Category Archives: Cool Cars

Electric Vehicle Sales Plummet

Hey Cool Car Fans,

I’ve been writing about the problems with the electric vehicle for years now and I have been criticized by many of the faithful followers of the Tesla and EV’s in general. It appears though that what I’ve said for years is finally starting to be taken seriously by consumers and manufacturers.

Unfortunately, the decision by key leaders in the automotive industry to try to follow and catch Elon Musk and Tesla in the EV market has had serious ramifications in the automotive industry as a whole. Instead of focusing on vehicles that people actually want to purchase, they have been creating vehicles that are not in demand.

For example, I recently tried to get a new Toyota Landcruiser for a client in Steamboat Springs, CO and I was told that it will take three years based on current production, dealership allocation, people on waiting lists, etc. from one dealership. Another dealer told me that would be “nearly impossible, but good luck”. It was the same for the new 2024 Lexus GX Overtrail. In other words, if you want a 2024 Land Cruiser or Lexus GX Overtrail be prepared to take delivery in 2027? That’s quite idiotic and Toyota isn’t alone. You have people who are wanting to buy your product, but you can’t deliver. We used to call this back in the early 1990’s “vaporware”, which are products a company would advertise, but nobody could actually get. Of course, you can get a good deal on an electric vehicle that are sitting on the car lots right now.

I did a quick search this morning on the Manheim dealer auction site for Teslas. There were 3,556 Tesla’s for sale right now at this one dealer auction. To put this in perspective, there was one 2017 BMW M6 in a manual transmission at the same auction. They are both specialty vehicles when you get down to it with a limited market, but there are a ton of used Tesla’s on the market right now.

I started writing a book called, “Electric Vehicles Unplugged: Debunking the Hype”, but I wasn’t sure it would have been worth it to share my opinion on the matter beyond The Cool Car Guy’s Blog here. I figure that the market will figure out the pitfalls of the EV landscape. This is a chapter that I wrote in the book, that I decided to post here for people to consider.

In the quest for a greener and more sustainable future, electric vehicles (EVs) have emerged as a shining beacon of hope. They promise cleaner air, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and a departure from our reliance on fossil fuels. However, as we delve deeper into the world of EVs, it becomes evident that not everything is as pristine as it seems. This chapter explores some of the inherent problems with electric vehicles and why they may not be the ideal solution for everyone.

1. Limited Range: The Anxiety of Running Out of Juice

One of the most glaring issues with EVs is their limited range. Unlike traditional gasoline-powered vehicles that can travel hundreds of miles on a single tank, EVs often require recharging after just a fraction of that distance. This range anxiety can be a significant concern for those who rely on their vehicles for long commutes or frequent road trips. Until EVs can match the convenience and range of gasoline cars, they may remain a less practical option for most people.

The reality is that temperature fluctuations can affect battery performance. If you have ever left your phone sitting in the Sun and suddenly it shuts down due to getting too hot you know that temperature has an impact on electronics and battery life. Lithium-ion batteries are affected by temperature fluctuations that in turn are going to affect vehicle range. This was recently witnessed in parts of the country this Winter where charging stations were not working and people were stranded with dead batteries. The media didn’t do a very good job of covering this though since driving a car has somehow become political with the involvement of special interest groups making money off of government business incentives for electric infrastructure.

2. Charging Infrastructure: A Long Road Ahead

While EV charging infrastructure is steadily improving, it remains a work in progress. Gasoline stations are ubiquitous, offering quick and convenient refueling. In contrast, charging stations are still relatively sparse, and the charging process itself is time-consuming. Until the charging network becomes as widespread and fast as refueling at a gas station, EVs may be an impractical choice for those with busy lives and tight schedules. If you’re charging at home and driving a short distance to work that’s a different story all together.

I delivered an older Nissan Leaf to a manager at a Starbucks who lives in New Mexico and he drives it back and forth to work daily without having a gas bill. The low price of the vehicle that he paid, the short range and charging at night at home before going to work isn’t an issue for him. This is a great example of how an EV can work for someone depending on the use, but most people are going beyond a short commute. It’s simply his daily driver to work, like someone riding a bus with added mobility. This is a great use for an older EV and something people should consider if they are wanting a second or third vehicle.

3. Upfront Costs: Paying the Electric Premium

Another formidable barrier to EV adoption is the upfront cost. Electric vehicles typically come with a higher sticker price than their gasoline counterparts. This cost difference can be a hard pill to swallow, even when considering potential long-term savings on fuel and maintenance. Until EVs become more affordable and accessible to a broader range of consumers, they will remain a luxury item for many.

However, this is definitely changing since the used car market is what is actually important and EV prices are dropping on the used market. The media again doesn’t understand this fact, but they cater to Wall Street investors and companies in their market assessment. What they fail to realize is that over twice the number of used vehicles are sold in the US every year than new vehicles. I recently texted back and forth with a friend of mine who owns a dealership in Colorado and he said he had just sold a 2017 Model S 90d that he had for 16 months. He had lost over $12,000 selling that vehicle. This is a real world example of “supply and demand” and how if the demand isn’t there and the supply is the prices are going to drop substantially.

4. Environmental Costs of Battery Production

The production of lithium-ion batteries, a key component of EVs, is not without its environmental costs. The mining of materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel can have adverse ecological impacts, including habitat destruction and water pollution. Moreover, the carbon footprint of manufacturing these batteries can be significant. The industry continues to talk about recycling and sustainable sourcing being on the horizon, but this is a joke. All you have to do is look at what “recycling” has looked like the environmental concerns surrounding battery production remain a critical issue to address.

5. Energy Source Matters: The Dirty Side of Clean Transportation

The environmental benefits of EVs are closely tied to the source of the electricity used to charge them. In regions where electricity primarily comes from coal or other fossil fuels, the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from driving an EV may be less substantial. This begs the question: Are we truly reducing our carbon footprint, or are we merely shifting it from the tailpipe to the power plant? The transition to cleaner energy sources is essential for EVs to live up to their green promise.

The media doesn’t really want to cover these facts because driving a vehicle has somehow become political, due to Climate Change. Forget the fact that gas powered vehicles in the United States are equipped with a catalytic convertor to reduce emissions. There are also fuel additives and other technology to reduce emissions that are not pushed as a solution because it doesn’t fit the narrative. Forget that there are 283 million vehicles registered in the United States alone. Is the plan to just scrap all of these vehicles and put them into a landfill?

The majority of greenhouse gases come from producing electricity, flying airplanes in the upper atmosphere, diesel trucks, trains, ships, factories and other sources beyond a consumer driving an automobile. Also, don’t forget that a major polluter can buy “carbon credits” from a company like Tesla to continue polluting, but “magically” be considered to be polluting less. It’s a bit like getting a hall pass in elementary school to go to the bathroom. The carbon credit does nothing. It’s just a hall pass to pollute.

6. Resource Scarcity: The Hidden Costs of Going Green

As the demand for EVs grows, so does the demand for critical resources like lithium and rare earth metals. This heightened competition can lead to supply chain vulnerabilities and price fluctuations. The scarcity of these materials could pose challenges in scaling up EV production and might even result in geopolitical tensions over access to these resources.

There are also computers, phones and other battery powered devices that rely on these resources, so be prepared to pay more for these other products. Ultimately, all of these products that are supposed to be “recycled” end up being scrapped, along with the batteries. Try getting a replacement battery for your old phone? The companies like the car companies are not in the business of making obsolete technology run longer, but they are in the business of selling a new product.

7. Job Displacement: The Price of Progress

The shift from internal combustion engines to EVs could spell job displacement in traditional automotive sectors. Manufacturing, maintenance, and support industries may face workforce reductions, potentially harming local economies and communities. Balancing the promise of environmental benefits with the socio-economic impacts of this transition is a complex challenge.

As I mentioned, we are already witnessing this as supply of new vehicles diminishes and people keep their older cars longer, the price of older vehicles is staying higher than normal. Typically, a vehicle that is leased will depreciate 40% to 50% over a three year period based on having about 45,000 miles on the odometer. We’re seeing older used vehicles that are seven and ten years old that are selling 30% or 50% of what they sold for new! This has the consumer trying to figure out how they can get a car for their new driver, but having to pay way more than planned. It’s causing people to keep their vehicles longer and repair them simply because it’s costing more to buy a used vehicle than they expected.

8. Technological Limitations: The Battery Conundrum

While battery technology has improved, it still faces limitations in terms of energy density, charging speed, and lifespan. Breakthroughs in battery technology are crucial to address these challenges fully. Until we overcome these limitations, EVs may remain an imperfect solution.

Other fuel sources like hydrogen are discounted by many because of a lack of infrastructure, that also exists for the EV market. It’s much easier though to add a hydrogen filling station to existing gasoline, diesel station than it is to build an entirely new EV charging station. The government seems to have no problem to invest billions into creating a new EV infrastructure instead of spending money to update an existing infrastructure for additional consumer options. The charging of a battery is time consuming, so you can’t just retool an existing gas station like you can for hydrogen. A person filling up with hydrogen or gasoline is in and out of the fueling station in a short period of time. They are not sitting at a spot for 30 minutes or more waiting for one vehicle to charge. It’s rather comical that common sense issues like this are not even addressed from a purely practical standpoint.

Conclusion: A Complex Journey Ahead

As we navigate the road to a sustainable future, electric vehicles are a part of the solution, but they are not without their problems. Limited range, charging infrastructure, upfront costs, and environmental concerns are legitimate hurdles that must be addressed. EVs are not a one-size-fits-all solution, and their suitability depends on individual circumstances, priorities, and geographic locations. In the chapters that follow, we will explore potential solutions and innovations that could help overcome these obstacles, making EVs a more viable option for a wider range of consumers.

(If I had decided to finish the book that is – lol).

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The Cool Car Guy – John Boyd
John is the owner of CoolCarGuy.com, a licensed car dealership in Lone Tree, CO. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle!
jboyd@coolcarguy.com or Twitter @coolcarguy

1966 Datsun 1600 Convertible In A Box

Hey Cool Car Fans,

Recently, I was contacted by a couple in New Mexico to see if I would be interested in buying their 1966 Datsun 166 Convertible. I called this post “1966 Datsun 1600 Convertible In A Box” because this was a project vehicle for her husband, who has had this vehicle in the garage since around 2006.

It’s listed over on Cars Freak at this link for sale with a Call For Pricing, but I’ll include some photos in this article to check it out. Once this vehicle is sold the listing will disappear, but this blog post will continue being here. The vehicle has been torn down and it needs a complete rebuild since the owner doesn’t have the ability any longer to put it back together himself. He said that he has purchased all of the parts to rebuild it, including a second engine, tires, with boxes of parts to rebuild this vehicle. I’m not sure if everything is there, but for sure most of it is and he paid to get the vehicle professionally painted silver and keeps it covered in his garage. Which is why I said it’s “in a box” in the description of this post.

His wife wants it out of their garage since she’s doing some remodels at their home, so somebody is going to get a really cool vehicle to rebuild as a project vehicle. I wanted to create this post to talk about the 1966 Datsun 1600 Convertible because it’s a really cool vehicle. There were only 11,000 of these vehicles manufactured from 1965 to 1967. It’s hard telling how many of them ended up in the crusher or in a junk yard someone over the past 57 years, so it’s a pretty rare bird. There is a website that is dedicated to all things Datsun that is a cool resource to check out at Datsun.org. It hasn’t been updated in a few years, but it is still a pretty good resource if you’re a fan of Datsun.

Datsun became Nissan for people who don’t know this and Nissan is owned by Renault a French company, but the old Japanese Datsun product has a cult following today. This is actually a pretty reasonably priced vehicle to own a cool car compared to some of the older classic American muscle cars today. According to Haggerty.com the vehicle currently in good condition has a value of $17,300, but a most recent sale went for $47,300. You can click on this link and see the valuation according to Hagerty for this vehicle.

I’m sure someone out there is going to want to get this vehicle and rebuild it for a really cool 1966 Datsun sports car or to add it to their collection after the rebuild. If you want to see a good video from another dealership that was selling a similar vehicle check this video out on YouTube.

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The Cool Car Guy – John Boyd
John is the owner of CoolCarGuy.com, a licensed car dealership in Lone Tree, CO. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle!
jboyd@coolcarguy.com or Twitter @coolcarguy

Online Used Car Seller Vroom Crashes And Burns as Sales Fall, Losses Mount

Welcome to the CoolCarGuy.com blog for 2024, where shameless self-promotion meets valuable insights into the world of car buying. You might be wondering, “Why choose CoolCarGuy.com for my vehicle needs?” This is a fair question, and in this article, we’ll explore what sets CoolCarGuy.com apart from franchise and giant used car dealerships like VRoom, Carvana, CARMAX, Autonation, and others.

The Downfall of Giants

Recent events have seen giants like Carvana and Vroom facing challenges. Carvana almost went out of business, and Vroom, once a Wall Street sensation, is now on the decline. This prompts a couple of crucial questions: Why did they struggle after raising millions of dollars and being darlings of Wall Street? What was their unique selling proposition? The second question is one that people often ask about CoolCarGuy.com.

CoolCarGuy.com’s Boutique Approach

CoolCarGuy.com operates differently. It’s not here to compete with Wall Street giants that demand hefty profits per vehicle to cover numerous expenses. Wall Street companies have to make money for shareholders and are often paying ten different employees from one car sale. Instead, CoolCarGuy.com operates on a boutique model, emphasizing personalized service, expertise, and a genuine passion for cars.

John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy

With a personal history of owning over 60 automobiles and a 40-year passion for cars, John Boyd, aka The Cool Car Guy, is no stranger to the automotive world. His journey brokering began buying and selling a few of his personal cars, offering advice on car buying to others, and eventually transitioning into brokering cars for others in 2005. His unique set of skills and deep industry knowledge led him to become The Cool Car Guy.

The Value of Relationships

CoolCarGuy.com isn’t just about buying or selling a car; it’s about building lasting relationships. Leveraging John’s extensive network, clients have access to trusted mechanics, specialists, and consultants. These relationships go beyond the purchase, with clients reaching out for advice or referrals years later.

A Network of Passionate Consultants

Licensed consultants with CoolCarGuy.com share the same passion for vehicles. From former managers at reputable dealerships to experts in vehicle auctions and seasoned car enthusiasts, the network of consultants is carefully chosen for their expertise and dedication.

At CoolCarGuy.com it is more like accessing a network of “Realtors for cars” than a traditional car dealership. A realtor doesn’t have a lot of 30 homes sitting there and waiting for people to come and walk the lot. They find you a home you’re interested in purchasing based on your wants and needs. You’re not going to hear a sales manager at CoolCarGuy.com say to a salesperson, “Try to get them to buy that green SUV we’ve had on our lot for 90 days.” Our approach is to assist our clients in getting the vehicle they want at the price they want without the ridiculous sales tactics used by most car dealerships.

CoolCarGuy.com Beyond Colorado

John lives in New Mexico and CoolCarGuy.com continues its operations in Colorado, serving numerous clients across the country. The boutique model, focused on quality over quantity, ensures that CoolCarGuy.com remains a trusted resource for those who appreciate the value it brings to the automotive industry. CoolCarGuy.com does business differently than other car dealerships by its very design by trying not to be everything to everyone.

The Power of CoolCarGuy.com

CoolCarGuy.com may not be for everyone, and that’s by design. The majority of its business comes from repeat and referral clients who understand the unique value it provides. While marketing is limited, the emphasis is on working with clients who recognize the expertise and personalized service CoolCarGuy.com offers.

Many large car dealers have a goal to sell hundreds or even thousands of vehicles a month. CoolCarGuy.com focuses on working with just a few hundred clients and friends each year to provide a better experience. Clients of CoolCarGuy.com receive actual personal service and have an engaging and fun experience getting a new or used vehicle that isn’t available from large corporate run dealerships. It’s a completely different approach that is rarely found in most businesses today.

Connect with CoolCarGuy.com

Whether you’re in Colorado or anywhere in the country, CoolCarGuy.com invites those who appreciate a different car-buying experience to connect. Visit the main site to explore the expertise of Cool Car Guy’s network of passionate consultants or to reach out to John directly. You will discover that if you call him, he actually answers his own phone.

In the world of car buying, CoolCarGuy.com stands out as a boutique alternative, offering a unique blend of expertise, passion, and personalized service that goes beyond the transaction.

Why are car prices Ridiculously high?

Hey Cool Car Fans,

I have taken a long break from writing at The Cool Car Guy’s Blog. I’ve been crazy busy delivering vehicles to clients over the past couple of years. We moved from Castle Rock, Colorado to Rio Rancho, NM back in April of 2021. We took advantage of the ridiculous home prices caused by inflation to sell our home from COVID-19 like millions of other people around America. CoolCarGuy.com is still in full swing in Lone Tree, CO.

I decided I needed to write an article on the real reason that car prices have gone through the roof since I own a car dealership. Especially, when I hear all of these talking heads on Wall Street trying to tell everyone that this is temporary because of a microchip shortage.

First of all, let’s talk about the fact that traditionally cars are depreciating assets. In a normal economic climate if you buy a new car and drive it about 15,000 miles a year that vehicle is going to drop in value. A vehicle typically depreciates about 30% to 50% over three years. This is how leasing a vehicle works. When you lease, you pay for the depreciation of the vehicle.

Let’s look at a Toyota 4Runner as a real life example. In 2018 a Toyota 4Runner had an original MSRP of $34,810 – $45,160 depending on the trim level and options. An SR5 Premium with 4WD had an MSRP of $36,400. It should sell at auction three years later with 45,000 miles coming off of a lease for about 25% of the MSRP price. This means that it should have depreciated to about $27,300 if it lost 25% of its original value. This is pretty amazing because they hold their value extremely well compared to other vehicles in the marketplace.

Typically, 4Runners depreciate about 25% to 30% over 3 years where many other vehicles depreciate 40% or even 50% of their original MSRP during the same period. If you leased it and drove it 45,000 miles and gave it back to the leasing company at the end of the lease, it should be selling at auction for around $27,300 at the high end in a good market. Is this true after this Covid-19 world that has been created with $5 trillion of money dumped into the economy? Not even close.

IN JUNE OF 2021, A 2018 TOYOTA RUNNER SR5 PREMIUM IS SELLING AT AUCTION FOR MORE THAN THE ORIGINAL MSRP – SAY WHAT?!

The graphic above is a screenshot of what a 2018 Toyota 4Runner SR5 Premium with an average condition of 4.0 out of 5.0. This vehicle right now is selling for $38,500 minus auction fees. It didn’t depreciate at all in three years, but in fact it appreciated. It is selling for more than the original MSRP, This is not normal by any stretch of the imagination. Which means that if you leased this vehicle, you are in a profit position should you want to get out of it.. Call me if you’re in this situation by the way or you have a leased vehicle before you give it back to the leasing company.

WHAT IS GOING ON AND IS THIS REALLY A MICROCHIP SITUATION LIKE THE MEDIA WANTS EVERYONE TO BELIEVE?

If you turn on the major news programs you will hear their narrative that the problem is primarily supply shortages since the chip manufacturers quit making components. While this is true, let’s put the automobile market in perspective. In 2019, which was before the Covid-19 virus outbreak, automakers sold more than 17 million vehicles in the U.S. for a fifth consecutive year. That seems like a large number of vehicles and it is, but that’s the new car market. There are over 276 million used vehicles in the United States. Did they all disappear?

Of course not. In 2019, the same year that 17 million new vehicles were sold, almost 41 million used vehicles were sold. These used vehicles were not waiting on microchips. The reality is that we are living in an economy with run-a-way inflation.

The Federal Reserve has pumped over $5 trillion into the marketplace. This is causing inflation and they have kept interest rates down, which is driving up the prices of just about everything, including automobiles. They are in a Catch-22 because they can’t tell everyone there is massive inflation and unemployment, even though it’s obvious and you don’t have to read tea leaves to figure it out. They don’t want to create a Wall Street panic and sell off because Capitalism works on consumers buying automobiles, houses, food, etc. Nobody wants to overpay for things and lose money if they have to sell.

Almost 10 million people unemployed, while they are saying that there are 9.4 million jobs. Sure, if you want to go and earn $10 an hour when the average price of a new vehicle is over $40,000 right now. In what world does that work financially? It doesn’t. By shutting down the economy the government stopped a train going 100 miles an hour and the cars in the back are now starting to hit the front of the train. They are trying to convince people that this is just temporary because of the Covid-19 shut downs and it’s all going to come back to normal soon. Maybe in a few years, but you can’t just put the derailed train back on the tracks and keep moving.

You can’t have run away inflation and not have a major increase in wages for the poor and middle class to be able to afford to buy “stuff”. It is economics 101 and any kid who has ran a lemonade stand will understand this. Imagine you pull up to a lemonade stand ran by a 10 year old and you expect to get a cold glass of lemonade for $.50, but to your surprise it’s $10.00, warm and in a dixie cup. You look at the kid and he says, “Sorry but I can’t stand out here all day for fifty cents a glass. You know with the cost of water, ice and lemons these days I have to charge $10 or the math doesn’t work.” Is that a sustainable business or is that lemonade stand going to cease to exist?

Nobody can afford to pay for that kid’s lemonade unless it’s some rich guy in the neighborhood who just wants to give the kid some money each day and buy his lemonade. And these dummies in Washington and at the Federal Reserve are trying to tell everyone that isn’t what’s happening. That’s exactly what is happening. They have pumped $5 trillion into this economy to try to help the kid at the lemonade stand, but it’s not sustainable. They have millions of people getting paid more to stay home than if they worked a job.

The reality is that unemployed people cannot get financed to buy used cars or houses. Millions of people have had their credit destroyed because of the government lock downs, so even if they can get financed it’s going to be at high interest rates. You can’t get a loan if you don’t have a job or bad credit, so these millions of people are not trading out of their vehicles. They can’t. They have to keep them and drive them or pay cash for a vehicle. And that’s why we have a shortage of overprice used vehicles right now. It’s supply and demand for sure, but it’s not just because of missing microchips for new car production. In the words of James Carville in 1992, “It’s the economy stupid”.

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Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy
John is an auto consultant who owns CoolCarGuy.com, a licensed car dealership in Lone Tree, CO. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle!
jboyd@coolcarguy.com or Twitter @coolcarguy

The 60 Dollar Tire Rotation

Hey Cool Car Fans,

I’m often amazed at what some dealerships get away with when it comes to charging for their repair services. Recently, I purchased a 2017 BMW 430 x-drive vehicle for a client and I always get an oil change and inspection prior to delivery.

In this case, I dropped the vehicle off at the local BMW shop where they say advertise that they use Castrol synthetic oil and they charge $135 for an oil change. This is a bit high, but I wanted them to check on recalls as well as look over the vehicle as well for any warranty work that’s needed. I was told by a tech that it is actually Pennzoil synthetic that they are using, while advertising Castrol, which is really pathetic that some franchise dealerships do this sort of thing.

I wanted to get a tire rotation as well for my client and they called me back to tell me that it was $60 for a tire rotation. This is pretty unreal considering that if you go to a local tire shop and ask them to check the brakes they will usually do a tire rotation for free. Most smaller repair shops charge at the most about $10 per tire, so $15 a tire at a dealership isn’t that terrible.

However, I’ve seen shops charge as much as $125 for a tire rotation, which is totally insane. In my case, time is money since I typically get a vehicle in and if I’m taking it to a franchise dealership it’s easier for me to pay for an overpriced tire rotation and oil change than run it around to various shops. It’s also a good idea when you are first getting a used car to run it to a franchise dealership and even if you get an oil change or tire rotation you are now in the system for that vehicle as the new owner for recall notices, etc.

Also, if you need warranty work down the road the vehicle has been in the system for any future warranty issues that may come up. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve traded for used vehicles and I have gone to the franchise dealership to get warranty work done and there is no record of any work done in the system.

It can be a pain if you can’t prove proper maintenance has been done as some manufacturers like to play games about their warranties. I have found that some manufacturers want you to do all routine maintenance on the vehicle at the dealership in order to honor the warranty. They are not supposed to do this, but they often do depending on the brand.

Most mechanics will tell you that tire rotation is an integral part of car care regimen. It’s important that you rotate the tire position of each tir every few thousand miles. The advantage of doing routine tire rotation is that it can increase tire longevity, which is a cost savings of having to replace tires. It also can improve safety while driving. The tires can be rotated in multiple patterns and there is some debate on the best way to rotate depending on the tires and the vehicle, but you can usually check the owner’s manual for the recommended rotation pattern. However, people often change the type of tire or tread pattern from the original tires.

I’ve often found too that many manufacturers put on really cheap tires initially, which makes sense since they are looking for cost savings when they are manufacturing a vehicle. I’ve seen the cost of a tire rotations range from free – $125 and if you buy a set of tires many places will offer you free rotations. It’s important to shop around when you’re getting vehicle serviced. The cost tire rotation lies between $24-$120 relying on where the motorist takes his intermediary.

THE COST OF REPAIRS ON SOME VEHICLES CAN BE COSTLY AND FRANCHISE DEALERS CHARGE AS MUCH AS $300 AN HOUR

If you’re going to a dealership to get repair work done it’s important to ask what their “dollar per hour” charge is for service. It’s pretty crazy, some of the franchise dealerships are charging attorney rates to work on your vehicle.

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Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy
John is an auto consultant who owns CoolCarGuy.com, a licensed car dealership in Lone Tree, CO. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle!
jboyd@coolcarguy.com or Twitter @coolcarguy

2000 Rolls Royce Silver Seraph For 75% OFF OF THE ORIGINAL LIST PRICE

Hey Cool Car Fans,

One of the things that I often like to do is find really cool luxury or exclusive vehicles through the dealer auctions that had a huge original MSRP and see what they are going to for today. I am going to do a number of articles on these type of vehicles to give my readers an idea of how you could be driving an amazing vehicle for a huge discount compared to what they sold for new.

The media tends to focus on the new car market, but the used car market dwarfs the size of the new vehicle market year after year. People know that they can save thousands of dollars driving a used vehicle compared to a new vehicle. If there are 18 million new vehicles sold there is usually about 42 million used vehicles that are sold each year.

There is also a number of third-party websites that put the value of what a used vehicle should be selling for based on miles and condition, so it’s pretty difficult to get burned buying a used vehicle. Unless the vehicle is total junk to begin with, but many times you can find a diamond in the rough. I decided to post this iconic 2000 Rolls Royce Silver Seraph as an example.

MOST VEHICLES DEPRECIATE AND SOME MORE THAN OTHERS, BUT CERTAIN VEHICLES REACH A POINT WHERE THEY DEPRECIATE VERY SLOWLY

The 2000 Rolls Royce Silver Seraph is a great example. In the year 2000 this vehicle had an original MSRP of $219,900. Fast forward 19 years later and you can find these vehicles for anywhere from about $52,000 on the low end to $87,900 on the high retail end. Thats as much as a 77% savings for an older Rolls Royce. Here’s a link to the NADA book value where you can see what the current value is a vehicle like this one.

This particular vehicle that was listed in the dealer auction only had 34,000 original miles. It was manufactured in the deep royal blue color with the stratos leather interior. It included a sunroof and the seat piping had french navy color with the burr walnut wood veneered interior trim. It even has the veneered picnic tables and navigation with two umbrellas. If you want to read the Wikipedia section about this vehicle you can find out about it by clicking here.

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Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy
John is an auto consultant who owns CoolCarGuy.com, a licensed car dealership in Lone Tree, CO. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.comor Twitter @coolcarguy

Beware Of That Canadian Vehicle Warranty

Hey Cool Car Fans,

Earlier this year I purchased a vehicle for a client out of the Manheim dealer auction that was listed as “previously Canadian”. It was a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali and it was still covered under the manufacturer’s warranty for the powertrain. If this had been a Dodge or some other brand that would not be the case. Which is one of the reasons why people use me instead of dropping a coin into a vending machine with some online retailer who isn’t going to know this kind of information.

A powertrain warranty though isn’t what it used to be and this is something most people are not aware of. Recently, that GMC Sierra Denali that I delivered 7 months and almost 7,000 miles ago threw a check engine light. It turned out based on the “codes” that the client’s mechanic pulled that it had misfiring fuel injectors. The vehicle only has 39,250 miles on it and the fuel injectors are going bad. This is a known problem with the GMC and it’s about a $2,100 repair at the dealership because they replace all of the fuel injectors. My cost was $1,800 for my client, but it’s really something that GM should be recalling.

THIS IS WHY PEOPLE USE ME AS THE COOL CAR GUY: I HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH JUST ABOUT EVERY MAKE AND MODEL OF VEHICLE.

As I discussed in a previous article though GM and other manufacturers get out of recalling vehicles that have known issues all the time. In this case, you would think that it would be covered under the powertrain warranty, but it’s not! They call it a fuel system problem rather than an “engine problem” even though fuel injectors are in the engine. The mechanic I spoke with thought it should have been covered under the emissions warranty, but GM said “No” to that as well. This is way more common though than most people realize. Manufacturer’s call it a “limited” powertrain warranty, so that they can get out of fixing known issues under their powertrain warranty that they use to sell their vehicles. I’ve seen it with fuel injectors, transmissions and other engine issues where they put the repair into a different category to get out of fixing the vehicle under their limited powertrain warranty. It’s pretty ridiculous!

I need to write an article about a client of mine and his Mercedes C300 4Matic and the nightmare he went through with his Mercedes Benz that only had 40,000 miles on it. I wrote an article previously about the VW nightmare that I had a client go through with their Tiguan, which is one of the reasons why more people are leasing new vehicles instead of purchasing used vehicles that can have large repair costs. I’m also finding that I’m the only used car dealership who is really writing about these issues for the consumer. I had a client recently call me and they were going to get rid of their 2008 Porsche 911 and purchase a used Mercedes Benz. I said, “Don’t do it!”, you’re way better off getting a Porsche Macan because it’s a far better car than the Mercedes Benz you’re looking at for reliability.

It’s always funny to me when some people are concerned about how much I earn when finding them a vehicle, which is far less than Carvana or other online retailers pretending not to be car dealerships earn. It’s not how much I earn, but how much I save people that matters. I had a woman show up at my office the other day and I got her a 2005 Dodge Caravan ten years ago! It now has over 179,000 miles on it and it was in great condition for being almost 14 years old. She was back to have me find her another vehicle because she had so few problems with her vehicle over the past 10 years. The reality is and I say this quite often, “No two used cars are the same”. You can have two of the exact same vehicles sitting next to one another and one I would buy and the other I would send to the auction.

It’s not about the initial price, but what’s the quality of the vehicle you are purchasing. Make sure you know what you are buying before you buy it. Is it previously Canadian and now the warranty is void in the United States? Is the limited powertrain warranty not going to cover a known problem with the vehicle? Is the DEF system on the diesel truck a nightmare and you would be better off buying an older truck instead of buying a newer one that is going to be thousands of dollars in repair.

I’ve been doing this business for over 14 years and I am constantly learning and seeing new things. Many times I end up learning from my client’s and the vehicles they “have to have” that I don’t think is a good idea. I tell them to buy a Ford truck and their response is that “I hate Ford” and then I get them what they want “a Dodge” and it turns into a nightmare. Not every Dodge is that way, but certain vehicles in most brands are total crap, but people have done their own “research” online and they are the “expert”. That’s not my problem when people refuse to listen to good advice.

I buy, sell, trade and wholesale vehicles everyday and most people do it once every three, five or even ten years. They go online and get all their “data” for a week and then they are an “expert”, which is why I only try to help about 250 people a year. I don’t want to sell 1,000 vehicles a year and have all that brain damage and people calling me about the bad decisions they make. I setup CoolCarGuy.com as an automotive boutique for people who understand the value of working with someone who understands and knows some things because I deal with the powertrain warranties, I’ve purchased Canadian vehicles, I’ve spent $500,000 fixing vehicles and I know the myriad of problems that can happen with vehicles before and after the sale.

How many people know that a 2015 Porsche Cayenne S has a radiator hose running behind the engine and if it goes the dealership needs $3,500 to pull the engine and get started. How many people know that the 2012 VW Tiguan has a radiator leaking problem that can corrode the ECM unit and it’s a $2,400 repair? I deal with every make, model and price point of vehicle. The 2.5 motor in the Subaru tends to blow head gaskets at around 85,000 miles to the point that it’s almost a feature. The list goes on and on, so when you purchase a vehicle “As-Is” that you found online at a big box retailer pretending to not be a dealership or “one-price”, know that it’s “buyer beware”. Your great deal might not be such a good deal down the road.

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Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy
John is an auto consultant who owns CoolCarGuy.com, a licensed car dealership in Lone Tree, CO. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide! Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.comor Twitter @coolcarguy

WHEN A CAR LEASE MIGHT NOT BE SUCH A GREAT DEAL

Hey Cool Car Fans,

I recently had a visit from someone trying to sell me some advertising for my car dealership and they shared with me the great deal that they got on their leased vehicle. I was curious so I asked them to send me a copy of their lease agreement to look it over. I’ll share with you how “great of a lease” it really was in this article to give you an idea of how wrong a lease can go and trap the owner for quite a while.

When she leased her new vehicle it had an MSRP of just over $42,300. After a full year of making payments of $685 a month, plus sales tax her buyout on the vehicle was actually over the original MSRP of the vehicle. Which means that of the $8,220 that she had paid to the leasing company over the course of a year none of it had reduced the purchase price of the vehicle. The interest payments on the lease actually increased the cost of the vehicle if she wanted to buy it out. It gets better though because it wasn’t even a 36 month lease, but a 48 month lease, so she still had three more years left.

How could she owe more than the vehicle MSRP on a lease? As I read the lease agreement I discovered that she had rolled negative equity into the lease of $3,600, so along with the document fee of $599 and a lease acquisition fee of $675 and a $599 maintenance agreement the end result was a capitalization cost of $47,780. Which when you start adding the monthly payments for a year it explains why the current buyout was actually more than the MSRP.

What was a bit tragic is the dealer she went to didn’t give her enough money for her trade, so she had negative equity that should have been far less or not at all. To top everything off, they only gave her 10,000 miles a year and based on how she was driving for her work the cost at $.20 a mile would be $4,000 at the end of the lease term to give it back to the leasing company. Her only option was to give back the vehicle to the leasing company at the end of the lease term.

IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO GET OUT OF A BAD LEASE ON THE WRONG VEHICLE

I won’t be disclosing the vehicle in this article because that’s not as important as the lease structure and overall situation this person found herself in with what she thought was a great lease. The current buyout on her vehicle was over $43,000, but I could purchase the same vehicle at the dealer auctions for around $28,500 and it had a retail value of about $32,000. So, if we bought out her lease it would be a hefty loss. Much more than just riding it out until the end of the lease term and writing a check for $4,000 for going over the miles. The reality is that this was just a really bad lease.

In a few years, she might be able to get out of the lease depending on if the market changes for the vehicle she leased. The reality is that over four years of making payments of $685 a month, plus her sales tax, she would have been far better off to have purchased it instead of leasing. My guess is that the Manager she worked with didn’t explain to her the difference and look out for her best interest, but in the end she made the decision.

In this case she would have been far better off purchasing or financing this vehicle new or used. If she would have contacted me first I would have suggested we find her a slightly used one based on the depreciation, trade her other vehicle in for the tax savings and be in a far better position. Even had she purchased it new and financed it she would be in a better position than her lease, but this is definitely a vehicle that didn’t lease well and she should have bought it used.

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Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy
John is an auto consultant who owns CoolCarGuy.com, a licensed car dealership in Lone Tree, CO. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide. Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.comor Twitter @coolcarguy

How Manufacturer’s Get Out Of Covering Recalls

Hey Cool Car Fans,

There are certain manufacturer’s that you want to lease instead of own. That is unless you have no problem writing a check for senseless repairs that are just not normal with other manufacturers. I’ve spent well over $500,000 fixing cars over the years, which is quite a bit compared to most people.

Recently, I purchased a 2012 VW Tiguan for a client with only about 38,500 miles on the vehicle.  You would think that with that few of miles that it would be in fairly good shape mechanically. I took it to the VW dealer to get a tune up prior to delivery and had it checked out. The VW dealership said there were not any serious issues and that there were no recalls for the vehicle.  A few days after I delivered it the vehicle it started to stall out on my client. This was not good and even though I had sold the vehicle “As-Is” without a warranty it just wasn’t cool that this VW was having these problems. She stalled out in the middle of an intersection, which was terrible and dangerous.

2012 VW Tiguan

I got the vehicle back and took it to another repair shop where they looked at it for about a week.  They couldn’t find a solution to the problem she was having after changing out a crank case sensor and some other possible solutions to the problem.  They reproduced the problem and after a week they thought that they had it fixed.

In the meantime, I went back to the NHTSA.gov website where recalls are listed for vehicles.  There were actually three recalls for these 2009 – 2014 vehicles.  You can see the recalls listed here and it’s very interesting how manufacturers play what I call, “the recall game” with the U.S. Government.  I’m surprised a good team of attorney’s hasn’t figured this one out yet, but hopefully they will read my article and see how it works.  Hopefully, we can get the manufacturers to comply and fix the problems they are creating for the consumer. The VW Tiguan that I delivered as a used vehicle with only 38,500 miles was having the exact same problem as 151,389 other VW Tiguan’s, but this particular VIN was excluded.

It was the same vehicle, same engine, same exact issue with the vehicle was stalling while driving, but you will notice that VW’s solution and reason for this was not even close to accurate. It’s a con-job to get out of paying for the real issue with their vehicles and paying more money for a hefty recall on hundreds of thousands of vehicles. Here’s what they state is causing the problem – ” When using winterized fuel, in certain conditions bubbles may form in the fuel system which could result in the vehicle stalling. “

That sounds so simple and friendly doesn’t it? “Why it’s just bubbles in the fuel system from winterized fuel. ” Want to know what the real problem was and the cost of the repair? Let me first tell you that I had to go back to another VW dealer and they wanted $600 to scrape carbon out of the engine from not using the Premium Fuel since it wasn’t covered under the recall. I loved that one. That definitely wasn’t the issue.

In fact, my client took it to a VW dealership in Colorado Springs and they had the vehicle there for two months. That’s right, they had her vehicle for two months to try to diagnose the problem that didn’t match their recall issue, even though the vehicle was “stalling”. They told her that they had to have a VW Engineer fly in from Germany who looked at the vehicle and determined that coolant from the radiator had leaked down the wiring harness that feeds into the ECM unit and corroded it. That’s a far cry from using the wrong fuel.

I went round and round with the technician after they quoted $3,800 to fix it and we got nowhere with VW. We contacted the VW Rep and got nowhere. I decided to go to another European vehicle mechanic I know here in Denver and told him the situation. He said it “was a known problem” with VW and their motors and engineering and that he could get a used ECM, have it reflashed, clean off the wiring harness and have it back up and running for about $1,500. Of course, my client by this time was worn out from the fiasco with VW since they had her vehicle for two months!

I couldn’t blame her and she opted for the $3,800 repair for something that should have been a recall item. I offered to pick up $2,000 of the repair bill for her, which is more than the manufacturer VW offered. I lost money getting her this vehicle, but it was pathetic how VW as a manufacturer handled this situation with their faulty engineering.

It’s pretty pathetic when The Cool Car Guy, who owns a used car dealership did more to stand behind a faulty 2012 VW Tiguan than VW did with their crappy engineering. Let me share this too about why I am calling foul on VW and their “winterized fuel” scenario for their VW Tiguan recall.

THE SAME MOTOR IS IN THEIR OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM

Here’s an article showing that VW recalled 281,000 Passat and CC vehicles that were “stalling” and it wasn’t “winterized fuel”, but a faulty fuel pump – USATODAY.com

I used this 2012 VW Tiguan as an example for this article and obviously I was pretty ticked about how the manufacturer handled this situation with their vehicle. However, the reality is that many car manufacturers play this game with their vehicles to get out of paying for costly repairs. I’ve seen it with just about every manufacturer. It’s a shell game where they know there is a serious issue with a vehicle, but they can issue a recall for something cheaper that won’t cost as much to temporarily fix the problem. They can also exclude certain VIN’s with the real known problem and then make the customer feel like they have a problem and not their vehicle. Sometimes they will do the recall and it won’t fix the problem and the service technician’s response is “Well, the recall has been done, so we know it’s not that.” and the reality is that it never was that to begin with. It’s your word against theirs.

It’s not just recalls either. If you buy a Dodge vehicle that was previously in Canada you will not get the warranty transferred to the United States simply because it was in KM instead of miles. Which is definitely a “buyer beware” issue before you buy a Dodge to make sure it wasn’t in Canada previously.

In closing, I felt it was important to write an article about this issue because nobody is actually talking about recalls. And in fairness, many times manufacturers will actually issue recalls for the right issue as well and fix them. I’ve seen it both ways, so it’s very annoying.
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Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy
John is an auto consultant who owns CoolCarGuy.com, a licensed car dealership in Lone Tree, CO. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide. Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.comor Twitter @coolcarguy

The Electric Vehicle Boom Is Underway

Hey Cool Car Fans,

About seven years ago a client of mine, who has way too much money and lives up in the Mountains of Colorado, told me that I should rebrand my business and just focus on electric and green vehicles. What’s ironic is that he made his millions in the oil and gas industry and actually owned an oil company at the time.

2017 Kia Soul EV

As The Cool Car Guy, I work with every make, model and type of vehicle, including hybrids and EV’s for my clients as well as tracking down a diesel pickup or a classic car. Basically, vehicles from one extreme to the other depending on what someone is looking for and if they want me to assist them in tracking it down for them. I have clients around the country who want very specific vehicles, including a used Tesla or other EV or hybrid vehicle.

Fast forward to 2018 and Tesla and other EV’s are now gaining in popularity, along with hybrid vehicles. Especially in States like California where gas prices can top $4.00 or $4.50 a gallon. This is one of the reasons why the Tesla Model 3 has been on track to be the number best selling passenger vehicle in the State of California in 2018. That just wasn’t happening seven years ago like it is today. Of course, I’m still not going to be changing me business model to exclusively being a green car only dealership.

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2017 Tesla Model S

GM is getting rid of the Chevy Volt hybrid in 2019, but it’s going to stick with the all electric Chevy Volt based on a demand for EV’s being more than the hybrid model. You have Porsche getting into the EV business to take on Tesla with their Porsche Taycan. I have at least one client who has already put money down to reserve his spot for one of these new Porsche’s. Just about every manufacturer is getting in on the EV bandwagon or going “green” with their vehicles to help reduce emissions. The reality is that the carbon footprint of most of these vehicles is not as “clean” as they are touting them to be because of how much it takes to create the batteries to run them.

Nevertheless, I don’t think that it’s the “green” factor that is driving demand for these vehicles as much as the economic factor. I’ve suggested numerous times that people are better off leasing a Tesla than buying one new or they should consider buying one used instead because of the massive depreciation. The economics that is driving the demand though is the simple fact that the cost of a gallon of gas in places like California, plus oil changes, maintenance, etc. is driving up the cost of owning a vehicle in these places. At $4 a gallon with a vehicle that gets 25 mpg it is $2,400 a year to drive 15,000 miles, which is about $200 a month for fuel, plus car payments, oil changes, maintenance, etc. An EV even if more expensive initially doesn’t have the additional costs of fuel and maintenance of a petroleum vehicle.

MORE CHOICES FOR THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE TODAY AND MORE TO COME

The electric vehicle is probably here to stay, which was a question less than a decade ago, based on the fact that so many manufacturers are now committed to building EV’s. A quick search through used vehicles available through the Manheim Dealer Auctions and there are about 219 currently available from a variety of car companies. These include the following for sale at this one dealer auction with more choices that are sure to be added each year:

  •  BMW (10)
  •  Chevrolet (18)
  •  Fiat (30)
  •  Ford (6)
  •  Hyundai (1)
  •  Kia (15)
  •  Mercedes-Benz (10)
  •  Mitsubishi (3)
  •  Nissan (68)
  •  Smart (11)
  •  Tesla (32)
  •  Toyota (6)
  •  Volkswagen (5)

We can expect more choices in the future as car companies continue to pursue offering EV’s as part of their product offering going forward. EV’s along with hybrid vehicles are going to become much more competitive and more people will be purchasing them as a cost savings alternative to petroleum based vehicles.
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Auto Consultant – John Boyd: The Cool Car Guy
John is an auto consultant who owns CoolCarGuy.com, a licensed car dealership in Lone Tree, CO. He can help you save time and money on any make or model, new or used, lease or purchase – nationwide. Call or email John about your next vehicle! jboyd@coolcarguy.comor Twitter @coolcarguy