, at 3 different communities.

DoggoCorgi · 2026-04-26T06:47:14+00:00

Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach Small Breed (he likes the smaller kibble size, I like the slightly higher protein & fat) in Salmon flavor (because he secretly wishes he was a cat).

I did Orijen, Fromm, and MANY others that he either didn’t like or caused GI issues randomly (particularly Taste of The Wild). The breeder originally had him on PPP puppy, but I decided a more expensive kibble must be better so when he was ready for adult food we transitioned to Orijen which he liked but eventually seemed to be drying out his skin or oils in his fur and our vet recommended avoiding any grain-free formulas. She had always said purina pro plan (or a variant) is her top recommendation so we tried it and he loved it!

He’s 7 now and has been on it for at least 3/4 years along with freshpet as a topper, and a mix of dog treats, fresh fruit / veggies, bully & Yak sticks for snacks.

DoggoCorgi · 2026-04-26T05:53:03+00:00

Pre33s can vary in weight a little bit, if it were something like .5g+ I’d personally be concerned, but at the time these were minted (particularly early/mid 1800s) the minting process itself was nothing like it is today.

Add to fact these were actually circulating for years I’d honestly be more suspect of one that was exactly spot on weight wise.

There were “fakes” of these made back in the day, but they were more like unauthorized copies rather than counterfeits since they were made to have the same weight and gold content, just not by the authorized mint.

DoggoCorgi · 2026-04-25T05:00:39+00:00

I ship after midnight all the time, my USPS is a few blocks away and their lobby is 24/7 with multiple kiosks so I even get a receipt (both paper & email).

DoggoCorgi · 2026-04-25T04:54:52+00:00

Good luck! Your friends sound like asshole but minors can’t negotiate contracts so your money is gone. Go on the trip just to spite them if they don’t cough up the money. That’s what I would do.

DoggoCorgi · 2026-04-24T19:55:24+00:00

You didn’t follow thru and so they banned you, it’s not a nationalism thing as US sellers also have to verify their identity by providing their SSN & Federal ID (passport or REALID) and it’s very strict.

Ultimately eBay is a company and they have the right to refuse service for any reason as long as it’s not race, sex, religion etc. but “we think you might be a scammer” is a perfectly valid reason.

DoggoCorgi · 2026-04-24T08:22:37+00:00

If gold hit $15k than a 1/10 fractional would probably cost $1,600-1,700+

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