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The Pirate Captain posted:Since the early 2000’s, I’ve had a dream of owning a cool vintage car and am getting towards a financial position where that’s possible. I also know next to nothing about cars, just think they look cool. Be aware that even when new, cars 50 years ago were far less reliable and required far more maintenance than cars do today. Add in that it's 50 years old now, and plan on stuff breaking and needing fixing almost constantly. You will need to be aggressive about fixing every little thing as it arises and budget accordingly. If you're cool with that, go for it. Otherwise, it's going to accumulate problems until it is undriveable and then it will just sit in your garage for a decade until you sell it.
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Apr 21, 2023 15:53
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The Pirate Captain posted:Thanks for the replies! I looked in AI but couldn’t find a good thread to put the question in and didn’t want to start a new one just for this. I'd budget $3k because it's a Corvette, but it's largely a crap shoot. Some years it will need almost nothing, but the next year it may have six major things fall apart. Keep track of your expenses, so the next time someone asks what to budget to keep an old car going, you'll be the one with the advice.
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Apr 21, 2023 20:06
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Mr Interweb posted:can i get some recommendations on oil for my 2012 prius? It takes 0W-20. Walmart has 5-gallon jugs for as little as $20. Take your pick: https://www.walmart.com/browse/auto-tires/0w-20-oil/91083_1104294_1072084_5802198 Anything that meets the recommendations in the owner's manual will be fine. Some people are extremely religious about specific brands. I am not.
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May 29, 2023 20:05
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Sunk Dunk posted:is there such thing as an open wheel car that's also easily registered and insured in the US? i wanna go fast and i wanna go dumb, but everything i look into (caterham, ariel, etc) are a bitch to register and insure in wa state. Find an old Plymouth Prowler. Here's some to look at: Wimmer-RST KTM X-Bow GT Polaris Slingshot Grand Touring Autocycle Vanderhall Carmel Roadster I know nothing about registering any of them.
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Jun 11, 2023 20:25
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Enjoy your Prius.
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Jul 21, 2023 16:05
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Nitrox posted:The Fiat version of a Miata, while looking better in my opinion, has a ticking time bomb under the hood. What makes you say that? The Multiair engine has been extremely reliable.
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Sep 6, 2023 16:30
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Lucid Nonsense posted:So I've seen Maserati's on FB that are 6-8 years old going for less than $20k. Is that a scam, or does the value drop that much that quickly? I mean, I would not mind getting a 6 figure car for low 5 figures, would I just be flushing that money down the toilet? The purchase price is (almost) irrelevant. The maintenance costs will eat you up. Multiply all ordinary maintenance and repair costs by 4.
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Sep 18, 2023 22:28
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Handsome Rob posted:On the topic of Italian cars: my girlfriend has her eyes on a few 2013-2015 Fiat 500s. (Her Suzuki SX4 is rusting to death.) Any opinions here about these? I know they're tiny (a plus) and slow (not a concern). Surprisingly, we're seeing more manuals than automatics for sale -- seems like the better choice anyway, and she can learn on my car. We know all the old jokes, but what's Fiat reliability like these days? It being a 10-year-old car is going to be a bigger issue than it being a FIAT. 500s are fun little cars. They inspire a lot of passion, both pro- and anti-. They are not good on the highway, so if she is planning on a lot of long hauls in it you may want to consider something else. For city driving and grocery-getting and such it's great. Its reliability is kind of average, probably better than a Suzuki. A VW GTI is worth a look as an alternative.
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Sep 20, 2023 03:56
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Beef Eater posted:I'm looking for a car. My goal is to spend as little as possible over the next 5 years, including gas, maintenance and the price of the car itself. I drive an average of 10 miles a day. Any recommendations? At 3600 miles per year, it almost doesn't matter what you buy. The differences in costs of gas and maintenance are going to be negligible. Lower maintenance will mean a higher purchase price. Buy a Chevy for $2000 or a Prius for $5000, in five years the net cost will be about the same.
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Oct 28, 2023 03:27
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Professor Shark posted:Is negotiating just not a real thing You can try. It depends on how badly they want to move the car you're buying. They will generally try to fake you out, though. Move numbers around so you think you're getting something, but the final total is the same, regardless.
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Nov 28, 2023 02:08
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Not Wolverine posted:I agreed finding towing with ACC for $20k is unobtainable, but if I omit ACC a midsize of half ton pickup is probably not a terrible idea. Minivans will eat 4x8 plywood. 12' long boards will fit, too. Plus seating for 7. And they can tow. Just sayin.
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Dec 21, 2023 03:07
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Twerk from Home posted:I was about to make a comment about transmission health towing at a minivans limit, then I realized I have no clue the CVT in the Sienna even does under heavy load. An Odyssey or Sienna can tow 3500 pounds.
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Dec 21, 2023 03:13
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drhankmccoyphd posted:What's the best approach to finding a competitive new car loan rate? I'll start with my banks but should I be calling around to local credit unions etc? Any online tools? Credit unions will almost always have the best rates. Dealers themselves can have lower rates for special promotions.
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Jan 11, 2024 15:04
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Pixelante posted:I'm on the market for a new-ish sedan. I've involved a brokerage to handle the worst of it for me, but I'm still really vague on what models I should be most excited about. The agent said something about Fords or a Honda, though she's going to look around at what's available right now in my budget range. I currently drive a Ford Focus I love, but I don't know poo poo about Hondas. Are there any models in particular I should be excited about or wary of? Look at the first post in the thread for a template to help define what you're looking for so we can give you better advice.
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Feb 10, 2024 01:38
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Thread favorites Mazda 3 and Toyota Prius are strong candidates as well. Get out and drive a few to see what you like.
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Feb 10, 2024 02:06
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Pixelante posted:I think I hate my broker. She keeps throwing stuff at me that doesn't meet my requirements (too big, too old, too manual transmission) and is saying I'm pretty much on my own for test driving, which she warns is risky because the dealerships won't work with me if they find out I have a broker. If I'd known that I would have done things differently. Don't mention a broker. Say you had your eye on a particular car and would like to test drive it. If they ask, tell them you saw it in their online inventory. After the drive, tell them you're in the early stages and just getting a feel for the market. Then you can go home and talk to the broker about it if you liked it. You're allowed to be devious. Test driving is not a big deal. You need to do it before you buy one, but it's a routine thing that goes on every day at a dealer.
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Feb 16, 2024 00:34
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Pixelante posted:Testing driving a Honda HR-V tomorrow. What should I keep in mind while driving it? I've never test driven something before. https://www.caranddriver.com/shopping-advice/a15105213/how-to-test-drive-a-car/
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Feb 22, 2024 14:26
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redstormpopcorn posted:Thanks for the sanity check, I was absolutely rushing to consider stupid options out of a desire to get back on wheels. The hunt resumes with new rules and a search radius narrowed to 20 miles :V Sometimes you do have to take a chance on something you would otherwise reject when you are in a time crunch and absolutely have to have wheels now, and it's the best available. Life happens, you don't always get optimum conditions. Take as much time as you can, but if you have to take a leap on something, cross your fingers and hope there aren't any surprises. An ex-rental is probably fine, but the odds of getting a lemon are higher.
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Feb 27, 2024 04:01
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An alternative when you're in a time pinch is to buy the cheapest piece of junk you can find that will do the job for the short term. Plan on owning it only for a few months and just write off the cost of it. Use the time it buys you to learn the market and settle on the right car that you plan to keep.
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Feb 27, 2024 14:42
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Prius
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Feb 29, 2024 19:34
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Since "nice to drive" is on your list, I'll suggest a Mazda 3.
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Mar 26, 2024 23:10
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Boris Galerkin posted:I know but I'm used to walking into a store and picking out what I want and then paying for it (or ordering it online). So I'm more asking about the process for buying a car because it's not just "walk into a deal ship and pick a car you want and swipe your card". It can be if the credit limit on your card is high enough. Generally, you're better off arranging a loan separately. You need to set a budget for what you can afford to spend, then determine what you need the car to do and figure out what make/model will fit. Then look at the intersection of price and models to find specific cars to try out. Test drive a few to find out which you feel comfortable in. Then you whip out your credit card and drive it home.
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May 3, 2024 21:30
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