First New Car

2188 Views 27 Replies 10 Participants Last post by KentWest, Jul 17, 2017

chaimss

Discussion Starter · Jul 11, 2017

I will hopefully be buying a 2017 Cruze Sedan (Automatic) in a week or so. It'll be my first brand-new car (I don't count my wife's car, I can't play with that) and while I'm no car expert at all, I want to do right by my Cruze. I'm one of those "drive it into the ground" kind of car buyers, so I'll hopefully have this car for 10+ years, and want to keep it going strong. I'm hoping this forum will help me with that, and maybe- just maybe- I'll learn enough to be able to help others down the road!

Well, that's who I am. Hello everybody!

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1 - 20 of 28 Posts

Patman

· #2 · Jul 11, 2017

Welcome and good choice for a first new car! We surely have the knowledge to keep your car running and help you with any problems you may have,

NickD

· #3 · Jul 11, 2017

Ha, use to advertise your second most expensive investment, would really have to think this over, but at least well over a dozen new vehicles.

Back in the 50's could pick up something like this, only four years old for around 300 bucks.

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Classic car Classic

Everybody was trying to keep up with the Jones's. Could completely overhaul the engine for less than a hundred bucks, but why even do this, could purchased an even later model engine with all the accessories on it with less than 10K miles on it for 65 bucks. Was legal when we lived in the land of the free.

Today, looking at used stuff, a 2011 Corolla comes to mind, 197K miles on it with a sticker price of $9,999.99, and replacement parts are out of this world. Much cheaper to buy a new one, never thought I would see this day, even if you can do all the work yourself. How about $1,300.00 for a new ECU! Just one part, and the rest of them are all throwaway as well.

Engineers do not design new vehicles, the EPA and the DOT does, newest throwaway part is the unibody, so make darn sure you have good insurance coverage. Road salt is costing us billions, don't have to drive them into the ground, government does this for us.

But still cheaper to buy a new one than a used one.

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bostonboy

· #4 · Jul 11, 2017

congratulation on your new car. if you want to keep as long as you want I would look into a 3M clear bra for it to prevent chips. Also any little problem these guys on this site will surely try to help. OK what color & model did you get. Good luck

Reactions: 1

chaimss

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jul 11, 2017

bostonboy said:
congratulation on your new car. if you want to keep as long as you want I would look into a 3M clear bra for it to prevent chips. Also any little problem these guys on this site will surely try to help. OK what color & model did you get. Good luck

I'm hoping to get an LT with Convenience and Sun & Sound packages. I'll look into that chip-protection as well, thanks!

Merc6

· #6 · Jul 11, 2017

Welcome to the forums. If you can and will check the oil level at least 2 times a month, you pretty much almost there for a 10 year + owner. There are some cars out there where they removed all the dip sticks and give you an option to see the level electronically within the comforts of your vehicle and people still won't check it.

Reactions: 1

chaimss

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jul 11, 2017

Merc6 said:
Welcome to the forums. If you can and will check the oil level at least 2 times a month, you pretty much almost there for a 10 year + owner. There are some cars out there where they removed all the dip sticks and give you an option to see the level electronically within the comforts of your vehicle and people still won't check it.

Pretty sure (~90%) that the Cruze has electronic, but may I ask why? I thought it was every 7k miles?

Merc6

· #8 · Jul 11, 2017

chaimss said:
Pretty sure (~90%) that the Cruze has electronic, but may I ask why? I thought it was every 7k miles?

7000 miles is about the oil change interval but if a problem arises you can possibly catch it early when you notice the car is missing 2 quarts of oil.

chaimss

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jul 11, 2017

Ah, ok. So what should the normal consumption be? (This is my "I know nothing" statement coming out.)

Merc6

· #10 · Jul 11, 2017

chaimss said:
Ah, ok. So what should the normal consumption be? (This is my "I know nothing" statement coming out.)

Brand new car you shouldn't notice any looking at the dipstick. 73K miles on my car I didn't have to add any oil and that was going beyond 7000 mile oil changes (using different oil than the dealership). You also have to take into account what 7000 miles is. 7000 for me could be 4 months and 2 weeks where that could be 9 months for others.

Merc6

· #11 · Jul 11, 2017

Plus when you get oil changes, they usually don't measure how much came out unless you been checking it and said something like 'I've been adding 1 quart every 2000 miles between oil changes to keep it at full".

Rivergoer

· #12 · Jul 11, 2017

chaimss said:
I will hopefully be buying a 2017 Cruze Sedan (Automatic) in a week or so. It'll be my first brand-new car...

Welcome! The Cruze is a great car, you'll be very happy with it if you do your homework FIRST.

Before you sign the sales contract, if you want Cruise Control and a Spare Tire, make sure the Cruze model you've selected HAS those items. Some have learned the hard way these features are not standard on all models.

Good luck and Happy Cruzin'

Reactions: 1

jblackburn

· #13 · Jul 11, 2017

chaimss said:
I'm hoping to get an LT with Convenience and Sun & Sound packages. I'll look into that chip-protection as well, thanks!

Welcome, and good choice on the packages! The Sun & Sound gives you a nicer radio & instrument cluster.

I find the blind-spot monitoring and rear cross traffic package (mainly that part) quite helpful in everyday driving.

Pretty sure (~90%) that the Cruze has electronic, but may I ask why? I thought it was every 7k miles?

Regular dipstick - thank goodness this hasn't gone full-blown German. Mine uses zero between changes, but you should *always* check fluids regularly in any car.

A handful of Gen 2's have had leaky oil pans, but should be ironed out in production by now I'd think.

NickD

· #14 · Jul 11, 2017

Another thing are splash shields, (mud flaps?), many new vehicles have the tires sticking out of the wheel wells where stones can kick up on your rocker panel, doors, and rear bumper.

Would think they would either flare out the fenders or come stock with splash shields, but up to us to install them.

Blasirl

· #15 · Jul 11, 2017

Welcome Aboard!:welcome:

Eddy Cruze

· #16 · Jul 11, 2017

chaimss said:
Pretty sure (~90%) that the Cruze has electronic, but may I ask why? I thought it was every 7k miles?

They removed that Plastic Dip Stick from the Chevy CRUZE?

Reactions: 1

chaimss

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jul 11, 2017

Merc6 said:
Plus when you get oil changes, they usually don't measure how much came out unless you been checking it and said something like 'I've been adding 1 quart every 2000 miles between oil changes to keep it at full".

This is probably a discussion for a separate thread, but I thought the way oil changes work is that they refill it at 7k? I've never heard that you're supposed to top it off every so often... that sounds expensive.

chaimss

Discussion Starter · #18 · Jul 11, 2017

Rivergoer said:
Welcome! The Cruze is a great car, you'll be very happy with it if you do your homework FIRST.

Before you sign the sales contract, if you want Cruise Control and a Spare Tire, make sure the Cruze model you've selected HAS those items. Some have learned the hard way these features are not standard on all models.

Good luck and Happy Cruzin'

Thanks for the heads-up! Yes, I was pretty surprised to learn that the CRUZE doesn't come standard with, you know, CRUISE. From what I can tell, though, the LT has both of those, but I'll be sure to double-check!

Reactions: 2

chaimss

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jul 12, 2017

jblackburn said:
Welcome, and good choice on the packages! The Sun & Sound gives you a nicer radio & instrument cluster.

I find the blind-spot monitoring and rear cross traffic package (mainly that part) quite helpful in everyday driving.

Regular dipstick - thank goodness this hasn't gone full-blown German. Mine uses zero between changes, but you should *always* check fluids regularly in any car.

A handful of Gen 2's have had leaky oil pans, but should be ironed out in production by now I'd think.

Sadly you have to choose between the Confidence Package (with the blind-spot monitoring and rear cross traffic) and the Sun & Sound, with the 8" screen and color display- you can't get both. Literally. It's the stupidest thing, but they just don't let you.

jblackburn

· #20 · Jul 12, 2017

chaimss said:
Sadly you have to choose between the Confidence Package (with the blind-spot monitoring and rear cross traffic) and the Sun & Sound, with the 8" screen and color display- you can't get both. Literally. It's the stupidest thing, but they just don't let you.

Oh, actually I remember that. Unless you get a Premier. Yes, that is dumb packaging.

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