Car shopping
Jan. 6th, 2010 11:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stephbgDid you know the cup holders in a 2009 Hyundai Tiburon come with "side tensioners in order to stabilise differently sized containers"? I didn't even realise I needed side tensioners.
I discovered last night that a Hyundai dealership lay only a short walk from the office, so when I needed a walk today I thought I'd go in that direction. I was tired of looking at pictures on the computer and stealing glimpses on the road: I wanted to see a Tiburon (evolved descendent of The Catmobile) close up. I had to walk so The Catmobile wouldn't feel threatened.
I haven't physically crossed the threshold of a car dealership in a long time, and it's effectively 10 years since I last conversed with a car dealer with any seriousness. It's fun :-)
The news was not all good: I discovered that the Tiburon has been discontinued, and there are not one but two (count them - TWO) 2009 manual Tiburons in Western Australia and there won't be no more. Organising a test drive also appears to be bizarrely impossible. The cars are at the Hyundai holding yard, but you can't organise a test drive with them directly. That's what dealers are for. But the dealership can't get access to the car unless they buy it, and they're not confident enough of a profitable sale to get one in stock that I might, you know, touch. If I promise to buy it, they'll let me test drive it.
No.
Late model and/or low km used models are also extremely thin on the ground in Australia, let alone in little old Perth. The Coupe wasn't that common in 2000, which was actually one of the reasons I chose that model. It never appeared in TV advertising for one thing. No-one (but NO-ONE) walked into a dealer's yard and asked for a Coupe back then, so with a bit of patience and some firm bargaining I got the 4-year-old 42,000km Catmobile for several thousand less than the equivalent (or indeed inferior) hatches on the market. Corolla, Astra, Mazda 323, that sort of thing. I can't help but think it suffered from association with the Hyundai Scoupe which was older, cheaper, and somewhere below the Excel on the food chain. Completely different animal.
The dealer did have one new Tiburon, but it was an automatic (no!), black (no!) and hidden in the deepest depths of their subterranean storage garages (ok). And, as it turns out, sold. Still, the rep led me across the road, behind several buidlings, across three levels of carpark and through one heavy steel door to the very back of a darkened garage to take a look. The trip was part Get Smart, part Silence of the Lambs.
I got to sit in the driver's seat (comfy), admire the styling (nice), appreciate the aircon (awesome), look at the engine (enginey), and start it up. It was smooth as silk, and revved politely. There was no giggling, or even grinning. A couple of years of Top Gear and an ability to fake technical lingo let me ask a few sensible questions. I suspect I might have bristled a little when the rep had his one big feminist fail moment by pointing out that women really liked the mirrors on the back of both the passenger's and driver's sun shades.
*sound of crickets*
An eyebrow was raised; I commented that I was not really interested in the accessories. We moved on.
Back to reality and the air-conditioned office to dredge up answers to the many questions he couldn't answer. This involved leaving me alone for quite long periods of time in the office, but it gave me time to admire the very glossy brochure. Damn good car porn, and it certainly hit the spot for me:
"Sheer pleasure... supurb control
...the car responds instantly to your every input from steering and acceleration. The super slick, short throw six speed manual transmission and taut suspension empower the driver and enhance the experience. It's what all sports cars should be - a pleasure to drive and always in control."
*phwoar*
And nice writing too.
The dealer said that 10% of people insist on driving manuals. I wonder if that statement was 87% or 93% bullsh*t?
Speaking of bullshit, I *might* have expressed an opinion along the lines that the Americans hadn't produced a decent car since the Mustang. WTF? I got carried away. It was a long walk.
Unfortunately--and inevitably--he started to get a bit pushy, although with the dearth (and indeed death) of supply he had a point that I probably can't faff about too much if I'm really interested, which I'm not yet. And the only two left are both silver, which I've always imagined was the deadliest of all car colours. Even in full production they only made them in black, silver, or red (blue only if you wanted black leather seats which I really don't). So it's a rare car; "an enthusiast's car". I like the idea of being an enthusiast :-)
I was thinking hard, but I must have been using my scary concentration face, because he kept saying "Don't shoot the messenger!" Alternatively he was trying to induce some kind of sympathy response. Tiny fool. I escaped without him capturing mysoul contact details.
I have issues with the sales profession. They contaminate the data :-(
I don't want to give up the Catmobile, and as yet I'm not being forced to. In fact, the drive home today seemed particularly nice, apart from the irritatingly clunky throw into fifth. I'm struggling with the economics versus the emotion. There's the little matter that I could buy two boring late model demo 2 litre hatches for the same price, although a Mini costs a few thousand more again (not that I'd want a turbo). We are talking the very cheapest end of the sports market here.
Or I could spend a couple of thousand over the next couple of years and keep her going. Probably. Maybe even quite safely, but cars don't age like they used to.
*is torn*
*knows one shouldn't be torn*
*is torn anyway*
I wish I had a mechanic I can trust. My Nice Tyre People could probably be trusted with parts of the assessment; they've a good track record in telling me I *don't* have to get things fixed. One alternative is to pay a few hundred for a vehicle inspection, but I'm not wildly confident about them either. Perhaps I can squeeze some assistance out of the RAC.
OK, it's a plan: I shall talk to the Nice Tyre People about the Catmobile's future. You've been very helpful, thanks :-)
PS You can fit a double bass in the back of a Tiburon.
I discovered last night that a Hyundai dealership lay only a short walk from the office, so when I needed a walk today I thought I'd go in that direction. I was tired of looking at pictures on the computer and stealing glimpses on the road: I wanted to see a Tiburon (evolved descendent of The Catmobile) close up. I had to walk so The Catmobile wouldn't feel threatened.
I haven't physically crossed the threshold of a car dealership in a long time, and it's effectively 10 years since I last conversed with a car dealer with any seriousness. It's fun :-)
The news was not all good: I discovered that the Tiburon has been discontinued, and there are not one but two (count them - TWO) 2009 manual Tiburons in Western Australia and there won't be no more. Organising a test drive also appears to be bizarrely impossible. The cars are at the Hyundai holding yard, but you can't organise a test drive with them directly. That's what dealers are for. But the dealership can't get access to the car unless they buy it, and they're not confident enough of a profitable sale to get one in stock that I might, you know, touch. If I promise to buy it, they'll let me test drive it.
No.
Late model and/or low km used models are also extremely thin on the ground in Australia, let alone in little old Perth. The Coupe wasn't that common in 2000, which was actually one of the reasons I chose that model. It never appeared in TV advertising for one thing. No-one (but NO-ONE) walked into a dealer's yard and asked for a Coupe back then, so with a bit of patience and some firm bargaining I got the 4-year-old 42,000km Catmobile for several thousand less than the equivalent (or indeed inferior) hatches on the market. Corolla, Astra, Mazda 323, that sort of thing. I can't help but think it suffered from association with the Hyundai Scoupe which was older, cheaper, and somewhere below the Excel on the food chain. Completely different animal.
The dealer did have one new Tiburon, but it was an automatic (no!), black (no!) and hidden in the deepest depths of their subterranean storage garages (ok). And, as it turns out, sold. Still, the rep led me across the road, behind several buidlings, across three levels of carpark and through one heavy steel door to the very back of a darkened garage to take a look. The trip was part Get Smart, part Silence of the Lambs.
I got to sit in the driver's seat (comfy), admire the styling (nice), appreciate the aircon (awesome), look at the engine (enginey), and start it up. It was smooth as silk, and revved politely. There was no giggling, or even grinning. A couple of years of Top Gear and an ability to fake technical lingo let me ask a few sensible questions. I suspect I might have bristled a little when the rep had his one big feminist fail moment by pointing out that women really liked the mirrors on the back of both the passenger's and driver's sun shades.
*sound of crickets*
An eyebrow was raised; I commented that I was not really interested in the accessories. We moved on.
Back to reality and the air-conditioned office to dredge up answers to the many questions he couldn't answer. This involved leaving me alone for quite long periods of time in the office, but it gave me time to admire the very glossy brochure. Damn good car porn, and it certainly hit the spot for me:
"Sheer pleasure... supurb control
...the car responds instantly to your every input from steering and acceleration. The super slick, short throw six speed manual transmission and taut suspension empower the driver and enhance the experience. It's what all sports cars should be - a pleasure to drive and always in control."
*phwoar*
And nice writing too.
The dealer said that 10% of people insist on driving manuals. I wonder if that statement was 87% or 93% bullsh*t?
Speaking of bullshit, I *might* have expressed an opinion along the lines that the Americans hadn't produced a decent car since the Mustang. WTF? I got carried away. It was a long walk.
Unfortunately--and inevitably--he started to get a bit pushy, although with the dearth (and indeed death) of supply he had a point that I probably can't faff about too much if I'm really interested, which I'm not yet. And the only two left are both silver, which I've always imagined was the deadliest of all car colours. Even in full production they only made them in black, silver, or red (blue only if you wanted black leather seats which I really don't). So it's a rare car; "an enthusiast's car". I like the idea of being an enthusiast :-)
I was thinking hard, but I must have been using my scary concentration face, because he kept saying "Don't shoot the messenger!" Alternatively he was trying to induce some kind of sympathy response. Tiny fool. I escaped without him capturing my
I have issues with the sales profession. They contaminate the data :-(
I don't want to give up the Catmobile, and as yet I'm not being forced to. In fact, the drive home today seemed particularly nice, apart from the irritatingly clunky throw into fifth. I'm struggling with the economics versus the emotion. There's the little matter that I could buy two boring late model demo 2 litre hatches for the same price, although a Mini costs a few thousand more again (not that I'd want a turbo). We are talking the very cheapest end of the sports market here.
Or I could spend a couple of thousand over the next couple of years and keep her going. Probably. Maybe even quite safely, but cars don't age like they used to.
*is torn*
*knows one shouldn't be torn*
*is torn anyway*
I wish I had a mechanic I can trust. My Nice Tyre People could probably be trusted with parts of the assessment; they've a good track record in telling me I *don't* have to get things fixed. One alternative is to pay a few hundred for a vehicle inspection, but I'm not wildly confident about them either. Perhaps I can squeeze some assistance out of the RAC.
OK, it's a plan: I shall talk to the Nice Tyre People about the Catmobile's future. You've been very helpful, thanks :-)
PS You can fit a double bass in the back of a Tiburon.
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no subject
Date: 2010-01-06 04:46 pm (UTC)Meanwhile, how good is Hyundai at keeping parts for discontinued models and how much do they ramp the prices? As someone with a rare car, I have experience of the downside. ("Right rear tail light? That'll be $540.")
no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 01:25 am (UTC)What do you drive?
no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 01:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 02:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 02:21 am (UTC)The car itself is really well made. It went for a 9-year period without any repairs until a year ago ... at which point the cooling system overhaul and new exhaust cost about what the car is worth in total. Admittedly, some things are getting old. The rear struts have been leaking for about 7 years, but they're still ok. (... and also pretty close to irreplaceable.)
no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 05:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 05:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 05:55 am (UTC)I guess I'm allergic to issues on the road. With my first car it was always a constant watch to make sure it didn't overheat, run out of some kind of fluid, or generally fall to bits at the traffic lights. I still remember the wonderful almost decadent feeling of having a reliable car for the first time. I don't want to go back to that kind of worry.
So just like the stock market, it's all about emotion, especially fear. I plan to replace that emotion with some hard data RSN.
no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 07:55 am (UTC)Did you see the Top Gear "Cheap Coupes" episode? Jeremy Clarkson picked a Starion but was a git, installing a racing turbo without upgrading the cooling system too. It eventually died as a result. The others agreed his car was better than the Jag or the BMW, but only on the condition that he admitted "I'm a clot and I ruined my car".
no subject
Date: 2010-01-08 12:18 am (UTC)Hammond gave a very positive review of the Tiburon a couple of years ago. Particularly nice handling, and very good styling.
no subject
Date: 2010-01-06 10:58 pm (UTC)It's possible that his skill as a mechanic is reflected in the fact that he's still my mechanic, and my mother's mechanic, and my ex-wife's mechanic.
no subject
Date: 2010-01-07 06:06 am (UTC)