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moana posted:I have never gone out to a dealership to test drive things before so this will be a new experience! Just go in promising yourself you won't sign anything right away and hold yourself to that. Some salespeople can really lay the pressure on. Salespeople tend to hate me because I call them out on their bullshit.
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May 29, 2010 22:52
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ynotony posted:If I asked you objectively which was a more significant change: an increase from 15 to 25 units of anything or an increase from 25 to 35 units of anything, you'd say 15 to 25 because of larger percentage change. You probably wouldn't need more than a second or two. Not necessarily. Considering the difference between the two sets is the same, technically speaking the delta (the total amount changed) in each of the sets is the same; that is, if you equate significance with amount of change, the significance of each would be exactly equal. Mathematically speaking, of course. It's a bit of a trick question. If you start talking about physical items rather than abstract numbers it changes the problem a bit; significance isn't just amount of change anymore. It's more of an amount of change relative to zero.
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Jun 8, 2010 20:46
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This is from a thread in AI:Ixian posted:I used to work at a dealership, my brother sells cars, and my sister works for a large finance company and deals with auto loans day in and day out. I should really get around to writing that "how to buy and finance a car" thread I've been meaning to do forever. edit: vv done vv CornHolio fucked around with this message at 19:08 on Jun 10, 2010 |
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Jun 10, 2010 16:46
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LorneReams posted:Tell me it's the head gasket because that would kill whatever car my parents bought like 2 years into it. I have fond memories of dead cars stuck in our driveway. did they drain the coolant as soon as they bought it?
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Jul 30, 2010 01:29
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To be fair, I see Cadillac of that vintage in the junkyard on a regular basis, so as long as he's familiar with the local yard, he can probably keep it running for stupidly cheap for awhile. Now, if he's NOT familiar with such things...
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Aug 17, 2010 20:57
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Astroman posted:There could be some hidden problem I don't know about, but that can hold true for any car. Keep in mind that every used car was sold/traded in for a reason. As with every car, look online for known problems with Devilles, maybe visit some Deville forums (do those exist? maybe Deville retirement centers?) and look over the car again knowing precisely what to look for. If you're not comfortable doing that, take it to a mechanic not associated with the dealer you're getting the car from and preferably knowledgeable about Cadillac of that vintage for an independent inspection. Maybe it is a really good buy, but if the dealer balks at you going over every inch of the car then they probably have something to hide.
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Aug 17, 2010 21:50
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Sounds like in the BMW either the water pump broke or radiator neck split (both common on E36s) and the engine overheated which, when not noticed, ignited some dust or something nearby before it shut down. The BMW's compressor is on its own belt, so if it locks up the compressor clutch will give or the belt will break. I always heard that most modern VWs just had electrical gremlins that were nearly impossible to track down and would just cause headache after headache with the worst case being the car only starts intermittently.
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Aug 19, 2010 00:09
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For what it's worth, VW does have one thing that very few carmakers offer (at least until very recently): diesel passenger cars. They were offering their TDi line back when gas was cheap, and now that gas is much more expensive you can get a beater oilburner for cheap that gets 50+mpg. Can't say that about every car.
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Aug 20, 2010 18:35
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moana posted:It's also just really annoying to deal with. I grew up in a Honda, I don't expect random poo poo to just start breaking for no reason. The radio dial melted, the ignition coil fiasco (which, even under recall, I wasn't fully reimbursed for), and don't even get me started on the inane drink holders Unfortunately newer Hondas aren't exactly trouble-free either. For instance, if you get a 2006-2008 Civic, expect your engine block to split before 100k miles. And if you're out of warranty you're properly hosed it sounds like. Also feel free to search for Honda main relay failures (I think that was limited to the 1990s though), the weak automatic transmissions, etc... Most people would say Honda's quality has taken a huge drop, especially lately.
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Aug 20, 2010 21:36
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I'm switching back to a Honda as soon as I get back from Burning Man.
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moana posted:Ok, I decided on a Kia Forte, it drove nicely and they have a $1k rebate + 0% APR for 3 years. I'm considering getting the extended basic warranty from the original 5yr/60,000 miles to 10yr/100,000 miles based on a post someone made in here which now I can't find. All the googling I've done makes me wary of buying any sort of extended warranty though. What do you guys think? Is it a factory warranty (ie from Kia) or a 'warranty' provided by a third party such as the dealership or an insurance company?
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Aug 24, 2010 04:17
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Jealous Cow posted:I was looking at the Forte online last night. Can you give some more detailed impressions? Which trim did you look at? I quite like the looks, both exterior and interior, Can't say that about most cars on the market today.
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Aug 24, 2010 13:43
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Anybody that doesn't consider tools to be an investment, consider this: I replaced the brake pads and rotors on my sister-in-law's 2000 Bonneville over the weekend. I also replaced a seized idler pulley and two serpentine belts. Parts cost about $275. $215 for the brake pads and rotors (good brand stuff) and $60 for two belts and an idler from Autozone. Took me about an afternoon to do everything because I took my time. Note that starting from nothing, tools might cost about $100-$150 to do this - jackstands, a jack, sockets, breaker bar, etc... I called a dealership to see how much they would charge for the exact same service. $953.58. $304 front axle brakes, $344.58 rear axle brakes, and $305 for an idler and two belts. That is a savings of almost $700! Talk about the tools paying for themselves!
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Aug 31, 2010 14:45
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NOTinuyasha posted:Do you bike to work because it has extensive savings over a limo? I'm not even sure what this means. NOTinuyasha posted:Also, why would you put premium brakes on a 2000 Bonneville? Could've saved $200 just buying bargain stuff, the car wouldn't outlast it either way. It was my sister-in-law's car and it's the top trim level, SSEi. She didn't want the bargain-bin stuff so I got her the cheapest 'OEM-comparable' stuff I could find on rockauto. The serpentine belts and pulley I went to autozone for, it was the cheapest. And I can almost guarantee that the 3800 will outlive many more sets of pads and rotors, not to mention the apocalypse. Leperflesh posted:Step 1: go to the AI forum. Pretty much this. I had nothing more than a socket set I borrowed from work when I did my first oil change many years ago. I just wanted to know how to do it, so I had bought cheap ramps and a small bucket to put the oil in. Got all that for $25 from Autozone. Once I realized I could do it myself, I jumped to spark plugs, brakes, etc... There are always people there to help when you inevitably gently caress up (AI rocks!). CornHolio fucked around with this message at 03:07 on Sep 1, 2010 |
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Sep 1, 2010 03:02
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alreadybeen posted:Doing all of your own repairs also has the tremendous cost of time. I think it really boils down to if you have the time. If you're an incredibly busy person with the money to spare, by all means take it to a mechanic. They're insured if they break your car and they have air tools and lifts to make most jobs a cinch. However, they also charge anywhere from $60/hr to $120/hr or more. And they go by book rates so if they do it in a half hour and the book states to charge you for two hours, you're getting charged for two hours. Plus diagnostic time. And disposal fees. And they stripped a lug nut and didn't tell you. Oil changes are usually a wash. Beyond that, though, there can be substantial savings by learning to DIY which is why I posted the anecdote about saving $700. That's not bad for something that is pretty much four bolts per wheel once you get the wheel off, and a single bolt and some arm-hurting tensioner-holding for the belts. (I know I used dealership pricing, an indy would have been cheaper for sure, but I don't know of a good GM indy around here since I've never owned one). Hell, my brother paid an indy shop $400 to replace his oxygen sensor in his Grand Am. The part is something like $60 online and it's RIGHT. ON. TOP. OF. THE. ENGINE. (Yes it was the precat sensor before you ask). Mind boggling. edit: and on top of that, by being familiar with the mechanics of your car, you're in a much better position when you do deal with mechanics (they can't make stuff up) or when you're stranded. I know somebody that took their car to Midas for a brake job, the mechanic came into the waiting room with a filthy air filter and wanted to replace it. It wasn't even from their car. The fact that they recognized that the air filter wasn't from their own car (and they had replaced it somewhat recently) saved them from a common scam. Likewise, you think your oil change place always changes you oil filter? CornHolio fucked around with this message at 04:15 on Sep 1, 2010 |
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Sep 1, 2010 04:06
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NOTinuyasha posted:Automatic front wheel drive GM products, legendary for reliability, especially the H-platform, shared with other quality cars like the Olds 88 and the Lesabre, from 2000 no less, the golden age of GM quality. Good investment, I take back everything I said. I like to poo poo on GM as much as anybody else, but the 3800 is a legend. Really the only problems I can think of in the bigger GM cars of that era were window regulators. Otherwise they're solid enough cars. Don't get me started on the 3100 and 3400 engines though... NOTinuyasha posted:
In this age of OBDII cars, a broken O2 sensor will always trip a code. I don't think shops should be allowed to charge more than ten minutes of time (assuming they can't find their tool) to diagnose a check-engine light (unless it is a rare case of it not being obvious, for instance a vacuum leak or something). Especially when a reader costs $50 and Autozone reads them for free anyway. CornHolio fucked around with this message at 03:15 on Sep 2, 2010 |
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Sep 2, 2010 02:47
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LorneReams posted:Forgive my ignorance, but the $50 autozone tool is the same as the computer looking tool the dealers use? The one I borrowered from auto zone told me that I MAY have a o2 sensor issue, but the dealer computer tool told me exactly which o2 seonsor was malfuntioning, unless I was using it wrong. It depends. Most dealerships have a $4000+ machine that they use. Different makes use different machines. However, independent repair shops aren't going to have those most of the time unless they're specialized. They're going to have a standard OBDII scanner (with a bit more features than the Autozone one; Mine has the ability to test O2 sensors, for instance). There are forums online dedicated to the OBDII setup, they can be incredibly helpful if the code is vague. For instance, my Volvo regularly throws a P0172 code which means it occasionally runs rich. It still runs fine and I'm not worried about it but it could be a slowly failing O2 sensor, a bad MAF sensor, a vacuum leak, a bad fuel pressure regulator, or any number of other things. In that case OBDII is vague and the special Volvo scanner may be able to track down why it runs rich sometimes. Not worth the diagnostic price yet, though. Many cars, especially those with a strong enthusiast base, have scanners that go above and beyond OBDII. For instance, Peake Research makes an excellent scantool for BMWs. The price is high but it pays for itself quickly. It does all the same diagnostics as the factory machine can. Likewise, Volvo has VADIS, which is available through :files: or for a very high cost from Volvo. Other makes have similar options. This is one huge reason why it is beneficial to own a car with a large enthusiast base. CornHolio fucked around with this message at 14:09 on Sep 2, 2010 |
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Sep 2, 2010 13:56
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LorneReams posted:Every dealer I've been to would apply the diagnostic price to the repair, os it's not always a bad thing. Maybe they mark up the repair accordingly ;-) There are some really good dealers out there that will do things like this, but there are also dealers out there that will charge $50 to replace a headlight bulb. (Although in some cars that might still be a really good deal Ultimately you're paying for their time and special training, and a lot of the time (though not all the time) a little bit of research can forgo that. CornHolio fucked around with this message at 14:15 on Sep 2, 2010 |
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Sep 2, 2010 14:12
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NOTinuyasha posted:but don't slam people for not wanting to deal with repairs even if you you find one specific example (out of thousands) to be easy. Hey I'm not slamming anybody on anything, I'm just saying a good set of tools are a good investment (and gave an example, since it was fresh in my mind), and people can save a lot of money by (at least trying) to do repairs themselves. I mean heck, if a car throws a code, a trip to autozone and ten minutes on the internet are free so why the heck not at least see if its something easy? And then some people aren't mechanically inclined, and that's that.
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Sep 3, 2010 00:02
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SouthShoreSamurai posted:It has helped me. I was not aware Auto Zone did free diagnostics. They also rent out a decent amount of tools for free, mostly special stuff you don't need often like pullers and spring compressors and stuff. And it's FREE! LorneReams posted:I used to have to turn the engine on and off a few times and the code would blink out. I would then look in the book to see what the code meant. I used to feel like a god drat genius for figuring that out. This was a little before the easy of the internet however. All OBD1 cars have some kind of system to do that. And yes you do leave a deposit, but you get the whole thing back. That's still considered free, right? CornHolio fucked around with this message at 02:29 on Sep 3, 2010 |
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Sep 3, 2010 00:40
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Leperflesh posted:The Fiesta is a great car and sometimes a smaller car is exactly what you want. Y'know, once our situation stabilizes, I'm seriously considering trading in one of our cars for a new small car like the Fiesta or Fit. Seriously, in the past few years the amount of fantastic small cars that have come out is insane. Gone are the J-body Cavaliers and Neons, now we have Fits, Fiestas, Coopers (don't hit me), soon the Fiat 500s (  ) and even the Kia Rio looks pretty nice. I blame the popularity of the Mini Cooper.
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Oct 14, 2010 01:23
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Jealous Cow posted:After some reflection, even though the Focus looks pretty sweet, it'd be at least $3k more, if not $5k for all the toys. I really don't want to spend more than $20k and I need to draw the line somewhere. Which is only $6k away from a 135i... 
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Oct 14, 2010 02:50
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He's upside-down on the car, and wants to sell it to get a GIANT HONKIN SUV because his two kids won't fit into whatever he has now? What kind of car is he trying to sell?
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Nov 1, 2010 19:38
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Shadowhand00 posted:He's trying to sell a 330i ZHP. Ah. Ah-ha. Owch. I do know that the ZHPs are incredibly rare and highly sought after, especially with paperwork. I don't know if the KBB reflects that so he may be more accurate in his pricing than you think. Best to check with AI or some other forums to see what ZHPs go for these days. Those are cars that people scour craigslist and autotrader for months upon months and when they finally find one, they fly thousands of miles to pick it up. BTW an E46 is plenty big for two kids  Unless they're obese or something.
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Nov 1, 2010 19:54
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There are a number of cars out there that are cheap and reliable that aren't Japanese either. Usually people recommend Camrys and Civics and Corollas and Accords and while they're reliable they can command a premium depending on where you are. Ford Focuses (Focii?) are decent as long as you stay away from the first two or three years. Geo/Chevy Prizms are also excellent because it's a domestic-badged Corolla, so you get all the benefits of the Corolla with the depreciation of a Geo/Chevy! Older (first gen) Neons can be had for a song, just make sure you get the 3-speed auto rather than the 4-speed and the head gasket issue has been resolved (ir probably has by this point unless you get a super-low-mileage car). Any Nissan with the VQ engine is going to be fantastic as well. Those engines are built.
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Jan 11, 2011 14:49
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Nocheez posted:The reason we recommend those cars and the reason they command a (small) premium is because they are reliable through and through. Anecdotes, anecdotes. I had an Altima with the worse 2.5L four cylinder (that apparently catches fire) and it needed very little until I sold it at 96k miles. My point is, Hondas and Toyotas have a premium, sometimes significant, and their parts also tend to be more expensive. Heck my brother's Accord (1998 model) has been a piece of poo poo for him. His distributor went out and I think the part alone was close to $200 because it's some Japanese wizardly or something (for comparison, the distirbutor for my PREMIUM AUTO MACHINE VOLVO was $40). His transmission has been giving him grief, his door handle snapped off, his gearshifter came apart, and he's been having the well-known Honda main relay problem for awhile now, a problem that often leaves him stranded and which is very expensive to fix. Many Honda Civics have an issue where the engine block splits in half; Many Honda Accords have weak transmissions; Many Toyota engines have serious sludging issues; Whether or not the cars are worth their premiums is a big debate and I tend to think they're usually not worth it. Your Maxima was probably a rare case; I'm assuming it was a second gen Maxima and if that's the case those tend to be pretty reliable and reasonably priced and I would probably recommend one over a similar year Camry, your anecdote notwithstanding. Any car could need a wheel bearing or a window regulator, the former is technically a wear item anyway and the latter is something I think every manufacturer has problems with, some more than others (I'm looking at you, GM). Nissans are known for cheaper-quality interiors but I don't think that's a very valid reason to look past them. CornHolio fucked around with this message at 17:53 on Jan 11, 2011 |
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Jan 11, 2011 16:41
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Ford has made some incredible leaps and strides, quality wise. I'd say they're better than most of the Japanese companies at this point, to be completely honest. I'd much rather have a new Taurus than a new Camry.
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Feb 16, 2011 17:27
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I still say most Hondas and Toyotas are overpriced, especially in the current market. If you want a cheap beater, look for a GM with the 3800 series engine (most of the full-size vehicles have this engine; the smaller engines had some major problems and I would suggest avoiding them); a geo/chevy prism (rebadged Corolla); Mazdas and Nissans tend to be very good values as well (especially any Nissan with the 3.0L V6 which is bulletproof). Also Jeep Cherokees with the 4.0L engine, and most small pickups are pretty reliable and cheap. Just my .02
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Apr 4, 2011 20:23
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I'm giving serious thought to getting a third vehicle. Now, before you go all "HAHA TYPICAL CH NOTHING CHANGES OMG" let me explain. This probably wouldn't happen until this fall or even next spring, when I'm in an even better position than I am now. I'd like a cheap spare utility vehicle like a small pickup or SUV. I'm thinking Ford Ranger, Jeep Cherokee, Dodge Dakota territory. I'm also thinking no more than $1,000. Here are my arguments: - Being able to pull one of my other two cars off the road and fix at my leisure, rather than having a mechanic do it because I need it back right away. - Being able to haul stuff as needed rather than rent a U-haul or borrow someone elses vehicle - Parts for what I listed above are stupidly cheap nd decent examples are all over the pick-n-pulls. - If I need the money I should be able to sell it for about what I paid for it, assuming halfway decent condition and still running. - If I have to replace one of my daily drivers, I can take my time doing so rather than needing a new vehicle right away and not being able to do research or wait for a good deal. I have a hard-on for the old AMC 4.0 six, which is why I'd like a Cherokee; though I've heard the manuals have issues, so I might have to spring for an automatic and hate life. I don't know much about Dakotas or Rangers but don't often hear bad stuff about them. I have, however, heard bad things about working on S10s so I think I'd avoid those. Am I completely insane or am I being rational here? And if I am in fact being somewhat rational, any thoughts on what a good cheap spare vehicle would be?
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Apr 8, 2011 00:43
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Usually I haul things no more than once or twice a year. My main consideration is having a spare vehicle for when one of my daily drivers needs work. basically I would like being able fix things at my discretion rather than taking it to a mechanic so I can get to work. I just figured that I may as well add some utility while I'm at it.
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Apr 8, 2011 01:55
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Yeah, I understand. Though if I could theoretically always sell it for what I paid for it, doesn't that lower the operating costs significantly? (i understand that's not guaranteed, but a thousand dollar truck isn't going to be worth much less than that as long as it runs)
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Apr 8, 2011 02:32
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kimbo305 posted:CH, your post would have been strengthened if you didn't sperg about how much you want a 242 motor. Certainly they're cool, but I think there's a lot of want and not need bleeding through. eh, fair enough. I honestly don't know much about them other than that oil and coolant appear to be optional. I was just thinking I'd find something reliable, common enough to be at every junkyard, and easy to work on, and that fits all three of those nicely. Something with a V8 would be pretty friggin sweet but it's likely be a gas hog. But like I said, something like this wouldn't happen until fall or next spring anyway, so I have plenty of time to weigh my options and finances and such. (Also, my old work has a very good condition 2001 Cherokee that they'll probably unload for cheap by the end of the year)
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Apr 8, 2011 12:35
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Could you elaborate, as in what truck you got for that price, the condition it was in, and the repairs it needed to stay running?
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Apr 8, 2011 15:09
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Nocheez posted:
I do have rental coverage but it only applies if my cars are in a wreck or otherwise getting insurance-covered work on them. Just being in the shop doesn't work. I called and asked last time my my car was in the shop. See my thinking was that I should be able to sell the truck for the same amount I paid for it, as long as it still runs. I don't think American trucks are difficult to keep in running condition (I could be wrong) and I know it would be a risk but between the resale value of a fully depreciated truck and the small amount (2000 miles or less I would say) it would be driven a year it would be a lot more cost-efficient. I really don't know, though, and in any case it would probably need to wait until I have a house and a garage anyway just so I have somewhere to put it. At the very least I would need to wait until used car prices stabilize again. Although with gas as high as it is, people are dropping trucks left and right right now (I have a friend getting rid of a Land Rover Discovery for fairly cheap! No, I'm not interested, believe me...)
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Apr 10, 2011 01:24
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Nocheez posted:It's a gamble. At this point in time, I think it would be wise to keep your money in the bank and hope that you don't need another car. If you need one once or twice, you'll come out ahead. Well yeah this wasn't going to happen anytime soon, it was more of a general question than anything. I think I had thought that the potential resale value of such a vehicle would make it much more feasible to the point where the initial purchase price was largely negligible. My car is at this point off the road about once or twice a year tops, so that certainly wouldn't justify it. Though hopefully it stays that way, I just screamed past 200,000 miles.
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Apr 10, 2011 15:11
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I always thought they tended to have a smattering of electrical gremlins that would never quite go away and which would always be impossible to fully track down. I've never owned a VW, though, so it's just hearsay. I also heard that the VWs built in Mexico had noticeably worse quality than the European-built ones.
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Apr 10, 2011 18:49
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asmallrabbit posted:Considering a new set of tires is around $1500+ I know it's an Audi but what the hell kind of tires are these??? I can get a full set of high-end Bridgestone Potenza RE90AS tires for something like $70/tire, figure about $400 total after installation on ~MY BMW~. edit: The most expensive A4 OE tires I can find are about $1,200 for a set and those are super high performance summer tires: OE 17" Tires OE 18" Tires CornHolio fucked around with this message at 15:44 on Apr 11, 2011 |
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Apr 11, 2011 15:41
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asmallrabbit posted:Well the tire is 300 but you still have to have it installed, balanced etc. Tire rack doesn't provide any of that do they? They most certainly do, it's where I've taken my cars for about ten years now. I think they're the only people I've seen properly torque the lugs, too.
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Apr 11, 2011 19:33
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|Ziggy| posted:My automatic antenna isn't working anymore. The motor runs, but the gear isn't catching, the antenna is bent, or something like that. I'm fairly sure I could fix this myself, but I can't get the tire off(to get to the motor/antenna). The lug nuts are on too tight for me to take off myself. Is there anything I can do other than get it fixed at a shop for a few hundred dollars? Pull up to a gas/service station, give the guy in the shop $10 to loosen them. They'll come out and use their impact to loosen them, then tighten them with the spare tire kit wrench, one at a time. Alternatively, use a long piece of pipe to increase your leverage on whatever tool you're using (assuming the tool can support the additional stress of course)
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Apr 11, 2011 19:49
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kimbo305 posted:He lives by their HQ. It was a nothing statement since no one else can benefit (unless they want to lock and load and venture into Indiana). Whenever I'm there I see cars from all over the midwest. So people really do venture out here. They actually have a shitton of installation bays and they're always very busy. Living by their HQ does have its benefits. 
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Apr 11, 2011 23:36
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Auron posted:I don't know if you like WJ Grand Cherokee's...but they came with the 4.7 V-8 and generally get better mileage than the inline 6. The 6 is rated 1mpg better in city/highway but from every jeep forum I've been on, and based off my own experience the 4.7 gets better mileage. I average around 16.5 in the warmer months, with a best of 22 mpg on the highway at 70 mph. I heard the Jeep V8s were pretty troublesome, though. A buddy of mine as a Grand Cherokee and he blew both head gaskets on two separate occasions. He had a number of engine problems with it as well I think. Granted it could have been the owner's fault, but I seem to remember other problems with that engine. while the 4.0 is pretty legendary for its reliability. Correct me if I'm wrong please.
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Apr 13, 2011 04:15
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