Car Talk 4: The Richard Hertz Rent-A-Car 500

[D Griff]

Dude, have you ever been to Houston? It is fucking awful and by far the worst/only not good large city in the US. Everything Desert said is pretty much spot on, it's a massive slab of concrete with no natural beauty, no good weather, awful traffic, no great architecture or really much of anything to see. I have spent at least six weeks of my life there and actually sought out anything good (coworkers did the same) and pretty much came up blank. To top it off, on my five year US driving tour, it was the only place I ever had a break in or saw interstate closures due to ice.

Twice. I liked it.

What did you like about it? Serious question... I mean, you seem pretty well traveled and live in a fantastic city, so it's not like you have nothing to compare it to.

[CaleDeRoo]

My dad spent four years at Johnson Space Center and fell in love with it, but he doesn't care about any of that natural beauty stuff. He just likes the fact there's always something going on or he can sit at some bar by the water 12 months a year.

I guess I'll see what it's all about I'll be there for NHRA next month.

[max225]

Twice. I liked it.

What did you like about it? Serious question... I mean, you seem pretty well traveled and live in a fantastic city, so it's not like you have nothing to compare it to.

Night life on Washington street, (IIRC). Tons of good food, obviously not the most diverse nature pieces, good pricing on almost everything. I liked how people lived, almost everyone has a house with a pool etc, for $250-350k. It sucks with the heat... but it is manageable, you get a lot for the $..

[MexicanYarisTK]

Yes, lets have more people live above their means

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source= ... 7994380458

[Desertbreh]

What did you like about it? Serious question... I mean, you seem pretty well traveled and live in a fantastic city, so it's not like you have nothing to compare it to.

Night life on Washington street, (IIRC). Tons of good food, obviously not the most diverse nature pieces, good pricing on almost everything. I liked how people lived, almost everyone has a house with a pool etc, for $250-350k. It sucks with the heat... but it is manageable, you get a lot for the $..

If you are a big house and pool guy, Texas is your place. But the truth is that this attitude would open open an entire host of options for you in flyover country/Airboatlandia.

That kind of heat and humidity is manageable? I dunno man.

[SAWCE]

Yes, lets have more people live above their means

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source= ... 7994380458

Jesus. $145 under the average here. My loan rate is way below that 6.3% average too. That shit's got to hurt.

[MexicanYarisTK]

Yes, lets have more people live above their means

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source= ... 7994380458

Jesus. $145 under the average here. My loan rate is way below that 6.3% average too. That shit's got to hurt.

6.3% is what made me i would go if i get an offer anywhere above 2.99, but I don’t try hard on a vehicle so there’s that.

[SAWCE]

Jesus. $145 under the average here. My loan rate is way below that 6.3% average too. That shit's got to hurt.

6.3% is what made me i would go if i get an offer anywhere above 2.99, but I don’t try hard on a vehicle so there’s that.

Mine was high when I bought the Jeep. Financed through FCA just to get out the door ASAP. 7.99% IIRC. Let it sit with them for a month or two and then refinanced at my current 2.79% or whatever I'm at with a local credit union.

[max225]

Night life on Washington street, (IIRC). Tons of good food, obviously not the most diverse nature pieces, good pricing on almost everything. I liked how people lived, almost everyone has a house with a pool etc, for $250-350k. It sucks with the heat... but it is manageable, you get a lot for the $..

If you are a big house and pool guy, Texas is your place. But the truth is that this attitude would open open an entire host of options for you in flyover country/Airboatlandia.

That kind of heat and humidity is manageable? I dunno man.

Texas has jobs, a lof of the fly over states don't. Unless you like to farm, not saying it is wrong to do so, but most don't have that skill set. I can see Houston being and OK place to live. I obviously prefer where I am, but I have been to many shitholes far worse than houston.

it also isn't about "big house" you can afford A house on average pay in Houston. You can't afford a residence in California because it is currently an investment vehicle first and a place to live second. Houston was never seen as such.

https://www.redfin.com/TX/Houston/3406- ... e/30521863

This would be 3.5M where my dad currently lives, and how on earth can anyone afford that. Yes even at 250k a year you're struggling far more than someone making 70-80k in Texas which is easy with a college education. Your buying power is immensely greater there.

[SAWCE]

Yup, 2.79%. This month's payment dropped me into the $15k range. Should be paid off in 3ish years with the extra money I put towards it each month.

[MexicanYarisTK]

6.3% is what made me i would go if i get an offer anywhere above 2.99, but I don’t try hard on a vehicle so there’s that.

Mine was high when I bought the Jeep. Financed through FCA just to get out the door ASAP. 7.99% IIRC. Let it sit with them for a month or two and then refinanced at my current 2.79% or whatever I'm at with a local credit union.

Yeah i know that feel, i was pretty patient with my mk7 purchase, called up a few banks and got approved thru bb&t right off the spot, just over an hour process after I officially pulled the plunge. But then again, some people just don’t bother refinancing it. So it makes sense why i see more guadalupes and in new cars, mostly with nissan and toyota.

[max225]

Yes, lets have more people live above their means

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source= ... 7994380458

This articles are meaningless. As are loan terms. If someone gave me a 0% loan I'd get a 188 months loan or whatever. It is for the person to manage when to pay shit off. Gotta keep a good record of what you owe and where.

And yes people are buying "more expensive" cars but that is also not taking inflation into account.

Default rates on loans matter, that's the real measure of whether or not people are overextended. The article also mixes and matches factual info like

"According to data from Experian, the balance of deep subprime loans — those given to people with credit scores of 300 to 500 — increased 14.6% from 2015 to 2016.

with info like saying a new car costs 37k, someone with a 300 CS is NOT buying a new 37k vehicle.

[troyguitar]

Yes, lets have more people live above their means

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source= ... 7994380458

[MexicanYarisTK]

Yes, lets have more people live above their means

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source= ... 7994380458

I remember zilch posted a on wtf craigslist ad, 2004 f250 that still OWES $9,800. So a 12 year old truck that he owes twice as much as my 4.5 year old car right now.

[max225]

I remember zilch posted a on wtf craigslist ad, 2004 f250 that still OWES $9,800. So a 12 year old truck that he owes twice as much as my 4.5 year old car right now.

I wonder how much the average Ferrari 360 has an outstanding balance.

Guys once again how much someone "owes" doesn't matter it is an irrelevant point, because it can mask 100 variable such as value of the vehicle, IR, etc etc

[Desertbreh]

If you are a big house and pool guy, Texas is your place. But the truth is that this attitude would open open an entire host of options for you in flyover country/Airboatlandia.

That kind of heat and humidity is manageable? I dunno man.

Texas has jobs, a lof of the fly over states don't. Unless you like to farm, not saying it is wrong to do so, but most don't have that skill set. I can see Houston being and OK place to live. I obviously prefer where I am, but I have been to many shitholes far worse than houston.

it also isn't about "big house" you can afford A house on average pay in Houston. You can't afford a residence in California because it is currently an investment vehicle first and a place to live second. Houston was never seen as such.

https://www.redfin.com/TX/Houston/3406- ... e/30521863

This would be 3.5M where my dad currently lives, and how on earth can anyone afford that. Yes even at 250k a year you're struggling far more than someone making 70-80k in Texas which is easy with a college education. Your buying power is immensely greater there.

It's a different life for sure.

[CorvetteWaxer]

Jesus. $145 under the average here. My loan rate is way below that 6.3% average too. That shit's got to hurt.

6.3% is what made me i would go if i get an offer anywhere above 2.99, but I don’t try hard on a vehicle so there’s that.

Rates have gone up in the last 2 years, especially on used cars. If you just walk into a dealership and take their financing deals expect to get a hard quote at 5% or more today, 6+ percent on used from what I have heard.. and that's with an 840+ FICO.

Go in pre-qualified with a letter from your bank or credit union and you will have a much better rate, but still not like it was 3 years ago where I was getting quotes of 1.99% for a $100k loan for 84 months.

[Gberg2119]

Man the Velobster N sounds great. Can't believe it's only $29k. Every review is overwhelmingly positive.



Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

[wap]

Man the Velobster N sounds great. Can't believe it's only $29k. Every review is overwhelmingly positive.



Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

That does sound good. I wonder if it's real or synthetic, aka Soundaktor

[Gberg2119]

Man the Velobster N sounds great. Can't believe it's only $29k. Every review is overwhelmingly positive.



Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

That does sound good. I wonder if it's real or synthetic, aka Soundaktor

I think it's real. The exhaust definitely cracks and pops as I remember that from other reviews.

[max225]

Man the Velobster N sounds great. Can't believe it's only $29k. Every review is overwhelmingly positive.



Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

Why is “only 29k “ a thing that’s a lot of money man

[wap]

That does sound good. I wonder if it's real or synthetic, aka Soundaktor

I think it's real. The exhaust definitely cracks and pops as I remember that from other reviews.

[Gberg2119]

Man the Velobster N sounds great. Can't believe it's only $29k. Every review is overwhelmingly positive.



Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

Why is “only 29k “ a thing that’s a lot of money man

Compared to $36k GTI's, $36k Hype R's, $40k Gorfs, $40k FoRS, and $36-40k STI's, $29k is for what you get here.

[Desertbreh]

Why is “only 29k “ a thing that’s a lot of money man

Compared to $36k GTI's, $36k Hype R's, $40k Gorfs, $40k FoRS, and $36-40k STI's, $29k is for what you get here.

Interesting.

[max225]

Why is “only 29k “ a thing that’s a lot of money man

Compared to $36k GTI's, $36k Hype R's, $40k Gorfs, $40k FoRS, and $36-40k STI's, $29k is for what you get here.

Gti is Not 36k, you can easily get one for 29k, hype r handles better and abs more power, golf r and fors, are awd and have far more power. So no it’s not really 29k, you can’t compare it as such. Civic si for 25k, yep that’s a fair comparison. Also wrx is a good comparo, is likely pick the Subaru still, similar power and awd and a far better badge