2002sliverado
Member
Well, I just did something this past week I swore I never would do. I purchased the very first new vehicle ever. I have had vehicles from GM, Ford, and Chrysler. I have typically purchased 4 to 6 year old cars with low miles and driven by older people. Two have been closer to 10 years old and not driven in a Minnesota winter, either. I felt I had managed to find good buys on all of them, as compared to their respective "blue book" values. I will say they all have had their own quirks about them. The GM products I had when I first started driving had self destructing automatic transmissions, as I put 3 in one car back in the 1980's and early 1990's. I have one of their Series II 3800 V6 engines in one Buick and the last of their Series III 3800 V6 in another Buick. The Series II I have replaced the "self destructing plastic intake manifold" twice. I have a 2004 Cadillac CTS with the 3.6 liter V6 engine and when it hit 50k miles, it started consuming engine. From what I have read, that car and its crankcase ventilation system is known for "sucking oil" into the intake stream and burning it off. I have seen a few "home made" ways of alleviating that, but that also looks like a plumbing headache, too. The GM products have most all developed irritating squeaks and rattles at 50k to 75k, too. I have had 3 Ford full size sedans with V8 engines. The first was a decent car, but that 5.0 liter (302) was notorious for drinking a quart of engine oil at any given time during the change, then that was it. I had some electrical issues with the charging and starting system on that car. I also found myself replacing the thermostat every fall as those would stick open causing the car to run cold and drink a lot of fuel. My replacement was a 1993 with the 4.6 liter V8 engine. That was probably the best of the 3. The last one had a "tinny" sounding engine and the body panels were poorly designed with crimped edges that would hold moisture and salt essentially causing rust to appear far sooner than I had experienced with the prior two cars. My Chrysler products were pickup trucks and the 5.9 liter V8 engine was known for "sucking" intake manifold gaskets in which resulted in excessive oil consumption. We also had a steering gearbox (or column) in one of them lock up which caused an accident................a rollover totaling the truck out. We typically have driven our vehicles to somewhere between 200k and 300k before selling or trading. I know our maintenance of them has historically been "overkill," as I try to keep a close eye on things. None have been a full blown "lemon," but I have had my share of frustrations/disappointments with most of them.
I found a lot of substantial discounts on 2017 model year automobiles. Two years ago I went looking at mid-size cars. I looked at numerous makes and models and I even looked at Japanese, Korean, and European brands. The two that rose to the top were the VW Passat and the Honda Accord. I never thought I would get into a brand new car for just over $20k, so I took the plunge. I opted for the Passat. I think part of the greater discounts than historically found on these cars stems from some remaining customer concerns over VW's "diesel-gate scandal." I also thought for what I have spent on used domestic brands in the past, with 30k to 60k on them, I was not looking at a large sum of money to move up to something new this time, and this car seemed like "a lot of car for the money," resulting in my feeling it was a bargain, especially considering what I was looking at spending 2 1/2 years ago when I last looked at these cars and their direct competitors. I find the room in the interior to be comparable to our Buick Lucerne. I also find the ride to be comparable in terms of softness, smoothness, and quietness. I am told this car should deliver 34+ mpg on the highway. I find the fit and finish of the car to be as good or better than our prior purchases. This is the first turbo 4 I have ever had. The amenities in this car are generally better than even the Cadillac I had purchased a few years ago. I had read and been told this car allows the use of 87 octane fuel, but also read the EPA ratings are based upon the use of premium gasoline. Can anyone share their experiences with this make and model car? Any issues I need to be aware of? Any concerns about the aspiration system, particularly with the turbocharger? In my own experiences with our farm tractors, we know the turbochargers must be cooled down prior to shutting the engine down. Any concerns or suggestions on this one in the VW?
Thanks for any thoughts that others are willing to share with me. I know this is a bit out of the ordinary, but I do respect the opinions shared on this forum. That's why I came here.
I found a lot of substantial discounts on 2017 model year automobiles. Two years ago I went looking at mid-size cars. I looked at numerous makes and models and I even looked at Japanese, Korean, and European brands. The two that rose to the top were the VW Passat and the Honda Accord. I never thought I would get into a brand new car for just over $20k, so I took the plunge. I opted for the Passat. I think part of the greater discounts than historically found on these cars stems from some remaining customer concerns over VW's "diesel-gate scandal." I also thought for what I have spent on used domestic brands in the past, with 30k to 60k on them, I was not looking at a large sum of money to move up to something new this time, and this car seemed like "a lot of car for the money," resulting in my feeling it was a bargain, especially considering what I was looking at spending 2 1/2 years ago when I last looked at these cars and their direct competitors. I find the room in the interior to be comparable to our Buick Lucerne. I also find the ride to be comparable in terms of softness, smoothness, and quietness. I am told this car should deliver 34+ mpg on the highway. I find the fit and finish of the car to be as good or better than our prior purchases. This is the first turbo 4 I have ever had. The amenities in this car are generally better than even the Cadillac I had purchased a few years ago. I had read and been told this car allows the use of 87 octane fuel, but also read the EPA ratings are based upon the use of premium gasoline. Can anyone share their experiences with this make and model car? Any issues I need to be aware of? Any concerns about the aspiration system, particularly with the turbocharger? In my own experiences with our farm tractors, we know the turbochargers must be cooled down prior to shutting the engine down. Any concerns or suggestions on this one in the VW?
Thanks for any thoughts that others are willing to share with me. I know this is a bit out of the ordinary, but I do respect the opinions shared on this forum. That's why I came here.
