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Our Gay Apparel posted:The GX is the luxury version of the Land Cruiser Prado, the LX is the luxury version of the full size Land Cruiser. Both are proven and reliable. I think it will most likely be what I end up getting her. Only downside is the gas mileage. I think that's probably your best choice unless something in the aforementioned Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade family interests you. A Ford Expedition in Limited trim is a pretty nice car, and reasonably capable, but not what your looking for at all. There's not many options in this market segment.
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Apr 23, 2012 16:25
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dreesemonkey posted:You're going to get poo poo mileage in any large SUV unless it's a crossover, and even then you'll probably only be saving a few MPG. Yeah, I know. That's the cost to be paid, but oh well. Ideally, I would love a Land Rover. But the LR3 had consistently terrible reliability problems, and the LR4 is more than I want to spend. Also the LR3 only had body-color bumpers and quarter panels in 2009, before that it was plastic. I dislike the look of it. Equivalent year and mileage LR3s and GX470s are virtually identical in price. And the GX470 has adjustable air suspension as well. But I do agree about the better looking aspect of the Land Rovers.
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Apr 23, 2012 17:06
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I wasn't sure if I should put this here or make an ask/tell thread, but I figure I can always start a thread later if needed. I'm wondering about being carless and using services like Zipcar. My prospective college has two Zipcars on campus so I was reading up on the program. There's a $25 application fee and a $50 annual membership. Rates vary a little but it looks like they start at $8.75/hr or $63 per day. This includes insurance and gas. The city is also supposed to be very walkable/bike friendly, but there are a lot of hills, a lot of rain, and I have a gimpy knee. However the bus service is free to students and also supposed to be very good. The alternative is buying a beater (under $3000) and paying to insure it, paying for gas, and a $300 parking pass for the college. The last time I insured something old and cheap it was under $80 a month, and with minimal driving I might end up spending about $20/week for gas. I think if I own a car I'm going to end up relying on it a lot more, which is kind of a mixed feeling. On the one hand using public alternatives and walking should be better for me and the environment. On the other hand it might limit where I can go and when, and I don't like not having that freedom. I also worry about the rare occasion I might have some sort of emergency in the middle of the night-like if something happens to my dog and I need to get him to the emergency vet at two in the morning. So I'm conflicted. Should I hoof this over to A/T instead?
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Apr 24, 2012 04:31
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It would be nice to know what city you're talking about. Personally, if I were young in a college town I'd use my bicycle and the bus as much as possible. If you have an emergency, you can always call a cab or ask a friend.
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Apr 24, 2012 13:14
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RabbitMage posted:I wasn't sure if I should put this here or make an ask/tell thread, but I figure I can always start a thread later if needed. This sounds like the right thread for your question. But the answer depends entirely on a bunch of factors you don't address. Are you living on campus or do you have a substantial commute to get to your classes? How much do you plan on driving? Do/will you have a roommate with a car that might let you borrow it or give you a ride occasionally? A lot of college students get by just fine without cars, but it really depends on personal circumstances. If you're living on campus, it is unlikely you will have a reason to go anywhere in your car. Having a car and insuring it can be a pretty big expense for the cash-strapped college student (that money could be going to buying your books instead), so you need to think about whether or not it is really worth it. You say your city has good public transit and you can borrow the Zipcar if you need to (which sounds expensive, but is still cheaper than buying insuring, and parking your own car if you don't drive that much), so what are the reasons you would need a car (honest question)? You can always give it a try without the car and see how it goes. If you decide you really need a car, you can buy one then.
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Apr 24, 2012 13:25
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quote:It would be nice to know what city you're talking about. Oh, right.  Arcata, Ca.MN-Ghost posted:Are you living on campus or do you have a substantial commute to get to your classes? How much do you plan on driving? Do/will you have a roommate with a car that might let you borrow it or give you a ride occasionally? I'll be living off campus but hopefully without a substantial commute. If I'm going carless I'll be making living in Arcata a priority. If I had my own car I'd feel more comfortable living in one of the other nearby towns (McKinleyville, Eureka, etc). Honestly I'm not sure how much I plan on driving since I haven't spent a good amount of time being carless before. I did it here in Fresno for one summer and it worked out okay, but I was still borrowing a car once a week or so. It's also worth noting the bus system here in Fresno is poo poo, though. As of right now I drive everywhere. Chances are I'll be moving with my girlfriend, who is also carless. Right now I don't know anyone in the area so flat out borrowing a car might be hard. Reasons I would need a car I tried to outline before: Gimpy leg might make walking or biking hard, I won't have anyone to call on should I need to borrow one-and I'll be about 8 hours away from other friends and family. I do like the freedom of being able to leave town whenever I want. And I worry that if I need to take the pets somewhere I'll have trouble with that. Mostly the culture here in Fresno and the lack of good public transportation makes a car almost a necessity. The thought of doing it any other way kinda freaks me out, but I can see how practical it would be.
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Apr 24, 2012 20:43
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This might be more suitable for AI, but has anyone replaced their glass windows DIY? I've got a passenger side window on my beater 98 Corolla that got knocked out in a low-speed collision. I was looking on YouTube at tutorials about removing the interior plastic panels and the steps to install the window, and everything looks RIDICULOUSLY easy. The hardest part for me looks like knocking out the dent in the door, which will probably come out with a swift kick or just using a rubber mallet. I could care less about the exterior since it already looks like poo poo. I'm asking because I'll make $700 if I can do it myself. Already ordered the glass for $65 on eBay. I guess the best answer is why not? I will learn something and have some cash to throw into into savings after. cheese eats mouse fucked around with this message at 17:51 on May 2, 2012 |
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May 2, 2012 17:48
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Yeah, you should ask in AI. I haven't dont the window but I did replace a power window regulator in my Jeep Cherokee, which has some similar steps (taking the door panels off, unhooking and reattaching window.) It wasn't too hard and probably saved me $500--sooo, from the BFC side of things I'd say go for it. Just take your time and don't try to force anything. Also, I don't know how the corolla is, but the openings in the door on my jeep were loving razor sharp. I taped the edges up so I could work without worrying about shredding my arms.
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May 2, 2012 18:20
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I've seen it done a hundred times and it looks easy as poo poo. At my work, there is a parking lot with like a thousand cars in it and once a week without fail, the glass replacment van pulls up and replaces someones windshield or side window, and it takes one person 15 minutes and like 3 tools.
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May 2, 2012 18:34
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Replacing a roll-down side window is pretty straightforward, yeah. It will be very helpful if you have a helper who can hold the glass for you while you screw screws and tighten bolts and stuff like that. Also, have a shop vac handy to hoover out all the broken glass that fell down into the door. Replacing glass where there's a rubber seal around it (windshield, non-rolldown windows) is a little trickier though. I personally would always want a pro to install the windshield because it's a major safety item, and also because they typically give you a lifetime guarantee on the work, and also also because it's usually pretty cheap (I dunno where your $700 quote comes from but it's completely insane - I think you can get an guy to come in a van and replace a windshield for like $100 + parts, and a side window for even less). But plenty of guys in AI do windshields and rear glass on their restoration projects too, so, it's not like even that is really that hard.
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May 2, 2012 18:40
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It can be pretty easy, depending on if you have crank windows or power windows. If they are crank windows you will probably need a special tool to remove the handle without damaging it, but the tool itself is cheap. Give it a shot. The worst thing that can happen is you drop or break the piece of glass, but you should be able to figure it out.
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May 2, 2012 18:42
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The cheapest quote I got was $800 or so just to replace glass and remove the dent. Instead I got the highest quote and took a cash 50/50 settlement from the woman's insurance that hit me and figured I'd go with the $800 quote, but after seeing online videos realized I could just do it myself since the car is over a decade old and only worth about 1k. I don't take my car into the shop much (Toyotas are tanks I swear) so it's hard for me to gauge when someone is ripping me off. Honestly I'd rather learn something and pocket the money. I've seen my cousin do it on her old Pontiac. It's all plastic and screws. They're power windows, but I think everything just slides into place. cheese eats mouse fucked around with this message at 18:50 on May 2, 2012 |
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May 2, 2012 18:47
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Removing the dent is probably the majority of that.
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May 2, 2012 19:10
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cheese eats mouse posted:The cheapest quote I got was $800 or so just to replace glass and remove the dent. Instead I got the highest quote and took a cash 50/50 settlement from the woman's insurance that hit me and figured I'd go with the $800 quote, but after seeing online videos realized I could just do it myself since the car is over a decade old and only worth about 1k.
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May 2, 2012 23:04
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cheese eats mouse posted:The cheapest quote I got was $800 or so just to replace glass and remove the dent. I would guesstimate that $700 of that is for the dent. Body work and (especially) paint is very expensive.
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May 2, 2012 23:08
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BFC/AI please talk me out of doing something stupid. I own a 2007 Corolla and have two years left on the loan. I currently own ~$5300.00 on it with a 6% interest rate. Right now my Ford dealer is offering me $7500.00 Trade In on it plus another $750.00 Cash on a 2012 Focus. With the current APRs and my trade in, I would be getting into a brand new car for slightly less per month than what I am paying now. Do I get a new car or pay on my current car another two years and live the good life of not having a payment for a few more years? I don't know if it matters but my commute is about to go from 25 miles per day to 70 and the new Focus gets a very slight MPG advantage over my Corolla.
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May 3, 2012 16:02
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Don't shop for cars based on the monthly payment. I'm not sure how you owe so much on such an old car, but pay it off and then think about what to do next.
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May 3, 2012 16:06
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Doc_Uzuki posted:BFC/AI please talk me out of doing something stupid. Don't think about it in terms of money per month. Work out how much your car is worth, how much the Focus is worth, and then you should be able to tell if it's a good deal or not.
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May 3, 2012 16:08
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sanchez posted:Don't shop for cars based on the monthly payment. I'm not sure how you owe so much on such an old car, but pay it off and then think about what to do next. I bought it used three years ago when my vehicle died on me. It was my first vehicle purchase ever and with a very sudden need for a car and no experience buying one I got kind of hosed on the deal.
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May 3, 2012 16:12
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^^^That's about to happen again. The stealership can offer you an extra $2000 on the "trade-in" because they're really just taking $2000 off the markup on the Focus. What you should be asking yourself is: "Is owning a Focus vs. a Corolla really worth an extra $10,000 in debt?" Life without car payments is awesome. I think everyone should try it at least once.
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May 3, 2012 16:22
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MrKatharsis posted:^^^That's about to happen again. The stealership can offer you an extra $2000 on the "trade-in" because they're really just taking $2000 off the markup on the Focus. What you should be asking yourself is: "Is owning a Focus vs. a Corolla really worth an extra $10,000 in debt?" Okie dokie, thanks goons.
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May 3, 2012 16:29
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The smart financial decision is to keep the car, and make sure you're keeping up on the maintenance. Now if you want the new Focus.. we can discuss if your getting a good deal or not. I would need specifics like MSRP of the new car, proposed APR or incentives. Mileage and trim level of your current car... there's a bunch of variables.
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May 3, 2012 16:55
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Put it another way. Based on some quick math that doesn't account for interest, I figure you're paying something like $230+ a month, right? So you've already paid over $8k for this car in payments in the last three years, plus your down payment. It was only two years old at that time so I assume your down payment was several thousand dollars as well. It is of course worth less today than when you bought it. But the main reason for buying something fairly new and accepting that faster rate of depreciation is because, once it's paid off, you'll have many many years of low-maintenance driving on a newer car which you have taken care of (right?) and can rely on. Those years are what "pays you back" for having spent the extra dough on a car that is still in the really steep part of the depreciation curve. Granted it wasn't brand new when you got it so at least you avoided the worst part of that curve (right?). But what would be the reasoning for getting a new car? I assure you the one or two MPG doesn't fly as a justification at all. I am guessing on the exact models but assuming you are comparing an automatic 2007 corolla with the 1.8L four-cyl to an automatic 2012 Ford Focus FWD with the 2.0L four-cyl, fueleconomy.gov says your combined mileage only goes up by 2mpg from 29 to 31. If you are doing exclusively highway driving, you're going from 35 to 37, which is even less savings than going from 29 to 31! Let's do the math. We'll assume gas costs the national average today of $3.80 for a tank of 87. 70 miles divided by 29 MPG = 2.414 gallons of gas x $3.80 = $9.17 70 miles divided by 31 MPG = 2.258 gallons of gas x $3.80 = $8.58 70 miles divided by 35 MPG = 2.000 gallons of gas x $3.80 = $7.60 70 miles divided by 37 MPG = 1.892 gallons of gas x $3.80 = $7.19 So, you are saving somewhere between 59 and 41 cents per day with the Focus compared to the Corolla, based on EPA estimates. Multiply it out. Assume you work 50 weeks a year and drive this commute five days a week and you are saving between $102.50 and $147.50 a year. Take the high end and even at $150 a year in gas savings (plus whatever more you make on the weekends, maybe another $50 tops?) and your $200 a year in gas savings is the best you can hope for. Is it worth several thousand dollars extra for several more years to save $200 a year on gas? No.
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May 3, 2012 17:17
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Leperflesh posted:Put it another way. Based on some quick math that doesn't account for interest, I figure you're paying something like $230+ a month, right? So you've already paid over $8k for this car in payments in the last three years, plus your down payment. It was only two years old at that time so I assume your down payment was several thousand dollars as well. and this, is how you completely dispel the marketing engine that is out there. YOU NEED A HIGH MPG CAR! IGNORE THE FACT THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE ONE! DON'T DO THE MATH! IT'S NEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
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May 3, 2012 19:14
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TraderStav posted:and this, is how you completely dispel the marketing engine that is out there. YOU NEED A HIGH MPG CAR! IGNORE THE FACT THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE ONE! DON'T DO THE MATH! IT'S NEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW Well duh. The majority of this decision is based on if I want to drive a shiny new car, all other variables aside. Things like better MPG and an updated warranty are ways to help convince the Mrs. I just needed a reality check. Since buying that car three years ago I have learned to do a lot of research in everything I buy whether it was the house or the new pair of Merrells I am tracking down. If anyone is interested I pay $277/month of the Toyota and had $500.00 down @ 6% interest. I was pretty broke at the time, had okay but not great credit, and had never owned a "newer" car before (I drove an '87 Chevy Blazer from 2001-2009).
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May 3, 2012 20:29
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Doc_Uzuki posted:Well duh. The majority of this decision is based on if I want to drive a shiny new car, all other variables aside. Things like better MPG and an updated warranty are ways to help convince the Mrs. I was speaking to the general public, not you specifically.
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May 3, 2012 20:35
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Doc_Uzuki posted:If anyone is interested I pay $277/month of the Toyota and had $500.00 down @ 6% interest. I was pretty broke at the time, had okay but not great credit, and had never owned a "newer" car before (I drove an '87 Chevy Blazer from 2001-2009). What sucks for you is that $277 a month for five years is typical for buying a brand new (rather than 2 year old) car. The good news is that you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. So go ahead and enjoy many years of payment-free life, you've already paid a premium to get it and you should reward yourself for the financial sacrifice you've already made. Also, and I direct this more generally than at you in particular, it seems that many people greatly overemphasize the cost of maintaining even an older car, compared to the cost of buying a new one. Nobody wants to get stuck by the side of the road, of course. But would you pay $10,000 to avoid it? That seems kinda expensive to me! Instead, budgeting perhaps $1000 a year on average will cover a good independent (non dealer!) mechanic taking care of most middle-of-the-road cars from the time their typical warranty expires, for at least another decade, under normal conditions. And that budget includes the large expenses like replacing the entire automatic transmission, too. $1000 a year is only $83 a month... muuuch nicer than a payment on a new car. Especially very reliable cars, like say, the Toyota Corolla. The engine in that car is easily capable of 300,000 miles, properly maintained. Keep up with the oil changes, replace the timing belt when you're supposed to, and the car will give you at least a decade of payment-free driving for a tiny fraction of what you'd pay for regular new-car payments. Of course, a time comes when you feel you want, and can afford, a new set of wheels. But that isn't a financial decision - it's a quality of life decision, and ought to be mentally calculated that way. Instead of "I should buy a new car because my old car's warranty is up and it could cost a lot to maintain and maybe I can save a few pennies on gas too", it should be "I want to buy a new car because it's awesome and I'll really enjoy it, and I've carefully budgeted for it and am sure this is what I want to do with my spending money." Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 00:06 on May 4, 2012 |
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May 4, 2012 00:03
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I say if you have a Toyota keep it. It's one of the few cars that you know will be around forever. I wasn't taught much about maintenance, other than regular oil changes, but mine just keeps running and is about to hit 160,000 miles with only oil changes, a new starter, and a front brake job. An old car might actually make you money if you get hit and can actually do repairs yourself. I really could care less about what kind of car I drive and what it looks like. I actually hate having to own a car and would rather bus/bike if our public transport system was actually up to par. Don't get me wrong I'd love to have a VW GTI or a Mazda3 if someone wanted to give me one, but I'll stick with my paid off beater and use car payments to save for when it breaks down or a newer used car.
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May 4, 2012 15:37
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Here's the fix for the stranded on the road problem, put $500 in an account. That'll easily cover tow truck and a rental car for several days. You get stranded, you call Enterprise and the tow. 1 hour inconvenience.
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May 4, 2012 15:40
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You can buy AAA too.
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May 4, 2012 15:59
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Leperflesh posted:Also, and I direct this more generally than at you in particular, it seems that many people greatly overemphasize the cost of maintaining even an older car, compared to the cost of buying a new one. Seriously. My girlfriend and I share a 2003 Ford Focus with 160K+ miles on it. We bought it for $3k, and have had it for ~40K miles. I don't think the previous owner took particularly great care of it. Our maintenance during the time we've owned it, apart from oil changes and stuff: -Recall covered replacement of the entire front suspension (probably would have been pricey if not recalled, but also might not have broken if it wasn't faulty) -Clutch Master Cylinder (Can't remember exactly how much this was, but it was less than ~$300, with labor) -New tires -Brake rotors (did it with a friend for ~$100) The only thing that has recurred a bunch that could fit the definition of flaky old car stuff is that I have to replace the headlight bulbs way more often than normal (I've gone through 5-7 bulbs). They're ~$10 a piece. I'm not a mechanic. I can change my oil, and a few other simple things, but that's about it. I also don't think we got a special snowflake of a car. The guy before us drove it pretty hard. It rattles some, and has a few paint scratches, but no rust, no major dents, nothing you can see without getting up close and looking. I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but seriously, if you're looking to cut costs, doing some research on the right used car and trolling craigslist for a month or two can save a fortune.
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May 4, 2012 16:00
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cheese eats mouse posted:I say if you have a Toyota keep it. It's one of the few cars that you know will be around forever. I wasn't taught much about maintenance, other than regular oil changes, but mine just keeps running and is about to hit 160,000 miles with only oil changes, a new starter, and a front brake job. An old car might actually make you money if you get hit and can actually do repairs yourself. Your timing belt is long overdue and is a ticking time bomb. Get it changed immediately, unless you actually had this service done previously and just forgot to mention it. On many engines, including many used by Toyota, if the timing belt breaks while the engine is running the pistons will collide with the valves, destroying the engine. This is called a "collision head" or "interference head". If your engine has a collision head, you must do the timing belt according to the schedule. If your engine does not have a collision head, then failure of the timing belt merely results in the engine shutting off. If you have a timing chain instead of a timing belt, then it has a much longer service life (check your manual).
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May 4, 2012 19:24
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Leperflesh posted:On many engines, including many used by Toyota, if the timing belt breaks while the engine is running the pistons will collide with the valves, destroying the engine. This is called a "collision head" or "interference head". If your engine has a collision head, you must do the timing belt according to the schedule. Listen to this. My younger brother ruined a car doing exactly this.
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May 4, 2012 19:36
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Leperflesh posted:If your engine does not have a collision head, then failure of the timing belt merely results in the engine shutting off. If you have a timing chain instead of a timing belt, then it has a much longer service life (check your manual). I looked it up on the Web after reading this thread and they have timing chains that don't require service. Mine is a 98, which is when they started using chains. I'll have to double check because it seems like they were in transition that year, but I'm pretty sure I have a chain. cheese eats mouse fucked around with this message at 20:38 on May 4, 2012 |
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May 4, 2012 20:29
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"A Toyota" is not a car. There have been plenty of poo poo cars from every manufacturer, Toyota included. Given that any manufacturer can have a handful of engine/transmission combinations across a model year and dozens across their entire line "X is good" is pretty dumb and leads people to blindly purchase poo poo vehicles because its got a certain badge on the front. Its the reason why the Pontiac Vibe was dirt cheap and the Toyota Matrix wasn't despite being the same vehicle. If I had a nickel for every time I've seen "My early 2000's Accord's Transmission exploded, how did this happen, ITS A HONDA" on facebook I'd have at least a dollar.
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May 4, 2012 20:47
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Chains are usually the lifetime of the vehicle. Unless they are making noise you leave them alone.
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May 4, 2012 20:47
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Yeah. Just make sure you've got a chain and not a belt. You might be able to do this with a flashlight and your eyeballs, if part of the belt is exposed. Otherwise, we can figure it out if you have the VIN number. Arzakon is right, of course. There is a "honda & toyota tax" especially in the used market. Everyone "knows" that hondas and toyotas are super-reliable, and therefore, they command a premium... which is often far more than they should. Or perhaps to put it another way: there are many non-toyota-or-honda cars which deserve to have a good reputation for reliability and longevity, but - at least in the public eye - don't, because common wisdom when it comes to cars seems to lag around 20 years behind the actual situation. Just as an example: no, you do not need to change your oil every 3000 miles, unless your car is like 30 years old (and probably even then you don't). Because modern oil is way, way, way better than oil was 40 or 50 years ago, it lasts a lot longer, and modern engines aren't as hard on their oil either. (The exception is if your intake is inhaling lots of particulates that aren't getting adequately filtered, so if you live in the australian outback or you have modded your car to 'improve airflow' by loving with its filtration ability, then yeah maybe change the oil more often). The 3k mile thing hasn't been true for decades, and yet you still hear it bandied about as the rule of thumb. Just like how hondas and toyotas are the best most reliable longest-lasting
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May 5, 2012 01:18
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Almost all Toyotas have non-interference motors. Hondas are the opposite. A Corolla with normal maintenance is one of the most reliable vehicles you can own. Repairs are easy, parts are plentiful and relatively cheap. Take care of her and you'll most likely be rewarded with years of faithful service. My 1999 Camry is about to turn 190k miles, and I still plan to get another 2 years out of her.
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May 5, 2012 01:57
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Nocheez posted:Almost all Toyotas have non-interference motors. Hondas are the opposite. Almost all Toyotas from 15 years ago like yours have non-interference motors. In practice pretty much any motor with variable valve timing is going to be an interference motor and today that's basically all of them.
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May 5, 2012 04:05
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Throatwarbler posted:Almost all Toyotas from 15 years ago like yours have non-interference motors. In practice pretty much any motor with variable valve timing is going to be an interference motor and today that's basically all of them. Yes, I should have gone into more detail but I was on my phone so typing was a chore. Toyota has pretty much gone to timing chains on all interference motors they put in their cars in recent years. I wasn't sure if the Corolla in question was one of those years, but I guess my age is showing 
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May 5, 2012 04:45
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