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Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

EyeMWing said:
... I may as well explain my absurdly complicated living arrangements these days.

I live where I always have, on the family estate with the gigantic garage/workshop. I still work in Pennsylvania, because I'm still an idiot. Still commute 80 miles each way.

In addition, my fiancee, originally from California, owns a small chain of boutique (i.e. 'wealthy middle aged women are our preferred clientele') dog grooming shops in the LA area. When she relocated to Maryland with me, the move was fairly hasty and the person left in charge of said business... Wasn't entirely prepared for management, and definitely wasn't prepared for the pointy end of those particular customers.

(No, selling the business and starting over doesn't make sense for a variety of reasons, mostly related to 'debt load too high for saleable assets' and 'businesses in this industry have literally zero saleable value beyond assets, because client lists tend to follow staff')

So she has gone back for awhile to stabilize that situation, unruffle some feathers, etc. The overarching plan is for me to spend ~6.5 weeks east, 1.5 week west for the duration. In the mean time, I'm going to do some work on the house, etc.

And to make matters worse I'm now getting intermittent P0420s on the BRZ. May be coming up on catalyst lifetime...
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I know this is the car stuff thread but, eventually are you looking to move west?

You should check out the Ford Flex or Lincoln MKT. those are probably the biggest not suburban vehicles and might suit your needs. They’re lower to the ground than typical crossovers too which might be better for dogs and lifting cages.
 
prizrak said:
What fucking bumfuck nowhere do you live at? Every single dealer I ever tried was open on Sundays... Including getting approved for loans and shit.
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The dealer might be able to look up your credit score or history, but they are not getting a loan approved on a Saturday or Sunday. This video will explain it better than I can. Skip to the 3:20 mark.

 
GRtak said:
The dealer might be able to look up your credit score or history, but they are not getting a loan approved on a Saturday or Sunday. This video will explain it better than I can. Skip to the 3:20 mark.

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I financed both current cars on a Saturday, with no problem. Maybe I was in an auto approve category of buyers :dunno:
 
Did you sign papers that were.from a lending institution?
 
Nabster said:
In Texas it's because Jebus. Old blue laws on the books prohibit dealers being open both weekend days, so most all dealerships here close on Sunday.

Probably similar reasons in other states.
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Even in places where blue laws have been repealed or never existed, many dealerships like to be closed on Sunday for staffing reasons. The legal minimum for days off in the US is one day in seven - and dealers would often rather not operate any more short staffed than they have to be so they use Sunday as a convenient "everyone gets this day off". At least, that's what I've heard from some dealership managers and at least one owner over the years.

In Texas, the blue laws (that among other things forced car dealerships, bars, most stores, etc., to be closed on Sundays) was passed in in 1961 and was either struck down by the courts or repealed (I can't remember which) in 1985. However, due to asshat car dealers blatantly overworking their employees illegally after the blue laws were repealed, a law was quickly passed to require car dealers to be closed on either Saturdays or Sundays - dealer's choice; they can do one or the other but not both and if they change days they have to close for both days on a weekend before going to the other day the following weekend. That's the only restriction on business conduct on weekends in Texas law. There hasn't been a blue law at state level since 1985.
 
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GRtak said:
Did you sign papers that were.from a lending institution?
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Last I looked, lending institutions in Texas that specialize in auto loans are often open on Saturdays. To be specific: Credit unions are often selected as a preferred financing provider by dealerships because many specialize in auto loans and are open extended hours to approve transactions. I'll check with my buddy over at Banco Santander (one of the largest auto lenders in the US) and see what their policies are.

There are also several banks that are even open Sunday here.
 
I bought my Fiesta on a Saturday, got approved on that Saturday, signed the papers (both dealer and lender) on that Saturday, all my paperwork lists that Saturday as the loan start date, even my credit report lists that Saturday as the loan start date.
 
93Flareside said:
I know this is the car stuff thread but, eventually are you looking to move west?
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Possibly as a stopgap but she wants a kid and faced with a choice between scraping by on housing costs in a bad part of LAUSD and a bought and paid for exurban existence in one of the best public school districts in the country, well... One is a better situation.

I bought the BRZ on a Saturday, lined up my own financing Saturday, all before the credit union closed at noon.
 
GRtak said:
Did you sign papers that were.from a lending institution?
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I signed a whole bunch of papers, honestly couldn't tell you what specific ones at this point (its been like 3 years) but I believe I did.
Spectre said:
Last I looked, lending institutions in Texas that specialize in auto loans are often open on Saturdays. To be specific: Credit unions are often selected as a preferred financing provider by dealerships because many specialize in auto loans and are open extended hours to approve transactions. I'll check with my buddy over at Banco Santander (one of the largest auto lenders in the US) and see what their policies are.
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Bank of America and Wells Fargo in my case
Spectre said:
There are also several banks that are even open Sunday here.
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A few here as well, very limited hours though.
 
CrzRsn said:
Oh my god. I just found a lime green Lada Niva for sale. I need this

cTwBIRH.jpg
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I try to buy the orange Sierra, you buy this, ok? Ok.
 
EyeMWing said:
BRZ is officially a beater car. Took full insurance off it and a hailstorm promptly decorated every single panel with golfball sized dings. 48 or more of them by cursory count. Anybody want to buy a beater BRZ with a quarter million miles?

I need to switch up to something more practical... I've been traveling a lot more recently and the only place a full size hardshell luggage fits is in the front passenger seat (it would fit in the back seat if the front seats moved/leaned enough to make a wider opening. They don't.)

Fianceé also needs a new car. She's a competitive dog groomer and transporting the furry children safely means bigass transport kennels. One of them is big enough that the minimum size is "Subaru Outback with rear seat delete". This is going to suck.
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Sawsall the fenders, put some truck tires on it, a light bar, and some steel tube bumpers.
 
Operation: Tape Measure Assault has successfully annoyed a Subaru, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai and Ford dealer. I also measured a Dodge Caravan because there was one handy.

Conclusion: WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN IT'S TOO BIG FOR A DODGE CARAVAN!? (The Caravan is SUBSTANTIALLY shorter in usable height than the crossovers. I don't get it either.)

Finalists come down to the Ascent and Flex.

The Ascent is almost PRECISELY the correct height in the vertical axis (it's so tight I actually have to go back and measure the curvature of the hatch opening more precisely) and approximately 3 inches too short (I haven't DQ'd it because I forgot to check to see if the second row seats have sliders or recline that can make that up). It does, however, have the distinction of being the only thing besides a minivan that leaves space for the second crate AND still has room for a couple of carryon size bags. Seriously. It is stand-out cavernous once you get inside the hatchway.

The Flex is actually smaller than it looks. It's rear hatch is big enough (and weirdly almost a perfect square). It is substantially narrower than the Ascent, however, and will not fit both crates, meaning the second row passenger seat gets a big metal box bolted into it, making it a less safe place for childrenz.

Advantage (assuming the clearance issues can be resolved): Ascent.

I have also inquired with the crate manufacturer about a custom size that trims off inches to make it fit an Ascent. They build the things to order anyway, I wouldn't think a custom size would be too big a deal.
 
EyeMWing said:
Operation: Tape Measure Assault has successfully annoyed a Subaru, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai and Ford dealer. I also measured a Dodge Caravan because there was one handy.

Conclusion: WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN IT'S TOO BIG FOR A DODGE CARAVAN!? (The Caravan is SUBSTANTIALLY shorter in usable height than the crossovers. I don't get it either.)
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You are discovering why pro groomers lean towards the big GM boxes. Well, those and Transits.
 
Spectre said:
You are discovering why pro groomers lean towards the big GM boxes. Well, those and Transits.
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Practical concerns be damned, I am not buying another GM product for a 'things to rely on' slot. Stupid project? Sure. Stupid weekend car? Sure. Something that has to work day in and day out? Hell no.

Further complicating matters, I've just realized I should probably have her measure the driveway at the house... Her uncle's GT500 is ridiculously close to not fitting through the gap. That right there probably kills all the big boxes.
 
EyeMWing said:
Practical concerns be damned, I am not buying another GM product for a 'things to rely on' slot. Stupid project? Sure. Stupid weekend car? Sure. Something that has to work day in and day out? Hell no.

Further complicating matters, I've just realized I should probably have her measure the driveway at the house... Her uncle's GT500 is ridiculously close to not fitting through the gap.
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Plan B for groomers around here that don't like GM would be an Expedition, followed by an Armada aka Nissan Patrol.
 
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