Another Cruze in my future?

2043 Views 14 Replies 8 Participants Last post by NickD, Oct 19, 2015

Patman

Discussion Starter · Oct 18, 2015 (Edited)

Well it would be my 3rd one! I still have my 2012 Eco not getting rid of that. However, my son is starting to drive and thinking about buying another car for the family. My wife has a 2005 Chevy Malibu Classic I have the Eco. While wife and I are at work, when son wants to go to work it would be transportation for him. So if all of us were home Wife wants to go somewhere she could take "new" Cruze or her Classic(both are automatic) and son could take either Eco(he "can" drive a 6M but prefers not to...) or one of the other 2. Right now on Autotrader, Hertz rental is selling several 2014 LTs(loaded no spoiler on back) with @40K miles on them for about 12K. Being a rental company, the car was taken care of just not sure who drive at any given time(probably not the little old lady driving to church on Sunday). Like after I totaled my 2011 not sure what other midsize car to buy. I know the Cruze(duh) and can work on it. Just a thought. No one else in my family has much input other than must be automatic and with Cruise control.

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NickD

· #2 · Oct 18, 2015

Any rental I had, a whole bunch of them over the years, was not suppose to, but did anyway to check the oil level. 95% of the time was pitch black.

I was a bit gentle, but not nearly as gentle on my own cars, but didn't want to get blamed for a broken axle. Can't say the same thing about some of my associates, literally pounded the living crap out of these cars, and also included woman drivers. Age is relative, but could also include that little old lady.

Really doubt if I will buy another used vehicles, parts are outrageous, but if I find something really clean, will be out in the sticks with mostly highway miles on it.

If Chevy wants me to buy another Cruze, better start putting the MT back in the 2LT. Or at least a dipstick on an AT, with just a tad low of fluid, AT's can really fry up the clutches, and they don't make them like they use to. Still have two AT's, both have additional fluid coolers.

Patman

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 18, 2015 (Edited)

NickD said:
Any rental I had, a whole bunch of them over the years, was not suppose to, but did anyway to check the oil level. 95% of the time was pitch black.

I was a bit gentle, but not nearly as gentle on my own cars, but didn't want to get blamed for a broken axle. Can't say the same thing about some of my associates, literally pounded the living crap out of these cars, and also included woman drivers. Age is relative, but could also include that little old lady.

Really doubt if I will buy another used vehicles, parts are outrageous, but if I find something really clean, will be out in the sticks with mostly highway miles on it.

If Chevy wants me to buy another Cruze, better start putting the MT back in the 2LT. Or at least a dipstick on an AT, with just a tad low of fluid, AT's can really fry up the clutches, and they don't make them like they use to. Still have two AT's, both have additional fluid coolers.

Good point Nick. Never really thought about the weather normal maintenance would be done on these cars and why they would get rid of them after one year. In thinking about it, they probably "push"/drive the car until maintenance needs to be done. As long as the car looks good on the outside. The normal renter would not reject a car to rent because the oil was not changed regularly on schedule as long as it drives OK. 40K is probably about the mileage limit on a car before it really needs significant maintenance done. I could see if I were to buy one of these cars, I would be changing the oil, replacing the brakes, trans fluid and possibly looking at tires soon as well as anything else we have pointed out in new ownership that may have been neglected. I will be cautious of what I decide.

I did however find a 2014 with 15K on it for about the same price at the dealer where I bought my Eco. To that I am thinking: Still under the 3yr 36K warranty and probably traded by someone that bought the car and it was not quite what they expected. wanted more power and living in Cincinnati, find the 1.4 is not the greatest on MPG with all the hills in the area esp using 87 octane gas etc. Once again I may look but.....

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obermd

· #4 · Oct 18, 2015

Why not a used Volt coming off lease?

brian v

· #5 · Oct 18, 2015

Dang Dawg what has taken ya so long ? I could have sold ya me cruzen and made out for $ 12.000.00 only had 32.000 miles . I would have left the upgraded sound stage in there for you .. oh well I did not feel like waiting ..
Good Luck with your search for a used cruzen though .

LilTrb0

· #6 · Oct 18, 2015

I manage a aftermarket service department that maintains quite a few rental branches vehicles and based on that experience I wouldn't purchase a former rental. The vehicles are driven HARD and while they do keep up with basic maintence, most companies (enterprise being the exception) put cheap convential oil in all of their vehicles no matter what the manufacturer calls for. And with expierence working in a Chevy dealership I have seen the long term impact of not using Dexos spec oil in 2011 and up GM vehicles. Oil changes are often put off until a renter tells them the oil life it at 0% and engine/cabin air filters are pushed off until they cause a problem. This is just based off of my personal expierence and I can't say that all rentals are maintained this way.

Reactions: 2

NickD

· #7 · Oct 18, 2015

According to Kelly, my 2012 2LT that just turned 40K, driven very nicely, still looks like new, very well maintained, everything works fine, brand new tires, only has a trade-in value of $10K. If a dealer would even offer that much for it.

Have not intention of traded this car off, will never find one this nice, even for $12-14K.

Couple of years ago, got a bug to trade off my 88 Supra, with 50K miles on it for a mini-van so I could haul my grandkids. Best offer was $4K, you are crazy, just looked over your used car lot, and even for $12K, you can only buy a worn out wreck. I still have my Supra.

When my Buick dealer was still selling Park Avenues for $40K+, had three less than 3 years old and far less than 30K miles on them. With $12K suggested prices on them. Said shouldn't you move those to the back someplace, if a new car buyer comes in and sees they will lose over $30,000.00 in less than three years, they will never buy a new one.

Guess this is why they call these guys, dealers, wheeler dealers, of con men are more like it.

Banks use to sell repossessed homes and cars for whatever they had in them, sure can add this to the history books. Want top value for even wrecked vehicles.

Worse place to buy a used car from, but rare, is from a private party, they really lie like crazy and won't even let you check them out. In the used dealer car market, they get most of the new car trade-ins the new car dealer doesn't want to take a risk on. Historically for my kids, been buying used cars from new car dealers, but at trade in value. Point out, you are still making a darn good profit, because I know what you gave in for a trade in price. But they still need a lot of work.

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Eddy Cruze

· #8 · Oct 18, 2015

I just refinanced my CRUZE for another 7 years (9 in total) and my Credit Union cut the rate in half and said the 2014 1LT booked for $15K retail which surprised me a little, thought it would be less?

Patman

Discussion Starter · #9 · Oct 18, 2015

obermd said:
Why not a used Volt coming off lease?

Never thought about it due not many in Cinti. If any most up around $25K. Not willing to spend that much on a car.

ChefBorOzzy

· #10 · Oct 18, 2015

You're financing a 20k dollar car for 9 years?

Reactions: 3

NickD

· #11 · Oct 18, 2015

Sometimes find something good, found this for my friends, 4WD 2003 Suzuki XL7 on craiglist for $3,300. A California vehicle, not a spot of rust on it, well maintained, paint on the frame, good brakes, tires, and looks practically new on the outside and inside. 140K miles on it, tight as a drum on a test drive, good suspension, no smoke, clean engine, no leaks.

Ha, told my friend if they didn't buy it I would, wife loves that color. And for saving thousands of upfront dollars, makes up for that 10-15 mpg you would get less for driving this thing. Has 104K miles on, but well known to be more than a 200K mile vehicle. I call this luck for them.

View attachment 167226

peobey

· #12 · Oct 19, 2015

NickD said:
Sometimes find something good, found this for my friends, 4WD 2003 Suzuki XL7 on craiglist for $3,300. A California vehicle, not a spot of rust on it, well maintained, paint on the frame, good brakes, tires, and looks practically new on the outside and inside. 140K miles on it, tight as a drum on a test drive, good suspension, no smoke, clean engine, no leaks.

Ha, told my friend if they didn't buy it I would, wife loves that color. And for saving thousands of upfront dollars, makes up for that 10-15 mpg you would get less for driving this thing. Has 104K miles on, but well known to be more than a 200K mile vehicle. I call this luck for them.

View attachment 167226

Traded that exact same car for my Cruze. I miss the 4x4 but it was a gas guzzler.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

NickD

· #13 · Oct 19, 2015

peobey said:
Traded that exact same car for my Cruze. I miss the 4x4 but it was a gas guzzler.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Sure is at 20 mpg, wife's co-worker is driving something like this 140 miles per day, using seven gallons per day just for her. With the seven passenger version, carrying seven passengers, more like passenger 140 mpg.

Their primary vehicle is a 2011 Toyota Corolla and seem to move a lot so with thing, can load it up and haul a 3,000 pound trailer. With 4WD, can get someplace when the weather is not so nice, so is not their primary vehicle. But we sure have a ton of people around here driving this big stuff with only one person aboard.

In today's society, one vehicle is not enough to remain independent, ha, I need three. No trailer hitch on the Cruze, class II on another, class III on the third, with temptations to get a class IV vehicle.

Wife sure couldn't teach her daughter how to drive a manual, so I took over, first explained to her, if she wears out the clutch will cost her 1,500 bucks to have it replaced. Then showed her how to drive with it. About 15 minutes later she got it down pat. Put 50,000 miles on that car, but road salt got to it. Now for the first time she purchased her own car with her own money, she purchased a manual.

I hate road salt.

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peobey

· #14 · Oct 19, 2015

NickD said:
Sure is at 20 mpg, wife's co-worker is driving something like this 140 miles per day, using seven gallons per day just for her. With the seven passenger version, carrying seven passengers, more like passenger 140 mpg.

Their primary vehicle is a 2011 Toyota Corolla and seem to move a lot so with thing, can load it up and haul a 3,000 pound trailer. With 4WD, can get someplace when the weather is not so nice, so is not their primary vehicle. But we sure have a ton of people around here driving this big stuff with only one person aboard.

In today's society, one vehicle is not enough to remain independent, ha, I need three. No trailer hitch on the Cruze, class II on another, class III on the third, with temptations to get a class IV vehicle.

Wife sure couldn't teach her daughter how to drive a manual, so I took over, first explained to her, if she wears out the clutch will cost her 1,500 bucks to have it replaced. Then showed her how to drive with it. About 15 minutes later she got it down pat. Put 50,000 miles on that car, but road salt got to it. Now for the first time she purchased her own car with her own money, she purchased a manual.

I hate road salt.

Where I live in New Brunswick, it gets so cold that they pour a mix of sand & salt. This is the best sandblast material ever. It literally scrapped the paint off my rockers on my Cavalier. I've redone them using Gravelguard.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

NickD

· #15 · Oct 19, 2015

peobey said:
Where I live in New Brunswick, it gets so cold that they pour a mix of sand & salt. This is the best sandblast material ever. It literally scrapped the paint off my rockers on my Cavalier. I've redone them using Gravelguard.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Our laws are sure making the vehicle manufacturers and road construction people happy, screw everybody else.
With road construction, why the lowest bidder. We just got a brand new interstate only two year old, already in need of repair. Road salt sure doesn't help.

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