COMP SWAP 2014

Citanul wrote:

Thanks for doing this DB.  And congratulations on your new car.

No problem and thanks! Turns out I actually did manage a Comp Swap and this is actually my second time. Shows how good my memory is .

As for my car, the interest rate was pretty high (13%) due to my bad credit. However, a car payment (as long as I make them on time) will go toward raising it up. Also add to it my mom helping me out with one of my credit cards and the fact I won't have to worry about my student loans deferring anymore (income based repayment plan), my credit will improve. My monthly payment is a bit high but as long as I budget properly I will have no problem meeting it. I'm stoked as I've never had a new car before (this was a demo so it isn't super new but new enough). The advantages in the long run is this car gets between 28-37 miles per gallon while my truck would only get 10-15 per gallon. It's also easier to park, has a radio system that works real well, the driver window rolls down, it's front wheel drive, doesn't leak oil, and it won't break down for many years (my 20 year old truck was just waiting for a bad day) and if it does... dealership warranty .

Thanks DB, and congrats as well.

I look forward to swapping with you, and I'll be in touch about it as soon as I get back to Chicago, in about 10 days or so.

glassprison wrote:

Thanks DB, and congrats as well.

I look forward to swapping with you, and I'll be in touch about it as soon as I get back to Chicago, in about 10 days or so.

I know it's a "guy thing" but there's nothing like "new car smell" is there?  Congrats DB!

BTW, these look like good pairings. Prepare for a big influx of glam/sleaze from GP DB; although his tastes are all over the place so I can pretty much guarantee you'll get an eclectic mix of stuff.

email sent to sully

tohostudios wrote:

I know it's a "guy thing" but there's nothing like "new car smell" is there?  Congrats DB!

BTW, these look like good pairings.  Prepare for a big influx of glam/sleaze from GP DB; although his tastes are all over the place so I can pretty much guarantee you'll get an eclectic mix of stuff.

LOVE the new car smell, I'm working on trying to keep it as long as I can . I'm happy as pig in mud. I plan on taking care of this one like I've never taken care of a vehicle before. I'm going to miss my truck but it was not financially viable. It's not flashy, it's small, and I prefer a lighter color but it gets the job done. She's not my dream girl, but she was the only one who would have me .

As for glam/sleeze, if you like it, it can't be all that bad.

I'm on my 6th consecutive new car and I will not buy used again unless financial circumstances force me to.  But now that I work from home full time, I'm not likely to need a new vehicle for a decade.  I'm currently driving a 2011 Nissan Murano I bought new in March of 2011 and the damn thing still only has about 16.100 miles on it now.  

And when I turn on the A/C, I STILL get that "new car smell".  Aaaaaahhhh....

Women just don't seem to get it; I swear the "new car smell" thing is hardwired to guys. I've yet to meet a woman who appreciates it like guys do.

UNCLE SAXON'S KICKASS CDS, check your private messages.

tohostudios wrote:

I'm on my 6th consecutive new car and I will not buy used again unless financial circumstances force me to.  But now that I work from home full time, I'm not likely to need a new vehicle for a decade.  I'm currently driving a 2011 Nissan Murano I bought new in March of 2011 and the damn thing still only has about 16.100 miles on it now.  

And when I turn on the A/C, I STILL get that "new car smell".  Aaaaaahhhh....

Women just don't seem to get it; I swear the "new car smell" thing is hardwired to guys.  I've yet to meet a woman who appreciates it like guys do.

Never really had much experience with new cars until I was working at a dealership. I would go out to the lot, bring in a new vehicle and put on the license plate and take it back to the lot. I became addicted to that smell. I was hoping for my automotive career to take off so I could eventually get a new one. Course we all know what happened with that avenue.

I understand the aversion to used. The biggest problem with used that I can see is you never know when something will happen to it. They are a ticking time bomb unless you get some sort of warranty on it.* My first used car, I had to pay an extra $600 for the warranty. Also the interest rate is much higher on used. So while you save more money buying used, you don't quite save that much when taking into account interest and repairs.

*Even then, if something goes that was supposed to be changed by the previous owner, the warranty won't cover it. Half way through the warranty on the first used car (that was my first true responsibility) my timing belt broke. The previous owner didn't change it when it was supposed to be changed saddling me with the bill. Also it seems most extended warranties are timed to expire before any major malfunction (or maybe just dumb luck for most people). Later my transmission went out right when the warranty was up. Luckily, since it was taken care of the very day of expiration the warranty at least paid half instead of everything after the deductible.

UNCLE SAXON'S KICKASS CDS, I just sent you another PM.

Coooool Stender will give me mucho thraaaaaaaash.

DB, thanks for managing the swap and additional congrats on the new car. It looks like a pretty solid ride!

I can definitely vouch for the issues with used. My present car is a '99 which had 88k or something on it when I bought it and within the first year, a lot of those 100k maintenance things hit all at once. All the same, I still have the car and I've swapped out a lot of stuff (non-engine) in it myself, which has been a really cool experience all around.

Used has never been a problem for me. I've owned several used vehicles throughout the years and have done almost all the work myself. My buddy once chastised me for not buying new since I had to "throw away all that money on repairs" for a car I had for four years. I totaled up all the receipts and he was amazed to see that I had spent less than he had for two years worth of premiums and interest. Our current SUV has been a charm and we're getting ready to trade it in for another vehicle. It's really fun, actually. And I don't have to pay interest on anything (we always save to buy our cars cash; takes a hell of a long time but in the end is really rewarding).

Some tips for anyone who's interested:
1. I do my own work, save for oil changes (for the sake of the carfax), whenever possible.
2. I research the hell out of the prospective make/model to be sure of its reliability, and to make sure I can perform repairs on it.
3. We establish a small savings fund to be ready for repairs when they do happen. Like 50 or 100 a month, nothing huge.
4. I DRILL, DRILL, DRILL the seller like mad. There are never too many questions to ask, and the more scrutiny (and skepticism) the better.
5. Check the Carfax. I know that sounds like an ad, but it was the coolest thing for our current car since I got to see any recent repairs that had been done, which can be telling of a car's functional status.
6. Obviously, stay low as you can with the mileage, and remember that's relative to the make (Saturns making it past 150k is rare, Chevy can climb to 300k but usually needs tranny replacements, Cadillac, well what the hell are you thinking trying to get a Cadillac etc).
7. Warranties on used cars are very short-sighted and don't offer enough to really cover their own premium. A slush fund is the best route to take here.

Nothing wrong with buying new, especially with all the incentives dealerships are throwing around due to the declining market, but buying used can be a fun and reliable hobby that has a lot of rewards. I strongly suggest it.

If I had a house with a garage rather than a 2nd floor apartment, the idea of doing more intensive repairs myself would appeal endlessly. As it stands, I'll have to content myself with replacing window motors/regulators and door handles.

Must be nice to be able to do your own auto repairs. Asking me to fix anything, automotive or otherwise, is like asking a monkey to do calculus. When God was handing out the guy gene that controls the "fix-it" ability, I must have gone out for a beer.

Yeah the big caveat right now is how garages are padding their book time from hurting so much. It used to be a lot more affordable to take a car in. For example, my GM work truck. Getting a fuel pump replaced two years ago cost 500. This year it cost almost 1000, and that was with the same part mfr.

Just don't buy a Cadillac!

tohostudios wrote:

Must be nice to be able to do your own auto repairs.  Asking me to fix anything, automotive or otherwise, is like asking a monkey to do calculus.  When God was handing out the guy gene that controls the "fix-it" ability, I must have gone out for a beer.

I found a really easy workaround for this because, usually, the impairment comes from a sense of "Oh God, don't let me break this - it's expensive!"

So, what you do is you wait until it's ALREADY broken. Voila! Impossible to break worse.

Actually, that's not all. Internet video tutorials are also awesome. I've used 1AAuto.com for the limited projects I've had to undertake. They sell the parts and have make/model specific videos that show you how to install them. It's AMAZING and a huge help. My first project was to replace the motor/regulator on the rear drivers' side door in my car. Thing died a death and the window wouldn't stay up (turned out a bolt had been sheared off SOMEHOW). The hardest part was getting the door panel taken apart and that tutorial made it considerably easier (even if I wouldn't do it for fun).

Yes and YouTube has nearly single-handidly replaced Chilton's manuals. I mean, I still buy those with each car I acquire, but the infinite number of videos at my disposal is beyond beneficial.

And let's not forget regular maintenance, from oil to brake fluid to power steering fluid to fuel treatments and etc!

Interior work sucks haha.

My main gripe with my car anymore is that the things it does which indicate coming trouble don't seem to logically follow.

I mean, rough idling while in gear and stopped but ONLY when the a/c or fan are running... Erm... Ok?

Great job on this DB!

Corplhicks PM your way in a sec here..

Finished Disc 1 for Runicen today.  It's not quite as diverse as I would have liked but it contains a healthy dose of my favorite band Diamond Dogs (7 tracks) and they're about as diverse as it gets.  I've taken a slightly different approach this time around; I'm doing at least 2 tracks by each band to give a better idea of what each sounds like.  I might do a one-off due to CD-R time constraints but I think including 2 tracks from each band lets a person know that the band is not a "one hit wonder"; your odds of like the band are better if you like both tracks.

Disc 2 is going to be a little more "out there" I think.

This might have to be my last Swap I do for a while. I feel like I don't listen to enough unknown bands anymore plus I feel like I'm always picking the same songs or same bands I did on previous swaps. I guess doesn't matter since they are different people each time but still I think I really fell behind a lot in the last year or so. I haven't even been buying that much music and the stuff I have is typical stuff everyone knows or at least I think everyone knows. Hopefully all goes well tho.

My other issue is I thought I had a bunch of cds left over but I either can't find them or I just don't have them and the ones I do are all scratched. My computer is also giving me problems. This year just isn't working out lol I have to grab some cds tomorrow. I wish I would have remembered when I went to the store earlier. Its been one of those days haha

Phoenix Reign Drummer wrote:

I feel like I don't listen to enough unknown bands anymore plus I feel like I'm always picking the same songs or same bands I did on previous swaps. I guess doesn't matter since they are different people each time but still I think I really fell behind a lot in the last year or so.

I made a conscious effort this time to NOT pick the same bands I always pick for these things.  No Dark At Dawn, Kiuas, Sentenced or KMFDM this time. As you say, it doesn't really matter to the recipient but it gets boring for me.

Hope RF digs his. It is metal-heavy, but still has a bunch of other styles I dig.

This is my first swap. Not sure that I have anything that nobody's heard.......but it's still fun putting them togther.