The Yeager's New Automobile
Before
After
The Escort Wagon is now inoperable and we are a one car family. What will our "new" car be?
The Yeager's New Automobile
Before
After
The Escort Wagon is now inoperable and we are a one car family. What will our "new" car be?
Introduction
No one really saw this coming but our faithful Escort was totaled on August 11th, 2009. We had just replaced the Cougar with a 2004 Honda Civic Hybrid and now we needed to purchase yet another automobile. I had done a fair amount of research looking into helping our daughter purchase a car for college (clearly this won't be happening now) and could use the ground work on determining what would be a suitable replacement for the Escort. We had purchased the Civic Hybrid as a compliment to the utility of the Escort and now we needed a car that would compliment the Civic Hybrid.
We had come solidly to the conclusion that the Honda Civic Hybrid is a highway vehicle and not at all happy making short trips. Additionally, Hybrids at this time are lacking in power and towing capacity. To further complicate the situation, as the electric bassist for Wing and a Prayer I need a vehicle that could easily swallow a Musicman electric bass, a Trace Elliot combo and other equipment for both practices and gigs. We need a car that would be at home making mostly short to medium range trips, have enough power to pull a small trailer, be able haul my bass equipment and other items, be reliable, and get very good fuel mileage. We really needed a small wagon. We had just been down this road with searching for a Hybrid so keeping with local mechanic Kenny Anderson's advice on the previous automobile purchase I began to search.
The Search
The last few years automotive marketing in the United States has been silly compared to the efficient, small, cleverly designed cars in Europe and Asia. At this point in automotive history there are just not many small wagons or hatchbacks with a proven track record available in the United States. If we were in Europe that would be quite another matter. Often when we do get a proven European model they mess it up on the way over. For example when the Smart was imported they stuck an industrial class Mitsubishi 1 liter in it and dropped the wonderful .7 liter turbo charged gasoline and diesel engines available in Europe that are more fuel efficient and powerful.
The US automakers offer little or nothing in the way of small wagons or hatch backs. Suzuki, Kia, and Hyundai offerings just don't get the fuel mileage or the proven reliability of Toyota, Mazda, Nissan, and Honda automobiles. Toyota offers the Matrix and Yaris, Mazda the 3 and Protégé 5, and Honda offers the Fit. The Matrix gets poor fuel mileage and tends to be pricey. the Mazda the 3 and Protégé 5 both offer less cargo space and the Protégé 5 only manages about 30 MPG due to it's more sporting nature. The Yaris and Fit are relatively new models so the used market is limited. If the need for a hatchback or wagon is ignored and I am resigned to pulling a trailer in order to haul my instrument equipment then the possibilities open some what. Toyotas are very reliable but have fewer after-market repair and replacement parts than Hondas. Hondas are also reliable, but, easy to repair and have a huge aftermarket parts supply network.
Further, several models were more fuel efficient a few years ago than current models -- the Honda Civic DX (non VTEC), HF, and VX have been dropped, the Honda Insight generation 1 gets a good 15 MPG better than the generation 2, the 2007 Honda Fit get better fuel milage than the 2009 Honda Fit, and the Toyota Corolla's increased bloat has caused a drop in fuel economy in that popular sedan model. Small, simple, basic transportation is just hard to find. There are few cars that seem to make it across our boarder intact and unaffected by "American" marketing influences.
We keep automobiles a very long time and take exceptional care of them. One of the almost silly concerns I have is whether there will be gasoline or diesel available in 20 years. There are no real alternative fuel options available at this point, however, and yet, even the remotest possibility of making the financial sacrifice to purchase a new or low mileage car only to have to scrap at some future due only to a lack of fuel gnaws at me during this decision making process.
If we do get a new car ABS, air bags, day time running lights and other safety features are a priority. Power equipment we don't want as it just causes maintenance issues as long as we keep cars (our Mercury Cougar's power equipment was only 50% functional when the engine failed at a young 138,000). Trying to get safety equipment with out having to buy the power window, lock, mirror package appears to be a challenge.
The basic parameters were 4 cylinder, 5 speed manual, and a very reliable pedigree. It needed to get better fuel mileage than the Escort, (EPA mid 30s or better with owner testimonials of 40 MPG highway or better), seat four, haul a few larger items, and tow trailer if needed. By the time one applied the "bang for the buck" formula and not many cars made it. In the used sedan and coupe market the Toyota Corolla and the Honda Civic DX top the list (ignoring the need to haul my current electric bass amp). A good used Honda Fit or Toyota Yaris 2 door hatchback might be enticing at the right price. The only new cars worth looking at that come close to directly replacing the Escort are the Honda Fit and the Toyota Yaris 2 door hatchback. New sedans that off the best bang for the buck are Honda Civic LX and the Toyota Corolla LE. Unfortunately, power equipment cannot be avoided in the current Civic and the Corolla models.
Craig's List and eBay were primarily used in the used car hunt. Once an interesting car was found then the Kelly Blue Book value for the vehicle was checked to see if the asking price was in line with reality. Sam's Club, manufacturer web sites, and local dealers were primarily used in the new car hunt.
Monthly Journal Entries
August, 2009 -- I have been watching dozens of cars on eBay mostly to see the prices go beyond what I am willing to pay for a car I have not seen. I missed out on an extra clean 2000 Civic DX Coupe with less than 50,000 miles in Florida because the bids did not reach the reserve price.
Having visited a variety of local new car dealers I have gotten frustrated enough with Gulf States Toyota not offering the options I want and not deleting the "extras" I don't want that I am seriously looking at purchasing out of state. If I am going to purchase our first new car ever then I want exactly what I want and not some stupid port installed package that contains 10% of what we want and 90% extra at 5 prices more than it should be to begin with. Grrrrrr. Olathe Toyota, a Toyota dealer near Kansas City, seems to be offering good deals on new Toyotas and trying to earn my business.
August 22, 2009 -- I spent Saturday afternoon in and around Bonham, Texas looking at used cars at Bonham Chrysler and smaller independent dealers. Saw a Chevrolet Aveo (Daewoo) and found it "delicate" in structure and poor in handling. After reading a review the Aveo was stricken from the list of possible candidates. I drove a Smart and came away impressed. Too bad the US imports do not have the wonderful turbo charged diesel and gasoline engine available in Europe. For the most part the used cars I saw were over-priced and in poor shape. It is clearly going to take a while to come up with a good used car. The bargain our Honda Civic Hybrid was compared with most of the used cars on the market was duly noted.
August 24, 2009 -- Missed out on a 2008 white 3 door Yaris with a manual transmission and 31,000 miles on the clock by $100 on eBay. Called the used car salesman I meet Saturday at Bonham Chrysler about some used cars I saw online but got no call back. Continued phoning and emailing First National Bank Trenton, Sate Farm and Olathe Toyota researching financing, insurance settlements, and new pricing.
August 25, 2009 -- Bonham Chrysler finally calls back and they have none of the used cars I saw online. Busy at work and still waiting for the insurance settlement.
August 26, 2009 -- Sate Farm insurance called about the settlement on the Escort. It was under what I expected by a fare amount considering we had spent over $1500 in the last three months on AC and body repairs. I realize that the Escort is an old car and many miles of pavement have passed below it. However, we have improved it well beyond the typical little wagon. When questioned on the amount the lady on the other end of the phone, with an accusing undertone, questioned why we would spend so much money on a 1993. I felt like saying "Because I am a mentally unbalanced sociopath who is 'Googling' you right this moment." I didn't. What I did mention was there are are almost no small wagons available and we felt no need to dispatch a perfectly good car that fits our needs just to toss our money in the market place by purchasing a new car simply because it is typical behavior.
The small amount of the proposed settlement and the increase in our insurance rates would likely lead to an overall financial loss over the next few years compared with not filing the claim. I then called our Sate Farm agent, Dixie Turman, and expressed my displeasure. Dixie Turman has a reputation of truly sticking up for her clients. Her staff said they would look into the situation and see what they could do.
August 27, 2009 -- I hate insurance companies, but like Dixie Turman my Sate Farm insurance agent. Dixie was less than impressed by the shoddy treatment I got from Sate Farm corporate representatives. We have a solid long term relationship with a special insurance agent who stood up for us by requesting I fax twenty-two pages of receipts and documentation on all the modifications done to the Escort to her office. Dixie additionally planned to forward a sampling of the emails I have received expressing how the Escort had inspired an international readership to keep their cars operating. The plan, in part, is to make a case for the cultural impact of the loss of an automotive icon there by upping the settlement on the Escort. I am just going to stand back and let Dixie handle the negotiations. Victoria thought she just wrecked a car when in fact she derailed a cultural movement.
August 28, 2009 -- The Sate Farm drama continues with several phone calls and emails to the Dixie Turman Agency. We had the backing of at least two lending institutions so we began negotiations with Olathe Toyota even though we had no idea how much insurance money we would be able to roll into a "new" car. So far no local Toyota dealer has been able to match the deal that Olathe Toyota has offered. Jeff Alstatt, a very forthright sales person at Olathe Toyota, and I came to terms via email and cell phone on a $14145 (MSRP) Toyota Yaris for $12843 (out-the-door) with the first oil change and a lifetime power train warranty. Unfortunately, the car, which was at another dealer, sold while we were haggling. It seems I should not have waited on Sate Farm.
August 29 - 30, 2009 -- With the prospect of loosing out on a good deal on a new 2009 Yaris ebbing away I went to 50States.com and looked up zip codes of major cities through out the midwest looking for Toyota dealerships that had the Toyota sponsored $1500 rebate. I requested bids from several dealers through out the midwest.
I started researching the Honda Fit. The fit doesn't come in as basic a configuration as the Yaris and costs about $1500 - $2000 more (MSRP). The extra power equipment and features result in more weight and lower fuel mileage.
It is becoming clear that the bass amplifier may have to be replaced with a smaller unit would as that would open up a much wider variety of vehicular possibilities.
August 31, 2009 -- It seems as though "Cash for Clunkers" (the federal government stimulus program) and end of the year rebate programs have worked. There are no white manual shift base trim 2009 Toyota Yarises left within 600 miles. The beginning of the model year is the worst time to purchase a new car so 2010 is out of the question for a while. It is clearly going to be a long process.
Dixie Turman our Sate Farm agent has made such a case for the uniqueness and exemplary condition of the Escort that Sate Farm has hired a consultant from Barrett-Jackson to appraise the Escort. The Dixie Turman Agency is more than willing to put in the extra effort for their customers.
September, 2009 --
September 1, 2009 -- John Cook of the Barrett-Jackson Arizona office called and got some information. From his tone the situation didn't sound promising. Visited or called several dealership in the area. Called CarMax in an act of desperation. While CarMax is a bit pricey and will not negotiate they do have several guarantees and programs that are nice.
September 2, 2009 -- Called CarMax and followed up on some Craig's List ads. The are a lot of cars in those ads that are sold. The search continues.
I had to go to McKinney, Texas on school bussines so I dropped by Honda Cars of McKinney to explore what Honda dealers had to offer. I got some "new guy" that only wanted to do was sell me what was on the lot and would not listen to me about what I wanted in an automobile.
September 3, 2009 -- I have concluded that CarMax isn't the last bastion of evil I though it was largely because of Dennis Hartsock a senior sales consultant at the Plano, Texas location. CarMax seems to offer clean, low mileage cars at a fair price. You won't find any "killer deals" but they do have some built in protections and a good screening process for the cars they sell. If you are looking for a clean late model automobile they are likely worth consideration.
Recontacted Amanda Rainbolt of`Red River Honda to check what "deals" were availible from the small Sherman/Denison dealer.
Got pre-qualified for a loan at CarMax to check the interest rate.
The morning brought more phone messages and emails from the Dixie Turman Agency. Shortly after noon Dixie Turman called to report that after the deductible Sate Farm was offering a $4045.78 settlement for the Escort. While I am not turning cartwheels it isn't bad for a car with over 370,000 miles on the clock and if a plaid leisure suit clad used car salesman was to sell it would bring maybe: $2,000 to $2,500. A solid relationship with a agent like Dixie is well worth cultivating.
September 4, 2009 -- After a great deal of research it has become clear that with the end of the year clearance deals over a Corolla or Civic may make more economic sense than a Yaris or Fit. Both the Corolla and Civic are quite a bit more car for the money than either the Yaris or Fit and both the Corolla and Civic get better fuel mileage than the Fit. Surprisingly there is little difference in price between late model and new Civics and Corollas and interest rates for new are typically lower compared to used. It may make the most economic sense to pay off the Civic Hybrid and cash in on the very low promotional interest rates on new cars if one plans on owning as a car for half a million miles. One of my biggest concerns is that one cannot get away from power equipment in most modern cars and when planning on keeping cars for a very long time power windows, locks, and such are simply a harbinger of gremlins.
September 5, 2009 -- If we are going to get a new car it might as well be pretty and we both find the current Civic body sculpture to be very attractive.
September 6, 2009 -- Contacted a variety of Honda dealers in the area to see what sort of pricing can be had on 2010 Civics. Red River Honda, Honda Cars of McKinney, and Lute Riley Honda (via the Sam's Wholesale Club new car discount program) were the dealerships that were specifically approached for a bid.
September 7, 2009 -- Explored the Honda website looking for differences between in the corporate sponsored incentives available regionally and found no reason to purchase an airline ticket if a good deal can be found locally.
September 13, 2009 -- A new week and little taking place as the 2010 models have yet to hit showroom floors. It is likely the wait will be a long one. Right now we are just marking time until the market settles down. One of the primary reasons we are considering a new car is that the total cost of ownership (TCO) for new may be less than for used. When one considers that late model Civics and Corollas with less than 30,000 miles are selling for roughly $2,000 to $3,000 less than an new example then, over the next 250,000 miles a new car may be less expensive over the life of the vehicle. A significant aspect of achieving a lower TCO for a new car is getting the interest rate very low and working a deal that includes a rather deep discount. The other is carefully controlling the engine break-in procedure (Ninja procedure). to ensure proper piston ring seating. We are willing to wait, negotiate, etc. until we get the total package.
We are likely going to take the money from the Escort settlement and pay off the Civic Hybrid as the interest rate through our local bank is a high 8+% and even "high" interest rate for a new car is under 5%.
September 17, 2009 -- David McDavid Honda of Frisco is off my list of local dealers. I have uncovered very solid evidence of dishonesty including selling a wrecked trade-in as a certified pre-owned. It pays to get references and research potential dealerships.
September 21, 2009 -- After a great deal of looking around I noted a segment of the used car market that appears to be depressed. We have elected to call them "Grandma cars". A "Grandma car" would place the ability to float over pavement as a more desirable trait than aggressive road holding.and have a soft "cushy" interior rather than supportive seating. A "Grandma car" would be a 1990s four door sedan with a V-6 and an automatic transmission, examples would be a Chevrolet Lumina, Pontiac Grand Prix, Ford Taurus or almost anything Oldsmobile or Buick and 1990s.
"Grandma cars" are far more economically attractive than they are esthetically endearing, in fact, the key to finding such a car tolerable is divorcing yourself from the Western Societal notion that an automobile is an extension of your personality. Relatively clean "Grandma cars" seem to be priced between $1000 and $2000 with 100,000 to 200,000 miles on the odometer. While "Grandma cars"only get in the mid to upper 20s MPG highway and you can buy a lot of gas for $15,000. The practical side of procuring another car similar in configuration to the our 1988 Cougar would be a V-6 capable of towing our trailers and holding primarily local errand running duties as we have established that the Civic Hybrid is first and foremost a highway and long distance car.
The best deals on "Grandma cars"are from an individual and typically found with a "For Sale" sign on the dash as it sits in someone's yard -- not on Craig's List or eBay. We shall begin keeping an eye open during our travels.
The to be replaced (dropped valve seat and potential $1600+ repair bill) 1988 Mercury Cougar.
September 26, 2009 -- During a trip to Mount Pleasant to watch our daughter Victoria compete in the Titus County Fair Cross Country Meet I noted a relatively clean sedan for a decent price in the parking lot of a small church in Mount Vernon. I stopped by to look at the car on the return trip. After a few phone calls we agreed on a price.
September 27, 2009 -- Victoria, her best friend Amanda, and I drove the Civic Hybrid to Mount Vernon between church services. We met with Pastor Phillip O'Rand of Covenant Love Church . Like many bi-vocational pastors as working to establish a church Pastor O'Rand does a variety of "tent making" endeavors to support his family and advance the cause of Christ. O'Rand is a car salesman by trade and a preacher by calling. The car drove well and had surprisingly few flaws for it's age. A few minutes later and we were the owners of a reasonably clean 1994 Pontiac Grand Prix for a total "out the door" expenditure of $1240. We got the car back home just in time for Victoria to make a youth pastor search committee meeting at our church in Trenton.
1994 Pontiac Grand Prix in front of the Covenant Love Church
Pastor Phillip O'Rand with the 1994 Pontiac Grand Prix.
1994 Pontiac Grand Prix at the First Baptist Church, Trenton, Texas.
September 28-29, 2009 -- Oil change, wheel alignment, and window tinting. Looks like the tires will need replacing soon.
October, 2009 -- The shopping list for the next car begins: The main goal is good bang for the buck like the Grand Prix.
*Car possibility #1a* Victoria's "dream car" is a Volkswagen New Beetle TDI (manual windows, locks, etc.) AC, radio. Color is critical.
Light Lime Green exterior.
Gray interior.
4 cylinder TDI
5 Speed manual transmission
*Car possibility #1b* Victoria would also be happy with a Civic Coup DX (manual windows, locks, etc.) AC, radio. Color is critical as it will be spending most of its time baking in college parking lots.
White exterior.
Gray interior.
4 cylinder
5 Speed manual transmission
I know either of these two will likely be impossible to find as Hondas and New Beetles are over valued at this time. On the other hand God is on our side.
*Car possibility #2* A small pick-up with manual windows, locks, vinyl bench seat, steel rims, standard cab, short bed, AC, radio. Finding a clean one of these is going to be tough. A base Ford Ranger or Mazda B2200 would be a typical example.
White exterior.
Gray interior.
4 cylinder
5 Speed manual transmission
Color is not as critical because the Pontiac will get kicked out of the garage and given to Victoria for college. We would prefer white because it wears better than other colors and we live in the country on a white rock road. A good tail gate would be nice because then we could haul lumber, my music equipment (Wing and a Prayer), and a motorcycle more easily and securely.
*Car possibility #3* Another "Grandma car" like the Pontiac if time marches on and we have not located car possibility #1 or #2.
October 5, 2009 -- The Grand Prix spent the day at Anderson Automotive getting a look over. Except for new tires and a couple of small age related issues (a coolant sensor, a loose connection, and a starter replacement) it passed with flying colors.
October 6, 2009 -- Took the Grand Prix to Discount
Tire in McKinney, Texas for new Pirelli Centurato P5 P215/60R-16s as it had a different tire at each corner and all four tires were the wrong size.
Statistics
|
VIN # |
1G2WJ52M2RF234238 |
Paint |
White |
|
Body Style |
4 Door Sedan |
Trim Code |
*** |
|
Manufactured |
*** |
Engine |
*** |
|
Country of Origin |
**** |
Transmission |
Automatic |
General Description and Condition
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Other Yeager Group Sites
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The Yeager's Trip and Vacation Journal
The Yeager's 2006 Trenton, Texas Home
The Yeager's 1993 Escort LX Wagon
The Yeager's 2004 Honda Civic Hybrid
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