Blow that Dough! - 2018

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Thanks!

Yup, my first new car I ever bought. Pops used to buy new cars when I was a kid. I remember long meetings at the dealer and he would go down the checklist and they would build to order. Pops was very frugal, but he liked his new cars.

I'm looking forward to the paint, that cost another grand - :)
 
I've got notoriously difficult to fit feet (5E width).

Just blew $280 on two pair of New Balance, one walker, one runner.

I LBYM and go cheap on a lot of things. Shoes are not one of them. Then again, it has been 3 years.
 
JoeWras said:
I've got notoriously difficult to fit feet (5E width).

Just blew $280 on two pair of New Balance, one walker, one runner.

I LBYM and go cheap on a lot of things. Shoes are not one of them. Then again, it has been 3 years.
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I agree on the shoes. I found a really good brand of dress shoes made in Italy when I was working (Thierry Rabotin) and bought a couple of pair every year till I retired, buying from the Sale section of the store's Web site once I knew what size to get. They ran around $300/pair but there's no comparison with the made-in-China crap sold everywhere else. Comfortable, long-lasting and classic designs (if you pass up some of the more bizarre styles they also offer). They're also sufficiently well-made that they can be repaired instead of being thrown out and replaced. I like my feet. I take good care of them.
 
athena53 said:
I agree on the shoes. I found a really good brand of dress shoes made in Italy when I was working (Thierry Rabotin) and bought a couple of pair every year till I retired, buying from the Sale section of the store's Web site once I knew what size to get. .
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+1 on buying good shoes.

I bought some Joseph Siebel sandals once, expensive to buy, but they lasted me 10 years. Thus they were really pretty cheap. OTOH, I bought some cheap sandals two years ago and on my last trip overseas the straps became disconnected from the shoe bed on the first day. Very expensive sandals.

Thierry Rabotin only makes women's shoes from what I can see. To bad.
 
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Robbie B.,
Congratulations on the new car. I really like the new Impalas. They are very nice looking. This is why you are our "blow that dough" inspirational leader. Paying extra money for a fancy paint color too? This is crazy behavior!


The new cars in general are amazingly nice and comfortable. I'm shocked how nice my father/stepmother's new car is. I helped stepmother pick up her new car at the dealer, they added a remote start option. They pulled the car into their service center showroom to hand her the keys. Even the young guy at the dealer was looking at it, and saying that it looked very nice, like he wanted one. I might blow that dough yet on a new car.


I'm surprised when I read that the auto industry is struggling to sell cars, because everyone wants a SUV. An SUV can hold more stuff, but that makes them larger and more difficult to maneuver in traffic and parking lots, and they obviously get worse gas mileage. Very much like a truck. I guess it also makes people feel safe. Unless you are hauling tons of gear, or need four wheel drive to get where you are going, it seems very unnecessary. I prefer a car.


I'm sure the trunk on that new Impala will hold a lot of gear if necessary. It will be too nice and pretty to haul stuff in it. You will not want to get it dirty.


Take care, JP
 
JP.mpls said:
Robbie B.,

I'm surprised when I read that the auto industry is struggling to sell cars, because everyone wants a SUV. An SUV can hold more stuff, but that makes them larger and more difficult to maneuver in traffic and parking lots, and they obviously get worse gas mileage.
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With oil prices rising we may see an end to the surge in SUVs. It will probably happen once Ford had refit its factories to make more SUVs and Truck and fewer sedans. :rolleyes: My old Camry Hybrid 'only' gets about 40 mpg compared to the new ones that are in the 46 mpg range. And, it has a 600 mile cruising range. Not bad for a mid-size car.

I'm not sure I could return to a sub 35 mpg car. There are plenty of other things to Blough the Dough on. :D
 
Chuckanut,
I also want at least above average gas mileage on my cars. I've avoided hybrid vehicles so far, because I think the automobile industry needed to keep improving on the new technology, but I suspect the newer hybrids are reliable vehicles now. I still don't like that only the dealers can work on them.


My father's new midsized car has a 2.5L 4 cylinder gas engine, and a CVT transmission.
I'm not sure if I'm a big fan of the CVT transmissions, but the car accelerates very nice, and it gets just under 30mpg city/40mpg hwy. gas mileage. That is what I get with my small Focus 5-speed sedan. It is impressive.


The engine and CVT transmission come with a lifetime warranty, so if the transmission doesn't hold up, hopefully a full replacement should be covered.


JP
 
My new Jetta S 1.4 turbocharged (non-hybrid) sedan gets 42 on a trip and around 35 in town running A/C 100% of the time (and I have that documented). Its a 6 speed automatic and was priced well under $20K. Not fancy, but well equipped. No CVT trans for the Germans!

These days, hybrids don't seem to be worth the "premium" charge as the fuel MPG increase doesn't have a realistic payback against comparable cars.
 
Thanks all for the good wishes!

I started to think about my first new car when I retired 4 years ago. I got all the way to a Maserati Quattroporte. But then I thought how it would look parked in front of my blue collar tract house hood. No more stealth wealth.

So I then started thinking Lincoln Continental. Now quite as pretentious, but still a standout.

And I ended up with this Impala. But it does have custom paint and all the goodies. Gets good reviews. Cost half as much as a Lincoln. You see, my frugality has not completely left me, but I have beaten it back to a low rumble - :)
 
Chuckanut said:
With oil prices rising we may see an end to the surge in SUVs. It will probably happen once Ford had refit its factories to make more SUVs and Truck and fewer sedans. :rolleyes: My old Camry Hybrid 'only' gets about 40 mpg compared to the new ones that are in the 46 mpg range. And, it has a 600 mile cruising range. Not bad for a mid-size car.

I'm not sure I could return to a sub 35 mpg car. There are plenty of other things to Blough the Dough on. :D
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I may have to disagree with you. If a couple has more than 2 kids it is very hard to comply with the child restraint laws, unless they buy a mini-van. My son and DIL were considering a third child, but suddenly realized the issue with transportation. The days are long gone when 3 kids could pile into the back of a car with coloring books, crayons and some toys and travel comfortable. It is just shy of torture to strap a child into a car seat and travel for any length of time.

And SUVs are just really glorified station wagons.
 
I have not driven a sedan in 15 years, and will never buy another one. If SUV's have bad gas mileage, then build me one with 3 cylinders. I don't care about speed.

The reason: I no longer want to contort to get in/out of a low sedan or sports car.
 
REWahoo said:
^ This is one of the core tenets of geezerhood - unless the sedan is a Buick. :)
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Holding on to my sports car as long as possible. Can finally drive it year round. Not ready to give it up yet at 58 y.o.:D
 
First it was Hugo Boss suits, then it was Mercedes SUVs. Our current ride is a GLK250BT that sips diesel with two progressive super chargers if we need to race. Love the fact that MB designs things for tall men.

I like the sunroof for the rear seat passengers plus their own AC outlet. Reminds me of the old Range Rovers. But more reliable.
 
Just bought myself a new 2018 Mazda 3. DW and I have been sharing a car for 3 years now and we did not really need a second car but what the heck. I enjoy the greater freedom.
 
FIREd said:
Just bought myself a new 2018 Mazda 3. DW and I have been sharing a car for 3 years now and we did not really need a second car but what the heck. I enjoy the greater freedom.
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Congratulations! It will be fun to have a second car even if you don't really need it.
REWahoo said:
Cough...mid-life crisis car...cough!
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But is it red? :LOL:
 
One car per person is good!
 
For me, 1 car and 3 motorcycles - :)
 
Robbie,

Congratulations on your new car!

What did you used to drive? How are you going to haul home improvement materials, or you're all done now? (I love your kitchen cabinets, BTW.)
 
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