OT: I bought a car...yeah, I caved!!!

SoCalSteve · #1 03-18-2017, 03:42 PM

Hi all,

Long overdue follow up to these 2 threads ( if anyone even cares ).

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=195673

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=195798

I went 2.5 months and then I got a ride in a Maserati Ghilbli and realized that I truly am a " car guy ". I got tired of waiting around on street corners for Uber drivers and as it turns out, I am truly a horrible passenger ( ask my wife ). Plus, I just missed the freedom of going to the garage and getting in my own car. After more than 40 years of car ownership, I just missed not owning a car, plain and simple.

My wife pushed me to get the Maserati Levante SUV as she thought it would be the best of both worlds for me ( sporty, yet comfortable and relatively practical ) but I'm a true believer of buying lightly used and letting the first owner take the biggest $$$ hit. The Levante had just come out and there were no used ones or deals to be had at all.

The two biggest requirements for me were massaging seats and autonomous driving features ( mostly just the Traffic Jam Assistant feature ) where the car locks onto the car in front of it with radar and follows it at a set distance so you do not have to use the brake or gas pedals. Both these features are very helpful with keeping my sciatica pain at bay while driving ( yeah, sucks getting old ).

And lastly, I wanted a German car. Cannot remember when I didn't own VW's, Audi's, BMW's and Porsches. So, I went in the complete opposite direction from my 911. I bought a big sedan. Big, quiet, fast, smooth and full of technology.

I bought a used 2015 Mercedes S Class sedan. Yeah, old mans retirement car. My wife laughs at me, but I am really enjoying driving it, even in LA traffic. And best of all, it was a lease return and it was about .55 cents on the dollar to get a beautiful, well kept car with 21k miles. I could not or would not buy a car like this new. Stupidly expensive.

Anyway, I caved! I did it! I'm apart of the LA car culture again!

buddybikes · #2 03-18-2017, 03:47 PM

.....think your car is from Italy

Otherwise - wow - beautiful looking car, make sure you put mat down before a greasy/dirty bike gets in there

SoCalSteve · #3 03-18-2017, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveandbarb1

.....think your car is from Italy

Otherwise - wow - beautiful looking car, make sure you put mat down before a greasy/dirty bike gets in there

Italy? Confused...

...it's a big German Autobahn cruiser.

And, one more of many reasons why I bought this sedan is that it can be fitted with a roof rack. Cool, right? But even if I don't get a roof rack, the back seat is HUGE. Couple furniture pads across the back seat and I'm good to go!

godukes · #4 03-18-2017, 03:53 PM

S class is the real deal. Congrats (and lease returns are the way to go).

gasman · #5 03-18-2017, 04:10 PM

I was wondering if you could really hold out being without a car. Congratulations .
Good purchase.

jghall · #6 03-18-2017, 04:12 PM

Congrats Steve. Nice ride. As they though, it didn't happen without pictures.

SoCalSteve · #7 03-18-2017, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jghall

Congrats Steve. Nice ride. As they though, it didn't happen without pictures.

Pulled this picture off the net. None of my actual car. This color, this body style, but mine has AMG wheels. But close enough....

ntb1001 · #8 03-18-2017, 04:29 PM

Very nice car....and sounds like you got a great deal. I bought my Audi from the dealership, full warranty, but considered used because the sales Manger drove it for a few months. I saved over $10k and it only had 4,000km (2,500 mikes)

Sent from my SM-G935W8 using Tapatalk

fuzzalow · #9 03-18-2017, 04:39 PM

Well, you gave sans-car a try and it wasn't for you. So be it. I would have given the odds of success a pretty low conversion rate as SoCal is steeped in car reliance and car culture so that meant you'd be swimming against the tide on just about everything. When doing little things become bigger things for the added hassle, no way that's sustainable.

Many happy and safe miles in that car.

ceolwulf · #10 03-18-2017, 04:41 PM

Great choice. I may go for a big boat for my next car as well. Lot to be said for eating miles in comfort.

shovelhd · #11 03-18-2017, 04:50 PM

Beautiful. Is it a CPO?

SoCalSteve · #12 03-18-2017, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shovelhd

Beautiful. Is it a CPO?

Yes, 4th car I bought CPO. Great way to buy a car!

Knowing that I didn't NEED to buy a car gave me lots of leverage to just say f@ck it and walk out of the dealership. I found one heavily optioned with low miles at a local dealership. I walked out 3 times before they came down to the price I was willing to spend.

oldpotatoe · #13 03-18-2017, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoCalSteve

Italy? Confused...

...it's a big German Autobahn cruiser.

And, one more of many reasons why I bought this sedan is that it can be fitted with a roof rack. Cool, right? But even if I don't get a roof rack, the back seat is HUGE. Couple furniture pads across the back seat and I'm good to go!

And yet you are a sram fan boy. I had you pegged for a Cadillac or even a Buick.

shovelhd · #14 03-18-2017, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

and yet you are a sram fan boy. I had you pegged for a cadillac or even a buick.

lol!!!

SoCalSteve · #15 03-18-2017, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

And yet you are a sram fan boy. I had you pegged for a Cadillac or even a Buick.

I've owned MANY cars in the 40 plus years I've been driving. Not one has been American. Funny, cuz I was a Teamster and very pro labor my whole life. But, I'm also pro global economy.

Oh, I know you are joking ( sorta )....