merlinextraligh

find an Audi Certified Pre Owned car. You get the benefit of an extended factory warranty, and you can get .9% financing right now.

merlinextraligh

You're not clashing with what I said. Your points are all reasons not to spend money on a car you can't afford ( and I agree with that) ; they don't address what's the best way to pay for a purchase that you can afford.

The car is going to depecriate whether you pay cash for it or finance it.

And the bit about losing a job, or totalling it, are the same regardless of whether you financed it or paid cash. If you financed it, and for some reason down the road decided you didn't want the payment, you have the cash in the bank to pay off the loan.

However, if you pay cash, and then have a unexpected event, you've lost the flexibility of having access to that cash.

My point in all this, is that the answer to most financial transactions is more complicated than "always do X" or "never do Y" You've got to consider your situation, consider all the factors, and run the numbers.

And your position doesn't consider one very significant factor: opportunity cost.

LesterOfPuppets

That sounds like a deal right there.

gettingold

You will have that type of problem with many convertibles. All you need to do is unstrap it while you are engaging the top. I have a BMW 325 convertible and I found out the hard way - the strap clamp was forced into the edge of the trunk (which it clamps onto) when the top boot opened, damaging the fiberglass piece between the trunk and the top. Now I just remove that strap until the top is in place (up or down). The top can be opened or closed even with the bike on the rack and the rack on the car, as long as those straps are free.

Missbumble 

Thank yu for the suggestion....I Imagine you are talking about a trunk rack? Not a hitch rack??

Missbumble 

so I was looking at certified preened....2008 40000 miles....so I would have 2 years in extended warranty...

merlinextraligh

https://www.audiusa.com/us/brand/en/c...container=page

Depends on when the car was put into service, but it would appear that the warranty would be 6 years from the date it was originally put in service or 100,000 miles.

So it would be roughly 2 more years under warranty. I'd confirm that with Audi before you bought.

gettingold

Correct. I am not wild about putting a hitch on my car. The trunk rack is small and light and I don't keep it on the car when I am not using the bike.

rekmeyata

I took advantage of free credit myself because like you mentioned you can save the cash and at the very least earn bank interest rates.

But in regards to the depreciation factor, I'm not sure if you understood me. I won't buy a car that's newer then 5 years because I want the largest percentage of depreciation already done with. But I'm a odd duck about this stuff and I realize it. My newest vehicle is a 98 Ford F150 supercab, and the only reason I own that truck is because I needed a truck, but also need space to carry extra people then a standard pickup. The car I drive to work when not riding the bike, and it's the car we take on trips unless it's a camping trip then its the truck, is a 72 Chrysler Newport 4 door!!! It's in mint condition and gets 21mpg on the freeway with a 440 engine and rides like a dream. I have several older cars as well but their classic stuff that I don't drive on a daily basis. I use to buy newer cars, before I had the Newport I had a 02 Acura TL that was a nice car but the electronics would go crazy and next thing I knew I'd have $500 repair bills; the same with various other newer cars prior to the Acura. I got the pickup because it has no options other then air, and power steering, no electric windows or locks etc. When I had a Chrysler mini van the side door was electric sliding, the motor died after 1 years of owning it, it was 5 years old at that time, it cost $1200 to replace it! I don't need falken electric doors or trunks, I'm perfectly physically capable of doing that all by myself! That Van had another electrical problem to that Chrysler said they couldn't fix due to the complication involved so I sold it. My luck with newer cars has been horrid, so I try to stay way from them as much as possible.

Missbumble 

OK update from OP - Now thinking of the softtop Chrysler 200. Not sure it is not an old lady car...and I am a young 48

Also thnking Black outside, blk top and black inside.. Ilike tan better - but road a gruellig 50 miles today and thought about how dirty I get riding....yes I can sit on a towel - but I am thinking tan will really get dirty....


Saw this great trunk rack - I love the way it locks bike in place and that I woiuld fold it easily and put it away in my trunk. I have asked the etrailer guys if it works on my top contentders: (I have previously had trunk racks and hated all the straps etc..this looks a lot easier!)
1) Audi A4 Convert
2) BMW 128I Convert
3) VW Eos.... hardtop so have to take it off before you opened convert...so not likely
4) chrysler 200 Convert soft top.... I think u get a lot for your money...

ANd with Chrysler there's no good incentive to lease...so would likely purchase .9% financing. Ye I could purchase outright but at .9% i'd rather hold on to my money

I am used to driving my new Hyundai sonata with a hitch and a really easy rack - but ya know I wish the rack was a ton easier to remove... It isn't you need a ratchet thingy...and then carry the heavy thing into my apt.... so maybe the trunk rack 12ish lbs!! - this new one without so many flying straps etc is just the thing!
https://www.etrailer.com/p-TH9001.html

mark1974

calm down and think this whole thing over!

gettingold

You are right. That is an old lady car and drives like a boat.

If you don't go German, take a look at Volvo C70s. You can get a fairly low mileage one off lease in the mid to upper 20's. Mini convertibles are also great to drive.

Missbumble 

Agree! This is me thinking

I do want to figure out the bike rack before I really narrow down car.... Maybe that's backwards..

merlinextraligh

Unless the have dramtically changed the 200 from when they used to call it a Sebring, compared to the A4 you were looking at, that car will handle like a total pig, and have way more cowl shake.

X-LinkedRider

Black is the color that shows dirt the EASIEST in vehicles.. Tan is a much better keep clean option. Leather cleans quite easily.

TheRedWolf

No one has mentioned it yet, so here’s another option- a MINI. I have a 2006 S Convertible and the car is fantastic to drive (my first generation has the supercharged engine, the current S models have a turbo). Quick, amazing handling, and with windows up and seat heaters on, I drive with the top down WELL below freezing in Indiana winters.
As for the bike part- I have carried both my mountain and road bikes. The MINI has fold-down rear seats- I don’t think you mentioned anything about 4 seats mandatory with the bike. I simply take off both tires, use an old blanket to protect both the bike and car, and in less than 10 minutes I am ready to go. I have taken 10 day trips including luggage and camping gear (admittedly at that extreme, it is down to a single seater). In fact, I’m not sure I could get the bike in the car if it were a hardtop, I always put the top down to get it in. And then the bike is inside and protected, both security and weather-wise.
If you want to preserve interior space, there are hitch mounted bike racks, but the total cost of the hitch and rack is pushing $1000.
I highly recommend the MINI for what you are looking for!

Missbumble 

Thanks Red Wolf! The mini is indeed cute - but not really for me....

I like the simlicity of my hitch and rack - total cost was a few hundred on my current car...boom...I open the hitch, put rack on and go. For my 6:45 start times in FLA...I am real happy to get bike on car in under 2 minutes!

So now I think the trunk rack may be the way to go which will up my time to 5 minutes (If I store rack in the trunk). Basically I do not rally want to take the wheel off....I did thta with my Saab HAtchback....but we shall see.... for now gonna figure out what cars can use the new trunk rqack I found that is pretty appealing.

https://www.etrailer.com/p-TH9001.html

So I would love to see this rackin action...maybe my IBS has it?? I will go explore today....

Many thanks!

merlinextraligh

I had a Thule trunk rack similar to that, that I used on a BMW 330i convertible.

I would never buy another rack like that. The bike does sway in the mount, and the plastic closures just aren't that secure. I had a $6,000 bike dangling in the wind down the interstate when the rubber mount failed, seconds away from totaling the bike. Also they do tend to leave marks in the clear coat of the trunk lid.

LesterOfPuppets

For the quickest, easiest loading of bikes the Corvair pickup is champion:

TheRedWolf

Just wondering- have you driven one or just looked at it? You can't tell what a car looks like from the driver's seat. . . Just a thought.

Missbumble 

OMG!! Awesome

Missbumble 

OK - I will give it a test drive - since I seem to be in the still considering mode...