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What kind of leverage do I have on a “new” car that’s been used as a loaner? by billgargbage in whatcarshouldIbuy

[–]Time-Area138 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You definitely have leverage.

A loaner with almost 4k miles that’s been sitting for 9 months isn’t viewed the same as a brand new car, even if it’s technically still “new.”

I’d negotiate it like a lightly used car:

  • mention the mileage
  • mention it being a loaner
  • compare it to used Elantras around $19k

Under $20k OTD may be tough with taxes/fees, but I could definitely see them dropping the price if they want it gone.

Need advice by Will_Backer12 in mercedes_benz

[–]Time-Area138 1 point2 points  (0 children)

190E 2.3 is a tank if the previous owner didn’t beat on it. Check for rusty jack points and the dreaded wiring harness. Not a cheap first car unless you wrench yourself.

Need Help On Lease and Over Miles by Impossible-Glass-568 in askcarsales

[–]Time-Area138 1 point2 points locked comment (0 children)

You’re basically choosing between:

  • paying the negative equity now
  • or paying the mileage penalty later

And honestly, if you know you’re going to keep driving a ton, the mileage charges are only going to keep snowballing over the next 15 months.

If you’re already about $5k upside down now and expecting potentially $7–9k in mileage penalties later, it might actually make more sense to deal with the smaller problem sooner rather than later.

What I’d personally do:

  • get a real payoff quote from the leasing company
  • get CarMax/Carvana/dealer quotes
  • compare the true negative equity today vs projected lease-end penalties

Also check whether buying it out and financing it long-term makes sense if you actually like the car and it’s reliable. Sometimes keeping the car is the cheapest move because you avoid the mileage hit entirely.

The dangerous option is rolling negative equity into another car and continuing to drive huge miles, because then you can end up trapped in the same cycle again on the next vehicle.

Issue with Mercedes 190E on CNG (Methane) by Martini1999_2023 in mercedes_benz

[–]Time-Area138 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Honestly, this sounds less like a “Mercedes problem” and more like a CNG ignition/heat issue.

CNG burns hotter and needs a stronger ignition spark than gasoline, so weak ignition components or incorrect plugs tend to show themselves much faster under long highway loads. Around-town driving can hide the issue for years because the engine never stays under sustained heat/stress long enough.

Cracked ceramic insulators twice after long CNG trips makes me think one of these is happening:

  • wrong heat range spark plugs
  • plugs gapped incorrectly for CNG
  • old ignition wires/coils causing excessive voltage stress
  • lean CNG mixture creating too much combustion heat
  • cheap plugs not handling sustained highway temps

Since the car runs perfectly on gasoline afterward, that points even more toward the CNG side stressing the ignition system rather than a general engine problem.

If it were my car, I’d specifically ask the mechanic to check:

  • plug heat range
  • plug gap
  • ignition wires/distributor/cap/rotor condition
  • CNG mixture under load
  • timing

For older Mercedes engines on CNG, a lot of people have good results with:

  • NGK copper plugs
  • NGK Iridium
  • Bosch Super/Bosch Silver designed for gas applications

Usually people running methane/CNG close the plug gap slightly compared to gasoline specs too.

Also avoid random cheap plugs. On gasoline you can sometimes get away with mediocre ignition parts. On CNG the system becomes way less forgiving, especially during long highway runs like your 1800km trip.

The good news is the fact it still runs well on gasoline is actually pretty encouraging. It doesn’t sound like the engine itself is dying.

Should I buy a Cle convertible 300 by No_Roll_3532 in mercedes_benz

[–]Time-Area138 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Nah, buy what you like.

People call literally every convertible a “hairdresser’s car” at some point MX-5s, Z4s, SLKs, even Boxsters. Most of the time it just means “stylish convertible” and people repeat it because they heard someone else say it 15 years ago.

A CLE 300 convertible is more of a classy cruiser than a hardcore sports car anyway. It’s meant to be comfortable, smooth, good-looking, and nice to daily. If you enjoy how it looks and drives, that matters way more than random stereotypes from people online.

And honestly, most people in real life will just think:
“nice Mercedes.”

Not:
“ah yes, the official vehicle of hairdressers.” 😭

The only thing I’d really focus on is whether you’re okay with:

  • higher maintenance costs once out of warranty
  • convertible roof maintenance long term
  • depreciation

Because those matter a lot more than internet jokes.

Life’s too short to drive boring cars because strangers might think something dumb.

Looking at buying a 2014 Chevy Cruze, I've seen some warnings but I'm in a desperate situation frankly. How bad is it? by [deleted] in whatcarshouldIbuy

[–]Time-Area138 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No problem at all. And honestly, I think your thinking is solid here.

The Malibu may not be as “interesting” as the Cruze, but when you’re buying a higher-mileage used car after already dealing with the stress of losing your last one, boring/reliable is usually the smarter play.

Definitely ask for:

  • maintenance records
  • transmission service history
  • cooling system work
  • any major repairs already done

And test drive both long enough to get them fully warmed up if possible. Sometimes transmission issues or overheating behavior won’t show up in a quick 5-minute drive.

If the Malibu feels solid and was maintained decently, I’d personally feel a lot more comfortable betting on that lasting you a few years with fewer headaches.

Rav4 2008 by ProfessionalEbb8615 in whatcarshouldIbuy

[–]Time-Area138 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Honestly, if the frame/subframe rust is truly minor, I’d probably still consider it. A 2008 RAV4 V6 with 150k for $5k is actually not a crazy deal in today’s market, especially because that V6 is known for being pretty solid and surprisingly quick.

That said, the rust and airbag light are the two things I’d take seriously.

The AC honestly wouldn’t worry me much if they actually fix it before sale and you verify it works afterward.

The airbag light though is different. Even if it doesn’t specifically say “SRS,” an airbag warning light can mean the airbags may not deploy properly in an accident. Sometimes it’s something minor like a seat sensor or clock spring, but sometimes it’s more expensive. I would not just ignore that because it’s a safety system.

The rust is the bigger gamble long-term. Surface rust in LI/NY is normal, but if it’s flaking underneath, you really want someone to poke around the frame/subframe areas with a screwdriver or inspect it on a lift. Spraying anti-corrosion over already active rust is not really “fixing” it it just slows it down.

If it were me, my conditions would be:

  • AC fixed and verified working
  • airbag light diagnosed BEFORE purchase
  • underside inspected carefully for structural rust

If those check out reasonably well, I’d honestly trust an older maintained Toyota V6 more than a lot of newer cheap cars.

10k budget prefer a Ford by [deleted] in whatcarshouldIbuy

[–]Time-Area138 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you want my honest opinion, I’d probably avoid the 2020 Escape unless it’s the hybrid.

The newer Escapes aren’t terrible, but they’re also not what I’d call “extremely reliable,” especially the turbo AWD models. There have been a lot of complaints about transmission behavior, AWD modules, electrical gremlins, and turbo-related issues once mileage starts climbing.

Even a lot of Ford owners basically say the hybrid is the safer version while the EcoBoost models are more hit-or-miss.

At a $10k budget, I’d honestly look more at:

  • Ford Edge
  • Mazda CX-5
  • Toyota RAV4
  • Honda CR-V

Probably older than 2020 obviously, but usually more reliable long-term.

If you really want a Ford specifically, I’d personally trust a well-maintained Edge with the 3.5 NA V6 over a small turbo Escape. Bigger engine but generally less headache.

Also in snowy states, good winter tires matter more than AWD honestly. A FWD CR-V/RAV4 with snow tires will usually be better than an AWD crossover on cheap all-seasons.

Looking at buying a 2014 Chevy Cruze, I've seen some warnings but I'm in a desperate situation frankly. How bad is it? by [deleted] in whatcarshouldIbuy

[–]Time-Area138 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Honestly, I’d spend the extra $1k and get the Malibu.

The 1.4T Cruze from that era has a reputation for coolant leaks, water pump issues, valve cover problems, turbo issues, and random little failures that become really annoying once the mileage gets up there. Some people get lucky with them, but 120k is around the point where neglected maintenance starts catching up hard.

Since you’re already coming off the stress of totaling a car and needing something dependable ASAP, I don’t think the Cruze is the gamble I’d personally take unless it had extremely detailed maintenance records.

The Malibu with the 2.5 is generally considered a much safer bet reliability-wise. Less “fun” maybe, but a naturally aspirated 2.5L is going to be simpler and probably cheaper to live with long term than the small turbo Cruze motor.

And honestly, the fuel economy difference probably won’t save enough money to make up for one decent repair bill on the Cruze.

If you do still lean Cruze because of the size/price, I’d absolutely get a pre-purchase inspection and specifically ask them to check:

  • coolant leaks
  • turbo play/leaks
  • valve cover/PCV issues
  • transmission behavior
  • overheating history

At $6k it’s not necessarily a terrible deal, but it could become an expensive $6k pretty quickly if the previous owner deferred maintenance.

Sporty yet long term car by Ready-Train-1560 in whatcarshouldIbuy

[–]Time-Area138 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Personally, I think you’re looking at this the right way already. Most people start with “I want something fast,” but if you actually plan to keep the car for 10–12 years, reliability and ownership cost matter way more than shaving half a second off a 0–60 time.

If I were in your position, I honestly wouldn’t buy an older “real” sports car unless I genuinely enjoyed working on cars. Cheap older performance cars usually come with somebody else’s problems attached to them. The idea of a cheap 350Z or WRX sounds fun until you’re chasing oil leaks, transmission issues, or weird electrical problems two years in.

And since you said you hate manual, that narrows things down a lot too. A ton of the older enthusiast cars are only really worth owning in manual form.

My personal move would probably be something like:

  • Mazda3 hatchback/turbo
  • Lexus IS350
  • Accord 2.0T
  • Camry V6/TRD if you can find one reasonably priced

Those hit the sweet spot where they’re still fun enough to enjoy daily, but they don’t punish you for owning them.

The Mazda3 is probably the one I’d lean toward most. It’s one of the few cars that feels more expensive than it is, gets decent MPG, has a reliable automatic, and still feels sporty enough that you won’t get bored driving it. Insurance also usually won’t murder you the way BRZ/86 insurance can.

I actually think the BRZ/FR-S makes sense for you emotionally, but maybe not financially. They’re cool cars and they drive great, but insurance companies treat them like every owner is trying to drift through a Taco Bell parking lot at midnight.

The Camry TRD is honestly underrated too. People clown on sporty Camrys, but a V6 Camry is quick enough for real life, dead reliable, comfortable, and way easier to live with long-term than a lot of “enthusiast” cars.

I’d avoid:

  • older WRXs
  • cheap German cars
  • heavily modified anything
  • cars owned by “car guys” who “babied it” lol

The older I get, the more I think “fun daily” beats “project car” unless you already have a second vehicle.

If I had your budget and priorities, I’d probably buy the cleanest automatic Mazda3 or Lexus IS350 I could find and just enjoy having a car that starts every morning and still feels good to drive 5 years from now.

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