Repair-It

More pics from today. We had the Fusion appraised.

Arrived yesterday as planned for a Fusion appraisal. It is a 2013 SE ecoboost with like 163k. I would say KBB fair describes it accurately. Just had brakes but needs tires. Scratches and dents all over the place. Carpet in the driver's seat area has odd tears completely through the carpet and insulation, which they noticed. I don't think they even drove the car.

While this was happening I played with the GLA250 again. I connected to Android Auto and looked it over more closely. Everything is great. Tires are original 2022 and matching with good tread left. Body and interior are perfect. Wheels are perfect. And I did prove my point: the 2022 A/C does use 134a while the 2025 uses 1234yf. This explains why the 2025 had worse A/C. Fascinating. The salesman was impressed.

Back to the Fusion appraisal. Guy comes back and tells us all the things wrong with it and then said the value is $500. So I said, let's go inside.

The first step was to draw up the purchase sheet outlining all the things to get from list price ($33,359, which is a perfectly fair deal based on comps), to out the door price after tax, fees and trade. They also included some BS add-ons like 3 yr appearance and dent protection for $749/ea. Total OTD was $38,209. I said, strike the add-ons and since this will be a trade, the reg fee drops a bit. He did fight a little on the add-ons and used the usual tactic of "so aren't interested even if these were free?" I said "nothing is free."

After removing the add-ons and adjusting down the registration fee, the new OTD was now $36,461 which is better. I discussed a bit with my mom and we had the same thought: $35k OTD and we have a deal. So we told the salesman that (I also showed him the KBB fair appraisal for the Fusion and $2,000 was within the range) and he disappeared to wherever they go for this phase. Their approach was "let's see if we can give you more for your trade" but it's all the same to me - adjust a fee, trade, purchase price, whatever it takes. Don't care.

So he comes back with $35,099. Nice! I expected more song and dance but this was acceptable. Before my mom signed, I reminded him that it is missing the cargo area cover that floats up with the hatch. The previous owners must have removed it. It helps keep the sun off groceries and acts as a privacy shield since it is a hatch. I said see what the price is from parts but as far as I'm concerned you have three options: 1) eat the cost for a new one (their cost of course), 2) call the original owners and see if they have it or 3) steal one off of another car. He called the parts dept and evidently the retail cost was like $272 and their cost was $194 or so. He was slightly frustrated because he had already locked in the price but I said, we need the cargo cover. He disappeared again.

When he came back he said, the initial response was to chip in $100 or something but told us that he advocated that for another $100 (or $94) why don't they just take care of it. So that's what they did. I said, great, and if it is worth your time to contact the previous owners and you locate the cover, you just made $194. We don't care - his call.

So my mom put down a $500 refundable deposit on CC and that is that.

The car has NOT been serviced or detailed (they didn't even have photos on the website yet). It will need the following before my mom can actually pay for it and take delivery:
- Next service. It had a 10,000 mile service at 6,000 miles. It's been over a year so it is now due for the 20,000 service B. That includes another oil change, filter, cabin filter, wipers, brake fluid flush. This is all included.
- Front bumper has nasty holes from the PO installing a license plate directly to the front bumper. On white it kind of looks like ass and he said the standard process is to remove the bumper, body fill the holes and paint the whole thing. Included.
- Full inspection (plus this is a CPO car so maybe an even more comprehensive inspection). Anything they find will be addressed and is included.

https://media.mbusa.com/releases/2022-g ... Descending

Still looking for a 2022 brochure. MB website stops at 2021. And still looking for the MY22 maintenance booklet. I've found certain sources but nothing as detailed as I am looking for.

And here is the 2021 brochure at least. Should be similar.

So in a concurrent event, my mom actually went to a Honda dealer (Schaeller (sp?) in New Britain) to see if it was easier for her to get in and out of an HRV or CRV. She found the seats in both too high (which I find odd, since one would think both would be chair-height-ish). Apparently the dealer there has convinced her she should take a 2016 Impreza that they just got in and they'll give her a great deal on. But it was not ready to check out? So they'll prep it and then she can look at it? That seems odd.

I asked that she look at the Impreza and see what she thinks but not to commit at all. I'm kinda worried she'll take it if she at-all-likes-it.

Hopefully I can at least get there to check it out if not assist with assessments and purchase. Or find another Impreza if that's what she really wants.

I forget - did she sit in a GLA? Granted the second gen has some improved packaging to the first gen and I assume the 2021+ is out of the budget. But my mom really liked the ingress/egress of the 2022 GLA. The GLC was not good in that regard. Way too much sill stepover, which they seem to have in all of their RWD-based SUVs.

I haven't driven an Impreza but my gut reaction is that it is similar in the tin-can department as the Vibe. Plus Subaru powertrains bother me.

Agreed and agreed, but if it fits it ships. I tried to encourage my mother to try physical therapy, as she's gotten so mobility limited that finding a non-flat-entry car may be a real problem. She has limited hip strength that makes it difficult to lift her leg once seated, so the door sill "stepover" becomes the problem, even if it's relatively low. I think the crash worthiness faux frame-rail of most beefy cars makes a step-over sill.

She went to look at it today. She likes the relative short stepover threshold that I guess is similar to the Pontiac vibe. Looks like 2016 was the end of that gen and 2017 was a new gen. Seems like quality issues abound, including oil consumption, exhaust corrosion, etc. I'm not a fan. I also found another 2016 for $7500 in Fitchburg MA vs the $11k Schaller Subaru in Berlin is asking for this one.

I'm not sure how to talk her out of it... This is dumb.

She didn't even test drive - just sat in it on the lot.

She wants to show you that she doesn't need your help -: by buying an inferior vehicle.

I agreed I would go look at it with her yesterday on my way back from MA. Fortunately I was able to convince her that the drivetrain sucked and it was overpriced. Wound up not going to see it with her.

Success It seems they were upsold on some stuff at final purchase time. I had instructed them to consider prepaid maintenance (it is discounted if you prepay and they were going to do that at least through the warranty period). But they ended up with a longer warranty through 2030 (which means more prepaid maintenance through 2030), very expensive wheel coverage and some kind of ridiculous key fob coverage. Sigh.

Everything went as planned. Front bumper looks like new (I was told). Car seems to have new rubber floor mats (they were optioned on this car probably for the NJ/FL previous owners), plus still in new in the package "AMG" carpeted floor mats. The cargo cover wasn't in but would be delivered to them. And finally, they will send someone to their house to program their garage door opener to the car. Impressive.

I guess they also supplied a new USB C to type A adapter. I bought them a nice USB C to lightning cable so they shouldn't need this. And the Fusion.