- Joined
- Sep 28, 2001
- Posts
- 12,499
Urgh I hate car shopping. Prepare for something that should be on Facebook.
Me looking at cars with 80k miles.
Me driving cars with 200k+ miles.
Post your car buying journey, it might be fun.
Car Enthusiast Thread
- Thread starter Lets Gekiga In
- Start date
Post your car buying journey, it might be fun.
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2002
- Posts
- 22,048
I bought a family hauler.
2014 Ford Flex.
SEL trim, AWD, 3.5L Duratec so not the twin turbo Ecoboost, moonroof, seating for 6. I'll snap a shitty cell phone pic sometime and post it here.
If I can keep it for 10 years and put 200k miles on it I'll be pretty happy.
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2003
- Posts
- 9,682
I’ve had my 2013 for 6 years, and love the funky rolling breadbox!
Not just a family hauler; pun intended, it’s the most Flex-able car we’ve ever had.
AWD is ace in the snow & wet, seats go flat for easy load ups...we rarely borrow a truck anymore. I can fit cabs in it, 2 dogs, drum sets, DJ equipment-many car seat tether points-best thing Ford has done in the last decade.
sr20det510
Guerilla Warrior
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2016
- Posts
- 1,740
The Flex seem pretty cool. I've seem a bunch with nice rims and they always catch my eye.
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2002
- Posts
- 22,048
Good to hear some positive experience. Obviously mine is used, but it is basically the same engine that was just in my recently deceased 280k mile Taurus, so I'm hoping to have a similar experience with manageable repairs. So far the two car seats are in the middle row, but I know the older one wants to sit in the way back already.
I'm pretty happy with the option package on mine it is basically what I was looking for, cloth not leather being the big one that was surprisingly tough to find (although having the second row refrigerated console might have been cool but then wouldn't have been able to pass through to the 3rd row without folding up a seat) BUT I really don't like the wheels on mine, I agree that there are some nice ones, but I think these are the ugliest of any of the options offered on the car over all the years, so I may look for a different OEM set at some point. Plus, the thoughts of buying tires for 20" wheels...ugh.
Crappy phone pic ahoy!
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2003
- Posts
- 34,074
I'd buy a flex.
I've got a 2009 Taurus X (formerly called a freestyle, replaced by the flex). It does well for us. Seats 6 (3 rows of 2 seats). It With a 260 horse V6 it tow haul up to 2000 pounds easily. I can pack it with two kids and 20 crates of records.
My partner hates it but I like it.
I've got a 2009 Taurus X (formerly called a freestyle, replaced by the flex). It does well for us. Seats 6 (3 rows of 2 seats). It With a 260 horse V6 it tow haul up to 2000 pounds easily. I can pack it with two kids and 20 crates of records.
My partner hates it but I like it.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2000
- Posts
- 11,099
Was just talking with a friend this weekend about his new Flex. He searched for along time for the right features.
I've heard lots of positive about the Flex. I always liked it, but I didn't think it did so well.
I've heard lots of positive about the Flex. I always liked it, but I didn't think it did so well.
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2002
- Posts
- 22,048
Yeah, it has apparently undersold compared to what Ford wanted, although I have seen and heard that they basically don't advertise it anywhere near as much as the other Ford SUV stablemates (Escape/Edge/Explorer) or the competing SUVs (Traverse/Journey/not sure what else) in the segment (midsize-ish?). Although honestly, I think it ultimately is a little more out there style wise and it seems like I have seen nothing but box on wheels cars come and go for 10+ years starting with the Scion xB, then the Honda Element, Kia Soul, and Nissan Cube. Many of those were youth targeted and only old ladies and super practical people bought them.
The Flex at least is in a different market segment, but similar to all the rest is that the people that do have them seem to love them. So I'll take that as a positive.
By the way, I'm curious if there was a particular feature or features that he had to wait on. I was ultimately under a bit of a time crunch because I was down a car so couldn't wait for the perfect one, but I got pretty close and just about at my target budget.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2005
- Posts
- 12,919
I wish we would have had the Taurus X vs the absolutely awful 2006 Freestyle we had. Everything about the Freestyle was amazing...save the engine and trans. The 2006 came with 206hp/207tq and a god awful CVT trans (yeah, I know, the T of cvt stands for transmission). By the time they made your 2009 X, the stats were up to a far more respectable 263hp/249tq and the shed that awful CVT for a 6 speed auto.
On that note, I've always loved the Flex, especially the newer, turbo models.
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2003
- Posts
- 34,074
the thing about the freestyle/x/flex is that it's market is a bit niche. It isn't a big ass suv nor is it one of the compact and more efficient crossovers.
It is about perfect or me. I'd never want a heavy, large domestic SUV. I don't want to be replacing U-Joints, CV joints, Tie Rods and all that BS. And the small crossover SUV's aren't all that big. So it works well for us but most people want smaller or bigger. .
It is about perfect or me. I'd never want a heavy, large domestic SUV. I don't want to be replacing U-Joints, CV joints, Tie Rods and all that BS. And the small crossover SUV's aren't all that big. So it works well for us but most people want smaller or bigger. .
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2003
- Posts
- 9,682
It’s Ford’s mini-van (albeit on an F-150 platform).
When my family grew out of an Escape, I went into the Ford dealer looking for dat loyalty trade in cash. I’m like, “where the AeroStars at?”
-Salesman....” we don’t sell those anymore, but come check this out...”
‘This’ was the Flex.
And it was a wrap. I didn’t really want a mini-van, anyhow.
When my family grew out of an Escape, I went into the Ford dealer looking for dat loyalty trade in cash. I’m like, “where the AeroStars at?”
-Salesman....” we don’t sell those anymore, but come check this out...”
‘This’ was the Flex.
And it was a wrap. I didn’t really want a mini-van, anyhow.
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2005
- Posts
- 4,272
I've been looking at a Porsche Cayman.. got everything lined out to buy it finally with the credit union today, and it sold today.
Anyhow, I it got me thinking that maybe rather than spending 45k or so on a used one, maybe buy a cheaper used one with low miles and just use the extra money to trick it out.
I'm thinking of going with an older 2010 - 2012, but trying to stick with the ones that used port injection rather than direct injection. For the cost savings on one of those I could really build that out in my spare time. No more than I drive in a year, I think if I get one with less than 40k miles I should get plenty of years out of it.
Am I out of my head on that, is a 10 -12 1 too old to mess with at this point?
Anyhow, I it got me thinking that maybe rather than spending 45k or so on a used one, maybe buy a cheaper used one with low miles and just use the extra money to trick it out.
I'm thinking of going with an older 2010 - 2012, but trying to stick with the ones that used port injection rather than direct injection. For the cost savings on one of those I could really build that out in my spare time. No more than I drive in a year, I think if I get one with less than 40k miles I should get plenty of years out of it.
Am I out of my head on that, is a 10 -12 1 too old to mess with at this point?
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2000
- Posts
- 11,099
My Porsche is 2008, and i have very few issues and concerns. I just did some preventative maintenance this year, but nothing out of the ordinary. Belts and fluids. I'll probably need new coil packs soon as mine are starting to show age ~$500-600 with labor. Parts cheap if I do it myself.
Caymans are at good prices at the moment. The good thing with most Porsche models is there are very few performance updates you can do to "trick it out". Most stuff is cosmetic or suspension-based.
The new body style in 2012 will be a big jump in price compared to a 2009-2011 model.
Caymans are at good prices at the moment. The good thing with most Porsche models is there are very few performance updates you can do to "trick it out". Most stuff is cosmetic or suspension-based.
The new body style in 2012 will be a big jump in price compared to a 2009-2011 model.
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2005
- Posts
- 4,272
Well, as far as performance, being realistic I don't think I would end up doing a whole lot other than just basic stuff, high flow intake, maybe upgrade the intake plenum and add a nice cat back setup at most there. But that would just be more for the fun of doing it I think than anything. Really I would be more interested in setting up a bad ass sound system and some good seats for my fat ass and some great tires for the back roads around here.
We got a lot of county curves and shit where you can drive and not usually see many other cars. Trees along the road, lots of cool shade windows down summer time driving, and I'm at the point where I am looking really at basic ones as I kind of don't want a lot of the high tech bells and whistles anymore.
We got a lot of county curves and shit where you can drive and not usually see many other cars. Trees along the road, lots of cool shade windows down summer time driving, and I'm at the point where I am looking really at basic ones as I kind of don't want a lot of the high tech bells and whistles anymore.
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2005
- Posts
- 4,272
That's a great idea. I've actually over 1K 8-track tapes in my collection.
or maybe I'll just throw in a Blaupunkt.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2005
- Posts
- 4,272
Well, yesterday I went to check out car and drove 11 hours through five states to get there and then back home again today.
(Driving through KY TN MO AR LA on the 4th of July = Never seen so many confederate flags in in my life. Must have been a lot of Dukes of Hazzard fans.)
The drive back was much more fun than the drive there.
(Driving through KY TN MO AR LA on the 4th of July = Never seen so many confederate flags in in my life. Must have been a lot of Dukes of Hazzard fans.)
The drive back was much more fun than the drive there.
Montatez
Aero Fighters Flyboy
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2012
- Posts
- 2,078
I take it you bought it?
Montatez
Aero Fighters Flyboy
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2012
- Posts
- 2,078
Lol congrats man!
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2005
- Posts
- 12,919
Not that I personally know. A co-worker had a 2018 392 scat pack Charger and it was fast enough, I can't imagine a Hellcat.
Speaking of cars...been spending a ton of time in rentals lately...been taking down my notes from them. I've got to spend some time in vehicles I'd probably never drive had it not been for renting. I'll probably post some stuff here in the next few months.
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2002
- Posts
- 5,607
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2005
- Posts
- 4,272
Closer, but not one I would consider buying. That was the issue, trying to find the right model year, features, and color combination.