Car Purchase Timing

[Floridatennisplayer]

If you want an SUV and something that is dependable with dealerships on every corner I would get a Honda CRV or a Honda pilot if you want something larger

 

[Sunset]

If you are confident you will be seeing meaningful discounts on the car you want in the future, then drive your old car (if it's safe to drive). Worst case scenario you need 2 new front tires and then trade it in or sell. Cost of tires - $250?

+1
The minimum OP needs to delay buying a new car is 2 new tires somewhat soon on the old car.
So drive the old car locally (not cross country trips) and get new tires when needed.

OP didn't say what the cost of the repair would be, could simply be an alignment issue ?

Another possiblity is to Uber/Lyft or taxi those times a 2nd car is wanted.

 

[DeborahB]

Do they have any of the same model available from last year (new)?
I have a 2004 V70 with very low mileage. But it was built in Sweden. I’ve had one repair in 15 years. I’m thinking of trading it in for something with the newer safety features but not for a year. And they discontinued the V70 (basic wagon) long ago. I’ve been very happy but things have changed if they’re made in China, maybe.

 

[RobbieB]

I had to order the car I wanted as they were not in production with the color and options I wanted. Yup, paid full price.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Is the difference between MSRP and the discount you would expect really that material or is “below sticker price” just a thing we expect? If you really want that car, and it sounds like you do, buy it and then post on RobbieB’s blow that dough thread!

If your old car is sellable without your paying for the front end work, great.

 

[CaliKid]

Looking at carjojo looks like it's easy to get 15% off the XC60 except for the high end model which have limited discounting. Looking at leasehakr forums (which show you sale price which will be the same in most cases whether leasing or buying) at about the same (15-16% off MSRP). So I would go in and ask for 20% off since it's year end. Agree with you that the 40 is not going to be discounted significantly at this point. I'd try to get a heavily discounted 60 if it were me.

 

[travelover]

Good alternatives put forth so far. I'm in the fix the old car and wait out the new car fever camp, seconded by the lease the Volvo and see if it really is a good car.

Re Consumer Reports reliability, it really is a statistical question and they have a pretty good statistical pool. Anecdotally, when I worked for MegaMotors I got a new lease car every year and always got the same model and color (to keep a low profile). One year the car was flawless and the next year it was junk, then good again. So, you really can't get a handle on quality from anecdotal accounts.

 

[NYEXPAT]

Why not look into "Care by Volvo" subscriptions?

 

[Katsmeow]

Have you read the Consumer Reports review? Yikes. Not very positive. Have you driven one?

DH drove it and I was a passenger. The primary two critiques CR gave were that the shifter method was maddening (you have to move it twice to switch it otherwise it is in neutral) and that the infotainment screen was confusing.

I agree that the shifter is not optimal. I also feel that if we regularly drive the car we would get used to it. As far as the infotainment screen it is very tablet like. I think it wouldn't be that difficult to learn. Most of the time if both of us are in the car the driver isn't touching the screen. The passenger does it. When I am driving by myself I don't do much on the screen I have now. Those things that don't really bother me.

What I like about the Volvos are the safety features that they have that I want.

I think this is an unrealistic expectation. The XC40 is not likely to see significant discounts for a long time yet. Volvo is struggling mightily to keep up with demand for all these extremely popular cars (XC40/60/90). ....
If you haven't, sign up at the Swedespeed forums where you'll see forums for both of these cars (and others) and lots of real world opinions.

That is what concerns me about the XC40...we could wait and it might not come down much. I am a member of the Swedespeed forums. I joined 7 years ago when we came close to doing OSD on an XC60 (which they don't do anymore since it is made in China). But, we ended up buying an Explorer rather than have the long wait.

You should go ahead and fix your old car,.but find yourself a good independent alignment shop to do the repairs rather than a dealer. ....
It sounds as if you have made up your mind on a Volvo. But the SUV field is very competitive, and there are many other alternatives in the retail market. They are all great vehicles. When buying vehicles, I try not to limit myself to one brand, and always have alternatives to consider. I make the purchase a business decision and not a decision of the heart.

We will not be going to the dealer with repairs. I agree with you on that. We are going to find a shop and check and find out what needs to be done.

7 years ago I really wanted an XC60 but I ended up getting the Explorer so I am willing to change course if necessary. I have a spreadsheet with about 20 vehicles that I have researched enough to put on the spreadsheet. I've test-driven several of them. So I am open to other cars but haven't found one that I like nearly as well as either Volvo.

Check consumers report and I do not know if you realize many Volvos are made in China. Volvo is owned by the Chinese.

I do know that. The XC40 is not made in China, although honestly it would be OK with me if it was. The XC60 is made in China.

Buy the XC60. IMO it is much better car than the XC40. The XC40 is the entry level SUV. We test drove the XC40 & XC60 back to back. I loved the XC60. The XC40 was meh to me. I was in the dealer a couple weeks ago. Sales Manager said they aren't taking orders on the XC40 as the wait is 8-9 months. The XC60 is at the end of the model year so you might find some bargains

I am actually considering looking at a new 2018 XC60. The 2019 XC60s are in the showroom now but are not materially different from the 2018. From what I have read you can get a pretty good discount on the 2018s at this point. However, the one big change from 2018 to 2019 is that they now offer a FWD for the XC60. Living in Texas, I don't really need AWD. But, I may explore getting a 2018. Since we will probably keep the car for 6 or 7 years or longer I don't think it would be a big issue to get one.

Order a XC40 with the options that you want for $41k. Put together exactly what you want and email it to all Volvo dealers within 150-200 miles and tell them that you need their best out-the-door price and that you intend to order the car in 3 days.

If I was going to order an XC40 I wouldn't do that. I would just do Overseas Delivery which would end up being cheaper and might give me faster turn around on an order. Most Volvo dealers allotments for this car are already spoken for and some people are getting 6 month lead times for orders from dealers. It isn't any better for OSD but is less expensive as you get a discount from MSRP, not to mention airfare.

This doesn't compute for me. After a long time by definition you can't have the latest features anymore.

To me, it sounds lie leasing is a better option for you. You can get the latest features again when the lease is up or if you do still love the car & don't experience the issues so many here have complained about with Volvos, you can buy it at the residual then.

I like to have the latest features when I buy that car. Over time those features trickle down to most vehicles but I have them for the entire time I own the car. For example, when I got my Explorer not many cars had adaptive cruise control and it was mostly on some high end cars. Now, it is much more abundantly available. But I've had it for the last 7 years because I searched for a car that had it.

I probably would lease a vehicle for just the reasons you mention. And, I would buy it for the residual if I liked it. But in Texas you have to pay sales tax on the full value of the car which makes leasing less attractive. I have pondered, though, whether to go ahead and do it.

If you want an SUV and something that is dependable with dealerships on every corner I would get a Honda CRV or a Honda pilot if you want something larger

They were both high on my list. Two problems. The 2019 CRV won't be out until after the first of the year and DH really didn't want to wait until then.

But -- more importantly -- neither one has surround view camera and that is a feature that is a dealbreaker for me.

Of the cars we've test driven the one that I liked the best so far was the Hyundai Santa Fe (the new 2019 5 passenger version). But, I didn't love it. It was serviceable and OK but there was no wow factor there.

Do they have any of the same model available from last year (new)?

The whole issue is that the XC40 is brand new. There is no last year model. I might be able to find a 2018 XC60.

Is the difference between MSRP and the discount you would expect really that material or is “below sticker price” just a thing we expect?

Most cars you can get for about 10% off MSRP. I don't expect that on the Volvos. Truecar says that the 2019 XC60s are going for about 8% off MSRP right now in this area. 8% off $42k is $3.4k which is a fair amount of money that I would prefer to not have to spend.

Right now what we are doing is trying to get a better feel on what we need to do with the existing car. DH is going to find out what it would sell for as is (to a car place not to a private party). I am sure they will reduce the price for any work it needs done to it. THen he will check to find out what really needs to be done. It may simply need an alignment.

In the meantime I am going to look into the XC60s and see what I can do on a 2018 as compared to a 2019. If there is a significant difference that might work.

 

[Walt34]

One piece of information you still don't have is the cost of repairing the older car. I'd find that out first before making a decision.

 

[braumeister]

The primary two critiques CR gave were that the shifter method was maddening (you have to move it twice to switch it otherwise it is in neutral) and that the infotainment screen was confusing.

As a new XC60 owner (and first time to Volvo), I can say that the first issue took me all of five minutes to get used to and the second issue took about a day. After putting many thousands of miles on it since April I still love practically everything about it. Reliability has been solid, performance is amazing (I have the PHEV version), and they are without a doubt the most comfortable seats I've ever had in a car.

 

[Katsmeow]

Well, DH got an offer to buy his existing car from a car place and it was pleasantly more than we anticipated. I've done a search for the car we want for a 2018 XC60 and I've found one that has everything we want and very little we don't want. They have it discounted about 10% on their web page which is good but since it is a 2018 I would want more.

The beauty of it is that there are no real feature differences between the 2018 and the 2019. The only real difference is that the 2018s are AWD drive only while the 2019s we were looking at are mostly FWD since people down here really aren't that interested in AWD. DH was willing to get a FWD but would actually prefer AWD so that isn't a deal breaker.

So we'll see.

 

[W2R]

Well, DH got an offer to buy his existing car from a car place and it was pleasantly more than we anticipated. I've done a search for the car we want for a 2018 XC60 and I've found one that has everything we want and very little we don't want. They have it discounted about 10% on their web page which is good but since it is a 2018 I would want more.

The beauty of it is that there are no real feature differences between the 2018 and the 2019. The only real difference is that the 2018s are AWD drive only while the 2019s we were looking at are mostly FWD since people down here really aren't that interested in AWD. DH was willing to get a FWD but would actually prefer AWD so that isn't a deal breaker.

So we'll see.

Oh good luck!! This is so exciting.. Thanks for letting us share in this adventure.

 

[michelek]

Take Uber while you’re waiting... it’s cheaper than owning

 

[Midpack]

Every single person I know that bought a Volvo in the past couple of years has had nothing but problems. The kind of problems that have the car at the dealer for repairs at least once a month. In your shoes, I would pay attention to Consumer Reports and look elsewhere.

I’m one of those people. I bought a new Volvo and had some serious issues with it. The biggest problem was with AC at 2.5 years late summer, zero cooling. Dealer “fixed it” though what they reported didn’t sound right, “one of the hoses was too short?” BS. Didn’t need AC in winter. When summer rolled around again, AC was dead again, now just beyond the 3 year warranty. They had to replace everything, cost us $2,300 - dealer wouldn’t cover or discount in any way, and neither would Volvo. Sold it within a year. We’ll never own another Volvo...

 

[DeborahB]

Well I guess I’ll keep my 2004 V70 for now and be thrilled it was made during Volvo’s good years. No repairs, handles wonderfully, and I’ve got an automatic transmission that works well.

 

[Ronstar]

Get the XC60. You only live once.

 

[Katsmeow]

So a new possibility that I am not sure about. There is a large Volvo dealer in the area. Most of their XC60s and XC40s they have used as loaners/demos. For the 2018 XC60s most with the features I want have 2k to 5k miles on them. The have extended the warranty to 7 years/100k. Some of them have been titled in the dealership but not registered so qualify as new cars. A couple are considered certified pre-owned. (Being considered new is mostly important to those people who want to do new car financing but we were planning to pay cash).

The question in my own mind is how much discount should exist for

(1) a 2018 that is functionally identical to a 2019 given the options we are getting

and

(2) the fact of having 2k to 5k miles on them.

I've been corresponding with someone there an basically they seem to be offering about 10 to 11% off MSRP. I know the XC60 is a popular car but it would seem that with the miles on them it ought to be more. I have been trying to do online research but haven't really found much that addresses this. KBB doesn't have info on this model of car.

Having the miles on them is not a big issue for me (of course I would look at the car carefully) but don't want to overpay.

 

[Bamaman]

This. Also, ignore Consumer Reports at your peril. DW fell in love with Minis and she bought one even though CR's data predicted maintenance problems.

Under warranty, the plastic water pump was replaced with a metal one and a plastic oil pressure regulator was replaced with metal.

Recently we had to replace a clutch (long story, not really Mini's fault). The parts prices were astronomical -- flywheel was over $1000!

Just this morning I got a call from our (independent) maintenance shop. To replace the timing chain: $3000+ This is a car with 66,000 miles; no way should it need a timing chain. The problem turns out to be that the engine is full of plastic parts that deteriorate, specifically timing chain guides. So if the problem is not fixed, the chain eventually breaks, resulting in bent valves, etc. disaster..

I hate to see anyone taken advantage of, and I really wish I could overlook your posting. BUT:

A flywheel for a Mini can be bought for $52.20. A complete clutch kit including pressure plate and clutch disc and the alignment tool at Rock Auto is only $122. A complete timing chain kit including guides for a Mini is only $284--https://www.carid.com/melling/timing-set-mpn-3-1038s.html

I don't consider parts prices on Mini's to be astronomical. Your independent auto technician's honesty is very questionable, and I suspect he is simply taking advantage of you. Unless the engine is making some strange noises, I would doubt a timing chain is needed on such a low mile car and a second opinion is in order.

The biggest problem with early Mini's was their CVT transmission belt. A huge percentage of belts had to be replaced at a cost of around $5,000 at a dealership. A Buford, GA mechanic shop got rich only charging $3,500 for the same job. The belt was something like $550 and a YouTube video showed the job--and it wasn't very difficult. I think they've gone to a different tranny now.

 

[gerntz]

But in Texas you have to pay sales tax on the full value of the car which makes leasing less attractive.

Didn't know any states did that. That's a real problem. I probably would do something else then than lease.

On my lease, I pay the sales tax monthly in proportion to the the original price & don't pay it at all on the residual value. The next guy does. OTOH, I owe a yearly property tax.

 

[Just_Steve]

The answer is Blow that dough.

 

[pb4uski]

... The question in my own mind is how much discount should exist for

(1) a 2018 that is functionally identical to a 2019 given the options we are getting

and

(2) the fact of having 2k to 5k miles on them. ...

What do the various used car sites suggest the value is for a 2018 with 2-5k miles?

 

[Katsmeow]

What do the various used car sites suggest the value is for a 2018 with 2-5k miles?

Well, I looked at kbb and autotrader didn't find anything as they don't do this car for used cars.

I did get a price on a new 2019 XC60 that is about 6.8% below MSRP which Truecar and Edmunds say is good.

I have offers to me on 2 2018 XC60s with a little over 3k miles. One of them is offered as a CPO at about 12.3% off MSRP. The other is offered as a new car with extended warranted for about 9.3% off MSRP. Not sure why the difference is discount between the two except one of them is a CPO.

 

[aja8888]

Well, I looked at kbb and autotrader didn't find anything as they don't do this car for used cars.

I did get a price on a new 2019 XC60 that is about 6.8% below MSRP which Truecar and Edmunds say is good.

I have offers to me on 2 2018 XC60s with a little over 3k miles. One of them is offered as a CPO at about 12.3% off MSRP. The other is offered as a new car with extended warranted for about 9.3% off MSRP. Not sure why the difference is discount between the two except one of them is a CPO.

I would look at Autotrader and other national car sites and see what low mileage used ones (2018) are selling (asking prices) for as that is what yours would be worth the minute you sign the paperwork. You may not find many, but it's worth a try.

 

[walkinwood]

Can you pick up that XC40 in Sweden and make a holiday out of it?


If you can afford it, and are sure you'll not make a habit of going over your budget, go get it. I'm trying to think that way about things so as not to keep denying myself stuff that I can afford occasionally.