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Moving to Chicago... it's finally happening!

Discussion in 'Chicago' started by maranello71, May 10, 2008.

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  1. maranello71

    maranello71 Formula 3

    Jan 23, 2004
    1,221
    Chicagoland
    Full Name:
    Andre
    #1 maranello71, May 10, 2008
    I will definitely be moving to Chicago by the end of summer '08, I have signed a very good contract with my company and I have found a big house in Naperville (better IMO for a family with a little child rather than a condo in downtown).

    I won't have any exciting cars when I move over (although I may get a BMW M3 as a company car more or less immediately), but last week I went "car shopping" around Chicago and I found some interestingly priced cars.

    Perhaps someone in the forum can shed some light on why these cars have such attractive prices, if there are any known hidden issues?

    1) In Downers Grove I came across an '02 Maserati Coupe (manual) for only $37,000. It has barely 9,000 miles and probably needs a major service, but it feels like new. However it lacks a service history; I may offer $33K for it.
    2) In Carol Stream there are two Lamborghini Gallardos, a yellow (10,000 miles) and a blue (14,000 miles), priced under $130K. Both look stunning, and I can't see anything wrong with them.
    3) Near Naperville there is a stunning yellow '02 Murcielago with 28,000 miles, at only $149K. Why is it so cheap, and why doesn't anyone buy it??

    Any info on the above cars, or any suggestions on where to find more attractively priced supercars are welcome!

    BTW I look forward to joining the local Fchat activities and meet other enthusiasts as soon as I get there.
     
  2. johnei

    johnei Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 22, 2006
    1,298
    Seattle
    Full Name:
    John Wiley
    #2 johnei, May 10, 2008
    I live downtown, but Naperville is a great place. It routinely makes the top 10 in best places to live in the US, in terms of affordability, amenities, schools, desirability etc.

    I have seen the listing for the Maserati Coupe you mention. You may want to search on here for Luxury Motors references.

    For any car, you may want to do an initial screen by using www.carfax.com. Just enter the VIN of the car. The reports will not tell you about any minor accidents or repairs made. It will bring up major events like fire, flood, being stolen, involved in a major wreck, the general ownership history and if there are any mileage discrepancies. A police report or the insurance company must be involved for it to show up in carfax. The next step would be a pre-purchase inspection by a qualified person, which seem popular with owners on this site.

    Have fun, I think cars are generally cheaper here (especially taxes on used cars) and going from SFr to USD will make them an even better deal.
     
  3. birddog

    birddog Formula Junior

    Jun 24, 2006
    415
    Illinois
    Full Name:
    Ed
    #3 birddog, May 10, 2008
    I've heard of a LOT of horror stories coming out of Luxury Motors. You might pay a little more up front, but both Continental Autosports and Lamborghini Chicago have some nice Masers to consider and they are much more reputable dealers. They're just a mile or two South on Ogden, and the Porsche dealer is right there too. All three would be good choices for reputable dealers IMHO. Good luck, and welcome to the neighborhood!
     
  4. 1ual777

    1ual777 F1 Rookie

    Mar 21, 2006
    2,948
    Orange County, CA
    #4 1ual777, May 10, 2008
    Chicago? Why? it is a fun city but...
     
  5. amenasce

    amenasce Three Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Oct 17, 2001
    34,453
    Full Name:
    Joe Mansion
    #5 amenasce, May 10, 2008
    Where in switzerland did you live ? I am moving dowtown this summer after spending a year in the burbs. I cant wait. Its another kind of life.

    Looking forward to meeting you !
     
  6. Darolls

    Darolls F1 Veteran
    BANNED

    Jul 2, 2003
    7,782
    Full Name:
    Sparky
    #6 Darolls, May 10, 2008
    That's an understatement!:eek:
     
  7. Michael RPM

    Michael RPM Formula Junior

    Apr 10, 2002
    828
    Oak Brook, IL
    Full Name:
    Michael Wogronic
    #7 Michael RPM, May 11, 2008

    #1 - I don't like to bad mouth anybody so I will let the other LM threads speak on this one.
    #2 - Chicago Motor Cars seems to have a pretty good reputation even though they are not an authorized dealer.
    #3 - I have no idea why someone hasn't already bought the Murci at Premier Autohaus. I have tested it myself,and know its complete history, and it's one of the nicest Murcis out there.
     
  8. absent

    absent F1 Veteran
    Lifetime Rossa

    Nov 2, 2003
    8,810
    illinois
    Full Name:
    mark k.
    #8 absent, May 11, 2008
    +1 on all three points.
    Prices quoted are nothing out of the ordinary though and reflect the current market/demand in Chicagoland.
     
  9. maranello71

    maranello71 Formula 3

    Jan 23, 2004
    1,221
    Chicagoland
    Full Name:
    Andre
    #9 maranello71, May 11, 2008
    Hi, I live near St. Gallen, beautiful (if small, by American standards) place on a hill with a view on the lake and in the middle of a green natural area. Our 15-months old kid loves running around in the fields and in the woods here, so we thought it would be unfair to "lock him up" on the 40th floor of some downtown condo, no matter how luxurious it could be. The house we have chosen in Naperville is located near a really good school/kindergarten and with lots of green surrounding it. We also love Chicago downtown and we'll probably be there every time we fancy an evening out. It's not far from Naperville and it's a small sacrifice we are willing to pay for our kid.

    One other thing we like about Chicago is how cosmopolitan and cultured it feels - I have to say that I am rather fed up of life in the Swiss provincial north, we end up spending most of our weekends in Milan (where we have a house) or London just to escape the boredom of the local social life! I think the Chicago social scene will be much different.

    I look forward to meeting you when we move out there. Let's stay in touch on Fchat, I'll probably have more questions/advice to ask in the coming months!

    By the way, thanks to everyone for the precious advice on cars. I also had the feeling that LM is one of those places where you have to tread very carefully (we know a similar one near Zürich).

    What I don't understand is that LM seems to be part of a network that actually owns official Bentley dealerships (Downers Grove) and official Lamborghini dealerships (downtown Chicago, I went there). Surely Bentley/Lambo would be very careful choosing who they give their franchises to?
     
  10. Noel

    Noel F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Nov 4, 2003
    8,426
    San Francisco/Chicago
    #10 Noel, May 11, 2008
    I'll bad mouth LM, they suck. do business with them at your own peril.

    Chicago is one of the best cities to be in the summer, the winters are pretty lame. People here are friendly and it's very affordable for being a real city, and yes life living in the city vs. the burbs is totally different.
     

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