Help Scarlet Buy a New Car

[MichVandal]

MichVandal - the code I got from them was P0171. And service advisor misspoke. It’s not the drive train. They’re recommending a rear drive shaft replacement.

Also, they determined what caused the light to come on - the mass airflow sensor had a lot of debris on it so they replaced it.

That code is "Bank1 on engine running lean"- and since your car has 4 cylinders, that's just the entire engine running lean. Typically that's a leak somewhere in the intake system- from the mass airflow sensor to the engine. If the MAF sensor fixed it, cool beans. Assuming you are driving it, w/o taking live data, as long as the light does not come back on in a day, you are good to go on that. The lean test somewhat happens all the time, but there's also a good window for a very specific test that is run. Debris in the intake is something that does happen for cars that are not driven a lot- thanks to critters..... Hopefully they changed the air filter at the same time.

Driveshaft replacement is kind of odd. While there are two joints on it, modern ones don't wear out much. Especially with the low mileage you travel. That shouldn't cost a bunch, nor take a lot of time. But it's also not something that would hamper your driving until you really start hearing it. Ask them to quote a price to fix it, and keep driving it. Heck, with your car, you can remove the shaft and keep driving- the primary driving wheels are the front ones anyway. It's not as if you need AWD until next winter.

As for car recommendations in the Ford family- the roughly equivalent size is the Escape, which we have been happy with. Smaller is the Ecosport, which I have not even driven, even though it was a choice when my Focus lease ended- it's a pretty small CUV based on a car platform. Bigger is the Edge- which we did love a lot when we had one a while ago. But for the two of us, we prefer the Escape size.

Anymore, I would not be too concerned about brands- everyone does it well. So you need to go look and drive the cars. Looks are important, but to me, fit and comfort is a lot more important. For whatever reason, the ergonomics of the cars has not converged to a relatively common layout- like outer designs and powertrains have. Things have changed a lot in the last decade, too- while many deride the modern things, we really like them- rear view cameras rock, easier connections to the phone keeps your hands on the wheel more, driver aids also helps. Thanks to some of the emissions rules, these cars are very much designed to last over 10 years and 150k miles- as that's the time/mileage requirement to meet current emission laws in the US.

One more thing to add- if it were me, I would repair the vehicle to make it last until you are ready and WANT to buy a car. Nothing worse than being forced to get one on short notice. The more time you have to research what you like and want, the better.

 

[JF_Gophers]

We have a Ford Escape that has been good so far. But, we also haven't had to put a ton of miles on it yet.

 

[LynahFan]

There is a lot of good info out there on how a lease can be better depending upon the situation.

I can't conceive of any reasons a lease would be better other than, "I'm willing to pay more to avoid the hassle of repairs," and, "I just want to drive a new car all the time and I'm willing to pay more for that."

There's no way it's as cost effective as owning a car that you drive well into its "paid-off" days.

 

[Scarlet]

That code is "Bank1 on engine running lean"- and since your car has 4 cylinders, that's just the entire engine running lean. Typically that's a leak somewhere in the intake system- from the mass airflow sensor to the engine. If the MAF sensor fixed it, cool beans. Assuming you are driving it, w/o taking live data, as long as the light does not come back on in a day, you are good to go on that. The lean test somewhat happens all the time, but there's also a good window for a very specific test that is run. Debris in the intake is something that does happen for cars that are not driven a lot- thanks to critters..... Hopefully they changed the air filter at the same time.

Driveshaft replacement is kind of odd. While there are two joints on it, modern ones don't wear out much. Especially with the low mileage you travel. That shouldn't cost a bunch, nor take a lot of time. But it's also not something that would hamper your driving until you really start hearing it. Ask them to quote a price to fix it, and keep driving it. Heck, with your car, you can remove the shaft and keep driving- the primary driving wheels are the front ones anyway. It's not as if you need AWD until next winter.

As for car recommendations in the Ford family- the roughly equivalent size is the Escape, which we have been happy with. Smaller is the Ecosport, which I have not even driven, even though it was a choice when my Focus lease ended- it's a pretty small CUV based on a car platform. Bigger is the Edge- which we did love a lot when we had one a while ago. But for the two of us, we prefer the Escape size.

Anymore, I would not be too concerned about brands- everyone does it well. So you need to go look and drive the cars. Looks are important, but to me, fit and comfort is a lot more important. For whatever reason, the ergonomics of the cars has not converged to a relatively common layout- like outer designs and powertrains have. Things have changed a lot in the last decade, too- while many deride the modern things, we really like them- rear view cameras rock, easier connections to the phone keeps your hands on the wheel more, driver aids also helps. Thanks to some of the emissions rules, these cars are very much designed to last over 10 years and 150k miles- as that's the time/mileage requirement to meet current emission laws in the US.

One more thing to add- if it were me, I would repair the vehicle to make it last until you are ready and WANT to buy a car. Nothing worse than being forced to get one on short notice. The more time you have to research what you like and want, the better.

They did and 8-10 mile test drive after replacing that sensor and the light didn't come one so they are confident that was the issue. Drove it home with no problem. I think the drive shaft issue is because of rust. My car is parked outside and sits and I don't drive it so I thinking that's why it's so rusty. It's why I had to replace my brakes last year. And my entire exhaust a few years back. Now that I know what it is, I may bring to a mechanic to see how much it would cost to have them do it. The issue is convenience for me. I can't sit around a gas station for hours. I don't want to have to deal with calling a Lyft or Uber to go home and back. My dealership has a large and comfy waiting area with WiFi so I can work. If the difference in price isn't all that much, I'd go to the dealer to fix.

On the drive home, I was behind an Edge at a stoplight. I liked how it looked. And conveniently there is a Ford dealership walking distance from where I live. I may take a stroll over there to check it out a little more closely.

 

[unofan]

Man, I thought I was doing well with my 2011 CR-V with just 82,000 miles on it.

All cars are expensive now that they're chock full of "necessary" gadgets and safety features (lane assist, adaptive cruise, etc). I still remember buy-one-get-one-free Yugo ads for $4999...

The last time we shopped, we thought we were looking for a Honda Pilot or a Toyota Highlander. As we were describing the ways we wanted to use the vehicle to the Toyota salesman, he said, "I really hate to break it to you guys, but you're describing a minivan." He was actually right - and we bought a Sienna from him a couple weeks later. Thank goodness we did - it has been the perfect vehicle for us! There have been dozens of times where my wife and I will look at each other and say, "I'm so glad we have this van." You just get more of everything (cargo room, seats, leg room, accessibility, and...I have to say it, cupholders) compared to an SUV and the price is basically the same. Are you really going offroading in it? Really?

Wife was talking to a co-worker who got a new SUV a few years back.

"It's nice, rides a bit rough and is a gas guzzler, but we like it."

"What's the main selling point?"

"Well, it's not a minivan."

 

[MichVandal]

They did and 8-10 mile test drive after replacing that sensor and the light didn't come one so they are confident that was the issue. Drove it home with no problem. I think the drive shaft issue is because of rust. My car is parked outside and sits and I don't drive it so I thinking that's why it's so rusty. It's why I had to replace my brakes last year. And my entire exhaust a few years back. Now that I know what it is, I may bring to a mechanic to see how much it would cost to have them do it. The issue is convenience for me. I can't sit around a gas station for hours. I don't want to have to deal with calling a Lyft or Uber to go home and back. My dealership has a large and comfy waiting area with WiFi so I can work. If the difference in price isn't all that much, I'd go to the dealer to fix.

On the drive home, I was behind an Edge at a stoplight. I liked how it looked. And conveniently there is a Ford dealership walking distance from where I live. I may take a stroll over there to check it out a little more closely.

I can understand the concern about rust in the driveshaft. But it's just not something where rust is an issue, generally. Brakes can be- as enough surface rust will make the surface bad and then the friction between the pads and the rotor is uneven- making braking a lot less consistent. Exhaust is really thin (usually) and the environment inside is pretty harsh- especially if you are not driving it a lot, so you are always in a cold start emissions "mode". The driveshaft is a decent sized piece of steel, so even heavy surface rust isn't a big deal- nothing rubs against it, and unless the rust is taking chunks out- it really does not change the ability of it to do what it's supposed to do. Anyway, ask, and see what the answer is.

And if you end up getting a Ford, contact me via wT (I'm pretty sure she knows how to get in touch with me....)

 

[St. Clown]

Wife was talking to a co-worker who got a new SUV a few years back.

"It's nice, rides a bit rough and is a gas guzzler, but we like it."

"What's the main selling point?"

"Well, it's not a minivan."

From a family perspective, the only drawback to most minivans up here in MN is that they don’t come with an AWD option except for the Toyota Sienna.

 

[Slap Shot]

I can't conceive of any reasons a lease would be better other than, "I'm willing to pay more to avoid the hassle of repairs," and, "I just want to drive a new car all the time and I'm willing to pay more for that."

There's no way it's as cost effective as owning a car that you drive well into its "paid-off" days.

I don't like driving the same car for more than 3-5 years at a time. I like having new, I like being under warranty, and I like that more often than not I will not run into significant repairs.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

I don't like driving the same car for more than 3-5 years at a time. I like having new, I like being under warranty, and I like that more often than not I will not run into significant repairs.

I don't lease but I agree with you 100%. It's a great option for people to take advantage of. It does cost more, but sometimes the costs are worth it.

 

[geezer]

I still remember buy-one-get-one-free Yugo ads for $4999...

A buddy of mine proudly took us for a cruise in his shiny new Yugo. Then he closed the door too hard, and the window blew out all over the seat. As I recall things continued to break on that car pretty much weekly. Good times.
I was driving a peeling vinyl-topped LTD the size of an aircraft carrier that got 6.5 MPG.

 

[LynahFan]

A buddy of mine proudly took us for a cruise in his shiny new Yugo. Then he closed the door too hard, and the window blew out all over the seat. As I recall things continued to break on that car pretty much weekly. Good times.
I was driving a peeling vinyl-topped LTD the size of an aircraft carrier that got 6.5 MPG.

Damn. Even our 15-passenger 1976 Dodge van (my dad's daily driver) got almost 8 mpg.

 

[LynahFan]

I don't like driving the same car for more than 3-5 years at a time. I like having new, I like being under warranty, and I like that more often than not I will not run into significant repairs.

I don't lease but I agree with you 100%. It's a great option for people to take advantage of. It does cost more, but sometimes the costs are worth it.

All three of us agree: In terms of pure dollars and cents, the (expected value of) leasing cost is higher, but some people consider that that extra expense to be worth it.

 

[unofan]

I don't lease but I agree with you 100%. It's a great option for people to take advantage of. It does cost more, but sometimes the costs are worth it.

That's different than saying you don't save money buying (and keeping) versus leasing, which was the original comment.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

That's different than saying you don't save money buying (and keeping) versus leasing, which was the original comment.

Oh, I agree. I'm sure you're paying a premium to lease, no question about it. It depends on what that is worth to you. Given what I have gone through over the years maintaining cars I would really prefer to have a lease and get a new one every three years. I just can't afford to do that.

 

[Swansong]

If you like the feel of the SUV but want something smaller, check out the Toyota Corolla Hatchback. It's a rebranded Matrix. I have a 2010 and love it and my girlfriend has a 2018 RAV4 and they are super similar.

 

[Slap Shot]

That's different than saying you don't save money buying (and keeping) versus leasing, which was the original comment.

That's not what was said or least not was intended to be said. Obviously buying and keeping likely saves money even if it increases the chances for higher repair costs.

 

[LynahFan]

That's not what was said or least not was intended to be said. Obviously buying and keeping likely saves money even if it increases the chances for higher repair costs.

Yes, that's exactly what I intended to say:

There's no way it's as cost effective as owning a car that you drive well into its "paid-off" days.

Owning a car for a long time saves money compared to leasing.

 

[Slap Shot]

Yes, that's exactly what I intended to say:

There's no way it's as cost effective as owning a car that you drive well into its "paid-off" days.

Owning a car for a long time saves money compared to leasing.

You're getting it mixed up - he thought I was claiming the opposite:

That's different than saying you don't save money buying (and keeping) versus leasing

"Don't save money buying (and keeping)". But that's not what I claimed - I said depending upon the situation (which would not include buying and keeping) a lease can be just as economical if not more so.

 

[MichVandal]

Can we just leave it at 1) people need to be honest about how long they keep cars and 2) do the math! (and 3)don't lease a car that is too expensive to buy)

 

[dxmnkd316]

From a family perspective, the only drawback to most minivans up here in MN is that they don’t come with an AWD option except for the Toyota Sienna.

Honestly. I have zero issues with them. They're almost 100% practical. They've just recently (10-12 years?) started tacking on shit like built in central vacs (which actually sounds kind of amazing if you've got kids) and whatnot.

the AWD would be a dealbreaker for me. Wont go without it after using it.