Solara experience anyone?

My experience with a 2006 Solara convertible is not good - my son creased the quarter panel on one when he was backing out of a parking space last Friday.

YES! Good or bad? You be the judge:

While riding my motorcycle I pulled up next to a gorgeous BLACK Solara convertible with its roof down being driven by a red-headed young woman. I drooled all over the chin guard of my helmet and got HONKED at when the left green arrow came on and I didn't pull away 'cause hadn't noticed it change . . . .

Oh yeah, we just about bought one but got a Camry SE instead 'cause my wife and I are both practical folks who like having rear doors (and 'cause a convertible is a little impractical for MN winters). We've been VERY pleased with the Camry; essentially the same car.

The one time I was close enough to one to look at it I saw the Solara emblem on the back put on crookedly. It gave me a bad impression of the rest of the car. If you can't pay attention to the badge you adorn it with what does that say about the rest of the car?

The Solara is a nice car, I drove and priced one before I bought my 2005 Mustang GT V8 convertible. I found the Solara to be underpowered and over priced in comparison. If you are looking for a car that really handles well and has plenty of power you might want to drive and price a Mustang GT as well before you decide. The drive home price for the loaded V8 Mustang convertible was $6,300 less than a V6 Solara convertible.

mike hunt

On the ball as usual. If you're looking for a Mustang GT class vehicle, why would you drive and price a questionably hacked Camry?

Sure, "mike hunt," sure...

?action=1 You're closer to the mark, though, if you're talking about a couple of USED cars. After a couple of years on the street, a Mustang that cost about the same as the Solara new will be worth many thousands less.

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I'd say more like your experience with your SON is not so good!

I make it a point to drive and price all of the vehicles that suits my needs and then buy the one that offers the most for the money. The Mustang can be had with a V6 like the others, I also drove and priced the Chrysler, SAAB and Volvo convertibles. If one is happy with a V6 there is no question that the Mustang is the best buy in a V6 but the Mustang V8 can be had for less than those that do not have the V8

mike hunt

Wanna bet? Try adding $6,000 more to the drive home price of those used Solaras and see which has the best return on the original investment. Do an nadaguides.com search for the current value of a loaded 2005 Mustang GT convertible. It is listed at $28,300 wholesale and $31,875 retail. My Mustang had an MSRP of $31,600 and I paid $29,200. The Ford dealer is offering me $28,500 on a loaded 2007 Mustang GT convertible. LOL

mike hunt

Why would I do that? New Solaras and GTs are the same price (see link). I'm only going to compare car prices without trades. Your "drive home price" definition includes trades, which is a BS way of comparing the price of the car. As you have pointed out, if the customer's bringing in a trade, the dealer can make the new car price look like anything at all and with financing the dealer can make the payment look like anything at all, too. And the dealer's going to find a way to profit on that trade, it's his extra profit opportunity. I'll sell my own used cars, thanks, unless I drive 'em until they die.

I did make an exception in the case of my Aerostar, which had been so unreliable that I unloaded it on a dealer, so I wouldn't get any blowback from a purchaser.

Sure, "mike hunt," sure... Your dealer is going to swap you, even, your 2005 for a zero-miles 2007.

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Actually, he is a good kid. He took it upon himself to leave a note with his phone # on the car, which is the right thing to do. :-)

Aerostar? What makes you think the total drive home price has to include a trade? I sold my 2003 when I bought the 2005 Obviously you have not shopped for a new car lately if that is what you believe. LOL

mike hunt

Then the "total drive home price" is the cash price, unless you're going to screw around with financing through the dealer. And Edmunds says you're full of crap; the cash prices for new ones are the same and the value of the Mustang falls off faster than the value of the Solara.

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Nice.

I'd get on the Intrernet, track down the phone number, and run an 18 wheeler into your house!

But that's just me

Ouch, at least it was his cell phone # ;-)

Only in your small world, apparently. Go out in the real world and try buying a new car, you might learn something for a change. Try getting a price from three different dealers on the very same car. You will get three different prices . LOL

mike hunt

set mode=sarcastic You are sooo profound. Three different dealers and three different prices. Gee, I never would have imagined that. I mean, nobody would think they had different cost structures or were within reach of different incentives or just run by people with different philosophies or varying levels of greed. No matter, we all expected to get a single price from three different dealers.

Thank God we have you to set us straight. set mode=normal

No, really, you're full of crap.

investment.

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Lets hope it wasn't like the note that a certain crunched car owner got...it said, "There's a few people watching me write this note, they all think that I'm leaving you my phone number, but they're all wrong...cheers..."

LOL! No, the other guy's insurance company, which also happens to be ours, called this morning. So much for paying out of pocket and avoiding a claim.